2552 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 6 / Tuesday, January 10, 1995 / Proposed Rules

1 59 FR 32189, June 22, 1994.

[FR Doc. 95–486 Filed 1–9–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6325–01–M

FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION

12 CFR Parts 614, 615, and 618

RIN 3052–AB53

Loan Policies and Operations; Funding

and Fiscal Affairs, Loan Policies and

Operations, and Funding Operations;

General Provisions

AGENCY: Farm Credit Administration.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

SUMMARY: The Farm Credit

Administration (FCA), by order of the

FCA Board (Board), proposes to repeal

several regulations as part of an ongoing

effort to reduce unnecessary regulatory

burden on Farm Credit System (FCS or

System) institutions. Comments that the

FCA solicited through a notice of intent

regarding regulatory burden identified

most of the regulations that the FCA

now proposes to delete. The FCA

concurs with the commenters that these

particular regulations should be

repealed because they are outdated or

impose a burden that is greater than the

benefit derived.

DATES: Written comments must be

received on or before February 9, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed

or delivered (in triplicate) to Patricia W.

DiMuzio, Associate Director, Regulation

Development, Office of Examination,

1501 Farm Credit Drive, McLean, VA

22102–5090. Copies of all

communications received will be

available for examination by interested

parties in the Office of Examination,

Farm Credit Administration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

W. Eric Howard, Policy Analyst,

Regulation Development, Office of

Examination, Farm Credit

Administration, McLean, VA 22102–

5090, (703) 883–4498, TDD (703) 883–

4444,

or

Richard A. Katz, Senior Attorney,

Regulatory Operations Division,

Office of General Counsel, Farm

Credit Administration, McLean, VA

22102–5090, (703) 883–4020, TDD

(703) 883–4444.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

On June 10, 1993, the FCA Board

approved a Statement on Regulatory

Burden seeking public comment on the

appropriateness of requirements the

FCA regulations impose on the FCS.

More specifically, the FCA asked the

public to identify regulations that either

duplicate other governmental

requirements, are not effective, or

impose a burden that is greater than the

benefit derived. The notice of intent was

published in the Federal Register (58

FR 34003) on June 23, 1993. Although

the 90-day comment period expired on

September 21, 1993, the FCA

considered comments that were

received subsequent to that date.

The FCA received a total of 28

responses. The FCA received nine

comment letters from individual Farm

Credit associations and three letters

from groups of associations in particular

Farm Credit districts. Seven Farm Credit

banks sent 12 comment letters to the

FCA. The Farm Credit Council (FCC)

sent a comment letter on behalf of its

membership. Additionally, three

separate work groups of the Farm Credit

System Presidents Planning Committee

each sent the FCA a position paper

containing recommendations to relieve

regulatory burdens pertaining to capital,

eligibility, and financially related

services.

Many of the comments involve

regulatory projects that the FCA Board

previously identified in the Unified

Agenda of Federal Regulations

published in the Federal Register on

October 25, 1993 (58 FR 57276). The

FCA work groups organized to develop

revised regulations on these issues will

consider the comments as they evaluate

various policy options during the course

of their regulatory projects. The analysis

and appropriate response to comments

regarding topics under review by these

existing work groups will be included as

part of any regulatory action published

in the Federal Register.

The remaining comments contained a

number of recommendations for

eliminating or modifying specific

regulations that are perceived as

imposing unnecessary regulatory

burdens on the FCS. The FCA’s review

and analysis of these comments was

guided, in part, by the FCA Board’s

Policy Statement on Regulatory

Philosophy (Policy Statement).1

The Policy Statement conveys that

‘‘[t]he FCA will work to eliminate

outdated regulations and ensure that its

regulations implement the purposes of

the law without unnecessary burden or

cost.’’ According to the Policy

Statement, the FCA shall only adopt

regulations that: (1) Implement or

interpret the law; or (2) are necessary to

promote the safe and sound operations

of System institutions. The Policy

Statement also commits the FCA to

replacing outmoded regulations with

new regulations that implement the

purposes of the law without imposing

unnecessary costs or burdens on FCS

institutions. Another provision in the

Policy Statement declares that the FCA

will strive to ensure that each regulation

has a well-defined objective addressing

specific problems or risks. In this

context, the FCA will seek to establish

a regulatory environment that grants

FCS institutions the business flexibility

to offer a full range of high-quality, lowcost credit services to borrowers. The

Policy Statement also states that the

FCA, to the extent feasible, will seek to

eliminate regulations that prescribe

specific operational or managerial

practices to System institutions. If

appropriate, the FCA will consider the

regulatory approaches of other Federal

financial institution regulators. Finally,

another provision in the Policy

Statement pledges that when the need

arises, the FCA will draft new

regulations so that they are clear, easy

to understand, and designed to

minimize the potential for ambiguity,

uncertainty, and resultant litigation.

