Department of Transportation February 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FMCSA announces its plan to submit the Information Collection Request (ICR) described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for its review and approval, and invites public comment. The Agency's regulations pertaining to the qualification of operators of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) are unchanged and impose no increased information-collection (IC) burden on individual drivers and motor carriers. However, the Agency increases its estimate of the total IC burden of these regulations because both the number of CMV drivers and the frequency of their hiring have increased since the Agency's 2012 estimate of this burden.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FMCSA announces its plan to submit the Information Collection Request (ICR) described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for its review and approval and invites public comment. The collection involves an extension to a currently-approved ICR, and includes the assessment of FMCSA's strategic decision to integrate its Information Technology (IT) with its business processes using portal technology to consolidate its systems and databases through the FMCSA Information Technology Services Survey modernization initiative. The information to be collected will be used to assess the satisfaction of Federal, State, and industry customers with the FMCSA Information Technology Services Survey Portal. The name of the ``COMPASS Portal Customer Satisfaction Assessment,'' ICR was previously changed to ``Information Technology Services Survey Portal Customer Satisfaction Assessment,'' to reflect the need for a broader term than ``COMPASS'' for the portal. On October 27, 2015, FMCSA published a Federal Register notice (80 FR 65847) allowing for a 60-day comment period on this ICR. The agency received no comments in response to that notice.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Model A318, A319, A320, and A321 series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of a partial loss of the no-back brake (NBB) efficiency during endurance qualification tests on the trimmable horizontal stabilizer actuator (THSA). This proposed AD would require inspecting certain THSAs to determine the number of total flight cycles the THSA has accumulated, and replacing the THSA if necessary. We are proposing this AD to prevent premature wear of the carbon friction disks on the NBB of the THSA, which could lead to reduced braking efficiency in certain load conditions, and, in conjunction with the inability of the power gear train to keep the ball screw in its last commanded position, could result in uncommanded movements of the trimmable horizontal stabilizer and loss of control of the airplane.

This action proposes to modify Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Belle Fourche Municipal Airport, Belle Fourche, SD; Madison Municipal Airport, Madison, SD; Mobridge Municipal Airport, Mobridge, SD; and Harold Davidson Field, Vermillion, SD. The decommissioning of non-directional radio beacons (NDB) and/or cancellation of NDB approaches due to advances in Global Positioning System (GPS) capabilities have made this action necessary for the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the above airports.

This action proposes to establish Class E airspace at Lisbon, ND. Controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures developed at Lisbon Municipal Airport, for the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

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 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is announcing a meeting that will be held in Washington, DC on March 10- 11, 2016 to explore ways to promote evidence-based behavior change in a traffic safety setting. The Driving Behavioral Change in Traffic Safety workshop will include presentations and discussions on a number of topics including analysis and feasibility of using different approaches to changing behavior; exploring promising untested strategies; identifying long-term pathways to eliminate fatalities; and considering how evidence-based behavior change strategies can be used in the broader policy discussion. Attendance at the meeting is limited to invited participants because of space limitations of the DOT Conference Center. However, the meeting will be available for live public viewing on the NHTSA Web site (www.nhtsa.gov).

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.

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.

This document announces receipt by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a petition for a decision that model year (MY) 2014 Mercedes-Benz SLK Class passenger cars (PC) that were not originally manufactured to comply with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS), are eligible for importation into the United States because they are substantially similar to vehicles that were originally manufactured for sale in the United States and that were certified by their manufacturer as complying with the safety standards (the U.S.-certified version of the 2014 Mercedes- Benz SLK Class PC) and they are capable of being readily altered to conform to the standards.

FRA hereby gives notice that it is submitting the following information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Emergency Processing under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. FRA requests that OMB authorize the collection of information identified below seven days after publication of this Notice for a period of 180 days.

The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that the Notice of Intent (NOI) for the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to study the proposed transportation project (State Route 20) located in Cherokee and Forsyth Counties, Georgia, is being rescinded. The NOI was published in the Federal Register on April 11, 2013. A Draft EIS was not released. The rescission is based on federal aid funding has been eliminated from the on the SR 20 project. The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) will fund the project using state transportation funding.

This action proposes special conditions for the Boeing Model 737-8 airplane. This airplane will have a novel or unusual design feature when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport-category airplanes. This design feature is non-rechargeable lithium battery systems. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These proposed special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.

Tesla Motors, Inc. (Tesla) has determined that certain model year (MY) 2008 Tesla Roadster passenger cars do not fully comply with paragraph S4.4(c)(2), of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 138, Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems. Tesla filed a report dated August 1, 2014, pursuant to 49 CFR part 573, Defect and Noncompliance Responsibility and Reports. Tesla then petitioned NHTSA under 49 CFR part 556 requesting a decision that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential to motor vehicle safety.

This advisory bulletin advises owners and operators of petroleum gas and natural gas facilities of the need to take the appropriate steps to prevent damage to pipeline facilities from accumulated snow or ice. Past events on natural gas distribution system facilities appear to have been related to either the stress of snow and ice or the malfunction of pressure control equipment due to ice blockage of pressure control equipment vents. This advisory reminds owners and operators of the need to take precautionary actions to prevent adverse events.

This action establishes Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Clinton Municipal Airport, Clinton, AR, to accommodate new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) for the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport. This action also corrects the state identifier in the legal airspace description.

The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for a new information collection, which is summarized below under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces its determination that the noise exposure maps submitted by the City and County of San Francisco for San Francisco International Airport under the provisions of 49 U.S.C. 47501 et. seq (Aviation Safety and Noise Abatement Act) and 14 CFR part 150 are in compliance with applicable requirements.

This notice provides information regarding FHWA's finding that a Buy America waiver is appropriate for the use of non-domestic Ferryboat Propulsion System (propeller, shafting, and reducing gear) for MV Matanuska ferry in the State of Alaska.

This action proposes to establish Class E airspace at Horseshoe Bend, AR. Controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate new Standard Instrument Approach Procedures developed at Horseshoe Bend Airport, for the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

This notice contains a summary of a petition seeking relief from specified requirements of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, the FAA's exemption process. Neither publication of this notice nor the inclusion or omission of information in the summary is intended to affect the legal status of the petition or its final disposition.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of the Sixty-Seventh RTCA Special Committee 135 meeting.