Department of Transportation – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for a new information collection, which is summarized below under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announces the opportunity to apply for a total of $5,000,000 from Fiscal Years (FY) 2022, 2023, and 2024 in Public Transportation Innovation Program funds for a competitive cooperative agreement to develop and manage a new FTA Technology Transfer (T2) Program.

This notice announces a virtual meeting of the MCSAC, which will take place via videoconference.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Robinson Helicopter Company Model R44 and R44 II helicopters. This AD was prompted by several reports of failed clutch actuators and failed rivets attaching the belt tension clutch actuator brackets (bracket) to the fan scroll housing. This AD requires inspecting each bracket and, depending on the results, accomplishing additional inspections or taking any necessary corrective actions. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This document provides the public with notice that, on November 21, 2024, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) submitted a request for amendment (RFA) to its FRA-approved Positive Train Control Safety Plan (PTCSP) to provide supplemental information to its initial RFA, submitted October 16, 2024, which requested FRA's approval for an increase to the system maximum operational speed from 150 miles per hour (MPH) to 160 MPH. As this RFA may involve a request for FRA's approval of proposed material modifications to an FRA- certified positive train control (PTC) system, FRA is publishing this notice and inviting public comment on Amtrak's RFA to its PTCSP.

This action delays the effective date of a final rule published in the Federal Register on November 18, 2024, establishing Class E airspace at Rose Hill, KS to support new public instrument procedures. The FAA is delaying the effective date to allow sufficient time for charting cut-off date compliance.

FCA US LLC f/k/a Chrysler Group LLC (collectively referred to as "FCA US") has determined that certain model year (MY) 2018-2022 Alfa Romeo Stelvio motor vehicles do not fully comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 111, Rear Visibility. FCA US filed a noncompliance report dated September 21, 2021. FCA US subsequently petitioned NHTSA on October 14, 2021, for a decision that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety. This notice announces receipt of FCA US' petition and amended petition.

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2024-06-06, which applies to all Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (RRD) Model Trent7000-72 and Trent7000-72C engines. AD 2024-06-06 requires revising the airworthiness limitations section (ALS) of the operator's existing approved engine maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive tasks and limitations and associated thresholds and intervals for life-limited parts. Since the FAA issued AD 2024-06-06, the manufacturer has revised the engine time limits manual (TLM) to introduce new or more restrictive tasks and limitations and associated thresholds and intervals for life-limited parts, which prompted this AD. This proposed AD would require revising the ALS of the existing approved engine maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive tasks and limitations and associated thresholds and intervals for life-limited parts, as 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.

FMCSA announces its final decision to renew the exemption granted to the National School Transportation Association (NSTA) for a period of two years to permit all commercial driver's license (CDL) applicants seeking a school bus endorsement to forgo the engine compartment portion of the pre-trip vehicle inspection skills testing requirement, known informally as the "under-the-hood" testing requirement. Drivers issued CDLs pursuant to the requested exemption are restricted to intrastate operation of school buses only.

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2023-24- 06, which applies to certain Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (RRD) Model Trent 1000 engines. AD 2023-24-06 required revising the airworthiness limitation section (ALS) of the operator's existing approved engine maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive tasks and limitations and associated thresholds and intervals for life-limited parts. This AD was prompted by the manufacturer revising the time limits manual (TLM) to introduce new or more restrictive tasks and limitations and associated thresholds and intervals for life-limited parts. This AD requires revisions to the ALS of the operator's existing approved engine maintenance or inspection program, 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.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 737-8, 737-9, and 737-8200 (737 MAX) airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report of a non-conforming installation of spoiler wire bundles that led to unintended spoiler motion, including one instance of a flight spoiler hardover. Further investigation identified the potential for a hardover of more than one flight spoiler on the same wing, which can exceed full lateral control capability leading to loss of control of the airplane. This AD requires a one-time inspection of the clearance between the spoiler control wire bundles and the adjacent structure, and applicable on-condition actions. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 737-300 and -400 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report that flight control rigging tolerances could result in spoiler deflection not reaching the minimal level required to engage the cruise thrust split monitor (MONFD) used by the autothrottle (A/T) system. This AD requires changing certain wire bundles, installing a new housing assembly, removing the mechanical aileron force limiter (MAFL), doing an inspection or records check to determine if certain flight control computers (FCCs) are installed, and performing applicable on-condition actions. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA that are final. The action relates to the SR 3 Freight CorridorNew Alignment project, located in western Washington within the City of Bremerton, Kitsap County, and Mason County. The Project will construct the SR 3 Freight CorridorNew Alignment to the east of the existing SR3 with a design and posted speed of 50 miles per hour. The proposed alignment will begin at MP 22.81 on existing SR 3 and connect back to the existing SR 3 alignment at MP 29.49. The project includes stormwater treatment facilities, 12-foot lanes with 8-foot shoulders, and roundabouts at the north and south connections to existing SR 3. The FHWA's Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) provides details on the Selected Alternative for the proposed improvements.

