64632 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 241 / Monday, December 17, 2018 / Notices 

Office of Environmental Analysis (OEA) 

at (202) 245–0305. Assistance for the 

hearing impaired is available through 

the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1– 

800–877–8339. 

An environmental assessment (EA) (or 

environmental impact statement (EIS), if 

necessary) prepared by OEA will be 

served upon all parties of record and 

upon any other agencies or persons who 

comment during its preparation. Other 

interested persons may contact OEA to 

obtain a copy of the EA (or EIS). EAs in 

abandonment proceedings normally will 

be made available within 60 days of the 

filing of the petition. The deadline for 

submission of comments on the EA 

generally will be within 30 days of its 

service. 

Board decisions and notices are 

available on our website at www.stb.gov. 

Decided: December 12, 2018. 

By the Board, Scott M. Zimmerman, Acting 

Director, Office of Proceedings. 

Brendetta Jones, 

Clearance Clerk. 

[FR Doc. 2018–27261 Filed 12–14–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4915–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

Notice to Manufacturers of Lithium-ion 

Secondary Cell Battery Packs or 

Comparable Secondary Cell Battery 

Packs 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), U.S. DOT. 

ACTION: Notice; Request for Information. 

SUMMARY: Projects funded under the 

Airport Improvement Program (AIP) 

must meet the requirements of Title 49 

Buy American Preferences. The FAA is 

considering issuing waivers to foreign 

manufacturers of Lithium-ion 

Secondary Cell Battery Packs, or any 

comparable secondary cell battery 

packs, that meet the requirements of 

eligible airport-dedicated vehicles 

identified in Title 49 Zero-Emission 

Airport Vehicles and Infrastructure 

Program. This section allows the FAA to 

award Airport Improvement Program 

(AIP) grant funds for the acquisition and 

operation of zero-emissions vehicles 

(ZEVs) at an airport, including the 

construction or modification of 

infrastructure to facilitate the delivery of 

fuel and services necessary for the use 

of such vehicles. The FAA is requesting 

any information from battery makers on 

the availability of lithium-ion secondary 

cell battery packs or comparable 

products manufactured in the U.S. and 

capable of meeting heavy-duty transit 

applications of the ZEV and ‘‘FAA Buy 

American’’ requirements of the AIP. 

DATES: Information requested must be 

received by January 16, 2019. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Carlos N. Fields, Airport Planning and 

Programming, APP 520, Room 619, 

FAA, 800 Independence Avenue SW, 

Washington, DC 20591; telephone (202) 

267–8826; email carlos.fields@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA 

manages a Federal grant program for the 

planning and development of public-use 

airports called the Airport Improvement 

Program (AIP). AIP grant funds support 

awards made to eligible projects under 

the Airport Zero Emissions Vehicle 

(ZEV) and Infrastructure Pilot Program. 

All AIP grant recipients, regardless of 

program affiliation, must follow Title 

49, U.S.C. 50101, Buy American 

Preferences. 

Under Title 49, U.S.C. 50101(b)(2), the 

Secretary of Transportation may waive 

the Buy American Preference 

requirement if the goods are not 

produced in a sufficient and reasonably 

available amount or are not of a 

satisfactory quality. 

The purpose of this notice is to 

request manufacturers of small-formfactor secondary cells meeting the needs 

of particular airport applications, 

including heavy-duty transit equipment 

under the ZEV program, to submit a 

statement of interest and product 

description, a completed FAA Product 

Content Percentage Worksheet, and 

Product Final Assembly Questionnaire. 

Both forms are located on the FAA 

website: https://www.faa.gov/airports/ 

aip/buy_american/. The submission 

must be sent via email and on company 

letterhead. 

The FAA needs to determine if there 

is a sufficient quantity of lithium (or 

comparable) secondary cells produced 

in the United States capable of meeting 

the requirements to equip eligible 

airport-dedicated vehicles identified in 

Title 49, U.S.C. 47136a, Zero-Emission 

Airport Vehicles and Infrastructure. 

