2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (``Dodd-Frank Act'' or ``DFA'') established a comprehensive new statutory framework for swaps and security-based swaps. The Dodd-Frank Act repeals some sections of the Commodity Exchange Act (``CEA'' or ``Act''), amends others, and adds a number of new provisions. The DFA also requires the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``CFTC'' or ``Commission'') to promulgate a number of rules to implement the new framework. The Commission has proposed and finalized numerous rules to satisfy its obligations under the DFA. This rulemaking makes a number of conforming amendments to integrate the CFTC's regulations more fully with the new framework created by the Dodd-Frank Act.

This action amends Class E airspace at Boone, IA. Decommissioning of the Boone non-directional beacon (NDB) at Boone Municipal Airport has made reconfiguration necessary for standard instrument approach procedures and for the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) operations at the airport.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is issuing this final rule that amends the regulations governing eligibility for Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI) to extend to 240 days the current 120-day ``no-health'' period during which veterans can apply for VGLI without proving that they are in good health for insurance purposes. The purpose of this rule is to increase the opportunities for disabled veterans to enroll in VGLI, some of whom would not qualify for VGLI coverage under existing provisions. This document adopts as a final rule, without change, the proposed rule published in the Federal Register on June 25, 2012.

The Coast Guard will enforce the Navy Pier Southeast Safety Zone in Chicago Harbor at various times on November 24 and December 31, 2012 and January 1, 2013. This action is necessary and intended to ensure safety of life on the navigable waters of the United States immediately prior to, during, and immediately after fireworks events. Enforcement of this safety zone will establish restrictions upon, and control movement of, vessels in a specified area immediately prior to, during, and immediately after various fireworks events. During the enforcement period, no person or vessel may enter the safety zones without permission of the Captain of the Port, Sector Lake Michigan.

The Coast Guard will enforce the Key West World Championship Special Local Regulations in the Atlantic Ocean, off the tip of Key West, on the waters of the Key West Main Ship Channel, Key West Turning Basin, and Key West Harbor Entrance, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on each of the dates of November 7, 2012; November 9, 2012; and November 11, 2012. This action is necessary to protect race participants, participant vessels, spectators, and the general public from the hazards associated with high-speed boat races. During the enforcement period, no person or vessel may enter the regulated area without permission from the Captain of the Port.

NMFS proposes a regulatory amendment to the vessel ownership requirement of the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program for fixed- gear Pacific halibut and sablefish fisheries in and off of Alaska. The IFQ Program requires that initial recipients of certain classes of quota shares own a minimum of 20-percent interest in any vessel on which they hire a master to fish their IFQ permits. This action proposes to require such quota share holders to have held a minimum of 20-percent ownership interest in the vessel for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the submission of any application to hire a master. This proposed action also would temporarily exempt from the 12-month ownership requirement an initial recipient whose vessel has been totally lost, as by sinking or fire, or so damaged that the vessel would require at least 60 days to be repaired. This action is necessary to maintain a predominantly owner-operated fishery. This action is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982, the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area, the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska, and other applicable laws.

This regulation amends tolerances for residues of trifloxystrobin in or on almond hulls; and Vegetable, root, except sugarbeet, subgroup 1B, except radish. Bayer CropScience requested amendments to these tolerances under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is withdrawing its proposed rule concerning proposed flood elevation determinations for the Unincorporated Areas of Robeson County, North Carolina.

EPA is finalizing approval of revisions from the Governor of New Mexico to the State Implementation Plan for Air Quality for the City of Albuquerque/Bernalillo County area pursuant to the Clean Air Act. The revision includes addition of emissions inspections for 1998 and newer diesel vehicles less than 10,001 pounds and all gasoline/ electric hybrid vehicles; changes test frequency for some model year vehicles; allows motorists that are financially incapable of paying for certain repairs to apply for a time extension; makes minor test procedure changes; codifies certain regulatory language from the VPMD Procedures Manual; reorganizes 20.11.100 NMAC; and makes numerous non- substantive changes to clarify and improve readability of these rules. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (the Act).

NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amounts of Pacific cod from catcher vessels using trawl gear to American Fisheries Act trawl catcher/processors and Amendment 80 catcher/processors in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area. This action is necessary to allow the 2012 total allowable catch of Pacific cod to be harvested.

NOAA published a final rule to add five additional discrete geographical areas to the sanctuary and change the name of the Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary (FBNMS or sanctuary) to the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa (NMSAS) on July 26, 2012 (77 FR 43942). NOAA also amended existing sanctuary regulations and applied these regulations to activities in the sanctuary. Pursuant to Section 304(b) of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act (16 U.S.C. 1434(b)) the final regulations take effect after 45 days of continuous session of Congress beginning on July 26, 2012. Through this notice, NOAA is announcing the regulations became effective on October 15, 2012.

This regulation amends an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of [alpha]-([rho]-Nonylphenyl)poly(oxypropylene) block polymer with poly(oxyethylene); when used as an inert ingredient in a pesticide chemical formulation. Stephan Company submitted a petition to EPA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), requesting an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of [alpha]- ([rho]-Nonylphenyl)poly(oxypropylene) block polymer with poly(oxyethylene) on food or feed commodities.

The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) amends the regulation defining larger participants of certain consumer financial product and service markets by adding a new section to define larger participants of a market for consumer debt collection. The final rule thereby facilitates the supervision of nonbank covered persons active in that market. The Bureau is issuing the final rule pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. That law grants the Bureau authority to supervise certain nonbank covered persons for compliance with Federal consumer financial law and for other purposes. The Bureau has the authority to supervise nonbank covered persons of all sizes in the residential mortgage, private education lending, and payday lending markets. In addition, the Bureau has the authority to supervise nonbank ``larger participant[s]'' of markets for other consumer financial products or services, as the Bureau defines by rule. An initial rule defining larger participants of a market for consumer reporting was published in the Federal Register on July 20, 2012 (Consumer Reporting Rule).

In this document, the Commission seeks comment on the following revisions to its program access rules: the establishment of certain rebuttable presumptions in connection with program access complaints challenging exclusive contracts involving cable-affiliated programming; and amendments to its rules to ensure that buying groups utilized by small and medium-sized multichannel video programming distributors (``MVPDs'') can avail themselves of the program access rules.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Model A330-200 freighter series airplanes; Model A330-200 and - 300 series airplanes; and Model A340-200 and -300 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of ram air turbine (RAT) pump failure. This AD requires inspecting the RAT pump anti-stall valve for correct setting, re-identifying the RAT pump, performing a functional ground test of the RAT, and replacing the RAT pump or the RAT assembly with a serviceable part if necessary. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct malfunction of the RAT pump, which could lead to in-flight loss of the RAT-pump pressurization, possibly resulting in reduced control of the airplane.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain BAE SYSTEMS (OPERATIONS) LIMITED Model BAe 146 series airplanes and Model Avro 146-RJ series airplanes. This AD was prompted by hydraulic pipe ruptures in the center of the cabin resulting in passengers being contaminated with hydraulic fluid. This AD requires installing a hydraulic fluid containment system. We are issuing this AD to prevent harmful or hazardous concentrations of hydraulic fluid or hydraulic vapor from entering the passenger compartment, possibly resulting in injury to the passengers.

We are superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier, Inc. Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440) airplanes. That AD currently requires a one-time inspection of the shafts of the main landing gear (MLG) side-brace fittings to detect corrosion, and the forward and aft bushings in the left-hand and right- hand MLG side-brace fittings to detect discrepancies. The existing AD also requires corrective and related actions if necessary. This new AD requires repetitive detailed inspections for corrosion and damage of the MLG side-brace fitting, and replacing the side-brace fitting shaft with the re-designed side-brace fitting shaft of the MLG if necessary. This AD also requires eventual replacement of certain side-brace fitting shafts with the re-designed part. Replacement with a re- designed side-brace fitting shaft of the MLG is terminating action for the repetitive inspections. This AD was prompted by reports of failure of the side-brace fitting shaft of the main landing gear (MLG) due to corrosion. We are issuing this AD to prevent fractures of the side- brace fitting shafts of the MLG, and possible collapse of the MLG.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) establishes new test procedures for residential dishwashers and dehumidifiers, and amends the currently applicable test procedure for conventional cooking products under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. The new test procedures include provisions for measuring standby mode and off mode energy consumption, and update the provisions for measuring active mode energy consumption and, for dishwashers, water consumption. This final rule also amends the certification, compliance, and enforcement requirements for dishwashers, dehumidifiers and conventional cooking products, amends certain provisions in the currently applicable dishwasher test procedure, and eliminates an obsolete energy efficiency metric in the dishwasher test procedure and provisions in the cooking products test procedure that have become obsolete due to the elimination of standing pilot lights.

