Department of Transportation December 30, 2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 a collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval on Occupant Anthropometry and Seating.

Michelin North America, Inc. (MNA), has determined that certain Michelin Primacy Tour A/S replacement passenger car tires do not fully comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 139, New Pneumatic Radial Tires for Light Vehicles. MNA filed an original noncompliance report dated March 25, 2021, and subsequently, MNA petitioned NHTSA on April 7, 2021, 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 Maritime Administration (MARAD) is providing notice to the public of the delay in issuing the Record of Decision for the proposed Texas GulfLink Deepwater Port, as the agency continues to process and consider public submissions on the proposed project.

This notice proposes to clarify FTA's policy on the applicability of FTA's drug and alcohol testing program to transportation network companies. FTA proposes to update the Shared Mobility frequently asked questions, published in 2016 on FTA's website, to correct an error that has resulted in the misapplication of what is commonly known as the taxicab exception and clarify when the exception applies. FTA seeks comment from all interested parties. After review and consideration of the comments, FTA will issue a final notice announcing the policy statement and the revised FAQs.

This document responds to the petitions for reconsideration of the February 22, 2022, final rule that amended Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment," to enable certification of adaptive driving beam (ADB) headlighting systems on vehicles sold in the United States. This document denies all petitions for reconsideration received in response to the final rule.

This action extends the prohibition against certain flight operations in specified areas of the Sanaa Flight Information Region (FIR) (OYSC) by all: U.S. air carriers; U.S. commercial operators; persons exercising the privileges of an airman certificate issued by the FAA, except when such persons are operating U.S.-registered aircraft for a foreign air carrier; and operators of U.S.-registered civil aircraft, except when the operator of such aircraft is a foreign air carrier, for an additional three years, from January 7, 2025, until January 7, 2028. The FAA finds this action necessary to address significant, unacceptable safety-of-flight risks to U.S. civil aviation operations in the specified areas of the Sanaa FIR (OYSC) stemming from heightened regional tensions associated with Houthi weapons employment and operational activities. Most recently, Houthi forces have engaged in increased weapons employment and operational activities related to the Israel-Gaza Conflict, leading in some cases to air defense responses. The FAA also takes into account the Houthis' recent history of having conducted long-range attacks emanating from the Sanaa FIR (OYSC) in other directions, notably against Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2022. The FAA also republishes the approval process and exemption information for this Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR), consistent with other recently published flight prohibition SFARs.

FMCSA announces that the State of Hawaii has applied for an exemption from specified portions of the commercial driver's license (CDL) skills test and entry-level driver training (EDLT) curriculum requirements. The State of Hawaii currently has a two-year exemption that expires on February 20, 2026, under which it may waive portions of the CDL skills test for CDL applicants who take the skills test on the islands of Lanai and Molokai and grant restricted CDLs to successful applicants. The State of Hawaii now requests a five-year exemption of these provisions, with the addition of an exemption from certain portions of the ELDT curriculum requirements for providers of behind- the-wheel (BTW) public road training on the islands of Lanai and Molokai. FMCSA requests public comment on the applicant's request for an exemption and whether the Agency should withdraw Hawaii's current exemption that expires on February 20, 2026, and grant a new five-year exemption from both the CDL skills test and the ELDT requirements.

The FHWA has forwarded the information collection request described in this notice to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve a new information collection. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

This document announces the acceptance of a means of compliance with FAA regulations for small unmanned aircraft (sUA) Category 2 and Category 3 operations over human beings. The Administrator finds that VT MAAP's "Operation of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Over People," version 2.1, dated August 9, 2024, provides an acceptable means, but not the only means, of showing compliance with FAA regulations.