If the FAA finds that lithium or 

comparable cells produced in the 

United States are not sufficiently 

available in both quantity and quality, 

then it may recommend to the Secretary 

of Transportation to issue a nationwide 

waiver to the foreign manufacturer(s) 

identified as being capable of meeting 

the technical requirements of eligible 

airport-dedicated vehicles identified in 

Title 49, U.S.C. 47136a, Zero-Emission 

Airport Vehicles and Infrastructure. 

The FAA may recommend final 

approval of the waiver to the Secretary 

of Transportation, who has final 

decision authority. 

Waivers will not be issued for 

manufacturers that do not fully meet the 

technical requirements. This 

‘‘nationwide waiver’’ would signify the 

eligibility of equipment to be used on 

airport projects without having to 

receive separate project specific 

waivers. Having a nationwide waiver 

allows projects to start quickly without 

have to wait for the Buy American 

analysis to be completed for every 

project. 

Issued in Washington, DC on December 11, 

2018. 

Michael S. Hines, 

Acting Manager, Airports Financial 

Assistance Division. 

[FR Doc. 2018–27252 Filed 12–14–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Railroad Administration 

[Docket Number FRA–2018–0086] 

Petition for Waiver of Compliance 

Under part 211 of Title 49 Code of 

Federal Regulations (CFR), this provides 

the public notice that on October 5, 

2018, the Texas State Railroad (TSR), on 

behalf of the Texas & Eastern Railroad, 

a subsidiary of The Western Group, 

petitioned the Federal Railroad 

Administration (FRA) for a waiver of 

compliance from certain provisions of 

the Federal railroad safety regulations 

contained at 49 CFR parts 215 and 224. 

FRA assigned the petition Docket 

Number FRA–2018–0086. 

Specifically, TSR requests relief from 

49 CFR 215.303, Stenciling of restricted 

cars, and 49 CFR part 224, 

Reflectorization of Rail Freight Rolling 

Stock, for 14 TSR freight cars. Each of 

these freight cars is more than 50 years 

old, measured from the date of original 

construction, and is the subject of a 

parallel petition for Special Approval 

for continued operation under 

§ 215.203(c). TSR states that the 

required stenciling and reflectorization 

would violate the historic impression 

that the cars are maintained to preserve. 

TSR further states that these freight 

cars have been inspected by its shop 

personnel and have been deemed safe 

for service. The restricted cars are 

limited in their service by speed, lading 

and territory, specifically, its 29-mile 

railroad, at speeds not exceeding 25 

miles per hour, with light tonnage (if 

any), in accordance with Part 215. The 

cars will never be subject to regular 

railroad interchange operations. TSR 

states that its restricted cars will always 

be operated in a context that ensures 

that each car and its restrictions and 


amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 241 / Monday, December 17, 2018 / Notices 64633 

limitations are readily accessible and 

known both to TSR and to FRA. 

A copy of the petition, as well as any 

written communications concerning the 

petition, is available for review online at 

www.regulations.gov and in person at 

the U.S. Department of Transportation’s 

(DOT) Docket Operations Facility, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590. The Docket 

Operations Facility is open from 9 a.m. 

to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal Holidays. 

Interested parties are invited to 

participate in these proceedings by 

submitting written views, data, or 

comments. FRA does not anticipate 

scheduling a public hearing in 

connection with these proceedings since 

the facts do not appear to warrant a 

hearing. If any interested parties desire 

an opportunity for oral comment and a 

public hearing, they should notify FRA, 

in writing, before the end of the 

comment period and specify the basis 

for their request. 

All communications concerning these 

proceedings should identify the 

appropriate docket number and may be 

submitted by any of the following 

methods: 

• Website: http://www.

regulations.gov. Follow the online 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Fax: 202–493–2251. 

• Mail: Docket Operations Facility, 

U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590. 

• Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE, Room W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal Holidays. 

Communications received by January 

31, 2019 will be considered by FRA 

before final action is taken. Comments 

received after that date will be 

considered if practicable. 

