Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 174 / Monday, September 9, 2024 / Notices 73179 

listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT section of this notice no later 

than one week before each meeting. 

Advance submissions that become part 

of the committee deliberations will 

become part of the official record of the 

meeting. 

Issued in Washington, DC, on September 3, 

2024. 

Brandon Roberts, 

Executive Director, Office of Rulemaking. 

[FR Doc. 2024–20214 Filed 9–6–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

[Docket No. FAA–2024–1416] 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities: Requests for Comments; 

Clearance of a Renewed Approval of 

Information Collection: Helicopter Air 

Ambulance Operator Reports 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA 

invites public comments about our 

intention to request the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) 

approval to renew an information 

collection. The Federal Register Notice 

with a 60-day comment period soliciting 

comments on the following collection of 

information was published on May 1, 

2024. The collection involves the 

requirement for Helicopter Air 

Ambulance Operators to report certain 

information to the FAA. The FAA 

collects 14 pieces of data from 

helicopter air ambulance operators, 8 of 

which are mandated in the report to 

Congress. We collect data on the 

following: number of helicopters, 

helicopter base locations, number of 

hours the helicopters are flown, number 

of patients transported, number of 

transportation requests accepted or 

denied, number of accidents, number of 

instrument flight hours flown, number 

of night flight hours flown, number of 

incidents, and the rate of accidents or 

incidents per 100,000 flight hours. The 

information to be collected will be used 

in helping the FAA develop risk 

mitigation strategies and provide 

information to Congress. 

DATES: Written comments should be 

submitted by October 9, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: Written comments and 

recommendations for the proposed 

information collection should be sent 

within 30 days of publication of this 

notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/ 

PRAMain. Find this particular 

information collection by selecting 

‘‘Currently under 30-day Review—Open 

for Public Comments’’ or by using the 

search function. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Sandra L. Ray by email at: Sandra.ray@

faa.gov; phone: 412–546–7344. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Public Comments Invited: You are 

asked to comment on any aspect of this 

information collection, including (a) 

Whether the proposed collection of 

information is necessary for FAA’s 

performance; (b) the accuracy of the 

estimated burden; (c) ways for FAA to 

enhance the quality, utility and clarity 

of the information collection; and (d) 

ways that the burden could be 

minimized without reducing the quality 

of the collected information. 

OMB Control Number: 2120–0761. 

Title: Helicopter Air Ambulance 

Operator Reports. 

Form Numbers: 2120–0756. 

Type of Review: Renewal of an 

information collection. 

Background: The Federal Register 

Notice with a 60-day comment period 

soliciting comments on the following 

collection of information was published 

on May 1, 2024 (89 FR 35299). The FAA 

Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 

(The Act) mandates that all helicopter 

air ambulance operators must begin 

reporting the number of flights and 

hours flown, along with other specified 

information, during which helicopters 

operated by the certificate holder were 

providing helicopter air ambulance 

services. See Public Law 112–95, sec. 

306, 49 U.S.C. 44731. The Act further 

mandates that not later than 2 years 

after the date of enactment, and 

annually thereafter, the Administrator 

shall submit to the Committee on 

Transportation and Infrastructure of the 

House of Representatives and the 

Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

Transportation of the Senate, a report 

containing a summary of the data 

collected. 

The helicopter air ambulance 

operational data provided to the FAA 

will be used by the agency as 

background information useful in the 

development of risk mitigation 

strategies to reduce the helicopter air 

ambulance accident rate, and to meet 

the mandates set by Congress. The 

information requested is limited to the 

minimum necessary to fulfill these new 

reporting requirements mandated by the 

Act and as developed by FAA. The 

amount of data required to be submitted 

is proportional to the size of the 

operation. 

Respondents: 65 Helicopter Air 

Ambulance Operators. 

Frequency: Annually. 

Estimated Average Burden per 

Response: Varies per size of operation. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 765 

Hours for all operators. 

