May 20, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) invites comment on proposed revisions to its rules under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) to implement a provision of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 that excepts from the TCPA's prior-express-consent requirement autodialed and prerecorded calls ``made solely to collect a debt owed to or guaranteed by the United States.''

DoD, GSA, and NASA are proposing to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to update the instructions for System for Award Management (SAM) registration requirements and to correct an inconsistency with offeror representation and certification requirements.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the reopening of the public comment period on our October 17, 2012, proposed designation of critical habitat for three plant species (Bidens micrantha ssp. ctenophylla (kookoolau), Isodendrion pyrifolium (wahine noho kula), and Mezoneuron kavaiense (uhiuhi)) on Hawaii Island under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We are reopening the comment period to allow all interested parties further opportunity to comment on areas that we are considering for exclusion from critical habitat designation in the final rule. Comments previously submitted on the proposed rule do not need to be resubmitted, as they will be fully considered in preparation of the final rule.

The Coast Guard will enforce security zone regulations for the Sitcum Waterway Security Zone in Commencement Bay, Tacoma, Washington from 6 a.m. on May 17, 2016, through 11:59 p.m. on May 22, 2016, unless cancelled sooner by the Captain of the Port. This action is necessary to help provide for the security of Department of Defense assets and military cargo located in those waters during that time period. Entry into the Sitcum Waterway security zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Puget Sound or a Designated Representative.

The Department of Commerce (``the Department'') proposes to modify the regulation pertaining to written argument in antidumping and countervailing duty proceedings and is seeking comments from parties. This modification, if adopted, is intended to establish word limits for submission of case and rebuttal briefs. This action is necessary to streamline the process contained in the current regulation, to better align with current Department practices and to reduce the strain on resources.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to conditionally approve a revision to the Maryland state implementation plan (SIP) submitted by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) on October 15, 2014. The SIP revision adds and amends regulations in the SIP which control emissions from various processes and fuel- burning equipment at Kraft pulp mills. The SIP revision includes the following: (1) A new definition for ``NOX Ozone Season Allowance;'' (2) a new regulation with nitrogen oxides (NOX) limits for fuel-burning equipment located at Kraft pulp mills; (3) a removal and relocation of existing NOX reasonably available control technology (RACT) requirements for Kraft pulp mills into another Maryland regulation; and (4) a revised regulation which clarifies the volatile organic compound (VOC) control system and emission requirements for several process installations at Kraft pulp mills. EPA proposes a conditional approval because the new Maryland definition references the defunct Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) and because MDE provided a commitment to remove all references to CAIR within the definition of ``NOX Ozone Season Allowance'' and submit a revised definition as a new SIP revision, no later than a year from EPA finalizing this conditional approval. Upon timely meeting of this commitment, EPA will propose to convert the conditional approval of the SIP revision to a final approval. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA).

The Coast Guard is establishing a 500-yard safety zone around each of five locations where the Block Island Wind Farm (BIWF) wind turbine generator (WTG) towers, nacelles, blades and subsea cables will be installed in the navigable waters of Rhode Island Sound, RI, from May 15 to October 31, 2016. These safety zones are intended to safeguard mariners from the hazards associated with construction of the BIWF. This regulation prohibits vessels from entering into, transiting through, mooring, or anchoring within these safety zones while construction vessels and associated equipment are working on-site (i.e., within 500 yards of a WTG) at one or more of the BIWF WTG sites, unless authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP), Southeastern New England or the COTP's designated representative.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a special local regulation for all waters of the Ohio River, surface to bottom, extending from Ohio River mile 492.0 to 495.5 at Lawrenceburg, IN, June 18, 2016 with an alternate date of June 19, 2016. This special local regulation is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters near Lawrenceburg, IN, during a high-speed boat race on June 18, 2016. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from being in the regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Ohio Valley or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

OSHA published in the Federal Register of May 12, 2016, a final rule revising its Recording and Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Regulation. In the rule, a paragraph was inadvertently removed. This document reinserts that paragraph.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), seek comments concerning a petition, submitted pursuant to the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA or the Act), requesting that we amend our self-bonding regulations to ensure that companies with a history of financial insolvency, and their subsidiary companies, are not allowed to self-bond coal mining operations. We are requesting comments on the merits of the petition and the rule changes suggested in the petition. Comments received will assist the Director of OSMRE in making the decision whether to grant or deny the petition.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 787-8 and 787-9 airplanes equipped with General Electric engines. This AD was prompted by reports of cracking in barrel nuts on a forward engine mount of Model 747-8 airplanes, which shares a similar design to the forward engine mount of Model 787- 8 and 787-9 airplanes. This AD requires, for certain airplanes, replacement of the four barrel nuts of the forward engine mount on each engine. For certain other airplanes, this AD requires an inspection to determine if any forward engine mount barrel nut having a certain part number is installed; and related investigative and corrective actions if necessary. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracking of the forward engine mount barrel nuts. Such cracking could result in reduced load capacity of the forward engine mount and could result in separation of an engine from the airplane and consequent loss of control of the airplane.

On August 6, 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy (``DOE'') issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (``NOPR'') to amend the test procedure for battery chargers. This final rule is based on that NOPR. The final rule amends the current test procedure, incorporating changes that will take effect 30 days after the final rule publication date. These changes will be mandatory for product testing to demonstrate compliance with any future energy conservation standards that DOE may adopt and for any representations made regarding the energy consumption or energy efficiency of battery chargers starting 180 days after publication of this rule. In summary, these changes update the battery selection criteria for multi-voltage, multi-capacity battery chargers, harmonize the instrumentation resolution and uncertainty requirements with the second edition of the International Electrotechnical Commission (``IEC'') 62301 standard for measuring standby power, define and exclude back-up battery chargers from the testing requirements of this rulemaking, outline provisions for conditioning lead acid batteries, specify sampling and certification requirements for compliance with future energy conservation standards, and correct typographical errors in the current test procedure.

The FDIC is amending its rules to refine the deposit insurance assessment system for small insured depository institutions that have been federally insured for at least five years (established small banks) by: Revising the financial ratios method so that it is based on a statistical model estimating the probability of failure over three years; updating the financial measures used in the financial ratios method consistent with the statistical model; and eliminating risk categories for established small banks and using the financial ratios method to determine assessment rates for all such banks (subject to minimum or maximum initial assessment rates based upon a bank's CAMELS composite rating). Under current regulations, deposit insurance assessment rates will decrease once the deposit insurance fund (DIF or fund) reserve ratio reaches 1.15 percent. The final rule preserves the range of initial assessment rates authorized under current regulations.