Department of Transportation August 2022 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice announces actions taken by TxDOT and Federal agencies that are final. The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for these projects are being, or have been, carried-out by TxDOT pursuant to an assignment agreement executed by FHWA and TxDOT. The actions relate to various proposed highway projects in the State of Texas. These actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the projects.

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2021-16- 07, which applied to certain Airbus Defense and Space S.A. Model C-212- CB, C-212-CC, C-212-CD, C-212-CE, C-212-CF, C-212-DE, and C-212-DF airplanes. AD 2021-16-07 required repetitive inspections of the left- hand (LH) and right-hand (RH) side center wing fairings at a certain frame, around the wing leading edge for discrepancies (cracks), and repair if necessary. This AD was prompted by a modification developed to reinforce the structure in the affected area, providing an optional terminating action for the repetitive inspections required by AD 2021- 16-07. This AD continues to require the actions in AD 2021-16-07 and allows new optional terminating action for the repetitive inspections, 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 the Class E airspace at Independence and Pittsburg, KS. The FAA is proposing this action as the result of an airspace review as part of the decommissioning of the Oswego very high frequency (VHF) omnidirectional range (VOR) as part of the VOR Minimal Operational Network (MON) Program. The geographic coordinates of the airports would also be updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database.

This notice announces a meeting of the ARAC.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of a substantive change to multiple previously approved information collections. The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, section 546, requires the implementation of systems allowing a member of the public to submit any information or form to the Registry and conduct any transaction with the Registry by electronic or other remote means. In response to this requirement, the FAA created Civil Aviation Registry Electronic Services (CARES) and intends to change its current information collection to accommodate electronic registry applications.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew exemptions for seven 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.

This rule amends, suspends, or removes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and associated Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures for operations at certain airports. These regulatory actions are needed because of the adoption of new or revised criteria, or because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System, such as the commissioning of new navigational facilities, adding new obstacles, or changing air traffic requirements. These changes are designed to provide for the safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the extension of a currently approved information collection: Transit Research Development, Demonstration, Deployment and Training Projects.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve the extension of a currently approved information collection: Bus Testing Program.

This action amends the Class D airspace at Fort Worth, TX, and the Class E airspace at Dallas-Fort Worth, TX. This action is the result of an airspace review due to the cancellation of the instrument procedures and implementation of new instrument procedures at Granbury Regional Airport, Granbury, TX, contained within the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, Class E airspace legal description. The geographic coordinates of Fort Worth Spinks Airport, Fort Worth, TX, are also being updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database.

PHMSA is revising the Federal Pipeline Safety Regulations to improve the safety of onshore gas transmission pipelines. This final rule addresses several lessons learned following the Pacific Gas and Electric Company incident that occurred in San Bruno, CA, on September 9, 2010, and responds to public input received as part of the rulemaking process. The amendments in this final rule clarify certain integrity management provisions, codify a management of change process, update and bolster gas transmission pipeline corrosion control requirements, require operators to inspect pipelines following extreme weather events, strengthen integrity management assessment requirements, adjust the repair criteria for high-consequence areas, create new repair criteria for non-high consequence areas, and revise or create specific definitions related to the above amendments.

This action removes the Class E airspace, designated as an extension to a Class D or Class E surface area. Additionally, this action establishes Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface. Lastly, this action makes administrative changes to the Class D airspace legal description. These actions will ensure the safety and management of visual flight rules (VFR) and instrument flight rules (IFR) at the airport.

This amendment adopts miscellaneous amendments to the required IFR (instrument flight rules) altitudes and changeover points for certain Federal airways, jet routes, or direct routes for which a minimum or maximum en route authorized IFR altitude is prescribed. This regulatory action is needed because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System. These changes are designed to provide for the safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace under instrument conditions in the affected areas.

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2016-26-05 and AD 2019-21-02, which applied to certain Airbus SAS Model A330-200, A330-200 Freighter, and A330-300 series airplanes. AD 2016-26-05 and AD 2019-21-02 required revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations. This AD was prompted by a determination that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary, and that new airplanes have been added to the applicability. This AD continues to require the actions in AD 2019-21-02, and also requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate additional new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FHWA, on behalf of Caltrans, is issuing this notice to announce actions taken by Caltrans that are final. The actions relate to a proposed highway project, the State Route 132 Dakota Avenue to Gates Road Project on State Route 132 from post mile 4.5 to R11.7 in the county of Stanislaus, State of California. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.

