2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The National Park Service (NPS) is publishing for public review and comment a proposal that the Department of the Interior (Department) designate the thermal features within Valles Caldera National Preserve (Preserve), New Mexico, as ``significant thermal features,'' and that they be added to the list of significant thermal features within units of the National Park System, in accordance with the Geothermal Steam Act (the Act), as amended. The Act requires that those thermal features in units of the National Park System that are determined to be significant, and included in or added to the list at 30 U.S.C. 1026, must be protected from any geothermal leasing, exploration, development or utilization that might adversely affect those features.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking this action to approve the Commonwealth of Kentucky's Underground Injection Control (UIC) Class II Program for primacy. EPA determined that the state's program represents an effective program to prevent underground injection activities that endanger underground sources of drinking water (USDWs), as required under section 1425 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). EPA's approval allows the state to implement and enforce state regulations for UIC Class II injection wells 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.

GSA is required by statute to set the mileage reimbursement rate for privately owned automobiles (POA) as the single standard mileage rate established by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In addition, the IRS' mileage rate for medical or moving purposes is used to determine the POA rate when a Government-furnished automobile is authorized. This IRS rate also establishes the standard mileage rate for moving purposes as it pertains to official relocation. Finally, GSA's annual privately owned airplane and motorcycle mileage reimbursement rate reviews have resulted in new CY 2017 rates. GSA conducts independent airplane and motorcycle studies that evaluate various factors, such as the cost of fuel, the depreciation of the original vehicles costs, maintenance and insurance, and/or by applying consumer price index data. FTR Bulletin 17-02 establishes and announces the new CY 2017 POV mileage reimbursement rates for official temporary duty and relocation travel ($0.535 per mile for POAs, $0.17 per mile for POAs when a Government furnished automobile is authorized, $1.15 per mile for privately owned airplanes, $0.505 per mile for privately owned motorcycles, and $0.17 per mile for moving purposes), pursuant to the process discussed above. This notice of subject bulletin is the only notification to agencies of revisions to the POV mileage rates for official travel, and relocation, other than the changes posted on GSA's Web site.

On November 22, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (``EPA'') published a Notice of its proposed denial of several petitions requesting that EPA initiate a rulemaking process to reconsider or change its regulations that identify refiners and importers of gasoline and diesel fuel as the entities responsible for complying with the annual percentage standards adopted under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program. The Notice invited public comment on this proposal by January 23, 201760 days after publication of the Notice in the Federal Register. On December 13, 2016, the EPA received a request from the Small Retailers Coalition to extend the comment period by 30 days to allow its members to provide thorough comments and data. In light of the importance of this issue, the EPA is extending the deadline for written comments an additional 30 days to February 22, 2017.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management & Comptroller announces a proposed public information collection and seeks public comment on the provisions thereof. Comments are invited on: 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; the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have issued the following permits to conduct certain activities with endangered species, marine mammals, or both. We issue these permits under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is adjusting the maximum amount of each civil money penalty (CMP) within its jurisdiction to account for inflation. This action is required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (2015 Adjustment Act). The FDIC is also amending its rules of practice and procedure to correct a technical error from the previous inflation-adjustment rulemaking.

This notice announces that the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Land and Minerals Management proposes to withdraw 1,337,904 acres of public lands located within designated California Desert National Conservation Lands from mining to protect nationally significant landscapes with outstanding cultural, biological, and scientific values. This notice temporarily segregates the lands from location and entry under the United States mining laws for up to two years and provides the public with an opportunity to comment on the proposed withdrawal. In addition, this notice initiates the public scoping process for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which will analyze and disclose impacts of the proposed withdrawal.

Under the Clean Air Act (CAA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a state submission as a revision to the Illinois State Implementation Plan (SIP). The revision amends the Illinois Administrative Code (IAC) by updating the definition of volatile organic material (VOM), otherwise known as volatile organic compounds (VOC), to exclude 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP). This revision is in response to an EPA rulemaking in 2014 which exempted this compound from the Federal definition of VOC on the basis that the compound makes a negligible contribution to tropospheric ozone formation.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to approve a revision to the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District (GBUAPCD) portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). This revision concerns emissions of particulate matter at Owens Lake, CA. We are approving a local rule that regulates these emissions under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act).

