58994 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 190 / Friday, October 1, 2004 / Notices 

Laurel Regional Airport Authority under 

section 158.23 of part 158.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Patrick D. Vaught, Program Manager, 

100 West Cross Street, Suite B, Jackson, 

MS 39208–2307, (601) 664–9900. The 

application may be reviewed in person 

at this same location.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA 

proposes to rule and invites public 

comment on the application to impose 

and use the revenue from a PFC at 

Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport 

under the provisions of the 49 U.S.C. 

40117 and part 158 of the Federal 

Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 158). 

On September 22, 2004, the FAA 

determined that the application to 

impose and use the revenue from a PFC 

submitted by Hattiesburg-Laurel 

Regional Airport Authority was 

substantially complete within the 

requirements of section 158.25 of part 

158. The FAA will approve or 

disapprove the application, in whole or 

in part, no later than January 7, 2005. 

The following is a brief overview of 

the application. 

Proposed charge effective date:

October 1, 2004. 

Proposed charge expiration date:

November 1, 2007. 

Level of the proposed PFC: $4.50. 

Total estimated PFC revenue:

$216,155.00. 

Brief description of proposed 

project(s): Acquire new telescoping 

walkway and expand existing 

telescoping walkway. 

Class or classes of air carriers which 

the public agency has requested not be 

required to collect PFCs: None. 

Any person may inspect the 

application in person at the FAA office 

listed above under FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT.

In addition, any person may, upon 

request, inspect the application, notice 

and other documents germane to the 

application in person at the HattiesburgLaurel Regional Airport Authority.

Issued in Jackson, Mississippi on 

September 23, 2004. 

Rans D. Black, 

Manager, Jackson Airports District Office.

[FR Doc. 04–22022 Filed 9–30–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–M

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration 

Notice of Intent To Rule on Application 

04–04–C–00–ROA To Impose and Use 

the Revenue From a Passenger Facility 

Charge (PFC) at Roanoke Regional 

Airport, Roanoke, VA

AGENCY: Federal aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent to rule on 

application. 

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to rule and 

invites public comment on the 

application to impose and use the 

revenue from a PFC at Roanoke Regional 

Airport under the provisions of the 49 

U.S.C. 40117 and part 158 of the Federal 

Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 158).

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before November 1, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Comments on this 

application may be mailed or delivered 

in triplicate to the FAA at the following 

address: 

Washington Airports District Office, 

23723 Air Freight Lane, Suite 210, 

Dulles, Virginia 20166. 

In addition, one copy of any 

comments submitted to the FAA must 

be mailed or delivered to Ms. Jacqueline 

L. Shuck, Executive Director, Roanoke 

Regional Airport of the Roanoke 

Regional Airport Commission at the 

following address: 

Roanoke Regional Airport 

Commission, 5202 Aviation Drive, 

Roanoke, Virginia 24012–1148. 

Air carriers and foreign air carriers 

may submit copies of written comments 

previously provided to the Roanoke 

Regional Airport Commission under 

section 158.23 of Part 158.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Terry J. Page, Manager, Washington 

Airports District Office, 23723 Air 

Freight Lane, Suite 210, Dulles, Virginia 

20166. Telephone: 703–661–1354. 

The application may be reviewed in 

person at this same location.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA 

proposes to rule and invites public 

comment on the application to impose 

and use the revenue from a PFC at 

Roanoke Regional Airport under the 

provisions of the 49 U.S.C. 40117 and 

part 158 of the Federal Aviation 

Regulations (14 CFR part 158).

On August 31, 2004, the FAA 

determined that the application to 

impose and use the revenue from a PFC 

submitted by the Roanoke Regional 

Airport Commission was substantially 

complete within the requirements of 

section 158.25 of part 158. The FAA 

will approve or disapprove the 

application, in whole or in part, no later 

than October 28, 2004. 

The following is a brief overview of 

the application. 

Proposed charge effective date:

January 1, 2005. 

Proposed charge expiration date:

November 1, 2011. 

Level of the proposed PFC: $4.50. 

Total estimated PFC revenue:

$8,473,680 requested for impose and 

use. 

Brief description of proposed 

project(s):

1. General Aviation Rehabilitation 

Phase 1 & 1B (Construct Taxiway and 

Tie Down). 

2. Rehabilitate and Construct Taxiway 

A, North and Middle Segments. 

