Department of Transportation May 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is re-issuing an announcement of our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of a proposed collection of certain information by the Agency. Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the public, it must receive approval from OMB. Procedures established under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (the PRA) require Federal agencies to publish a notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. The proposed collection of information supports research addressing safety- related aspects of drivers' use of camera-based rear visibility systems intended to serve as a replacement for traditional mirrors. On August 28, 2019, NHTSA published a notice in the Federal Register Notice soliciting public comments with a 60-day comment period. NHTSA received 22 public comments submitted to the docket and one additional comment submitted via email. Given the extended time period since the initial publication of that notice, NHTSA is publishing this new 60-day notice. This new notice addresses comments received on the original 60-day notice relevant to the current study design.

This notice announces a meeting of the National Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council (NEMSAC).

The FHWA is announcing an initiative to permit, on an experimental basis, recipients and subrecipients of Federal funds for Federal-aid highway projects to utilize geographic, economic, or other hiring preferences or innovative contracting approaches not otherwise authorized by law that have the potential to enhance workforce development opportunities in the transportation construction industry, including for low-income communities. This initiative will be carried out as a pilot program for a period of 4 years (unless extended) under FHWA's existing experimental contracting authority and the legal authority in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. The purpose of this pilot program is to provide flexibility to utilize hiring preferences and innovative contracting approaches while evaluating the efficacy and equitable impact of such requirements on workforce development and employment opportunities, as well as their impact on competition and project delivery.

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2020-19-11 for certain Leonardo S.p.a. Model A119 and AW119 MKII helicopters. AD 2020-19-11 requires repetitive borescope inspections of the 90-degree tail rotor gearbox (TGB) and depending on the inspection results, removing the TGB from service. Since the FAA issued AD 2020- 19-11, it was determined that additional parts may be susceptible to the unsafe condition. This proposed AD would retain the inspection requirements of AD 2020-19-11, and revise the compliance time and applicability. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) invites public comments on our intention to renew an information collection. The information to be collected will be used by MARAD and Department of Defense (DoD) personnel to evaluate strategic commercial seaport readiness to prepare for contingency military deployment needs and make plans for the use of this capability to meet national emergency requirements. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2020-21-05, which applies to all Airbus SAS Model A330-200 Freighter, A330-200, A330-300, A330-900, A340-200, A340-300, A340-500, and A340- 600 series airplanes. AD 2020-21-05 requires repetitive inspections of certain fuel pumps for cavitation erosion, replacement if necessary, revision of the operator's minimum equipment list (MEL), and accomplishment of certain maintenance actions related to defueling and ground fuel transfer operations. Since the FAA issued AD 2020-21-05, a determination was made that certain compliance times need to be revised and that additional airplanes are subject to the unsafe condition. This proposed AD would retain the requirements of AD 2020-21-05, revise certain compliance times, and expand the applicability, 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.

This action amends VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal airways V-72, V-132, V-190, and V-289; and removes VOR Federal airway V-238 in the vicinity of Maples, MO. The VOR Federal airway modifications are necessary due to the planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Maples, MO, VOR/Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) navigation aid (NAVAID) which provides navigation guidance for portions of the affected airways listed above. The Maples VOR is being decommissioned as part of the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) program.

Canadian National Railway Company (CNR), Grand Trunk Corporation (GTC), and their rail operating subsidiaries (collectively with CNR and GTC, CN or Applicants) have notified the Surface Transportation Board (Board) of their intent to file an application seeking authority for the acquisition of control by CNR, through its wholly owned subsidiary Brooklyn Merger Sub, Inc. (Brooklyn Merger Sub), of Kansas City Southern, and through it, of The Kansas City Southern Railway Company (KCSR), Gateway Eastern Railway Company, and The Texas Mexican Railway Company (collectively, KCS), in the event that Kansas City Southern accepts an acquisition proposal that CN conveyed to Kansas City Southern's Board of Directors on April 20, 2021 (CN Proposal). Applicants have indicated that 2019 will be the base year for their impact analysis and that they anticipate filing their application on approximately August 20, 2021.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all CFM International, S.A. (CFM) CFM56-5B and CFM56-7B model turbofan engines with a certain high-pressure turbine (HPT) inner stationary seal installed. This AD was prompted by cracks found in the rotating air HPT front seal. This AD requires removal, inspection, and replacement of the affected HPT inner stationary seal and, depending on the findings, replacement of the rotating air HPT front seal, HPT rotor blades, and No. 3 ball bearing. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus SAS Model A318, A319, A320, and A321 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by the loss of a windshield in flight, and the consequent rapid depressurization of the flight deck, which caused damage to flight deck items and systems and subsequent thermal shock and overheat, damage to windshield structural plies, and impaired structural integrity of the windshield. This AD requires repetitive inspections and electrical test measurements (EMTs) of affected windshields, and corrective actions if necessary, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This action proposes to amend VOR Federal airways V-39 and V- 93 in support of the Northeast Corridor Atlantic Coast Route (NEC ACR), and the VOR Minimum Operational Network (VOR MON) Projects.

