Department of Transportation March 29, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action removes restricted area R-4403 Gainesville, MS, and replaces it with an expanded area redesignated as R-4403A, B, C, E and F, Stennis Space Center (SSC), MS (the designation R-4403D is not used). The expanded restricted airspace is necessary to support essential National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) testing and Naval Special Warfare Command (NSWC) training requirements.

The Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act directs the DOT to establish an advanced transportation and congestion management technologies deployment (ATCMTD) initiative. The initiative provides grants to eligible entities to develop model deployment sites for large scale installation and operation of advanced transportation technologies to improve safety, efficiency, system performance, and infrastructure return on investment. The ATCMTD program is funded for fiscal years (FY) 2016 through 2020 at $60 million per FY from amounts authorized under sections 6002(a)(1), 6002(a)(2), and 6002(a)(4) of the FAST Act. This notice is the first of annual solicitations for the ATCMTD program and seeks applications from eligible entities to establish the initial set of model technology deployment sites. The DOT intends for these model technology deployments to help demonstrate how emerging transportation technologies, data, and their applications, which also link to Beyond Traffic 2045, can be effectively deployed and integrated with existing systems to provide access to essential services and other destinations. This also includes efforts to increase connectivity to employment, education, services and other opportunities; support workforce development; and contribute to community revitalization, particularly for disadvantaged groups (e.g., low income groups, persons with visible or hidden disabilities, elderly individuals, and minority populations). The DOT will make no fewer than five and no more than 10 awards of up to $12 million each depending on the number of awards and amounts set aside for DOT administrative expenses.

FMCSA announces the extension of the exemption granted to the Oregon Trucking Associations (OTA) on March 18, 2015, for certain timber operations in Oregon. The Agency extends the expiration date from March 18, 2017 to March 18, 2020 in response to section 5206(b)(2)(A) of the ``Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act'' (FAST Act). That section extends the expiration date of hours-of- service (HOS) exemptions in effect on the date of enactment of the FAST Act to 5 years from the date of issuance of the exemptions. The OTA exemption from the Agency's 30-minute rest break requirement is limited to commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers engaged in transporting timber from Oregon forestlands, and further limited to periods of the year in which the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) has formally restricted logging operations to certain hours of the day due to an elevated risk of forest fire. The Agency previously determined that the CMV operations of OTA timber transporters under this exemption would likely achieve a level of safety equivalent to or greater than the level of safety that would be obtained in the absence of the exemption.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 737-600, -700, -700C, -800, -900, and 900ER series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by an evaluation by the design approval holder (DAH) indicating that the S-14L and S-14R lap splices are subject to widespread fatigue damage (WFD). This proposed AD would require repetitive low frequency eddy current inspections for cracking in the lower fastener row of the S-14L and S-14R lap splices and repair if necessary. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct widespread cracking in the S-14L and S-14R lap splices that could rapidly link up and result in possible rapid decompression and reduced structural integrity of the airplane.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the availability of approximately $5.3 million of funding from two programs to support the Rides to Wellness Demonstration and Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility Grants (R2W Demonstration Grants). The funding sources are: Section 3006(b) of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST), Pub. L. 114-94, which authorizes a pilot program for innovative coordinated access and mobility; and 49 U.S.C. 5312 (Section 5312). The goal of the competitive R2W Demonstration Grants is to find and test promising, replicable public transportation healthcare access solutions that support the following goals: increased access to care, improved health outcomes and reduced healthcare costs. Eligible applicants include: States, Tribes, and Designated or Direct Recipients for funds under 49 U.S.C. 5307, 5310 or 5311. Proposers must serve as the lead agency of a local consortium that includes stakeholders from the transportation, healthcare, human service or other sectors. Members of this consortium are eligible as subrecipients. Further, proposers must demonstrate that the proposed project was planned through an inclusive process with the involvement of the transportation, healthcare and human service industries. Eligible projects must have implementation-ready capital and operating projects that enhance access, such as: mobility management; health and transportation provider partnerships; technology; and other actions that drive change. These R2W Demonstration Grants will develop best practice solutions that other communities can replicate. This announcement is available on the FTA Web site at: https:// www.fta.dot.gov/legislation_law/federal_register_notices.php. A synopsis of this funding opportunity will be posted in the FIND module of the government-wide electronic grants Web site at https:// www.GRANTS.GOV. FTA will announce final selections on the FTA Web site and may also announce selections in the Federal Register.

We propose to supersede airworthiness directive (AD) 2015-12- 04, which applies to all Honeywell International Inc. (Honeywell) TPE331-1, -2, -2UA, -3U, -3UW, -5, -5A, -5AB, -5B, -6, -6A, -10, -10AV, -10GP, -10GT, -10P, -10R, -10T, -10U, -10UA, -10UF, -10UG, -10UGR, - 10UR, -11U, -12JR, -12UA, -12UAR, and -12UHR turboprop engines with certain Woodward fuel control unit (FCU) assemblies, installed. AD 2015-12-04 currently requires initial and repetitive dimensional inspections of the affected fuel control drives and insertion of certain airplane operating procedures into the applicable flight manuals. This proposed AD would correct compliance requirements and relax the inspection interval. We are proposing this AD to prevent failure of the fuel control drive, damage to the engine, and damage to the airplane.

This action modifies Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Deer Lodge- City-County Airport, Deer Lodge, MT. After a review, the FAA found it necessary to amend the airspace area for the safety and management of standard instrument approach procedures for Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

This action changes the effective date of a final rule published in the Federal Register of February 8, 2016, amending Class E surface area airspace and Class E airspace designated as an extension at Rochester International Airport, Rochester, MN; and St. Cloud Regional Airport, St. Cloud, MN. This correction adds the part-time Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) language inadvertently removed from the Class E surface area descriptions for the above airports. Additionally, adjustment is made to the geographic coordinates of Rochester International Airport in the Class D airspace and Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface. The Title is also amended to include Class D airspace.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Model A319, A320, and A321 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by investigations that revealed that the cover seal of the brake dual distribution valve (BDDV) was damaged and did not ensure efficient sealing. This AD requires modifying the BDDVs having certain part numbers; modifying the drain hose of the BDDV; checking for the presence of water, ice, and hydraulic fluid; re-identifying the BDDV; and doing related investigative and corrective actions if necessary. We are issuing this AD to prevent damage to the BDDV, which could lead to water ingestion in the BDDV and freezing of the BDDV in flight, possibly resulting in loss of braking system function after landing.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 787-8 airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report of fuel leaking onto the hot exhaust portion of an engine as a result of an unintended leak path from the leading edge through the pylon. This AD requires installing new seal dams in the inboard and outboard corners of the aft pylon frame on the left and right engines, including an inspection for damage of the outboard blade seal and applicable corrective actions. We are issuing this AD to prevent fuel leaking from an unintended drain path from the leading edge through either the left or right pylon and onto the hot engine parts or brakes, which could lead to a major ground fire.