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.

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2008-10-01 and AD 2010-05-51, which apply to certain Eurocopter France (now Airbus Helicopters) Model EC120B helicopters. AD 2008-10-01 requires replacing certain part-numbered and serial-numbered spherical thrust bearings. AD 2010-05-51 requires repetitively inspecting the main rotor (M/R) head rotor hub (rotor hub) and, depending on the results, taking corrective action. Since the FAA issued those ADs, the manufacturer revised the airworthiness limitations section (ALS) to incorporate various airworthiness limitations, tasks, and associated thresholds and intervals that were previously contained in service bulletins, as well as incorporate a new task. This proposed AD would require revising the ALS of the existing maintenance manual (MM) or instructions for continued airworthiness (ICAs) and the existing approved maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, as 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.

This action proposes to amend Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface for Goldsboro, NC, by adding airspace for Wayne Memorial Hospital Inc. Heliport, Goldsboro, NC. Additionally, this action would bring the Goldsboro Class D and Class E airspace into compliance with FAA orders and support instrument flight rule (IFR) procedures and operations.

This document grants parts of petitions for reconsideration of a May 9, 2024, final rule that adopted Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 127, "Automatic Emergency Braking for Light Vehicles," which requires automatic emergency braking (AEB), pedestrian automatic emergency braking (PAEB), and forward collision warning (FCW) systems on all new light vehicles. This final rule clarifies requirements applicable to FCW visual signals and audio signals, corrects an error in the test scenario for obstructed pedestrian crossing the road, and removes superfluous language from the performance test requirement for lead vehicle AEB. This notice denies other requests in the petitions. This document also denies a petition for reconsideration, which is treated as a petition for rulemaking because it was received more than 45 days after publication of the rule.

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2023-05- 08, which applied to certain Airbus Canada Limited Partnership Model BD-500-1A10 and BD-500-1A11 airplanes. AD 2023-05-08 required revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations. This AD was prompted by a determination that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. This AD continues to require certain actions in AD 2023-05-08 and requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations, as specified in a Transport Canada AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus SAS Model Airbus A350-941 and -1041 airplanes. This AD was prompted by a determination that the lower attachment studs on the aft galley complex may be installed incorrectly due to a missing instruction in the maintenance procedure task. This AD requires a one- time inspection of the lower attachment studs on the aft galley complex, and depending on findings, accomplishment of applicable corrective actions, 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 action proposes to amend domestic Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal Airways V-7, V-35, V-157, V-159, and V-198 in the eastern United States. The FAA is taking this action due to the planned decommissioning of the Cross City, FL (CTY), VOR/ Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) and the Taylor, FL (TAY), VORTAC. This action is in support of the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) Program.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain General Electric Company (GE) Model CT7-5A2, CT7-5A3, CT7- 7A, CT7-7A1, CT7-9B, CT7-9B1, CT7-9B2, CT7-9C, CT7-9C3, CT7-9D, and CT7-9D2 engines. This proposed AD was prompted by the manufacturer's determination that certain GE Model CT7 fleets have affected cooling plates installed that do not meet lifing guidelines. This proposed AD would require replacement of the stage 1 turbine forward cooling plate and the stage 2 turbine aft cooling plate. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. (P&WC) Model PW535E and PW535E1 engines. This proposed AD was prompted by a manufacturer design review that indicated certain flange bolts securing the gas generator case and turbine support case are susceptible to cracking at their current low-cycle fatigue (LCF) life. This proposed AD would require repetitive borescope inspections (BSI) of the gas generator case to turbine support case retaining bolts for evidence of bolt cracks, bolt fracture, missing bolts, or loose bolts and replacement, if necessary, as specified in a Transport Canada AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 13 individuals for an exemption from the prohibition in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) against persons with a clinical diagnosis of epilepsy or any other condition that is likely to cause a loss of consciousness or any loss of ability to control a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) to drive in interstate commerce. If granted, the exemptions would enable these individuals who have had one or more seizures and are taking anti-seizure medication to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces that the Information Collection Requirements (ICRs) abstracted below have been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describe the nature of the information collection and their expected burdens.

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the Information Collection Request (ICR) summarized below. Before submitting this ICR to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified in the ICR.