The FCA analyzed the commenters’

recommendations, and determined that

many of the suggestions warranted the

immediate repeal of certain FCA

regulations. Other suggestions will

require additional research and analysis

before the FCA determines whether, and

to what extent, changes in the existing

regulations should be proposed. Once a

determination is made, the public will

be notified of the FCA Board’s decisions

regarding the remaining issues in an

appropriate manner.

The FCA is proposing to repeal the

following regulatory provisions:

§§ 615.5104; 615.5105(c); 615.5170(b)

through (e); 615.5190; 615.5498;

615.5500; 615.5520; 615.5530; and

618.8220. In addition, the FCA is

proposing to repeal the FCA prior

approval requirements in

§§ 614.4470(b)(1) and (b)(3). An

explanation of the FCA’s reasons for

proposing the repeal of these regulations

follows. The FCA invites public

comment on all aspects of the proposed

rule.

II. Analysis of Changes and Comments

by Section

A. Loans Subject to Bank Approval

A Farm Credit Bank (FCB) and a bank

for cooperatives (BC) suggested that the

FCA eliminate all agency prior

approvals of FCS institution policies,

procedures, and transactions that are

not required by the Act. The

commenters stated that these prior

approval requirements are inconsistent
Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 6 / Tuesday, January 10, 1995 / Proposed Rules 2553

2Pub. L. No. 100–233, 101 Stat. 1568, (January 6,

1988).

3Pub. L. No. 100–399, Section 409(d), 102 Stat.

989, 1003, (August 17, 1988).

with the FCA’s status as an arm’s-length

regulator, and deny System institutions

the opportunity to use their business

judgment. The commenters specifically

indicated that the agency should give

priority to the removal of the prior

approval requirements for general

financing agreements (GFAs),

financially related services (FRS), and

certain insider loan transactions.

Since the enactment of the

Agricultural Credit Act of 1987 (1987

Act),2 the FCA has eliminated from the

regulations many of the prior approval

requirements that are not mandated by

the Act. The FCA is in the process of

reviewing all the remaining nonstatutory prior approvals in order to

determine whether they should be

retained. The FCA has already

established regulatory projects to

determine whether the agency prior

approvals of GFAs and FRS are still

feasible. Another work group is

currently reviewing whether the FCA

should continue to pre-approve the

retirement of protected stock outside the

ordinary course of business.

At this time, the FCA is proposing to

eliminate from both §§ 614.4470(b)(1)

and (b)(3) the requirement that the

agency pre-approve certain insider loan

transactions at System associations.

Section 614.4470(a) requires funding

banks to pre-approve loans that their

affiliated associations make to: (1) Their

own directors or employees; (2)

directors or employees of a jointly

managed association; or (3) bank

employees. Furthermore, § 614.4470(b)

requires FCA approval of loans to any

borrower whenever certain institutionaffiliated parties will: (1) Receive

proceeds of a loan in excess of an

amount established by the funding

bank; or (2) endorse, guarantee, or

comake a loan that is in excess of the

amount established by the funding

bank.

The FCA agrees with the commenters

that the prior approval requirements in

§§ 614.4470 (b)(1) and (b)(3) are no

longer appropriate since the FCA has

become an arm’s-length regulator. An

existing regulation, 12 CFR 620.5,

requires that System institutions

disclose in their annual reports to

shareholders insider loan transactions.

In addition, the FCA has sufficient

examination and enforcement powers to

ensure that loans to institution-affiliated

parties do not undermine the solvency

of any FCS bank or association. If the

agency prior approval requirements in

§ 614.4470(b) are repealed, the FCA

intends to rely upon its examination

authority to determine whether: (1)

Bank policy adequately deters insider

abuses at institutions in its district; and

(2) associations are complying with

bank policy.