EPA is proposing to determine that the Yuba City-Marysville nonattainment area in California has attained the 2006 24-hour fine particle (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). This proposed determination is based upon complete, quality- assured, and certified ambient air monitoring data showing that this area has monitored attainment of the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS based on the 2009-2011 monitoring period. EPA is further proposing that, if EPA finalizes this determination of attainment, the requirements for this area to submit an attainment demonstration, together with reasonably available control measures (RACM), a reasonable further progress (RFP) plan, and contingency measures for failure to meet RFP and attainment deadlines shall be suspended for so long as the area continues to attain the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS.

We are revising an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 757 airplanes. That NPRM proposed to require repetitive operational tests of the engine fuel suction feed of the fuel system, and other related testing if necessary. That NPRM was prompted by reports of two in-service occurrences on Model 737-400 airplanes of total loss of boost pump pressure of the fuel feed system, followed by loss of fuel system suction feed capability on one engine, and in-flight shutdown of the engine. This action revises that NPRM by proposing to require repetitive operational tests and corrective actions if necessary. We are proposing this supplemental NPRM to detect and correct loss of the engine fuel suction feed capability of the fuel system, which, in the event of total loss of the fuel boost pumps, could result in dual engine flameout, inability to restart the engines, and consequent forced landing of the airplane. Since these actions impose an additional burden over that proposed in the previous NPRM, we are reopening the comment period to allow the public the chance to comment on these proposed changes.

EPA is proposing to determine that the Chico nonattainment area in California has attained the 2006 24-hour fine particle (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). This proposed determination is based upon complete, quality-assured, and certified ambient air monitoring data showing that this area has monitored attainment of the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS based on the 2009-2011 monitoring period. EPA is further proposing that, if EPA finalizes this determination of attainment, the requirements for this area to submit an attainment demonstration, together with reasonably available control measures (RACM), a reasonable further progress (RFP) plan, and contingency measures for failure to meet RFP and attainment deadlines shall be suspended for so long as the area continues to attain the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Veterans Memorial Bridge across the Taunton River, mile 2.1, between Fall River and Somerset, Massachusetts. This deviation will test a change to the drawbridge operation schedule to determine whether a permanent change to the schedule is needed. This deviation will allow us to test an operating schedule to help determine the hours the bridge should be crewed. It is expected that this test will help determine the best operating schedule that will meet the present and future needs of navigation.

EPA is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VADEQ) on December 14, 2011. This revision defers until July 21, 2014 the application of the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permitting requirements to biogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from bioenergy and other biogenic stationary sources in the Commonwealth of Virginia. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA).

The EPA is making four separate and independent air quality determinations for two areas in New Hampshire. First, EPA is determining that the Portsmouth-Dover-Rochester, New Hampshire serious one-hour ozone nonattainment area met the applicable deadline of November 15, 1999, for attaining the revoked one-hour National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ozone. Second, EPA is determining that the Portsmouth-Dover-Rochester area has attained the one-hour ozone standard since 1999, and continues to attain the standard. Third, with respect to the Manchester, New Hampshire marginal one-hour ozone nonattainment area, EPA is determining that the area attained the one- hour ozone NAAQS by the applicable deadline of November 15, 1993. Fourth, with respect to the Manchester area, EPA is determining that the area has attained the one-hour ozone NAAQS since 1993, and continues to attain the standard.