🛤️Extension of Comment Period for Asset Management Plans Regulation
The FHWA is extending the comment period for a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) and request for comments, which was published on November 13, 2024. The original comment period is set to close on January 13, 2025. The extension is based on concerns expressed by stakeholders that the January 13, 2025, closing date does not provide sufficient time to review and provide comprehensive comments. The FHWA recognizes that others interested in commenting may have similar concerns and agrees that the comment period should be extended. Therefore, the closing date for comments is changed to February 12, 2025, which will provide stakeholders and others interested in commenting additional time to discuss, evaluate, and submit responses to the docket.
Learn More🚛FMCSA Requests Comments on Grote Industries' Safety Exemption Renewal
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requests public comment on the application from Grote Industries, LLC (Grote) for a renewal of its exemption allowing motor carriers to install amber brake-activated pulsating warning lamps on the rear of trailers and van body trucks in addition to the steady-burning brake lamps required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). Grote currently holds an exemption for the period December 7, 2020, through December 2, 2025, and requests a five-year renewal of the exemption. FMCSA requests public comment on Grote's request to renew the exemption.
Learn More🌉Changes to Umpqua River Bridge Regulations and Business Impact
The Coast Guard is changing the name and operating schedule that governs the Central Oregon and Pacific railroad bridge across the Umpqua River, mile 11.5, at Reedsport, OR. This rule changes the name of the Central Oregon and Pacific railroad bridge; allows that bridge to be maintained in the closed to navigation position, removes the requirement for fog signals for that bridge and changes the name of the US 101 Bridge that crosses the side channel of the Umpqua River.
Learn More✈️DOT Notice on Financial Reporting for Small Aircraft Operators
In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics invites the general public, industry and other governmental parties to comment on the continuing need for and usefulness of BTS collecting financial, traffic and operating statistics from small certificated and commuter air carriers. Small, certificated air carriers (operate aircraft with 60 seats or less or with 18,000 pounds of payload capacity or less) currently must file the two quarterly schedules: F-1 "Report of Financial Data"; F-2 "Report of Aircraft Operating Expenses and Related Statistics"; and Commuter air carriers must file the Schedule F-1 "Report of Financial Data". Commenters should address whether BTS accurately estimated the reporting burden and if there are other ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected.
Learn More📡FCC Regulation Update on 5.9 GHz Band Compliance for Businesses
The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on December 13, 2024. The document addressed the transition of 5.9 GHz Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) operations from Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC)-based technology to cellular-vehicle-to- everything (C-V2X)-based technology.
Learn More🌊New Regulations for Navy Activities and Marine Mammal Protections
NMFS, upon request from the U.S. Navy (Navy), issues these regulations pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to govern the taking of marine mammals incidental to the training and testing activities conducted in the Hawaii-Southern California Training and Testing (HSTT) Study Area between 2018 and 2025. In 2021, two separate U.S. Navy vessels struck unidentified large whales on two separate occasions, one whale in June 2021 and one whale in July 2021, in waters off Southern California. The takes by vessel strike of the two whales by the U.S. Navy were covered by the existing regulations and Letters of Authorization (LOAs), which authorize the U.S. Navy to take up to three large whales by serious injury or mortality by vessel strike between 2018 and 2025. The Navy reanalyzed the potential of vessel strike in the HSTT Study Area, including the recent strikes, and as a result, requested two additional takes of large whales by serious injury or mortality by vessel strike for the remainder of the current regulatory period. In May 2023, a U.S. Navy vessel struck a large whale in waters off Southern California. NMFS reanalyzed the potential for vessel strike based on new information, including the three strikes, and authorizes two additional takes of large whales by serious injury or mortality by vessel strike for the remainder of the current regulatory period (two takes in addition to the three takes authorized in the current regulations). The Navy's activities qualify as military readiness activities pursuant to the MMPA, as amended by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (2004 NDAA).
Learn More✈️New Class E Airspace Regulations Established in Victoria, TX
This action establishes Class E airspace at Victoria, TX to support new public instrument procedures.
Learn More🐟Proposed Rule for Clear Lake Hitch
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list the Clear Lake hitch (Lavinia exilicauda chi), a freshwater fish subspecies in the North American minnow family that is restricted to the Clear Lake watershed in Lake County, California, as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This determination also serves as our 12-month finding on a petition to list the Clear Lake hitch. After a review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing the Clear Lake hitch is warranted. Accordingly, we propose to list the Clear Lake hitch as a threatened species with protective regulations issued under section 4(d) of the Act ("4(d) rule"). If we finalize this rule as proposed, it would add the Clear Lake hitch to the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and extend the Act's protections to this subspecies.
Learn More🚂FRA Announces Emergency Relief Docket for 2025 Business Impact
This Notice announces the establishment of FRA's emergency relief docket (ERD) for calendar year 2025. The designated ERD for calendar year 2025 is docket number FRA-2025-0015.
Learn More🚛Navistar's Provisional CDL Exemption Renewal Notice and Implications
FMCSA announces its decision to provisionally renew the exemption currently held by Navistar, Inc. (Navistar) from the commercial driver's license (CDL) regulations for one of its commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. The provisional exemption renewal allows Mr. Thomas Nickels, Senior Vice President of the Cabin and Chassis R&D Group for Navistar's parent company, TRANTON SE, to test drive various Navistar test fleet vehicles on U.S. roads. The provisional exemption renewal is limited to six months. After a review of the public comments to this notice, FMCSA will issue a decision whether the exemption should be renewed through November 2029.
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