December 30, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) is amending its regulations to certify an amendment to the AP1000 standard plant design. The amendment replaces the combined license (COL) information items and design acceptance criteria (DAC) with specific design information, addresses the effects of the impact of a large commercial aircraft, incorporates design improvements, and increases standardization of the design. This action is necessary so that applicants or licensees intending to construct and operate an AP1000 design may do so by referencing this regulation (AP1000 design certification rule (DCR)), and need not demonstrate in their applications the safety of the certified design as amended. The applicant for this amendment to the AP1000 design is Westinghouse Electric Company, LLC (Westinghouse).

FMCSA is correcting a Final Rule that appeared in the Federal Register on December 2, 2011 (76 FR 75470), which restricted the use of hand-held mobile telephones by drivers of commercial motor vehicles. That rule was jointly issued by FMCSA and Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), but this correction only affects an FMCSA regulation.

This final rule contains regulations implementing amendments to the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (LHWCA) by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), relating to the exclusion of certain recreational-vessel workers from the LHWCA's definition of ``employee.'' These regulations clarify both the definition of ``recreational vessel'' and those circumstances under which workers are excluded from LHWCA coverage when working on those vessels. The final rule also withdraws a proposed rule that would have codified current case law and the Department's longstanding view that employees are covered under the LHWCA so long as some of their work constitutes ``maritime employment'' within the meaning of the statute.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 737-600, -700, -700C, -800, -900, and -900ER series airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of excessive in- service wear damage of the thumbnail fairing edge seal, and of the panel rub strip and skin assembly of the fan cowl. This AD requires replacement of the thumbnail fairing edge seals on both sides of the engines with Nitronic 60 stainless steel alloy seals. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the fire seal, which could allow a fire in the fan compartment to spread beyond the firewall and reach the flammable fluid leakage zones, resulting in an uncontrolled fire.

In this document, the Commission seeks comment on the implementation of certain provisions in sections 716, 717, and 718 of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA), the most significant piece of accessibility legislation since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. Specifically, this document seeks comment on whether to adopt a permanent exemption for small entities that provide advanced communications services (ACS). The document also seeks comment on implementing section 718 of the Act which requires Internet browsers built into mobile phones to be accessible to and usable by persons who are blind or have a visual impairment, unless doing so is unachievable. This inquiry includes the recordkeeping and enforcement requirements related to section 718. People with disabilities have often faced technical challenges associated with the use of Internet browsers, video conferencing services, and the accessibility of information content. The CVAA attempts to bring existing communications laws protecting people with disabilities in line with 21st Century technologies while providing flexibility to the industry by allowing for new and innovative ways to meet the needs of people with disabilities. These actions will promote rapid deployment of and universal access to broadband services for all Americans across the country, which will in turn stimulate economic growth and provide opportunity.