October 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking direct final action to approve revisions to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the State of Missouri on May 8, 2012, related to a Missouri rule titled ``Control of Emissions from Hand-Fired Equipment.'' Today's action approves a revision to the Missouri SIP that allows the burning of discarded clean wood in non-residential (commercial owned and operated) heating devices, with restrictions to ensure environmentally-sound operation, in the St. Louis metropolitan area.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving the State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the State of Iowa for the purpose of approving the 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2013 updates to the Linn County Air Quality Ordinance. EPA is approving Iowa's request to include revisions to the Linn County Air Quality Ordinance, Chapter 10, because the revisions improve the stringency of the Iowa SIP.

In this final rule, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is revising the regulations for the Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program concerning investments in passive businesses. SBICs are generally prohibited from investing in passive businesses under the Small Business Investment Act of 1958, as amended, as well as under SBIC program regulations. This final rule modifies an exception that allows an SBIC to make an investment in a passive small business that passes through the investment proceeds to one or more subsidiaries, each of which must be a non-passive small business. This modification allows an SBIC to structure an investment utilizing two levels of passive small businesses as pass-through entities under specific circumstances. The purpose of the modification is to place SBICs on a more equal footing with their non-SBIC counterparts in the venture capital and private equity sectors, in which investments structured with two passive levels are not uncommon. This final rule also includes several technical corrections. Specifically, the final rule updates the regulations by replacing obsolete Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes with their equivalents under the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS); corrects erroneous paragraph cross-references; and modernizes the options for meeting the record preservation requirements by removing the reference to ``microfilm.''

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking direct final action to approve revisions to the applicable state implementation plan for the State of Nevada submitted by the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection. The revisions include amended State rules related to applications for, and issuance of, permits for stationary sources, but not including review and permitting of major sources and major modifications under parts C and D of title I of the Clean Air Act. EPA is taking action under the Clean Air Act obligation to take action on State submittals of revisions to state implementation plans. The intended effect of the approval is to fix deficiencies in the previously-approved version of the permitting rules and to ensure that new or modified stationary sources do not interfere with attainment or maintenance of the national ambient air quality standards.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking direct final action to approve revisions to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the State of Missouri on May 8, 2012, and October 17, 2013, related to a Missouri rule titled ``Restriction of Emission of Particulate Matter from Industrial Processes.'' This action amends the SIP in four ways. The first is it updates an outdated reference in the current SIP approved rule. Second, it provides a hierarchy of compliance measurement approaches for Particulate Matter (PM) emissions from industrial processes. Third, it provides a clarification on applicability of the provisions. And fourth, it deletes redundant definitions.

The Federal Election Commission is revising its rules regarding corporate and labor organization funding of expenditures, independent expenditures, and electioneering communications. The Commission is issuing these rules in response to a Petition for Rulemaking filed by the James Madison Center for Free Speech petitioning the Commission to amend its regulations in response to the decision of the Supreme Court in Citizens United v. FEC.

In this document, the Commission eliminates certain waivers of the telecommunications relay service (TRS) requirements that are no longer necessary, given advances in communications technology. At the same time, it extends certain existing waivers of mandatory minimum standards for specific providers for which the provision of certain TRS features is technologically infeasible at this time. The Commission also eliminates certain TRS requirements that are either not applicable or technically not feasible, while ensuring that TRS consumers continue to have access to communications services that are functionally equivalent to voice telephone services. Lastly, the Commission eliminates an annual reporting requirement for TRS providers. These actions provide regulatory clarity and reduce administrative burdens on both TRS providers and the Commission and ensure that the TRS mandatory minimum standards are applicable and technologically appropriate for each type of TRS.

On September 22, 2014, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) published a direct final rule which rearranged existing drug-free workplace requirements for financial assistance in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The action was consistent with the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) guidance on drug-free workplace requirements for financial assistance. This rule makes amendments for editorial purposes.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services solicits written comments regarding new objectives proposed to be added to Healthy People 2020 since the fall 2013 public comment period, as well as written comments proposing new objectives to be included within existing Healthy People 2020 topic areas. Public participation helps shape Healthy People 2020, its framework, objectives, organization, and targets. Healthy People 2020 will provide opportunities for public input periodically throughout the decade to ensure that Healthy People 2020 reflects current public health priorities and public input. The updated set of Healthy People 2020 objectives will be incorporated on www.HealthyPeople.gov. This set will reflect further review and deliberation by the topic area workgroups, Federal Interagency Workgroup on Healthy People 2020, and other Healthy People 2020 stakeholders.

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) intends to request that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) extend approval (with modifications), under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, of its collection of information for Annual Reporting (OMB control number 1212-0057, expires June 30, 2017). This notice informs the public of PBGC's intent and solicits public comment on the collection of information.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Nevada State Office is seeking expressions of interest for a possible competitive mineral materials sale of three stockpiles containing potassium and sodium salts, constructed by the layering of salt mechanically scraped from the evaporative ponds belonging to Rockwood Lithium (Rockwood), formerly doing business as Chemetall Foote Corporation/Cyprus Foote Mineral Company. The stockpiles are a byproduct of lithium carbonate processing of Rockwood's lithium brine operations and are stockpiled on approximately 340 acres of private land owned by Rockwood Lithium in Clayton Valley, Esmeralda County, Nevada at Silver Peak.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) invites public comment on a second version of its draft Guidance for EPAct 2005 Section 242 Program. The guidance describes how DOE intends to provide incentive payments to the owners or operators of qualified hydroelectric facilities for electric energy generated and sold for a specified 10- year period as authorized under section 242 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

The National Boating Safety Advisory Council and its Subcommittees will meet on November 6 through 8, 2014, in Arlington, VA, to discuss issues relating to recreational boating safety. These meetings will be open to the public.

The Department of Commerce (the ``Department'') published the Preliminary Determination of the countervailing duty (``CVD'') investigation of 1,1,1,2 tetrafluoroethane (``tetrafluoroethane'') from the People's Republic of China (``PRC'') on April 18, 2014.\1\ The Department determines that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of tetrafluoroethane from the PRC. For information on the estimated subsidy rates, see the ``Suspension of Liquidation'' section of this notice. The period of investigation is January 1, 2012-December 31, 2012.

On September 5, 2014, Panda Temple Power II, LLC, as owner and operator of a new base load electric generating plant, submitted a coal capability self-certification to the Department of Energy (DOE) pursuant to Sec. 201(d) of the Powerplant and Industrial Fuel Use Act of 1978 (FUA), as amended, and DOE regulations in 10 CFR 501.60, 61. FUA and regulations thereunder require DOE to publish a notice of filing of self-certification in the Federal Register. 42 U.S.C. 8311(d) and 10 CFR 501.61(c).

This document announces tribal consultation meetings on the proposed rule amending regulations governing Secretarial elections and petitioning procedures.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Regulatory Secretariat Division will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve an extension of a previously approved information collection requirement regarding Information Specific to a Contract or Contracting Action (not required by regulation). A notice was published in the Federal Register at 79 FR 42514, on July 22, 2014. No comments were received.

On October 3, 2014 (79 FR 59758-59759), the Department of Defense published a notice announcing an October 23, 2014 meeting of the Defense Business Board. The Department of Defense announces that the meeting time has changed. All other information in the notice of October 3, 2014 remains the same.

Constellation NewEnergy, Inc. (Applicant) has applied to renew its authority to transmit electric energy from the United States to Mexico pursuant to section 202(e) of the Federal Power Act.