March 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice of proposed rulemaking introduces a new edition of certification criteria (the 2015 Edition health IT certification criteria or ``2015 Edition''), proposes a new 2015 Edition Base EHR definition, and proposes to modify the ONC Health IT Certification Program to make it open and accessible to more types of health IT and health IT that supports various care and practice settings. The 2015 Edition would also establish the capabilities and specify the related standards and implementation specifications that Certified Electronic Health Record (EHR) Technology (CEHRT) would need to include to, at a minimum, support the achievement of meaningful use by eligible professionals (EPs), eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals (CAHs) under the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs (EHR Incentive Programs) when such edition is required for use under these programs.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the navigable waters of the Port of New York for the transit of the M/V GREY SHARK. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the transit of the vessel in distress due to a shipboard fire and ongoing damage control operations. Entering into, transiting through, remaining, anchoring or mooring within this safety zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) New York.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has received a petition for rulemaking from Michael D. Tschiltz, on behalf of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI or the petitioner), dated January 15, 2015, requesting that the NRC clarify the applicability of an NRC regulation to combined licenses (COLs). The NRC regulation allows structures, systems, and components (SSCs) of nuclear power reactors to be re-categorized based upon risk-informed considerations. Such re- categorization would result in changes in which NRC requirements would apply to those SSCs. The petition was docketed by the NRC on February 6, 2015, and has been assigned Docket No. PRM-50-110. The NRC is not requesting public comment on PRM-50-110 at this time.

The Federal Trade Commission (``Commission'') amends its Energy Labeling Rule (``Rule'') by publishing new ranges of comparability for required EnergyGuide labels on televisions.

FMCSA announces that it will hold a public listening session on April 14, 2015, to solicit information concerning section 32710 of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). This provision requires FMCSA to complete a rulemaking proceeding to consider requiring States to establish a program for annual inspections of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) designed or used to transport passengers. Additionally, under MAP-21, FMCSA must assess the risks associated with improperly maintained or inspected CMVs designed or used to transport passengers; the effectiveness of existing Federal standards for the inspection of such vehicles in mitigating the risks associated with improperly maintained vehicles and ensuring the safe and proper operation condition of such vehicles; and the costs and benefits of a mandatory inspection program. Any data regarding this topic would be appreciated. The session will be held at the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's (CVSA) workshop in Jacksonville, Florida. All comments will be transcribed and placed in the docket referenced above for FMCSA's consideration. The entire proceeding will be webcast.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the upper deck of the Steel Bridge across the Willamette River, mile 12.1, at Portland, OR. This deviation is necessary to accommodate the annual Bridge to Brews 8K and 10K run. This deviation allows the upper deck of the Steel Bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position and need not open for marine traffic.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is classifying the brain injury adjunctive interpretive electroencephalograph assessment aid into class II (special controls). The special controls that will apply to the device are identified in this order and will be part of the codified language for the brain injury adjunctive interpretive electroencephalograph assessment aid's classification. The Agency is classifying the device into class II (special controls) in order to provide a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness of the device.

This regulation establishes a tolerance for residues of thiram in or on banana. Taminco US, Inc. requested this tolerance under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing a limited approval and limited disapproval of a revision to the Pennsylvania State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP). This SIP revision addresses the sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOX) Best Available Retrofit Technology (BART) requirements for Boiler Number 1 of the Cheswick Generating Station (Cheswick) in Allegheny County. EPA is finalizing a limited approval of the SIP revision for Cheswick's SO2 and NOX BART requirements on the basis that the revision corrects an error in the SIP and strengthens the Pennsylvania SIP, while EPA is also finalizing a limited disapproval of this part of the SIP revision because the SIP revision relies on the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) and not the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) which has replaced CAIR. This final action is in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA) and EPA's rules for BART.

On November 13, 2014, the State of Tennessee, through the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), submitted a request to redesignate the Tennessee portion of the Chattanooga, TN- GA-AL fine particulate matter (PM2.5) nonattainment area (hereafter referred to as the ``Chattanooga TN-GA-AL Area'' or ``Area'') to attainment for the 1997 Annual PM2.5 national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) and to approve a state implementation plan (SIP) revision containing a maintenance plan for the Tennessee portion of the Chattanooga TN-GA-AL Area. The Tennessee portion of the Chattanooga TN-GA-AL Area is comprised of Hamilton County in Tennessee. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve the redesignation request and the related SIP revision, including TDEC's plan for maintaining attainment of the PM2.5 standard, for the Tennessee portion of the Chattanooga TN-GA-AL Area. EPA is also proposing to approve into the Tennessee SIP the motor vehicle emission budgets (MVEBs) for nitrogen oxides (NOX) and PM2.5 for the year 2025 for the Tennessee portion of the Chattanooga TN-GA-AL Area. In separate actions, EPA approved the redesignation requests and associated maintenance plans for the Alabama and Georgia portions of this Area.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Snake Creek Bridge across Snake Creek, at Islamorada, FL. This deviation will test a change to the drawbridge operation schedule to determine whether a permanent change to the schedule is needed. This deviation will allow Snake Creek Bridge to open once an hour between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Local officials are requesting this action to assist in reducing traffic caused by bridge openings.

