Historic Preservation, Advisory Council August 21, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Section 1313 of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) established the permanent Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program that allows a State to assume FHWA's environmental responsibilities for review, consultation, and compliance for Federal highway projects. This section mandates semiannual audits during each of the first 2 years of State participation to ensure compliance by each State participating in the Program. When a State assumes these Federal responsibilities, the State becomes solely responsible and liable for carrying out the responsibilities it has assumed, in lieu of FHWA. This notice announces and solicits comments on the first audit report for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).

FMCSA announces its decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 20 individuals. FMCSA has statutory authority to exempt individuals from the vision requirement if the exemptions granted will not compromise safety. The Agency has concluded that granting these exemption renewals will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to or greater than the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers.

FMCSA announces its decision to grant motor carriers transporting security-sensitive hazardous materials (HM) requiring a security plan an exemption from the Federal hours-of-service (HOS) regulations that prohibit commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers from driving a CMV if more than 8 consecutive hours have passed since the driver's last off-duty or sleeper-berth period of 30 minutes or more. American Trucking Associations, Inc. (ATA) requested the exemption on behalf of all motor carriers that transport certain HM shipments requiring security plans under regulations of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). These plans normally require a driver to attend such cargo while the CMV is stopped, which is an on-duty activity under the HOS rules. Exempt drivers may now count their on-duty attendance of HM cargo toward the required 30- minute rest break requirement provided they perform no other on-duty activity. This exemption parallels Sec. 395.1(q) of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) that allows drivers who are attending loads of certain explosives to count on-duty attendance time toward their rest break so long as they engage in no other on-duty activity.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew the exemptions from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations for 9 individuals. FMCSA has statutory authority to exempt individuals from the vision requirement if the exemptions granted will not compromise safety. The Agency has concluded that granting these exemption renewals will provide a level of safety that is equivalent to or greater than the level of safety maintained without the exemptions for these commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers.

This document announces decisions by NHTSA that certain motor vehicles not originally manufactured to comply with all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) are eligible for importation into the United States because they are substantially similar to vehicles originally manufactured for sale in the United States and certified by their manufacturers as complying with the safety standards, and they are capable of being readily altered to conform to the standards or because they have safety features that comply with, or are capable of being altered to comply with, all applicable FMVSS.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. (Embraer) Model EMB-135 airplanes and Model EMB-145, -145ER, -145MR, -145LR, -145MP, and -145EP airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of chafing between the fuel pump electrical harness and the fuel pump tubing during scheduled maintenance. This proposed AD would require a detailed inspection for chafing on the electrical harness of each electrical fuel pump in the fuel tanks, replacing the affected electrical fuel pump with a new or serviceable pump if necessary, and installing clamps on the fuel pump electrical harnesses. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct chafing of the fuel pump harnesses with other parts inside the fuel tank, which could present a potential ignition source that could result in a fire or fuel tank explosion.

This notice announces actions taken by FHWA and other Federal agencies that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). The actions relate to a proposed highway project, State Route 15, section 088, Central Susquehanna Valley Transportation Project (CSVT) in Snyder, Union and Northumberland Counties, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Those actions grant licenses, permits, and approvals for the project.

This rule establishes, amends, suspends, or removes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and associated Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures (ODPs) for operations at certain airports. These regulatory actions are needed because of the adoption of new or revised criteria, or because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System, such as the commissioning of new navigational facilities, adding new obstacles, or changing air traffic requirements. These changes are designed to provide safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.