January 7, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The EPA is proposing to approve revisions to Oregon's State Implementation Plan submitted to the EPA by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality on February 16, 2001, July 14, 2005, August 28, 2006, and May 20, 2008. The February 16, 2001 submittal relates to open burning rules. The July 2005, August 2006, and May 2008 submittals relate to enforcement procedures, civil penalties, and procedures in contested cases (appeals).

This document contains proposed regulations that create a new taxpayer identifying number known as an IRS truncated taxpayer identification number, a TTIN. As an alternative to using a social security number (SSN), IRS individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN), or IRS adoption taxpayer identification number (ATIN), the filer of certain information returns may use a TTIN on the corresponding payee statements to identify the individual being furnished a statement. The TTIN displays only the last four digits of an individual's identifying number and is shown in the format XXX-XX- 1234 or ***-**-1234. These proposed regulations affect filers of certain information returns who will be permitted to identify an individual payee by use of a TTIN on the payee statement furnished to the individual, and those individuals who receive payee statements containing a TTIN.

On July 12, 2012, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``Commission'' or ``CFTC'') published for public comment, pursuant to section 4(c) of the Commodity Exchange Act (``CEA''), a proposed order (``Proposed Order'') that would grant market participants temporary conditional relief from certain provisions of the CEA, as amended by Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (``Dodd-Frank Act'' or ``Dodd-Frank''), and the Commission also published its proposed interpretive guidance and policy statement (``Proposed Guidance'') regarding the cross-border application of the swap provisions of the CEA as added by Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Act. The Commission is proposing further guidance on certain specific aspects of the Proposed Guidance (``Further Proposed Guidance''). The Commission has separately determined to finalize the Proposed Order.

EPA is proposing to approve revisions to the Imperial County Air Pollution Control District (ICAPCD) portion of the California Implementation Plan (SIP). These revisions concern local rules that regulate inhalable particulate matter (PM10) emissions from sources of fugitive dust such as unpaved roads and disturbed soils in open and agricultural areas in Imperial County. We are proposing to approve local rules that regulate these emission sources under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act). We are taking comments on this proposal and plan to follow with a final action.

EPA is taking final action to determine that the Nogales nonattainment area in Arizona has attained the 2006 24-hour fine particle (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). This 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. Based on the above determination, 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 are suspended for so long as the area continues to attain the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS.

EPA is proposing to approve revisions to the San Diego Air Pollution Control District (SDAPCD), Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District (NSAQMD), and Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD) portions of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). These revisions concern volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from transfer of gasoline at gasoline dispensing facilities. We are proposing to approve four local rules to regulate these emission sources under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act).

EPA is making a determination of attainment regarding the Philadelphia-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE fine particulate matter (PM2.5) nonattainment area (hereafter referred to as ``the Philadelphia Area'' or ``the Area''). EPA has determined that the Philadelphia Area has attained the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS), based upon quality- assured, quality-controlled and certified ambient air monitoring data for the 2008-2010 and 2009-2011 periods. Preliminary data available for 2012 are consistent with continued attainment of the Philadelphia Area. This determination of attainment suspends the requirements for the respective state portions of the Philadelphia Area to submit an attainment demonstration and associated reasonably available control measures (RACM), a reasonable further progress (RFP) plan, contingency measures, and other planning State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions related to the attainment of the standard for so long as the Area continues to attain the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA). This action does not constitute a redesignation to attainment, and the Philadelphia Area will remain designated nonattainment for the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS until such time as EPA determines that the Philadelphia Area, or portion thereof, meets the CAA requirements for redesignation to attainment for the standard, including an approved maintenance plan.

EPA is proposing to approve the Limited Maintenance Plan (LMP) submitted by the State of Alaska on September 29, 2010, for the Eagle River nonattainment area (Eagle River NAA) and the State's request to redesignate the area to attainment for the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to a nominal 10 micrometers (PM10). EPA is proposing to approve the State's request because it meets Clean Air Act (CAA) requirements for redesignation. EPA has also published, at the same time, a direct final rule of the same title because EPA views this as a noncontroversial SIP revision and anticipates no adverse comments. Any parties interested in commenting on this action should do so at this time. If EPA receives adverse comments, EPA will withdraw the direct final rule and will then address all public comments in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule.

In this document, PHMSA is seeking additional comment on the impact of changes to the requirements for the air transport of lithium cells and batteries that have been adopted into the 2013-2014 International Civil Aviation Organization Technical Instructions on the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (ICAO Technical Instructions), and subsequently incorporated by reference in a final rule published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register. PHMSA is considering the long-term impacts of permitting shippers and carriers to choose between compliance with the existing HMR, or compliance with the ICAO Technical Instructions 2013-2014 edition, when transporting batteries domestically by air. Incorporation by reference of the 2013-2014 Edition of the ICAO Technical Instructions will allow each shipper and carrier to choose the method of compliance that is most appropriate for its operation; likewise, each shipper and carrier will have the responsibility to ensure that the proper method of compliance is chosen for each shipment, since the chosen method may not comply with the ICAO Technical Instructions. PHMSA is seeking supplemental comments to our January 11, 2010, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) and our April 11, 2012, request for additional comment in light of the publication of the HM-215L final rule. Specifically, PHMSA is seeking comment on whether to require mandatory compliance with the 2013-2014 ICAO Technical Instructions for all shipments of lithium batteries by air, both foreign and domestic. Based on the comments received, PHMSA may issue a final rule to revise the HMR to reflect the lithium battery provisions specified in the 2013-2014 Edition of the ICAO Technical Instructions.

This document responds to administrative appeals generated as a result of certain amendments adopted in an international harmonization final rule published on January 19, 2011. The January 19, 2011 final rule amended the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) by revising, removing or adding proper shipping names, the hazard class of a material, packing group assignments, special provisions, packaging authorizations, packaging sections, air transport quantity limitations, and vessel stowage requirements. The amendments were necessary to align the HMR with recent revisions to international standards for the transport of hazardous materials by all modes. In this final rule, PHMSA amends the HMR as a result of administrative appeals submitted in response to various amendments adopted in the January 19, 2011 final rule. This document also addresses recent actions taken by the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) Dangerous Goods Panel (DGP) regarding certain lithium ion battery-powered mobility aids (e.g., wheelchairs, travel scooters) offered by passengers for air transport and passenger notification of hazardous materials restrictions by operators. Further, this final rule adopts amendments to the HMR as a result of two administrative appeals submitted by an appellant in response to a final rule published February 2, 2010, that revised shipper responsibilities related to packaging design variation, manufacturer notification, and recordkeeping requirements for certain packaging types.