2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone within Chequamegon Bay in Ashland, WI. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessels from specified waters in Chequamegon Bay during the 100th Ore Dock Anniversary Celebration Fireworks Display. This safety zone is necessary to protect spectators from the hazards associated with the fireworks display.

This regulation establishes an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of Bacillus mycoides solate J in or on all agricultural commodities when used in accordance with label directions and good agricultural practices. Certis USA LLC submitted a petition to EPA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), requesting an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of Bacillus mycoides isolate J under FFDCA.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking direct final action to approve revisions to the Missouri State Implementation Plan (SIP) and the 40 CFR part 70 operating permits program. EPA is approving revisions to two Missouri rule(s) entitled, ``Construction Permits Required,'' and ``Operating Permits.'' This approval action is consistent with the July 12, 2013, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia and the June 23, 2014, U.S. Supreme Court actions regarding Greenhouse Gas Prevention of Significant Deterioration and Title V Permitting. This action makes non-substantive changes to definitions, and language clarifications.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking direct final action to approve a revision to the Wyoming hospital/medical/ infectious waste incinerator (HMIWI) Section 111(d)/129 plan (the ``plan''). The plan was submitted to the EPA to fulfill requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA) and to implement and enforce the emissions guidelines (EG) for existing hospital/medical/infectious waste incinerators (HMIWI). The plan establishes emission limits; operator training and qualification requirements; performance testing, monitoring, and inspection requirements; and requirements for a waste management plan and reporting and recordkeeping requirements for existing hospital/medical/infectious waste incinerator units as specified in the October 6, 2009, amendments to the federal EG and New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), 40 CFR part 60, subparts Ce and Ec, respectively.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection requirements associated with certain of the provision of the rules adopted as part of the Commission's Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Order on Reconsideration, and Further Report and Order, (Lifeline Third Reform Order). This notice is consistent with the Lifeline Third Reform Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of those rules.

The Department of Energy (DOE) proposes to amend the regulations implementing the loan guarantee provisions in Title XVII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Title XVII or the Act). The proposal is intended to increase clarity and transparency, reduce paperwork, and provide a more workable interpretation of certain statutory provisions in light of DOE's experience with the Title XVII program.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing revisions to certain sections within the regulations that govern the exclusion of event-influenced air quality data from certain regulatory decisions under the Clean Air Act (CAA). The EPA's mission includes preserving and improving the quality of our nation's ambient air to protect human health and the environment, and the CAA and the EPA's regulations rely heavily on ambient air quality data. However, the CAA also recognizes that it may not be appropriate to use the monitoring data influenced by ``exceptional'' events that are collected by the ambient air quality monitoring network when making certain regulatory determinations. When ``exceptional'' events cause exceedances or violations of the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) that subsequently affect certain regulatory decisions, the normal planning and regulatory process established by the CAA may not be appropriate. This final rule contains definitions, procedural requirements, requirements for air agency demonstrations, criteria for the EPA's approval of the exclusion of event-influenced air quality data and requirements for air agencies to take appropriate and reasonable actions to protect public health from exceedances or violations of the NAAQS. It reflects the experiences of the EPA, state, local and tribal air agencies, federal land managers and other stakeholders in implementing this program over the past 10 years. These regulatory revisions, the EPA's commitment to improved communications, our focus on decisions with regulatory significance, and the expressed non- binding guidance in the preamble regarding recommendations for demonstration narrative and analyses to include in demonstration packages, protect human health and the environment while providing needed clarity, increasing the administrative efficiency of demonstration submittal process, and removing some of the challenges associated with implementing the Exceptional Events Rule. As part of the EPA's mission to protect public health, this action promulgates new requirements for mitigation plans for areas with known, recurring events. We are simultaneously using this action to provide written notification to those states with areas that are initially subject to these new requirements. In addition to finalizing revisions to the Exceptional Events Rule, the EPA is also announcing the availability of the final version of the non-binding guidance document titled Guidance on the Preparation of Exceptional Events Demonstrations for Wildfire Events that May Influence Ozone Concentrations, which applies the rule revisions to wildfire events that could influence monitored ozone concentrations.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to revise provisions applicable to greenhouse gases (GHG) in the EPA's Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) and title V permitting regulations. This action is in response to the June 23, 2014, U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Utility Air Regulatory Group (UARG) v. EPA and the April 10, 2015, Amended Judgment by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (D.C. Circuit) in Coalition for Responsible Regulation v. EPA. The proposed PSD and title V revisions involve changes to several regulatory definitions in the PSD and title V regulations, revisions to the PSD provisions on GHG Plantwide Applicability Limitations (PALs), and revisions to other provisions necessary to ensure that neither the PSD nor title V rules require a source to obtain a permit solely because the source emits or has the potential to emit (PTE) GHGs above the applicable thresholds. In addition, the EPA is also proposing a significant emissions rate (SER) for GHGs under the PSD program that would establish an appropriate threshold level below which Best Available Control Technology (BACT) is not required for a source's GHG emissions.

