December 14, 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Medicare Program: Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems and Quality Reporting Programs
Document Number: R1-2017-23932
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-12-14
Agency: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services
This final rule with comment period revises the Medicare hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) and the Medicare ambulatory surgical center (ASC) payment system for CY 2018 to implement changes arising from our continuing experience with these systems. In this final rule with comment period, we describe the changes to the amounts and factors used to determine the payment rates for Medicare services paid under the OPPS and those paid under the ASC payment system. In addition, this final rule with comment period updates and refines the requirements for the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR) Program and the ASC Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Program.
Vessel Documentation Regulations-Technical Amendments
Document Number: C1-2017-20023
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-12-14
Agency: Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security
Compliance Date for Form 10-D Hyperlink Requirements
Document Number: 2017-26982
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-12-14
Agency: Securities and Exchange Commission, Agencies and Commissions
The Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') is publishing this document to inform the public that it has set a compliance date for its previously-adopted exhibit hyperlinking requirements for Form 10-Ds that require hyperlinks to any exhibits filed with Form ABS-EE. The Commission on March 1, 2017 required registrants that file registration statements and reports subject to the exhibit requirements under Item 601 of Regulation S-K, or that file Forms F-10 or 20-F, to include a hyperlink to each exhibit listed in the exhibit index of these filings, but deferred setting a compliance date with respect to any Form 10-D that will require hyperlinks to any exhibits filed with Form ABS-EE until the Commission announced that technical programming changes to allow issuers to include Form 10-D and Form ABS-EE in a single submission had been completed, and published a notification of the compliance date for Form 10-D in the Federal Register.
Military Lending Act Limitations on Terms of Consumer Credit Extended to Service Members and Dependents
Document Number: 2017-26974
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-12-14
Agency: Department of Defense, Office of the Secretary
The Department of Defense (Department) is amending its interpretive rule for the Military Lending Act (the MLA). The MLA, as implemented by the Department, limits the military annual percentage rate (MAPR) that a creditor may charge to a maximum of 36 percent, requires certain disclosures, and provides other substantive consumer protections on ``consumer credit'' extended to Service members and their families. On July 22, 2015, the Department amended its regulation primarily for the purpose of extending the protections of the MLA to a broader range of closed-end and open-end credit products (the July 2015 Final Rule). On August 26, 2016, the Department issued the first set of interpretations of that regulation in the form of questions and answers; the present interpretive rule amends and adds to those questions and answers to provide guidance on certain questions the Department has received regarding compliance with the July 2015 Final Rule.
Revision to Children's Gasoline Burn Prevention Act Regulation
Document Number: 2017-26954
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-12-14
Agency: Consumer Product Safety Commission, Agencies and Commissions
The Children's Gasoline Burn Prevention Act (CGBPA or the Act) adopted as a consumer product safety rule, the child-resistance requirements for closures on portable gasoline containers published in the ASTM voluntary standard, Standard Specification for Determination of Child Resistance of Portable Fuel Containers for Consumer Use, ASTM F2517-05. ASTM F2517 was revised in 2015. These revisions became law under the Act, which the Commission codified through a direct final rule in 2015. On November 13, 2017, the Commission received notice from ASTM that a revision to ASTM F2517 was published in November 2017. In this direct final rule the Commission reviews and evaluates the revised ASTM F2517, finding that the revisions carry out the purposes of the CGBPA's requirements. Accordingly, the 2017 revisions to the child- resistance requirements will be automatically incorporated and apply as the statutorily mandated standard for closures on portable gasoline containers. This direct final rule updates the Commission's regulation to reflect that the requirements for closures on portable gasoline containers must meet the requirements in ASTM F2517-17.
Terrestrial Use of the 2473-2495 MHz Bands for Low-Power Mobile Broadband Networks; Amendments to Rules for the Ancillary Terrestrial Component of Mobile Satellite Service Systems
Document Number: 2017-26943
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-12-14
Agency: Federal Communications Commission, Agencies and Commissions
In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection associated with the Commission's Terrestrial Use of the 2473-2495 MHz bands for Low-Power Mobile Broadband Networks; Amendments to Rules for the Ancillary Terrestrial Component of Mobile Satellite Service Systems Report and Order's (Order) modified rules for the operation of an Ancillary Terrestrial Component. This document is consistent with the Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of those rules.
