October 29, 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is modifying the existing drawbridge operating regulation for the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge across Anacostia River, mile 1.2, in Washington, DC. The modified rule allows the existing drawbridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position, and is necessary to accommodate the construction of a new fixed bridge on an alignment 18 feet south of the existing drawbridge, and the removal of the existing drawbridge.

Mississippi has applied to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for final authorization of changes to its hazardous waste program under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), as amended. EPA has reviewed Mississippi's application and is proposing to determine that these changes satisfy all requirements needed to qualify for final authorization. Therefore, we are proposing to authorize the State's changes. EPA seeks public comment prior to taking final action.

NMFS announces that the State of North Carolina is transferring a portion of its 2018 commercial summer flounder quota to the State of New York. This quota adjustment is necessary to comply with the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan quota transfer provisions. This announcement informs the public of the revised commercial quotas for North Carolina and New York.

This action modifies two VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal airways (V-97 and V-422) in the vicinity of Chicago, IL. The FAA is taking this action due to the planned decommissioning of the Chicago O'Hare, IL, VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) navigation aid, which provides navigation guidance for portions of the affected Air Traffic Service (ATS) routes.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Pratt & Whitney (PW) PW2037, PW2037M, and PW2040 turbofan engines. This AD was prompted by an uncommanded high thrust event that occurred during approach on January 16, 2016, and during landing on April 6, 2016. This AD requires removal of the metering valve pilot valve (MVPV) within certain fuel control units (FCUs) and the MVPV's replacement with a part eligible for installation. We are issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The Coast Guard is modifying the operating schedule that governs Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge for vessels under 300 gross tons. The City of Duluth has requested that the current summer bridge schedule (Memorial Day to Labor Day) be extended to include the spring and fall.

This action modifies Class E surface airspace and Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Merced Regional/Macready Field, Merced, CA, to accommodate airspace redesign due to the decommissioning of the El Nido VHF Omnidirectional Range/ Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) as the FAA transitions from ground-based to satellite-based navigation. This action also removes Class E airspace extending upward from 1,200 feet above the surface; updates the airport name to match the FAA's aeronautical database; and replaces the outdated term Airport/Facility Directory with Chart Supplement. These actions are necessary for the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at this airport.

The Department of Energy (DOE or Department) publishes a proposed rule for public comment to implement DOE's critical electric infrastructure information (CEII) designation authority under the Federal Power Act. The proposed administrative procedures are intended to ensure that stakeholders and the public understand how the Department would designate, protect, and share CEII under the Federal Power Act.

This proposed rule describes the procedures that the Department of Defense (DoD) is proposing to follow when seeking access to customer records maintained by financial institutions. These updates are required to fulfill DoD's responsibilities under the Right to Financial Privacy Act.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a proposed regulation to revise its direct-hire authority (DHA) regulations. The revision is necessary to implement Executive Order (E.O.) 13833 titled, ``Enhancing the Effectiveness of Agency Chief Information Officers'' which requires OPM to issue proposed regulations delegating to the head of a covered agency authority necessary to determine whether there is a severe shortage of candidates or a critical hiring need for information technology (IT) positions under certain conditions, sufficient to justify a DHA. The intended effect of this change is to enhance the Government's ability to recruit needed IT professionals.

This document sets forth proposed rules to expand opportunities for working men and women and their families to access affordable, quality healthcare through proposed changes to regulations under various provisions of the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act), the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), and the Internal Revenue Code (Code) regarding health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) and other account-based group health plans. (For simplicity, this preamble generally refers only to HRAs, but references to HRAs should also be considered to include other account-based group health plans, unless indicated otherwise.) Specifically, these proposed rules allow integrating HRAs with individual health insurance coverage, if certain conditions are met. The proposed rules also set forth conditions under which certain HRAs would be recognized as limited excepted benefits. Also, the Department of the Treasury (Treasury Department) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) propose rules regarding premium tax credit (PTC) eligibility for individuals offered coverage under an HRA integrated with individual health insurance coverage. In addition, the Department of Labor (DOL) proposes a clarification to provide plan sponsors with assurance that the individual health insurance coverage the premiums of which are reimbursed by an HRA or a qualified small employer health reimbursement arrangement (QSEHRA) does not become part of an ERISA plan, provided certain conditions are met. Finally, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposes rules that would provide a special enrollment period in the individual market for individuals who gain access to an HRA integrated with individual health insurance coverage or who are provided a QSEHRA. The goal of these proposed rules is to expand the flexibility and use of HRAs to provide more Americans with additional options to obtain quality, affordable healthcare. The proposed rules would affect employees and their family members; employers, employee organizations, and other plan sponsors; group health plans; health insurance issuers; and purchasers of individual health insurance coverage.

This rule amends, suspends, or removes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and associated Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures for operations at certain airports. These regulatory actions are needed because of the adoption of new or revised criteria, or because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System, such as the commissioning of new navigational facilities, adding new obstacles, or changing air traffic requirements. These changes are designed to provide for the safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.