September 26, 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is proposing to amend its regulations pertaining to the operation of the Financing Corporation (FICO), a vehicle established by one of FHFA's predecessors to issue bonds, the proceeds of which were used to help fund the resolution of failed savings and loan associations during the 1980s. The last of those FICO bonds will mature in September 2019. By statute, FICO obtains the monies to pay the interest on those bonds by assessing depository institutions (FICO assessments) that are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The proposed rule addresses the manner in which FICO would conduct the 2019 FICO assessments, which are expected to be the last of those assessments. Specifically, the proposed rule would provide that all payments made by FDIC-insured depository institutions during 2019 will be final, and that no adjustments to prior FICO assessments would be permitted after March 26, 2019, the projected date as of which the FDIC will finalize the amounts of the final collection for the 2019 FICO assessments.

This regulation establishes an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of 2-propenoic acid, 2-methyl-, polymer with butyl 2-methyl-2-propenoate, butyl 2-propenoate, N-(1,1-dimethyl- 3-oxobutyl)-2-propenamide, ethenylbenzene, 2-ethylhexyl 2-propenoate and methyl 2-methyl-2-propenoate; when used as an inert ingredient in a pesticide chemical formulation. Spring Trading Company on behalf of BASF Corporation submitted a petition to EPA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), requesting an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of 2-propenoic acid, 2-methyl-, polymer with butyl 2-methyl-2-propenoate, butyl 2- propenoate, N-(1,1-dimethyl-3-oxobutyl)-2-propenamide, ethenylbenzene, 2-ethylhexyl 2-propenoate and methyl 2-methyl-2-propenoate on food or feed commodities.

This notice announces the appointment of the Department of Defense, Fourth Estate, Performance Review Board (PRB) members, to include the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Joint Staff, Defense Field Activities, U.S Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and the following Defense Agencies: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Defense Commissary Agency, Defense Contract Audit Agency, Defense Contract Management Agency, Defense Finance and Accounting Service, Defense Health Agency, Defense Information Systems Agency, Defense Legal Services Agency, Defense Logistics Agency, Defense Prisoners of War/Missing in Action Accounting Agency, Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Missile Defense Agency, and Pentagon Force Protection Agency. The PRB shall provide fair and impartial review of Senior Executive Service and Senior Professional performance appraisals and make recommendations regarding performance ratings and performance awards to the Deputy Secretary of Defense.

Through this notice, the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development delegates to the Assistant Deputy Secretary for Field Policy and Management and to the Associate Assistant Deputy Secretary for Field Policy and Management authority for the management and oversight of the Department's field operations.

Through this notice, the Assistant Deputy Secretary for Field Policy and Management and the Associate Assistant Deputy Secretary for Field Policy and Management redelegate certain operational management authority to the HUD regional administrators located in Region I (Boston, MA); Region II (New York, NY); Region III (Philadelphia, PA); Region IV (Atlanta, GA); Region V (Chicago, IL); Region VI (Fort Worth, TX); Region VII (Kansas City, KS); Region VIII (Denver, CO); Region IX (San Francisco, CA); and Region X (Seattle, WA).

This regulation establishes an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of 2-propenoic acid, polymer with butyl 2- propenoate, ethenylbenzene and (1-methylethenyl) benzene, ammonium salt; when used as an inert ingredient in a pesticide chemical formulation. Spring Trading Company on behalf of BASF Corporation submitted a petition to EPA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), requesting an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of 2-propenoic acid, polymer with butyl 2-propenoate, ethenylbenzene and (1-methylethenyl) benzene, ammonium salt on food or feed commodities.

This final rule amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by adding fourteen entities to the Entity List. These fourteen entities have been determined by the U.S. Government to be acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States and will be listed on the Entity List under the destinations of Belarus, Iran, Russia, and Singapore. This rule also modifies one entry on the Entity List under the destination of the United Arab Emirates. Lastly, this rule removes one entity under the destination of Hong Kong from the Entity List. The removal is made in connection with a request for removal BIS received pursuant to the EAR and a review of information provided in that request.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by hook- and-line catcher/processors in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the annual allowance of the 2018 Pacific cod total allowable catch apportioned to hook-and-line catcher/processors in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected costs and burden.

The plats of survey of the following described lands were officially filed in the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Arizona State Office, Phoenix, Arizona, on the dates indicated. Surveys announced in this notice are necessary for the management of lands administered by the agencies indicated.

