August 7, 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS is adjusting the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) General category daily retention limit from four large medium or giant BFT per vessel per day/trip to two large medium or giant BFT per vessel per day/trip for the remainder of the 2017 fishing year. This action is based on consideration of the regulatory determination criteria regarding inseason adjustments, and applies to Atlantic Tunas General category (commercial) permitted vessels and Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Charter/Headboat category permitted vessels when fishing commercially for BFT.

The OCC is seeking the public's input with this request for information to assist in determining how the final rule implementing section 13 of the Bank Holding Company Act (commonly referred to as the ``Volcker Rule'') should be revised to better accomplish the purposes of the statute. The OCC also solicits comments suggesting improvements in the ways in which the final rule has been applied and administered to date. This OCC request is limited to regulatory actions that may be undertaken to achieve these objectives. The OCC is not requesting comment on changes to the underlying Volcker statute. The OCC recognizes that any revision to the final rule or the administration of that rule must be done consistent with the constraints of the statute and requests that commenters provide input that fits within the contours of that structure.

The Commission is announcing a recent filing requesting that the Commission initiate an informal rulemaking proceeding to consider changes to an analytical method for use in periodic reporting (Proposal Six). This document informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, and takes other administrative steps.

The Coast Guard will enforce the North Atlantic Ocean, Ocean City, NJ, safety zone from 9:00 p.m. through 11:59 p.m. on October 10, 2017. This action is necessary to ensure safety of life on the navigable waters of the United States immediately prior to, during, and immediately after a fireworks display event. During the enforcement period, and in accordance with the safety zone, no vessel or person may enter, transit through, anchor in, or remain within the regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Delaware Bay or a designated representative.

This action proposes amendments to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Off-Site Waste and Recovery Operations (OSWRO). The proposed amendments address an issue related to monitoring pressure relief devices (PRDs) on containers. This issue was raised in a petition for reconsideration of the amendments to the OSWRO NESHAP finalized in 2015 based on the residual risk and technology review (RTR). Among other things, the 2015 amendments established additional monitoring requirements for all PRDs, including PRDs on containers. For PRDs on containers, these monitoring requirements were in addition to the inspection and monitoring requirements for containers and their closure devices, which include PRDs that were already required by the OSWRO NESHAP. This proposed action would remove the additional monitoring requirements for PRDs on containers that resulted from the 2015 amendments because we have determined that they are not necessary. This action, if finalized as proposed, would not substantially change the level of environmental protection provided under the OSWRO NESHAP. The proposed amendments would reduce capital costs related to compliance to this industry by $28 million compared to the current rule. Total annualized costs, at an interest rate of 7 percent, would be reduced by $4.2 million per year. These costs are associated with a present value of $39 million dollars, discounted at 7 percent over 15 years.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Commonwealth of Kentucky through the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, Division of Air Quality (KDAQ) on September 17, 2014. Kentucky's September 17, 2014, SIP revision (Progress Report) addresses requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) and EPA's rules that require each state to submit periodic reports describing progress towards reasonable progress goals (RPGs) established for regional haze and a determination of the adequacy of the state's existing SIP addressing regional haze (regional haze plan). EPA is proposing to approve Kentucky's determination that the Commonwealth's regional haze plan is adequate to meet these RPGs for the first implementation period covering through 2018 and requires no substantive revision at this time.

NMFS proposes regulations under the Tuna Conventions Act to implement Resolution C-16-05 (Resolution on the Management of Shark Species) of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) adopted in July 2016. Per the Resolution, this proposed rule would require purse seine vessel owners, operators, and crew to follow specified release requirements for sharks in the eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO). The rule would also prohibit longline vessels targeting tuna or swordfish in the EPO from using ``shark lines'' (a type of fishing gear used on longline vessels to target sharks). This proposed rule is necessary for the United States to satisfy its obligations as a member of the IATTC.

On September 20, 2016, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) to establish a new metric, as well as new definitions, test procedures, certification requirements, enforcement testing procedures, and labeling provisions for dedicated-purpose pool pumps (DPPPs). That proposed rulemaking serves as the basis for the final rule. Specifically, DOE is adopting a test procedure for measuring the weighted energy factor (WEF) for certain varieties of dedicated-purpose pool pumps. This final rule incorporates by reference certain sections of the industry test standard Hydraulic Institute (HI) 40.6-2014, ``Methods for Rotodynamic Pump Efficiency Testing'' as the basis of the adopted test procedure. The definitions, test procedures, certification requirements, enforcement testing procedures, and labeling provisions are based on the recommendations of the DPPP Working Group, which was established under the Appliance Standards Rulemaking Federal Advisory Committee (ASRAC).