2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard will enforce the Portland Dragon Boat Races Safety Zone from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. on September 12, 2015 and 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. on September 13, 2015. This action is necessary to ensure the safety of maritime traffic, including the public vessels present, on the Willamette River during the Portland Dragon Boat Races. During the enforcement period, no person or vessel may enter or remain in the safety zone without permission from the Sector Columbia River Captain of the Port.

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is amending Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or Program) regulations to codify certain nondiscretionary provisions of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (the ``2014 Farm Bill''). This final rule excludes medical marijuana from being treated as an allowable medical expense for the purposes of determining the excess medical expense deduction under SNAP. This rule also amends multiple SNAP regulations pursuant to nondiscretionary changes under the 2014 Farm Bill related to Quality Control (QC). This rule updates the QC error tolerance threshold to no more than $37 for Fiscal Year (FY) 2014. For FY 2015 and thereafter, the QC tolerance level will be set annually based on an adjustment in the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP). In addition, this rule eliminates USDA's ability to waive any portion of a State's QC liability amount, except as provided in SNAP regulations that requires State agencies to use SNAP High Performance Bonus Payments only for SNAP administrative expenses including investments in technology, improvements in administration and distribution, and actions to prevent fraud, waste and abuse. Finally, this rule amends SNAP regulations pertaining to the use of SNAP benefits to pay for container deposit fees. The 2014 Farm Bill prohibits SNAP benefits from being used to pay for container deposit fees in excess of any State fee reimbursement required to purchase food in a returnable bottle or can.

AMS proposes to amend the Cotton Board Rules and Regulations by decreasing the value assigned to imported cotton for calculating supplemental assessments collected for use by the Cotton Research and Promotion Program. The amendment is required each year to ensure that assessments collected on imported cotton and the cotton content of imported products will be the same as those paid on domestically produced cotton. AMS is publishing this amendment as a direct final rule without prior proposal because the action is contemplated by statute and required by regulation and the agency anticipates no significant adverse comment. AMS has explained its reasons in the preamble of the direct final rule. If AMS receives no significant adverse comment during the comment period, no further action on this proposed rule will be taken. If, however, AMS receives significant adverse comment, AMS will withdraw the direct final rule and it will not take effect. In that case, AMS will address all public comments in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. AMS will not institute a second comment period on this rule. Any parties interested in commenting must do so during this comment period. This proposed rule is a companion document to the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) direct final rule (published today in the ``Rules and Regulations'' section of the Federal Register).

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is amending the Cotton Board Rules and Regulations, decreasing the value assigned to imported cotton for the purposes of calculating supplemental assessments collected for use by the Cotton Research and Promotion Program. This amendment is required each year to ensure that assessments collected on imported cotton and the cotton content of imported products will be the same as those paid on domestically produced cotton.

This document makes amendments to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) in order to make editorial changes.

This document summarizes the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) rules agreed to by the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) in this Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-84. A companion document, the Small Entity Compliance Guide (SECG), follows this FAC. The FAC, including the SECG, is available via the Internet at https://www.regulations.gov.

The Commission is requesting public comment on its Trade Regulation Rule entitled ``Ophthalmic Practice Rules (Eyeglass Rule),'' which requires eye care practitioners to release eyeglass prescriptions to their patients (``Eyeglass Rule''). The Commission is soliciting comments about the efficiency, costs, benefits, and regulatory impact of the Rule as part of its systematic review of all current Commission regulations and guides. All interested persons are hereby given notice of the opportunity to submit written data, views, and arguments concerning the Rule.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is issuing a final rule regarding the housing goals for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) for 2015 through 2017. The Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992, as amended (the Safety and Soundness Act), requires FHFA to establish annual housing goals for mortgages purchased by the Enterprises. The housing goals include separate categories for single-family and multifamily mortgages on housing that is affordable to low-income and very low-income families, among other categories. The final rule establishes the benchmark levels for each of the housing goals and subgoals for 2015 through 2017. In addition, the final rule establishes a new housing subgoal for small multifamily properties affordable to low-income families. The final rule also adds or revises a number of other provisions in the housing goals regulation in order to provide greater clarity about the mortgages that will qualify for the goals or subgoals. In addition, the final rule makes a number of clarifying and conforming changes, including revisions to the definitions of ``rent'' and ``utilities'' and to the rules for determining affordability of both single-family and multifamily units. The final rule also establishes more transparent agency procedures for FHFA guidance on the housing goals. FHFA also discusses here its plans to require more detailed Enterprise reporting to FHFA on the Enterprises' purchases of mortgages on single-family rental housing.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposes revising 46 U.S. Standards for Grades of fresh fruits and vegetables, fruits and vegetables for processing, nuts, and specialty crops by removing the ``Unclassified'' category from each standard. This would bring these grade standards in line with other recently amended standards and current terminology. This revision would update the standards to more accurately represent today's marketing practices and provide the industry with greater flexibility.

