October 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is extending the comment period for the proposed rule that appeared in the Federal Register of August 24, 2016. In the proposed rule, FDA requested comments on its proposal to amend the regulations for good laboratory practice for nonclinical studies. The Agency is taking this action in response to requests for an extension to allow interested persons additional time to submit comments.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Pulaski Bridge across the Newtown Creek, mile 0.6, between Brooklyn and Queens, New York. This deviation is necessary to allow the bridge owner to perform span locks adjustment at the bridge.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to conditionally approve State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the state of Utah on August 20, 2013, with supporting administrative documentation submitted on September 12, 2013. These submittals revise the Utah Administrative Code (UAC) that pertain to the issuance of Utah air quality permits for major sources in nonattainment areas. The EPA proposes a conditional approval because while the submitted revisions to Utah's nonattainment permitting rules do not fully address the deficiencies in the state's program, Utah has committed to address additional remaining deficiencies in the state's nonattainment permitting program no later than a year from the EPA finalizing this conditional approval. If finalized, and upon the EPA finding a timely meeting of this commitment in full, the proposed conditional approval of the SIP revisions would convert to a final approval of Utah's plan. This action is being taken under section 110 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) (Act).

On September 29, 2016, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a rule titled, ``Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) Completion of Electronic Reporting Requirements.'' The EPA is extending the comment period on the proposed rule that was scheduled to close on October 31, 2016, by 15 days until November 15, 2016. The EPA is making this change based on three requests for additional time to prepare comments on this proposed rule.

Petitions for Reconsideration and Clarification (Petitions) have been filed in the Commission's rulemaking proceeding by Andrew D. Lipman, on behalf of Submarine Cable Coalition, and Kent D. Bressie, on behalf of North American Submarine Cable Association.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is proposing a supplementary rule addressing conduct on public lands in the vicinity of Corona Arch and Gemini Bridges in Grand County, Utah. The proposed supplementary rule would prohibit roped activities around Corona Arch and Gemini Bridges. Such activities involve the use of ropes or other climbing aids, and include, but are not limited to, ziplining, highlining, slacklining, traditional rock climbing, sport rock climbing, rappelling, and swinging.

This document contains final regulations regarding the definition of short-term, limited-duration insurance for purposes of the exclusion from the definition of individual health insurance coverage, and standards for travel insurance and supplemental health insurance coverage to be considered excepted benefits. This document also amends a reference in the final regulations relating to the prohibition on lifetime and annual dollar limits.

The Federal Communications Commission addresses the remaining petitions for reconsideration of the First Space Station Licensing Reform Order, and amends, clarifies, or eliminates certain provisions to streamline its procedures and ease administrative burdens on applicants and licensees.

The Secretary of the Treasury (the ``Secretary''), as Chairperson of the Financial Stability Oversight Council (the ``Council''), is adopting final rules (the ``Final Rules'') in consultation with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the ``FDIC'') to implement the qualified financial contract (``QFC'') recordkeeping requirements of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the ``Dodd-Frank Act'' or the ``Act''). The Final Rules require recordkeeping with respect to positions, counterparties, legal documentation, and collateral. This information is necessary and appropriate to assist the FDIC as receiver to: Fulfill its obligations under the Dodd-Frank Act in deciding whether to transfer QFCs; assess the consequences of decisions to transfer, disaffirm or repudiate, or allow the termination of, QFCs with one or more counterparties; determine if any risks to financial stability are posed by the transfer, disaffirmance or repudiation, or termination of such QFCs; and otherwise exercise its rights under the Act and fulfill its obligations under sections 210(c)(8), (9), or (10) of the Act.

The Department of State (the Department) is extending the period of time by 15 days for the public to submit comments on the Proposed Intercountry Adoption rule, in order to give the public more time to respond.

This document amends the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations to reflect that the mail room servicing the Director, National Commodity Specialist Division, Regulations and Rulings, in the Office of Trade, has relocated within New York, and a new location has been established to receive non-electronic correspondence. E-rulings procedures will remain the same and are not affected by the change in office location.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is proposing to amend our 2012 document entitled ``New Animal Drugs; Updating Tolerances for Residues of New Animal Drugs in Food.'' The document proposed to revise the animal drug regulations regarding tolerances for residues of approved and conditionally approved new animal drugs in food by standardizing, simplifying, and clarifying the determination standards and codification style. We also proposed to add definitions for key terms. We are taking this action to more clearly explain our current thinking about certain provisions of the 2012 document based on comments from stakeholders, and to more accurately reflect the rationale FDA relied on in the past to approve certain new animal drugs without a tolerance. We are reopening the comment period only with respect to the specific issues identified in this supplemental proposed rule.