Accelerating Wireless Broadband Deployment by Removing Barriers to Infrastructure Investment
Document Number: 2017-26940
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-12-14
Agency: Federal Communications Commission, Agencies and Commissions
The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) eliminates historic preservation review of replacement utility poles that support communications equipment, subject to conditions that ensure no effects on historic properties. The Commission also consolidates historic preservation requirements in a single new rule.
Safety Zone; Delaware River, Pipeline Removal, Marcus Hook, PA
Document Number: 2017-26935
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-12-14
Agency: Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security
This interim rule modifies and extends the effective period of the existing temporary safety zone encompassing all navigable waters within a 250-yard radius of Commerce Construction vessels and machinery conducting diving and pipeline removal operations in the Delaware River, in the vicinity of Anchorage 7, near Marcus Hook, PA. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by diving and pipeline removal operations. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Delaware Bay. We invite your comments on this rulemaking.
Federal Reserve Policy on Payment System Risk; U.S. Branches and Agencies of Foreign Banking Organizations
Document Number: 2017-26923
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2017-12-14
Agency: Federal Reserve System, Agencies and Commissions
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (``Board'') is requesting comment on proposed changes to part II of the Federal Reserve Policy on Payment System Risk (``PSR policy'') related to procedures for determining the net debit cap and maximum daylight overdraft capacity of a U.S. branch or agency of a foreign banking organization (``FBO''). Under the PSR policy, an FBO's strength of support assessment (``SOSA'') ranking can affect its eligibility for a positive net debit cap, the size of its net debit cap, and its eligibility to request a streamlined procedure to obtain maximum daylight overdraft capacity. Additionally, an FBO that is a financial holding company (``FHC'') can generally receive a higher net debit cap than an FBO that is not an FHC, and is generally eligible to request a streamlined procedure to obtain maximum daylight overdraft capacity. The proposed changes to the PSR policy would remove references to the SOSA ranking; remove references to FBOs' FHC status; and adopt alternative methods for determining an FBO's eligibility for a positive net debit cap, the size of its net debit cap, and its eligibility to request a streamlined procedure to obtain maximum daylight overdraft capacity. The Board recognizes that the proposed changes would reduce net debit caps for some FBOs, but the Board believes that the adjusted FBO net debit caps would be better tailored to FBOs' actual usage of intraday credit and would not constrain FBOs' U.S. operations.
Investment Company Reporting Modernization
Document Number: 2017-26922
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-12-14
Agency: Securities and Exchange Commission, Agencies and Commissions
The Securities and Exchange Commission (the ``Commission'') is adopting a temporary final rule that requires funds in larger fund groups to maintain in their records the information that is required to be included in Form N-PORT, in lieu of filing reports with the Commission, until April 2019. As a result, larger funds groups will be required to begin submitting reports on Form N-PORT on the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval (``EDGAR'') system by April 30, 2019, and smaller fund groups will be required to begin submitting reports on Form N-PORT by April 30, 2020. The information that funds in larger fund groups maintain in their records will be subject to examination by the Commission. In addition, the Commission is delaying the rescission of current Form N-Q and delaying the effectiveness of certain amendments to other rules and forms.
Representation-Case Procedures
Document Number: 2017-26904
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2017-12-14
Agency: National Labor Relations Board, Agencies and Commissions
The National Labor Relations Board (the Board) is seeking information from the public regarding its representation election regulations (the Election Regulations), with a specific focus on amendments to the Board's representation case procedures adopted by the Board's final rule published on December 15, 2014 (the Election Rule or Rule). As part of its ongoing efforts to more effectively administer the National Labor Relations Act (the Act or the NLRA) and to further the purposes of the Act, the Board has an interest in reviewing the Election Rule to evaluate whether the Rule should be: Retained without change, retained with modifications, or rescinded, possibly while making changes to the prior Election Regulations that were in place before the Rule's adoption. Regarding these questions, the Board believes it will be helpful to solicit and consider public responses to this request for information.
Amendment of the Prohibition Against Certain Flights in Specified Areas of the Sanaa (OYSC) Flight Information Region
Document Number: 2017-26903
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-12-14
Agency: Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation
This action amends the Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) that prohibits certain flights in specified areas of the Sanaa (OYSC) Flight Information Region (FIR) by all: United States (U.S.) air carriers; U.S. commercial operators; persons exercising the privileges of an airman certificate issued by the FAA, except when such persons are operating U.S.-registered aircraft for a foreign air carrier; and operators of U.S.-registered civil aircraft, except where the operator of such aircraft is a foreign air carrier. There has been a reduction in the level of risk to U.S. civil aviation operations in limited portions of the specified areas of the Sanaa (OYSC) Flight Information region (FIR) where the FAA had prohibited flight operations under the SFAR. As a result, the FAA is reducing the amount of airspace in the Sanaa (OYSC) FIR in which U.S. civil aviation operations are prohibited. However, there continues to be an unacceptable level of risk to U.S. civil aviation operations in the remainder of the specified areas of the Sanaa (OYSC) FIR, as described in this rule, resulting from terrorist and militant activity. Consequently, the FAA is also amending this SFAR to extend its expiration date. The FAA is also republishing, with minor revisions, the approval process and exemption information for this SFAR.
Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; North Atlantic Swordfish Fishery
Document Number: 2017-26901
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-12-14
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS is adjusting the Swordfish (SWO) General Commercial permit retention limits for the Northwest Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and U.S. Caribbean regions for January through June of the 2018 fishing year, unless otherwise later noticed. The SWO General Commercial permit retention limit in each of these regions is increased from the regulatory default limits (either two or three fish) to six swordfish per vessel per trip. The SWO General Commercial permit retention limit in the Florida SWO Management Area will remain unchanged at the default limit of zero swordfish per vessel per trip. These adjustments apply to SWO General Commercial permitted vessels and Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Charter/Headboat permitted vessels when on a non-for-hire trip. This action is based upon consideration of the applicable inseason regional retention limit adjustment criteria.
Contingency Measures for the 1997 PM2.5
Document Number: 2017-26899
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-12-14
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or ``Agency'') is taking final action to determine that the deficiency that formed the basis for a disapproval of the contingency measures submitted for the San Joaquin Valley nonattainment area for the 1997 fine particulate matter (PM2.5) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) has been corrected. The effect of this action is to permanently stop the sanctions clocks triggered by the disapproval.
Air Plan Approval; Florida; Stationary Sources Emissions Monitoring; Reopening of Comment Period
Document Number: 2017-26898
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2017-12-14
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reopening the comment period for a proposed rulemaking notice published in the Federal Register on October 13, 2017, which accompanied a direct final rulemaking published on the same date. The direct final rulemaking has been withdrawn due to the receipt of an adverse comment. In the October 13, 2017, proposed rulemaking, EPA proposed to approve a portion of a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Florida, through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) on February 1, 2017, for the purpose of revising Florida's requirements and procedures for emissions monitoring at stationary sources. Additionally, the October 13, 2017, document included a proposed correction to remove a Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.) rule that was previously approved for removal from the SIP in a separate action but was never removed. It was brought to EPA's attention that the February 1, 2017, state submittals and related materials were not accessible to the public through the electronic docket. The materials are now accessible in the electronic docket. EPA is reopening the comment period for an additional 30 days.
Finding of Failure To Submit a Section 110 State Implementation Plan for Interstate Transport for the 2012 Annual National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Fine Particles
Document Number: 2017-26894
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-12-14
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action finding that Washington State failed to submit an infrastructure State Implementation Plan (SIP) to satisfy certain interstate transport requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA) with respect to the 2012 annual fine particles (PM2.5) national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). Specifically, these requirements pertain to significant contribution to nonattainment, or interference with maintenance, of the 2012 annual PM2.5 NAAQS in other states. This finding of failure to submit establishes a 2-year deadline for the EPA to promulgate a Federal Implementation Plan (FIP) to address the interstate transport SIP requirements pertaining to significant contribution to nonattainment and interference with maintenance unless, prior to the EPA promulgating a FIP, the state submits, and the EPA approves, a SIP that meets these requirements.
Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Airplanes
Document Number: 2017-26842
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-12-14
Agency: Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation
We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Model A330-200, A330-200 Freighter, and A330-300 series airplanes; and Airbus Model A340-200, A340-300, A340-500, and A340-600 series airplanes. This AD requires repetitive inspections of certain fuel pumps for cavitation erosion, corrective action if necessary, and revision of the minimum equipment list (MEL). This AD was prompted by a report indicating that a fuel pump showing cavitation erosion breached the fuel pump housing and exposed the fuel pump power supply wires. We are issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Airworthiness Directives; Fokker Services B.V. Airplanes
Document Number: 2017-26833
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-12-14
Agency: Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation
We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Fokker Services B.V. Model F28 Mark 0070 and 0100 airplanes. This AD requires contacting the FAA to obtain instructions for addressing the unsafe condition on these products, and doing the actions specified in those instructions. This AD was prompted by a report of an engine multiple fan blade-off (MFBO) event, caused by engine fan flutter. We are issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Passports
Document Number: 2017-26751
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2017-12-14
Agency: Department of State
This proposed rule provides various changes and updates to the Department of State passport rules. The proposed rule incorporates statutory passport denial and revocation requirements for certain convicted sex offenders. It notes that, notwithstanding the legal bases for denial or revocation of a passport, the Department may issue a passport for direct return to the United States. It sets out the Department's procedures for denying and cancelling Consular Reports of Birth Abroad. Finally, the proposed rule provides additional information relating to the conduct of review hearings.
