January 12, 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) is amending its rules of practice and procedure for national banks and its rules of practice and procedure in adjudicatory proceedings for Federal savings associations to remove the chart listing the maximum dollar amount of civil money penalties the OCC has authority to assess.

This final rule removes DoD's regulation concerning the signing of EUCs required by foreign governments for foreign defense items purchased by the United States. DoD has determined that this part does not place a burden on the public as it deals with matters internal to DoD. DoD signs end use certificates (following internal coordination and approval) at the behest of a foreign country, when DoD is buying products from that country. Therefore, this part is unnecessary and can be removed from the CFR.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``CFTC'' or ``Commission'') is adopting certain amendments to its rules that, respectively, govern registration of intermediaries and relate to the Commission's review of exchange disciplinary, access denial, or other adverse actions. Generally speaking, these amendments are technical in nature. The amendments to both areas of the rules integrate existing advisory guidance. The amendments to the rules on review of exchange disciplinary, access denial, or other adverse actions also incorporate swap execution facilities (``SEFs'') and update provisions currently applicable to designated contract markets (``DCMs''). These final rules also remove numerous outdated cross-references, and add citations to applicable parallel provisions contained in other Commission regulations pertaining to SEFs and DCMs. Additionally, the final rules address the publication of final disciplinary and access denial actions taken by the SEFs and DCMs on their exchange websites.

In this document, Commission issues new rules that protect consumers from unwanted robocalls by permitting voice service providers to proactively block telephone calls when the subscriber of a phone number requests that calls purporting to originate from that number be blocked, and when calls purport to originate from three categories of unassigned phone numbers: Invalid numbers, valid numbers that are not allocated to a voice service provider, and valid numbers that are allocated but not assigned to a subscriber. While such calls may appear to be legitimate to those who receive them, they can result in fraud or identity theft. To combat these scams, the new rules expressly authorize voice service providers to block these robocalls without running afoul of the FCC's call completion rules. To minimize blocking of lawful calls, the Commission encourages voice service providers that elect to block calls to establish a simple way to identify and fix blocking errors. The rules also prohibit providers from blocking 911 emergency calls.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has submitted updated regulations for receiving delegation of EPA authority for implementation and enforcement of National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for all sources (both part 70 and non-part 70 sources). These regulations apply to certain NESHAP promulgated by the EPA, as amended between April 24, 2013 and August 3, 2016. The delegation of authority under this action does not apply to sources located in Indian Country. The EPA is providing notice proposing to approve the delegation of certain NESHAPs to TCEQ.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office published in the Federal Register on June 11, 2015 a final rule, which became effective on July 11, 2015, revising the Trademark Rules of Practice. This document reinstates three paragraphs, which were inadvertently deleted as a result of an error in the amendatory instructions.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish special local regulations for certain waters of the Chesapeake Bay. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters located between Sandy Point, Anne Arundel County, MD and Kent Island, Queen Anne's County, MD, during a paddling event on June 2, 2018. In the case of inclement weather, the paddling event is scheduled for June 3, 2018. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from being in the regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Maryland-National Capital Region or Coast Guard Patrol Commander. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is issuing a final rule to amend its regulations governing the maximum civil monetary penalties assessable for violations of statutes, rules, and orders within the Commission's jurisdiction. The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended most recently by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015, requires the Commission to issue this final rule.

The 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).

This action removes Class E airspace designated as an extension at Fort Eustis, VA, as the Felker non-directional beacon (NDB) has been decommissioned, and the approaches cancelled at Felker Army Airfield, (AAF). This action also updates the airport's geographic coordinates under Class D airspace.

This action proposes to modify five VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal airways (V-12, V-214, V-340, V-467, and V-517) and one low altitude area navigation (RNAV) route (T-213) in the vicinity of Richmond, IN. The FAA is proposing this action due to the planned decommissioning of the Richmond, IN (RID), VHF Omnidirectional Range/ Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) navigation aid (NAVAID) which provides navigation guidance for portions of the affected ATS routes. Overall, this action would enhance the safety and management of aircraft within the National Airspace System (NAS).

This final rule amends the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation's regulation on Benefits Payable in Terminated Single- Employer Plans to prescribe interest assumptions under the regulation for valuation dates in February 2018. The interest assumptions are used for paying benefits under terminating single-employer plans covered by the pension insurance system administered by PBGC.

The Commission proposes to amend its Special Regulations by the addition of a section on hydraulic fracturing in shale and other rock formations, including: The prohibition of high volume hydraulic fracturing in such formations; provisions related to water use for hydraulic fracturing; and provisions related to the management of produced water from hydraulic fracturing. The Commission also proposes to amend its Administrative ManualRules of Practice and Procedure by the addition of project review classifications and fees related to the management of produced water from hydraulic fracturing of hydrocarbon bearing rock formations. Minor amendments to the project review classifications unrelated to hydraulic fracturing are also proposed.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Model A318 series airplanes and Model A319 series airplanes; all Model A320-211, -212, -214, -216, -231, -232, and -233 airplanes; and all Model A321-111, -112, -131, -211, -212, -213, -231, and -232 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by an evaluation by the design approval holder (DAH) indicating that the holes of the upper cleat to upper stringer attachments at certain areas of the left- and right-hand wings are subject to widespread fatigue damage (WFD). This proposed AD would require modifying the holes of the upper cleat to upper stringer attachments at certain areas of the left- and right-hand wings. We are proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

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 reports of fatigue cracking in the frame outboard chord and in the radius of the auxiliary chord at a certain area. This AD requires inspections to detect this cracking, and corrective action if necessary. We are issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.