July 15, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

EPA is soliciting applications for the critical use exemption from the phaseout of methyl bromide for 2013. Critical use exemptions last only one year. All entities interested in obtaining a critical use exemption for 2013 must provide EPA with technical and economic information to support a ``critical use'' claim and must do so by the deadline specified in this notice even if they have applied for an exemption in a previous year. Today's notice also invites interested parties to provide EPA with new data on the technical and economic feasibility of methyl bromide alternatives. The U.S. critical use exemption program has cushioned the U.S. transition in an important way. Thus far, EPA has allocated critical use methyl bromide through rulemaking for each of the six years (2005-2010) since the U.S. phaseout, and plans to do so for another four years (2011-2014). Critical use nominations must be approved each year at the international level by the Parties to the Montreal Protocol, and the U.S. is one of five remaining developed countries requesting such exemptions; several of these countries have announced final dates for all or part of their requests in the years between now and 2015, the year that developing countries are required to phase out methyl bromide. While EPA with this notice is seeking applications for 2013 and will likely request applications for 2014, EPA believes it is appropriate at this time to consider a year in which the Agency will stop requesting applications for critical use exemptions. EPA will seek comment on this issue in the proposed rule for the 2011 critical use exemption.

The General Services Administration (GSA) is amending the General Services Administration Acquisition Regulation (GSAR) to update GSAR Part 516, Types of Contracts. GSAR part 516 has been revised to add and/or clarify policy pertaining to requirements for types of contracts.

This action will amend Class D and E airspace at Snohomish County Airport (Paine Field), Everett, WA, by updating the geographic coordinates of the airport, and removes the operating hours established by a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) for the Class E surface area airspace. This action enhances the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at Snohomish County Airport (Paine Field).

The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC or ``Commission'') will hold a public hearing to receive comments on proposed amendments to the Commission's Water Quality Regulations, Water Code and Comprehensive Plan to update many of the Commission's stream quality objectives (also called water quality criteria) for human health and aquatic life for toxic pollutants in the Delaware Estuary (DRBC Water Quality Zones 2 through 5) and to extend application of the criteria to Delaware Bay (DRBC Water Quality Zone 6). The proposed changes will bring the Commission's criteria for toxic pollutants into conformity with current guidance published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and provide a more consistent regulatory framework for managing the tidal portion of the main stem Delaware River.

In this Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM), the Commission proposes rules to expedite access by telecommunications carriers and cable operators to utility poles. Proposed measures include adoption of a specific timeline for poles survey and make-ready work, use of outside contractors, and improving the availability of data. The FNPRM also proposes to improve the pole attachments enforcement process, and proposes ways to make attachment rates as low and uniform as possible consistent with section 224 of the Communications Act. These steps should lower both the cost of gaining access to utility poles and pole attachment rates. These actions are intended to remove impediments to the deployment of facilities and to increase delivery of broadband services.

EPA is taking final action to disapprove revisions to the SIP submitted by the State of Texas that relate to the State's Flexible Permits Program (the Texas Flexible Permits Program or the Program). EPA is disapproving the Texas Flexible Permits Program because it does not meet the Minor NSR SIP requirements nor does it meet the NSR SIP requirements for a substitute Major NSR SIP revision. We are taking this action under section 110, part C, and part D, of Title I of the Federal Clean Air Act (the Act or CAA).