Issued in Washington, DC, on September 4, 

2024. 

Sandra L. Ray, 

Aviation Safety Inspector, AFS–260. 

[FR Doc. 2024–20271 Filed 9–6–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Highway Administration 

Environmental Impact Statement; 

Nueces and Kleberg Counties, Texas 

AGENCY: Federal Highway 

Administration (FHWA), Department of 

Transportation. 

ACTION: Federal notice of intent to 

prepare an Environmental Impact 

Statement (EIS). 

SUMMARY: FHWA, on behalf of TxDOT, 

is issuing this notice to advise the 

public that an EIS will be prepared for 

the proposed Regional Parkway-North 

Padre Island transportation project (CSJ 

0916–00–259) located in the City of 

Corpus Christi in Nueces and Kleberg 

counties, Texas. The proposed project 

would explore alternatives including 

potential route options for a proposed 

new crossing of the Laguna Madre and 

an option for improving the existing 

State Highway (SH) 358/Park Road (PR) 

22 corridor, from the Corpus Christi 

mainland to North Padre Island. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Victor Vourcos, P.E., TxDOT Project 

Manager, by mail at TxDOT Corpus 

Christi District Office, c/o Victor 

Vourcos, 1701 S. Padre Island Dr., 

Corpus Christi, Texas 78416, by phone 

at 361–808–2378, and by email at 

regionalparkway@txdot.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

environmental review, consultation, and 

other actions required by applicable 

Federal environmental laws for this 

project are being, or have been, carried 

out by TxDOT pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327 

and a Memorandum of Understanding 

dated December 9, 2019, and executed 

by FHWA and TxDOT. 

The purpose of the project is to 

improve the resiliency of the existing 

transportation network by improving 

access to emergency services, medical 

facilities, and critical infrastructure 

especially in times of emergency 

response, hurricane evacuation, and 

incident management; facilitate regional 


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73180 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 174 / Monday, September 9, 2024 / Notices 

mobility, connectivity, and system 

linkages; address operational and safety 

issues in the study area; and improve 

mobility and provide travel options 

especially during peak-season travel 

demand. 

The proposed project is needed due to 

lack of resiliency in the existing 

transportation network; limited routes 

for traffic traveling to/from Corpus 

Christi and the Islands, especially 

during emergencies, incidents, and 

hurricane evacuations; operational and 

safety issues in the existing SH 358/PR 

22 corridor; and seasonal congestion in 

the SH 358/PR 22 corridor and other 

major east-west routes, especially 

during peak-season travel demand. 

The proposed Regional ParkwayNorth Padre Island Project (CSJ 0916– 

00–259) would potentially construct a 

new crossing of the Laguna Madre or 

improve the existing SH 358/PR 22 

alignment, from the Corpus Christi 

mainland to North Padre Island, in 

Nueces and Kleberg counties, Texas. 

The study area for the evaluation of the 

potential new location roadway 

alternatives begins at SH 286, crosses 

the Laguna Madre, and ends at PR 22, 

on North Padre Island. On North Padre 

Island, the study area extends south 

approximately 4 miles southwest of the 

Nueces/Kleberg County line, ending at 

the boundary of the Padre Island 

National Seashore. The study area for 

the evaluation of potential 

improvements of existing SH 358 and 

PR 22 encompasses a 1,000-foot-wide 

buffer from the intersection at SH 286 to 

SH 361 on North Padre Island. 

The EIS will evaluate a range of build 

alternatives and a no-build alternative. 

The five possible build alternatives have 

been labeled Green, Purple, Orange, 

Blue, and Pink alternatives. 

The Green Alternative would upgrade 

existing SH 358 along the alignment 

from SH 286 to Naval Air Station (NAS) 

Drive and the existing alignment of PR 

22 from NAS Drive to SH 361 for 

approximately 16 miles, which could 

include a parallel structure over the 

Laguna Madre. 