The Coast Guard is establishing a Special Local Regulation for the ``Swim the Loop'' and ``Motts Channel Sprint'' swim event, to be held on the waters adjacent to and surrounding Harbor Island in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. This Special Local Regulation is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event. This action is intended to restrict vessel traffic on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway within 550 yards north and south of the U.S. 74/76 Bascule Bridge crossing the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, mile 283.1, at Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, during the swim event.

In January 2011, NMFS implemented the groundfish trawl rationalization program (a catch share program) for the Pacific coast groundfish limited entry trawl fishery. The program was implemented through Amendment 20 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan and the corresponding implementing regulations. Amendment 20 established the trawl rationalization program, which includes an Individual Fishing Quota program for limited entry trawl participants. Under current regulations, quota share (QS) permit owners must divest quota share holdings that exceed accumulation limits by November 30, 2015. This proposed action would make minor procedural modifications to the program regulations to clarify how divestiture and revocation of excess quota share could occur in November, 2015, and establish procedures applicable in the future if divestiture becomes necessary.

The Coast Guard will enforce Special Local Regulations for the Southern Professional Outboard Racing Tour (S.P.O.R.T.) boat races to be held on the Sabine River in Orange, TX from 3 p.m. on September 18, 2015, through 6 p.m. on September 20, 2015. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of the participants, crew, spectators, participating vessels, non-participating vessels and other users of the waterway. During the enforcement period, the Coast Guard Patrol Commander will enforce restrictions upon, and control the movement of, vessels in the zone established by the Special Local Regulation.

The Multiemployer Pension Reform Act of 2014 (MPRA) pertains to multiemployer plans that are projected to have insufficient funds, at some point in the future, to pay the full plan benefits to which individuals will be entitled (referred to as plans in ``critical and declining status''). The sponsor of such a plan is permitted to reduce the pension benefits payable to plan participants and beneficiaries if certain conditions are satisfied (referred to as a ``suspension of benefits''). A suspension of benefits is not permitted to take effect prior to a vote of the participants of the plan with respect to the suspension. This document contains temporary regulations that provide guidance relating to the administration of that vote. These temporary regulations affect active, retired, and deferred vested participants and beneficiaries of multiemployer plans that are in critical and declining status as well as employers contributing to, and sponsors and administrators of, those plans. The text of these temporary regulations also serves as the text of the proposed regulations set forth in the notice of proposed rulemaking (REG-123640-15) on this subject in the Proposed Rules section of this issue of the Federal Register.

Petitions for Reconsideration (Petitions) have been filed in the Commission's Rulemaking proceeding by Thomas C. Power, on behalf of CTIATHE WIRELESS ASSOCIATION; John J. Heitmann on behalf of The Wireless ETC Petitioners.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Rock Island Railroad and Highway Drawbridge across the Upper Mississippi River, mile 482.9, at Rock Island, Illinois. The deviation is necessary to allow the Quad City Marathon to cross the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to be maintained in the closed-to-navigation position for four and a half hours.

