Department of Transportation 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Surface Transportation Board (Board) gives notice of its intent to request from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval without change of the existing collection, Preservation of Rail Service, OMB Control No. 2140-0022, as described below.

This action amends the Class D airspace at Mesquite, TX, and the Class E airspace at Dallas-Fort Worth, TX. This action is due to an airspace review conducted as part of the decommissioning of the Mesquite localizer (LOC). The geographic coordinates of Granbury Regional Airport, Granbury, TX, are also being updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus SAS Model A300 B2K-3C, B2-203, B4-2C, and B4-203 airplanes. This AD was prompted by a determination that internal system pollution can occur, most likely due to corroded unions in the pressurization lines, with an associated risk of contamination of the check valves. This AD requires repetitive inspections (functional checks) of the pressurization of the hydraulic system reservoirs, 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 notice contains a summary of a petition seeking relief from specified requirements of Federal Aviation Regulations. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, the FAA's exemption process. Neither publication of this notice nor the inclusion or omission of information in the summary is intended to affect the legal status of the petition or its final disposition.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to extend an information collection. The collection involves anyone who wants to provide air transportation service. The information collected will be used to determine if the applicant meets the requirements to perform the proposed service and is necessary because of title 49 of the United States Code. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

FRA is extending the application submittal period for its Notice for the Corridor Identification and Development program published on December 20, 2022, from March 20, 2023, to March 27, 2023.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) invites public comment about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)'s approval to extend an information collection. The collection involves information from air carriers who seek new, reissued, or transferred authority in a new name or use of a trade name. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

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. The Federal Aviation Administration Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016 (FESSA) was enacted on July 15, 2016. Section 2307 of FESSA, Medical Certification of Certain Small Aircraft Pilots, directed the FAA to ``issue or revise regulations to ensure that an individual may operate as pilot in command of a covered aircraft'' without having to undergo the medical certification process prescribed by FAA regulations if the pilot and aircraft meet certain prescribed conditions as outlined in FESSA. This collection enables those eligible airmen to establish their eligibility with the FAA.

This action proposes to revoke the portion of the Very High Frequency (VHF) Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal airway V-330 between the Boise VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) and the intersection of Liberator VOR 084[deg] radial and Burley VOR 323[deg] radial. This action also proposes to establish United States Area Navigation (RNAV) route T-470. These actions are due to the planned decommissioning of the Liberator ID, VOR (LIA).

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directives (ADs) 2005-15- 11, 2016-07-09, and 2018-19-24, which applied to all BAE Systems (Operations) Limited Model 4101 airplanes. AD 2005-15-11 required repetitive detailed and specialized inspections to detect fatigue damage in the fuselage, replacement of certain bolt assemblies, and corrective actions if necessary. AD 2016-07-09 required a revision of the maintenance or inspection program, as applicable. AD 2018-19-24 required a one-time detailed inspection of a certain fuselage frame and repair, if necessary, and a revision of the maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or revised maintenance instructions and airworthiness limitations. This AD was prompted by a determination that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. This AD continues to require the actions in ADs 2016-07- 09 and 2018-19-24 and requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This final rule makes changes and clarifications to the revised uniform procedures implementing State highway safety grant programs in response to comments received on the notice of proposed rulemaking published September 15, 2022.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain GE Aviation Czech s.r.o. (GEAC) M601E-11, M601E-11A, M601E- 11AS, M601E-11S, and M601F model turboprop engines. This AD was prompted by the exclusion of life limits for certain compressor cases and compressor drums from the airworthiness limitations section (ALS) of the engine maintenance manual (EMM). This AD was also prompted by certain compressor cases that, following rework, were improperly re- identified and the engine logbook entries were not completed. This AD requires recalculation of the consumed life for the affected compressor cases and compressor drums and, depending on the results of the recalculation, removal and replacement of the affected compressor case or compressor drum with a part eligible for installation. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

