August 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has recently submitted a renewal of an existing collection of information to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. The information collection is entitled, ``NRC Form 237, Request for Access Authorization.''

The National Infrastructure Advisory Council (Council) will meet Friday, September 16, 2016 at 1310 North Courthouse Road, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22201. This meeting will be open to the public.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) prohibits activities with listed species unless Federal authorization is acquired that allows such activities In this notice, we announce 8 new permit applications that we have received, and we reopen the comment period on 11 permit applications that we had previously announced for public comment.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the State of New Hampshire. The revisions consist of single source orders that establish reasonably available control technology for sources of volatile organic compounds.

The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration is replacing a notice published June 30, 2016, at 81 FR 42654, for its Healthcare Business Development Mission to China, to amend the dates of that mission to Oct. 16-21, 2016.

This document amends the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) loan guaranty regulations to correct an oversight in the delegation of authority to exercise the powers and functions of the Secretary with respect to the guaranty or insurance of loans and the rights and liabilities arising therefrom. This document also incorporates into regulatory form delegatory authority already granted certain VA loan guaranty officials to administer and manage properties acquired by VA.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 18 individuals for exemption from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. They are unable to meet the vision requirement in one eye for various reasons. The exemptions will enable these individuals to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce without meeting the prescribed vision requirement in one eye. If granted, the exemptions would enable these individuals to qualify as drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce.

This final rule amends the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) test procedures for medium base compact fluorescent lamps (MBCFLs) and adopts test procedures for new metrics for all CFLs including hybrid CFLs and CFLs with bases other than medium screw base. In this final rule, DOE replaces references to ENERGY STAR[supreg] testing requirements with references to the latest versions of the relevant industry standard test methods referenced by the ENERGY STAR testing requirements, with certain modifications. In addition, DOE adopts new test procedures to support the ongoing energy conservation standards rulemaking for general service lamps (GSLs), the recently revised final test procedure and energy conservation standards for ceiling fan light kits (CFLKs), and the labeling requirements specified by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The test procedures will also support the ENERGY STAR program requirements for lamps and luminaires. Specifically, this final rule adopts test methods for new metrics including color rendering index (CRI), correlated color temperature (CCT), power factor, and start time. DOE also adopts test procedures for additional CFL categories, including non-integrated CFLs and integrated CFLs that are not MBCFLs. This final rule also revises the sampling plan for performance metrics and incorporates methods to measure standby mode power.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is withdrawing approval of eight new animal drug applications (NADAs) at the sponsor's request because these products are no longer manufactured or marketed.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing a new subpart that updates the Emission Guidelines and Compliance Times for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills (Emission Guidelines). The EPA reviewed the landfills Emission Guidelines based on changes in the landfills industry since the Emission Guidelines were promulgated in 1996. The EPA's review of the Emission Guidelines for municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills considered landfills that accepted waste after November 8, 1987, and commenced construction, reconstruction, or modification on or before July 17, 2014. Based on this review, the EPA has determined that it is appropriate to revise the Emission Guidelines to reflect changes to the population of landfills and the results of an analysis of the timing and methods for reducing emissions. This action will achieve additional reductions in emissions of landfill gas and its components, including methane, by lowering the emissions threshold at which a landfill must install controls. This action also incorporates new data and information received in response to an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking and a proposed rulemaking and addresses other regulatory issues including surface emissions monitoring, wellhead monitoring, and the definition of landfill gas treatment system. The revised Emission Guidelines, once implemented through revised state plans or a revised federal plan, will reduce emissions of landfill gas, which contains both nonmethane organic compounds and methane. Landfills are a significant source of methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas pollutant. These avoided emissions will improve air quality and reduce the potential for public health and welfare effects associated with exposure to landfill gas emissions.

This document amends the U.S. Customs and Border Protection regulations to implement section 901 of the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 by raising from $200 to $800 the value of certain articles that may be imported by one person on one day free of duty and tax. This document also makes clarifying and conforming amendments to the regulations.

