2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is denying a petition for rulemaking (PRM), dated December 2, 2011, which was filed with the NRC by Motti Slodowitz on behalf of CampCo (the petitioner) and supplemented with additional information on September 18, 2012. The petitioner requests the NRC to amend its regulations that govern the licensing of products containing byproduct material to allow the commercial distribution of tritium markers for use under an exemption from licensing requirements. The NRC is denying the petition because the petitioner fails to demonstrate that a specific exemption is warranted and that the existing regulatory framework for self-luminous products is insufficient.

The Rural Utilities Service, an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, hereinafter referred to as the Agency, is amending its regulation for the Rural Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee Program (Broadband Loan Program) to implement the Agricultural Act of 2014 (the 2014 Farm Bill). The enactment of the 2014 Farm Bill made changes the Agency must adopt prior to accepting applications for future loans. The Agency is publishing this regulation as an interim rule, which will take effect upon publication in the Federal Register, and will allow the Agency to begin accepting applications once again. In addition, the Agency is seeking comments regarding this interim rule to guide its efforts in drafting the final rule for the Broadband Loan Program.

This document contains corrections to partial withdrawal of notice of proposed rulemaking, notice of proposed rulemaking, and notice of public hearing; correction (REG-138526-14) that were published in the Federal Register on Wednesday, June 24, 2015 (80 FR 36301). The partial withdrawal of notice of proposed rulemaking, notice of proposed rulemaking, and notice of public hearing are relating to the definition of issue price for purposes of the arbitrage restrictions under section 148 of the Internal Revenue Code (Code).

The Clean Air Act (CAA) requires each State Implementation Plan (SIP) to contain adequate provisions prohibiting air emissions that will have certain adverse air quality effects in other states. On May 11, 2015, the State of Washington submitted a SIP revision to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address certain interstate transport requirements with respect to the 2006 24-hour fine particulate matter (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The EPA has determined that Washington adequately addressed these CAA interstate transport requirements for the 2006 24- hour PM2.5 NAAQS.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 787-8 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of fuel leaking onto the hot exhaust portion of an engine as a result of an un-intended leak path from the leading edge through the pylons. This proposed AD would require installing new seal dams in the inboard and outboard corners of the aft pylon frame on the left and right engines, including an inspection for damage of the outboard blade seal and applicable corrective actions. We are proposing this AD to prevent fuel leaking from an unintended drain path from the leading edge through the pylons and onto the hot engine parts or brakes, which could lead to a major ground fire.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Model A319, A320, and A321 series airplanes. This proposed AD is intended to complete certain mandated programs intended to support the airplane reaching its limit of validity (LOV) of the engineering data that support the established structural maintenance program. This proposed AD would require reinforcing the forward pressure bulkhead at a certain stringer on both the left-hand and right-hand sides, and related investigative and corrective actions if necessary. We are proposing this AD to prevent fatigue cracking of the forward pressure bulkhead, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the airplane.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve, as a revision to the California State Implementation Plan (SIP), California's request to redesignate the Mammoth Lakes nonattainment area to attainment for the 1987 National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for particulate matter of ten microns or less (PM10). EPA is also proposing to approve the maintenance plan for the Mammoth Lakes area and the associated motor vehicle emissions budgets for use in transportation conformity determinations. Finally, EPA is proposing to approve the attainment year emissions inventory. EPA is proposing these actions because the SIP revision meets the requirements of the Clean Air Act and EPA guidance for maintenance plans and motor vehicle emissions budgets.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a limited maintenance plan submitted by the State of Oregon on April 22, 2015, for the Grants Pass area for particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to a nominal 10 micrometers (PM10). The plan explains how this area will continue to meet the PM10 National Ambient Air Quality Standard for a second 10-year period through 2025.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is revising the Agency's regulation for administering fees for testing, evaluation, and approval of products manufactured for use in mines. This final rule revises the fees charged for these services. The final rule also includes a fee for approval services that MSHA provides to applicants or approval holders under the existing rule, but for which the Agency currently does not charge a fee, and for other activities required to support the approval process. This change will allow MSHA to charge fees that reflect the full cost of the approval services provided.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 2 announces the deletion of the Crown Vantage Landfill Superfund Site (Site), located in Alexandria Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, from the National Priorities List (NPL). The NPL, promulgated pursuant to section 105 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980, as amended, is an appendix of the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP). EPA and the State of New Jersey, through the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, have determined that all appropriate response actions under CERCLA, other than long-term maintenance and five-year reviews, have been completed. However, this deletion does not preclude future actions under Superfund.

This action closes the Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder Trimester Total Allowable Catch Area to Northeast multispecies common pool trawl and gillnet vessels for the remainder of Trimester 1, through August 31, 2015. The closure is required by regulation because the common pool fishery has caught over 90 percent of its Trimester 1 quota for Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic yellowtail flounder. This closure is intended to prevent the overharvest of the common pool's allocation for this stock.

The Postal Service is amending its regulations concerning records and information management for administrative purposes, to clarify existing text, and to update and add definitions.

This regulation establishes tolerances for residues of fluxapyroxad in or on cotton, gin byproducts and cotton, undelinted seed. BASF Corporation requested these tolerances under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the Proposed Finding that Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Aircraft Cause or Contribute to Air Pollution that May Reasonably Be Anticipated to Endanger Public Health and Welfare and Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Federal Register on July 1, 2015. This action provides notice of three updates regarding the public hearing.