This final rule makes Federal employee health insurance accessible to employees of certain Indian tribal entities. Section 409 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (codified at 25 U.S.C. 1647b) authorizes Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations that carry out certain programs to purchase coverage, rights, and benefits under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program for their employees. Tribal employers and tribal employees will be responsible for the full cost of benefits, plus an administrative fee.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is announcing an opportunity for the public to comment on CMS' intention to collect information from the public. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (the PRA), federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information (including each proposed extension or reinstatement of an existing collection of information) and to allow 60 days for public comment on the proposed action. Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding our burden estimates or any other aspect of this collection of information, including any of the following subjects: (1) The necessity and utility of the proposed information collection for the proper performance of the agency's functions; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology to minimize the information collection burden.

This notice partially grants a petition for rulemaking submitted by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the Association of Global Automakers (hereinafter collectively referred to as ``Petitioners'') on June 20, 2016, to consider amending various aspects of the light vehicle Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations. The Petitioners requested that NHTSA issue a direct final rule to implement the requested changes, but NHTSA believes that the issues and questions raised by the Petitioners are worthy of notice and comment. NHTSA will address the changes requested in the Petition in the course of the rulemaking proceeding, in accordance with statutory criteria.

NMFS issues regulations to implement Amendment 101 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA FMP) for the sablefish individual fishing quota (IFQ) fisheries in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This final rule authorizes the use of longline pot gear in the GOA sablefish IFQ fishery. In addition, this final rule establishes management measures to minimize potential conflicts between hook-and-line and longline pot gear used in the sablefish IFQ fisheries in the GOA. This final rule also includes regulations developed under the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982 (Halibut Act) to authorize harvest of halibut IFQ caught incidentally in longline pot gear used in the GOA sablefish IFQ fishery. This final rule is necessary to improve efficiency and provide economic benefits for the sablefish IFQ fleet and minimize potential fishery interactions with whales and seabirds. This action is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Halibut Act, the GOA FMP, and other applicable laws.

The Open Government Act of 2007 created the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) within the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). OGIS has three statutorily defined functions: OGIS offers mediation services to help resolve FOIA disputes; reviews agency FOIA policies, procedures and compliance; and identifies procedures and methods for improving compliance under the FOIA. This proposed rule sets out the implementing guidance and procedures by which OGIS carries out its statutory mission, and explains OGIS's role in the FOIA process.

This document contains final regulations that provide guidance on determining ownership of a passive foreign investment company (PFIC) and on certain annual reporting requirements for shareholders of PFICs to file Form 8621, ``Information Return by a Shareholder of a Passive Foreign Investment Company or Qualified Electing Fund.'' In addition, the final regulations provide guidance on an exception to the requirement for certain shareholders of foreign corporations to file Form 5471, ``Information Return of U.S. Persons with Respect to Certain Foreign Corporations.'' The regulations finalize proposed regulations and withdraw temporary regulations published on December 31, 2013. The final regulations affect United States persons that own interests in PFICs, and certain United States shareholders of foreign corporations.

This action amends Class E en route domestic airspace extending upward from 1,200 feet above the surface near the Blue Mesa VHF Omni-Directional Radio Range/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/ DME), Blue Mesa, CO. The FAA has transitioned to a more accurate method of measuring, publishing, and charting airspace areas that has revealed some small areas of uncharted uncontrolled airspace. The FAA found modification of these areas of uncontrolled airspace necessary to ensure the safety of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations and the efficient use of navigable airspace, including point-to-point off-airway clearances, and aircraft vectoring services.

This action establishes Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Healy River Airport, Healy, AK, to support the development of Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations under standard instrument approach and departure procedures at the airport, and for the safety and management of controlled airspace within the National Airspace System.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Model A330-200, A330-200 Freighter, A330-300, A340-500, and A340-600 series airplanes; and A340-313 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by the discovery of Tartaric Sulfuric Anodizing (TSA)/Chromic Acid Anodizing (CAA) surface treatment in certain bulk cargo door frame holes of certain airplanes. This proposed AD would require inspection of the fuselage bulk cargo door frames at specific locations, and corrective action if necessary. We are proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 787-8 and 787-9 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by wire harness chafing on the electro-mechanical actuators (EMAs) for certain spoilers due to insufficient separation with adjacent structure. This proposed AD would require replacement of affected EMAs. We are proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

We are publishing a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Sikorsky) Model S-92A helicopters, which was sent previously to all known U.S. owners and operators of these helicopters. This AD requires inspecting certain bearings. This AD is prompted by a report of a failed bearing. We are issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issues a final rule amending its regulations that prescribe the procedures by which the public may request records pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) from DOE offices, excluding the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). This final rule makes changes to DOE's regulations to reflect statutory amendments made to the FOIA by the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016, and to make minor grammatical and other editorial changes throughout the regulations. The editorial changes clarify various defined terms, update the internal procedures for processing records requested under FOIA, and reflect minor changes to DOE's internal organizational structure.