Department of Transportation November 29, 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is issuing a waiver of its Buy America requirements to the California High-Speed Rail Authority (the Authority) to use certain products that are not produced in the United States for use in the California Inaugural High-Speed Rail Service Project between Merced, California and Bakersfield, California (Project). FRA is funding the Project under the Federal- State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program (FSP Program); therefore, FRA's Buy America requirements apply to the Project. FRA's Buy America requirements include both FRA's statutory requirements, which require 100 percent of the manufactured products and steel and iron used in an FRA-funded project to be produced in the United States, and the Build America, Buy America Act (BABA), which requires that all construction materials used in the FRA-funded project be produced in the United States. FRA is not waiving the applicable BABA requirements for construction materials used in the Project. The final waiver would apply to the aluminum car shells, signal systems, high-speed rail turnouts and fire alarm systems based on the domestic nonavailability of such products, as identified by the Authority. The Authority estimates that over 98 percent of the total direct dollar expenditures for the Project would be spent on domestically sourced products and labor, including 100 percent of the civil infrastructure costs.

This action proposes to modify the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface of the earth and remove the Class E airspace extending upward from 1,200 feet above the surface at Colusa County Airport, Colusa, CA. Additionally, this action proposes administrative amendments to update the airport's Class E airspace legal description. These actions would support the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Helicopters Model SA341G and SA342J helicopters. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of a pilot collective pitch stick handle grip that broke when pulled. This proposed AD would require replacing certain pilot collective pitch stick handle grips and prohibit installing those pilot collective pitch stick handle grips. 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.