[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 56 (Thursday, March 22, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16087-16088]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-7058]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee; Airport Certification 
Issues--New Task

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of new task assignment for the aviation rulemaking 
advisory committee (ARAC).

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SUMMARY: The FAA assigned the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee a 
new task to develop a

[[Page 16088]]

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NMRM) to implement any modifications, 
deletions, or additions identified in the review of 14 CFR part 139 
subpart D. This notice is to inform the public of this ARAC activity.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ben Castellano, 800 Independence Ave., 
SW., Washington, DC 20591, (202) 267-8728, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The FAA established the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee to 
provide advice and recommendations to the FAA Administrator on the 
FAA's rulemaking activities with respect to aviation-related issues.

The Task

    1. Review the existing aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) 
requirements contained in 14 CFR part 139, subpart D and identify ARFF 
requirements that should be added, modified, or deleted. This review 
should include the current rule and any other documents the agency may 
have issued regarding part 139, subpart D, and any ARFF standards 
issued by other organizations.
    As part of this project, ARAC should address the following issues:
    a. The number of trucks and amount of agent,
    b. Vehicle response times, and
    c. Staffing requirements.
    2. Develop an NPRM to incorporate the modifications, deletions, and 
additions identified in the preceding reviews. The NPRM should include 
the preamble and rule language along with any supporting legal 
analysis.
    3. ARAC may be asked to recommend the disposition of any 
substantive comments the agency received in response to the NPRM.
    Schedule: Recommendations to the FAA in the form of an NPRM will be 
due to the FAA by April 11, 2003.

ARAC Acceptance of Tasks

    ARAC accepted the task and assigned the task to the newly formed 
Rescue and Firefighting Requirements Working Group, Airport 
Certification Issues. The working group will serve as staff to ARAC and 
assist in the analysis of the assigned task. ARAC must review and 
approve working group recommendations. If ARAC accepts the working 
group's recommendations, it will forward them to the FAA. The agency 
seeks ARAC's advice and recommendations on this important issue. 
Recommendations that are received from ARAC will be submitted to the 
agency's Rulemaking Management Council to address the availability of 
resources and prioritization.

Working Group Activity

    The Rescue and Firefighting 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 next meeting 
of the ARAC Airport Certification 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 the appropriate documents and required analyses and/or any 
other related materials or documents.
    4. Provide a status report at each meeting of the ARAC held to 
consider airport certifications issues.

Participation in the Working Group

    The Rescue and Firefighting Requirements Working Group will be 
composed of technical experts having an interest in the assigned task. 
A working group member need not be a representative or 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 starting the 
expertise he or she would bring to the working group. All requests to 
participate must be received no later than April 30, 2001. The requests 
will be reviewed by the assistant chair, the assistant executive 
director, and the working group chair. Individuals will be advised 
whether or not their request can be accommodated.
    Individuals chosen for membership on the working group will be 
expected to represent their aviation community segment and actively 
participate in the working group (e.g., attend all meetings, provide 
written comments when requested to do so, etc.). They also are expected 
to devote the resources necessary to support the working group in 
meeting any assigned deadlines. Members are expected to keep their 
management chain and those they may represent advised of working group 
activities and decisions to ensure that the proposed technical 
solutions do not conflict with their sponsoring organization's position 
when the subject being negotiated is presented to ARAC for approval.
    Once the working group has begun deliberations, members will not be 
added or substituted without the approval of the assistant chair, the 
assistant executive director, and the working group chair.
    The Secretary of Transportation determined that the formation and 
use of the ARAC is necessary and in the public interest in connection 
with the performance of duties imposed on the FAA by law.
    Meetings of the ARAC will be open to the public. Meetings of the 
Rescue and Firefighting 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. The FAA will make no public 
announcement of working group meetings.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 14, 2001.
Anthony F. Fazio,
Executive Director, Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee.
[FR Doc. 01-7058 Filed 3-21-01; 8:45 am]
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