3. Multi-User Flight Information 

Display System. 

4. Construct Passenger Elevator. 

5. Demolish Buildings 13, 14 and 15. 

6. Update Noise Exposure Maps. 

7. Install Precision Approach Path 

Indicator (PAPI), Runway 33. 

8. Construct Taxiway A—South. 

9. Sinkhole Repair on Airfield. 

10. Construct Entrance Road and 

Utilities for General Aviation Area. 

11. Purchase Runway Snow Blower. 

12. Purchase Rubber Wheel Snow 

Loader. 

13. Rehabilitate Runway 6/24 & 

Relocate Taxiway E; Rehabilitate 

Taxiways L, P, G and K. 

14. Acquire Passenger Boarding 

Device. 

15. Rehabilitate Terminal Building 

Facade. 

16. Construct Passenger Baggage 

Ramp. 

17. Acquire Land in Runway 24 

Runway Protection Zone. 

18. Construct Perimeter Fencing and 

Gate. 

19. Rehabilitate Terminal Exterior. 

20. Rehabilitate Runway 24 Roadway 

Tunnel—Phase 2. 

21. Acquire Land for Airport 

Expansion. 

22. Acquire Land for Navigational Aid 

Critical Area. 

23. Construct Overhead Directional 

Signage at Terminal. 

24. Install Regional Jet Adapter for 

Loading Bridge. 

25. Relocate Taxiway A & G—Design 

and Demolish (Phases 1 & 2). 

26 Rehabilitate Runway 15/33—

Phases 1 & 2 and Construct Runway 

Safety Area. 

27. Install Engineered Arresting 

Material System (EMAS) for Runway 

15/33. 

28. Noise Abatement Program Phases 

2, 3, 4 (Acquisition of Easements). 

29. PFC Program Formulation and 

Administration. 

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 190 / Friday, October 1, 2004 / Notices 58995

1Elshaug, A. Reid, K. and Damson, D. 1998, The 

circadian effects of irregular work schedules on 

sleep. In W.P. Colquhoun (ed.), Aspects of Human 

Efficiency (London: English Universities), 273–282.

2 2004, National Sleep Foundation Workshop on 

Shift Work Sleep Disorder, March 4–5, Washington, 

DC.

3Pilcher, J. and Coplen, M. 2000, Work/Rest 

Cycles in railroad operations: effects of shorter than 

24-hour shift work schedules and on-call schedules 

on sleep. Ergonomics, Vol. 43, No. 5, 573–588.

4Ohayton, M, Lermoine, P., Arnaud-Briant, V., 

and Dreyfus, M., 2002, Prevalence and 

consequences of sleep disorders in a shift worker 

population. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 53, 

577–583.

Class or classes of air carriers which 

the public agency has requested not be 

required to collect PFCs: Operations by 

Air Taxi and Commercial Operators 

including: Air Lexington, Inc., Florida 

Jet Service, Inc., Buxmont Aviation 

Services, Inc., Piedmont Hawthorne 

Aviation, Inc. 

Any person may inspect the 

application in person at the FAA office 

listed above under FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT and at the FAA 

Regional Airports office located at: 

Federal Aviation Administration, 

Eastern Region, 1 Aviation Plaza, 

Jamaica, New York 11434–4809. 

In addition, any person may, upon 

request, inspect the application, notice 

and other documents germane to the 

application in person at the Roanoke 

Regional Airport Commission.

Issued in Dulles, Virginia, on September 

23, 2004. 

Terry J. Page, 

Manager, Washington Airports District Office, 

Eastern Region.

[FR Doc. 04–22024 Filed 9–30–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–M

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration 

Notice of Safety Advisory 2004–04; 

Effect of Sleep Disorders on Safety of 

Railroad Operations

AGENCY: Federal Railroad 

Administration (FRA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Safety Advisory.

SUMMARY: FRA is issuing Safety 

Advisory 2004–04 to alert the railroad 

community, and especially those 

employees occupying safety-sensitive 

positions, to the danger associated with 

degradation of performance resulting 

from sleep disorders that are 

undiagnosed or not successfully treated. 

Alertness (vigilance) and unimpaired 

cognitive functions are important to the 

safety of railroad operations. Of 

particular concern to FRA are those 

employees who dispatch or operate 

trains or who inspect and maintain 

signal systems. Many of these 

employees work unpredictable 

schedules and long hours, making it 

difficult for them to achieve adequate 

rest even if otherwise healthy. This 

advisory contains suggested measures 

that railroads and employees should 

utilize to prevent work-related errors 

and on-the-job accidents as a result of 

sleep disorders.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A. 

