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[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 168 (Tuesday, August 30, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 59440]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-20815]

[[Page 59440]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 431

[Docket No. FAA-1999-5535; Amdt. No. 431-5]
RIN 2120-AG71

Commercial Space Transportation Reusable Launch Vehicle and 
Reentry Licensing Regulations; Technical Amendment

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; technical amendment.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is publishing this action to correct minor, editorial 
errors in chapter III, part 431. The errors occurred in the Commercial 
Space Transportation Reusable Launch Vehicle and Reentry Licensing 
Regulations final rule, published in the Federal Register on September 
19, 2000. That final rule amended commercial space transportation 
regulations for the launch and reentry of reusable launch vehicles 
(RLVs) to establish operational requirements for launches of RLVs and 
to implement the FAA's reentry licensing authority by prescribing 
requirements for obtaining a license to launch and reenter an RLV, to 
reenter a reentry vehicle, and to operate a reentry site. In that final 
rule, the FAA inadvertently made minor errors, which this technical 
amendment corrects.

DATES: Effective August 30, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions concerning this action 
contact Stewart Jackson, Regulations and Analysis Division, AST-300, 
Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20591; telephone (202) 267-7903; email 
stewart.jackson@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Good Cause for Immediate Adoption Without Prior Notice

    Section 553(b)(3)(B) of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 
U.S.C. 551 et seq.) authorizes agencies to dispense with notice and 
comment procedures for rules when the agency for ``good cause'' finds 
that those procedures are ``impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to 
the public interest.'' Under this section, an agency, upon finding good 
cause, may issue a final rule without seeking comment prior to the 
rulemaking.
    Section 553(d)(3) of the Administrative Procedure Act requires that 
agencies publish a rule not less than 30 days before its effective 
date, except as otherwise provided by the agency for good cause found 
and published with the rule.
    This document corrects errors in 14 CFR 431.79. These corrections 
will not impose any additional restrictions on the persons affected by 
these regulations. Furthermore, any additional delay in making the 
regulations correct would be contrary to the public interest. 
Accordingly, the FAA finds that (i) public comment on these standards 
prior to promulgation is unnecessary, and (ii) good cause exists to 
make this rule effective in less than 30 days.

Background

    On September 19, 2000, the FAA published the ``Commercial Space 
Transportation Reusable Launch Vehicle and Reentry Licensing 
Regulations; Final Rule'' (65 FR 56618). The final rule amended 
commercial space transportation regulations governing the launch and 
reentry of reusable launch vehicles (RLVs) to establish operational 
requirements for launches of RLVs and to implement the FAA's reentry 
licensing authority by prescribing requirements for obtaining a license 
to launch and reenter an RLV, to reenter a reentry vehicle, and to 
operate a reentry site. Licensing rules are necessary to respond to 
advancements in the development of commercial RLV and reentry 
capability. The action was necessary to fulfill the FAA's safety 
mandate by limiting risk to the public from RLV and reentry operations.
    The final rule contains a more complete discussion of the rule and 
the events leading up to it.

Technical Amendment

    The technical amendment makes the following correction:
    (1) In Sec.  431.79(a)(3), the duplicate text ``federal'' is 
removed and the phrase ``for at'' is changed to ``from''.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 431

    Aviation safety, Environmental protection, Investigations, 
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Space transportation and 
exploration.

The Amendment

    In consideration of the foregoing, the Federal Aviation 
Administration amends chapter III of title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations as follows:

PART 431--LAUNCH AND REENTRY OF A REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE (RLV)

0
1. The authority citation of part 431 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 51 U.S.C. 50901-50923.

Sec.  431.79  [Amended]

0
2. Amend Sec.  431.79(a)(3) by removing the duplicate text ``federal'' 
and by removing the phrase ``for at'' and adding in its place ``from''.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 23, 2016.
Dale Bouffiou,
Acting Director, Office of Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 2016-20815 Filed 8-29-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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