August 8, 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve the requests from the State of Maryland (Maryland) and the Commonwealth of Virginia (Virginia) to redesignate to attainment their respective portions of the Washington, DC-MD-VA nonattainment area (hereafter ``the Washington Area'' or ``the Area'') for the 2008 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS or standard) (also referred to as the 2008 ozone NAAQS). EPA is not proposing to approve the redesignation request for the District of Columbia (the District) for its portion of the Area; EPA will address the District's redesignation request for its portion of the Area in a separate rulemaking action. EPA is also proposing to approve, as a revision to the District's, Maryland's, and Virginia's state implementation plans (SIPs), the joint maintenance plan submitted by the District, Maryland, and Virginia. The joint maintenance plan demonstrates maintenance of the 2008 ozone NAAQS through 2030 in the Washington Area. Approval of a maintenance plan is among the CAA criteria for redesignation to attainment, as discussed in more detail in this notice. The Washington Area maintenance plan includes motor vehicle emissions budgets (MVEBs) for the 2008 ozone NAAQS for nitrogen oxides (NOX) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are precursors to ozone. EPA has found the MVEBs adequate and is proposing to approve, as a SIP revision, these 2014, 2025, and 2030 NOX and VOC MVEBs for the Washington Area.

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), this notice announces that FRA is forwarding the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describes the information collections and their expected burden. On May 10, 2018, FRA published a notice providing a 60-day period for public comment on the ICR.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing action on a revision to the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD or District) portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). We are proposing a conditional approval of an update to provisions governing issuance of permits for stationary sources, including review and permitting of major sources and major modifications under part D of title I of the Clean Air Act (CAA). Specifically, the revision pertains to SCAQMD Rule 1325Federal PM2.5 New Source Review Program. We are taking comments on this proposal and a final action will follow.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve portions of a state implementation plan (SIP) revision submittal from the State of Delaware. This revision addresses the infrastructure requirement for interstate transport of pollution with respect to the 2010 1-hour sulfur dioxide (SO2) national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Maryland. This revision (Maryland SIP Revision #18-03) pertains to a new Maryland regulation that establishes ozone season nitrogen oxides (NOX) emissions caps and other requirements for large non-electric generating units (non-EGU) in Maryland and includes associated revisions to two other Maryland regulations. The revisions will enable Maryland to meet NOX reduction requirements related to interstate transport of pollution that contributes to other states' nonattainment or interferes with other states' maintenance of the ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA).

On December 11, 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a direct final rule and an accompanying notice of proposed rulemaking entitled ``Protection of Stratospheric Ozone: Revision to References for Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Sector To Incorporate Latest Edition of Certain Industry, Consensus-based Standards.'' EPA proposed to modify the use conditions required for use of three flammable refrigerantsisobutane (R-600a), propane (R-290), and R-441Ain new household refrigerators, freezers, and combination refrigerators and freezers under the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program to reflect an updated standard from Underwriters Laboratories. Because EPA received adverse comment, EPA withdrew the direct final rule through a separate notice. In this action, EPA is addressing relevant comments and finalizing the proposed use conditions with no changes.

This document contains proposed regulations that provide guidance regarding the additional first year depreciation deduction under section 168(k) of the Internal Revenue Code (Code). These proposed regulations reflect changes made by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. These proposed regulations affect taxpayers who deduct depreciation for qualified property acquired and placed in service after September 27, 2017.

We propose to supersede airworthiness directive (AD) 2015-22- 02 for Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited (Bell) Model 429 helicopters. AD 2015-22-02 requires inspecting the tail rotor (TR) pitch link assemblies. This proposed AD would retain the inspections of AD 2015-22-02 and would require replacing certain pitch link bearings. Since we issued AD 2015-22-02, Bell has introduced a new design bearing. The actions of this proposed AD are intended to prevent an unsafe condition on these products.

This final rule updates the payment rates used under the prospective payment system (PPS) for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) for fiscal year (FY) 2019. This final rule also replaces the existing case-mix classification methodology, the Resource Utilization Groups, Version IV (RUG-IV) model, with a revised case-mix methodology called the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) beginning on October 1, 2019. The rule finalizes revisions to the regulation text that describes a beneficiary's SNF ``resident'' status under the consolidated billing provision and the required content of the SNF level of care certification. The rule also finalizes updates to the SNF Quality Reporting Program (QRP) and the Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program.

We propose to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2016-25- 19 for Airbus Helicopters (previously Eurocopter France) Model AS350B3 and EC130B4 helicopters. AD 2016-25-19 requires inspecting the pilot's and co-pilot's throttle twist for proper operation. This proposed AD would retain the requirements of AD 2016-25-19 and add certain model helicopters to the applicability. The actions of this proposed AD are intended to address the unsafe condition on these helicopters.