March 21, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice advises owners and operators of pipeline facilities of PHMSA's plan for implementing the national registry of pipeline and liquefied natural gas operators. This notice provides updates to the information contained in a PHMSA Advisory Bulletin published on January 13, 2012 (77 FR 2126).

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) will consider the issues raised in the petition for rulemaking (PRM), PRM-50-101, submitted by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. (NRDC or the petitioner), in the rulemaking process. The petitioner requests that the NRC amend its regulations to require each operating and new reactor licensee to establish station blackout (SBO) mitigation strategies and resources. The NRC determined that the issues raised in the PRM are appropriate for consideration and will consider them in the planned ``Station Blackout'' rulemaking.

The Department of State is amending the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) to implement the Defense Trade Cooperation Treaty between the United States and the United Kingdom, and identify via a supplement the defense articles and defense services that may not be exported pursuant to the Treaty. This final rule implements only the Defense Trade Cooperation Treaty between the United States and the United Kingdom. The final rule implementing the Defense Trade Cooperation Treaty between the United States and Australia will be published later in the year once that treaty enters into force. Additionally, the Department of State amends the section pertaining to the Canadian exemption to reference the new supplement, and, with regard to Congressional certification, the Department of State adds Israel to the list of countries and entities that have a shorter certification time period and a higher dollar value reporting threshold.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 620 in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the B season allowance of the 2012 total allowable catch of pollock for Statistical Area 620 in the GOA.

On January 9, 2012, the EPA proposed amendments to three national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants: National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutant Emissions: Group IV Polymers and Resins; National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Pesticide Active Ingredient Production; and National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Polyether Polyols Production. The EPA is reopening the comment period until March 30, 2012. The EPA received a request for this reopening from the Sierra Club. The Sierra Club requested the reopening in order to analyze data and review the proposed amendments. EPA finds this request to be reasonable due to the multiple source categories involved in this action.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier, Inc. Model DHC-8-100, DHC-8-200, and DHC-8-300 series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of hydraulic accumulator screw cap or end cap failure. This proposed AD would require replacing the affected parking brake accumulator. We are proposing this AD to prevent failure of the parking brake accumulator screw caps or end caps, which could result in loss of the number 2 hydraulic system and damage to airplane structures, and could potentially have an adverse effect on the controllability of the airplane.

On January 23, 2012, the FDIC published in the Federal Register a notice of proposed rulemaking for public comment to implement the requirements in Section 165(i)(2) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the ``Dodd-Frank Act'') \1\ by requiring state nonmember banks and state savings associations supervised by the Corporation with total consolidated assets of more than $10 billion to conduct annual stress tests.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier, Inc. Model CL-600-2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 701, & 702) airplanes, Model CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705) airplanes, and Model CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900) airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of a bleed air leak from the high pressure ducts which was not immediately detected by the bleed leak detection system. This proposed AD would require installing new sensing elements in the main landing gear wheel well and the overwing area, protective blankets on the upper surface of the wing box and fuel tubes, and protective shields on the rudder quadrant support-beam in the aft equipment compartment. We are proposing this AD to prevent an undetected bleed air leak which can cause loss of rudder control, can lead to degradation of structural integrity, and could be a potential heat source that can lead to fuel being ignited.

Pursuant to section 215 of the Federal Power Act, the Commission approves Reliability Standard PRC-023-2 (Transmission Relay Loadability) submitted by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the Electric Reliability Organization certified by the Commission. The Reliability Standard requires transmission owners, generation owners, and distribution providers to set load-responsive phase protective relays according to specific criteria to ensure that the relays reliably detectand protect the electric network from fault conditions, but do not limit transmission loadability or interfere with system operators' ability to protect system reliability. The Commission also approves NERC Rules of Procedure Section 1700 Challenges to Determinations, which provides registered entities a means to challenge determinations made by planning coordinators under Reliability Standard PRC-023.

This advance notice of proposed rulemaking announces the intention of the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury to propose amendments to regulations regarding certain preventive health services under provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Affordable Care Act). The proposed amendments would establish alternative ways to fulfill the requirements of section 2713 of the Public Health Service Act and companion provisions under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act and the Internal Revenue Code when health coverage is sponsored or arranged by a religious organization that objects to the coverage of contraceptive services for religious reasons and that is not exempt under the final regulations published February 15, 2012. This document serves as a request for comments in advance of proposed rulemaking on the potential means of accommodating such organizations while ensuring contraceptive coverage for plan participants and beneficiaries covered under their plans (or, in the case of student health insurance plans, student enrollees and their dependents) without cost sharing.

EPA is making technical amendments to the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) to reflect the final actions published by the Agency on October 7, 2003, April 30, 2004, and May 5, 2010 in connection with the designations and classifications of certain areas in California for the 1971 annual nitrogen dioxide standard and the 1997 eight-hour ozone standard pursuant to the Clean Air Act. The areas that are the subject of these technical amendments include Riverside County, Western Mojave Desert, South Coast Air Basin, Eastern Kern County, and San Diego County.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Cessna Aircraft Company Model 560XL airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of jammed or stiff rudder control due to water freezing on the rudder bias cables and pulleys of the stinger. This AD requires modification of the drain installation of the tailcone stinger on the aft canted bulkhead, inspections for drain holes in the forward and aft frames, and modification of the drain holes. We are issuing this AD to prevent ice accumulation on the cables and pulleys of the stinger, which could result in jamming of the rudder and consequent reduced controllability of the airplane.

NMFS is implementing final 2012 specifications and management measures for Atlantic mackerel (mackerel), and 2012-2014 specifications for Illex and longfin squid, and interim final 2012 specifications and management measures for butterfish. This is the first year that the specifications are being set for Atlantic mackerel and butterfish under the provisions of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (Council) Annual Catch Limit and Accountability Measure Omnibus Amendment. This action also adjusts the closure threshold for the commercial mackerel fishery to 95 percent (from 90 percent), and allows the use of jigging gear to target longfin squid if the longfin squid fishery is closed due to the butterfish mortality cap. Finally, this rule makes minor corrections in existing regulatory text to clarify the intent of the regulations. These specifications and management measures promote the utilization and conservation of the Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish (MSB) resource.