December 19, 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality State Implementation Plans; California; Interstate Transport Requirements for Ozone, Fine Particulate Matter, and Sulfur Dioxide
Document Number: 2018-27477
Type: Rule
Date: 2018-12-19
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing approval of a State Implementation Plan (SIP) submission from the State of California regarding certain interstate transport requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA or ``Act''). This submission addresses the 2008 ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS), the 2006 fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and 2012 PM2.5 NAAQS, and the 2010 sulfur dioxide (SO2) NAAQS. The interstate transport requirements under the CAA consist of several elements; this final rule pertains only to significant contribution to nonattainment and interference with maintenance of the NAAQS in other states.
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 12-Month Findings on Petitions to List 13 Species as Endangered or Threatened Species
Document Number: 2018-27467
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2018-12-19
Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce 12- month findings on petitions to list 13 species as endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). After a thorough review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that it is not warranted at this time to list the Cedar Key mole skink, Florida sandhill crane, Fremont County rockcress, Frisco buckwheat, Ostler's peppergrass, Frisco clover, MacGillivray's seaside sparrow, Ozark pyrg, pale blue-eyed grass, San Joaquin Valley giant flower-loving fly, striped newt, Tinian monarch, and Tippecanoe darter. However, we ask the public to submit to us at any time any new information that becomes available relevant to the status of any of the species mentioned above or their habitats.
Safety Zone; Lower Mississippi River, Mile Markers 229.5 to 230.5 Baton Rouge, LA
Document Number: 2018-27466
Type: Rule
Date: 2018-12-19
Agency: Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security
The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for all navigable waters of the Lower Mississippi River from mile marker (MM) 229.5 to MM 230.5, above Head of Passes. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of persons, vessels, and the marine environment on these navigable waters near Baton Rouge, LA, during a New Year's Eve fireworks display. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector New Orleans.
Approval of Operating Permits Program; Kansas; Reporting Emission Data, Emission Fees and Process Information
Document Number: 2018-27457
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2018-12-19
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions to the Operating Permits Program for the State of Kansas submitted on January 22, 2018. The revised Kansas rules reorganize, clarify, and update the Class I emission fee, application fee, and emissions inventory regulations and ensure that Kansas's Operating Permits Program is adequately funded. Approval of these revisions ensures consistency between the State and federally-approved rules and does not impact air quality.
Filing of Contracts and Purchase Agreements Associated With the Export of Natural Gas
Document Number: 2018-27450
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2018-12-19
Agency: Department of Energy
The Department of Energy (DOE or the Department) is proposing an interpretive rule to clarify certain DOE regulations governing the export of natural gas, including liquefied natural gas (LNG), under the Natural Gas Act (NGA). Under DOE's regulations, any person seeking authorization to export natural gas from the United States, or to amend an existing export authorization, must provide DOE's Office of Fossil Energy (DOE/FE) with a copy of ``all relevant contracts and purchase agreements.'' DOE is proposing this interpretive rule to clarify the types of contracts and purchase agreements associated with the export of natural gas that DOE considers to be ``relevant'' for purposes of these regulations. DOE's regulations also impose a ``continuing obligation'' on authorization holders to notify DOE/FE ``as soon as practicable'' of any prospective or actual changes to the information submitted during the application process upon which the authorization was issued, including ``the terms and conditions of any applicable contracts.'' In this proposed interpretative rule, DOE is seeking to clarify the phrase ``as soon as practicable'' to mean within 30 days of the execution of the contracts.
Eliminating the End Use Reporting Provision in Authorizations for the Export of Liquefied Natural Gas
Document Number: 2018-27449
Type: Rule
Date: 2018-12-19
Agency: Department of Energy
The Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy (DOE/FE) is discontinuing its practice, adopted in 2016, of including an ``end use'' reporting provision in orders authorizing the export of domestically produced natural gas, including liquefied natural gas (LNG), issued under section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA). Under this practice, many authorization holders are currently required to track and report the country (or countries) of destination into which their exported LNG or natural gas was ``received for end use.'' Due to practical concerns about this reporting requirement and a reconsideration of the need for the requirement given those concerns, DOE/FE has determined that it is prudent to discontinue this requirement in export authorizations going forward. DOE/FE will revert to its prior practice of requiring authorization holders to report, in relevant part, the country (or countries) into which the exported LNG or natural gas ``was actually delivered.'' DOE/FE believes this action will enhance the accuracy of information provided by authorization holders and will reduce administrative burdens for the U.S. LNG export market. This policy statement affects only future export authorizations issued by DOE/FE. However, concurrently with the issuance of this policy statement, DOE/FE is issuing a blanket order removing the end use provision from applicable existing export authorizations issued from February 2016 to present.
