November 6, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice represents the Record of Decision (ROD) regarding the Natural Resources Conservation Service's (NRCS's) decision to subordinate its rights, acquired under the Wetland Reserve Program, to allow the Gulf Coast Segment (Gulf Coast Pipeline Project) of the TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, LP to cross one NRCS held conservation easement in Fannin County, Texas associated with this approximately 480 mile pipeline from Cushing, Oklahoma, to Nederland, Texas. This is in accordance with agency policy CPM-440, Part 514, Circular 7, Infrastructure Policy on Easements, dated September 6, 2007.

EPA is approving the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) 2005 base year emissions inventory, a portion of the State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) on June 13, 2008. The emissions inventory is part of Michigan's SIP revision that was submitted to meet the nonattainment requirements related to the state's Detroit-Ann Arbor (Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, Washtenaw, and Wayne Counties) nonattainment area for the 1997 annual PM2.5 national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). This action is being taken pursuant to sections 110 and 172 of the Clean Air Act (CAA).

This document corrects an omission in the final rule document published on October 2, 2012, announcing EPA's final approval of several revisions to the Delaware State Implementation Plan (SIP). The revisions pertain to preconstruction requirements under the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) and nonattainment New Source Review (NSR) programs. The correction of this omission does not change EPA's final action to approve these regulations or their effectiveness.

This rule establishes, amends, suspends, or revokes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and associated Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures for operations at certain airports. These regulatory actions are needed because of the adoption of new or revised criteria, or because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System, such as the commissioning of new navigational facilities, adding new obstacles, or changing air traffic requirements. These changes are designed to provide safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.

EPA is approving revisions to the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District (SJVUAPCD) portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). This action was proposed in the Federal Register on April 26, 2012 and concerns oxides of nitrogen (NOX) from solid fuel fired boilers. We are approving a local rule that regulates these emission sources under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act).

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is proposing to revise its regulations to provide optional notice procedures for processing rate filings by those natural gas pipelines that fall under the Commission's jurisdiction pursuant to the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978 or the Natural Gas Act. An intrastate pipeline may elect to use these procedures for approval of a filing pursuant to the Commission's regulations. Under these procedures, if there is no protest to the filing as determined under this proposal, the filing would be deemed approved without a Commission order. The proposed rule would result in regulatory certainty and a reduction of regulatory burdens.

This final rule implements Medicaid payment for primary care services furnished by certain physicians in calendar years (CYs) 2013 and 2014 at rates not less than the Medicare rates in effect in those CYs or, if greater, the payment rates that would be applicable in those CYs using the CY 2009 Medicare physician fee schedule conversion factor. This minimum payment level applies to specified primary care services furnished by a physician with a specialty designation of family medicine, general internal medicine, or pediatric medicine, and also applies to services rendered by these provider types paid by Medicaid managed care plans contracted by states to provide the primary care services. It also provides for 100 percent federal financial participation (FFP) for any increase in payment above the amounts that would be due for these services under the provisions of the approved Medicaid state plan, as of July 1, 2009. In other words, there will not be any additional cost to states for payments above the amount required by the 2009 rate methodology. In this final rule, we specify which services and types of physicians qualify for the minimum payment level in CYs 2013 and 2014, and the method for calculating the payment amount and any increase for which increased federal funding is due. In addition, this final rule will update the interim regional maximum fees that providers may charge for the administration of pediatric vaccines to federally vaccine-eligible children under the Pediatric Immunization Distribution Program, more commonly known as the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program.