Department of Transportation 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA announces its decision to grant requests from 17 individuals for exemptions from the Agency's physical qualifications standard concerning hearing for interstate drivers. The current regulation prohibits hearing impaired individuals from operating CMVs in interstate commerce. After notice and opportunity for public comment, the Agency concluded that granting exemptions for these drivers to operate property-carrying CMVs will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to or greater than the level of safety maintained without the exemptions. The exemptions are valid for a 2- year period and may be renewed, and the exemptions preempt State laws and regulations.

FMCSA announces its decision to grant requests from 4 individuals for exemptions from the Agency's physical qualifications standard concerning hearing for interstate drivers. The current regulation prohibits individuals who do not meet the standard from operating CMVs in interstate commerce. After notice and opportunity for public comment, the Agency concluded that granting exemptions for these CMV drivers will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to or greater than the level of safety maintained without the exemptions. The exemptions are valid for a 2-year peiod and may be renewed, and the exemptions preempt State laws and regulations.

PHMSA is issuing this notice to remind hazardous materials shippers and carriers of their responsibility to ensure that current, accurate and timely emergency response information is immediately available to emergency response officials for shipments of hazardous materials, and such information is maintained on a regular basis.

In accordance with the procedures governing the application for, and the processing of, special permits from the Department of Transportation's Hazardous Material Regulations (49 CFR part 107, subpart B), notice is hereby given of the actions on special permits applications in (October to October 2014). The mode of transportation involved are identified by a number in the ``Nature of Application'' portion of the table below as follows: 1Motor vehicle, 2Rail freight, 3Cargo vessel, 4Cargo aircraft only, 5Passenger-carrying aircraft. Application numbers prefixed by the letters EE represent applications for Emergency Special Permits. It should be noted that some of the sections cited were those in effect at the time certain special permits were issued.

In accordance with the procedures governing the application for, and the processing of, special permits from the Department of Transportation's Hazardous Material Regulations (49 CFR part 107, subpart B), notice is hereby given that the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety has received the application described herein. Each mode of transportation for which a particular special permit is requested is indicated by a number in the ``Nature of Application'' portion of the table below as follows: 1Motor vehicle, 2Rail freight, 3Cargo vessel, 4Cargo aircraft only, 5Passenger-carrying aircraft.

FMCSA amends the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to require certified medical examiners (MEs) performing physical examinations of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers to use a newly developed Medical Examination Report (MER) Form, MCSA-5875, in place of the current MER Form and to use Form MCSA-5876 for the Medical Examiner's Certificate (MEC); and report results of all CMV drivers' physical examinations performed (including the results of examinations where the driver was found not to be qualified) to FMCSA by midnight (local time) of the next calendar day following the examination. The reporting of results includes all CMV drivers who are required to be medically certified to operate in interstate commerce, not only those who hold or apply for commercial learner's permits (CLP) or commercial driver's licenses (CDL), and results of any examinations performed in accordance with the FMCSRs with any applicable State variances (which will be valid for intrastate operations only). For holders of CLP/CDLs (interstate and intrastate), FMCSA will electronically transmit driver identification, examination results, and restriction information from examinations performed from the National Registry to the State Driver's Licensing Agencies (SDLAs). The Agency will also transmit medical variance information for all CMV drivers electronically to the SDLAs.

This document serves to inform interested parties and the public of the Maritime Administration's (MARAD) final policy regarding the factors MARAD will consider as ``Other Relevant Criteria'' in its review of the economic soundness of applications under the Title XI Loan Guarantee Program [also known as ``Title XI'' or the Federal Ship Financing Program (FSFP)]. On February 24, 2014, MARAD published a Notice of Proposed Policy (NPP) and sought comments relating to the agency's evaluation of Title XI Maritime Loan Guarantee applications. In this document MARAD: Responds to comments received during the public notice; clarifies and reinforces that applicants with projects to construct or reconstruct vessels to use alternative energies, or to meet current or future U.S. or international environmental and safety standards, are eligible and encouraged to apply for FSFP loan guarantees; and implements the final policy.

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) is seeking comments on a proposed policy clarification for the application of the Cargo Preference Act of 1954 (CPA 1954), 46 U.S.C. 55305, to applications, commitments and guarantees under MARAD's Federal Ship Financing Program (Title XI), 46 U.S.C. Chapter 537.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Zodiac Aerotechnics (formerly Intertechnique Aircraft Systems) flightcrew oxygen mask regulators as installed on, but not limited to, various transport and small airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report that improper maintenance on oxygen mask regulators was found. This proposed AD would require the identification and replacement of all potentially affected units. This proposed AD also would require installation of a placard and revision of the airplane flight manual to include an operational procedure for use in case of depressurization. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct affected oxygen mask regulators, which could lead to inadequate protection to the affected flightcrew against hypoxia. Hypoxia can start from a headache and drowsiness and lead eventually to unconsciousness with severe consequence in terms of airplane controllability.

