DOT Issues Four Aviation, Pipeline, and Motor Carrier Actions; Comment Deadlines Loom

FAA Airspace: VOR Federal Airway Amendments Driven by Holly Springs VORTAC Decommissioning

The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to amend domestic VOR Federal Airways V-16, V-94, and V-159, and to revoke V-535, in the eastern United States. The FAA states that these actions are driven by the planned decommissioning of the Holly Springs, MS (HLI), VOR/Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) on April 15, 2027. According to the notice, the remaining ground-based navigational aid coverage in the area following that decommissioning would be insufficient to enable the continuity of the affected Air Traffic Service routes. The proposed modifications would result in V-94 being shortened, V-159 being adjusted to avoid gaps in the airway, and V-535 being revoked. The FAA notes that IFR traffic could alternatively use adjacent VOR Federal Airways as mitigation. The agency explains that there are two Federal airways carrying the identifier V-16 — one in Hawaii and one running between California and New York — and that this action only proposes to affect the V-16 between California and New York. Comments on this NPRM must be received on or before August 6, 2026. The action would amend 14 CFR part 71, with updates to be published in the next revision of FAA Order JO 7400.11.

FAA Final Rule: Class E Airspace Established at Lane Airpark, Rosenberg, TX

Separately, the FAA has finalized a rule establishing Class E airspace at Lane Airpark in Rosenberg, Texas. The rule creates Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface within a 6.5-mile radius of the airport, and the agency states it is the result of instrument procedures being developed for this airport to support instrument flight rule (IFR) operations. The FAA published an NPRM for Docket No. FAA-2026-4093 on April 17, 2026, and received three comments: two were duplicates supporting the proposal on safety grounds, and one anonymous comment opposed it as unnecessary and burdensome. The FAA determined that any costs or burdens for regulated parties are de minimis and that the rule qualifies for categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act. The rule amends 14 CFR part 71 and takes effect at 0901 UTC on October 29, 2026.

PHMSA Corrects Excavation Damage Advisory Bulletin

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has published a one-page correction to an advisory bulletin it originally issued on April 21, 2026, concerning excavation damage prevention during National Safe Digging Month. The original bulletin, ADB-2026-05, erroneously cited specific practice numbers when recommending Common Ground Alliance (CGA) Best Practices. The correction amends the references — which had read "Practice 4-11 (Accuracy of Locating) and Practice 5-23 (Rapid Response to Strikes)" — to instead read "Chapter 4 (Locating and Marking) and Chapter 5 (Excavation)" of the CGA Best Practices. The correction applies to FR Doc. 2026-07752, page 21368, in the third column.

FMCSA Seeks Comment on Drug and Alcohol Research Study for Non-CDL CMV Drivers

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is seeking public comment on a proposed new information collection titled "Techniques for Preventing and Enforcing Controlled Substance and Alcohol Violations Among Non-CDL Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers." The study, to be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget for review and approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, would collect data from State partner agency representatives to assess ways to address controlled substance and alcohol violations among non-commercial driver's license (CDL) commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers, and to improve the ability to prevent, detect, and enforce these violations.

The agency's notice provides background on the problem the study is intended to address. A 2022 study found that nearly one in five CMV drivers tested positive for controlled substances, with alcohol and Tetrahydrocannabinol appearing in 4 percent of samples and opiates detected in 1.5 percent. Separately, 2022 data from FMCSA revealed that 2.8 percent of fatal crashes involving large trucks involved truck drivers with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher — described as double the legal limit for CDL holders, which is 0.04 BAC. The notice also states that about 5.5 percent of CMV drivers involved in fatal crashes tested positive for illicit drugs, though testing was not conducted for all drivers, and that research shows alcohol presence can increase crash risk by two to four times. The notice explains that DOT has implemented strict testing requirements for CDL CMV drivers — including pre-employment, random, reasonable suspicion, and post-crash testing — and has established a Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse to track violations. The docket number for this notice is FMCSA-2026-0562. Comments must be received on or before August 21, 2026.

Commerce: FTZ 193 Authorizes Lithionics Battery Production in Clearwater, Florida

The Commerce Department's Foreign-Trade Zones Board has authorized production activity for Lithionics Battery, LLC at Subzone 193C in Clearwater, Florida, for lithium-ion battery systems and accessories. Lithionics Battery submitted its notification of proposed production activity on June 13, 2025, and the FTZ Board notified the applicant on June 17, 2026, that no further review of the activity is warranted at this time. The authorization is granted on a limited basis, subject to the FTZ Act and the Board's regulations including section 400.14, and is further subject to a one-year time limit. The authorization also carries a restriction requiring that lithium-ion battery modules be admitted in domestic (duty paid) status under 19 CFR § 146.43. The notice states that for benefits or activity not authorized by the FTZ Board at this time, the applicant could submit a production application requesting additional authority.

What to Watch

• August 6, 2026: Deadline for comments on the FAA's NPRM to amend VOR Federal Airways V-16, V-94, V-159, and revoke V-535 in the eastern United States.
• August 21, 2026: Deadline for comments on FMCSA's proposed information collection on drug and alcohol violations among non-CDL CMV drivers (Docket No. FMCSA-2026-0562).
• April 15, 2027: Planned decommissioning date of the Holly Springs, MS, VORTAC, which is the triggering event for the FAA's proposed airway amendments.
• October 29, 2026 (0901 UTC): Effective date of the FAA final rule establishing Class E airspace at Lane Airpark, Rosenberg, TX.