2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a revision to the Florida State Implementation Plan (SIP), submitted by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), on February 3, 2017, addressing the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) interstate transport (prongs 1 and 2) infrastructure SIP requirements for the 2010 1-hour Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). The CAA requires that each state adopt and submit a SIP for the implementation, maintenance, and enforcement of each NAAQS promulgated by EPA, commonly referred to as an ``infrastructure SIP.'' Specifically, EPA is proposing to approve Florida's February 3, 2017, SIP submission addressing prongs 1 and 2, to ensure that air emissions in the State do not significantly contribute to nonattainment or interfere with maintenance of the 2010 1-hour NO2 NAAQS in any other state.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve portions of five State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the State of Florida, Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), through the Florida Division of Air Resource Management, on June 23, 1999, July 1, 2011, December 12, 2011, February 27, 2013, and February 1, 2017. Florida's SIP revisions recodify, clarify, and reorganize the State's non-title V air permitting and compliance assurance program regulations consistent with flexibility provided under the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) and EPA's rules which address new source preconstruction permitting. EPA is proposing to approve Florida's SIP revisions on the basis that they are consistent with the CAA and EPA's requirements for permitting air emission sources.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking direct final action to approve changes to the South Carolina State Implementation Plan (SIP) to revise New Source Review (NSR) regulations. EPA is approving portions of SIP revisions submitted by the State of South Carolina, through the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC), on the following dates: July 18, 2011, April 10, 2014, August 12, 2015, and January 20, 2016. This action is being taken pursuant to the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a portion of the State Implementation Plan (SIP) submission, submitted by the State of Florida, through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, on January 22, 2013, addressing the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) infrastructure requirements for the 2010 1-hour nitrogen dioxide (NO2) national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). The CAA requires that each state adopt and submit a SIP for the implementation, maintenance and enforcement of each NAAQS promulgated by EPA, which is commonly referred to as an ``infrastructure SIP submission.'' Specifically, EPA is approving the portion of Florida's January 22, 2013, SIP submission addressing element B of the infrastructure requirements, which relates to monitoring requirements. EPA is proposing that Florida's infrastructure SIP submission, provided to EPA on January 22, 2013, satisfies the infrastructure requirements related to monitoring for the 2010 1-hour NO2 NAAQS.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking direct final action to approve revisions to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania state implementation plan (SIP). The revisions update Allegheny County's portion of the Pennsylvania SIP, which includes regulations concerning open burning. Pennsylvania submitted updated regulations, on behalf of Allegheny County, which clarify and codify existing regulations in order to more effectively address emissions from open burning and protect public health. EPA is approving the SIP submittal of Allegheny County's regulations for open burning in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing approval of two revisions to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) for ozone submitted by the State of New Jersey. This SIP revision consists of two source-specific reasonably available control technology (RACT) determinations for controlling oxides of nitrogen. One is for the Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Corp., LNG Station 240 located in Carlstadt, New Jersey and the other is for Joint Base McGuire-Dix- Lakehurst in Lakehurst, New Jersey. This action approves the source- specific RACT determinations that were made by New Jersey in accordance with the provisions of its regulation to help meet the national ambient air quality standard for ozone. The intended effect of this rule is to approve source-specific emissions limitations required by the Clean Air Act.

This final rule revises the Legal Services Corporation (LSC or Corporation) regulation on Definitions and Cost Standards and Procedures and creates a new part from LSC's Property Acquisition and Management Manual (PAMM).

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 737-200, -200C, -300, -400, and -500 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by an evaluation by the design approval holder (DAH) indicating that the fuselage crown skin panels are subject to widespread fatigue damage (WFD). This proposed AD would require repetitive inspections, replacement, and applicable on- condition actions for certain fuselage crown skin panels. We are proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

In this document, the Commission adopts rules pursuant to Section 202 of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA) to expand the availability of video described programming on top-rated broadcast and nonbroadcast networks. Specifically, the document adopts the proposal to increase the amount of described programming on each ``included network'' carried by a covered broadcast station or multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD), from 50 hours per calendar quarter to 87.5 hours per quarter. Covered broadcast stations and MVPDs must start providing the additional hours of video described programming on ``included networks'' in the calendar quarter beginning on July 1, 2018. The document also provides more flexibility than exists under the Commission's current rules regarding when the additional hours of described programming may be aired. This update to the Commission's video description rules will help ensure that Americans who are blind or visually impaired can be connected, informed, and entertained by television.

The Coast Guard is establishing a special local regulation for certain navigable waters of the Ohio River from mile marker (MM) 602.0 to MM 604.0. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on the navigable waters near Louisville, KY, during a regatta between August 18 and 20, 2017. This rulemaking prohibits persons and vessels from being within the special local regulation unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Ohio Valley (COTP) or a designated representative.