This rule updates policies and responsibilities for basic entrance qualification standards for enlistment, appointment, and induction into the Armed Forces and delegates the authority to specify certain standards to the Secretaries of the Military Departments. It establishes the age, aptitude, character/conduct, citizenship, dependents, education, medical, physical fitness, and other disqualifying conditions that are causes for rejection from military service. Other standards may be prescribed in the event of mobilization or national emergency. This rule sets standards designed to ensure that individuals under consideration for enlistment, appointment, and/or induction are able to perform military duties successfully, and to select those who are the most trainable and adaptable to Service life.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking direct final action to approve revisions to the Placer County Air Pollution Control District (PCAPCD) and Ventura County Air Pollution Control District (VCAPCD) portions of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). These revisions concern volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from the surface coating of plastic parts and products, metalworking fluids (MWF) and direct-contact lubricants (DCL). We are approving local rules that regulate these emission sources under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing its proposal to approve revisions to the Texas State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the Houston/Galveston/Brazoria (HGB) and Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) 1997 8-Hour ozone nonattainment areas. The HGB area consists of Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery and Waller counties. The DFW area consists of Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, and Tarrant counties. Specifically, we are approving portions of multiple revisions to the Texas SIP submitted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) as meeting Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) requirements. The RACT requirements apply to sources of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) and Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) in these areas. This action is in accordance with the federal Clean Air Act (the Act, CAA).

We propose to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2005-18- 18, which applies to certain The Boeing Company Model 757 airplanes. AD 2005-18-18 currently requires inspections of certain wire bundles in the left and right engine-to-wing aft fairings for discrepancies; installation of back-to-back p-clamps between the wire and hydraulic supply tube at the aft end of the right-hand strut only; and associated re-routing of the wire bundles, if necessary. Since we issued AD 2005- 18-18, we have determined that the service information referenced in AD 2005-18-18 did not adequately address fuel shutoff valve (FSV) wires at the aft end of the struts. This proposed AD would add an installation of spiral cable wrap on FSV wires at the aft end of the strut, for both left and right engines, and related investigative and corrective actions. We are proposing this AD to prevent chafing between the wire bundle and the structure of the aft fairing, which could result in electrical arcing and subsequent ignition of flammable vapors and possible uncontrollable fire.

We are superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2011-13-07 for all Dassault Aviation Model FALCON 7X airplanes. AD 2011-13-07 requires revising the airplane flight manual (AFM) to include a procedure to power off a radio-altimeter or revert to the correct radio-altimeter output. This new AD requires revising the AFM to include a simpler procedure to revert to the correct radio-altimeter output. This AD was prompted by an analysis which showed that AFM procedures could be simplified. We are issuing this AD to ensure that the flightcrew has procedures in the event of a radio-altimeter lock-up, which inhibits the display of warnings along with certain abnormal conditions, during the switch into landing mode during altitude cruise. If not corrected, this could result in the flightcrew being unaware of possible system failures that require immediate action by the flightcrew, leading to possible loss of control of the airplane.

Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, as amended by the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 (Section 3), contributes to the establishment of stronger, more sustainable communities by ensuring that employment and other economic opportunities generated by Federal financial assistance for housing and community development programs are, to the greatest extent feasible, directed toward low- and very low-income persons, particularly those who are recipients of government assistance for housing. HUD is statutorily charged with the authority and responsibility to implement and enforce Section 3. HUD's regulations implementing the requirements of Section 3 have not been updated since 1994. This proposed rule would update HUD's Section 3 regulations to address new programs established since 1994 that are subject to the Section 3 requirements and promote compliance with the requirements of Section 3 by recipients of Section 3 covered financial assistance, while also recognizing barriers to compliance that may exist, and strengthening HUD's oversight of Section 3.

As described in the notice section of this issue of the Federal Register, the Department of Justice (Department or DOJ) has published a notice of a new Department-wide Privacy Act system of records, ``Department of Justice, Giglio Information Files,'' JUSTICE/ DOJ-017. This system has been established to enable DOJ investigative agencies to collect and maintain records of potential impeachment information and to disclose such information to DOJ prosecuting offices in order to ensure that prosecutors receive sufficient information to meet their obligations under Giglio v. United States, 405 U.S. 150 (1972), as well as to enable DOJ prosecuting offices to maintain records of potential impeachment information obtained from DOJ investigative agencies, other federal agencies, and state and local agencies and to disclose such information in accordance with the Giglio decision. For the reasons provided below, the Department proposes to amend its Privacy Act regulations by establishing an exemption for records in this system from certain provisions of the Privacy Act pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(j) and (k).

