Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 131 /Thursday, July 9, 1998 / Notices 37167

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

Aviation Rulemaking Advisory

Committee; Air Carrier Operations

Issues—New Task

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of new task assignment

for the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory

Committee (ARAC).

SUMMARY: Notice is given of a new task

assigned to and accepted by the

Aviation Rulemaking Advisory

Committee (ARAC). This notice informs

the public of the activities of ARAC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Quentin Smith, Flight Standards

Service, AFS–200, Federal Aviation

Administration, 800 Independence

Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The FAA has established an Aviation

Rulemaking Advisory Committee to

provide advice and recommendations to

the FAA Administrator, through the

Associate Administrator for Regulation

and Certification, on the full range of

the FAA’s rulemaking activities with

respect to aviation-related issues. This

includes obtaining advice and

recommendations on the FAA’s

commitment to harmonize its Federal

Aviation Regulations (FAR) and

practices with its trading partners in

Europe and Canada.

One area ARAC deals with is air

carrier operations issues. These issues

involve the operational requirements for

air carriers, including crewmember

requirements, airplane operating

performance and limitations, and

equipment requirements.

The Task

This notice is to inform the public

that the FAA has asked ARAC to

provide advice and recommendation on

the following task, applicable to both

Part 121 and 135 operations:

Provide a review and analysis of

industry practice with regard to reserve

duty for flight crewmembers.

Recommend to the FAA a performancebased or other regulatory scheme

whereby the public is ensured that each

flight crewmember is provided with

sufficient rest to safely perform flight

deck duties at a minimal cost to

certificate holders and operators. The

task will be segmented by the working

group according to the types of

operations under Part 119, such as

domestic, flag, etc.

The product expected as a result of

this task is a report to the FAA that

provides specific recommendations and

proposed regulatory text, if appropriate,

that will resolve the issue of reserve

duty. Specifically, these

recommendations must ensure that

pilots are sufficiently rested for flight

deck duty. These recommendations

should also ensure that flight

crewmember resources are utilized so

that the economic burden for the

certificate holder is minimized. The

report will include the following:

1. A review of the current scientific

data on the effects of fatigue in reserve

duty. Consider conflicting opinions.

2. An analysis of the current reserve

schemes and operational situations.

This analysis should include each of the

types of operations under Part 119 and,

if appropriate, different operations

within those types.

3. A recommendation of the standards

and criteria to be used.

4. The recommendation must outline

how the FAA will measure compliance.

5. The report must include industryprovided data for an FAA economic

analysis. This data should include the

effects on small operators and small

businesses.

6. The report should include industryprovided data regarding the recordkeeping burden on the public.

The Reserve Duty/Rest Requirements

Working Group is expected to complete

its work by December 1, 1998. The FAA

anticipates that the ARAC on air carrier

operations issues will meet on

December 1 to receive the

recommendation of the working group

and that ARAC will submit its

recommendation to the FAA within 30

days. Participants of the working group

should be prepared to participate on a

full-time basis for the 4-month duration

of the task completion.

ARAC Acceptance of Task

ARAC has accepted the task and has

chosen to establish a new Reserve Duty/

Rest Requirements Working Group. The

working group will serve as to staff

ARAC to assist ARAC in the analysis of

the assigned task. Working group

recommendations must be reviewed and

approved by ARAC. If ARAC accepts the

working group’s recommendations, it

forwards them to the FAA as ARAC

recommendations.

Working Group Activity

The Reserve Duty/Rest Requirements

Working Group is expected to comply

with the procedures adopted by ARAC.

As part of the procedures, the working

group is expected to:

1. Recommend a work plan for

completion of the task, including the

rationale supporting such a plan, for

consideration at the meeting of ARAC to

consider air carrier operations issues

held following publication of this

notice.

2. Give a detailed conceptual

presentation of the proposed

recommendations, prior to proceeding

with the work stated in item 3 below.

3. Draft a report containing

information and data identified

previously.

4. Provide a status report if needed, at

each meeting of ARAC held to consider

air carrier operations issues. Interim

status reports may also be required.

Participation in the Working Group

The Reserve Duty/Rest Requirements

Working Group will be composed of

experts having an interest in the

assigned task. A working group member

need not be a representative of a

member of the full committee.

An individual who has expertise in

the subject matter and wishes to become

a member of the working group should

write to the person listed under the

caption FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT expressing that desire,

describing his or her interest in the task,

and stating the expertise he or she

would bring to the working group. The

FAA is specifically seeking expertise

from all kinds of operations under Part

119, including Part 135 on-demand

operations and helicopter operations.

All requests to participate must be

received no later than July 24, 1998. The

requests will be reviewed by the

assistant chair and the assistant

executive director, and the individuals

will be advised whether or not the

request can be accommodated.

Individuals chosen for membership

on the working group will be expected

to represent their aviation community

segment and participate actively in the

working group (e.g., attend all meetings,

provide written comments when

requested to do so, etc.). They also will

be expected to devote the resources

necessary to ensure the ability of the

working group to meet any assigned

deadline(s). Members are expected to

keep their management chain advised of

working group activities and decisions

to ensure that the agreed technical

solutions do not conflict with their

sponsoring organization’s position when

the subject being negotiated is presented

to ARAC for a vote.

Once the working group has begun

deliberations, members will not be

added or substituted without the

approval of the assistant chair, the
37168 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 131 /Thursday, July 9, 1998 / Notices

assistant executive director, and the

working group chair.

The Secretary of Transportation has

determined that the formation and use

of ARAC are necessary and in the public

interest in connection with the

performance of duties imposed on the

FAA by law.

