Thursday, February 11, 2010Last Update: 7:56 PM PT

     WASHINGTON (CN) - Women, infants, and children no longer will get priority over the elderly in receiving food from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Commodity Supplemental Food Program. The applicants will be treated equally due to the enactment of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, and the corresponding amendments to the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service's regulations.
     The CSFP distributes food collected under farm subsidy programs to certain groups of impoverished people.
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     WASHINGTON (CN) - The Occupational Safety and Health Administration no longer plans to change its Explosives and Blasting Agents Standard to align it with requests made by the explosives and hunting gun industries, to make compliance more "flexible." OSHA states it has higher priority projects.
The 53-page rule, containing amendments requested by the Institute of Makers of Explosives and the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute, has a very limited scope and would not result in a major safety or health improvement for workers, the agency reasoned.
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     WASHINGTON (CN) - The Treasury and Labor Departments are requesting information on whether the departments should facilitate access to arrangements for a lifetime stream of income for retirement, and how it could be done.
     The departments are concerned about the retirement security of employer-sponsored retirement plans and individual retirement arrangements for the nations workers.

     WASHINGTON (CN) - The Federal Aviation Administration has issued airworthiness directives for three helicopter safety issues.
     Bell Helicopter 205B and 212 helicopters with certain main rotor blade assemblies must have the blade checked for cracks. The FAA received two reports of fatigue cracks in blades on 212 helicopters, which share assemblies with the 205B model. The problem can cause the blade to come off in flight.
     The mounts for Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation S-92A helicopters' main gearboxes must be cleaned and checked for cracks, since cracking could cause the gearbox to leave the helicopter while the aircraft is in use.
     The fuel pump on Turbomeca Arriel 2B and 2B1 turboshaft helicopter engines may have a screw loose which, could cause the fuel flow to slow or stop midair. These engines appear on certain Eurocopter models, among other helicopters.
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     WASHINGTON (CN) - In the wake of the Colgan Air Flight 3407 tragedy that killed 50 last year, the FAA is requesting public input on whether it should make changes to commercial pilot certification.
     The Federal Aviation Administration investigation of the crash found that the crew was chatting and not monitoring the instruments closely when certain movements activated the plane's stall-protection systems. The pilot in command over-corrected and the plane went into a dive five miles from Buffalo Niagra Airport in New York, before landing on a house in a ball of fire.
     Colgan's pilot training does not include flight simulator demonstration of what the pilot should have done, as it is not required by the FAA, according to the Wall Street Journal which interviewed folks close to the investigation. Also, the pilot had failed "numerous" flight tests in the past, according to the Journal.
     The FAA plans to gather information on whether eligibility, training, and qualification requirements for pilot certification are adequate for flight in commercial aircraft. Specifically, does a copilot's training include enough hours of training in various weather conditions to be able to recognize a potentially dangerous situation and respond in a safe and timely manner.

     WASHINGTON (CN) - Citing their toxicity and persistence in the environment, the EPA has proposed notification requirements for all significant new uses of multi-walled carbon nanotubes.
     Under the proposal, the Environmental Protection Agency would receive notice of any person's intent to manufacture, import, or process for a new use of the nanotubes before that activity begins.
           The Toxic Substance Control Act authorizes the EPA to require 90 days advance notice of the intent to use regulated substances in a new way, to prevent uses that may prove harmful to the environment or to people.
           The agency has identified EPA multi-walled carbon nanotubes as toxic due to their impact on lung tissue where the needle like structures can become embedded in the lung, causing inflammation and formation of lesions known as granulomas which can reduce lung capacity and other symptoms similar to those caused by exposure to asbestos.