November 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking direct final action to approve the Clean Air Act (CAA) section 111(d)/129 negative declarations for the States of New York and New Jersey and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, for other solid waste incineration (OSWI) units. Other solid waste incineration (OSWI) unit means either a very small municipal waste combustion unit or an institutional waste incineration unit within our regulations. This negative declaration certifies that OSWI units subject to sections 111(d) and 129 of the CAA do not exist within the jurisdiction of the States of New York and New Jersey and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The EPA is accepting the negative declaration in accordance with the requirements of the CAA.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) adopts revisions to Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) rules to take advantage of the significant technological changes and improvements experienced by the mobile wireless industry since the passage of the Warning, Alert and Response Network (WARN) Act, and deployment of Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) to improve utility of WEA as a life-saving tool. By this action, the Commission adopts rules that will improve Alert Message content in order to help communities communicate clearly and effectively about imminent threats and local crises. It also adopts rules to meet alert originators' needs for the delivery of the Alert Messages they transmit and creates a framework that will allow emergency managers to test, exercise, and raise public awareness about WEA. Through this action, the Commission hopes to empower state and local alert originators to participate more fully in WEA, and to enhance the utility of WEA as an alerting tool.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain CFM International S.A. (CFM) CFM56-5B turbofan engines. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of the failure of the radial drive shaft (RDS) on CFM CFM56-5B engines. This proposed AD would require removal of the RDS assembly and the RDS outer housing and their replacement with parts eligible for installation. We are proposing this AD to prevent failure of the RDS, which could lead to failure of one or more engines, loss of thrust control, and damage to the airplane.

The Secretary establishes new regulations governing the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program to establish a new Federal standard and a process for determining whether a borrower has a defense to repayment on a loan based on an act or omission of a school. We also amend the Direct Loan Program regulations to prohibit participating schools from using certain contractual provisions regarding dispute resolution processes, such as predispute arbitration agreements or class action waivers, and to require certain notifications and disclosures by schools regarding their use of arbitration. We amend the Direct Loan Program regulations to codify our current policy regarding the impact that discharges have on the 150 percent Direct Subsidized Loan Limit. We amend the Student Assistance General Provisions regulations to revise the financial responsibility standards and add disclosure requirements for schools. Finally, we amend the discharge provisions in the Federal Perkins Loan (Perkins Loan), Direct Loan, Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL), and Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant programs. The changes will provide transparency, clarity, and ease of administration to current and new regulations and protect students, the Federal government, and taxpayers against potential school liabilities resulting from borrower defenses.