March 17, 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS is proposing two actions in this rulemaking: A requirement for daily Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) catch reporting for vessels declared to fish in the Eastern U.S./Canada Area; and the de minimis amount of unused fishing year (FY) 2013 sector annual catch entitlement (ACE) that may be carried over, beginning in FY 2014, without being subject to potential accountability measures. The revision to the reporting requirement is necessary to better ensure accurate and timely Eastern U.S./Canada Area catch reporting for quota monitoring purposes. The proposed de minimis carryover amount is necessary to complete the carryover process NMFS described for FY 2014 in conjunction with the May 2013 rulemaking for Framework Adjustment 50 to the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The intended effect of these actions is to inform the public and solicit public comment on NMFS's proposed measures.

We propose to approve 19 sector operations plans and contracts for fishing year (FY) 2014, provide Northeast (NE) multispecies annual catch entitlements (ACE) to these sectors, and grant regulatory exemptions. We request comment on the proposed sector operations plans and contracts; the environmental assessment (EA) analyzing the impacts of the operations plans; and our proposal to grant 20 of the 28 regulatory exemptions requested by the sectors. Approval of sector operations plans is necessary to allocate ACE to the sectors and for the sectors to operate. The NE Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) allows limited access permit holders to form sectors, and requires sectors to submit their operations plans and contracts to us, NMFS, for approval or disapproval. Approved sectors are exempt from certain effort control regulations and receive allocation of NE multispecies (groundfish) based on its members' fishing history. This rule also announces the target at-sea monitoring (ASM) coverage rate for sector trips for FY 2014.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is withdrawing its proposed rule concerning proposed flood elevation determinations for Bennington County, Vermont (All Jurisdictions).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking direct final action to approve revisions to the Missouri State Implementation Plan (SIP), the 40 CFR part 62 state plans (111(d)), and the 40 CFR part 70 operating permits program, which were received on August 25, 2011, May 8, 2012, and February 11, 2013, respectively. The revisions submitted by the state move definitions currently in individual rules into one rule and eliminates the risk of the same term being defined differently for different rules. This action provides more clarity for the regulated public. These revisions do not have an adverse affect on air quality. EPA's approval of these rule revisions is being done in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).

The FAA is considering amending its drug and alcohol testing regulations to require drug and alcohol testing of certain maintenance personnel outside the United States. Specifically, the FAA is considering requiring certain air carriers to ensure that all employees of certificated repair stations, and certain other maintenance organizations that are located outside the United States, who perform safety-sensitive maintenance functions on aircraft operated by that air carrier are subject to a drug and alcohol testing program that has been determined acceptable by the FAA Administrator and is consistent with the applicable laws of the country in which the repair station is located. Safety-sensitive maintenance functions include aircraft maintenance and preventive maintenance duties. This action is necessary to address a statutory mandate. The FAA has determined that it needs additional information to develop a proposed rule and assess its likely economic impact. This notice invites comments on a variety of issues related to proposing drug and alcohol testing requirements for the relevant employees of covered maintenance providers.

This proposed rule would amend certain existing regulations for the Microloan Program. The Microloan Program assists women, low income, veteran, and minority entrepreneurs, and others capable of operating a small business that are in need of small amounts of financial assistance. Specifically, this proposed rule would allow any Microloan Program Intermediary to make microloans (loans of $50,000 or less) to businesses with an Associate who is on probation or parole, except in limited circumstances; it would increase the minimum number of loans that microloan Intermediaries must make annually; and it would remove the requirement that the Microloan Revolving Fund (MRF) and the Loan Loss Reserve Fund (LLRF) be held in interest-bearing Deposit Accounts. In addition, the proposed rule includes technical amendments that would conform the regulations to current statutory authority.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending its regulation regarding the confidentiality of data and information in and about new animal drug application files to change when certain approval-related information will be disclosed by the Agency. This change will ensure that the Agency is able to update its list of approved new animal drug products within the statutory timeframe. It will also permit more timely public disclosure of approval-related information, increasing the transparency of FDA decision making in the approval of new animal drugs.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving revisions to the Texas State Implementation Plan (SIP) that control emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at gasoline dispensing facilities (GDFs) in Texas. The revisions were submitted to the EPA by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) on October 31, 2013 and address the maintenance and removal of Stage II vapor recovery equipment at GDFs. The EPA is also approving related revisions to the Stage II SIP narrative that pertain to the maintenance and removal of Stage II vapor recovery equipment and demonstrate that the absence of Stage II equipment in the Beaumont-Port Arthur (BPA), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and Houston-Galveston Brazoria (HGB) areas, and in El Paso County would not interfere with attainment of the national ambient air quality standards, reasonable further progress or any other requirement of the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act). The EPA is approving these revisions pursuant to sections 110 and 202 of the Act and consistent with the EPA's guidance.