B. Debt Policy and Consolidated

Systemwide Notes

Two Farm Credit banks requested that

the FCA repeal §§ 615.5104 and

615.5105(c) because they are no longer

necessary. Section 615.5104 requires

each bank to adopt a policy for the

management of its debt. Section

615.5105(c) requires each bank to

identify in its debt management policy

the maximum amount of discount notes

that can be outstanding at any one time.

The FCA recently revised § 615.5135

to require each FCS bank to adopt an

asset/liability management policy. See

58 FR 63034, November 30, 1993. This

new regulation requires the policies of

System banks to address the

management of both assets and

liabilities in a more comprehensive

manner than §§ 615.5104 and

615.5105(c) currently require. Since the

FCA agrees with the commenters that

§§ 615.5104 and 615.5105(c) are now

obsolete, the agency proposes to delete

these two regulations. The new

investment regulations in subpart E of

part 615 enhance the ability of Farm

Credit banks to control liquidity and

solvency risks in their portfolios.

C. Real and Personal Property

An FCB and a BC commented that

§§ 615.5170 (c) and (d) are outdated and

should be removed from the FCA

regulations. These commenters also

asserted that the regulation improperly

involves banks in the real and personal

property acquisitions of their affiliated

associations. After carefully evaluating

the commenters’ suggestions, the FCA

proposes to repeal §§ 615.5170 (b)

through (e).

The FCA has concluded that

§§ 615.5170 (b) through (d) prescribe

detailed operational standards, rather

than performance criteria, for ensuring

the safe and sound operation of System

banks and associations. Furthermore,

these provisions neither implement nor

interpret provisions in the Act that

govern the acquisition of real or

personal property by FCS banks and

associations. The FCA believes that

these regulatory provisions impose

burdens on System institutions that

produce no corresponding benefits. The

FCA also observes that paragraphs (b),

(c), and (d) of § 615.5170 are obsolete

because they impose responsibilities on

the ‘‘district boards’’ that were

abolished by section 409(d) of the

Agricultural Credit Technical

Corrections Act of 1988.3

The FCA also believes that § 615.5170

(d) and (e) are no longer necessary

because the safety and soundness

concerns posed by information system

processing technology are now

adequately addressed in FCA

Information Systems Bulletins.

Additionally, Information Systems

Bulletin 92–1 addresses information

system risks in mergers and

acquisitions.

The FCA proposes, however, to retain

§ 615.5170(a) because this provision

implements the applicable sections of

the Act. Sections 1.5(5) and 3.1(5) of the

Act authorize each bank, subject to

regulation by the FCA, to acquire, hold,

dispose, and otherwise exercise all the

usual incidents of ownership of real and

personal property necessary or

convenient to its business. Sections

2.2(5) and 2.12(5) of the Act provide

associations with similar authorities

subject to the supervision by the district

bank and regulation by the FCA. Section

615.5170(a) implements these sections

of the Act by specifically stating that the

ownership of real estate for office

quarters of any bank or association

‘‘shall be limited to facilities reasonable

and necessary to meet the foreseeable

requirements of the institution.’’

Furthermore, § 615.5170(a) expressly

prohibits any FCS institution from

acquiring real property ‘‘if it involves, or

appears to involve, a bank or association

in the real estate or other unrelated

business.’’ For safety and soundness

reasons, § 615.5170(a) also prohibits

banks and associations from directly

investing in real estate because such

extraneous business activities may

increase the exposure of System

institutions to loss.

D. Deposits of Funds

The FCA proposes to repeal

§ 615.5190. The FCA did not receive any

comments concerning § 615.5190(a), but

it proposes to repeal this provision. The

FCA has determined that § 615.5190(a)

is unnecessary because sections 1.5(14),

2.2(10), 2.12(18) and 3.1(12) of the Act

provide the requisite authority for FCS

institutions to deposit current funds in

commercial banks that are either

members of the Federal Reserve System,

or are insured by the Federal Deposit

Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

Two Farm Credit banks recommended

that the FCA repeal § 615.5190(b)

because there is no statutory basis for

requiring the National Bank for

Cooperatives (CoBank) to make foreign
2554 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 6 / Tuesday, January 10, 1995 / Proposed Rules

4Pub. L. No. 96–592, Section 304, 94 Stat. 3437,

3444, (December 24, 1980).

deposits for the other BCs. The

commenters also assert that

§ 615.5190(b) unnecessarily restricts

other BCs from becoming active in the

international arena.