The Environmental Protection Agency is approving a revision to the New Jersey Operating Permit Program related to the permitting of stationary sources subject to title V of the Clean Air Act (CAA) in the state of New Jersey. The revision consists of amendments to Subchapter 22 of Chapter 27 of Title 7 of the New Jersey Administrative Code, ``Operating Permits.'' The revision was submitted to change the fee schedule for certain permitting activities for major facilities. The changes provide additional needed fee revenues for New Jersey's Operating Permit Program. This approval action will help ensure New Jersey properly implements the requirements of title V of the CAA.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving two revisions to the Louisiana State Implementation Plan (SIP) that revise the Louisiana Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permitting program to establish the significant monitoring concentration (SMC) for fine particles (PM2.5) at a zero microgram per cubic meter (0 [mu]g/m\3\) threshold level consistent with federal permitting requirements. The EPA is approving this action under section 110 and part C of the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is disapproving the severable portions of the February 6, 2012, Oklahoma State Implementation Plan (SIP) submittal which establish certain de minimis thresholds for particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter (PM2.5) in the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permitting requirements. Specifically, we are disapproving provisions that adopt and implement the PM2.5 significant impact levels (SILs) and significant monitoring concentration (SMC); both of which were vacated by a federal court and subsequently removed from federal PSD regulations. We are disapproving the submitted provisions as inconsistent with federal laws and regulations for the permitting of PM2.5. The EPA is finalizing this disapproval under section 110 and part C of the Clean Air Act (CAA).

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (Office or PTO) is proposing revisions to the materiality standard for the duty to disclose information in patent applications and reexamination proceedings (duty of disclosure) in light of a 2011 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (Federal Circuit). The Office previously issued a notice of proposed rulemaking on July 21, 2011, and due to the passage of time since the comment period closed in 2011, the Office considers it appropriate to seek additional comments from our stakeholders before issuing a final rulemaking. In the current notice of proposed rulemaking, the Office is seeking public comments on the rules of practice, as revised in response to the comments received from our stakeholders.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposes to approve the Commonwealth of Kentucky Underground Injection Control (UIC) Class II Program for primacy. The EPA determined that the state's program is consistent with the provisions of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) at section 1425 to prevent underground injection activities that endanger underground sources of drinking water. The agency's approval allows the state to implement and enforce state regulations for UIC Class II injection wells only located within the state. The Commonwealth's authority excludes the regulation of injection well Classes I, III, IV, V and VI and all wells on Indian lands, as required by rule under the SDWA. The agency requests public comment on this proposed rule and supporting documentation. In the ``Rules and Regulations'' section of this Federal Register, the agency published EPA's approval of the state's program as a direct final rule without a prior proposed rule. If the agency receives no adverse comment, EPA will not take further action on this proposed rule.

The Federal Trade Commission is correcting a final rule published in the Federal Register of September 15, 2016 (81 FR 63634). This document corrects provisions in the final rule related to ceiling fan labeling requirements.

This proposed rule would revise HUD's regulations governing floodplain management to require, as part of the decision making process established to ensure compliance with Executive orders on Floodplain Management and Federal Flood Risk Management, that a HUD assisted or financed (including mortgage insurance) project involving new construction or substantial improvement that is situated in an area subject to floods be elevated or floodproofed between 2 and 3 feet above the base flood elevation as determined by best available information. The proposed rule would also revise HUD's Minimum Property Standards for one-to-four unit housing under HUD mortgage insurance and low-rent public housing programs. Building to the proposed standards will, consistent with the Executive orders, increase resiliency to flooding, reduce the risk of flood loss, minimize the impact of floods on human safety, health, and welfare, and promote sound, sustainable, long-term planning informed by a more accurate evaluation of flood risk that takes into account possible sea level rise and increased development associated with population growth. This document also proposes to revise a categorical exclusion available when HUD performs the environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and related Federal laws by making it consistent with changes to a similar categorical exclusion that is available to HUD grantees or other responsible entities when they perform these environmental reviews. This change will make the review standard identical regardless of whether HUD or a grantee is performing the review.

This interim final rule establishes a Court of Indian Offenses (also known as CFR Court) for the Wind River Indian Reservation until the agency can promulgate a final rule that considers comments received.

We are proposing to amend the regulations governing the importation of plants for planting to add orchid plants of the genus Dendrobium from Taiwan to the list of plants that may be imported into the United States in an approved growing medium, subject to specified growing, inspection, and certification requirements. We are taking this action in response to a request from the Taiwanese Government and after determining that the plants could be imported, under certain conditions, without resulting in the introduction into, or the dissemination within, the United States of a plant pest or noxious weed.

Franklin County, Idaho is a rural and sparsely populated county adjacent to Cache County, Utah. In 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated Cache County, along with Franklin County, as part of the multi-state Logan, Utah-Idaho fine particulate matter (PM2.5) nonattainment area (Logan UT-ID). On December 14, 2012, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ) submitted a State Implementation Plan (2012 SIP submittal) to address attainment planning requirements for the Idaho portion of the Logan UT-ID nonattainment area. On December 24, 2014, the IDEQ submitted a supplement to the 2012 SIP submission that included additional analysis (2014 amendment). The EPA has evaluated the 2012 SIP submittal and 2014 amendment to determine whether the submissions meet the applicable Clean Air Act (CAA) requirements. Based on this evaluation, the EPA is proposing to approve certain provisions and disapprove other provisions of the 2012 SIP submittal and 2014 amendment.

NASA is issuing a final rule to amend its regulations, titled Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards to revise the requirements related to information contained in a Federal award for commercial firms with no cost sharing requirement and to add new or modify existing terms and conditions related to indirect cost charges and access to research results.

We, NMFS, issue a final determination to designate the Sakhalin Bay-Nikolaya Bay-Amur River Stock of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) as a depleted stock of marine mammals pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). This action is being taken as a result of a status review conducted by NMFS in response to a petition to designate a group of beluga whales in the western Sea of Okhotsk as a depleted stock. The biological evidence indicates that the group is a population stock as defined by the MMPA, and the stock is depleted as defined by the MMPA.