Department of Transportation December 21, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Safety Act) prohibits the sale, manufacture for sale, import or introduction into interstate commerce of a motor vehicle or item of motor vehicle equipment, unless fully compliant with all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS). The FMVSS set a threshold of performance that a vehicle or equipment item must attain, at a minimum, to meet the need for safety. The Safety Act also requires a manufacturer or distributor of a motor vehicle or motor vehicle equipment to certify that the vehicle or equipment complies with applicable FMVSS. This notice reestablishes NHTSA's longstanding position that the FMVSS test conditions and procedures apply to NHTSA's compliance testing, and that manufacturers are not required to ensure that their vehicles are designed in such a manner as to ensure that the vehicles are capable of being tested pursuant to such standards as a condition of self-certification. This notice also discusses NHTSA's enforcement with respect to vehicles with novel or innovative designs that preclude them from being tested for FMVSS compliance using NHTSA's FMVSS test procedures. This notice supersedes prior contrary statements the Agency has madeincluding those in NHTSA's 2016 letter of interpretation to Google, Inc.stating that manufacturers could not validly certify FMVSS compliance unless NHTSA could verify compliance using the FMVSS test procedures.

By Federal Register notice of Friday, November 27, 2020, titled Notice of Availability; Notice of Virtual Public Meetings; Request for Comments, the Maritime Administration (MARAD), in coordination with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), announced the availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Texas GulfLink LLC (GulfLink) deepwater port license application for the export of crude oil from the United States to nations abroad. Publication of this notice announced a 45-day comment period, requested public participation in the environmental impact review process, provided information on how to participate in the environmental impact review process, and announced the two virtual public meetings and an informational open house website for the DEIS. The notice advised that the comment period for Texas GulfLink would end on January 11, 2021. MARAD and USCG have determined that an extension of the public comment period to January 22, 2021 for the GulfLink application is necessary to allow the public and interested parties a full 45 days to review the application and provide written feedback to the agencies. This extension is due to delays in getting the DEIS fully posted on the project's docket at www.regulations.gov. This notice announces the extension of the comment period and new comment period end date.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Park Service (NPS), in accordance with the National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000, announce the next meeting of the National Parks Overflights Advisory Group (NPOAG). This notification provides the date, format, and agenda for the meeting.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Helicopters Model AS332L, AS332L1, AS332C, and AS332C1 helicopters. This proposed AD was prompted by the failure of a second stage planet gear installed in the main gearbox (MGB). This proposed AD would require identifying the part number of each second stage planet gear assembly installed in the MGB, replacing an MGB having certain second stage planet gear assembly part numbers with a serviceable MGB, modifying the helicopter by installing a full flow magnetic plug (FFMP), repetitively inspecting the FFMP and the MGB bottom housing and conical housing for metal particles, analyzing any metal particles that are found, and applying corrective actions if necessary, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is proposed for incorporation by reference. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew an information collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on May 8, 2020.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain CFM International, S.A. (CFM) LEAP-1A23, LEAP-1A24, LEAP- 1A24E1, LEAP-1A26, LEAP-1A26CJ, LEAP-1A26E1, LEAP-1A29, LEAP-1A29CJ, LEAP-1A30, LEAP-1A32, LEAP-1A33, LEAP-1A33B2, LEAP-1A35A model turbofan engines. This AD was prompted by an investigation by CFM that showed a subsurface anomaly in a part manufactured using the same material as the LEAP-1A high-pressure turbine (HPT) stage 2 disk. This AD requires an ultrasonic inspection (UI) of the HPT stage 2 disk and replacement of any HPT stage 2 disk that fails the UI with a part eligible for installation. 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 certain MHI RJ Aviation ULC Model CL-600-2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 701 & 702), CL-600-2C11 (Regional Jet Series 550), and CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900) airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report that some piccolo ducts for the wing anti-ice system have bleed holes that do not conform to requirements. This proposed AD would require, depending on airplane configuration, inspection for the presence of affected wing anti-ice system piccolo ducts and corrective actions, or replacement of affected piccolo ducts with new piccolo ducts. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.