Section 615.5190(b) was originally

adopted in 1981 (46 FR 51881, October

22, 1981), when there were 12 BCs and

the Central Bank for Cooperatives (CBC).

After section 304 of the Farm Credit Act

Amendments of 1980 4 granted

international lending authorities to the

BCs, the FCA decided that the CBC

should conduct all international

banking transactions on behalf of the

district BCs. At the time, only the CBC

had the expertise to reduce the safety

and soundness risks that derive from

currency exchange transactions. After

the CBC and 10 district BCs merged to

form the CoBank, the FCA amended

§ 615.5190(b) to require CoBank to

assume the CBC’s function. See 56 FR

2671, January 24, 1991.

After careful reflection on this issue,

the FCA has determined that the safety

and soundness risks inherent in

currency exchange transactions should

not be controlled by a regulation which

flatly prohibits a BC or an agricultural

credit bank (ACB), other than CoBank,

from independently exercising its

international banking authorities under

section 3.7(a) of the Act. The existing

regulation unduly restricts the business

flexibility of BCs and ACBs, other than

CoBank, to offer a full range of highquality, low-cost international financial

and credit services to their customers.

If § 615.5190(b) is repealed, the FCA

will rely upon its examination and

enforcement powers to ensure that all

BCs and ACBs conduct their currency

exchange transactions in a safe and

sound manner. The FCA emphasizes

that each BC and ACB is responsible for

employing personnel who have the

competency and expertise to conduct its

international banking operations. In the

alternative, a BC or an ACB may

contract with commercial banks, other

FCS banks operating under title III of

the Act, or other qualified institutions

for the management of its currency

exchange transactions.

Another provision in § 615.5190(b)

prohibits FCS banks from holding

certificates of deposit that are

denominated in foreign currencies as

investments under § 615.5140. This

provision predates the revisions to

§ 615.5140, which now requires System

banks to acquire investments that are

denominated only in United States

dollars. The duplicative nature of

§ 615.5190 supports FCA’s decision to

repeal this regulation.

E. Farm Credit Securities as Illustrations

The FCA is proposing to repeal

§ 615.5498, which regulates the

illustration of Farm Credit securities

that are used for educational or

illustrative purposes. The FCA proposes

to delete § 615.5498 although it received

no comments about this regulation. The

purpose of this regulation is to deter

counterfeiting of definitive FCS

securities. Since virtually all FCS

securities are now issued in book-entry

form, § 615.5498 is obsolete. The

Federal Farm Credit Banks Funding

Corporation and individual System

banks can implement adequate

safeguards to minimize the risk of

counterfeiting of the few securities that

are still issued in definitive form.

F. Open Registered Mail and Express

Policy

The FCA is proposing to repeal

subpart P of part 615, which consists of

§§ 615.5500, 615.5520, and 615.5530.

These three regulations govern the

shipment of negotiable securities

through the United States Postal

Service. The regulations of subpart P of

part 615 were designed to eliminate the

System’s exposure to loss at a time

when FCS negotiable securities were

routinely shipped by mail between the

Bureau of Printing and Engraving and

the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

The practice of shipping negotiable

securities through the mail was

discontinued several years ago. The

advent of electronic and computer

technology for transferring negotiable

securities through the book-entry system

has rendered subpart P of part 615

obsolete.

G. Contributions and Membership in

Other Organizations

Two FCBs petitioned the FCA either

to delete or amend § 618.8220. This

regulation requires the boards of

directors of FCS banks and associations

to approve: (1) Charitable contributions;

and (2) the payment of membership

dues in any voluntary association, club,

or society. The regulation further

requires boards of directors, during the

approval process, to consider the

business benefits and tax consequences

of such contributions and memberships

for the bank or association.

The commenters contend that

§ 618.8220 prohibits an institution’s

board of directors from delegating

responsibility for such matters to

management. The commenters also

assert that board approval often

prevents a Farm Credit bank or

association from honoring unforeseen

charitable requests in a timely manner.

In this context, the commenters

expressed concern that an FCS

institution’s reputation in its

community will suffer damage if it does

not respond to requests from charities

and benevolent societies in a prompt

and prudent manner.

