December 12, 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS, in consultation with the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council), announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on a new halibut bycatch management program for groundfish fisheries in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI), in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). The proposed action would create a new method of managing halibut bycatch that links halibut prohibited species catch (PSC) limits for the groundfish fisheries to data on halibut abundance. The proposed action is intended to provide a responsive approach for managing halibut bycatch at varying levels of halibut abundance. The new program would minimize halibut bycatch to the extent practicable while achieving, on a continuing basis, optimum yield from the groundfish fisheries. The new management program also could provide additional opportunity for the directed halibut fishery at low levels of halibut abundance compared to the status quo and promote conservation of the halibut spawning stock biomass, particularly at low levels of abundance. The EIS will analyze the impacts to the human environment resulting from the proposed bycatch management program. NMFS will accept written comments from the public to identify the issues of concern and assist the Council in determining the appropriate range of management alternatives for the EIS.

Petitions for Reconsideration (Petition) have been filed in the Commission's rulemaking proceeding by Charles S. Farlow, on behalf of Medtronic, Inc., Chuck Powers on behalf of Motorola Solutions, Inc., and Michael E. Williams, on behalf of Cobra Electronics Corporation.

The Department of State (DOS) is amending the Department of State Acquisition Regulation (DOSAR) to provide new guidance prescribing more stringent safety requirements for certain overseas construction and services projects.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) seeks comment on whether to eliminate Form 325, Annual Report of Cable Television Systems, or, in the alternative, on ways to modernize and streamline the form.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is conditionally approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the State of New York for purposes of implementing Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) for the 2008 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) related to control of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from industrial cleaning solvents. The EPA is approving New York's Ozone Transport Region RACT SIP as it applies to non-control technique guideline major sources of VOCs and major sources of oxides of nitrogen. The EPA is also approving the State of New York's state-wide non-attainment new source review certification as sufficient for purposes of satisfying the 2008 8-hour ozone NAAQS. The EPA is approving New York's certification that there are no sources within the State for the following CTGs: Manufacture of Vegetable Oils and Application of Agricultural Pesticides. This action is being taken in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Models G-IV and GIV-X airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by the potential for fatigue cracks developing in the main landing gear actuator attachment fitting that had a certain repair incorporated. This proposed AD would require incorporating new revisions into the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness of the Limitations section of the FAA-approved maintenance program (e.g., maintenance manual) that establish an inspection cycle for the repaired MLG side brace actuator fittings. We are proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to conduct periodic reviews of certain aspects of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program under the Clean Air Act. This Notification of Availability (NOA) announces the availability of a document titled ``Periodic Reviews for the Renewable Fuel Standard Program.'' The document describes EPA's interpretation of the statutory requirement to conduct periodic reviews, and prior actions that EPA has taken to fulfill its obligations to conduct such reviews.

The NTSB is issuing an interim final rule that revises 49 CFR part 801, ``Public Availability of Information,'' to implement the substantive and procedural changes to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), identified in the Open Government Act of 2007, December 31, 2007, the Open FOIA Act of 2009, October 28, 2009, and the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016, June 30, 2016. These revisions to the NTSB FOIA regulation are being issued as an interim final rule to ensure that an updated regulation is in place as soon as practicable to implement the Acts referenced above.