Department of Transportation February 12, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice announces a meeting of the Transit Advisory Committee for Safety (TRACS).

This action modifies the Class D airspace and Class E surface airspace at Bowman Field, Louisville, KY; establishes Class E surface airspace designated as an extension to a Class C surface area at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, Louisville, KY; revokes the Class E airspace designated as an extension to a Class D or Class E surface area at Bowman Field Airport; and modifies the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport and Bowman Field Airport. This action is due to an airspace review caused by the decommissioning of the Bowman VHF omnidirectional range (VOR), which provided navigation information to the instrument procedures at this airport, as part of the VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) Program. The name of the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport is also being updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database.

General Motors, LLC, (GM) has determined that certain model year (MY) 2010-2017 GMC Terrain motor vehicles do not fully comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment. GM filed a noncompliance report dated May 15, 2019. GM subsequently petitioned NHTSA on June 7, 2019, for a decision that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety. This document announces receipt of GM's petition.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd. & Co KG (RRD) Trent XWB-75, XWB-79, XWB-79B, and XWB-84 turbofan engines. This proposed AD was prompted by analysis by the manufacturer of the low-pressure compressor (LPC) outlet guide vane (OGV) assembly and LPC OGV outer mount ring assembly. The analysis predicted that when the front engine mount is in the fail-safe condition, the most highly stressed LPC OGV outer mount ring assembly has a life that could be substantially less than one shop visit interval. This proposed AD would require initial and repetitive inspections of the OGV outer mount ring assembly and, depending on the results of the inspections, possible replacement of the OGV outer mount ring assembly. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 737-200, -200C, -300, -400, and -500 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by an evaluation by the design approval holder (DAH) indicating that the lower skin of the fuselage skin lap splices along the lower fastener row of a certain stringer lap splice on certain body station skin panels may be subject to widespread fatigue damage (WFD). This AD requires inspections of the lower skin of the fuselage skin lap splices along the lower fastener row of a certain stringer lap splice on certain body station skin panels and applicable on-condition actions. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Airbus Helicopters Model AS332C, AS332C1, AS332L, AS332L1, AS332L2, and EC225LP helicopters. This proposed AD would require revising the Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM) for your helicopter and either installing placards or removing the hoist arm. This proposed AD was prompted by a failure of a right-hand (RH) side lateral sliding plug door (sliding door) to jettison. The actions of this proposed AD are intended to address an unsafe condition on these products.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is publishing this final rule to amend its minimum safety standards for underground natural gas storage facilities (UNGSFs). On December 19, 2016, PHMSA issued an interim final rule (IFR) establishing regulations in response to the 2015 Aliso Canyon incident and the subsequent mandate in section 12 of the Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety Act of 2016. The IFR incorporated by reference two American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practices (RPs): API RP 1170, ``Design and Operation of Solution-mined Salt Caverns Used for Natural Gas Storage'' (First Edition, July 2015); and API RP 1171, ``Functional Integrity of Natural Gas Storage in Depleted Hydrocarbon Reservoirs and Aquifer Reservoirs'' (First Edition, September 2015). The IFR required each provision in the API RPs to apply as mandatory (i.e., each ``should'' statement would apply as a ``shall'') unless an operator provides written justification for not implementing the practice, including an explanation for why it is impracticable and not necessary for safety. Based on the comments received to the IFR and a petition for reconsideration, PHMSA has determined that the RPs, as originally published, will provide PHMSA with a stronger basis upon which to base enforcement than the IFR. This final rule also addresses recommendations from commenters and a petition for reconsideration of the IFR by modifying compliance timelines, revising the definition of a UNGSF, clarifying the states' regulatory role, reducing recordkeeping and reporting requirements, formalizing integrity management practices, and adding risk management requirements for solution-mined salt caverns.