NMFS is prohibiting retention of big skate in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because the 2016 total allowable catch of big skate in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA will be reached.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all General Electric Company (GE) GE90-76B, GE90-77B, GE90-85B, GE90-90B, and GE90-94B turbofan engines with high-pressure compressor (HPC) stage 8-10 spool, part numbers (P/Ns) 1694M80G04, 1844M90G01, or 1844M90G02, installed. This AD was prompted by reports of cracks found on the seal teeth of the HPC stage 8-10 spool. This AD requires eddy current inspections (ECIs) or fluorescent penetrant inspections (FPIs) of the HPC stage 8-10 spool seal teeth and removing from service those parts that fail inspection. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the HPC stage 8-10 spool, uncontained rotor release, damage to the engine, and damage to the airplane.

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.

NMFS announces that the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has submitted Amendment 27 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (PCGFMP) for Secretarial review. Amendment 27 would add deacon rockfish to the FMP, reclassifies big skate as an actively managed stock, add a new inseason management process for commercial and recreational in California, and several clarifications.

Notice is hereby given of a public hearing to receive evidence on proposed amendments to Marketing Order No. 982 (order), which regulates the handling of hazelnuts grown in Oregon and Washington. Two amendments are proposed by the Hazelnut Marketing Board (Board), which is responsible for local administration of the order. The proposed amendments would add both the authority to regulate quality and the authority to establish different regulations for different markets. In addition, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) proposes to make any such changes as may be necessary to the order to conform to any amendment that may result from the hearing. The proposals are intended to aid in pathogen reduction and meet the needs of different market destinations.

On September 2, 2016, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNOPR) pertaining to proposed energy conservation standards for conventional cooking products. The notice provided an opportunity for submitting written comments, data, and information by October 3, 2016. This document announces an extension of the public comment period for submitting comments and data on the SNOPR or any other aspect of the rulemaking for conventional cooking products. The comment period is extended to November 2, 2016.

The Coast Guard will enforce a safety zone for the Pittsburgh Steelers Fireworks on the Allegheny River, from mile 0.0 to 0.25, Ohio River mile 0.0-0.1 and Monongahela River 0.0-0.1, to protect vessels transiting the area and event spectators from the hazards associated with the Pittsburgh Steelers barge-based fireworks display. During the enforcement period, entry into, transiting, or anchoring in the safety zone is prohibited to all vessels not registered with the sponsor as participants or official patrol vessels, unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) Pittsburgh or a designated representative.

The Board is inviting comment on a notice of proposed rulemaking to revise the capital plan and stress test rules for bank holding companies with $50 billion or more in total consolidated assets and U.S. intermediate holding companies of foreign banks. Under the proposal, large and noncomplex firms, defined below, would no longer be subject to the provisions of the Board's capital plan rule whereby the Board may object to a capital plan on the basis of qualitative deficiencies in the firm's capital planning process. In connection with this modification, large and noncomplex firms would no longer be subject to the qualitative assessment in Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review (CCAR), but would remain subject to a quantitative assessment in CCAR. The qualitative assessment of the capital plans of large and noncomplex firms instead would be conducted outside of CCAR through the supervisory review process. For purposes of the proposal, a bank holding company or U.S. intermediate holding company with total consolidated assets of $50 billion or greater but less than $250 billion, on-balance sheet foreign exposure of less than $10 billion, and nonbank assets of less than $75 billion would be considered a large and noncomplex firm. The proposal would also modify reporting requirements for large and noncomplex firms to reduce burdens by raising materiality thresholds, reducing the scope of the data collection on these firms' stress test results, and reducing supporting documentation requirements. For all bank holding companies subject to the capital plan rule, the proposal would simplify the initial applicability provisions for the capital plan and stress test rules, reduce the amount of additional capital distributions that a bank holding company may make during a capital plan cycle without seeking the Board's prior approval, and extend the range of potential as-of dates for the trading and counterparty scenario component used in the stress test rules. The proposal would also amend the Parent Company Only Financial Statements for Large Holding Companies (FR Y-9LP) to include new line item 17 of PC-B Memoranda (Total nonbank assets of a holding company that is subject to the Federal Reserve Board's capital plan rule) for purposes of identifying the large and noncomplex firms. All other bank holding companies subject to the capital plan rule that are not large and noncomplex firms would remain subject to objection to their capital plan based on qualitative deficiencies under the rule. The proposal would not apply to bank holding companies with total consolidated assets of less than $50 billion or to any state member bank or savings and loan holding company.