The Purple Alternative would 

upgrade and expand existing Yorktown 

Boulevard with connection on new 

location to SH 286, with the addition of 

a second causeway over the Laguna 

Madre connecting to PR 22 on North 

Padre Island. The Purple Alternative 

would be approximately 16 miles in 

length. 

The Orange Alternative would consist 

of a new location roadway 

approximately 15 miles in length, 

originating at the intersection of SH 286 

and County Road (CR) 18 in Nueces 

County. 

The Orange Alternative would 

include a second crossing over the 

Laguna Madre and upgrade existing Sea 

Pines Drive, terminating at PR 22 on 

North Padre Island in Nueces County. 

The Blue Alternative would consist of 

a new location roadway approximately 

14 miles in length, originating at the 

intersection of SH 286 and CR 14 in 

Nueces County with a second crossing 

over the Laguna Madre and terminates 

at PR 22 on North Padre Island in 

Kleberg County. 

The Pink Alternative consists of a 

new location roadway approximately 13 

miles in length, originating at the 

intersection of SH 286 and Farm-toMarket Road (FM) 70 in Nueces County. 

The Pink Alternative alignment 

includes a second crossing over the 

Laguna Madre and terminates at PR 22 

on North Padre Island in Kleberg 

County. 

The alternatives to be presented in the 

EIS are a result of previous 

transportation planning studies 

conducted throughout the last 30 years 

which have identified the need for 

transportation improvements within the 

Regional Parkway study area. 

Impacts caused by the construction 

and operation of the proposed 

improvements would vary depending 

on the selection of the recommended 

alternative. The recommended 

alternative may result in impacts to 

communities and resources including: 

potential residential and business 

displacements, including low-income 

and minority residents; wildlife/habitat 

(threatened and endangered species); 

wetlands and waters of the U.S.; coastal 

resources, floodplain/floodway 

encroachment; section 4(f) of the U.S. 

Department of Transportation Act and 

chapter 26 of the Parks and Wildlife 

Code (park and recreational lands, 

wildlife and waterfowl refuges, and 

historic sites); visual environment; 

transportation (construction detours, 

construction traffic, and mobility); air 

quality and noise from construction 

equipment and operation of the 

roadway; hazardous materials sites; land 

use and farmland; cultural resources; 

and induced growth and cumulative 

impacts. 

The proposed action may require 

issuance of an Individual or Nationwide 

Permit under section 404 of the Clean 

Water Act, a Permit under section 10 of 

the Rivers and Harbors Act, a Bridge 

Permit under section 9 of the Rivers and 

Harbors Act, section 401 Water Quality 

Certification, Section 402/Texas 

Pollution Discharge Elimination System 

Permit, Texas Antiquities Code Permit; 

conformance with Executive Orders 

(E.O.s) on Environmental Justice (E.O. 

12898), Limited English Proficiency 

(E.O. 13166), Wetlands (E.O. 11990), 

Floodplain Management (E.O. 11988), 

Invasive Species (E.O. 13112); 

compliance with section 106 of the 

National Historic Preservation Act, 

section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, 

the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management 

Reauthorization Act of 2006, the Marine 

Mammal Protection Act, the Migratory 

Bird Treaty Act, section 4(f) of the DOT 

Act (49 U.S.C. 303), section 6(f) of the 

Land and Water Conservation Act (16 

U.S.C. 4601), title VI of the Civil Rights 

Act, Coastal Barrier Resources Act of 

1982, and other applicable Federal and 

State regulations. 

TxDOT anticipates issuing the Draft 

EIS for public and agency review in 

March 2026 and completing the study 

process with a combined Final EIS and 

Record of Decision by September 2026. 

