May 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The information collection notice was previously published in the Federal Register on June 8, 2015 at 80 FR 32408, allowing for a 60-day public comment period. USCIS received comments in connection with the 60-day notice.

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.

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) proposes to amend its regulations for the protection of archaeological resources by providing for the issuance of petty offense citations for violations of the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) and the Antiquities Act of 1906 (AA). Amending the regulations such that TVA law enforcement agents are authorized to issue citations will help prevent loss and destruction of these resources resulting from unlawful excavations and pillage.

This Notice identifies unutilized, underutilized, excess, and surplus Federal property reviewed by HUD for suitability for possible use to assist the homeless.

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.

This notice announces a Board meeting of the State Energy Advisory Board (STEAB). The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92- 463; 86 Stat. 770) requires that public notice of these meetings be announced in the Federal Register.

EIA, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and with the approval of the Office of Management and Budget, intends to extend for 3 years, with changes, the following forms: Form EIA-63B, ``Photovoltaic Module Shipments Report,'' Form EIA-411, ``Coordinated Bulk Power Supply Program Report,'' Form EIA-826, ``Monthly Electric Utility Sales and Revenue Report with State Distributions,'' (discontinued form to be replaced by Form EIA-861M), Form EIA-860, ``Annual Electric Generator Report,'' Form EIA-860M, ``Monthly Update to the Annual Electric Generator Report,'' Form EIA-861, ``Annual Electric Power Industry Report,'' Form EIA-861S, ``Annual Electric Power Industry Report (Short Form),'' Form EIA-861M, ``Monthly Electric Power Industry Report'' (replaces Form EIA-826), Form EIA-923, ``Power Plant Operations Report,'' and Form EIA-930, ``Balancing Authority Operations Report.'' Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this Notice announces the Rural Housing Service's intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of the program for ``Section 515 Multifamily Preservation and Revitalization (MPR) Demonstration Program for Fiscal Year 2006''.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) is amending its regulations to adjust for inflation the amount of certain civil monetary penalty that is within the jurisdiction of the agency. This adjustment is required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015. This rule also makes technical amendments to the regulations governing misrepresentations in SBA contracting programs to add a cross reference to the regulation that contains the applicable penalty amounts for misrepresentations and to correct a citation in the same regulations. Finally, the rule makes a technical amendment to an existing regulation governing small business investment companies to add a cross reference to a new civil penalty provision.

The Department of Labor (DOL), as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents is properly assessed. Currently, the Department of Labor is soliciting comments concerning the collection of data about the National Evaluation of the Performance Partnership Pilots for Disconnected Youth (P3) [ED-GRANTS- 112414-001]. A copy of the proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the addressee section of this notice.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has made a proposed determination that the reduction in expenditures of non-Federal funds for the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) in support of its continuing air program under section 105 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) for the calendar year 2015 is a result of non-selective reductions in expenditures. This determination, when final, will permit the SCAQMD to receive grant funding for FY2016 from the EPA under section 105 of the Clean Air Act.

Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 207 (Patents) and 37 CFR part 404 (U.S. Government patent licensing regulations), EPA hereby gives notice of its intent to grant an exclusive, royalty-bearing, revocable license to practice the invention described and claimed in the U.S. patent number 7,279,103 entitled, PROCESS FOR THE PURIFICATION OF ACIDIC METAL- BEARING WASTE WATERS TO PERMISSABLE DISCHARGE LEVELS WITH RECOVERY OF MARKETABLE METAL PRODUCTS, filed September 13, 2005 and issued October 9, 2007, to PRD Tech, Incorporated, Cincinnati, Ohio. The proposed exclusive license will contain appropriate terms, limitations, and conditions to be negotiated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR 404.5 and 404.7 of the U.S. Government patent licensing regulations. EPA will negotiate the final terms and conditions and grant the exclusive license, unless within 30 days from the date of this notice EPA receives, at the address below, written objections to the grant, together with supporting documentation. The documentation from objecting parties having an interest in practicing the above patent should include an application for an exclusive or nonexclusive license with the information set forth in 37 CFR 404.8. The EPA Patent Attorney and other EPA officials will review all written responses and then make recommendations on a final decision to the Director or Deputy Director of the National Risk Management Research Laboratory who have been delegated the authority to issue patent licenses under EPA Delegation 1-55.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a final rule to make administrative changes to the Environmental Protection Agency Acquisition Regulation (EPAAR). EPA does not anticipate any adverse comments.

This document announces EPA's receipt of several initial filings of pesticide petitions requesting the establishment or modification of regulations for residues of pesticide chemicals in or on various commodities.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended), the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) invites comments on this information collection for which it intends to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

This notice announces an open meeting of the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board (SEAB). SEAB was reestablished pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770) (the Act). This notice is provided in accordance with the Act.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued a regulatory issues summary (RIS) NRC-2016-06, ``NRC Regulation of Radium-226 Under Military Control and for Coordination on Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) Response Actions at the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Sites with Radioactive Materials,'' and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the NRC and the DoD for coordination on CERCLA response actions at DoD sites with unlicensed radioactive materials.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for waters of the Sabine River, shoreline to shoreline, adjacent to the public boat ramp located in Orange, TX. This safety zone is necessary to protect persons and vessels from hazards associated with a high speed boat race competition. Persons and vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or anchoring within this safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, Port Arthur.