Department of Transportation 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) announce: (1) The schedule and locations of public hearings; and (2) the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Liberty Natural Gas LLC, Port Ambrose Liquefied Natural Gas Deepwater Port license application for the importation of natural gas. The Port Ambrose application describes an offshore natural gas deepwater port facility that would be located 16.1 nautical miles southeast of Jones Beach, New York, 24.9 nautical miles east of Long Branch, New Jersey, and 27.1 nautical miles from the entrance to New York Harbor in a water depth of approximately 103 feet. The FEIS complies with the Deepwater Port Act of 1974, as amended (33 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.) (DWPA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C)), as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR 1500 to 1508). MARAD and the USCG request public comments on the FEIS and the application. Publication of this notice begins a 45-day comment period, requests public participation in the process, provides information on how to participate in the process and announces informational open houses and public hearings in New York and New Jersey. Pursuant to the criteria provided in the DWPA, both New Jersey and New York have been designated as Adjacent Coastal States (ACS) for this application. Please note that this application is only for the construction and operation of a deepwater port that could only be used as a natural gas import facility. The considerable technical, operational and environmental differences between import and export operations for natural gas deepwater ports is such that any licensed deepwater port facility that proposed to convert from import to export operations would be required to submit a new license application (including application fee) and conform to all licensing requirements and regulations in effect at such time of application. In addition to payment of the application fee, licensing requirements include, but are not limited to, completion of an extensive environmental impact assessment which would include public participation and a financial responsibility review which would include public participation.

This rule amends, suspends, or removes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and associated Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures for operations at certain airports. These regulatory actions are needed because of the adoption of new or revised criteria, or because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System, such as the commissioning of new navigational facilities, adding new obstacles, or changing air traffic requirements. These changes are designed to provide for the safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.

FMCSA announces its decision to exempt 45 individuals from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). They are unable to meet the vision requirement in one eye for various reasons. The exemptions will enable these individuals to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce without meeting the prescribed vision requirement in one eye. The Agency has concluded that granting these exemptions will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to or greater than the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these CMV drivers.

FMCSA announces its decision to exempt 27 individuals from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). They are unable to meet the vision requirement in one eye for various reasons. The exemptions will enable these individuals to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce without meeting the prescribed vision requirement in one eye. The Agency has concluded that granting these exemptions will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to or greater than the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these CMV drivers.

As authorized by 46 U.S.C. 12121, the Secretary of Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), is authorized to grant waivers of the U.S.-build requirement of the coastwise laws under certain circumstances. A request for such a waiver has been received by MARAD. The vessel, and a brief description of the proposed service, is listed below.

As authorized by 46 U.S.C. 12121, the Secretary of Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), is authorized to grant waivers of the U.S.-build requirement of the coastwise laws under certain circumstances. A request for such a waiver has been received by MARAD. The vessel, and a brief description of the proposed service, is listed below.

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew an information collection. The information collected ensures that the Maritime Administrator has sufficient information regarding the capacities and schedules of qualified vessels in order to make determinations required by 46 U.S.C. 501(b). The information will be used by the Maritime Administration (MARAD) to fulfill its statutory obligation in determining availability of Jones Act (i.e., coastwise-qualified vessels) in all applicable circumstances. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13.

This notice provides information regarding FHWA's finding that a Buy America waiver is appropriate for the use of non-domestic Vanessa 30,000 series water line valves (two 42 inch, three 16 inch, and one 8 inch) for the Woodmen Road corridor improvement project, phase 2 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

This notice provides information regarding FHWA's finding that a Buy America waiver is appropriate for the use of non-domestic Voith 21/R5 propulsion units for ferry boat Pocahontas' propulsion unit replacement by Virginia DOT.

FRA announces the fifth meeting of the Northeast Corridor Safety Committee, a Federal Advisory Committee mandated by section 212 of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA). The NECSC is made up of stakeholders operating on the Northeast Corridor, and the purpose of the NECSC is to provide annual recommendations to the Secretary of Transportation. NECSC meeting topics will include a presentation on recent FRA safety advisories and emergency orders, Amtrak derailment safety lessons learned, vehicle intrusions at other-than-grade crossings, NEC Positive Train Control implementation timeline/issues and challenges, and a general discussion of safety issues.

This rule amends, suspends, or removes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and associated Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures for operations at certain airports. These regulatory actions are needed because of the adoption of new or revised criteria, or because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System, such as the commissioning of new navigational facilities, adding new obstacles, or changing air traffic requirements. These changes are designed to provide for the safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.

On September 9, 2015, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (DOT) published in the Federal Register a Notice titled: ``Draft Test Plan to Obtain Interference Tolerance Masks for GNSS Receivers in the L1 Radiofrequency Band (1559-1610 MHz)''. The GPS Innovation Alliance petitioned DOT to extend the comment period. DOT is granting this request and extending the comment period from October 9, 2015 to October 16, 2015.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, PHMSA invites comments on its intention to revise an information collection under Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Control Number 2137-0628, ``Flammable Hazardous Materials by Rail Transportation.'' This reporting requirement would require tank car owners to report their progress in the retrofitting of tank cars to the Department of Transportation (DOT).

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces that the Final Written Re-Evaluation of the O'Hare Modernization Environmental Impact Statement (Final Re-Evaluation) for Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois is available. The Final Re-Evaluation identifies the potential environmental impacts associated with the construction schedule modification that alters the timing for commissioning new Runway 10R/28L, new Runway 9C/ 27C, and the extension of Runway 9R/27L at O'Hare International Airport pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act.

