Department of Transportation – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2023-03-09, which applies to certain ATR-GIE Avions de Transport R[eacute]gional Model ATR72-101, -102, -201, -202, -211, -212, and - 212A airplanes. AD 2023-03-09 requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations. Since the FAA issued AD 2023-03-09, the FAA has determined that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. This proposed AD continues to require the actions in AD 2023-03-09 and 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 (IBR). The FAA is proposing 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 nor omission of information in the summary is intended to affect the legal status of the petition or its final disposition.

PHMSA is proposing a new fee for cost recovery for siting reviews of liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility project applications where the design and construction costs total $2.5 billion or more. This proposed rule is necessary to implement section 103 of the Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety Act of 2020 (PIPES Act of 2020), and to help provide adequate resources for siting reviews to promote the public safety and environmental protection objectives of the Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS). This proposed rule also revises current regulations authorizing PHMSA's cost recovery for design safety reviews of gas, hazardous liquid, and carbon dioxide pipeline facilities to improve the clarity of the regulations and reduce unnecessary administrative burdens.

This action amends Jet Route J-211 and revokes Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal Airway V-41. The FAA is taking this action due to the planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Youngstown, OH (YNG), VOR/Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) navigational aid (NAVAID). The Youngstown VOR is being decommissioned in support of the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) program.

These special conditions are issued for the Textron Model 560XL 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 hydrophobic windshield coatings to maintain a clear view. 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.

On September 28, 2022, the FAA published a Policy Statement in the Federal Register that described policy changes to the FAA's International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program as well as clarification or restatement of prior policy to "enhance engagement with civil aviation authorities (CAAs) through pre- and post-IASA assessment and to promote greater transparency." After receiving inquiries and questions about the changes described in that policy statement, the FAA is suspending implementation of the September 28, 2022, Policy Statement while the agency reassesses the policy. The policy statement published March 8, 2013, remains active.

This rule is being issued pursuant to the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, which requires the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) to extend the period of time manufacturers of motor vehicles, child restraint systems, and tires must retain records concerning malfunctions that may be related to motor vehicle safety under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Safety Act). Section 24403 of the FAST Act directs the Secretary to issue a rule increasing the record retention period to not less than 10 years, instead of 5 years, as presently required under the regulatory provisions. Pursuant to its delegated authority, NHTSA is updating its regulations in accordance with this mandate to extend the time that manufacturers are required to retain certain records that may be related to motor vehicle safety to 10 years.

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) and U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) announce the extension of the comment period for the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Texas GulfLink LLC (GulfLink) deepwater port license application for the export of oil from the United States to nations abroad. The GulfLink deepwater port license application describes a project that would be located approximately 26.2 nautical miles off the coast of Brazoria County, Texas. Publication of this notice extends the current comment period for the GulfLink FEIS to end on Friday, August 30, 2024, requests public participation in the final environmental impact review process, provides information on how to participate in the final environmental impact review process and announces a virtual final public hearing.

The FAA is correcting a final rule that was published in the Federal Register on July 18, 2024. The final rule amended Class D airspace extending upward from the surface for Fort Liberty, NC. This action corrects errors in the Class D legal description.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the opportunity to apply for $9,169,076 in competitive grants for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Public Transportation on Indian Reservations (Tribal Transit) Program.

This action proposes to establish Class E airspace at Rose Hill, KS. The FAA is proposing this action to support new instrument procedures at this airport.

This action establishes United States Area Navigation (RNAV) Route Q-108 and revokes RNAV Route Q-104 in the eastern United States. This action supports the Northeast Corridor Atlantic Coast Routes (NEC ACR) Optimization Project to improve the efficiency of the National Airspace System (NAS).

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will hold a public roundtable meeting concerning bus operator visibility. Transit bus manufacturers will present their research and actions to improve bus operator visibility through vehicle design. This roundtable will be a forum for discussion of bus safety design elements that impact operator visibility, including mirror size and placement and A-pillar design. Participants will also discuss opportunities for manufacturers to standardize safety features. The meeting will include time for public comment.

This document corrects a printing error in the preamble of a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on May 7, 2024.

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 nor omission of information in the summary is intended to affect the legal status of the petition or its final disposition.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), proposes to waive the Build America, Buy America (BABA) Act's domestic preference requirements for certain products widely used in natural gas distribution systems on the basis of nonavailability. The proposed duration of the waiver will apply to expenditures on or after the effective date of the final waiver for recipients of funding under the Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization (NGDISM) Grant Program and would expire after three years. In accordance with Section 70914(c) of BABA, PHMSA is seeking public comments on the proposed waiver.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve a request for an extension without change to an existing information collection: Survey of FTA Stakeholders.

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2017-21-05, which applies to certain Saab AB Model 340A (SAAB/SF340A) and SAAB 340B airplanes. AD 2017-21-05 requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate airworthiness limitations, including new inspection tasks for the drag brace support fitting of the main landing gear (MLG) and to implement corrosion prevention and control program (CPCP) related tasks. Since the FAA issued AD 2017-21-05, the FAA has determined that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. This proposed AD would continue to require the actions in AD 2017-21-05 and 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 (IBR). The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew exemptions for 10 individuals from the hearing requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) for interstate commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. The exemptions enable these hard of hearing and deaf individuals to continue to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

FMCSA announces its decision to exempt 13 individuals from the requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) that interstate commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers have "no established medical history or clinical diagnosis of epilepsy or any other condition which is likely to cause loss of consciousness or any loss of ability to control a CMV." The exemptions enable these individuals who have had one or more seizures and are taking anti- seizure medication to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

In accordance with the procedures governing the application for, and the processing of, special permits from the Department of Transportation's Hazardous Material Regulations, notice is hereby given that the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety has received the application described herein.

In accordance with the procedures governing the application for, and the processing of, special permits from the Department of Transportation's Hazardous Material Regulations, notice is hereby given that the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety has received the application described herein.

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) is funding the Arthur Kill Offshore Wind Terminal Project (Project) which will develop an offshore wind staging and assembly port in Staten Island, New York to facilitate the development of offshore wind farms in the New York Bight. In accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and its implementing regulations, MARAD has determined that a Programmatic Agreement (Agreement) must be prepared in accordance with the requirements of the NHPA in conjunction with the Project and invites public comments on the Agreement.