The following entities have been 

invited to be cooperating agencies for 

this EIS: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 

U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Department of 

Agriculture Natural Resources 

Conservation Service, U.S. Department 

of Housing and Urban Development, 

U.S. Department of the Navy, U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency, 

Federal Aviation Administration, 

Federal Emergency Management 

Agency, Federal Railroad 

Administration, Federal Transit 

Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service, National Marine Fisheries 

Service, National Park Service, Apache 

Tribe of Oklahoma, Comanche Nation of 

Oklahoma, Kiowa Tribe, Mescalero 

Apache Tribe, Seminole Nation of 

Oklahoma, and Tonkawa Tribe of 

Oklahoma. 

The following entities have been 

invited to be participating agencies for 

this EIS: Railroad Commission of Texas, 

Texas Coastal Coordination Advisory 

Committee, Texas Commission on 

Environmental Quality, Texas 

Department of Housing and Community 

Affairs, Texas Division of Emergency 

Management, Texas General Land 

Office, Texas Historical Commission/ 

State Historic Preservation Office, Texas 

Parks and Wildlife Department, City of 

Corpus Christi, City of Corpus Christi 

Historic Preservation Office, City of Port 

Aransas, Coastal Bend Council of 

Governments, Corpus Christi 

Metropolitan Planning Organization, 

Corpus Christi Regional Economic 

Development Corporation, Corpus 

Christi Regional Transit Authority, 

Kleberg County, Kleberg County 

Historical Commission, Nueces County, 

Nueces County Historical Commission, 

Historic Bridge Foundation, and Kenedy 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 174 / Monday, September 9, 2024 / Notices 73181 

County Groundwater Conservation 

District. 

TxDOT will issue a single Final 

Environmental Impact Statement and 

Record of Decision document pursuant 

to 23 U.S.C. 139(n)(2), unless TxDOT 

determines statutory criteria or 

practicability considerations preclude 

issuance of a combined document. 

In accordance with 23 U.S.C. 139, 

cooperating agencies, participating 

agencies, and the public will be given 

an opportunity for continued input on 

project development. An in-person 

public scoping meeting is planned for 

Oct. 3, 2024, from 3 to 7 p.m. CT at 

Mansion Royal, 8001 S. Padre Island 

Dr., Corpus Christi, Texas 78412. A 

virtual option will go live at 3 p.m. CT 

on Oct. 3, 2024 at www.txdot.gov, 

keyword search ‘‘Regional Parkway’’. 

Additional information on both options 

will be provided at the previously 

indicated TxDOT website. The public 

scoping meeting will provide an 

opportunity for the public to review and 

comment on the draft coordination plan 

and schedule, the project purpose and 

need, the range of alternatives, and 

methodologies and level of detail for 

analyzing alternatives. It will also allow 

the public an opportunity to provide 

input on any expected environmental 

impacts, anticipated permits or other 

authorizations, and any significant 

issues that should be analyzed in depth 

in the EIS. In addition to the public 

scoping meeting, a public hearing will 

be held after the draft EIS is prepared. 

Public notice will be given of the time 

and place of the meeting and hearing. 

The public scoping meeting will be 

conducted in English, with Spanish 

materials available online and in 

person. If you need an interpreter or 

document translator because English is 

not your primary language or have 

difficulty communicating effectively in 

English, one will be provided to you. If 

you have a disability and need 

assistance, special arrangements can be 

made to accommodate most needs. If 

you need interpretation or translation 

services or you are a person with a 

disability who requires an 

accommodation to attend and 

participate in the public meeting, please 

contact Rickey Dailey, TxDOT Corpus 

Christi District, at rickey.dailey@

txdot.gov or please call 361–808–2544 

no later than 4 p.m. CT, Sept. 30, 2024. 

Please be aware that advance notice is 

required as some services and 

accommodations may require time for 

TxDOT to arrange. 

The public is requested to provide 

comments on alternatives or impacts 

and on relevant information, studies, or 

analyses with respect to this proposed 

project. Comments may be provided in 

writing by mail to TxDOT Corpus 

Christi District Office, c/o Victor 

Vourcos, 1701 S. Padre Island Dr., 

Corpus Christi, Texas 78416, or by email 

to regionalparkway@txdot.gov. 

