Department of Transportation June 12, 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This final rule announces NHTSA's determination that there are no new model year 2018 light duty truck lines subject to the parts- marking requirements of the Federal motor vehicle theft prevention standard. The agency determined no new models were high-theft or had major parts that are interchangeable with a majority of the covered major parts of passenger car or multipurpose passenger vehicle lines. This final rule also identifies those vehicle lines that have been granted an exemption from the parts-marking requirements because they are equipped with antitheft devices determined to meet certain criteria.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew an information collection. The collection involves information demonstrating that a launch or reentry operation involving a human participant will meet the risk criteria and requirements to ensure public safety. The information to be collected is necessary for the FAA to assess crew qualification and training; for operators to inform space flight participants and crew members of the risks associated with launch and reentry activities; for the implementation of waiver of claims; and to ensure environmental control and life support systems and other systems adequately protect public health and safety.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 737-600, -700, -700C, -800, -900, and -900ER series airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of cracks in the skin and a certain chord at three fastener locations common to the drag link assembly at the chord. This AD requires repetitive inspections of the skin under the drag link assembly for any cracks, and applicable on-condition actions. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

In response to petitions for reconsideration of a final rule, FRA proposes to amend its regulations requiring commuter and intercity passenger railroads to develop and implement a system safety program (SSP) to improve the safety of their operations. The proposed amendments would include clarifying that while all persons providing intercity passenger rail (IPR) service or commuter rail passenger transportation share responsibility for ensuring compliance with the SSP final rule, the rule does not restrict a person's ability to provide for an appropriate designation of responsibility. FRA proposes extending the stay of the SSP final rule's requirements to allow FRA time to review and address any comments on this NPRM. FRA also proposes to amend the SSP rule to adjust the rule's compliance dates to account for FRA's prior stay of the rule's effect and to apply the rule's information protections to the Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C\3\RS) program included in a railroad's SSP. FRA is expressly providing notice of possible conforming amendments to a Risk Reduction Program (RRP) final rule that would ensure that the RRP and SSP rules have essentially identical consultation and information protection provisions.