July 3, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The EPA is establishing a new Federal Reference Method (FRM) for measuring Lead (Pb) in total suspended particulate matter (TSP) collected from ambient air. This method is intended for use by analytical laboratories performing the analysis of Pb in TSP to support data collection for the Pb National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). The existing FRM for Pb is designated as a new Federal Equivalent Method (FEM), and the currently designated FEMs are retained. This action avoids any disruption to existing Pb monitoring networks and data collection and does not affect the FRM for TSP sample collection (High-Volume Method).

NMFS publishes this final rule implementing the Final Amendment 5a to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP). In developing Amendment 5a to the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP, we examined a full range of management alternatives to maintain rebuilding of sandbar sharks; end overfishing and rebuild scalloped hammerhead and Atlantic blacknose sharks; and establish a total allowable catch (TAC) and commercial quota and recreational measures for Gulf of Mexico blacknose and blacktip sharks, consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), and other applicable laws. This final rule implements the final conservation and management measures in Amendment 5a to the 2006 Consolidated HMS FMP for sandbar, scalloped hammerhead, blacknose, and Gulf of Mexico blacktip sharks. This final rule also announces the revised 2013 annual regional quotas for aggregated large coastal sharks (LCS), hammerhead, Gulf of Mexico blacktip, blacknose, and non-blacknose small coastal sharks (SCS). These changes could affect all commercial and recreational fishermen who fish for sharks in the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea.

The National Council on Federal Labor-Management Relations plans to meet on Wednesday, September 18, 2013. The meeting will start at 10:00 a.m. EDT and will be held at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 1900 E Street NW., Room 1350, Washington, DC 20415. Interested parties should consult the Council Web site at www.lmrcouncil.gov for the latest information on Council activities, including changes in meeting logistics. The Council is an advisory body composed of representatives of Federal employee organizations, Federal management organizations, and senior Government officials. The Council was established by Executive Order 13522, entitled, ``Creating Labor-Management Forums to Improve Delivery of Government Services,'' which was signed by the President on December 9, 2009. Along with its other responsibilities, the Council assists in the implementation of labor-management forums throughout the Government and makes recommendations to the President on innovative ways to improve delivery of services and products to the public while cutting costs and advancing employee interests. The Council is co- chaired by the Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and the Deputy Director for Management of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. At its meetings, the Council will continue its work in promoting cooperative and productive relationships between labor and management in the executive branch by carrying out the responsibilities and functions listed in section 1(b) of the Executive Order. The meetings are open to the public. Please contact the U.S. Office of Personnel Management at the address shown below if you wish to present material to the Council at the meeting. The manner and time prescribed for presentations may be limited, depending upon the number of parties that express interest in presenting information.

This regulation establishes tolerances for residues of fenbuconazole in or on pepper. Dow AgroSciences LLC requested these tolerances under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).

This proposed rule would update the Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) rates, including the national, standardized 60- day episode payment rates, the national per-visit rates, the low- utilization payment adjustment (LUPA) add-on, the nonroutine medical supplies (NRS) conversion factor, and outlier payments under the Medicare prospective payment system for home health agencies (HHAs), effective January 1, 2014. As required by the Affordable Care Act, this rule also proposes rebasing adjustments, with a 4-year phase-in, to the national, standardized 60-day episode payment rates; the national per- visit rates; and the NRS conversion factor. Finally, the proposed rule would also establish home health quality reporting requirements for CY 2014 payment and subsequent years and would clarify that a state Medicaid program must provide that, in certifying home health agencies, the state's designated survey agency must carry out certain other responsibilities that already apply to surveys of nursing facilities and Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF-IID), including sharing in the cost of HHA surveys. For that portion of costs attributable to Medicare and Medicaid, we would assign 50 percent to Medicare and 50 percent to Medicaid, the standard method that CMS and states use in the allocation of expenses related to surveys of SNF/NF nursing homes.