Meetings of ARAC will be open to the

public. Meetings of the Reserve Duty/

Rest Requirements Working Group will

not be open to the public, except to the

extent that individuals with an interest

and expertise are selected to participate.

No public announcement of working

group meetings will be made.

Issued in Washington, DC, on July 2, 1998.

Quentin Smith,

Assistant Executive Director for Air Carrier

Operations Issues, Aviation Rulemaking

Advisory Committee.

[FR Doc. 98–18209 Filed 7–8–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–M

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Highway Administration

Environmental Impact Statement:

Harrison County, Mississippi

AGENCY: Federal Highway

Administration (FHWA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

SUMMARY: The FHWA is issuing this

notice to advise the public that an

environmental impact statement will be

prepared for an East Harrison County

connector between Interstate 10 and

United States Highway 90 in Biloxi,

Mississippi.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Cecil Vick, Realty Officer/

Environmental Coordinator, Federal

Highway Administration, 666 North

Street, Suite 105, Jackson, MS 39202–

3199. Telephone: (601) 965–4217.

Contacts at the State and local level,

respectively are: Mr. Billie Barton,

Environmental/Location Division

Engineer, Mississippi Department of

Transportation. P.O. Box 1850, Jackson,

MS, 39215–1850, telephone: (601) 359–

7920; and Mr. Ricky Lee, District

Engineer, Mississippi Department of

Transportation, P.O. Box 551,

Hattiesburg, MS, 39403–0551, telephone

(601) 544–6511.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

FHWA, in cooperation with the

Mississippi Department of

Transportation (MDOT) will prepare an

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

on the proposed East Harrison County

connector in Biloxi, Mississippi.

The proposed connector would be

located in one of two corridor study

areas; Corridor One would begin at Exit

41 (MS 67 interchange) crossing the

Tchoutacobouffa River, Big Lake, and

connecting to US 90 west of the

Coliseum; Corridor Two would begin at

Exit 44 (Cedar Lake Interchange)

crossing Back Bay of Biloxi and

connecting to US 90 west of Keesler Air

Force Base. The connector is a proposed

full control of access facility and

interchanges will be studied at various

locations.

Section 65–39–1(2), Mississippi Code

1972, annotated, authorized study of the

connector and the Intermodal Surface

Transportation Efficiency Act of 1998,

authorized partial funding. Alternatives

under consideration include (1) taking

no action and (2) build alternative.

The FHWA and MDOT are seeking

input as a part of the scoping process to

assist in determining the clarifying

issues relative to this project. Letters

describing the purposed action and

soliciting comments will be sent to

appropriate federal, state, and local

agencies, and to private organizations

and citizens who have previously

expressed or are known to have interest

in this proposal. A formal scoping

meeting with federal, state, and local

agencies, and other interested parties

will be held in the immediate future.

Coordination will be continued with

appropriate federal, state, and local

agencies, and to private organizations

and citizens who have previously

expressed or known to have interest in

this proposal. A public involvement

meeting will be held and a newsletter

developed to keep the public informed.

The draft EIS will be available for public

and agency review and comment prior

to the official public hearing.

To ensure that the full range of issues

related to this proposed action are

addressed and all significant issues

identified, comments, and suggestions

are invited from all interested parties.

Comments or questions concerning this

proposed action and the EIS should be

directed to the FHWA at the address

provided above.

Andrew H. Hughes,

Division Administrator, Jackson, Mississippi.

[FR Doc. 98–18256 Filed 7–8–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–22–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Customs Service

Extension to Application Period For

The General Test Regarding The

International Trade Prototype

AGENCY: U.S. Customs Service,

Department of the Treasury.

ACTION: General notice.

SUMMARY: This notice announces that

Customs will allow a 30-day extension

to importers and exporters wishing to

apply to participate in, or provide

written comments on, the International

Trade Prototype (ITP). The ITP was

previously announced in the Federal

Register on June 3, 1998.

DATES: To apply for participation in the

ITP, parties must submit the necessary

information as outlined in the Federal

Register notice of June 3, 1998 on or

before August 7, 1998. Comments

concerning the ITP must be submitted

on or before August 7, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Applications for voluntary

participation in, or written comments

regarding, the ITP should be addressed

to the U.S. Customs Service,

International Trade Prototype Team,

Attn: Linda LeBaron Grasley, 4455

Genesee Street, Bldg. 10, Room #342,

Buffalo, New York 14225. Note that all

comments received by U.S. Customs

will be part of the public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

any prototype or participation questions

please contact Daniel Buchanan, U.S.

Customs Service at (617) 565–6236, or

Linda LeBaron Grasley, U.S. Customs

Service at (716) 626–0400 x 204, or

Kevin Franklin, United Kingdom, Her

Majesty’s Custom and Excise at 011 44

171 865 4728 in London, England.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On June 3, 1998, Customs published

a document in the Federal Register (63

FR 30288) announcing what is expected

to be a series of prototypes collectively

called the International Trade Prototype

(ITP). This notice invited public

comments concerning any aspect of the

planned prototype, informed interested

members of the public of the eligibility

requirements for voluntary participation

in the first phase of the first prototype

called International Trade Prototype 1

(ITP1) and outlined the development

and evaluation methodology to be used

in the test. It was announced that in

order to participate in ITP1, the

necessary information, as outlined in

that notice, must be filed with Customs

and approval granted.

The June 3, 1998, notice announced

that the first phase would commence no

earlier than June 8, 1998, and would run

for approximately six months with

evaluations of the prototype occurring

periodically. Comments concerning any

aspect of this phase were requested to

be received on or before July 6, 1998.

Importers and exporters who wish to

participate were to have submitted an