This final rule announces NHTSA's determination that there are no new model year 2020 light duty truck lines subject to the parts- marking requirements of the Federal motor vehicle theft prevention standard. The agency determined no new models were high-theft or had major parts that are interchangeable with a majority of the covered major parts of passenger car or multipurpose passenger vehicle lines. This final rule also identifies those vehicle lines that have been granted an exemption from the parts-marking requirements because they are equipped with antitheft devices determined to meet certain criteria.

This action proposes to amend and remove Class E airspace at Bartlesville and Miami, OK. The FAA is proposing this action due to airspace reviews conducted as part of the decommissioning of the Oswego very high frequency (VHF) omnidirectional range (VOR) as part of the VOR Minimal Operational Network (MON) Program. The name and geographic coordinates of the airports and navigation aids would also be updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database.

This action proposes to amend the Class E airspace at Menominee, MI. The FAA is proposing this action due to an airspace review conducted as part of the decommissioning of the Menominee very high frequency (VHF) omnidirectional range (VOR) as part of the VOR Minimal Operational Network (MON) Program. The name and geographic coordinates of the airport would also be updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database.

FRA, on behalf of the California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority), is issuing this notice to announce actions taken by the Authority that are final. By this notice, FRA is advising the public of the time limit to file a claim seeking judicial review of the actions. The actions relate to the Stockton Diamond Grade Separation Project (Project). These actions grant approvals for project implementation pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other laws, regulations, and executive orders.

NHTSA received six requests to extend the comment period for a notice NHTSA published on July 21, 2022, seeking comment on NHTSA's receipt of a petition for temporary exemption from Ford Motor Company (Ford). Ford's petition seeks a temporary exemption from various requirements of the Federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS) for a vehicle equipped with an automated driving system (ADS). In accordance with statutory and administrative provisions, NHTSA published a notice announcing receipt of Ford's petition and seeking public comment. The comment period for the notice was scheduled to end on August 22, 2022. NHTSA is extending the comment period for the July 21, 2022 notice by 30 days.

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, the United States Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), proposes to rename, update and reissue an existing system of records notice currently titled ``Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, DOT/FAA 807, Traffic Control at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center.'' The Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center (MMAC) is located in Oklahoma City, OK and is home to more than 8,000 full[hyphen]time employees and receives 10,000 visitors per month. It encompasses approximately 1,100 acres and 133 buildings and conducts training for DOT/FAA employees and contractors, and other federal employees (including employees of federal agencies who are tenants at the MMAC). Tenants are federal agencies who pay to lease space on the MMAC campus. The Director for the Office of Facilities and Management (AMP-1), the Security and Investigations Division (AMC-700) and the MMAC Operations and Maintenance Division (AMP-300), are responsible for maintaining access control to the facility including the administration of policies, programs and activities related to access to the MMAC facilities, as well as managing tasks related to vehicle registrations, key issuance, visitors (members of the public, including federal employees attending training or special events, short-term vendors, and research participants), as well as tenants and DOT/FAA employees and contractors assigned to the MMAC campus. These functions ensure that only authorized personnel obtain access and entrance to facilities located at the MMAC campus and that pedestrian and vehicular traffic within the campus is controlled and orderly.

This action amends Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Greenwood County Airport, Greenwood, SC, due to the decommissioning of the Coronaca non-directional beacon (NDB) and cancellation of associated approaches, as well as updating the airport's geographic coordinates. Controlled airspace is necessary for the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations in the area.

This action amends the Class E airspace at Fort Dodge, IA. The geographic coordinates of the airport are being updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database. This action does not change the airspace boundaries or operating requirements.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (Department or DOT) is proposing to codify its longstanding interpretation that it is an unfair business practice for a U.S. air carrier, a foreign air carrier, or a ticket agent to refuse to provide requested refunds to consumers when a carrier has cancelled or made a significant change to a scheduled flight to, from, or within the United States, and consumers found the alternative transportation offered by the carrier or the ticket agent to be unacceptable. The Department is also proposing to require that U.S. and foreign air carriers and ticket agents provide non-expiring travel vouchers or credits to consumers holding non- refundable tickets for scheduled flights to, from, or within the United States who are unable to travel as scheduled in certain circumstances related to a serious communicable disease. Furthermore, the Department is proposing to require U.S. and foreign air carriers and ticket agents provide refunds, in lieu of non-expiring travel vouchers or credits, if the carrier or ticket agent received significant financial assistance from the government as a result of a public health emergency. The NPRM proposes to allow carriers and ticket agents to require consumers provide evidence to support their assertion of entitlement to a travel voucher, credit, or refund.

This action amends the Class D and Class E airspace and establishes Class E airspace at Columbia, MO. This action is the result of a biennial airspace review. The geographic coordinates of the airport are also being updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database.