This action proposes to amend Class E surface area and Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Massena International-Richards Field Airport, Massena, NY. The FAA is proposing this action as a result of an airspace review caused by the decommissioning of the Massena Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) aid as part of the VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) Program. This action would also update the geographic coordinates of Massena International-Richards Field Airport, Massena, NY, to coincide with the FAA's database. Controlled airspace is necessary for the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations in the area.

This notice announces final environmental actions taken by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The purpose of this notice is to announce publicly the environmental decisions by FTA on the subject project and to activate the limitation on any claims that may challenge these final environmental actions.

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directives (AD) 2000-23- 04 R1 and AD 2018-20-14, which applied to certain ATR-GIE Avions de Transport R[eacute]gional Model ATR42-500 airplanes. AD 2000-23-04 R1 and AD 2018-20-14 required revising the maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new and/or more restrictive maintenance requirements and airworthiness limitations. This AD requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations; as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. This AD was prompted by the FAA's determination that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, PHMSA invites comments on four information collections pertaining to hazardous materials transportation for which PHMSA intends to request renewal from the Office of Management and Budget.

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2019-03-12 for certain Airbus Helicopters Model EC225LP helicopters. AD 2019-03-12 required repetitively inspecting, cleaning, and lubricating each life raft inflation cylinder percussion system bellcrank (bellcrank). This new AD continues to require the actions specified in AD 2019-03-12, and requires replacing any affected bellcrank with a serviceable bellcrank, which terminates the repetitive actions. This AD was prompted by reports of jammed bellcranks in the life raft jettison inflation cylinder percussion system. The actions of this AD are intended to address an unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus SAS Model A330-200, -200 Freighter, -300, -800, and -900 series airplanes; and Model A340-200 and -300 series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of incorrect installation of the lower attachment parts of the trimmable horizontal stabilizer actuator (THSA). This proposed AD would require doing a detailed inspection of the THSA lower attachment parts for discrepancies and corrective action if necessary, and would prohibit using earlier versions of certain airplane maintenance manual (AMM) tasks, 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.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Helicopters Model AS350B, AS350BA, AS350B1, AS350B2, AS350B3, AS350D, AS355E, AS355F, AS355F1, AS355F2, AS355N, and AS355NP helicopters. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of reduced yaw control, during an approach for landing, that resulted from rupture of the tail rotor gearbox (TGB) actuating rod and uncoupling of the steel sleeve from inside the external aluminum tube. This proposed AD would require dye penetrant inspecting certain TGB actuating rods for a crack, and depending on the inspection results, replacing the TGB actuating rod, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is proposed for incorporation by reference (IBR). This proposed AD would also require marking each TGB actuating rod, reporting information, and, for certain helicopters, ensuring the correct interface between certain TGB actuating rods and bearings. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below. Before submitting this ICR to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified below.

Notice is being given that the FAA is considering a request from the Town of Sanford ME, to dispose of 5.3 and .8 acres of land at Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport, Sanford, ME. The land is no longer needed for aviation purposes and may be disposed of by the airport. These parcels are located in non-aeronautical use area and will have no effect on any existing or future aviation development needs. The proceeds from the sale of the two properties will be placed in the airports operating and maintenance account.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus SAS Model A318, A319, A320, and A321 series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of low halon concentration in the forward and aft cargo compartments due to air leakage through cargo door seals, and the certification of improved cargo door seals. This proposed AD would require replacing the forward, aft, and bulk cargo compartment door seals with new seals; and installing a placard on the forward, aft, and cargo compartment doors; and for certain airplanes, implementing an operational limitation for certain routes, 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.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier, Inc., Model BD-100-1A10 airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report of a number of low altitude engine surge incidents during takeoff. This AD requires revising the existing airplane flight manual and applicable corresponding operational procedures to provide the flightcrew with procedures to require the engine bleeds to be ``ON'' during takeoff. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.