Under the provisions of title 49, U.S.C. 47153(c), notice is being given that the FAA is considering a request from the City of Gulf Shores and the City of Gulf Shores Airport Authority to waive the requirement that a 11.48-acre parcel of surplus property, located at the Jack Edwards Airport, be used for aeronautical purposes.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics invites the general public, industry and other governmental parties to comment on the continuing need and usefulness of BTS collecting supplemental data for the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Comments are requested concerning whether (1) the supplemental reports are needed by BTS to fulfill the United States treaty obligation of furnishing financial and traffic reports to ICAO; (2) BTS accurately estimated the reporting burden; (3) there are other ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collected; and (4) there are ways to minimize reporting burden, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

On February 2, 2015, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published a notice in the Federal Register (80 FR 5617) inviting comments on an information collection titled ``Pipeline Safety: Periodic Underwater Inspection and Notification of Abandoned Underwater Pipelines'' identified by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number 2137-0618. This information collection will be expiring on August 31, 2015. PHMSA will request an extension with no change for this information collection. PHMSA received no comments in response to that notice. PHMSA is publishing this notice to provide the public with an additional 30 days to comment on the renewal of this information collection and announce that the Information Collection will be submitted to OMB for approval.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of the seventh meeting of the RTCA Tactical Operations Committee.

The FAA proposes to rule and invites public comment on the release of land at the Colonel James Jabara Airport (AAO), Wichita, Kansas, under the provisions of 49 U.S.C. 47107(h)(2).

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain serial number GE Aviation Czech s.r.o. M601E-11, M601E-11A, and M601F turboprop engines with certain part number (P/N) gas generator turbine (GGT) blades, installed. This proposed AD was prompted by the determination that certain GGT blades are susceptible to blade failure. This proposed AD would require removing from service any affected engine with certain GGT blades installed. We are proposing this AD to prevent GGT blade failure, which could lead to engine failure and loss of the airplane.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Pratt & Whitney (PW) PW4164-1D, PW4168-1D, PW4168A-1D and PW4170 engines, and certain PW4164, PW4168, and PW4168A turbofan engines. This proposed AD was prompted by fuel nozzle-to-fuel supply manifold interface fuel leaks. This proposed AD would require inspecting fuel nozzles for signs of leakage, replacing hardware as required, and torqueing to specified requirement. We are proposing this AD to prevent fuel leaks which could result in engine fire and damage to the airplane.

Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit public comment on proposed collections of information, including extensions and reinstatement of previously approved collections.

This notice provides NHTSA's finding that a waiver of the Buy America requirement is appropriate for the purchase of Radian model 120 convertible car seats by the New Hampshire Highway Safety Agency, using Federal grant funds. NHTSA finds that a non-availability waiver of the Buy America requirement is appropriate for the purchase of these car seats using Federal highway safety grant funds because there are no suitable products produced in the United States.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces that the renewal Information Collection Requests (ICRs) abstracted below are being forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICRs describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden. The Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collections of information was published on February 9, 2015.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain ATR-GIE Avions de Transport R[eacute]gional Model ATR72-212A airplanes. This AD requires inspection of the shock mount pick-up fittings and cone bolts, and replacement of certain shock mount pick-up fittings if necessary. This AD was prompted by reports of several cases of engine shock mount pick-up fittings with cracks or failure on the engine left- hand (LH) aft side attachment. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct an aft side attachment pick-up fitting failure associated with a cone bolt failure that could reduce the structural integrity of the concerned engine nacelle, and possibly result in detachment of the engine and consequent reduced control of the airplane.

FMCSA requests public comment on an application for exemption from Ford Motor Company (Ford) to allow motor carriers to operate Ford's Transit commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) that do not meet the exhaust system location requirements in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR). The FMCSRs require (1) the exhaust system of a bus powered by a gasoline engine to discharge to the atmosphere at or within 6 inches forward of the rearmost part of the bus and (2) the exhaust system of every truck and truck tractor to discharge to the atmosphere at a location to the rear of the cab or, if the exhaust projects above the cab, at a location near the rear of the cab. Based on the results of performance-based tests it has conducted to measure the concentration of carbon monoxide (CO) in the occupant compartment of the Transit-based CMVs, Ford believes that the location of the exhaust system on these vehicles, as currently designed, will maintain a level of safety that is equivalent to, or greater than, the level of safety achieved without the exemption. Ford is requesting the temporary exemption in advance of petitioning FMCSA to conduct a rulemaking to amend 49 CFR 393.83.

FRA is issuing this notice to advise the public that it intends to grant the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on behalf of its commuter railroad subsidiaries, Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company (Metro-North), a waiver from FRA's Buy America requirement for the use of (a) transponders and (b) Temporary Speed Restriction (TSR) safety servers, which are made in Sweden. Transponders and TSR safety servers are two components of LIRR's and Metro-North's Positive Train Control system (PTC). The two non-domestic components represent approximately 1% of the $428 million total value of the contracts Metro-North and LIRR entered into with a system integrator to design and furnish PTC (PTC Contracts). The TSR safety servers cost less than $1 million and the transponders approximately $4 million. FRA anticipates funding the PTC Contracts, and other PTC-related projects, under a $967.1 million FRA Railroad Rehabilitation & Improvement Financing loan.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Park Service (NPS) are inviting interested persons to apply to fill three upcoming openings on the National Parks Overflights Advisory Group (NPOAG) Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC). The openings will represent general aviation concerns, air tour operator concerns, and Native American interests, respectively. Selected members will each serve 3-year terms.