We are superseding airworthiness directives (AD) 2001-18-06 and AD 2008-22-16, for all General Electric Company (GE) CT58 turboshaft engines. AD 2001-18-06 and AD 2008-22-16 required recalculating the lives of life-limited rotating parts using a repetitive heavy-lift (RHL) multiplying factor and removal from service of parts that exceed the recalculated cyclic or hourly life limit. This new AD would consolidate AD 2001-18-06 and AD 2008-22-16, and further reduce the life capability of certain parts. This AD was prompted by recalculation of life for parts installed on engines used in Utility operations, and a reduced life for compressor spools in all operations. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of life-limited rotating parts, uncontained part release, damage to the engine, and damage to the aircraft.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. (P&WC) PT6B-37A turboshaft engines. This AD requires initial and repetitive inspections until replacement of the No. 10 bearing, and eventual replacement of the No. 9 bearing, both located in the engine reduction gearbox (RGB) assembly. This AD was prompted by reports of incorrect engine torque for PT6B-37A engines. We are issuing this AD to prevent axial migration of the No. 10 bearing in the engine RGB assembly, which could result in engine overtorque, failure of the engine, in-flight shutdown, and loss of the rotorcraft.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of the Twentieth RTCA Special Committee 225 meeting.

This rule updates the regulations governing the required design standards to be utilized on Federal-aid highway program (FAHP) projects. In issuing the final rule, FHWA incorporates by reference the latest versions of design standards and standard specifications previously adopted and incorporated by reference, and removes the corresponding outdated or superseded versions of these standards and specifications. This rule also makes technical changes to the regulatory text consistent with updated Federal Register procedures.

Pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3521 (PRA), and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR 1320.11, the Surface Transportation Board has obtained OMB approval of an extension of the information collectionNotifications of Trails Act Agreement and Substitute Sponsorship. This collection, which is codified at 49 CFR 1152.29, has been assigned OMB Control No. 2140-0017. Unless renewed, OMB approval expires on July 31, 2018. The display of a currently valid OMB control number for this collection is required by law. Under the PRA and 5 CFR 1320.8, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless the collection displays a currently valid OMB control number.

We propose to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2010-04- 03, for all Airbus Model A310 series airplanes. AD 2010-04-03 currently requires accomplishing repetitive detailed visual inspections for cracking around the fastener holes in certain wing top skin panels between the right side and left side of the front and rear spars, and repair if needed. Since we issued AD 2010-04-03, Airbus improved the ultrasonic inspection program to allow earlier crack detection and to extend the repetitive inspection intervals. We have determined these inspections are necessary to address the unsafe condition. This proposed AD would continue to require the repetitive detailed inspections for cracking around the fastener holes in certain wing top skin panels between the front and rear spars, and repair if needed, and would require supplemental repetitive ultrasonic inspections for cracking around the fastener holes in certain wing top skin panels and repair if needed. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct cracking around the fastener holes in certain wing top skin panels between the right side and left side of the front and rear spars, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the airplane.

In recent years, there have been significant hazardous liquid pipeline accidents, most notably the 2010 crude oil spill near Marshall, Michigan, during which almost one million gallons of crude oil were spilled into the Kalamazoo River. In response to accident investigation findings, incident report data and trends, and stakeholder input, PHMSA published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) in the Federal Register on October 18, 2010. The ANPRM solicited stakeholder and public input and comments on several aspects of hazardous liquid pipeline regulations being considered for revision or updating in order to address the lessons learned from the Marshall, Michigan accident and other pipeline safety issues. Subsequently, Congress enacted the Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act that included several provisions that are relevant to the regulation of hazardous liquid pipelines. Shortly after the Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act was passed, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued its accident investigation report on the Marshall, Michigan accident. In it, NTSB made additional recommendations regarding the need to revise and update hazardous liquid pipeline regulations. In response to these mandates, recommendations, lessons learned, and public input, PHMSA is proposing to make changes to the hazardous liquid pipeline safety regulations. PHMSA is proposing these changes to improve protection of the public, property, and the environment by closing regulatory gaps where appropriate, and ensuring that operators are increasing the detection and remediation of unsafe conditions, and mitigating the adverse effects of pipeline failures.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below is being forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comments.

We propose to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2008-13- 12 R1, which applies to certain The Boeing Company Model 737-100, -200, -200C, -300, -400, and -500 series airplanes. AD 2008-13-12 R1 currently requires various repetitive inspections for cracking of the upper frame to side frame splice of the fuselage, and other specified and corrective actions if necessary; and also provides for an optional preventive modification, which terminates the repetitive inspections. Since we issued AD 2008-13-12 R1, we have received reports of additional fatigue cracking of the upper frame to side frame splice of the fuselage, and two reports of severed frames. This proposed AD would add, for certain airplanes, an inspection to determine if the existing frame repair meets all specified requirements; for certain other airplanes, a new modification of the upper frame to side frame splice, which would terminate the repetitive inspections; and reduce certain inspection thresholds and repetitive intervals. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct fatigue cracking of the upper frame to side frame splice of the fuselage, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the frame and adjacent lap joint, causing increased loading in the fuselage skin, which will accelerate skin crack growth and result in decompression of the airplane.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Honeywell International Inc. TPE331-5, -5A, -5AB, -5B, -10, -10R, -10U, -10UF, -10UG, -10UGR, and -10UR model turboprop engines. This AD was prompted by engine propeller shaft coupling failures, leading to unexpected propeller pitch changes causing increased aerodynamic and asymmetric drag on the airplanes using these engines. This AD requires removing certain part number (P/N) engine propeller shaft couplings from service. This AD also requires inserting a copy of certain airplane operating procedures into applicable flight manuals. We are issuing this AD to prevent loss of airplane control, leading to an accident.