The FCA agrees with the commenters

that § 618.8220 unnecessarily interferes

in the business operations of System

institutions. Furthermore, § 618.8220

unnecessarily prescribes management

practices to System banks and

associations. The FCA observes that

§ 618.8220 imposes requirements on

FCS institutions that are not

commensurate with the safety and

soundness risks posed by System

charitable and social activities. The

FCA’s examination and enforcement

powers can adequately deter System

institutions from conducting these

activities in an unsafe and unsound

manner. For these reasons, the FCA is

proposing to remove § 618.8220 to

provide FCS institutions the additional

flexibility they are seeking.

List of Subjects

12 CFR Part 614

Agriculture, Banks, Banking, Foreign

trade, Reporting and recordkeeping

requirements, Rural areas.

12 CFR Part 615

Accounting, Agriculture, Banks,

Banking, Government securities,

Investments, Rural areas.

12 CFR Part 618

Agriculture, Archives and records,

Banks, Banking, Insurance, Reporting

and recordkeeping requirements, Rural

areas, Technical assistance.

For the reasons stated in the

preamble, parts 614, 615, and 618 of

chapter VI, title 12 of the Code of

Federal Regulations are proposed to be

amended to read as follows:

PART 614—LOAN POLICIES AND

OPERATIONS

1. The authority citation for part 614

continues to read as follows:

Authority: Secs. 1.3, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.9, 1.10,

2.0, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.10, 2.12, 2.13, 2.15, 3.0,

3.1, 3.3, 3.7, 3.8, 3.10, 3.20, 3.28, 4.12, 4.12A,

4.13, 4.13B, 4.14, 4.14A, 4.14C, 4.14D, 4.14E,

4.18, 4.19, 4.36, 4.37, 5.9, 5.10, 5.17, 7.0, 7.2,

7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 7.12, 7.13, 8.0, 8.5, of the Farm

Credit Act (12 U.S.C. 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015,

2017, 2018, 2071, 2073, 2074, 2075, 2091,

2093, 2094, 2096, 2121, 2122, 2124, 2128,

2129, 2131, 2141, 2149, 2183, 2184, 2199,

2201, 2202, 2202a, 2202c, 2202d, 2202e,

2206, 2207, 2219a, 2219b, 2243, 2244, 2252,

2279a, 2279a-2, 2279b, 2279b-1, 2279b-2,
Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 6 / Tuesday, January 10, 1995 / Proposed Rules 2555

2279f, 2279f-1, 2279aa, 2279aa-5); sec. 413 of

Pub. L. 100–233, 101 Stat. 1568, 1639.

Subpart M—Loan Approval

Requirements

§ 614.4470 [Amended]

2. Section 614.4470 is amended by

removing the words ‘‘and approved by

the Farm Credit Administration’’ from

paragraphs (b)(1) and (b)(3).

PART 615—FUNDING AND FISCAL

AFFAIRS, LOAN POLICIES AND

OPERATIONS, AND FUNDING

OPERATIONS

3. The authority citation for part 615

continues to read as follows:

Authority: Secs. 1.5, 1.7, 1.10, 1.11, 1.12,

2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.12, 3.1, 3.7, 3.11, 3.25, 4.3,

4.9, 4.14B, 4.25, 5.9, 5.17, 6.20, 6.26, 8.0, 8.4,

8.6, 8.7, 8.8, 8.10, 8.12 of the Farm Credit Act

(12 U.S.C. 2013, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020,

2073, 2074, 2075, 2076, 2093, 2122, 2128,

2132, 2146, 2154, 2160, 2202b, 2211, 2243,

2252, 2278b, 2278b-6, 2279aa, 2279aa-4,

2279aa-6, 2279aa-7, 2279aa-8, 2279aa-10,

2279aa-12); sec. 301(a) of Pub. L. 100–233,

101 Stat. 1568, 1608.

Subpart C—Issuance of Bonds, Notes,

Debentures and Similar Obligations

§ 615.5104 [Removed]

4. Section 615.5104 is removed.

§ 615.5105 [Amended]

5. Section 615.5105 is amended by

removing paragraph (c).

Subpart F—Property and Other

Investments

§ 615.5170 [Amended]

6. Section 615.5170 is amended by

removing paragraphs (b), (c), (d), (e) and

the designation for paragraph (a).

Subpart G—[Removed and reserved]

7. Subpart G, consisting of § 615.5190,

is removed and reserved.

