April 17, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NOAA Fisheries announces 3 inseason actions in the ocean salmon fisheries. These inseason actions modified the commercial and recreational fisheries in the area from Cape Falcon, Oregon to Point Arena, California.

NMFS, in consultation with the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council), announces its intent to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) on Steller sea lion protection measures for the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) groundfish fisheries, in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. The proposed action would restrict groundfish fishing in the BSAI to ensure the groundfish fisheries are not likely to result in jeopardy of continued existence or adverse modification or destruction of designated critical habitat (JAM) for the western distinct population segment (DPS) of Steller sea lions. The western DPS of Steller sea lions is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and NMFS must ensure that the groundfish fisheries are not likely to result in JAM for this DPS. NMFS intends to work with stakeholders to develop fisheries restrictions that avoid the likelihood of JAM and minimize the potential economic impact on the fishing industry to the extent practicable while meeting the requirements of the ESA. The analysis in the EIS will determine the impacts to the human environment resulting from this proposed action and the alternatives. In scoping for the EIS, NMFS will accept written comments from the public to determine the issues of concern; the appropriate range of management alternatives; and the direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts. NMFS, in coordination with the Council, will conduct a public meeting at the October 2012 Council meeting to inform the public of this proposed action and alternatives, present issues and potential impacts, and gather public comment.

In this rule, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) proposes to amend the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by adding a requirement for persons shipping under Authorization Validated End- User (VEU) to send written notice of such shipments to the recipient VEU. BIS further proposes to amend the EAR to clarify that when items subject to item-specific conditions under Authorization VEU no longer require a license for export or reexport or become eligible for shipment under a license exception, as set forth in the EAR, VEUs are no longer bound by the conditions associated with such items.

NMFS will publish a proposed rule in the Federal Register to restructure the funding and deployment system for observers in North Pacific groundfish and halibut fisheries via Amendment 86 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI FMP) and Amendment 76 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA FMP). The public comment period for the subject proposed rule will close 60 days after date of publication of the proposed rule in the Federal Register. We will hold public hearings to receive oral and written comments on the proposed regulations during the public comment period.

On April 10, 2012, the Board published in the Federal Register a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking and request for comment that would establish the criteria for determining whether a company is ``predominantly engaged in financial activities'' for purposes of Title I of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010. That Federal Register notice omitted the instructions for submitting comments. This document corrects that omission.

This action modifies restricted area R-2917 by reducing the lateral and vertical dimensions of the area. The U.S. Air Force has determined that a smaller restricted area is needed to ensure that aircraft carrying certain electro-explosive devices remain a safe distance from an FPS-85 radar site.

We are adopting as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that amended the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) regulations by quarantining portions of Suffolk and Norfolk Counties, MA, and expanding the quarantined area in Worcester County, MA. The interim rule also amended the regulations to add plants of the genus Koelreuteria (golden raintree) to the list of regulated articles. The interim rule, which restricted the interstate movement of regulated articles from these areas, was necessary to prevent the artificial spread of ALB to noninfested areas of the United States.

This document contains proposed regulations that implement and provide guidance on the fees imposed by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on issuers of certain health insurance policies and plan sponsors of certain self-insured health plans to fund the Patient- Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund. These proposed regulations affect the issuers and plan sponsors that are directed to pay those fees. This document also contains a request for comments and provides notice of public hearing on these proposed regulations.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (hereinafter the Service or we) proposes to establish annual hunting regulations for certain migratory game birds for the 2012-13 hunting season. We annually prescribe outside limits (frameworks) within which States may select hunting seasons. This proposed rule provides the regulatory schedule, describes the proposed regulatory alternatives for the 2012-13 duck hunting seasons, requests proposals from Indian tribes that wish to establish special migratory game bird hunting regulations on Federal Indian reservations and ceded lands, and requests proposals for the 2014 spring and summer migratory bird subsistence season in Alaska. Migratory game bird hunting seasons provide opportunities for recreation and sustenance; aid Federal, State, and tribal governments in the management of migratory game birds; and permit harvests at levels compatible with migratory game bird population status and habitat conditions.

The Department of State is amending the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) to remove reference to the International Import Certificate (Form BIS-645P/ATF-4522/DSP-53). This amendment ceases the Department's practice of accepting DSP-53 submissions. Instead, the DSP-61 is to be used by importers when necessary. The Department also is making administrative changes to other sections.

EPA is finalizing a limited approval and limited disapproval of a revision to the Pinal County Air Quality Control District portion of the Arizona State Implementation Plan (SIP). This action was proposed in the Federal Register on June 18, 2001 and concerns particulate matter (PM) emissions from stationary sources. Under authority of the Clean Air Act as amended in 1990 (CAA or the Act), this action simultaneously approves a local rule that regulates these emission sources and directs Arizona to correct rule deficiencies.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), determine endangered status for the Three Forks springsnail (Pyrgulopsis trivialis) and threatened status for the San Bernardino springsnail (Pyrgulopsis bernardina); and designate critical habitat for both species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, approximately 17.2 acres (6.9 hectares) are designated as critical habitat for Three Forks springsnail in Apache County, Arizona, and approximately 2.0 acres (0.8 hectares) for San Bernardino springsnail in Cochise County, Arizona. This final rule implements the Federal protections provided by the Act for these species.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to revise critical habitat for Allium munzii (Munz's onion) and for Atriplex coronata var. notatior (San Jacinto Valley crownscale) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, approximately 889 acres (360 hectares) are being proposed for designation as critical habitat for A. munzii and approximately 8,020 acres (3,246 hectares) for A. c. var. notatior. All of the proposed revised critical habitat is located in Riverside County, California.

The EPA is promulgating National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Polyvinyl Chloride and Copolymers Production. The final rules establish emission standards that apply at all times, including periods of startup, shutdown and malfunction, for hazardous air pollutants from polyvinyl chloride and copolymers production located at major and area sources. The final rules include requirements to demonstrate initial and continuous compliance with the emission standards, including monitoring provisions and recordkeeping and reporting requirements.