The Department of the Air Force announces the availability of VIGILANT SPIRIT software and related documentation that enables flexible operator teaming arrangements, including single operator control, of multiple heterogeneous Unmanned Air Vehicles (``UAVs'').

On behalf of the U.S. Department of Commerce, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is requesting comments on ways to advance consumer privacy while protecting prosperity and innovation. NTIA is seeking public comments on a proposed approach to this task that lays out a set of user-centric privacy outcomes that underpin the protections that should be produced by any Federal actions on consumer-privacy policy, and a set of high- level goals that describe the outlines of the ecosystem that should be created to provide those protections.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) invites public comment on the renewal of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for an existing collection of information. The information collection is entitled, ``Cooperation with States at Commercial Nuclear Power Plants and Other Nuclear Production and Utilization Facilities, Policy Statement.''

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2018 total allowable catch of Pacific ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

The Commission hereby gives notice of the institution of investigations and commencement of preliminary phase antidumping and countervailing duty investigation Nos. 701-TA-610 and 731-TA-1425-1427 (Preliminary) pursuant to the Tariff Act of 1930 (``the Act'') to determine whether there is a reasonable indication that an industry in the United States is materially injured or threatened with material injury, or the establishment of an industry in the United States is materially retarded, by reason of imports of stainless steel kegs from China, Germany, and Mexico, provided for in subheadings 7310.10.00 and 7310.29.00 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, that are alleged to be sold in the United States at less than fair value and alleged to be subsidized by the Government of China. Unless the Department of Commerce (``Commerce'') extends the time for initiation, the Commission must reach a preliminary determination in antidumping and countervailing duty investigations in 45 days, or in this case by November 5, 2018. The Commission's views must be transmitted to Commerce within five business days thereafter, or by November 13, 2018.

This notice announces final environmental action taken by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Transit (MTA NYCT) Canarsie Tunnel Project Alternative Service Plan (ASP), in New York City, New York. The purpose of this notice is to announce publicly the environmental decision by FTA on the subject project and to activate the limitation on any claims that may challenge this final environmental action.

On behalf of the National Science and Technology Council's (NSTC) Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence (Select Committee), NITRD NCO requests input from all interested parties on the National Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Strategic Plan. Through this Request for Information (RFI), NITRD NCO seeks input from the public, including those directly performing Artificial Intelligence (AI) research and development (R&D) and directly affected by such R&D, on whether the strategic plan should be revised and, if so, the ways in which it may be improved. This includes suggestions as to the addition, removal, or modification of strategic aims, comments as to existing strategic aims as well as their past or future implementation by the Federal government. The public input provided in response to this RFI will inform NITRD NCO and the Select Committee in updating the National Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Strategic Plan.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) is announcing the fee rates and payment procedures for fiscal year (FY) 2019 generic new animal drug user fees. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), as amended by the Animal Generic Drug User Fee Amendments of 2018 (AGDUFA III), authorizes FDA to collect user fees for certain abbreviated applications for generic new animal drugs, for certain generic new animal drug products, and for certain sponsors of such abbreviated applications for generic new animal drugs and/or investigational submissions for generic new animal drugs. This notice establishes the fee rates for FY 2019.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or the Agency) is announcing the fee rate for using a material threat medical countermeasure (MCM) priority review voucher for fiscal year (FY) 2019. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the FD&C Act), as amended by the 21st Century Cures Act (Cures Act), authorizes FDA to determine and collect material threat MCM priority review user fees for certain applications for review of human drug products when those applications use a material threat MCM priority review voucher. These vouchers are awarded to the applicants of material threat MCM applications that meet all of the requirements of this program upon FDA approval of such applications. The amount of the fee for using a material threat MCM priority review voucher is determined each FY based on the difference between the average cost incurred by FDA to review of a human drug application designated as priority review in the previous FY, and the average cost incurred in the review of an application that is not subject to priority review in the previous FY. This notice establishes the material threat MCM priority review fee rate for FY 2019 and outlines the payment procedures for such fees.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) announces a forthcoming public advisory committee meeting of the Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee and the Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee. The general function of the committees is to provide advice and recommendations to FDA on regulatory issues. The meeting will be open to the public. FDA is establishing a docket for public comment on this document.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announces a forthcoming public advisory committee meeting of the Allergenic Products Advisory Committee (APAC). The general function of the committee is to provide advice and recommendations to the Agency on FDA's regulatory issues. The meeting will be open to the public.