March 24, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

EPA is proposing to approve revisions to the Wisconsin State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted on June 12, 2007 and on September 14, 2009. These revisions incorporate provisions related to the implementation of nitrogen oxides (NOX) Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) for major sources in the Milwaukee-Racine and Sheboygan ozone nonattainment areas. EPA is proposing to approve SIP

This regulation establishes an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of ammonium salts of fatty acids (C8-C18 saturated) applied pre- and post-harvest on all raw agricultural commodities when applied/used as a surfactant. Falcon Lab, LLC. submitted a petition to EPA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), requesting an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of ammonium salts of fatty acids (C8-C18 saturated).

The Department of State (``Department'') published two proposed rules in the Federal Register on December 14, 2009, and February 9, 2010, proposing to amend the Schedule of Fees for Consular Services. In this supplemental proposed rule, the Department of State is providing additional supplementary information regarding the Cost of Survey Study (CoSS), the activity-based costing model that the Department used to determine the fees for consular services proposed in. The Department is also re-opening the comment periods on both proposed rules for an additional 15 days.

Pursuant to section 215 of the Federal Power Act, the Commission proposes to remand a revised regional Reliability Standard developed by the Western Electricity Coordinating Council and approved by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, which the Commission has certified as the Electric Reliability Organization responsible for developing and enforcing mandatory Reliability Standards. The revised regional Reliability Standard, designated by WECC as BAL-002-WECC-1, would set revised Contingency Reserve requirements meant to maintain scheduled frequency and avoid loss of firm load following transmission or generation contingencies.

The Copyright Royalty Judges are publishing final regulations setting the rates and terms for the use of sound recordings in transmissions made by new subscription services and for the making of ephemeral recordings necessary for the facilitation of such transmissions for the period commencing January 1, 2011, and ending on December 31, 2015.

The U.S. Coast Guard is establishing two safety zones on the waters of Puget Sound, WA for firework displays. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the fireworks displays. Entry into, transit through, mooring, or anchoring within these zones is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, Puget Sound or Designated Representative.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) proposes major revisions to its test procedures for fluorescent lamp ballasts established under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. The proposed test method would eliminate the use of photometric measurements in favor of purely electrical measurements with the goal of reducing measurement variation. DOE proposes a set of transfer functions to convert the measured ballast electrical efficiency to a ballast efficacy factor value. These revisions, however, do not concern the measurement of energy consumption of ballasts in the standby and off modes, which DOE

EPA is taking final action to approve a request submitted on February 24, 2009, from the State of Arkansas to redesignate the Arkansas portion of the bi-state Memphis, Tennessee-Arkansas 8-hour ozone nonattainment area (hereafter referred to as the ``bi-state Memphis Area'') to attainment for the 1997 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). The bi-state Memphis 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS nonattainment area is composed of Crittenden County, Arkansas and Shelby County, Tennessee. EPA's approval of the redesignation request is based on the determination that the bi-state Memphis Area has met the criteria for redesignation to attainment set forth in the Clean Air Act (CAA), including the determination that the bi-state Memphis Area has attained the 1997 8- hour ozone standard. Additionally, EPA is approving a revision to the Arkansas State Implementation Plan (SIP) including the 1997 8-hour ozone maintenance plan for Crittenden County, Arkansas that contains the new 2006 and 2021 motor vehicle emission budgets (MVEBs) for nitrogen oxides (NOX) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) for Crittenden County, Arkansas. The State of Tennessee has submitted a similar redesignation request and maintenance plan for the Tennessee portion of this 1997 8-hour ozone area. EPA has taken action on Tennessee's redesignation request, emissions inventory and maintenance plan through a separate rulemaking action (75 FR 56). On March 12, 2008, EPA issued a revised 8-hour ozone standard. EPA later announced on September 16, 2009, that it may reconsider this revised ozone

This final rule amends Civil Directive 14-95, published in the Appendix to Subpart Y of Part 0, which sets forth the redelegation of authority by the Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Division to branch directors, heads of offices, and United States Attorneys. On May 20, 2009, the President signed the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act (FERA), which authorized the Attorney General to delegate his authority to issue civil investigative demands (CIDs). As a result, the Attorney General signed Order No. 3134-2010 (Jan. 15, 2010) delegating to the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division the Attorney General's authority to issue CIDs, and permitting that authority to be redelegated to other Department officials, including United States Attorneys. Pursuant to FERA and the Attorney General's order, the new rule would redelegate the authority of the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division to issue CIDs in monitored and delegated cases to United States Attorneys, with a notice and reporting requirement. The new rule also eliminates certain differences between the authorities of branch directors and United States Attorneys to file, close, or compromise Civil Division cases, revise the documentation requirements in cases delegated to the latter, and make a few ``housekeeping'' revisions.