[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 192 (Wednesday, October 2, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 51395]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-25187]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 440
[Docket No. 28635; Notice 96-8A]
RIN 2120-AF98
Financial Responsibility Requirements for Licensed Launch
Activities
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM); reopen comment period.
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SUMMARY: This document announces that the comment period for the NPRM
on financial responsibility requirements for licensed launch activities
is reopened. The initial comment period closed September 23, 1996. In
response to industry requests that more time be provided for comment
development, the comment period is reopened October 2, 1996 through
December 2, 1996.
DATES: The comment period is being reopened from October 2, 1996
through December 2, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Comments on this NPRM should be mailed in triplicate to the
Federal Aviation Administration, Office of Chief Counsel, Attention:
Rules Docket (AGC-200), 800 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC
20591. Comments may also be sent electronically to the Rules Docket by
using the following Internet address: nprmcmts@mail.faa.gov. All
comments must be marked Docket No. 28635. Comments may be examined
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays, between the hours of
8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. in Room 915G.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ms. Esta M. Rosenberg, Attorney-Advisor, Regulations Division, Office
of the Chief Counsel, Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Department
of Transportation, (202) 366-9305.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice No. 96-8 was published on July 25,
1996 [61 FR 38992]. This Notice, as published, provided a 60 day
comment period which closed September 23, 1996.
Background
The Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation
currently prescribes financial responsibility requirements for
licensees authorized to conduct commercial space launch activities on a
case-by-base basis, after analyzing the risks associated with licensed
activities. The proposed rulemaking would codify the Associate
Administrator's approach to implementing these requirements in rules of
general applicability. Specifically, the proposed regulations would
establish how certain risks are allocated and addressed among the
various launch participants through financial responsibility
requirements, including statutorily based reciprocal waivers of claims.
The proposed regulations would also address eligibility for payment by
the United States Government of certain third party claims. The Notice
requested comments on appropriate means of implementing this
obligation. The FAA is undertaking this rulemaking initiative to
implement financial responsibility requirements under the Commercial
Space Launch Act of 1984, as amended, codified at 49 U.S.C. Subtitle
IX, ch. 701, Commercial Space Launch Activities.
On September 19, 1996, Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC), as well
as several other major U.S. commercial space launch industry
participants, (i.e., Lockheed Martin, McDonnell Douglas, and Rockwell
International Corporations) requested that the comment period be
extended 60 days beyond September 23, 1996, to allow interested parties
to respond adequately to the complex issues in the Notice. OSC states
that in light of the detail needed to respond accurately and in a
costly fashion, an extension is needed.
Reopen Comment Period
The comment period closed on September 23, 1996, which prevented an
extension. In order to allow industry additional time for a more
thorough review of applicable issues and drafting of responsive
comments, the FAA finds that it is in the public interest to reopen the
comment period. Accordingly, the comment period is being reopened from
October 2, 1996 through December 2, 1996.
Issued in Washington, DC, on September 27, 1996.
Patti Grace Smith,
Acting Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation,
Federal Aviation Administration.
[FR Doc. 96-25187 Filed 10-1-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M
