November 1, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) issued a final rule to amend Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or Program) regulations to allow State agencies to deny a request for a replacement card until contact is made by the household with the State agency, if the requests for replacement cards are determined to be excessive. State agencies which elect to exercise this authority will be required to protect vulnerable persons, such as individuals with disabilities, homeless individuals or the elderly, who may repeatedly lose their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards but are not committing fraud. FNS is also changing the EBT card replacement timeframes in the same section to require State agencies to make replacement cards available for pick up or to place the card in the mail within two business days following notice by the household to the State agency that the card has been lost or stolen. FNS is further amending regulations to define the term ``trafficking'' to include the attempt to buy or sell SNAP benefits in cases where an individual makes the offer to sell SNAP benefits and/or EBT card online or in person. Finally, FNS issued an interim final rule (with a request for additional comment) that requires State agencies to monitor EBT card replacement requests and send notices to those clients who have requested four cards within a 12-month period. The State agency shall be exempt from sending this Excessive Replacement Card Notice if it adopts the card withholding option in accordance with the final rule and sends the requisite Withhold Replacement Card Warning Notice on the 4th replacement card request. The comment period is being extended to provide additional time for interested parties to review the interim final rule.

This regulation establishes an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of D-Glucopyranose, oligomeric, decyl octyl glycosides when used as an inert ingredient (surfactant) in antimicrobial formulations (food-contact surface sanitizing solutions) applied to food-contact surfaces in public eating places, dairy- processing equipment, and food-processing equipment and utensils. Lewis & Harrison, on behalf of BASF Corporation, submitted a petition to EPA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), requesting establishment of an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of D-Glucopyranose, oligomeric, decyl octyl glycosides.

Through this action, the Rural Housing Service (RHS) is extending the comment period for the proposed rule, ``Single Family Housing Direct Loan Program'' from October 22, 2013 to November 22, 2013.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), revise the definition of ``hybrid'' as it relates to birds protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. We revise the definition to make it clear that it applies to all offspring of any species listed at 50 CFR 10.13.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, approve copper-clad iron shot and fluoropolymer coatings for hunting waterfowl and coots. We published a proposed rule for approval of copper-clad iron shot and fluoropolymer coatings in the Federal Register on September 26, 2012 (77 FR 59158). We considered comments on the proposed rule, and we believe that neither the shot nor the coatings will pose toxicity hazards to fish or wildlife or their habitats.

The FTC is codifying the control numbers that have been issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for information collection requirements in Commission rules that are approved under the Paperwork Reduction Act. Control numbers will be centrally located in a table in our regulations.

EPA is taking final action to approve in part, and disapprove in part, the State Implementation Plan (SIP) submission, submitted by the State of Florida, through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) on October 31, 2011, to demonstrate that the State meets the infrastructure requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) for the 2008 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). The CAA requires that each state adopt and submit a SIP for the implementation, maintenance and enforcement of each NAAQS promulgated by EPA, which is commonly referred to as an ``infrastructure'' SIP. FDEP certified that the Florida SIP contains provisions that ensure the 2008 8-hour ozone NAAQS are implemented, enforced, and maintained in Florida (hereafter referred to as ``infrastructure submission''). EPA is now taking two related actions on FDEP's infrastructure submission for Florida. First, EPA is taking final action to approve that Florida's infrastructure submission addresses all required infrastructure elements for the 2008 8-hour ozone NAAQS with the exception of the portion of the submission related to prevention of significant deterioration (PSD) regarding greenhouse gas (GHG) requirements, and the portion of the submission that purports to meet the requirement that the SIP include provisions prohibiting any source or other type of emissions activity in one state from interfering with measures to protect visibility in another state. Second, EPA is taking final action to disapprove in part portions of Florida's infrastructure submission as it relates to PSD requirements regarding the regulation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

This action establishes Class E airspace at the Cut Bank VHF Omni-Directional Radio Range Tactical Air Navigational Aid (VORTAC) navigation aid, Cut Bank, MT, to facilitate vectoring of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) aircraft under control of Salt Lake City and Seattle Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCCs). This improves the safety and management of IFR operations within the National Airspace System.

This action establishes Class E airspace at the Salmon VHF Omni-Directional Radio Range/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) navigation aid, Salmon, ID, to facilitate vectoring of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) aircraft under control of Salt Lake City and Seattle Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCCs). This improves the safety and management of IFR operations within the National Airspace System.

The Farm Credit Administration (FCA, we or us) adopts a final rule that amends its liquidity management regulations for the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac). The purpose of the final rule is to strengthen liquidity risk management at Farmer Mac, improve the quality of assets in its liquidity reserves, and bolster its ability to fund its obligations and continue operations during times of economic, financial, or market adversity.

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is amending the Farm Loan Programs (FLP) regulations for loan making and servicing, specifically those on real estate appraisals, leases, subordination and disposition of security, and Conservation Contract requirements. FSA is also streamlining the loan making and servicing process and giving the borrower greater flexibility while protecting the financial interests of the Government.

In this Order and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the Commission proposes an amendment to the Commission's rules to allow the licensing and operation of vehicular repeater systems and other mobile repeaters by public safety licensees on certain frequencies in the VHF band.