We propose to supersede airworthiness directive (AD) 2007-25- 08 for Eurocopter Model SA-365 N1, AS-365N2, AS 365 N3, SA-366G1, EC 155B, and EC155B1 helicopters. AD 2007-25-08 currently requires checking the tail rotor gearbox (TGB) oil level, inspecting the magnetic plug for chips and either replacing the TGB or further inspecting for axial play in the tail rotor hub pitch change control spider (spider), and if axial play is found in the spider, replacing the pitch control rod assembly double bearing (bearing). Since we issued the AD 2007-25-08, we have received reports of new occurrences of loss of yaw control due to failure of the control rod bearing. This proposed AD would retain some of the requirements of AD 2007-25-08, revise the inspections for play in the double bearing to improve the detection of play, require replacing the TGB control shaft guide bushes, clarify the criteria concerning particle detection, and change the inspection for play in the double bearing after the guide bushes have been replaced. The proposed actions are intended to prevent damage to the bearing resulting in end play, loss of tail rotor pitch control, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a state implementation plan (SIP) revision from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality related to the removal of ``Stage II'' vapor recovery equipment at gasoline dispensing facilities in the Phoenix-Mesa area. Specifically, the EPA is proposing to approve a SIP revision that eliminates the requirement to install and operate such equipment at new gasoline dispensing facilities, and that provides for the phased removal of such equipment at existing gasoline dispensing facilities from October 2016 through September 2018. The EPA has previously determined that onboard refueling vapor recovery is in widespread use nationally and waived the stage II vapor recovery requirement. The EPA is proposing to approve this SIP revision because the resultant short-term incremental increase in emissions would not interfere with attainment or maintenance of the national ambient air quality standards or any other requirement of the Clean Air Act and because it would avoid longer-term increases in emissions from the continued operation of stage II vapor recovery equipment at gasoline dispensing facilities in the Phoenix-Mesa area.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by adding twenty-nine persons under thirty-three entries to the Entity List. The twenty-nine persons who are added to the Entity List have been determined by the U.S. Government to be acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States. BIS is taking this action to ensure the efficacy of existing sanctions on the Russian Federation (Russia) for violating international law and fueling the conflict in eastern Ukraine. These persons will be listed on the Entity List under the destinations of Crimea region of Ukraine, Cyprus, Finland, Romania, Russia, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. This final rule also revises the reference to Crimea (occupied) on the Entity List to conform to other references in the EAR that refer to the Crimea region of Ukraine.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for MD Helicopters Inc. (MDHI) Model 369A, 369D, 369E, 369FF, 369HE, 369HM, 369HS, 500N, and 600N helicopters with a certain part-numbered main rotor blade attach pin (pin) installed. This proposed AD would require ensuring the life limit of the pin as listed in the Airworthiness Limitations section of aircraft maintenance records and Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA). If the hours time-in-service (TIS) of a pin is unknown, or if a pin has exceeded its life limit, this proposed AD would require removing the affected pin from service. This proposed AD is prompted by a report from an operator who purchased pins that did not have life limit documentation. The proposed actions are intended to document the life limit to prevent a pin remaining in service beyond its fatigue life, which could result in failure of a pin, failure of a main rotor blade, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Metropolitan Ave. Bridge, across the English Kills, mile 3.4, at Brooklyn, New York. This deviation is necessary to remove lead based paint in the bridge control house electrical room. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position for 3 days.

This document contains temporary regulations regarding the treatment as United States property of property held by a controlled foreign corporation (CFC) in connection with certain transactions involving partnerships. In addition, the temporary regulations provide rules regarding when a CFC is considered to derive rents and royalties in the active conduct of a trade or business for purposes of determining foreign personal holding company income (FPHCI). These regulations affect United States shareholders of CFCs. The text of the temporary regulations also serves as the text of the proposed regulations set forth in the notice of proposed rulemaking on this subject in the Proposed Rules section of this issue of the Federal Register. The final regulations revise and add cross-references to coordinate the application of the temporary regulations.

This document contains proposed regulations that provide rules regarding the treatment as United States property of property held by a controlled foreign corporation (CFC) in connection with certain transactions involving partnerships. In addition, in the Rules and Regulations section of this issue of the Federal Register, the Department of Treasury (Treasury Department) and the IRS are issuing temporary regulations under sections 954 and 956, the text of which also serves as the text of certain provisions of these proposed regulations. The proposed regulations affect United States shareholders of CFCs.

This interim Final Rule amends NHTSA's regulation on the importation of motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment subject to Federal safety, bumper and theft prevention standards by allowing importers to provide information to United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in either electronic or paper format. Presently, certain regulatory provisions require importers to provide documentation or information in a ``written statement'' or in ways that imply the submission of a paper document, including the phrases ``in duplicate,'' ``a copy of,'' a ``document,'' and ``accompanied by a statement.'' Over the course of the coming months, CBP plans to allow importers to file importation information in paper format only or electronic format only. To allow importers to choose their preferred format for filing information required by NHTSA, the agency is amending its importation regulations to specify that importers have the option to file all required information electronically, in addition to the paper option currently available. This document is being issued as an interim Final Rule to provide timely assistance to importers by allowing alternative methods of filing with CBP the importation information required by NHTSA. The amendments in this interim Final Rule do not create any new rights or obligations, nor impose any new reporting requirements. The agency herein requests comments on the rule. The agency will publish a notice responding to any comments received, if any, and will amend provisions of the regulation if appropriate.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 787-8 airplanes. This AD was prompted by numerous reports of failures of the proximity sensor within the slat skew detection mechanism assembly (DMA) leading to slats up landing events. This AD requires replacing the slat skew DMAs with new slat skew DMAs, and marking the existing identification plates on the slat with the new part number. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the proximity sensor, which could result in the slats being shut down and a slats up high speed landing. This condition, in combination with abnormal landing conditions such as a short runway or adverse weather conditions, could result in a runway excursion.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier, Inc. Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of chafing of the fuel lines due to contact with the surrounding structures in the fuel tank. This AD requires replacing and modifying fuel lines, revising the maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to include critical design configuration control limitations (CDCCL) and airworthiness limitation (AWL) items, and, for certain airplanes, removing certain clamps and mounting hardware. We are issuing this AD to prevent chafing of the fuel lines in the fuel tank, which could result in potential ignition sources in the fuel tank in the event of a lightning strike and consequent fire or explosion.