January 19, 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew an information collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on November 3, 2017 (82 FR 51331). The FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 mandates that all helicopter air ambulance operators must begin reporting the number of flights and hours flown, along with other specified information, during which helicopters operated by the certificate holder are providing helicopter air ambulance services. The helicopter air ambulance operational data provided to the FAA is used by the agency as background information useful in the development of risk mitigation strategies to reduce the helicopter air ambulance accident rate, and to meet the mandates set by Congress. In response to the November 3, 2017 notice and request for comments, the FAA received two comments. One comment from an individual and one comment from the Air Medical Operators Association (AMOA). The individual commented that the hourly burden per average response estimate has increased since the last notice was published on July 29, 2014 (79 FR 44083) and asked for the reason for the change in estimated burden. In response, the FAA clarifies that none of the requirements have changed, but operator data have changed. The overall number of operators has decreased. Additionally, the number of large operators (to which we attribute a higher hourly burden) has increased and the number of small operators (to which we attribute a lower hourly burden) has decreased. Therefore, in the aggregate, the average hourly burden increased from six (6) hours to eleven (11) hours per operator. The AMOA commented that they strongly supported the intent of the data collection requirement, but also noted that the original collection requirement should have been the subject of notice and comment rulemaking. The FAA notes, as indicated in the August 12, 2013 Requests for Comments; Clearance of a New Approval of Information Collection: Helicopter Air Ambulance Operator Reports (78 FR 48925), that prior to issuance of the first information collection notice, representatives from the Flight Standards Service, Office of Accident Investigation and Prevention, and the Office of the Chief Counsel met with representatives from AMOA to discuss the FAA's approach to this data collection. Meetings were held on October 15, 2012 and May 17, 2013. On June 28, 2013 AMOA submitted a response to the FAA discussing its view of the method to collect the data being pursued by the FAA. A copy of that letter was placed in the docket (FAA-2013-0684) and was considered by the agency. AMOA also commented that the FAA has underestimated the hourly burden for both large and small operators. Although AMOA did not provide any specific data to support its comment, in response the FAA has increased the estimates of hourly burden for both large and small operators in this notice and request for comments. AMOA also requested information from the FAA's Office of Accident Investigation and Prevention and commented on the FAA's implementation of certain provisions of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, which are both beyond the scope of this clearance of a renewed approval of information collection.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, this notice announces that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Advisory Committee on HIV, Viral Hepatitis and STD Prevention and Treatment will hold a public meeting.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) proposes to remove its regulations governing reservation clauses, petitions from the refusal of a primary examiner to admit an amendment, the publication of amendments to the regulations, and limits that the Director can impose on the number of inter partes reviews and post-grant reviews heard by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. These regulations are unnecessary or superfluous and in some cases have expired, and their removal will help streamline USPTO's body of regulations without reducing the availability of services for the public. This proposed rule arises out of the USPTO's work during FY 2017 to identify and propose regulations for removal, modification, and streamlining because they are outdated, unnecessary, ineffective, costly, or unduly burdensome on the agency or the private sector. The revisions proposed herein would put into effect the work the USPTO has done, in part through its participation in the Regulatory Reform Task Force established by the Department of Commerce pursuant to Executive Order 13777, to review and identify regulations that are candidates for removal.

The Copyright Royalty Judges publish this final rule regarding rates and terms for use of certain works in connection with noncommercial broadcasting for the period commencing January 1, 2018, and ending on December 31, 2022.

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA that are final pursuant to the statute. The actions relate to a proposed highway project, Toll Locations 1 and 2 in the Towns of Hopkinton, Richmond, and Exeter in the State of Rhode Island, FHWA Project Number T0LL002, Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) Contract Number 2017- OT-002.

The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Environmental Financial Advisory Board (EFAB) will hold a public meeting on February 20-21, 2018. EFAB is an EPA advisory committee chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act to provide advice and recommendations to EPA on creative approaches to funding environmental programs, projects, and activities.