Ancillary Airline Passenger Revenues
Document Number: 2017-26708
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2017-12-14
Agency: Department of Transportation, Office of the Secretary
The Department of Transportation (the Department) is withdrawing a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) published on July 15, 2011 that proposed to collect detailed revenue information regarding airline imposed fees from those air carriers meeting the definition of a large certificated air carrier. We are withdrawing this rulemaking in light of the comments we received. The withdrawal of this rulemaking corresponds with the Department's and Administration's priorities and is consistent with the Executive Order 13771, Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs, January 30, 2017.
Transparency of Airline Ancillary Service Fees
Document Number: 2017-26707
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2017-12-14
Agency: Department of Transportation, Office of the Secretary
The Department is withdrawing the supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNPRM) on Transparency of Airline Ancillary Service Fees issued on January 9, 2017. The SNPRM proposed to require air carriers, foreign air carriers, and ticket agents to clearly disclose to consumers at all points of sale customer-specific fee information, or itinerary-specific information if a customer elects not to provide customer-specific information, for a first checked bag, a second checked bag, and one carry-on bag wherever fare and schedule information is provided to consumers. The withdrawal of this rulemaking corresponds with the Department's and Administration's priorities and is consistent with Executive Order 13771, Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs, January 30, 2017.
Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Airplanes
Document Number: 2017-26627
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-12-14
Agency: Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation
We are superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2012-21-04, which applied to all Airbus Model A300 series airplanes; Model A310 series airplanes; and Model A300 B4-600, B4-600R, and F4-600R series airplanes, and Model A300 C4-605R Variant F airplanes (collectively called Model A300-600 series airplanes). AD 2012-21-04 required repetitive inspections for, and replacement of, any cracked hood halves of fuel pump canisters. Since we issued AD 2012-21-04, we allowed inspections of the wing-outer tank and trim tank fuel pump canister hood halves to be terminated. This new AD retains the requirements of AD 2012-21-04, reinstates the terminated inspections, and adds optional terminating actions. This AD was prompted by reports of cracked fuel pump canister hoods located in fuel tanks and new in-service events of wing-outer tank fuel pump canister hood cracking. We are issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Airworthiness Directives; Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. Segelflugzeugbau Gliders
Document Number: 2017-26620
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-12-14
Agency: Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation
We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Alexander Schleicher GmbH & Co. Segelflugzeugbau Models ASH 25M and ASH 26E gliders. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as fatigue cracks found on the exhaust silencer. We are issuing this AD to require actions to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes
Document Number: 2017-26619
Type: Rule
Date: 2017-12-14
Agency: Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation
We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 737-100, -200, -200C, -300, -400, and -500 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report indicating that wear of the bearing plate slider bushings could cause disconnection of certain elevator hinges, which could excite the horizontal stabilizer under certain in-flight speed/altitude conditions and lead to degradation of the structure. This AD requires repetitive inspections and checks of certain elevator hinges and related components, repetitive replacements and tests of the bearing plate, and related investigative and corrective actions, if necessary. We are issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Airplanes
Document Number: 2017-26362
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2017-12-14
Agency: Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation
We propose to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2015-15- 13, which applies to certain Airbus Model A319 series airplanes; Model A320-211, -212, -214, -231, -232, and -233 airplanes; and Model A321- 111, -112, -131, -211, -212, -213, -231, and -232 airplanes. AD 2015- 15-13 requires modification of the potable water service panel and waste water service panel, including doing applicable related investigative and corrective actions. Since we issued AD 2015-15-13, further investigations linked to widespread fatigue damage (WFD) analysis highlighted that, to meet the WFD requirements, it is necessary that the affected modification not be accomplished before reaching a certain threshold. This proposed AD would require modification of the waste water and potable water service panels with new compliance times. This proposed AD would also remove certain airplanes from the applicability and add Model A320-216 airplanes to the applicability. We are proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
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