NMFS implements accountability measures (AMs) for commercial greater amberjack in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. NMFS projects commercial landings of greater amberjack will reach the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) by October 4, 2016. Therefore, NMFS closes the commercial sector for greater amberjack in the South Atlantic EEZ on October 4, 2016, and it will remain closed until the start of the next fishing year on March 1, 2017. This closure is necessary to protect the greater amberjack resource.

This rule amends a regulation that establishes the different types of passports issued by the Department of State. A definition for special issuance passports is added. Amendments establish a new service passport, which may be approved for certain non-personal services contractors who travel abroad in support of and pursuant to a contract with the U.S. government, and make corresponding changes regarding official and diplomatic passports. The service passport will demonstrate a contractual relationship between the bearer's employer and the U.S. government as the reason for travel, thereby continuing to demonstrate the individual's support function on behalf of the U.S. government, but nevertheless signaling a more attenuated relationship with the U.S. government than that enjoyed by direct hire employees. The U.S. government incurs significant additional cost annually in delays and fees because foreign governments do not recognize contractors as doing work for the U.S. government. By more clearly demonstrating the attenuated relationship, the Department will eliminate such waste. The regulation is amended to establish the validity of the new service passport and clarify the grounds for invalidity of a special issuance passport.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) is adopting revisions to the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval System (EDGAR) Filer Manual and related rules to reflect updates to the EDGAR system. The updates are being made primarily to support the new submission form types N-MFP2 and N-MFP2/A for money market mutual funds; allow unregistered money market fund to file a report on submission form types N-CR and N-CR/A; update the date format for ABS-EE Asset Data schemas from MM/YYYY to MM-DD-YYYY for CMBS Asset Class: Item 2(c) (12), and Debt Securities Asset Class: Debt Securities, Item 5(f)(3); update the codes and descriptions referencing CMSA to reference CREFC for CMBS Asset Class Item 2(d)(28)(xii) and CMBS Asset Class Item 2(d)(28)(xiii); allow a Large Trader whose most recent Form 13H submission was a Form 13H-I (Inactive) to submit a Form 13H-T (Termination) regardless of elapsed time; and make documentation updates to Chapter 5 and Chapter 6 of the ``EDGAR Filer Manual, Volume II: EDGAR Filing'' relating to eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) format. The EDGAR system was upgraded to support the new submission form types N-MFP2 and N-MFP2/A for money market mutual funds on August 29, 2016. The EDGAR system is scheduled to be upgraded to support the other functionalities on September 19, 2016.

NMFS issues regulations to modify observer coverage requirements for catcher vessels participating in the trawl limited access fisheries in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This final rule allows the owner of a trawl catcher vessel to request, on an annual basis, that NMFS place the vessel in the full observer coverage category for all directed fishing for groundfish using trawl gear in the BSAI in the following calendar year. These regulations are necessary to relieve vessel owners who request full observer coverage of the reporting requirements and observer fee liability associated with the partial observer coverage category. Additionally, this final rule makes minor technical corrections to observer program regulations. This final rule is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI FMP), and other applicable laws.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on October 2, 2013 (78 FR 61113). The rule, which described how supply procurements should be classified, mistakenly attempted to amend a regulation by removing words that did not exist in the particular paragraph. This document corrects that rule document by removing the instruction.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking direct final action to extend the implementation deadline for certain facilities subject to the final rule establishing pretreatment standards under the Clean Water Act (CWA) for discharges of pollutants into publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) from onshore unconventional oil and gas (UOG) extraction facilities (81 FR 41845; June 28, 2016). EPA is making this revision in response to new information suggesting that there are likely facilities subject to the final rule not presently meeting the zero discharge requirements in the final rule.

Under the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) trading program regulations, the EPA allocates emission allowances to existing electricity generating units (EGUs) as provided in a notice of data availability (NODA). In the CSAPR Update promulgated earlier this year, the EPA finalized default allocations of CSAPR NOX Ozone Season Group 2 allowances for the control periods in 2017 and subsequent years to existing EGUs in 22 eastern states for which the EPA finalized Federal Implementation Plans (FIPs)Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Through this NODA, the EPA is providing notice of the availability of data on these allowance allocations to existing units, as well as the data upon which the allocations are based.

On April 29, 2016, the Department of Labor, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management (OASAM) simultaneously published in the Federal Register a notice of proposed rulemaking and a direct final rule to implement OMB Guidance on Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension. The comment period for both the proposed rule and direct final rule ended on May 31, 2016, with no comments received. For this reason, OASAM is withdrawing the proposed rule.

This rule amends, suspends, or removes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and associated Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures for operations at certain airports. These regulatory actions are needed because of the adoption of new or revised criteria, or because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System, such as the commissioning of new navigational facilities, adding new obstacles, or changing air traffic requirements. These changes are designed to provide for the safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.