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The Department of Transportation issued a final rule that updates the penalties for violations of certain DOT regulations to account for inflation, as required by legislation from 2015. These updates affect various areas such as air and motor vehicle safety, hazardous materials transportation, and railroad operations. The changes include adjustments in the minimum and maximum fines that can be imposed for different types of violations. The rule was implemented immediately and did not include a notice and comment period, as per the stipulations of the legislation enabling these adjustments.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), part of the Department of Transportation, has issued a notice about a petition from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The university is seeking an exemption from certain parts of the federal regulations, specifically § 141.33(a)(3). They want to allow someone who doesn’t have a flight instructor certificate, but who meets other requirements, to teach in a flight simulator for a pilot certification program. The public can submit comments on this petition until April 7, 2025.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), part of the Department of Transportation, has issued a notice regarding applications for modifications to existing special permits concerning the transportation of hazardous materials. The public is invited to comment on these applications by April 10, 2025. Interested parties can inspect copies of the applications at the PHMSA office or online. This notice is part of the procedures under federal hazardous materials law to ensure public input and compliance.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), part of the Department of Transportation (DOT), has issued a notice about a petition from the Civil Air Patrol seeking an exemption from certain Federal Aviation Regulations. The petition requests the ability for the Civil Air Patrol to carry out "C missions" under CAP 72-2, which allows them to partner with government and non-profit organizations for specific functions like pilot evaluations and flight academies for cadets. This notice aims to engage public participation by inviting comments on the petition by May 8, 2025. Comments can be submitted through various methods, including online, mail, and in-person delivery.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) of the U.S. Department of Transportation issued a final rule delaying the effective date of its "Rulemaking Procedures Update" to March 21, 2021. This decision follows a memorandum from January 20, 2021, by the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, to give time for the President's appointees or designees to review the rule. The delay aims to ensure thorough consideration of any questions concerning facts, law, or policy before the rule becomes effective. Normally, agencies have to provide notice and allow comments before implementing rules, but this requirement is waived if deemed impracticable or against public interest.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) of the Department of Transportation has announced the receipt of applications for special permits. These permits relate to the handling and transportation of hazardous materials according to federal regulations. Members of the public can submit comments on these applications by February 18, 2025. The applications can be viewed at the Records Center, and further inquiries can be directed to Donald Burger, the Chief of the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), part of the Department of Transportation, announced an update to the Nationwide Significant Risk Threshold (NSRT), which is related to the use of locomotive horns at public highway-rail grade crossings. This action helps communities establish quiet zones by providing a standard to assess risks when train horns are not routinely sounded. The NSRT has been increased from 13,811 to 15,488 based on recent collision data. This adjustment aims to ensure safety while allowing communities to manage noise levels effectively.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), part of the Department of Transportation, issued a correction to a previous rule about highway-rail grade crossing safety standards. Initially, an error was made in the final rule published on December 14, 2020, where a reference was incorrectly linked to a non-existent paragraph. This correction fixes the mistake by correctly referring to the paragraph that lists the 10 states needing to submit updated reports electronically. This amendment is effective from February 23, 2021, and does not require public notice or comment due to the minor nature of the error.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is hosting the annual Combating Human Trafficking in Transportation Impact Award, which aims to encourage creative and effective ways to raise awareness and prevent human trafficking in the transportation industry. Open to individuals and various organizations, including NGOs and government bodies, the award offers a cash prize of up to $50,000 for the most impactful project. Participants must be U.S. citizens or entities based in the U.S., and submissions are due by March 1, 2021. Winners will be judged based on factors such as technical merit, originality, impact, and practicality.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), part of the Department of Transportation (DOT), has set up an emergency relief docket (ERD) for 2021, identified as docket number FRA-2021-0001. This ERD streamlines the process for handling requests for waivers from safety rules during emergencies. If an emergency event occurs, the FRA Administrator can activate special procedures to provide relief to the railroad industry. Individuals can search for comments related to any docket online, and the FRA has privacy policies in place for these exchanges.