September 15, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 610 in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the C season allowance of the 2010 total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock for Statistical Area 610 in the GOA.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2010 Pacific total allowable catch (TAC) apportioned to vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component of the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will hold a public meeting to discuss and receive comments on the following: the product classes DOE plans to analyze for the purposes of amending energy conservation standards for Class A external power supplies (EPSs) and establishing energy conservation standards for battery chargers (BCs) and non-Class A EPSs; the analytical framework, models, and tools DOE is using to evaluate standards for these products; the results of preliminary analyses performed by DOE for these products; and potential energy conservation standard levels derived from these analyses that DOE could consider for these products. DOE also encourages interested parties to submit written comments on these subjects. To inform stakeholders and facilitate the public meeting and comments process, DOE has prepared an agenda, a preliminary technical support document (TSD), and briefing materials, which are available at: https://www1.eere.energy.gov/ buildings/appliancestandards/residential/batteryexternal.html .

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone around VERMILION 380A, a fixed platform, at Block 380 in the Outer Continental Shelf, approximately 90 miles south of Vermilion Bay, Louisiana. The fixed platform is on fire and the safety zone is needed to protect first responders attending to the fire and platform. Placing a safety zone around the platform will significantly reduce the threat of collisions, allisions, oil spills, and releases of natural gas, and thereby protect the safety of life, property, and the environment.

In this order, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) denies objections, and requests for hearing on those objections, to a prior order denying a petition requesting that EPA revoke all pesticide tolerances for carbaryl under section 408(d) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The objections and hearing requests were filed on December 29, 2008, by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). The original petition was also filed by NRDC.

This rule decreases the assessment rate established for the California Walnut Board (Board) for the 2010-11 and subsequent marketing years from $0.0177 to $0.0174 per kernelweight pound of assessable walnuts. The Board locally administers the marketing order that regulates the handling of walnuts grown in California. Assessments upon walnut handlers are used by the Board to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The marketing year begins September 1 and ends August 31. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

This rule increases the assessment rate established for the Avocado Administrative Committee (Committee) for the 2010-11 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.27 to $0.37 per 55-pound bushel container of Florida avocados handled. The Committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of avocados grown in South Florida. Assessments upon Florida avocado handlers are used by the Committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The fiscal period begins April 1 and ends March 31. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

EPA is notifying the public that it has found that the motor vehicle emissions budgets (MVEBs) contained in the State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision for the Knoxville, Tennessee 1997 8-Hour Ozone Maintenance Plan are adequate for transportation conformity purposes. This revision was submitted on July 14, 2010, by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC). The Knoxville 1997 8-Hour ozone nonattainment area (hereafter referred to as ``the Knoxville Area'') for which MVEBs are established in today's notice is comprised of the entire counties of Anderson, Blount, Jefferson, Knox, Sevier, and Loudon as well as the portion of Cocke County that falls within the boundaries of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. On March 2, 1999, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (DC Circuit) ruled that submitted SIPs cannot be used for transportation conformity determinations until EPA has affirmatively found them adequate. As a result of EPA's finding, the Knoxville Area must use the MVEBs for future conformity determinations for the 1997 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS).

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation's regulations on Allocation of Assets in Single-Employer Plans and Benefits Payable in Terminated Single-Employer Plans prescribe interest assumptions for valuing and paying certain benefits under terminating single-employer plans. This final rule amends the asset allocation regulation to adopt interest assumptions for plans with valuation dates in the fourth quarter of 2010 and amends the benefit payments regulation to adopt interest assumptions for plans with valuation dates in October 2010. Interest assumptions are also published on PBGC's Web site (https:// www.pbgc.gov).

On September 3, 2010, the Coast Guard announced the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of the information collection associated with the vessel response plan salvage and marine firefighting requirements for tank vessels carrying oil. That announcement indicated that the collection of information requirements would be enforced beginning September 3, 2010. This document clarifies that although OMB has approved the information collection, the compliance date for updates to vessel response plans required by the Salvage and Marine Firefighting final rule remains February 22, 2011.