Anyone can search the electronic 

form of any written communications 

and comments received into any of our 

dockets by the name of the individual 

submitting the comment (or signing the 

document, if submitted on behalf of an 

association, business, labor union, etc.). 

In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT 

solicits comments from the public to 

better inform its processes. DOT posts 

these comments, without edit, including 

any personal information the 

commenter provides, to 

www.regulations.gov, as described in 

the system of records notice (DOT/ALL– 

14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at 

https://www.transportation.gov/privacy. 

See also https://www.regulations.gov/ 

privacyNotice for the privacy notice of 

regulations.gov. 

Issued in Washington, DC. 

Robert C. Lauby, 

Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, 

Chief Safety Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2018–27214 Filed 12–14–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Railroad Administration 

[Docket Number FRA–2018–0108] 

Petition for Waiver of Compliance 

Under part 211 of Title 49 Code of 

Federal Regulations (CFR), this 

document provides the public notice 

that on December 4, 2018, the San Pedro 

Valley Railroad (SPVR) petitioned the 

Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) 

for a waiver of compliance from certain 

provisions of the Federal railroad safety 

regulations contained at 49 CFR 

229.23(a). FRA assigned the petition 

Docket Number FRA–2018–0108. 

Specifically, SPVR seeks relief from 

49 CFR 229.23(a), which requires that 

railroads perform periodic inspections 

‘‘only where adequate facilities are 

available,’’ and that ‘‘a locomotive shall 

be positioned so that a person may 

safely inspect the entire underneath 

portion of the locomotive.’’ SPVR 

explains the railroad operates a small, 

rural switching operation with one 

locomotive in Willcox, AZ, and does not 

have an inspection pit. SPVR states that 

quarterly periodic inspections do not 

justify a costly inspection pit, which 

would entail extensive excavation, 

require a pumping system to remove 

storm water, and would create a safety 

hazard to the public. Finally, SPVR 

states it has been performing periodic 

inspections without the use of a pit for 

several years without accident or 

incident. 

A copy of the petition, as well as any 

written communications concerning the 

petition, is available for review online at 

www.regulations.gov and in person at 

the U.S. Department of Transportation’s 

(DOT) Docket Operations Facility, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590. The Docket 

Operations Facility is open from 9 a.m. 

to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal Holidays. 

Interested parties are invited to 

participate in these proceedings by 

submitting written views, data, or 

comments. FRA does not anticipate 

scheduling a public hearing in 

connection with these proceedings since 

the facts do not appear to warrant a 

hearing. If any interested parties desire 

an opportunity for oral comment and a 

public hearing, they should notify FRA, 

in writing, before the end of the 

comment period and specify the basis 

for their request. 

All communications concerning these 

proceedings should identify the 

appropriate docket number and may be 

submitted by any of the following 

methods: 

• Website: http://

www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Fax: 202–493–2251. 

• Mail: Docket Operations Facility, 

U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590. 

• Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE, Room W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. 

and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal Holidays. 

Communications received by January 

31, 2019 will be considered by FRA 

before final action is taken. Comments 

received after that date will be 

considered if practicable. 

Anyone can search the electronic 

form of any written communications 

and comments received into any of our 

dockets by the name of the individual 

submitting the comment (or signing the 

document, if submitted on behalf of an 

association, business, labor union, etc.). 

Under 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits 

comments from the public to better 

inform its processes. DOT posts these 

comments, without edit, including any 

personal information the commenter 

provides, to www.regulations.gov, as 

described in the system of records 

notice (DOT/ALL–14 FDMS), which can 

be reviewed at https://

www.transportation.gov/privacy. See 

also https://www.regulations.gov/ 

privacyNotice for the privacy notice of 

regulations.gov. 

Issued in Washington, DC. 

Robert C. Lauby, 

Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, 

Chief Safety Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2018–27211 Filed 12–14–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Maritime Administration 

[Docket Number: MARAD–2018–0184] 

Agency Request for Approval of a New 

Information Collection: Mariner Survey 

AGENCY: Maritime Administration, 

Department of Transportation. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: The Maritime Administration 

(MARAD) invites public comments 


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