September 27, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS publishes changes to the regulations that address the operations and administration of the Regional Fishery Management Councils (Councils). The regulatory changes implement the 2006 amendments to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) that, among other things, establish the Council Coordinating Committee (CCC), require that the Councils' science and statistical committee (SSC) members disclose their financial interests, and provide for training of Council members and staff. Additionally, this final rule clarifies the Council documents that should be available to the public; the restrictions on lobbying; the procedures for Council member nomination, including timing for submission of nominations; and also requires Councils to provide procedures for deeming regulations necessary and or appropriate for implementing fishery management plans and plan amendments. These regulations also set forth additional financial disclosure requirements for Council members, and revise the security assurance procedures for nominees to and members of the Councils. Finally, this rule makes technical and minor corrections to the regulations unrelated to the most recent Magnuson-Stevens Act amendments.

NMFS publishes this final rule to implement international conservation and management measures that pertain to vessels that have been identified by any one of several regional fishery management organizations (RFMOs), identified below, as having engaged in illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities and added to IUU vessel lists. The United States is a member of, and obligated to implement measures adopted by, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO), Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), and the Agreement on the International Dolphin Conservation Program (AIDCP). This rule provides the NOAA Assistant Administrator for Fisheries (Assistant Administrator) with authority to restrict entry into any port or place of the United States of, and access to port services by, foreign vessels on the IUU vessel lists of the aforementioned RFMOs. It also gives the Assistant Administrator authority to prohibit such vessels from engaging in commercial transactions, including, but not limited to, landing and transshipping products. Furthermore, the rule prohibits persons and business entities subject to U.S. jurisdiction from providing certain services to, or engaging in commercial transactions with, such vessels.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific sardine off the coasts of Washington, Oregon and California. This action is necessary because the directed harvest allocation total for the third seasonal period (September 15 December 31) is projected to be reached by the effective date of this rule. From the effective date of this rule until January 1, 2011, Pacific sardine can only be harvested as part of the live bait fishery or incidental to other fisheries; the incidental harvest of Pacific sardine is limited to 30-percent by weight of all fish per trip. Fishing vessels must be at shore and in the process of offloading at 12:01 am Pacific Daylight Time on date of closure.

NMFS is reopening the comment period for the proposed rule to Implement Addenda to 17 Fishing Year (FY) 2010 Northeast Multispecies Sector Operations Plans and Contracts. The comment period is being reopened and extended to provide additional opportunity for public comment.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Model 737-600, -700, -700C, -800, -900, and -900ER series airplanes. This proposed AD would require modifying the thrust reverser inner walls, inspecting for damage of the upper and lower inner wall insulation blankets, measuring the electrical conductivity on the aluminum upper compression pads 2 and 3 as applicable, inspecting for discrepancies of the inner wall of the thrust reverser, and corrective actions if necessary. This proposed AD would also require, for certain airplanes, doing various concurrent actions (including replacing the inner wall blanket insulation, installing updated full-authority digital electronic control software, and modifying the thrust reverser inner wall and insulation blankets). This proposed AD results from reports of heat damage to the inner wall of the thrust reversers. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct such heat damage, which could result in separation of adjacent components and consequent structural damage to the airplane, damage to other airplanes, and injury to people on the ground.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone around a ledge removal project in Bass Harbor, Maine. The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has contracted Prock Marine Company to remove a section of ledge in order to expand an anchorage area for the Town of Tremont. This regulation establishes a temporary safety zone around the work area where explosive charges will be used. This safety zone is necessary to protect waterway users from the hazards associated with explosive blasting and subsequent debris removal.

Comments are requested on the proposed Base (1% annual-chance) Flood Elevations (BFEs) and proposed BFE modifications for the communities listed in the table below. The purpose of this notice is to seek general information and comment regarding the proposed regulatory flood elevations for the reach described by the downstream and upstream locations in the table below. The BFEs and modified BFEs are a part of the floodplain management measures that the community is required either to adopt or to show evidence of having in effect in order to qualify or remain qualified for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). In addition, these elevations, once finalized, will be used by insurance agents and others to calculate appropriate flood insurance premium rates for new buildings and the contents in those buildings.

Comments are requested on the proposed Base (1% annual-chance) Flood Elevations (BFEs) and proposed BFE modifications for the communities listed in the table below. The purpose of this notice is to seek general information and comment regarding the proposed regulatory flood elevations for the reach described by the downstream and upstream locations in the table below. The BFEs and modified BFEs are a part of the floodplain management measures that the community is required either to adopt or to show evidence of having in effect in order to qualify or remain qualified for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). In addition, these elevations, once finalized, will be used by insurance agents and others to calculate appropriate flood insurance premium rates for new buildings and the contents in those buildings.

Comments are requested on the proposed Base (1% annual-chance) Flood Elevations (BFEs) and proposed BFE modifications for the communities listed in the table below. The purpose of this notice is to seek general information and comment regarding the proposed regulatory flood elevations for the reach described by the downstream and upstream locations in the table below. The BFEs and modified BFEs are a part of the floodplain management measures that the community is required either to adopt or to show evidence of having in effect in order to qualify or remain qualified for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). In addition, these elevations, once finalized, will be used by insurance agents and others to calculate appropriate flood insurance premium rates for new buildings and the contents in those buildings.

EPA is taking final action to approve the State of Nevada's request to redesignate to attainment the Las Vegas Valley nonattainment area for the carbon monoxide national ambient air quality standard. EPA is also taking final action to approve the carbon monoxide maintenance plan and motor vehicle emissions budgets for the area, as well as certain additional revisions to the Nevada state implementation plan that relate to Las Vegas Valley. These revisions include the suspension of a local wintertime cleaner burning gasoline rule, and the relaxation of a State rule governing wintertime gasoline in Clark County. EPA's proposed approval of the redesignation request and maintenance plan had been made contingent upon receipt of a supplemental submittal from the State of Nevada containing a commitment to seek reinstatement of the existing vapor pressure limit in the State wintertime gasoline rule, if necessary, to implement the related contingency measure in the maintenance plan. Nevada has now submitted, and EPA is today approving, the necessary commitment as a revision to the Nevada state implementation plan.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) proposes to prohibit texting on electronic devices by drivers during the operation of a motor vehicle containing a quantity of hazardous materials requiring placarding under part 172 of the 49 CFR or any quantity of a select agent or toxin listed in 42 CFR part 73. Additionally, in accordance with requirements published today by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), motor carriers are prohibited from requiring or allowing drivers of covered motor vehicles to engage in texting while driving. This rulemaking would improve health and safety on the Nation's highways by reducing the prevalence of distracted driving-related crashes, fatalities, and injuries involving drivers of commercial motor vehicles.

FRA is issuing amendments to the final rule regarding the development, testing, implementation, and use of Positive Train Control (PTC) systems for railroads as mandated by the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008. With publication of the final rule on January 15, 2010, FRA sought further comment on certain specific issues. These amendments are being made partially in response to the applicable comments filed and to further clarify certain provisions of the final rule.

This proposed rule implements Section 711 of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2009 (FY 2009). Section 711 eliminates copayments for authorized preventive services for TRICARE Standard beneficiaries other than Medicare- eligible beneficiaries. This proposed rule also realigns the covered preventive services listed in the Exclusions section of the TRICARE regulation to the Special Benefits section in the regulation.

The Department of Health and Human Services recently issued a new Federal Drug Testing Custody and Control Form for use in both the Federal employee and Department of Transportation drug testing programs. In order to accommodate the form's use within our transportation industry program, the Department is making a few necessary regulation changes in order for collectors, laboratories, and Medical Review Officers to know how to use the new form. The form's use is authorized beginning October 1, 2010. The Department is also making a technical amendment to its drug testing procedures. The purpose of the technical amendment is to add a provision of the rule which was inadvertently omitted from the final rule in August 2010.

EPA is taking direct final action to approve a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). This SIP revision includes amendments to Maryland's regulation for Volatile Organic Compounds from Specific Processes, and meets the requirement to adopt Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) for sources covered by EPA's Control Techniques Guidelines (CTG) standards for flexible packaging printing. These amendments will reduce emissions of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from flexible packaging printing. Therefore, this revision will help Maryland attain and maintain the national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) for ozone. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA).

EPA proposes to approve revisions to the Michigan State Implementation Plan (SIP) under the Federal Clean Air Act (CAA). The revisions serve to meet specific requirements of the prevention of significant deterioration (PSD) construction permit program in Michigan. Michigan has submitted two SIP revisions pertaining to the ``net emission increase'' definition and the ``reasonable possibility'' recordkeeping and reporting requirements, and EPA has found the revisions acceptable.

EPA is taking direct final action to approve a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Maryland. This SIP revision pertains to the control of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from paper, film, and foil coatings. Specifically, Maryland is amending its regulations by adopting the requirements of EPA's Control Technique Guidelines (CTG) for Paper, Film, and Foil Coatings. These amendments will reduce VOC emissions from this source category. This action is being taken in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).

FRA is amending its railroad communications regulations by restricting use of mobile telephones and other distracting electronic devices by railroad operating employees. This rule codifies most of the requirements of FRA Emergency Order No. 26, which is supplanted by this final rule on the date it becomes effective. FRA has revised some of the substantive requirements of that Emergency Order as well as its scope to accommodate changes that FRA believes are appropriate based upon its experience with the Emergency Order and in response to public comments submitted in response to the proposed rule.

This document is a correcting amendment to make corrections relating to the insurance of cotton and macadamia nuts that published March 30, 2010.

This final rule amends the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) by updating statutory references in a number of sections, by providing additional guidance for determining distance measurements when traveling by privately owned aircraft, by clarifying provisions regarding the use of personally owned vehicles (POV) for official travel, by updating the addresses to which per diem review requests should be sent, and by changing the method by which agencies must report the use of Government aircraft to carry senior Federal officials and non-Federal travelers.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as:

We are revising an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as:

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as:

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and commercial and industrial equipment, including residential refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers. EPCA also requires the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to determine whether more stringent, amended standards for these products are technologically feasible and economically justified, and would save a significant amount of energy. In this NOPR, DOE proposes amended energy conservation standards for residential refrigerators, refrigerator- freezers, and freezers. The NOPR also announces a public meeting to receive comment on these proposed standards and associated analyses and results.

DoD is adopting as final, with changes, an interim rule that implements section 884 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009. Section 884 requires DoD to ensure that, to the maximum extent practicable, in all carriage contracts in which a fuel- related adjustment is provided for, any fuel-related adjustment is passed through to the person who bears the cost of the fuel to which the adjustment relates.