The subcommittee listed below is part of AHRQ's Health Services Research Initial Review Group Committee. Grant applications are to be reviewed and discussed at this meeting. This meeting will be closed to the public in accordance with 5 U.S.C. App. 2 section 10(d), 5 U.S.C. section 552b(c)(4), and 5 U.S.C. section 552b(c)(6). Name of Subcommittee: Health Care Research Training Virtual Review. Date: July 11, 2013 (Open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on July 11 and closed for remainder of the meeting). Place: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, John Eisenberg Building, 540 Gaither Road, OEREP Conference Room, Rockville, MD 20850.

HHS is issuing this final rule (herein referred to as ``this rule'') to add vascularized composite allografts (VCAs) as specified herein to the definition of organs covered by the rules governing the operation of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) (herein referred to as the OPTN final rule). When it enacted the National Organ Transplant Act in 1984, Congress included a definition of the term organ and authorized the Secretary to expand this definition by regulation. The Secretary has previously exercised this authority and expanded the statutory definition of organ. Prior to this rule, the OPTN final rule defined covered organs as ``a human kidney, liver, heart, lung, or pancreas, or intestine (including the esophagus, stomach, small and/or large intestine, or any portion of the gastrointestinal tract). Blood vessels recovered from an organ donor during the recovery of such organ(s) are considered part of an organ with which they are procured for purposes of this part if the vessels are intended for use in organ transplantation and labeled `For use in organ transplantation only.' '' This rule also includes a corresponding change to the definition of human organs covered by section 301 of the National Organ Transplant Act of 1984, as amended (NOTA).

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is seeking scientific information submissions from the public on medical devices to treat chronic urinary retention. Scientific information is being solicited to inform our review of chronic urinary retention (CUR) treatment, which is currently being conducted by the Evidence-based Practice Centers for the AHRQ Effective Health Care Program. Access to published and unpublished pertinent scientific information on medical devices to treat chronic urinary retention will improve the quality of this review. AHRQ is conducting this comparative effectiveness review pursuant to Section 1013 of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, Public Law 108-173, and Section 902(a) of the Public Health Service Act, 42 U.S.C. 299a(a).

EPA proposes to approve the State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the Commonwealth of Virginia for the purpose of removing four articles located in chapter 9VAC5-40 (Existing Stationary Sources) from the Virginia SIP. These articles are being removed because they were repealed in their entirety and replaced by articles in chapter 9VAC5-45 (Consumer and Commercial Products). In the Final Rules section of this Federal Register, EPA is approving the Commonwealth's SIP submittal as a direct final rule without prior proposal because the Agency views this as a noncontroversial submittal and anticipates no adverse comments. A detailed rationale for the approval is set forth in the direct final rule. If no adverse comments are received in response to this action, no further activity is contemplated. If EPA receives adverse comments, the direct final rule will be withdrawn and all public comments received will be addressed in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. EPA will not institute a second comment period. Any parties interested in commenting on this action should do so at this time.

EPA is approving a request submitted by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) on April 11, 2013, to revise the Illinois state implementation plan (SIP). The submission revises Title 35 of the Illinois Administrative Code (IAC) Part 254, Annual Emissions Report. The revision provides clarification regarding greenhouse gases (GHGs) as it relates to the annual emissions report. The rationale for approval and other information are provided in this rulemaking action.

The Federal Trade Commission (``FTC'' or ``Commission'') will meet on Thursday, August 22, 2013 in Room 532 of the FTC Building for an Oral Argument in the matter of McWane, Inc., et al. The public is invited to attend and observe the open portion of the meeting, which is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. The remainder of the meeting will be closed to the public.

As authorized by 46 U.S.C. 12121, the Secretary of Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), is authorized to grant waivers of the U.S.-build requirement of the coastwise laws under certain circumstances. A request for such a waiver has been received by MARAD. The vessel, and a brief description of the proposed service, is listed below.