Today's notice announces the FY 2017 Fair Market Rents (FMRs) for all areas that reflect the estimated 40th and 50th percentile rent levels trended to April 1, 2017. The Housing Opportunities Through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA) (Pub. L. 114-201, approved July 29, 2016) revises the procedure by which HUD publishes its annual FMRs. Specifically, HUD is no longer required to publish proposed FMRs for comment in the Federal Register. Rather, HUD may post the FMRs on HUD's Web site and announce such posting by notice published in the Federal Register. In addition, HOTMA provides that HUD's FMRs shall be effective no earlier than 30 days after the date of the publication of HUD's Federal Register notice but that public housing agencies (PHAs) and other interested parties may comment on the FMR and request revevaluation of FMRs in a jurisdiction before such FMRs become effective. This notice announces that HUD's FY 2017 FMRs are available at www.huduser.gov and will take effect as stated in the DATES section of this notice unless interested parties request reevaluation of a their FMRs by September 26, 2016. HOTMA also requires HUD to publish proposed material changes to the methodology for comment. This notice also announces that HUD is not changing the methodology for calculating the FY 2017 FMRs estimates from that used to determine the FY 2016 FMRs. This notice, however, requests public comments on defining the scope of material changes that will trigger notice and comment in future calculation of FMRs. The FY 2017 FMRs announced in this notice are based on ``5-year'' data collected by the American Community Survey (ACS) from 2010 through 2014. HUD updated the 5-year data with ``one-year'' 2014 ACS data for areas where statistically valid one-year ACS data is available. HUD continues to use ACS data in different ways according to the statistical reliability of rent estimates. HUD uses actual and forecast Consumer Price Index (CPI) rent and utility price indices to further update the ACS-derived rents to the middle of the FY 2017 fiscal year. The FY 2017 FMRs continue to use the February 28, 2013, OMB metropolitan area definitions. As noted above, the FY 2017 FMRs are calculated in the same manner used to calculate of the FY 2016 FMRs with the only differences being the use of updated data. HUD notes that the only area for which HUD announces Small Area FMRs is the Dallas, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. The Small Area FMR Demonstration project with 5 PHA participants concludes on September 30, 2016. The 5 PHAs that participated in the demonstration may continue to be able set their housing choice voucher payment standards based on Small Area FMRs, as discussed in this notice.

As required by section 9(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), EPA is giving notice that, pursuant to section 2625(o) of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, the Agency is establishing the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC). The purpose of the SACC is to provide independent advice and expert consultation, at the request of the EPA Administrator, with respect to the scientific and technical aspects of risk assessments, methodologies, and pollution prevention measures or approaches supporting implementation of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act. Copies of the SACC charter will be filed with the appropriate congressional committees and the Library of Congress. The 14 members of the SACC will be selected from interested and available members of the existing EPA Chemical Safety Advisory Committee (CSAC). In addition, EPA invites the public to nominate experts to be considered for the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals.

The Securities and Exchange Commission is extending the comment period for a release proposing revisions to the property disclosure requirements for mining registrants and related guidance [Release Nos. 33-10098 and 34-78086 (June 16, 2016)], published June 27, 2016. The original comment period is scheduled to end on August 26, 2016. The Commission is extending the time period in which to provide the Commission with comments until September 26, 2016. This action will allow interested persons additional time to analyze the issues and prepare their comments.

The Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning the collection of qualitative feedback on agency service delivery.

This action adds products and a service to the Procurement List that will be furnished by nonprofit agencies employing persons who are blind or have other severe disabilities, and deletes products and services from the Procurement List previously furnished by such agencies.

EPA was directed by Congress to publish in the Federal Register a list of mercury compounds that are prohibited from export, not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (the Act), which amended the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The Act was enacted on June 22, 2016. Effective January 1, 2020, the statute prohibits export of: Mercury (I) chloride or calomel; mercury (II) oxide; mercury (II) sulfate; mercury (II) nitrate; and cinnabar or mercury sulphide, unless those mercury compounds are exported to member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development for environmentally sound disposal, on the condition that no mercury or mercury compounds so exported are to be recovered, recycled, or reclaimed for use, or directly reused, after such export. EPA is not soliciting comments on this notice.