On December 9, 2022, the Maritime Administration (MARAD) published a notice in the Federal Register providing how to apply to MARAD's new Tanker Security Program (TSP). By this follow-on notice MARAD is extending the application period for eligible candidates to the TSP and republishing the same information soliciting applications. The FY21 NDAA authorized the Secretary of Transportation to establish a fleet of active, commercially viable, militarily useful, privately owned product tank vessels of the United States. The fleet will meet national defense and other security requirements and maintain a United States presence in international commercial shipping. The FY22 NDAA made minor adjustments related to the participation of long-term charters in the TSP. This notice provides, among other things, application criteria and extends the original application deadline for submitting applications for the enrollment of vessels in the TSP.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report that electrical bonding jumpers had been installed on fuel scavenge lines even after the removal was required by previous AD rulemaking and that electrical bonding jumpers may have been installed in production or in service at other locations. This AD requires an inspection for electrical bonding jumpers and brackets on the fuel scavenge and vent lines at specific wing locations, and if installed, removal or modification of those jumpers and brackets. This AD also requires a records check to determine if certain maintenance tasks were performed and removal, modification, or rework if those tasks were performed. This AD also prohibits the use of earlier versions of certain maintenance tasks. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA proposes to rule and invites public comment on the release and sale of one parcel of land at the Liberal Mid-America Regional Airport (LBL), Liberal, Kansas.

This action amends the Class D and E airspace and revokes Class E airspace at Topeka, KS. These actions are the result of biennial airspace reviews. The name of Topeka Regional Airport, Topeka, KS, and the geographic coordinates of Philip Billard Municipal Airport, Topeka, KS, are also being updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database.

This action amends the Class E airspace at Austin, MN. This action is due to an airspace review conducted as part of the decommissioning of the Austin very high frequency (VHF) omnidirectional range (VOR)/distance measuring equipment (DME). The geographic coordinates of the airport are also being updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database.

The FAA will make available Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) approvals and disapprovals online under the provisions of the Aviation Safety and Capacity Expansion Act of 1990.

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 to renew an information collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on July 1, 2022.

Our priority at DOT and FHWA is to make our transportation system safe for all people. Right now, we face a crisis on our roadways. In 2021, an estimated 42,915 people across the Nation117 people per daylost their lives in motor vehicle crashes. This represents the highest number of fatalities since 2005. Every transportation project, whether the project's purpose is safety-related or not, is an opportunity to improve safety. The street network including on-road and off-road facilities should provide safe, equitable, accessible, and comfortable transportation for everyone. Part of the work that DOT proposes to significantly reduce fatalities and serious injuries on our Nation's highways, roads, and streets is to develop a National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS). The NRSS, adopts the Safe System Approach principles to guide our safety actions, and identifies critical and significant actions DOT will take now in pursuit of five core objectives: Safer People, Safer Roads, Safer Vehicles, Safer Speeds, and Post-Crash Care. As part of the actions to address the national crisis of fatalities and serious injuries on our roadways, FHWA requests comments on what strategies, programmatic adjustments or regulatory changes could help improve safety on U.S. highways. Requests for comments include but are not limited to whether changes to the FHWA Design Standards regulation or other FHWA regulations are needed to facilitate the development of Complete Streets and Complete Networks that serve all users, how the safety performance of Federal-aid projects should be assessed, how funding could be optimized for safety improvements, and how to include measures and collection of more data that can improve safety performance across Federal-aid projects.

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.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FMCSA announces its plan to submit the renewal Information Collection Request (ICR) described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval and invites public comment. FMCSA requests approval to renew an ICR titled, ``391.41 CMV Driver Medication Form.'' This Information Collection (IC) is voluntary and may be utilized by Medical Examiners (MEs) responsible for issuing Medical Examiner's Certificates (MECs) to commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. MEs that choose to use this IC do so to communicate with treating healthcare professionals who are responsible for prescribing certain medications, so that the ME fully understands the reasons the medications have been prescribed. The information obtained by the ME when utilizing this IC assists the ME in determining if the driver is medically qualified and ensures that there are no disqualifying medical conditions or underlying medical conditions and prescribed medications that could adversely affect their safe driving ability or cause incapacitation constituting a risk to the public. FMCSA received one comment in response to the Federal Register notice published on September 8, 2022.

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 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.