Department of Transportation 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document provides the public with notice that, during March, April, and early May of 2021, nineteen host railroads submitted requests for amendments (RFA) to their FRA-approved Positive Train Control Safety Plans (PTCSP). As these RFAs may involve requests for FRA's approval of proposed material modifications to FRA-certified positive train control (PTC) systems, FRA is publishing this notice and inviting public comment on railroads' RFAs to their PTCSPs.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from three individuals for an exemption from the prohibition in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) against persons with a clinical diagnosis of epilepsy or any other condition that is likely to cause a loss of consciousness or any loss of ability to control a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) to drive in interstate commerce. If granted, the exemptions would enable these individuals who have had one or more seizures and are taking anti-seizure medication to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew exemptions for 15 individuals from the hearing requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) for interstate commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. The exemptions enable these hard of hearing and deaf individuals to continue to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the information collection requests (ICR) summarized below are being forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comments. A Federal Register notice soliciting comments on the following information collections with a 60-day comment period was published on February 16, 2021, (86 FR 9568).

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for extension of currently approved collections. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on March 15, 2021 (86 FR 14360). No comments were received.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for extension of currently approved collections. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on March 11, 2021 (86 FR page 13964). No comments were received.

PHMSA is publishing this notice to solicit public comments on a request for special permit received from the National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation (NFG). The special permit request is seeking relief from compliance with certain requirements in the Federal pipeline safety regulations. At the conclusion of the 30-day comment period, PHMSA will review the comments received from this notice as part of its evaluation to grant or deny the special permit request.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bell Textron Canada Limited Model 505 helicopters. This proposed AD was prompted by three occurrences of metallic debris in the engine oil lubrication system causing the 12 volts direct current (VDC) reference voltage to be shorted to ground and loss of important flight information to the pilot. This proposed AD would require replacing a certain part-numbered relay panel assembly. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This action withdraws the final rule published in the Federal Register on April 12, 2021 amending the following Offshore Airspace Areas in Alaska: Norton Sound Low, Woody Island Low, Control 1234L, and Control 1487L. The FAA has determined that withdrawal of the final rule is warranted since there are actions taking place to correct the terminal airspace contained in the Offshore airspace that may cause an overlap and further confuse general aviation and air traffic control.

This notice announces the availability of funding for grants and establishes selection criteria and application requirements for the America's Marine Highway Program (AMHP). The purpose of this program is to make grants available to previously designated Marine Highway Projects that support the development and expansion of documented vessels or port and landside infrastructure. The U.S. Department of Transportation (Department) will award Marine Highway Grants to implement projects or components of projects previously designated by the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) under the AMHP. Only Marine Highway Projects the Secretary designates before the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) closing date are eligible for funding as described in this notice.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), as lead Federal agency, and the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Capital Metro), as local project sponsor and joint lead agency, issue this notice to advise the public that they intend to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for the Blue Line Project (the Project) in Austin, Texas. The Project is a proposed light rail transit (LRT) line that would extend approximately 8.2 miles from Republic Square in downtown Austin to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS). FTA has determined that the Project is sufficiently developed to allow for meaningful public comment and requires an EIS.

PHMSA is publishing this notice to solicit public comments on a request for special permit received from the Tejas Pipeline, LLC (Tejas). The special permit request is seeking relief from compliance with certain requirements in the Federal pipeline safety regulations. At the conclusion of the 30-day comment period, PHMSA will review the comments received from this notice as part of its evaluation to grant or deny the special permit request.

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.