December 2, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is amending the Farm Loan Programs (FLP) loan making regulations to implement a new program and to amend existing regulations for direct and guaranteed loans as required by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill). This rule establishes the loan making and servicing regulations for the new Land Contract (LC) Guarantee Program. The amendments change the farm experience requirements in the regulations for direct Farm Operating Loans (OL) and direct Farm Ownership Loans (FO), and make certain equine farmers and certain equine losses eligible for Emergency Loans (EM).

NMFS issues this final rule to implement Amendment 10 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Spiny Lobster Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic (FMP), as prepared and submitted by the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils (Councils). This rule revises the lobster species contained within the fishery management unit; establishes an annual catch limit (ACL) for Caribbean spiny lobster; revises the Federal spiny lobster tail-separation permit requirements; revises the regulations specifying the condition of spiny lobster landed during a fishing trip; modifies the undersized attractant regulations; modifies the framework procedures and the protocol for cooperative management with Florida; and authorizes the removal of derelict traps in Federal waters off Florida through Florida's trap cleanup program. Additionally, this rule revises codified text to reflect updated contact information for the state of Florida and regulatory references for the Florida Administrative Code. The intent of this final rule is to specify ACLs for spiny lobster while maintaining catch levels consistent with achieving optimum yield (OY) for the resource.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is proposing to amend an existing restricted area to reflect changes in responsible parties for the restricted area around the AUSTAL, USA shipbuilding facility located in Mobile, Alabama. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, United States Navy (USN), Gulf Coast (SUPSHIP Gulf Coast) assumed the duties of administering new construction contracts at AUSTAL USA in Mobile, Alabama, on October 9, 2011, replacing Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion, and Repair, USN, Bath (SUPSHIP Bath). Therefore, the Department of the Navy has requested an amendment to the regulation to reflect the change in responsible parties. There are no other changes proposed for this restricted area.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (``CPSC'' or ``Commission'' or ``we'') is considering whether a new performance safety standard is needed to address an unreasonable risk of injury associated with table saws. We are conducting this proceeding under the authority of the Consumer Product Safety Act (``CPSA''), 15 U.S.C. 2051-2084. In the Federal Register of October 11, 2011 (76 FR 62678), we published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (``ANPR''), inviting written comments concerning the risk of injury associated with table saw blade contact, regulatory alternatives, other possible means to address this risk, and other topics or issues. In response to a request from the Power Tool Institute, Inc., we are announcing an extension of the comment period for 60 days.

The Postal Service is revising Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) throughout various sections to modify the policy for filing claims for domestic Express Mail[supreg] postage refunds from 90 days to 30 days after the date of mailing, and to change the Express Mail ``waiver of signature'' standard for domestic items by obtaining an addressee's signature only when the mailer selects the ``signature required'' option on the Express Mail label.

This rule amends the airworthiness standards for fatigue tolerance evaluation (FTE) of transport category rotorcraft metallic structures. This revises the FTE safety requirements to address advances in structural fatigue substantiation technology for metallic structures. This provides an increased level of safety by avoiding or reducing the likelihood of the catastrophic fatigue failure of a metallic structure. These increased safety requirements will help ensure that should serious accidental damage occur during manufacturing or within the operational life of the rotorcraft, the remaining structure could withstand, without failure, any fatigue loads that are likely to occur, until the damage is detected or the part is replaced. Besides improving the safety standards for FTE of all principal structural elements (PSEs), the amendment is harmonized with international standards.

EPA is approving State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions for control of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) adopted by Louisiana on June 20, 2009 and August 20, 2010, and submitted to EPA on August 31, 2010. EPA is also approving, by parallel processing, a SIP revision for control of emission of organic compounds which was proposed by Louisiana on January 10, 2011 and adopted on April 20, 2011. EPA issued Control Techniques Guidelines (CTGs) in 2006, 2007 and 2008; Louisiana's rule revisions being approved in this action were developed in response to these CTGs. EPA is approving these revisions because they meet the requirements of Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) as set forth in the Clean Air Act (CAA) as well as the requirements of EPA's regulations, and they are consistent with EPA's guidance. This action is being taken under section 110 and part D of the CAA.

DoD is proposing to amend the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement to incorporate a proposal adequacy checklist for proposals in response to solicitations that require submission of certified cost or pricing data.

This action amends Class E airspace at Mercury, Desert Rock Airport, Mercury, NV. Decommissioning of the Mercury Non-Directional Beacon (NDB) at Mercury, Desert Rock Airport has made this action necessary for the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport. This action also makes a minor adjustment to the geographic coordinates in the regulatory text.

FMCSA and PHMSA are amending the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) and the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) to restrict the use of hand-held mobile telephones by drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). This rulemaking will improve safety on the Nation's highways by reducing the prevalence of distracted driving-related crashes, fatalities, and injuries involving drivers of CMVs. The Agencies also amend their regulations to implement new driver disqualification sanctions for drivers of CMVs who fail to comply with this Federal restriction and new driver disqualification sanctions for commercial driver's license (CDL) holders who have multiple convictions for violating a State or local law or ordinance on motor vehicle traffic control that restricts the use of hand-held mobile telephones. Additionally, motor carriers are prohibited from requiring or allowing drivers of CMVs to use hand-held mobile telephones.

The Coast Guard proposes to change the regulation governing the operation of the SR 23 bridge across the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (Algiers Alternate Route), mile 3.8, at Belle Chasse, Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana. Due to increased vehicular traffic, the State of Louisiana requested a change to the operation schedule, allowing the bridge to open only on the hour during the day from Monday through Friday, while maintaining morning and afternoon maritime restrictions.

This action establishes Class E airspace for Stuart, IA, to accommodate new COPTER area navigation (RNAV) Standard Instrument Approach Procedures at the City of Stuart Helistop. The FAA is taking this action to enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) operations at the heliport.

This action enhances safety by amending the applicable standards for part 23 turbofan- and turbojet-powered airplaneswhich are commonly referred to as ``part 23 jets,'' or ``jets''as well as turbopropeller-driven and reciprocating-engine airplanes, to reflect the current needs of industry, accommodate future trends, address emerging technologies, and provide for future airplane operations. This action is necessary to eliminate the current workload of processing exemptions, special conditions, and equivalent level of safety findings necessary to certificate jets. The effect of the changes will: Enhance safety by requiring additional battery endurance requirements; increase the climb gradient performance for certain part 23 airplanes; standardize and simplify the certification of jets; clarify areas of frequent non-standardization and misinterpretation, particularly for electronic equipment and system certification; and codify existing certification requirements in special conditions for jets that incorporate new technologies.