FTA - Comments Requested on Planned Revisions to Title VI and EEO Circulars

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) issued notice of planned revisions to two circulars - Title VI Program Guidelines for Urban Mass Transit Administration Recipients and Equal Employment Opportunity Program Guidelines for Grant Recipients. The administration is seeking input from interested parties on these documents, including examples of problems with compliance, best practices for compliance, and proposals for changes to these circulars. Upon consideration of the comments, FTA will issue revised circulars and will seek additional comments on the revised documents.

Submit comments, identified by DOT DMS Docket Number FTA-2005-23227, by web site http://dms.dot.gov, fax (202) 493-2251, or mail to Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh St., S.W., Nassif Building, PL-401, Washington, DC 20590-0001. Comments are due by January 17, 2006.

Report on FY 2006 Transit Appropriations for FTA Assistance Programs Issued

FTA issued a notice providing information on the fiscal year 2006 transit appropriations for the FTA assistance programs, and apportions and allocates FY 2006 funds.

For further information, contact Mary Martha Churchman, director, Office of Transit Programs, phone (202) 366-2053. (December 20, 2005, Federal Register, page 75648)

NHTSA - Comments Requested on Proposed Amendments to Air Brake Standards

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is requesting comments on its proposal to amend the federal motor vehicle safety standards on air brake systems to improve the stopping distance performance of truck tractors to reduce the required stopping distance for these vehicles by 20 to 30 percent. Comments are also requested on improving the braking performance of other types of heavy vehicles, i.e., trailers, straight trucks, and buses, to be addressed in future rulemakings.

Submit comments, identified by the DOT DMS docket No. NHTSA-2005-21462, by website http://dms.dot.gov, fax (202) 493-2251, or mail to Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh St., S.W., Nassif Building, Room PL-401, Washington, DC 20590. Comments are due by April 14, 2006.

For information on non-legal issues, contact Jeff Woods, NHTSA Office of Rulemaking, phone (202) 366-6206. For information on legal issues, contact Christopher Calamita, NHTSA Office of Chief Counsel, phone (202) 366-2992. Both officials can be contacted by mail at NHTSA, 400 Seventh St., S.W., Washington, DC 20590. (December 15, 2005, Federal Register, page 74270)

PHMSA - Comments Requested on Proposal to Reduce Gas Pipeline Corrosion

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is requesting comments on its proposal to reduce internal corrosion when designing and constructing new and replaced gas transmission pipelines. The proposed rule would require an operator to take steps in design and construction to reduce the risk that liquids collecting within the pipeline could result in failures because of internal corrosion. These changes would ease steps an operator must take in operating and maintaining the pipeline to minimize internal corrosion.

Submits comments, identified by Docket No. PHMSA-2005-22642, by website http://dms.dot.gov, fax (202) 493-2251, or mail to Docket Management System: U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh St., S.W., Nassif Building, Room PL-401, Washington, DC 20590. Comments are due by February 13, 2006.

For further information, contact Barbara Betsock, phone (202) 366-4361, fax (202) 366-4566, e-mail barbara.betsock@dot.gov. (December 15, 2005, Federal Register, page 74262)

DHS - Comments Requested on SAFECOM Interoperability Baseline Survey

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is requesting public comments on the Office of Systems Engineering and Development SAFECOM Interoperability Baseline Survey.

SAFECOM was established as the overarching umbrella program within the Federal government that oversees all initiatives and projects pertaining to public safety communications and interoperability. The SAFECOM Interoperability Baseline Survey is an essential step in a mission to provide public safety communications interoperability nationwide. The survey will allow DHS to measure the current state of public safety communications interoperability among state and local public safety practitioners. This will provide a baseline against which to track the future impact of federal programs and provide a basis for identifying and executing specific projects to improve communications interoperability.

Submit comments, identified by Docket No. DHS-2005-0051, by Federal eRulemaking Portal http://www.regulations.gov, e-mail: thomas.cody@dhs.gov, or mail to Science and Technology Directorate, Office of Systems Engineering and Development (SED), 1120 Vermont Ave. N.W., 8-104, Washington, DC 20528. Comments are due by February 17, 2006.

For further information, contact Thomas Cody, phone (202) 254-6084. (December 19, 2005, Federal Register, page 75207)

REGS REPORT ENHANCED SUBSCRIPTION

Starting in January 2006, AASHTO's weekly Regulatory Monitor, Regs Report, will be offered as a daily, electronic-only publication that will be emailed to subscribers as part of our AASHTO Daily Transportation Update, which currently provides links to a selection of transportation-related news stories on the Internet.

To subscribe to the new, electronic daily Regs Report, visit our web site at http://transportation1.org/transupdate/ and click on the link reading Subscribe to the Daily Transportation Update! Annual subscriptions are $15.00.