Department of Transportation 2022 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that it has rescinded the Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the I-5 Rose Quarter Improvement Project, a proposed highway project on Interstate 5 in Portland, Oregon.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Dassault Aviation Model FALCON 7X, FALCON 900EX, and FALCON 2000EX airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report of an improper heat treatment process applied during the manufacturing of certain titanium screws. This AD requires replacement of certain titanium screws, 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.

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 64- 09-03, which applies to all de Havilland (type certificate now held by Viking Air Limited) Model DHC-2 ``Beaver'' airplanes. AD 64-09-03 requires inspecting the aileron mass balance weight arms for cracks and corrosion and replacing any damaged part. Since the FAA issued AD 64- 09-03, Transport Canada superseded its mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) to correct an unsafe condition on these products. This proposed AD would require establishing a corrosion prevention and control program to identify and correct corrosion. This proposed AD would also require completing all of the initial tasks identified in the program and reporting corrosion findings to Viking. The proposed corrosion prevention and control program would include the inspection of the aileron balance weight arms required by AD 64-09-03. 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 Airbus Canada Limited Partnership Model BD-500-1A10 and BD-500- 1A11 airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of wear damage found between the bonding clamps and the fuel feed tubes inside the left- and right-hand fuel tanks. This AD requires repetitive inspections of the fuel feed tubes for damage, replacement if necessary, and modification of the fuel feed line installation inside the left- and right-hand fuel tanks, which would terminate the repetitive inspections, as specified in a Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This rulemaking rescinds an FTA regulation for State Safety Oversight requirements. The statutory basis for this regulation was rescinded by legislation in 2012.

This document provides the public with notice that, on January 14, 2022, New Jersey Transit (NJT) submitted a request for amendment (RFA) to its FRA-approved Positive Train Control Safety Plan (PTCSP). As this RFA may involve a request for FRA's approval of proposed material modifications to an FRA-certified positive train control (PTC) system, FRA is publishing this notice and inviting public comment on the railroad's RFA to its PTCSP.

Michelin North America, Inc. (MNA) has determined that certain Michelin CrossClimate SUV replacement tires do not fully comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 139, New Pneumatic Radial Tires for Light Vehicles. MNA filed a noncompliance report dated July 31, 2020, and subsequently petitioned NHTSA on August 21, 2020, for a decision that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety. This notice announces the grant of MNA's petition.

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2020-20-13 for certain General Electric Company (GE) CF6-80A and CF6-80C model turbofan engines. AD 2020-20-13 required ultrasonic inspection (UI) of high-pressure turbine (HPT) stage 1 and stage 2 disks and replacement of any HPT stage 1 or stage 2 disk that fails the inspection. This AD was prompted by an uncontained failure of an HPT stage 2 disk and the manufacturer's subsequent determination to expand the population of affected HPT disks requiring UI inspection. This AD requires UI of HPT stage 1 and stage 2 disks and replacement of any HPT stage 1 or stage 2 disk that fails the inspection. This AD also expands the applicability to include an additional population of affected HPT stage 1 and 2 disks requiring UI inspection. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

On November 15, 2021, President Biden signed into law the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The BIL provides historic appropriations for railroad transportation grant programs administered by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and also authorizes new programs to enhance rail safety and to repair, restore, improve, and expand the nation's rail network. Among those new programs is the Corridor Identification and Development Program (the Program), which creates a new framework to facilitate the development of new, enhanced, and restored intercity passenger rail corridors throughout the country. The BIL requires the Secretary of Transportation to establish the Program within 180 days of enactment (i.e., May 14, 2022). This responsibility is delegated to FRA. In this request for information (RFI), FRA is seeking comments on the Program and how it can best serve stakeholders and the public in facilitating the development of intercity passenger rail corridors.

Section 70913(a) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act requires that the head of each Federal agency shall submit to the Office of Management and Budget and to Congress a report that identifies each Federal financial assistance program for infrastructure administered by the Federal agency, and that that report be published in the Federal Register. The Department of Transportation is issuing this notice to make the public aware of the availability of that report on its website.

