Department of Transportation 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action makes editorial changes, updating the airport names of two Army Airfields and replacing the term Notice to Airmen with Notice to Air Missions in Class D and Class E descriptions. This action does not change the airspace boundaries or operating requirements.

The Secretary of Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), is authorized to issue coastwise endorsement eligibility determinations for foreign-built vessels which will carry no more than twelve passengers for hire. A request for such a determination has been received by MARAD. By this notice, MARAD seeks comments from interested parties as to any effect this action may have on U.S. vessel builders or businesses in the U.S. that use U.S.-flag vessels. Information about the requestor's vessel, including a brief description of the proposed service, is listed below.

The Secretary of Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), is authorized to issue coastwise endorsement eligibility determinations for foreign-built vessels which will carry no more than twelve passengers for hire. A request for such a determination has been received by MARAD. By this notice, MARAD seeks comments from interested parties as to any effect this action may have on U.S. vessel builders or businesses in the U.S. that use U.S.-flag vessels. Information about the requestor's vessel, including a brief description of the proposed service, is listed below.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH (AHD) Model MBB-BK 117 D-3 helicopters. This AD was prompted by recalculations of the inspection intervals for certain parts. This AD requires revising the airworthiness limitations section (ALS) of the existing helicopter maintenance manual or instructions for continued airworthiness for your helicopter and the existing approved maintenance or inspection program for your helicopter, as applicable, to reduce the inspection interval of certain parts, 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 Class D airspace, Class E airspace designated as an extension to a Class D surface, and Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface area for Greenbrier Valley Airport, Lewisburg, WV. This action would amend verbiage in the descriptions, as well as adding additional extensions to the northeast and southwest of the airport.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all CFM International, S.A. (CFM) Model LEAP-1B21, LEAP-1B23, LEAP-1B25, LEAP-1B27, LEAP-1B28, LEAP-1B28B1, LEAP-1B28B2, LEAP-1B28B2C, LEAP- 1B28B3, LEAP-1B28BBJ1, and LEAP-1B28BBJ2 (LEAP-1B) engines. This AD was prompted by a manufacturer investigation that revealed that certain high-pressure turbine (HPT) rotor stage 1 disks (HPT stage 1 disks) and a certain compressor rotor stages 6-10 spool were manufactured from material suspected to have reduced material properties due to iron inclusion. This AD requires replacing certain HPT stage 1 disks and a certain compressor rotor stages 6-10 spool. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

DOT is announcing the establishment of the ASCR Task Force. The ASCR Task Force is required by section 106 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, enacted December 29, 2022. This notice outlines DOT's plan for implementation of this Task Force, including the dates of Task Force meetings. DOT will publish any future updates on the DOT web page. See further details within the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Leonardo S.p.a. Model A109C, A109E, A109K2, A109S, and AW109SP helicopters. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of loose tail rotor duplex bearing locking nuts, possibly caused by improper installation. This proposed AD would require disassembling certain tail rotor duplex bearings and reassembling them in accordance with updated service information. This proposed AD would also prohibit installing certain tail rotor duplex bearings. These actions are 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 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) invites public comments about our intention to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a new information collection. Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the public, it must receive approval from OMB. Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit public comment on proposed collections of information, including extensions and reinstatement of previously approved collections. This document describes NHTSA's Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN) investigation-based crash data study for which it is seeking OMB approval.

This action finalizes the FAA's policy on the FAA's procedures for processing land use changes on federally acquired or federally conveyed airport land or in situations where a land use change impacts the safe and efficient operation of aircraft or safety of people and property on the ground related to aircraft operations. These changes were needed because of legislative changes made in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018. The policy is intended to simplify the procedures required to make a land use change and to protect airport land by limiting the use of releases to the actual sale or disposal of airport property.

