December 11, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, propose a revised special rule under authority of section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), that provides measures that are necessary and advisable to provide for the conservation of the lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus). In addition, we announce the reopening of the public comment period on the December 11, 2012, proposed rule to list the lesser prairie-chicken as a threatened species under the Act. We also announce the availability of the final Lesser Prairie-Chicken Range-Wide Conservation Plan, which has been prepared by the Lesser Prairie-Chicken Interstate Working Group, and our endorsement of the plan, and request comments on the plan as it relates to our determination of status under section 4(a)(1) of the Act.

EPA is proposing to approve a State implementation plan revision submitted by the State of California to provide for attainment of the 2008 lead national ambient air quality standard in the Los Angeles County nonattainment area. The submitted SIP revision is the Final 2012 Lead State Implementation PlanLos Angeles County. Specifically, EPA is proposing to approve the emissions inventory, attainment demonstration, the reasonably available control measures/ reasonably available control technology, reasonable further progress demonstration, and contingency measures as meeting the requirements of the Clean Air Act and EPA's implementing regulations for the lead NAAQS.

This regulation establishes an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of the biochemical pesticide prohydrojasmon (PDJ) when used as a plant growth regulator in or on apple and grape pre-harvest, in accordance with label directions and good agricultural practices. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of PDJ.

On August 21, 2013, NMFS published the proposed rule for Draft Amendment 7 to the 2006 Consolidated Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP) to control bluefin incidental catch (landings and dead discards) in the pelagic longline fishery, enhance reporting in all categories, and ensure U.S. compliance with the ICCAT- recommended quota. As described in the proposed rule, the proposed measures include Allocation measures, Area-Based measures, Bluefin Quota Controls, Enhanced Reporting measures, and other measures that modify rules with respect to how the various quota categories utilize quota. In the proposed rule, NMFS announced the end of the comment period as October 23, 2013, which would allow an approximately 60-day comment period. On September 18, 2013, NMFS extended the comment period through December 10, 2013, in order to provide additional opportunities for the public and other interested parties to comment on the proposed rule, and to provide adequate time for constituents to consider potential changes to the regulatory environment resulting from any new recommendations by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas at its November 2013 meeting. However, due to the government shutdown and NMFS' inability to respond to constituents on this complex rule during that time frame and based on the comments received to date requesting an extension due to the complexity and interplay of the measures covered in the DEIS, NMFS is reopening the comment period for this action until January 10, 2014, to provide additional opportunity for informed public comment.

NMFS announces that the 2013 summer flounder commercial fishery in the State of New Jersey will be reopened to provide the opportunity for the fishery to fully harvest the available quota. Vessels issued a commercial Federal fisheries permit for the summer flounder fishery may land summer flounder in New Jersey until the quota is fully harvested. Regulations governing the summer flounder fishery require publication of this notification to advise New Jersey that quota remains available, and the summer flounder fishery is open to vessel permit holders for landing summer flounder in New Jersey, and to inform dealer permit holders in New Jersey that they may purchase summer flounder.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all BAE SYSTEMS (OPERATIONS) LIMITED Model BAe 146 series airplanes and Model Avro 146-RJ series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of cracking of the main fitting of the nose landing gear (NLG). This proposed AD would require revising the maintenance program by incorporating a new safe-life limitation for the NLG main fitting. We are proposing this AD to prevent collapse of the NLG, which could lead to degradation of direction control on the ground or an un-commanded turn to the left and a consequent loss of control of the airplane on the ground, possibly resulting in damage to the airplane and injury to occupants.

This action proposes special conditions for the Bombardier Inc. Models BD-500-1A10 and BD-500-1A11 series airplanes. These airplanes will have a novel or unusual design feature associated with a new control architecture and a full digital flight control system that provides flight envelope protections. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These proposed special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.

This action proposes special conditions for the Bombardier Inc. Models BD-500-1A10 and BD-500-1A11 series airplanes. These airplanes will have a novel or unusual design feature associated with an electronic flight control system that contains fly-by-wire control laws, including envelope protections, for the overspeed protection and roll limiting function. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These proposed special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.

This advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) solicits public comment on specific practices for which civil money penalties (CMPs) may or may not be imposed for failure to comply with Medicare Secondary Payer reporting requirements for certain group health and non-group health plans arrangements.

EPA is approving portions of one revision to the New Mexico State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) to EPA on January 8, 2013. The January 8, 2013, submittal adopted revisions to the New Mexico Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) plantwide applicability limit (PAL) permitting provisions to enable the NMED to issue PALs to greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting sources. EPA is approving the January 8, 2013, SIP revision to the New Mexico PSD permitting program as consistent with federal requirements for PSD permitting. EPA is taking no action on the portion of the January 8, 2013, SIP revision that relates to the provisions of EPA's July 20, 2011, GHG Biomass Deferral Rule. EPA is taking this final action under section 110 and part C of the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act). EPA is not approving these rules within the exterior boundaries of a reservation or other areas within any Tribal Nation's jurisdiction.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announce a 12-month finding on a petition to reclassify Eriodictyon altissimum (Indian Knob mountain balm) as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). After review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that reclassifying E. altissimum as threatened is not warranted at this time. However, we ask the public to submit to us any new information that becomes available concerning the threats to E. altissimum or its habitat at any time.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service or we) proposes migratory bird subsistence harvest regulations in Alaska for the 2014 season. These regulations would enable the continuation of customary and traditional subsistence uses of migratory birds in Alaska and prescribe regional information on when and where the harvesting of birds may occur. These regulations were developed under a co-management process involving the Service, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and Alaska Native representatives. The rulemaking is necessary because the regulations governing the subsistence harvest of migratory birds in Alaska are subject to annual review. This rulemaking proposes region- specific regulations that would go into effect on April 2, 2014, and expire on August 31, 2014.