NMFS issues regulations to implement Amendment 31 to the Fishery Management Plan for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs (FMP). These regulations revise the rules governing the acquisition, use, and retention of quota share established for captains and crew, known as crew quota share or C shares, under the Crab Rationalization Program (CR Program). Regulations implementing Amendment 31 temporarily expand the eligibility requirements for individuals wishing to acquire C share Quota Share (QS) by transfer; establish minimum participation requirements for C share QS holders to be eligible to receive an annual allocation of Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ); establish minimum participation requirements for C share QS holders to be eligible to retain their C share QS and an administrative process for revocation of an individual's C share QS if he or she fails to satisfy the minimum participation requirements; establish a regulatory mechanism to ensure that three percent of the total allowable catch (TAC) for each CR Program crab fishery is allocated as IFQ to holders of C share QS; and remove the prohibition on leasing C share IFQ. In addition, this final rule implements a regulatory amendment to the CR Program that: Establishes an earlier deadline for filing annual IFQ, individual processing quota (IPQ), and crab harvesting cooperative IFQ applications, which increases the amount of time during which NMFS will suspend the processing of IFQ and IPQ transfer applications; shortens the amount of time in which to appeal an initial administrative determination to withhold issuance of IFQ or IPQ; and provides that an applicant's proof of timely filing for IFQ, IPQ, or cooperative IFQ creates a presumption of timely filing. Finally, this final rule revises the reporting period and due date for CR Program registered crab receiver (RCR) Ex-vessel Volume and Value Reports. This final rule is necessary to ensure that individuals who hold C shares are active in the CR Program fisheries and to ensure that application deadlines provide adequate time to resolve disputes. This final rule is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA), the FMP, and other applicable laws.

This action prohibits fixed-wing special visual flight rules operations at Washington-Dulles International Airport. This action is necessary to support aviation safety and the efficient use of the navigable airspace by managing operations in the busy and complex airspace around the airport.

FMCSA provides regulatory guidance concerning crashes involving motor vehicles striking the rear of attenuator trucks deployed at construction sites and whether such crashes meet the definition of ``accident'' under 49 CFR 390.5 for the motor carrier that controls the attenuator truck. Attenuator trucks are highway safety vehicles equipped with an impact attenuating crash cushion intended to reduce the risks of injuries and fatalities resulting from crashes in construction work zones. The guidance explains that such crashes in which motorists strike the attenuator trucks while they are deployed at construction work zones are not covered by the definition of accident and such occurrences will not be considered by FMCSA under its Compliance, Safety, Accountability Safety Measurement System (SMS) scores, or Safety Fitness Determination for the motor carrier that controls the attenuator truck. This guidance will provide the motor carrier industry and Federal, State, and local law enforcement officials with uniform information for use in determining whether certain crashes involving attenuator vehicles must be recorded on the motor carrier's accident register and considered in the Agency's safety oversight programs.

On February 3, 2015, the Department of Labor (DOL or the Department) published a Request for Information (RFI) in response to Executive Order 13563 on improving regulation and regulatory review, and Executive Order 13610 on identifying and reducing regulatory burden. The RFI invited public comment on how the Department can improve any of its significant regulations by modifying, streamlining, expanding, or repealing them. The comment period ended on February 25, 2015, and was subsequently extended to March 18, 2015. This extension further extends the date to comment on the RFI.

DoD is issuing an interim rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to implement sections of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015, that require offerors bidding on DoD military construction contracts to provide opportunity for competition to American steel producers, fabricators, and manufacturers; and restrict use of military construction funds in certain foreign countries, including countries that border the Arabian Gulf.

The Farm Credit Administration (FCA, we, or our) is proposing new regulations, and clarifying and enhancing existing regulations, related to the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac or Corporation) Board governance and standards of conduct, including director election procedures, conflict-of-interest, and risk governance. We also propose enhancements to existing disclosure and reporting requirements to remove repetitive reporting and allow for electronic filing of reports. In keeping with today's financial and economic environment, we believe it prudent and timely to undertake a review of our regulatory guidance on the identified areas. We also propose rules on the examination and enforcement authorities held by the FCA Office of Secondary Market Oversight (OSMO) over Farmer Mac.

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (``CERCLA'' or ``the Act''), as amended, requires that the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (``NCP'') include a list of national priorities among the known releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants throughout the United States. The National Priorities List (``NPL'') constitutes this list. The NPL is intended primarily to guide the Environmental Protection Agency (``EPA'' or ``the agency'') in determining which sites warrant further investigation. These further investigations will allow the EPA to assess the nature and extent of public health and environmental risks associated with the site and to determine what CERCLA-financed remedial action(s), if any, may be appropriate. This rule proposes to add six sites to the General Superfund section of the NPL.