This action amends the Class E airspace at Roseau, MN. This action is the result of an airspace review caused by the decommissioning of the Roseau very high frequency omnidirectional range (VOR) as part of the VOR Minimum Operating Network (MON) Program. The name and geographic coordinates of the airport are also being updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database. This action brings the airspace into compliance with FAA orders to support instrument flight rule (IFR) operations.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below is being forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for an extension of a previously approved collection. 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 September 5, 2023. There were no comments. As the September 5, 2023, Notice solicits comments from the public on whether it is appropriate for the Department to continue to collect information on oversales from airlines, the issues raised by these comments are beyond the scope of this Notice and will not be addressed here. Specifically, having obsolete regulations that allow three legacy carriers and one discount carrier to control 80% of the domestic aviation market, while banning foreign competitors from offering U.S. domestic flights, and allowing airlines to book to 100% capacity or overbook to increase their revenue stream. With respect to the overbooking comment, the FAA has no jurisdiction in this matter, however, the Department does. And although it is not the Department's policy or purpose to dictate how airlines internally manage their business; this ended with deregulation of the aviation industry in 1979, it is the Department's policy and purpose to protect and standardize how the airlines treat their passengers.

This action proposes to establish Class E airspace area extending upward from 700 feet or more above the surface of the earth at Green River Municipal Airport, Green River, UT. This action would support the airport's operations transition from visual flight rules (VFR) to instrument flight rules (IFR).

This action amends Class D airspace and Class E surface airspace for New Castle Airport, Wilmington, DE, by making editorial changes to the airspace legal descriptions. This action does not change the airspace boundaries or operating requirements.

This action proposes to amend six jet routes and six domestic Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal airways in the eastern United States. In addition, this action proposes to revoke one existing jet route. These actions support the Little Rock, AR (LIT), VOR/Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) relocation project.

This notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) would require certificated repair stations located outside the territory of the United States whose employees perform safety-sensitive maintenance functions on certain air carrier aircraft to obtain and implement a drug and alcohol testing program in accordance with the requirements of the Drug and Alcohol Testing Program published by the FAA and the Procedures for Transportation Workplace Drug Testing Programs published by the Department of Transportation.

This policy statement updates FAA policy regarding incentives offered by airport sponsors to air carriers for improved air service. It is longstanding practice for airport operators to offer incentives to air carriers to promote new air service at an airport, including both new air carriers serving the airport and new destinations served. The updated policy statement supersedes the 2010 Air Carrier Incentive Program Guidebook. The policy statement includes general principles to assess whether an airport sponsor's air carrier incentive program (ACIP) complies with the sponsor's FAA grant assurances. It also includes guidance on the permissibility of various specific aspects of an ACIP, as well as ACIP implementation.

This final rule amends FHWA's regulations governing national performance management measures and establishes a method for the measurement and reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with transportation (GHG measure). It requires State departments of transportation (State DOT) and metropolitan planning organizations (MPO) to establish declining carbon dioxide (CO2) targets for the GHG measure and report on progress toward the achievement of those targets. The rule does not mandate how low targets must be. Rather, State DOTs and MPOs have flexibility to set targets that are appropriate for their communities and that work for their respective climate change and other policy priorities, as long as the targets aim to reduce emissions over time. The FHWA will assess whether State DOTs have made significant progress toward achieving their targets.

Blue Bird Body Company (Blue Bird) has determined that certain model year (MY) 2019-2024 Blue Bird Vision and MY 2020-2024 Blue Bird All American school buses do not fully comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 217, Bus Emergency Exits and Window Retention and Release. Blue Bird filed two noncompliance reports, both dated August 9, 2023, and subsequently petitioned NHTSA (the ``Agency'') on September 13, 2023, for a decision that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety. This document announces receipt of Blue Bird's petition.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Leonardo S.p.a. Model AB412 and AB412 EP helicopters. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of cracks in the lateral mounts of the main transmission support case. This proposed AD would require repetitive visual inspections and fluorescent penetrant inspections (FPI) and, depending on the results, corrective action, 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 corrects a final rule published by the FAA in the Federal Register on November 16, 2023, that amends restricted area R- 2512 in the vicinity of Holtville, CA.

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. This collection affects persons who have a need to deviate from certain regulations that govern use of airspace within the United States. The request also describes the burden associated with authorizations to make parachute jumps and operate unmanned aircraft (including moored balloons, kites, unmanned rockets, and unmanned free balloons) and small unmanned aircraft systems.