September 11, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This regulation establishes an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of tetraethylene glycol (CAS Reg. No. 112- 60-7) when used as an inert ingredient (solvent) in pesticide formulations applied to growing crops. Exponent, Inc. on behalf of Drexel Chemical Company submitted a petition to EPA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), requesting establishment of an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of tetraethylene glycol.

In 2013, PBGC proposed to establish risk-based safe harbors that would exempt most companies and plans from many of its reportable events requirements and target reporting toward the minority of plan sponsors and plans presenting the most substantial risk of involuntary or distress termination. After holding a hearing on the proposal, and carefully considering the public's written and oral comments, PBGC is publishing this final rule to make the requirements of the sponsor risk-based safe harbor more flexible, make the funding level for satisfying the well-funded plan safe harbor lower and tied to the variable-rate premium, and add public company waivers for five events. The waiver structure under the final rule will further reduce unnecessary reporting requirements, while at the same time better targeting PBGC's resources to plans that pose the greatest risks to the pension insurance system. PBGC anticipates the final rule will exempt about 94 percent of plans and sponsors from many reporting requirements and result in a net reduction in reporting to PBGC. This rulemaking is a result of PBGC's regulatory review under Executive Order 13563.

This document provides the NTSB's interpretation of the applicability of the agency's regulations concerning aircraft accident notification requirements to unmanned aircraft. The regulations define ``unmanned aircraft accident'' and require notifications of accidents that fulfill the criteria included in the definition. By this Notice, the NTSB clarifies it does not consider model aircraft to fall within the regulatory definition of unmanned aircraft accident, for purposes of required notification.

On July 13, 2015, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published in the Federal Register a proposed rule to establish minimum standards for site security at oil and gas facilities located on Federal and Indian (except Osage Tribe) lands. This proposed rule would replace Onshore Oil and Gas Order No. 3, Site Security (Order 3), with new regulations that would be codified in the Code of Federal Regulations. It includes provisions intended to ensure that oil and gas produced from Federal and Indian oil and gas leases are properly and securely handled, to ensure accurate measurement, production accountability, and royalty payments, and to prevent theft and loss. The changes proposed as part of this proposed rule would allow the BLM to strengthen its policies governing production verification and accountability by updating Order 3's requirements to address changes in technology and industry practices that have occurred in the 25 years since Order 3 was issued, and to respond to recommendations made by the Government Accountability Office with respect to the BLM's production verification efforts. This notice extends the public comment period for 28 days beyond the initial comment-period deadline on the proposed rule.

These special conditions are issued for the Korea Aerospace Industries, Ltd., Model K-100 airplane. This airplane will have a novel or unusual design feature(s) associated with the use of an electronic engine control system instead of a traditional mechanical control system. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to approve some elements of state implementation plan (SIP) submissions from Wisconsin regarding the infrastructure requirements of section 110 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) for the 2008 ozone, 2010 nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and 2010 sulfur dioxide (SO2) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The infrastructure requirements are designed to ensure that the structural components of each state's air quality management program are adequate to meet the state's responsibilities under the CAA. The proposed rulemaking associated with this final action was published on April 20, 2015, and EPA received no comments during the comment period, which ended on May 20, 2015.

On April 29, 2015, the Rural Housing Service (RHS) published a final rule to create a certified loan application packaging process for the direct single family housing loan program. On June 5, 2015, the final rule's effective date was deferred to October 1, 2015. The final rule's effective date is further delayed until October 1, 2016.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a request submitted by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management on June 1, 2015, to revise its state implementation plan (SIP) for sulfur dioxide (SO2). The revision updates information regarding Walsh and Kelly, Incorporated, a hot mix asphalt plant located in Griffith, Lake County, Indiana. Walsh and Kelly, Incorporated, is replacing its aggregate drum dryer. The revision does not change any of the SO2 control requirements and will not result in an increase in SO2 emissions.

The World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program, at the direction of the Administrator, conducted a review of published studies regarding potential evidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and acute traumatic injury among individuals who were responders to or survivors of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The Administrator of the WTC Health Program found that these studies provided substantial support for a causal relationship between the health conditions and 9/11 exposures. As a result, the Administrator has determined to publish a proposed rule to add new- onset COPD and to add acute traumatic injury to the List of WTC-Related Health Conditions eligible for treatment coverage in the WTC Health Program.

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) publishes this final rule to implement Executive Order 13665 (also referred to as ``the Order,'' infra) issued on April 8, 2014 to prohibit Federal contractors from discriminating against, in any manner, employees and job applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their own compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants. Executive Order 13665 amends Executive Order 11246, which prohibits employment discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, by revising the mandatory equal opportunity clauses that are included in Federal contracts and subcontracts, and federally assisted construction contracts, and creating contractor defenses. This final rule defines key terms used in Executive Order 13665 and adopts other key provisions in the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM). The final rule also adds a section to the implementing regulations for Executive Order 11246. This section not only describes potential defenses for contractors but also requires contractors to notify employees and job applicants of the nondiscrimination protection created by section 2(b) of Executive Order 13665 using existing methods of communicating to applicants and employees. The implementing regulations for Executive Order 11246 set forth the basic equal employment opportunity requirements that apply to Federal contractors and subcontractors.