This final rule revises the Legal Services Corporation's (LSC or the Corporation) regulation about bonding requirements for LSC recipients. It requires recipients to bond all their employees and to ensure that third parties who handle recipients' funds have bond coverage, allows recipients to use other forms of insurance similar to fidelity bonds, raises the minimum level of coverage, and allows recipients to use LSC funds to pay for bonding costs. This final rule updates regulations to reflect current insurance practices and simplifies the language in the rule to reduce confusion.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone around the Stampede Tension Leg Platform (TLP) facility located in Green Canyon Block 468 on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in the Gulf of Mexico. The purpose of the safety zone is to protect the facility from all vessels operating outside the normal shipping channels and fairways that are not providing services to or working with the facility. Placing a safety zone around the facility will significantly reduce the threat of allisions, collisions, oil spills, releases of natural gas, and thereby protect the safety of life, property, and the environment.

NMFS hereby issues regulations to implement Amendment 114 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area and Amendment 104 to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska (collectively referred to as the FMPs). Amendments 114/104 and this final rule integrate electronic monitoring (EM) into the North Pacific Observer Program (Observer Program). This final rule establishes a process for owners or operators of vessels using nontrawl gear to request to participate in the EM selection pool and the requirements for vessel owners or operators while in the EM selection pool. This action is necessary to improve the collection of data needed for the conservation, management, and scientific understanding of managed fisheries. Amendments 114/104 are intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the FMPs, and other applicable laws.

The Federal Communications Commission adopts technical rules to mitigate ground-path interference between the Digital Broadcasting Satellite Service (DBS) and the Broadcasting-Satellite Service (BSS) in the 17.3-17.8 GHz band to protect consumers and foster more rapid deployment of services, greater investment, and new innovation.

The Coast Guard will enforce special local regulations for the Poquoson Seafood Festival Workboat Race held on the Back River on October 15, 2017, with a rain date of October 29, 2017. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waterways during the power boat race. Our regulation for recurring marine events in Captain of the PortSector Hampton Roads zone identifies the regulated area for this regatta. During the enforcement period, no vessel may transit this regulated area without approval from the Captain of the Port or a designated representative.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a portion of the State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by Mississippi, through the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), Office of Pollution Control, on June 7, 2016. Specifically, this action approves the portion of the SIP revision making changes to Mississippi's Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) program by modifying the incorporation by reference (IBR) date for the Federal PSD regulations promulgated by EPA. By changing this date, approval of the SIP revision modifies the existing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) PSD permitting program and incorporates PSD provisions related to the 1997, 2006, and 2012 fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and 2015 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). This action is being taken pursuant to the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) and its implementing regulations.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving revisions to Idaho's State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted in 2012 and 2014 to address Clean Air Act (CAA) requirements for the Idaho portion of the Logan, Utah-Idaho fine particulate matter (PM2.5) nonattainment area (Logan UT-ID area). Based on newly available air quality monitoring data, the EPA is approving Idaho's attainment demonstration and approving Idaho's 2014 Motor Vehicle Emissions Budgets (MVEBs) as early progress budgets. Additionally, the EPA is conditionally approving Reasonable Further Progress (RFP), Quantitative Milestones (QMs), and revised MVEBs for the Idaho portion of the nonattainment area, based on Idaho's commitment to adopt and submit updates to these attainment plan elements within one year of the effective date of this final action.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (Commission, CPSC, or we) is issuing a final rule to update its Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) rule. The final rule revises the rule to conform to the amendments of the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016 (the 2016 FOIA) to the FOIA. The final rule is also updated to reflect changes in Commission procedures; updates Commission contact information, including current methods of submitting requests for records to the Commission; revises employee titles; and makes various technical changes and corrections.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to approve portions of the State Implementation Plan (SIP) submission, submitted on February 8, 2016, by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, through the Energy and Environment Cabinet, Department for Environmental Protection, through the Kentucky Division for Air Quality (KDAQ), to demonstrate that the State meets the infrastructure requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) for the 2012 Annual Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). The CAA requires that each state adopt and submit a SIP for the implementation, maintenance and enforcement of each NAAQS promulgated by EPA, which is commonly referred to as an ``infrastructure'' SIP. KDAQ certified that the Kentucky SIP contains provisions that ensure the 2012 Annual PM2.5 NAAQS is implemented, enforced, and maintained in Kentucky. EPA has determined that portions of Kentucky's SIP satisfy certain infrastructure elements for the 2012 Annual PM2.5 NAAQS.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) (collectively, the Agencies) withdraw the March 10, 2016, advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) concerning the prevalence of moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) among individuals occupying safety sensitive positions in highway and rail transportation, and its potential consequences for the safety of highway and rail transportation. The Agencies have determined not to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking at this time.

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.