EPA is taking final action to approve a revision to the Commonwealth of Kentucky's State Implementation Plan (SIP), submitted to EPA by the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, through the Kentucky Division for Air Quality (KDAQ), on February 5, 2010. The revision modifies Kentucky's prevention of significant deterioration (PSD) and nonattainment new source review (NNSR) permitting regulations in Kentucky's SIP to address permit requirements promulgated in the 1997 8-Hour Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) Implementation RulePhase II (hereafter referred to as the ``Ozone Implementation NSR Update''). The Ozone Implementation NSR Update revised permit requirements relating to the implementation of the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS, specifically, incorporating nitrogen oxides (NOX) as a precursor to ozone. EPA's approval of Kentucky's provisions to include NOX as an ozone precursor into the Kentucky SIP is based on EPA's determination that Kentucky's SIP revision related to these provisions complies with Federal requirements. EPA is also addressing the general adverse comments received on EPA's proposal to approve NOX as an ozone precursor for permitting purposes into the Kentucky SIP. The February 5, 2010, SIP revision also included provisions to exclude facilities that produce ethanol through a natural fermentation process from the definition of ``chemical process plants'' in the NSR major source permitting program in the Kentucky SIP. EPA also received adverse comments for its proposal to approve these provisions. At this time, EPA is not taking final action on Kentucky's provisions to exclude facilities that produce ethanol through a natural fermentation process from the definition of ``chemical process plants'' in the NSR major source permitting program. EPA will consider the comments received regarding these provisions and take any final action for these provisions in a separate rulemaking.

This establishes, amends, suspends, or revokes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and associated Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures for operations at certain airports. These regulatory actions are needed because of the adoption of new or revised criteria, or because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System, such as the commissioning of new navigational facilities, adding new obstacles, or changing air traffic requirements. These changes are designed to provide safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.

EPA is taking direct final action approving revisions to the Texas PSD State Implementation Plan (SIP). EPA is approving a SIP revision submitted February 1, 2006, as amended by a SIP revision submitted July 16, 2010. This action makes no substantive changes to the Texas PSD SIP; it merely approves reorganization and renumbering of the Texas PSD SIP rules. Further, the July 16, 2010 submission corrects certain deficiencies identified in EPA's September 23, 2009 proposed disapproval. The EPA is approving these revisions pursuant to section 110 and part C of the Federal Clean Air Act (Act or CAA).

EPA is taking final action to disapprove submittals from the State of Texas, through the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), to revise the Texas Major and Minor NSR SIP. We are disapproving the submittals because they do not meet the 2002 revised Major NSR SIP requirements. We are also disapproving the submittals as not meeting the Major Nonattainment NSR SIP requirements for implementation of the 1997 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) and the 1-hour ozone NAAQS. EPA is disapproving the submitted Standard Permit (SP) for Pollution Control Projects (PCP) because it does not meet the requirements of the CAA for a minor NSR Standard Permit program. Finally, EPA is also disapproving a submitted severable definition of best available control technology (BACT) that is used by TCEQ in its Minor NSR SIP permitting program. EPA is not addressing the submitted revisions concerning the Texas Major PSD NSR SIP, which will be addressed in a separate action. EPA is taking no action on severable provisions that implement section 112(g) of the Act and is restoring a clarification to an earlier action that removed an explanation that a particular provision is not in the SIP because it implements section 112(g) of the Act. EPA is not addressing severable revisions to definitions submitted June 10, 2005, submittal, which will be addressed in a separate action. We are taking no action on a severable provision relating to Emergency and Temporary Orders, which we will address in a separate action. EPA is taking these actions under section 110, part C, and part D, of the Federal Clean Air Act (the Act or CAA).

The Ex-Im Bank, with the concurrence of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), is issuing a final rule that supplements the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch (Standards). This final rule adopts prior interim regulations as final, with a revision deleting a section related to prohibited financial interests. This rule also adopts as final, without change, the Ex-Im Bank's residual cross-reference provision.

This final rule revises the Department of Justice (Department) regulation that implements title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), relating to nondiscrimination on the basis of disability by public accommodations and in commercial facilities. The Department is issuing this final rule in order to adopt enforceable accessibility standards under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) that are consistent with the minimum guidelines and requirements issued by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, and to update or amend certain provisions of the title III regulation so that they comport with the Department's legal and practical experiences in enforcing the ADA since 1991. Concurrently with the publication of the final rule for title III, the Department is publishing a final rule amending its ADA title II regulation, which covers nondiscrimination on the basis of disability in State and local government services.