April 29, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 747-8 series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of improperly installed outboard stowage bin modules in the passenger compartment found during maintenance. Further investigation revealed that certain attachment bracket bushings were missing or had moved out of the holes. This proposed AD would require installing a spacer on the end of each quick-release pin that attaches the outboard stowage bin module to the lateral support tie rods of the main deck passenger compartment. We are proposing this AD to prevent detachment of the quick-release pin, which could result in separation of the lateral support tie rod and subsequent detachment of the module and consequent injuries to passengers or flightcrew.

Currently, all U.S. passport book applicants may apply for either a 28-page or 52-page passport book at no extra charge. U.S. passport book holders may then apply for additional visa pages while the passport book is still valid. The Department of State proposes eliminating the option to add visa pages in passports beginning January 1, 2016. To help mitigate the need for visa page inserts, the Department began issuing the larger 52-page passport book in October 2014 to all overseas U.S. passport applicants at no extra cost. U.S. passport applicants applying domestically can still obtain the 52-page passport book at no extra charge by requesting it on the application form. The elimination of visa page inserts coincides with the Department's anticipated rollout of the Next Generation Passport in 2016. The Next Generation Passport incorporates new security features designed to protect the integrity of U.S. passport books against fraud and misuse. An interagency working group determined that the addition of visa page inserts could reduce the effectiveness of these new security features. If this change is implemented, the fee for this service will be removed from the Schedule of Fees for Consular Services.

In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(4), the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is republishing in full a notice of the existence and character of each TVA system of records. In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, the TVA is providing notice that it is retiring one system of records notice, TVA-8, Employee Alleged Misconduct Investigatory Files, from its inventory because the records are no longer relevant and have been disposed of in accordance with regular retention and disposal schedules. See appendix A. TVA has transitioned from The Human Resource Information System (HRIS) to a new application, People Lifestyle Unified System (PLUS), which is reflected in TVA's current SORN's submission. TVA is correcting minor typographical and stylistic errors in previously existing notices and has updated those notices to reflect current organizational structure. Also, updates are being made to show any changes to system locations; managers and addresses; categories of individuals and records; procedures and practices for storing, retrieving, accessing, retaining, and disposing of records.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) are issuing final regulations governing certification of the employment of nonimmigrant workers in temporary or seasonal non- agricultural employment. This final rule sets forth how DOL provides the consultation that DHS has determined is necessary to adjudicate H- 2B visa petitions by setting the methodology by which DOL calculates the prevailing wages to be paid to H-2B workers and U.S. workers recruited in connection with applications for temporary labor certification. Specifically, for the purposes of an H-2B temporary labor certification, this final rule establishes that, in the absence of a wage set in a valid and controlling collective bargaining agreement, the prevailing wage will be the mean wage for the occupation in the pertinent geographic area derived from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics survey, unless the H-2B employer meets the conditions for requesting that the prevailing wage be based on an employer-provided survey. Any such survey submitted must meet the new methodological criteria established in this final rule in order to be used to establish the prevailing wage. The final rule does not permit use of the wage determinations issued under the Service Contract Act or the Davis Bacon Act as sources to set the prevailing wage in the H-2B temporary labor certification context. DHS and DOL are issuing this final rule together because DHS, as the Executive Branch agency charged with administering the H-2B program, has determined that the most effective implementation of the statutory H-2B labor protections requires that DHS consult with DOL for its advice about matters with which DOL has expertise, including questions about the methodology for setting the prevailing wage in the H-2B program. DHS (and the former Immigration and Naturalization Service, Department of Justice, which was charged with administration of the H-2B program prior to enactment of the Homeland Security Act of 2002) has long recognized that DOL is the appropriate agency with which to consult regarding the availability of U.S. workers and for assuring that wages and working conditions of U.S. workers are not adversely affected by the use of H-2B workers. This rule also adopts, without change, certain revisions made to DHS's H-2B regulations, to clarify that DHS is the Executive Branch agency charged with making determinations regarding eligibility for H-2B classifications, after consulting with DOL for its advice about matters with which DOL has expertise, including questions related to the methodology for setting the prevailing wage in the H-2B program. Finally, DHS and DOL are issuing, simultaneously with this rule, a companion H-2B rule governing the certification of the employment of nonimmigrant workers in temporary or seasonal non-agricultural employment and the enforcement of the obligations applicable to employers of such nonimmigrant workers.

We are superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 99-01-05 R1, which applied to certain aircraft equipped with wing lift struts. AD 99-01-05 R1 required repetitively inspecting the wing lift struts for corrosion; repetitively inspecting the wing lift strut forks for cracks; replacing any corroded wing lift strut; replacing any cracked wing lift strut fork; and repetitively replacing the wing lift strut forks at a specified time for certain airplanes. This new AD retains all requirements of AD 99-01-05R1 and adds additional airplane models to the Applicability section. This AD was prompted by a report that additional Piper Aircraft, Inc. model airplanes should be added to the Applicability section. We are issuing this AD to correct the unsafe condition on these products.