December 6, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In response to requests from interested parties, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is extending the comment period on the Agency's Request for Information (RFI) on Refuge Alternatives for Underground Coal Mines. This extension gives interested parties additional time to review new information on refuge alternatives.

This document cancels a public hearing on proposed regulations regarding dispositions of property subject to depreciation under section 168 of the Internal Revenue Code.

NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amount of Pacific cod from catcher vessels using trawl gear to catcher vessels using hook-and-line gear and vessels using pot gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska management area (GOA). This action is necessary to allow the 2013 total allowable catch of Pacific cod in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA to be harvested.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend its spent fuel storage regulations by revising the Holtec International HI-STORM 100 Cask System listing within the ``List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks'' to include Amendment No. 9 to Certificate of Compliance (CoC) No. 1014. Amendment No. 9 broadens the subgrade requirements for the HI-STORM 100U part of the HI-STORM 100 Cask System and updates the thermal model and methodology for the HI- TRAC transfer cask from a two dimensional thermal-hydraulic model to a more accurate three dimensional model. The amendment also makes editorial corrections.

DoD is proposing to amend the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to create an overarching prescription for the research and development-related clause with an alternate. The rule also proposes to add a separate prescription for the basic clause and for the alternate, and to include in the regulation the full text of the alternate clause.

DoD is issuing a final rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to address the contracting officer role in assisting the DoD implementing agency in preparation of the letter of offer and acceptance for a foreign military sales program that will require an acquisition.

DoD is making technical amendments to the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to provide needed editorial changes.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 767-400ER series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of turbine wheel bursts in the air driven pump (ADP) turbine gearbox assembly (TGA), which resulted in the release of high energy fragments. This proposed AD would require replacing the existing ADP TGA with an improved ADP TGA. We are proposing this AD to prevent fragments from an uncontained turbine wheel burst penetrating the fuselage and striking passengers, or penetrating the wing-to-body fairing and striking ground handling or maintenance personnel, causing serious injury.

We propose to supersede airworthiness directive (AD) 84-19-01, which applies to certain The Boeing Company Model 747-100, 747-200B, 747-200F series airplanes. AD 84-19-01 requires repetitive inspections for cracking of certain tension ties, and repair and certain modifications if necessary. Since we issued AD 84-19-01, the upper deck tension ties have been identified as structure that is susceptible to widespread fatigue damage (WFD), and additional action is necessary for certain airplanes to adequately address the identified unsafe condition on the fleet. This proposed AD is intended to complete certain mandated programs intended to support the airplane reaching its limit of validity (LOV) of the engineering data that support the established structural maintenance program. For certain airplanes, this proposed AD would add inspections for cracking of the tension tie at body station (BS) 760 or 780, corrective action if necessary, and eventual modification of the tension ties. For all airplanes, this proposed AD would require repetitive post-modification inspections for cracking of the tension tie at BS 760 or 780, and corrective action if necessary. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct tension tie cracking, which could eventually result in in-flight depressurization of the airplane and the inability to withstand current regulatory failsafe loads.

The Coast Guard is amending the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) to reflect changes it has made to the boundaries of Sector Baltimore's and Sector Hampton Roads' Marine Inspection Zone and Captain of the Port Zones. These conforming amendments are necessary to ensure the CFR accurately reflects these boundary changes that were made November 22, 2013. These amendments are not expected to have a substantive impact on the public.

The Danny Keysar Child Product Safety Notification Act, section 104(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA), requires the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (Commission, CPSC, or we) to promulgate consumer product safety standards for durable infant or toddler products. These standards are to be ``substantially the same as'' applicable voluntary standards or more stringent than the voluntary standard if the Commission concludes that more stringent requirements would further reduce the risk of injury associated with the product. The Commission is issuing a safety standard for hand-held infant carriers in response to the direction under section 104(b) of the CPSIA. The rule would incorporate ASTM F2050-13a by reference, with one modification.

EPA proposes to approve the State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Maryland for the purpose of addressing the State Boards' requirements for all criteria pollutants of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). In the Final Rules section of this Federal Register, EPA is approving the State'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.

This rule proposes revisions to the Overseas Private Investment Corporation's (``OPIC'') Privacy Act (``PA'') regulations by making substantive and administrative changes. These revisions are intended to supersede OPIC's current PA regulations, located at this Part. The proposed rule updates the agency's address, makes administrative changes to reflect OPIC's cost, and organizes the regulations to more closely match those of other agencies for ease of reference.

Section 1207 of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA) amended the Federal Home Loan Bank Act (Bank Act) to add a new section 20A, which requires the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to make available to each Federal Home Loan Bank (Bank) information relating to the financial condition of all other Banks. Section 20A also requires FHFA to promulgate regulations to facilitate the sharing of such information among the Banks. This final rule implements the provisions of section 20A of the Bank Act.

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended, prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including commercial and industrial electric motors. EPCA also requires the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to determine whether more-stringent, amended standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified, and would save a significant amount of energy. In this notice, DOE proposes energy conservation standards for a number of different groups of electric motors that DOE has not previously regulated. For those groups of electric motors currently regulated, the proposed standards would maintain the current energy conservation standards for some electric motor types and amend the energy conservation standards for other electric motor types. The document also announces a public meeting to receive comment on these proposed standards and associated analyses and results.

Pursuant to section 215 of the Federal Power Act, the Commission approves the retirement of 34 requirements within 19 Reliability Standards identified by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the Commission-certified Electric Reliability Organization. The requirements approved for retirement either: Provide little protection for Bulk-Power System reliability; or are redundant with other aspects of the Reliability Standards. In addition, the Commission withdraws 41 Commission directives that NERC develop modifications to Reliability Standards. This rule is part of the Commission's ongoing effort to review its requirements and reduce unnecessary burdens by eliminating requirements that are not necessary to the performance of the Commission's regulatory responsibilities.