🚂Proposed Rule to Remove Stenciling for Tourist-Use Freight Cars
FRA proposes to exclude railroad freight cars used exclusively for tourist, historic, excursion, educational, recreational, or private purposes and that are not interchanged from the requirement that all restricted freight cars, including cars more than 50 years old, be stenciled with specific information.
Learn More🚂Administrative Updates to Railroad Freight Car Safety Standards
This rule makes administrative updates to FRA's railroad freight car safety standards, including updating addresses.
Learn More🚂Proposed Rule on Freight Car Age Requirements by FRA
FRA proposes to amend its freight car safety regulations to repeal the requirement for special approval to place or continue a freight car in service if it is more than 50 years old or equipped with any design or type component listed in appendix A to this part. Instead, railroads would be able to continue or place such "overage" cars in service after complying with uniform safety requirements. Those requirements would include comprehensive shop inspections by a designated inspector, single-car air brake testing, recordkeeping, and, as appropriate, stenciling. The proposed requirements are consistent with the most important conditions that FRA now requires through the existing special approval process. Repealing the special approval process and replacing it with the proposed, uniform requirements would provide equivalent safety outcomes while reducing burdens on railroads and eliminating the added delay involved in petitioning FRA for a special approval.
Learn More🚂FRA Proposes Regulatory Relief for End-of-Car Cushioning Units
FRA proposes to amend regulations concerning freight car draft arrangement and end-of-car cushioning units (EOCCs) to make regulatory relief now provided by waiver permanent. The amendments would allow a freight car to remain in service if the EOCC is operative and equipped with a unit condition indicator (UCI) that indicates a non-discharged EOCC. This change would permit those EOCCs to remain in service despite the presence of clearly formed oil droplets on the unit. The amendments, if finalized, preserve the requirement to repair or replace an EOCC with clearly formed oil droplets if the unit does not have a UCI.
Learn More✈️Extended Flight Prohibition in Kabul FIR for U.S. Air Carriers
This action extends the prohibition against certain flight operations in the Kabul Flight Information Region (FIR) (OAKX) 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 July 25, 2025, to July 25, 2028. FAA finds this action necessary to address continuing risks to persons and aircraft engaged in such flight operations.
Learn More⚓Federal Maritime Commission Revisions to Authority and Organization
The Federal Maritime Commission (Commission or FMC) is revising certain delegations of authority from the Commission, updating descriptions of organization components, and making minor related technical amendments. These revisions reflect re-organization of certain functions within the agency.
Learn More🚆Notice of Passenger Rail Advisory Committee Meeting Announcement
Notice is hereby given of a meeting of the Passenger Rail Advisory Committee (PRAC), pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA).
Learn More🚚EPA's SmartWay Partnership ICR Renewal and Business Requirements
The Environmental Protection Agency has submitted an information collection request (ICR), SmartWay Transport Partnership (EPA ICR Number 2265.05, OMB Control Number 2060-0663) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through March 31, 2025. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register filed on December 11, 2024 during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments.
Learn More✈️Extension of Flight Prohibition in Libya
This action extends the prohibition against certain flight operations in the territory and airspace of Libya 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 March 20, 2025, to March 20, 2028. The FAA finds this action necessary to address continuing risks to persons and aircraft engaged in such flight operations. 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.
Learn More📦New Rules on Low-Value Shipments Affecting Trade Compliance
This document proposes amendments to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations pertaining to the administrative exemption for certain low-value shipments not exceeding $800. Specifically, CBP proposes to make merchandise that is subject to specified trade or national security actions ineligible for this administrative exemption and to require that certain shipments claiming this exemption provide the 10-digit Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) classification of the merchandise.
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