Department of Transportation July 3, 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice provides priorities for programs in fiscal year (FY) 2019, announces the full-year apportionments and allocations for grant programs, provides contract authority, and describes plans for several competitive programs.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FMCSA announces its plan to submit the renewal Information Collection Request (ICR) described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for its review and approval and invites public comment. This Information Collection (IC) is voluntary and may be utilized by Medical Examiners (MEs) responsible for issuing Medical Examiner's Certificates (MECs) to commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. MEs that choose to use this IC do so in an effort to communicate with treating healthcare professionals who are responsible for prescribing certain medications, so that the ME fully understands the reasons the medications have been prescribed. The information obtained by the ME when utilizing this IC assists the ME in determining if the driver is medically qualified under 49 CFR 391.41 and ensures that there are no disqualifying medical conditions or underlying medical conditions and prescribed medications that could adversely affect their safe driving ability or cause incapacitation constituting a risk to the public. FMCSA requests approval to renew an ICR titled, ``391.41 CMV Driver Medication Form.''

This notice announces that FHWA has received and reviewed a renewal package from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) requesting participation in the Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program (Program). This Program allows for FHWA to assign, and States to assume, responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and all or part of FHWA's responsibilities for environmental review, consultation, or other actions required under any Federal environmental law with respect to one or more Federal highway projects within the State. The FHWA has determined the renewal package to be complete, and developed a draft renewal MOU with TxDOT outlining how the State will implement the Program with FHWA oversight. The public is invited to comment on TxDOT's request, including its renewal package and the proposed renewed MOU, which includes the proposed assignments and assumptions of environmental review, consultation, and other activities.

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), in coordination with the Maritime Administration (MARAD), will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) as part of the environmental review of the Bluewater Texas Terminal LLC (Bluewater) Deepwater Port License Application. The application proposes the ownership, construction, operation and eventual decommissioning of an offshore oil export deepwater port that would be located in Federal waters approximately 15 nautical miles off the coast of San Patricio County, Texas in a water depth of approximately 89 feet. The deepwater port would allow for the loading of Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) and other sized crude oil cargo carriers via a single point mooring buoy system. This Notice of Intent (NOI) requests public participation in the scoping process, provides information on how to participate, and announces an informational open house and public meeting in Corpus Christi, Texas. Pursuant to the criteria provided in the Deepwater Port Act of 1974, as amended (the Act), Texas is the designated Adjacent Coastal State for this application.

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2018-19- 18, which applied to certain Airbus SAS Model A300 B4-603, B4-620, and B4-622 airplanes; Model A300 B4-600R series airplanes; Model A300 C4- 605R Variant F airplanes; and Model A300 F4-605R airplanes. AD 2018-19- 18 required, depending on airplane configuration, a modification of certain angle fitting attachment holes; repetitive inspections for cracking of certain holes of the internal lower angle fitting web, certain holes of the internal lower angle fitting horizontal splicing, the aft bottom panel, and a certain junction area; and related investigative and corrective actions if necessary. This new AD retains those actions, expands the applicability, and, for certain airplanes, requires repetitive inspections for cracking of certain holes of the center wing box (CWB) lower angle fittings and the CWB lower panel, and corrective actions if necessary, as specified in an European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. This AD was prompted by reports of cracking of a certain frame (FR) angle fitting. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This action announces the FAA's policy on performance requirements for certain operations of aircraft with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out equipment in ADS-B airspace after January 1, 2020. Under the circumstances identified in this policy, the FAA is providing assurance to operators that it will not consider degradation in Global Positioning System performance due to conditions outside the operator's control that results in an operation falling below ADS-B rule requirements to constitute non- compliance, provided the operator has exercised appropriate due diligence prior to conducting an operation.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus SAS Model A330-200, A330-200 Freighter, and A330-300 series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a determination that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. This proposed AD would require revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is proposing to amend certain airworthiness regulations for fire protection of interior compartments on transport category airplanes. This proposal would convert those flammability regulations from detailed, prescriptive requirements into simpler, performance-based standards. This proposal would divide these standards into two categories: Those designed to protect the airplane and its occupants from the hazards of in-flight fires, and those designed to protect the airplane and its occupants from the hazards caused by post- crash fires. In addition, this proposal would remove test methods from the regulations and allow applicants, in certain cases, to demonstrate compliance either without conducting tests or by providing independent substantiation of the flammability characteristics of a proposed material. This action is necessary to eliminate unnecessary testing, increase standardization, and improve safety. This proposal includes conforming changes to parts 27, 29, 91, 121, 125, and 135.