Comments must be received on or 

before Oct. 18, 2024. 

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Program Number 20.205, Highway Planning 

and Construction.) 

Michael T. Leary, 

Director, Planning and Program Development, 

Federal Highway Administration. 

[FR Doc. 2024–20185 Filed 9–6–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration 

[Docket No. FMCSA–2012–0332; FMCSA– 

2013–0123; FMCSA–2013–0124; FMCSA– 

2015–0328; FMCSA–2015–0329; FMCSA– 

2017–0059; FMCSA–2017–0061; FMCSA– 

2019–0111; FMCSA–2021–0013; FMCSA– 

2022–0032] 

Qualification of Drivers; Exemption 

Applications; Hearing 

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration (FMCSA), Department 

of Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of final disposition. 

SUMMARY: FMCSA announces its 

decision to renew exemptions for 11 

individuals from the hearing 

requirement in the Federal Motor 

Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) for 

interstate commercial motor vehicle 

(CMV) drivers. The exemptions enable 

these hard of hearing and deaf 

individuals to continue to operate CMVs 

in interstate commerce. 

DATES: The exemptions were applicable 

on August 22, 2024. The exemptions 

expire on August 22, 2026. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Christine A. Hydock, Chief, Medical 

Programs Division, FMCSA, DOT, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W64–224, 

Washington, DC 20590–0001, (202) 366– 

4001, fmcsamedical@dot.gov. Office 

hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday 

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

If you have questions regarding viewing 

or submitting material to the docket, 

contact Dockets Operations, (202) 366– 

9826. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Public Participation 

A. Viewing Comments 

To view comments go to 

www.regulations.gov. Insert the docket 

number (FMCSA–2012–0332, FMCSA– 

2013–0123, FMCSA–2013–0124, 

FMCSA–2015–0328, FMCSA–2015– 

0329, FMCSA–2017–0059, FMCSA– 

2017–0061, FMCSA–2019–0111, 

FMCSA–2021–0013, or FMCSA–2022– 

0032) in the keyword box and click 

‘‘Search.’’ Next, sort the results by 

‘‘Posted (Newer-Older),’’ choose the first 

notice listed, and click ‘‘Browse 

Comments.’’ If you do not have access 

to the internet, you may view the docket 

online by visiting Dockets Operations 

on the ground floor of the DOT West 

Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 

Washington, DC 20590–0001, between 9 

a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. To be 

sure someone is there to help you, 

please call (202) 366–9317 or (202) 366– 

9826 before visiting Dockets Operations. 

B. Privacy Act 

In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 

31315(b)(6), DOT solicits comments 

from the public on the exemption 

requests. 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 (Federal Docket Management 

System), which can be reviewed at 

https://www.transportation.gov/ 

individuals/privacy/privacy-act-systemrecords-notices, the comments are 

searchable by the name of the submitter. 

II. Background 

On July 24, 2024, FMCSA published 

a notice announcing its decision to 

renew exemptions for 11 individuals 

from the hearing standard in 49 CFR 

391.41(b)(11) to operate a CMV in 

interstate commerce and requested 

comments from the public (89 FR 

59962). The public comment period 

ended on August 23, 2024, and no 

comments were received. 

FMCSA has evaluated the eligibility 

of these applicants and determined that 

renewing these exemptions would likely 

achieve a level of safety that is 

equivalent to, or greater than, the level 

that would be achieved by complying 

with § 391.41(b)(11). 

The physical qualification standard 

for drivers regarding hearing found in 

§ 391.41(b)(11) states that a person is 

physically qualified to drive a CMV if 

that person first perceives a forced 

whispered voice in the better ear at not 

less than 5 feet with or without the use 

of a hearing aid or, if tested by use of 

an audiometric device, does not have an 

average hearing loss in the better ear 

greater than 40 decibels at 500 Hz, 1,000 

Hz, and 2,000 Hz with or without a 

hearing aid when the audiometric 


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