March 25, 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. This revision will establish an updated ten-year carbon monoxide (CO) maintenance plan for the New York portion of the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island (NYCMA) CO area which includes the following seven counties: Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Queens, Richmond and Westchester. In addition, EPA proposes to approve a revision to the CO motor vehicle emissions budgets for New York and revisions to the 2007 Attainment/Base Year emissions inventory. The New York portion of the NYCMA CO area was redesignated to attainment of the CO National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) on April 19, 2002 and maintenance plans were also approved at that time. By this action, EPA is proposing to approve the second maintenance plan for this area because it provides for continued attainment for an additional ten years of the CO NAAQS.

On August 2, 2013, DOE published a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNOPR) concerning its regulations governing Assistance to Foreign Atomic Energy Activities. The comment period on the SNOPR was originally to close on October 31, 2013, but was extended until November 30, 2013. By this notice, DOE is re-opening the comment period on the SNOPR. The comment period will close on April 2, 2014. The re-opening of the comment period will provide for additional time for the public to review and comment on the proposed regulation and other comments received. The Department looks forward to hearing feedback from the public on the proposed regulations.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are proposing to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to delete regulations relating to the year 2000 compliance.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is revising its regulations implementing the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) following a period of public comment on its proposed rule. The purposes for the revision are to update the regulations to be consistent with amendments to FOIA that were signed into law on December 31, 2007, and October 28, 2009, to revise DOT's fee schedule and other charges, and to make provisions clearer and easier to locate.

We propose to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2005-13- 05, which applies to certain Boeing Model 747-400F series airplanes. AD 2005-13-05 currently requires inspections for cracking of the web, upper chord, and upper chord strap of the upper deck floor beams, and repair of any cracking. AD 2005-13-05 also requires a preventive modification of the upper deck floor beams, and repetitive inspections for cracking after accomplishing the modification. Since we issued AD 2005-13-05, the upper chords of the upper deck floor beams at certain stations have been determined to be structures that are susceptible to widespread fatigue damage, and certain airplanes with an initial modification require a second modification for the airplane to meet its limit of validity (LOV). This proposed AD would require that second modification and repetitive inspections for cracking and repair if necessary. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct fatigue cracking in certain upper chords of the upper deck floor beam, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the airplane and rapid decompression or reduced controllability of the airplane.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Dassault Aviation Model FALCON 7X airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports that the pintle pins installed on a certain number of airplanes may be incorrectly protected against corrosion. This proposed AD would require replacing certain pintle pins on the left- and right-hand main landing gear (MLG) with a serviceable part. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct pintle pins that have been incorrectly corrosion-protected, which could cause the pintle pins to shear under normal load and lead to the collapse of the MLG during take-off or landing.

FRA issues this final rule in accordance with a statutory mandate that the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) require certain major railroads to develop, and submit to the Secretary for approval, critical incident stress plans that provide for appropriate support services to be offered to their employees who are affected by a ``critical incident'' as defined by the Secretary. The final rule contains a definition of the term ``critical incident,'' the elements appropriate for the rail environment to be included in a railroad's critical incident stress plan, the type of employees to be covered by the plan, a requirement that a covered railroad submit its plan to FRA for approval, and a requirement that a railroad adopt and comply with its FRA-approved plan.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published in the Federal Register on November 14, 2013 (78 FR 68364), a notification delaying the effective date of a final rule that amends the payment methodology for providers of home health services and hospice care. That notification changed the effective date from November 15, 2013, to April 1, 2014. We are now delaying until June 1, 2014, the effective date of the final rule at 78 FR 26250.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is extending the comment period for the notice of proposed rulemaking that appeared in the Federal Register of December 24, 2013 (78 FR 78014), entitled ``Focused Mitigation Strategies to Protect Food Against Intentional Adulteration'' and its information collection provisions. We are taking this action in response to requests for an extension to allow interested persons an opportunity to fully review and analyze the approaches FDA has proposed for the rule and its potential impact as well as to consider the complexity and if the proposal has the flexibility to address the many types of food operations that will be affected. We also are taking this action to keep the comment period for the information collection provisions associated with the rule consistent with the comment period for the proposed rule.

The Coast Guard will enforce the FKCC Swim around Key West Special Local Regulation in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. on June 14, 2014. This action is necessary to ensure the safety of race participants, participant vessels, spectators, and the general public from the hazards associated with this event. During the enforcement period, no person or vessel may enter the regulated area without permission from the Captain of the Port.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve negative declarations for hospital/medical/infectious waste incinerators (HMIWI) for the State of Connecticut and the State of New Hampshire and negative declarations for sewage sludge incinerators (SSI) for the State of Maine and the State of Vermont. EPA is also proposing to approve the withdrawal of a previously-approved State Plan for HMIWI in the State of New Hampshire. Lastly, EPA is proposing technical corrections to Clean Air Act Sections 111(d) and 129 State Plan (Negative Declaration) approvals for Other Solid Waste Incinerators (OSWI) for the State of Rhode Island and the State of Vermont.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing to amend its regulations governing classification and reclassification of medical devices to conform to the applicable provisions in the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act (FDASIA). FDA is also proposing changes unrelated to the new FDASIA requirements to update its regulations governing classification and reclassification of medical devices. FDA is taking this action to codify the procedures and criteria that apply to classification and reclassification of medical devices and to provide for classification of devices in the lowest regulatory class consistent with the public health and the statutory scheme for device regulation.

This rule establishes, amends, suspends, or revokes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and associated Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures for operations at certain airports. These regulatory actions are needed because of the adoption of new or revised criteria, or because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System, such as the commissioning of new navigational facilities, adding new obstacles, or changing air traffic requirements. These changes are designed to provide safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.

This proposed rule would adjust representation on the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board (Board), established under the Beef Promotion and Research Act of 1985 (Act), to reflect changes in cattle inventories as well as cattle and beef imports that have occurred since the most recent Board reapportionment rule became effective in July 2011. These adjustments are required by the Beef Promotion and Research Order (Order) and would result in a decrease in Board membership from 103 to 99, effective with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) appointments for terms beginning early in the year 2015. The proposed rule also would make technical amendments to update and correct information in the Order and regulations.

The Secretary proposes to amend the regulations on institutional eligibility under the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), and the Student Assistance General Provisions to establish measures for determining whether certain postsecondary educational programs prepare students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation, and the conditions under which these educational programs remain eligible under the Federal Student Aid programs authorized under title IV of the HEA (title IV, HEA programs).