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2021-14-17, which applies to certain Airbus SAS Model A350-941 and - 1041 airplanes. AD 2021-14-17 requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations. Since the FAA issued AD 2021-14-17, the FAA has determined that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. This proposed AD would require 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 proposed for incorporation by reference. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

Weldon, a Division of Akron Brass Company, has determined that certain backup lamps do not fully comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment. Weldon filed a noncompliance report dated November 7, 2018, and subsequently petitioned NHTSA on November 30, 2018, for a decision that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety. This notice announces the denial of Weldon's petition.

This action amends the Class D and Class E airspace at Rochester International Airport, Rochester, MN, and St. Cloud Regional Airport, St. Cloud, MN, and revokes the Class E airspace at Rochester International Airport. This action is the result of biennial airspace reviews. The geographic coordinates of St. Cloud Regional Airport are also being updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database.

This action revokes the Class E airspace at Glass Ranch Airport, Carrizo Spring, TX. This action is the result of the cancellation of the instrument procedures and closure of the airport. The geographic coordinates of the Indio-Faith Airport, Carrizo Spring, TX, are also being updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database.

This action amends the Class D and Class E airspace and revokes Class E airspace at Hammond, LA. This action is the result of an airspace review due to the decommissioning of the Hammond very high frequency (VHF) omnidirectional range (VOR).

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Textron Aviation Inc. (type certificate previously held by Raytheon Aircraft Company, Hawker Beechcraft Corporation, and Beechcraft Corporation) (Textron) Model 300, 300LW, B300, and B300C airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report of a timing issue where the yaw servo software can generate a motor position fault when the pilot applies rudder input at the same time the rudder boost system is activated, which disables the rudder boost function and leads to a reduced ability of the flight crew to maintain the safe flight and landing of the airplane or loss of control of the airplane. This AD requires updating the software version of the yaw servo. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

PHMSA is publishing this notice to solicit public comments on a request for a special permit received from the Florida Gas Transmission Company, LLC (FGT). 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 supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2021-17-18, which applies to all Leonardo S.p.a. Model A109C, A109K2, A109E, A109S, and AW109SP helicopters. AD 2021-17-18 requires an inspection of certain tail rotor (TR) sleeve assemblies for discrepancies, an inspection of certain TR shaft assemblies for discrepancies, a repetitive measurement of the position of the bushing of the TR sleeve assembly in relation to the pitch change slider assembly, and corrective actions if necessary. Since the FAA issued AD 2021-17-18, the FAA has determined that it is necessary to require repetitive inspections of certain TR sleeve assemblies and corrective actions. This proposed AD would retain the requirements of AD 2021-17- 18; and would also require repetitive inspections of the TR sleeve assemblies, and corrective actions if necessary, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is proposed for incorporation by reference (IBR). The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This notice announces the availability of a draft advisory circular on flight path management. The FAA invites public comment on AC 120-FPM.

These special conditions are issued for the Dassault Aviation (Dassault) Model Falcon 6X airplane. This airplane will have a novel or unusual design feature when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport-category airplanes. This design feature is the installation of a electronic network system architecture that allows connection to airplane electronic systems and networks, and access from airplane external sources (e.g., operator networks, wireless devices, internet connectivity, service provider satellite communications, electronic flight bags, etc.) to the previously isolated airplane electronic assets (networks, systems, and databases). The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.

This rule establishes, amends, suspends, or removes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPS) and associated Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure procedures (ODPs) 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 safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. (Pilatus) Model PC-24 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a failure of the dual ethernet communication channel on a dual-channel data concentration and processing unit, which triggered the opening of electronic circuit breakers that caused several unintended system activations. This proposed AD would require installing a software (SW) upgrade to the utility management system (UMS), as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is proposed for incorporation by reference (IBR). The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 32 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 amends its regulatory guidance to explain that FMCSA's current statutory authorities and regulations do not prohibit third party testers from administering the commercial driver's license knowledge tests for all classes and endorsements. SDLAs may accept the results of knowledge tests administered by third party testers in accordance with existing knowledge test standards and requirements set forth in 49 CFR part 383, subparts G and H.