Subpart O—Issuance of Farm Credit

Securities

§ 615.5498 [Removed and reserved]

8. Section 615.5498 is removed and

reserved.

Subpart P—[Removed and reserved]

9. Subpart P, consisting of

§§ 615.5500, 615.5520, and 615.5530, is

removed and reserved.

PART 618—GENERAL PROVISIONS

10. The authority citation for part 618

continues to read as follows:

Authority: Secs. 1.5, 1.11, 1.12, 2.2, 2.4,

2.5, 2.12, 3.1, 3.7, 4.12, 4.13A, 4.25, 4.29, 5.9,

5.10, 5.17 of the Farm Credit Act (12 U.S.C.

2013, 2019, 2020, 2073, 2075, 2076, 2093,

2122, 2128, 2183, 2200, 2211, 2218, 2243,

2244, 2252).

Subpart F—Miscellaneous Provisions

§ 618.8220 [Removed and reserved]

11. Section 618.8220 is removed and

reserved.

Dated: January 4, 1995.

Floyd Fithian,

Acting Secretary, Farm Credit Administration

Board.

[FR Doc. 95–489 Filed 1–9–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6705–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 94–CE–30–AD]

Airworthiness Directives; B. Grob

Flugzeugbau Model G109B Gliders

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking

(NPRM).

SUMMARY: This notice proposes to adopt

a new airworthiness directive (AD) that

would apply to B. Grob Flugzeugbau

(Grob) Model G109B gliders. The

proposed action would require

replacing the elevator inner hinges with

hinges of improved design. Two

occurrences where the elevator inner

hinges separated from the elevator

prompted the proposed action. The

actions specified by the proposed AD

are intended to prevent failure of these

hinges because of delamination or

corrosion, which, if not detected and

corrected, could lead to loss of control

of the glider.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before March 14, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in

triplicate to the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Central Region,

Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel,

Attention: Rules Docket No. 94–CE–30–

AD, Room 1558, 601 E. 12th Street,

Kansas City, Missouri 64106. Comments

may be inspected at this location

between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday

through Friday, holidays excepted.

Service information that applies to the

proposed AD may be obtained from B.

Grob Flugzeugbau, D–8939 Mattsies,

Germany. This information also may be

examined at the Rules Docket at the

address above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Herman C. Belderok, Project Officer,

Sailplanes, Small Airplane Directorate,

Aircraft Certification Service, FAA,

1201 Walnut, suite 900, Kansas City,

Missouri 64106; telephone (816) 426–

6932; facsimile (816) 426–2169.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

Interested persons are invited to

participate in the making of the

proposed rule by submitting such

written data, views, or arguments as

they may desire. Communications

should identify the Rules Docket

number and be submitted in triplicate to

the address specified above. All

communications received on or before

the closing date for comments, specified

above, will be considered before taking

action on the proposed rule. The

proposals contained in this notice may

be changed in light of the comments

received.

Comments are specifically invited on

the overall regulatory, economic,

environmental, and energy aspects of

the proposed rule. All comments

submitted will be available, both before

and after the closing date for comments,

in the Rules Docket for examination by

interested persons. A report that

summarizes each FAA-public contact

concerned with the substance of this

proposal will be filed in the Rules

Docket.

Commenters wishing the FAA to

acknowledge receipt of their comments

submitted in response to this notice

must submit a self-addressed, stamped

postcard on which the following

statement is made: ‘‘Comments to

Docket No. 94–CE–30–AD.’’ The

postcard will be date stamped and

returned to the commenter.

Availability of NPRMs

Any person may obtain a copy of this

NPRM by submitting a request to the

FAA, Central Region, Office of the

Assistant Chief Counsel, Attention:

Rules Docket No. 94–CE–30–AD, Room

1558, 601 E. 12th Street, Kansas City,

Missouri 64106.

Discussion

The Luftfarht-Bundesant (LBA),

which is the airworthiness authority for

Germany, recently notified the FAA that

an unsafe condition may exist on certain

Grob Model G109B gliders. The LBA

reports that delamination and corrosion

have caused the elevator inner hinges to

separate from the elevator on two of the

affected gliders. Under the original and

current design, these hinges receive

excessive stress on the laminated

attachment point on the stabilizer and

elevator, which causes the laminates to

separate and moisture to become