On May 14, 2015, the Federal Election Commission received a Petition for Rulemaking that asks the Commission to revise existing rules concerning the reporting of contributions to political committees from corporations and other organizations. The Commission seeks comments on this petition.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are proposing to revise the rule for the African elephant promulgated under section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA), to increase protection for African elephants in response to the alarming rise in poaching of the species to fuel the growing illegal trade in ivory. The African elephant was listed as threatened under the ESA effective June 11, 1978, and at the same time a rule issued under section 4(d) of the ESA (a ``4(d) rule'') was promulgated to regulate import and use of specimens of the species in the United States. This proposed rule would update the current 4(d) rule with measures that are appropriate for the current conservation needs of the species. We are proposing measures that are necessary and advisable to provide for the conservation of the African elephant as well as appropriate prohibitions from section 9(a)(1) of the ESA. Among other things, we propose to incorporate into the 4(d) rule certain restrictions on the import and export of African elephant ivory contained in the African Elephant Conservation Act (AfECA) as measures necessary and advisable for the conservation of the African elephant. We are not, however, revising or reconsidering actions taken under the AfECA, including our determinations in 1988 and 1989 to impose moratoria on the import of ivory other than sport-hunted trophies from both range and intermediary countries. We are proposing to take these actions under section 4(d) of the ESA to increase protection and benefit the conservation of African elephants, without unnecessarily restricting activities that have no conservation effect or are strictly regulated under other law.

GSA is amending the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) by removing the meals and incidental expenses (M&IE) breakdown table from the regulation. The table will continue to be published on GSA's Web site at www.gsa.gov/mie and any changes to the breakdown of M&IE reimbursement rates will be publicized via FTR Bulletins.

OSHA is proposing to amend its recordkeeping regulations to clarify that the duty to make and maintain accurate records of work- related injuries and illnesses is an ongoing obligation. The duty to record an injury or illness continues for as long as the employer must keep records of the recordable injury or illness; the duty does not expire just because the employer fails to create the necessary records when first required to do so. The proposed amendments consist of revisions to the titles of some existing sections and subparts, and changes to the text of some existing provisions. The proposed amendments add no new compliance obligations; the proposal would not require employers to make records of any injuries or illnesses for which records are not currently required to be made.

This action finalizes the residual risk and technology reviews (RTR) conducted for the Mineral Wool Production and Wool Fiberglass Manufacturing source categories regulated under national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP). Under this action, we are establishing pollutant-specific emissions limits for hazardous air pollutants (HAP) that were previously regulated (under a surrogate) and for HAP that were previously unregulated. This action finalizes first- time generally available control technologies (GACT) standards for gas- fired glass-melting furnaces at wool fiberglass manufacturing facilities that are area sources. We are also amending regulatory provisions related to emissions during periods of startup, shutdown, and malfunction (SSM); adding requirements for reporting of performance testing through the Electronic Reporting Tool (ERT); and making several minor clarifications and corrections. The revisions in these final rules increase the level of emissions control and environmental protection provided by the Mineral Wool Production and Wool Fiberglass Manufacturing NESHAP.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) are announcing public hearings to be held for the joint proposed rules ``Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Engines and VehiclesPhase 2,'' and also for NHTSA's Draft Environmental Impact Statement. The proposed rules were published in the Federal Register on July 13, 2015. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement was published on June 19, 2015, and is available on the NHTSA Web site mentioned below. Two hearings will be held on August 6 and August 18, 2015.

This rule amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by adding ten persons to the Entity List. The ten 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. These ten persons will be listed on the Entity List under the destinations of China and South Korea. This final rule also removes four persons from the Entity List, as the result of requests for removal submitted by these persons, a review of information provided in the removal requests in accordance with the procedure for requesting removal or modification of an Entity List entity, and further review conducted by the End-User Review Committee (ERC).

The Coast Guard will enforce the events outlined in Tables 1 and 2 taking place throughout the Sector Northern New England Captain of the Port (COTP) Zone. This action is necessary to protect marine traffic and spectators from the hazards associated with powerboat races, regattas, boat parades, rowing and paddling boat races, swim events, and fireworks displays. During the enforcement period, no person or vessel may enter the special local regulation area or safety zone without permission of the COTP.

NMFS is adjusting the Swordfish (SWO) General Commercial permit retention limits for the Northwest Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and U.S. Caribbean regions for the remainder of 2015, unless otherwise noticed. The SWO General Commercial permit retention limit in each of these three regions is increased to six SWO per vessel per trip. The SWO General Commercial permit retention limit in the Florida SWO Management Area will remain unchanged at zero SWO per vessel per trip. This adjustment applies to SWO General Commercial permitted vessels and HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels when on a non-for-hire trip. This action is based upon consideration of the applicable inseason regional retention limit adjustment criteria.

The Coast Guard proposes a safety zone around the Turritella FPSO system, Walker Ridge 551 on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in the Gulf of Mexico. The purpose of the safety zone is to protect the facility from all vessels operating outside the normal shipping channels and fairways that are not providing services to or working with the facility. Placing a safety zone around the facility will significantly reduce the threat of allisions, collisions, security breaches, oil spills, releases of natural gas, and thereby protect the safety of life, property, and the environment.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the State of Iowa. The purpose of these revisions is to update the Linn County Air Quality Ordinance, chapter 10. These proposed revisions reflect updates to the Iowa statewide rules previously approved by EPA and will ensure consistency between the applicable local agency rules and Federally-approved rules.