April 23, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS announces its intent to hold public scoping meetings to determine the scope and significance of issues to be analyzed in a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) on management measures for Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) and a potential proposed amendment to the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP based on that process. The public process will help NMFS determine if existing measures are the best means of achieving certain management objectives for Atlantic BFT and providing flexibility for future management, consistent with the Consolidated HMS FMP, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act (ATCA), and other relevant Federal laws. NMFS is also announcing the availability of a scoping document describing measures for potential inclusion in a proposed Amendment. Table 1, below, under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION, provides details for seven scoping meetings to discuss and collect comments on the scoping document and certain management objectives for BFT. NMFS is requesting comments on this NOI, and the management of BFT, including, but not limited to, those described in the scoping document.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway Bridge across the Columbia River, mile 105.6, at Vancouver, WA. This deviation is necessary to accommodate maintenance of the train signaling system scheduled for April 30, 2012. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position for the duration of the maintenance activity.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for species that comprise the deep-water species fishery by vessels using trawl gear in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because the second seasonal apportionment of the Pacific halibut bycatch allowance specified for the deep-water species fishery in the GOA has been reached.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking direct final action to approve revisions to the Hawaii State Implementation Plan (SIP). These revisions would update and replace the minor new source review rules that EPA approved into the Hawaii SIP in 1983.

This final rule makes changes to several sections of the regulations for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program for states (State CDBG program). This final rule streamlines and updates the regulations to reflect statutory changes, clarifies the program income requirements, provides other clarifications to the State CDBG program regulations, and makes a conforming change to the regulations applicable to the CDBG Entitlement program. This final rule also provides additional flexibility to states in their administration of the program. The final rule follows publication of an October 17, 2008, proposed rule and takes into consideration the public comments received on the proposed rule.

This action proposes to establish two new low-altitude RNAV routes, designated T-306 and T-310, in southwestern United States. The new routes would expand the availability of RNAV within the National Airspace System (NAS) and provide substitute route segments for portions of VOR Federal airways V-16 and V-202.

On February 21, 2012, the Department of Labor (the Department or DOL) published a Final Rule amending H-2B regulations governing the certification of temporary employment of nonimmigrant workers in temporary or seasonal non-agricultural employment. On March 20, 2012, the Department published guidance informing employers of the dates by which their H-2B application must be postmarked in order to be governed by the Final Rule. This guidance revises these dates so that the Final Rule will become operative 60 days after it was reported to Congress.

On October 6, 2009, the EPA adopted amendments to the September 15, 1997, new source performance standards and emissions guidelines for hospital/medical/infectious waste incinerators. The amendments were developed in response to the March 2, 1999, remand of the 1997 hospital/medical/infectious waste incinerators regulations by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (the Court), which requested further explanation of the EPA's reasoning in determining the minimum regulatory emission standards for new and existing hospital/medical/infectious waste incinerators. Today's action proposes amendments to the hospital/medical/infectious waste incinerators federal plan to implement the amended emission guidelines adopted on October 6, 2009, for those states that do not have an approved revised/new state plan implementing the emission guidelines, as amended, in place by October 6, 2011. Today's action also proposes to amend the new source performance standards to better reflect our original intent in the October 6, 2009, final rule in eliminating an exemption during startup, shutdown and malfunction periods from the requirement to comply with standards at all times.