March 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

PHMSA is issuing an advisory bulletin to notify owners and operators of recently constructed large diameter natural gas pipeline and hazardous liquid pipeline systems of the potential for girth weld failures due to welding quality issues. Misalignment during welding of large diameter line pipe may cause in-service leaks and ruptures at pressures well below 72 percent specified minimum yield strength (SMYS). PHMSA has reviewed several recent projects constructed in 2008 and 2009 with 20-inch or greater diameter, grade X70 and higher line pipe. Metallurgical testing results of failed girth welds in pipe wall thickness transitions have found pipe segments with line pipe weld misalignment, improper bevel and wall thickness transitions, and other improper welding practices that occurred during construction. A number of the failures were located in pipeline segments with concentrated external loading due to support and backfill issues. Owners and operators of recently constructed large diameter pipelines should evaluate these lines for potential girth weld failures due to misalignment and other issues by reviewing construction and operating records and conducting engineering reviews as necessary.

DoD is issuing the updated Charter of the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA), dated May 14, 2007. The ASBCA is chartered to serve as the authorized representative of the Secretary of Defense and the Secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force in hearing, considering, and determining appeals by contractors from decisions of contracting officers or their authorized representatives or other authorities regarding claims on contracts under the Contract Disputes Act of 1978 or other remedy-granting provisions.

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.

This notice announces the availability of a draft Guidance for Federal land management in the Chesapeake Bay watershed describing proven, cost-effective tools and practices that reduce water pollution and requests public comment. The document was prepared pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13508 of May 12, 2009, Chesapeake Bay Protection and Restoration. This E.O. requires that the draft guidance be published for public review and comments.

The Commission proposes to direct the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) to revise its definition of the term ``bulk electric system'' to include all electric transmission facilities with a rating of 100 kV or above. The Commission proposes that a Regional Entity must seek ERO and Commission approval before exempting any facility rated at 100 kV or above from compliance with mandatory Reliability Standards. The Commission believes that a 100 kV threshold for identifying bulk electric system facilities will protect the reliability of the bulk electric system. The proposal would also provide consistency across the nation's reliability regions regarding the identification of bulk electric system facilities.

This document contains technical corrections to the final regulations, which were published in the Federal Register on Monday, March 1, 2010. The regulations related to terminating the provisions of the Nitrogen Oxides (NOX) Budget Trading Program that apply to electric generating units (EGUs) in Illinois.

The NRC invites public comment about our intention to request the OMB's approval for renewal of an existing information collection that is summarized below. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C., Chapter 3507) and 5 CFR Part 1320, Reporting and Record Keeping Requirements, the National Park Service (NPS) invites public comments on an extension of a currently approved information collection (OMB 1024-0026).