Scott Kaye, Office of Safety, RRS–4, 

Mail Stop 25, Federal Railroad 

Administration, U.S. Department of 

Transportation, 1120 Vermont Avenue, 

NW., Washington, DC 20590. Telephone 

202–493–6303.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Factual Background 

On November 15, 2001, Canadian 

National Railway Company/Illinois 

Central Railroad Company (CN/IC) 

southbound Train 533 and northbound 

Train 243 collided near Clarkston, 

Michigan. Both crewmembers of Train 

243 were fatally injured, and both 

crewmembers of Train 533 sustained 

serious injuries. The track and 

equipment damaged in the accident was 

valued at approximately $1.4 million. 

The National Transportation Safety 

Board (NTSB) determined that the 

probable cause of the accident was 

crewmembers’ fatigue, which was 

primarily due to the engineer’s 

untreated, and the conductor’s 

insufficiently treated, obstructive sleep 

apnea. NTSB Report No. RAR/02/04. 

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder 

characterized by cessations of breathing 

during sleep, and therefore partial 

awakenings during a sleep period. 

Sleep disorders represent a serious 

health problem in American society and 

a significant economic concern. 

Moreover, untreated sleep disorders can 

result in impaired work performance, 

including possible loss of alertness and 

situational awareness, which could in 

turn present an imminent threat to 

transportation safety. In general terms, 

sleep disorders range from fairly 

common disorders, such as insomnia 

(the inability to initiate or maintain 

sleep) to relatively rare sleep disorders 

such as narcolepsy (inappropriate and 

uncontrollable sleep episodes). Railroad 

employees who typically work on-call 

are especially vulnerable to sleep 

disorders such as circadian rhythm 

disorders,1 and shift work sleep 

disorder,2 a relatively recent addition to 

sleep disorders listed in the Diagnostic 

and Statistical Manual of Mental 

Disorders published in 1994 by the 

American Psychiatric Association 

(better known as the DSM IV), which 

cuts across all types of shift work jobs. 

Studies of on-call work schedules that 

lead to alterations in the timing or 

duration of sleep and the sleep-wake 

cycle have also been shown to lead to 

significant sleep and circadian rhythm 

disturbances in railroad workers.3

One of the more common sleep 

disorders is sleep apnea, affecting as 

many as 18 million Americans. 

Researchers estimate that the prevalence 

of sleep apnea in the general population 

is between 8–12%, depending on the 

measure used (mild, moderate or 

severe). Some researchers have also 

estimated the prevalence of severe sleep 

apnea in the general population 

between 3–5%, about 90% of whom are 

still undiagnosed, clearly demonstrating 

a significant problem. Obstructive sleep 

apnea, circadian rhythm disorders, and 

rotating shifts, have been found to be 

significant predictors of work-related 

accidents.4 Although severe sleep apnea 

is considered one of the more 

debilitating sleep disorders and is a 

significant risk factor for on-the-job 

accidents, it is also one of the most 

easily diagnosed and treated of all sleep 

disorders.

According to the National Sleep 

Foundation, untreated sleep disorder 

sufferers are three times more likely to 

have automobile accidents. The 

National Highway Traffic Safety 

Administration estimates that more than 

100,000 auto crashes annually may be 

fatigue-related. These incidents result in 

an estimated 1,500 deaths and tens of 

thousands of injuries and lasting 

disabilities. Sleep disorders also tend to 

be more prevalent in an aging 

population. The average age for a 

railroad operating employee is now 

approaching 50. 

While the impact of sleep disorders is 

unique to each individual and can be 

related to a variety of other factors and 

medical conditions such as obesity, 

depression, age and gender, evidence is 

clear that significant risks exist for those 

with undiagnosed and untreated sleep 

disorders. Some of these risks include 

excessive daytime sleepiness, greater 

risk of cardiovascular disease, memory 

loss, and increased risk of accidents to 

name a few. For these and other reasons, 

the NTSB has been concerned about the 

impact of sleep disorders and other 

medical conditions on railroad safety. 

Following its investigation into the 

collision near Clarkston, Michigan, the 

NTSB issued three recommendations to 

FRA: