2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to all Model 737-300, -400, and -500 series airplanes. The existing AD currently requires repetitive inspections for discrepancies of the fuse pins of the inboard and outboard midspar fittings of the nacelle strut, and corrective actions if necessary. This proposed AD would add replacing the midspar fuse pins with new, improved fuse pins, which would terminate the repetitive inspections. This proposed AD results from a report of corrosion damage of the chrome runout on the head side found on all four midspar fuse pins of the nacelle strut. Additionally, a large portion of the chrome plate was missing from the corroded area of the shank. We are proposing this AD to prevent damage of the fuse pins of the inboard and outboard midspar fittings of the nacelle strut, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the fuse pins, and consequent loss of the strut and separation of the engine from the airplane.

We are proposing a change related to our proposed rule published in the Federal Register on April 9, 2009, that would amend the regulations to provide for the importation of wooden handicrafts from China under certain conditions. One of those conditions would have required that, unless the handicrafts are under 6 inches in diameter and treated with methyl bromide, they must be treated with heat treatment or heat treatment with moisture reduction that raises the temperature at the center of the handicraft to at least 71.1 [deg]C and maintains the handicraft at that center temperature for at least 75 minutes. Based on a recently published article, in this supplemental proposed rule we are proposing measures that would modify this requirement to a temperature at the center of at least 60 [deg]C for a duration of at least 60 minutes.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is issuing an emergency temporary standard (ETS) under section 101(b) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 in response to the grave danger that miners in underground bituminous coal mines face when accumulations of coal dust are not made inert. MSHA has concluded, from investigations of mine explosions and other reports, that immediate action is necessary to protect miners. Accumulations of coal dust can ignite, resulting in an explosion, or after an explosion, they can intensify flame propagation, increasing the severity of explosions. The ETS requires mine operators to increase the incombustible content of combined coal dust, rock dust, and other dust to at least 80 percent in underground areas of bituminous coal mines. The ETS further requires that the incombustible content of such combined dust be raised 0.4 percent for each 0.1 percent of methane present. The ETS strengthens the protections for miners by reducing the potential for a coal mine explosion and reducing the severity of explosions should they occur.

The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service or we) prescribes final late-season frameworks from which States may select season dates, limits, and other options for the 2010-11 migratory bird hunting seasons. These late seasons include most waterfowl seasons, the earliest of which commences on September 25, 2010. The effect of this final rule is to facilitate the States' selection of hunting seasons and to further the annual establishment of the late-season migratory bird hunting regulations.

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:

This action amends Class E airspace at Brewton Municipal Airport, Brewton, AL, by updating the geographic coordinates of the airport to aid in the navigation of our National Airspace System.

This action removes Class E Airspace at Brunswick NAS, Brunswick, ME, as the airport has closed and the associated Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) removed, and establishes Class E airspace at Wiscasset, ME, to accommodate the SIAPs developed for the airport. This action will enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations within the National Airspace System.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) adopts as a final rule its proposal to amend its adjudication regulations regarding specially adapted housing and special home adaptation grants. This final rule incorporates certain provisions from the Veterans Benefits Act of 2003, the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2004, the Veterans' Housing Opportunity and Benefits Improvement Act of 2006, and the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. These amendments are necessary to conform the regulations to the statutory provisions.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are conducting a joint rulemaking to redesign and add information to the current fuel economy label that is posted on the window sticker of all new cars and light- duty trucks sold in the U.S. The redesigned label will provide new information to American consumers about the fuel economy and consumption, fuel costs, and environmental impacts associated with purchasing new vehicles beginning with model year 2012 cars and trucks. This action will also develop new labels for certain advanced technology vehicles, which are poised to enter the U.S. market, in particular plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and electric vehicles. NHTSA and EPA are proposing these changes because the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 imposes several new labeling requirements, because the agencies believe that the current labels can be improved to help consumers make more informed vehicle purchase decisions, and because the time is right to develop new labels for advanced technology vehicles that are being commercialized. This proposal is also consistent with the recent joint rulemaking by EPA and NHTSA that established harmonized federal greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards for new cars, sport utility vehicles, minivans, and pickup trucks for model years 2012-2016.

This rule identifies communities, where the sale of flood insurance has been authorized under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), that are scheduled for suspension on the effective dates listed within this rule because of noncompliance with the floodplain management requirements of the program. If the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) receives documentation that the community has adopted the required floodplain management measures prior to the effective suspension date given in this rule, the suspension will not occur and a notice of this will be provided by publication in the Federal Register on a subsequent date.

This document combines two actions, an interpretive rule and a final action that both affect management of Atlantic billfishes. The interpretive rule adds the recently recognized species, roundscale spearfish (Tetrapturus georgii), to the definition of terms in the implementing regulations of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) and the Atlantic HMS regulations. The final action will recognize the change of the genus of white marlin from Tetrapturus to Kajikia in the implementing regulations of the MSA and the Atlantic HMS regulations to reflect a recent taxonomic change. The intent of this interpretive rule and final action is to accurately and appropriately reflect the latest species determinations and taxonomic classification nomenclature, respectively. They will have no practical effect on management of Atlantic billfish.

This action amends the Final Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Rule to require reporters subject to the rule to provide: The name, address, and percentage ownership of their U.S. parent company(s); their primary North American Industry Classification System code(s) as well as all additional applicable North American Industry Classification System code(s); and an indication of whether or not any of their reported emissions are from a cogeneration unit. This final action also corrects an editorial error in revisions made to the General Provisions published earlier this year.

The Department of Energy (DOE) is amending the Department of Energy Acquisition Regulation (DEAR) to implement Executive Order 13514, Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy and Economic Performance. The intent of the rule is to leverage agency acquisitions to foster markets for sustainable technologies and energy efficient and environmentally sustainable materials, products, and services.

This regulation proposes to amend Head Start Program regulations to implement statutory provisions of the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007 for establishing a system of designation renewal to determine if Head Start and Early Head Start agencies are delivering high-quality and comprehensive Head Start and Early Head Start programs that meet the educational, health, nutritional, and social needs of the children and families they serve, and meet program and financial management requirements and standards.

The Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR), with the concurrence of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), is publishing a final regulation for employees of the SIGIR that supplements the executive-branch-wide Standards of Ethical Conduct (Standards) issued by OGE. With certain exceptions, this supplemental regulation requires SIGIR employees, except special Government employees, to obtain approval before engaging in outside employment.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the 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:

This document corrects the DATES section to a notice of proposed rulemaking and public meeting which published in the Federal Register on September 16, 2010, regarding the Energy Conservation Program: Certification, Compliance, and Enforcement for Consumer Products and Commercial and Industrial Equipment. This correction revises the dates relating to a public meeting.

EPA is proposing to approve a revision to the Alabama State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) on March 3, 2010. The proposed revision would modify the definition of ``volatile organic compounds'' (VOCs) found at Alabama Administrative Code section 335-3-1-.02(gggg). Specifically, the revision would add two compounds (propylene carbonate and dimethyl carbonate) to the list of those excluded from the VOC definition on the basis that these compounds make a negligible contribution to tropospheric ozone formation. ADEM is seeking to update its SIP to be consistent with the federal rule finalized by EPA on January 21, 2009, which excludes these compounds from the regulatory definition of VOC. This action is being taken pursuant to Section 110 of the Clean Air Act.

This final rule adjusts the North and South Atlantic swordfish quotas for the 2010 fishing year (January 1, 2010, through December 31, 2010) to account for 2009 underharvest and implement International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) Recommendations 09-02 and 09-03, which maintain the U.S. allocation of the international total allowable catch (TAC). This rule could affect commercial and recreational fishing for swordfish in the Atlantic Ocean, including the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, by establishing annual quotas, although generally the levels of fishing effort and quota are expected to be similar to those previously published for the years 2008 through 2010.

We, NMFS, announce a 90-day finding for a petition to list Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and to designate critical habitat concurrently with a listing. We find that the petition presents substantial scientific information indicating the petitioned action may be warranted. We will conduct a status review of Atlantic bluefin tuna to determine if the petitioned action is warranted. To ensure that the review is comprehensive, we solicit information pertaining to this species from any interested party.

The Coast Guard is establishing special local regulations during the ``Chesapeake Challenge'' power boat races, a marine event to be held on the waters of the Patuxent River, near Solomons, MD on October 1, 2010 and October 3, 2010. These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event. This action is intended to temporarily restrict vessel traffic in a portion of the Patuxent River during the event.

This action modifies the Chicago, IL, Class B airspace area by expanding the existing airspace area to ensure containment of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) aircraft conducting instrument approach procedures within Class B airspace, and segregating IFR aircraft arriving/departing Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and Visual Flight Rules (VFR) aircraft operating in the vicinity of the Chicago Class B airspace area. The additional Class B airspace will support simultaneous instrument approach procedure operations to ORD's triple parallel runways today, as well as the three additional parallel runways (six total) planned for the near future. This action enhances safety, improves the flow of air traffic, and reduces the potential for midair collision in the Chicago terminal area, further supporting the FAA's national airspace redesign goal of optimizing terminal and en route airspace areas to reduce aircraft delays and improve safety and efficiency of the National Airspace System (NAS).