Safety Zone; Monongahela River, Miles 91.7 to 92.3, Maidsville, WV
Document Number: 2018-27445
Type: Rule
Date: 2018-12-19
Agency: Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security
The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for all navigable waters of the Monongahela River from mile 91.7 to mile 92.3. This safety zone is necessary to protect persons, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards associated with shore side construction activities. Entry of persons or vessels into this zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Marine Safety Unit Pittsburgh or a designated representative.
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by Catcher Vessels Less Than 60 Feet (18.3 Meters) Length Overall Using Hook-and-Line or Pot Gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area
Document Number: 2018-27439
Type: Rule
Date: 2018-12-19
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters (m)) length overall (LOA) using hook-and-line or pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2018 Pacific cod total allowable catch allocated to catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear in the BSAI.
Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pacific Cod in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska
Document Number: 2018-27438
Type: Rule
Date: 2018-12-19
Agency: Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amounts of Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) from catcher vessels using trawl gear to catcher vessels using hook-and-line gear, vessels using jig gear, and vessels using pot gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to allow the 2018 TAC of Pacific cod in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA to be harvested.
List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks: NAC International NAC-UMS® Universal Storage System, Certificate of Compliance No. 1015, Amendment No. 6
Document Number: 2018-27436
Type: Rule
Date: 2018-12-19
Agency: Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Agencies and Commissions
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is confirming the effective date of January 7, 2019, for the direct final rule that was published in the Federal Register on October 22, 2018. This direct final rule amends the NRC's spent fuel storage regulations by revising the NAC International NAC-UMS[supreg] listing within the ``List of approved spent fuel storage casks'' to include Amendment No. 6 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1015. Amendment No. 6 revises the technical specifications of the certificate of compliance to: Remove a redundant requirement for inspection of the concrete cask and canister; revise a limiting condition of operation for heat removal to clarify that ``LCO not met'' means that the concrete heat removal system is inoperable; remove an inspection requirement that is already covered by limiting condition of operation surveillance requirements for off- normal, accident, or natural phenomenon events; and clarify that ``immediate'' restoration of a concrete cask's heat removal capabilities means ``within the design-basis time limit'' in Section 11.2.13 of the final safety analysis report, ``or within the time limit for a less than design-basis heat load case, as evaluated.'' Amendment No. 6 also clarifies that a limiting condition of operation for loaded cask surface dose rates applies prior to storage conditions, when dose rates will be highest.
Administrative Simplification: Rescinding the Adoption of the Standard Unique Health Plan Identifier and Other Entity Identifier
Document Number: 2018-27435
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2018-12-19
Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Secretary
This proposed rule would rescind the adopted standard unique health plan identifier (HPID) and the implementation specifications and requirements for its use and the other entity identifier (OEID) and implementation specifications for its use. The decision to propose to rescind the adopted standards was made following a careful assessment of industry input, as well as HHS's intention to explore options for a more effective standard unique health plan identifier in the future.
Update to Fees for Search and Review of Agency Records by NRC Personnel
Document Number: 2018-27434
Type: Rule
Date: 2018-12-19
Agency: Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Agencies and Commissions
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its regulations to revise the fees charged for search and review of agency records by NRC personnel in response to certain Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. These revisions are being made to ensure the NRC recovers direct costs of these activities, as required by the FOIA.
North Dakota: Authorization of State Hazardous Waste Management Program Revisions
Document Number: 2018-27423
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2018-12-19
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
The EPA is proposing to grant authorization to the State of North Dakota for the changes to its hazardous waste program under the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended, commonly referred to as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The EPA has determined that these changes satisfy all requirements needed to qualify for final authorization and is authorizing the state's changes through a direct final action.
North Dakota: Final Authorization of State Hazardous Waste Management Program Revisions
Document Number: 2018-27422
Type: Rule
Date: 2018-12-19
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
North Dakota has applied for final authorization of a revision to its hazardous waste program under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The revision has two parts, both of which relate directly to the creation of the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality (NDDEQ) by the North Dakota Legislature, and the impending transfer of authority, power, and duties relating to environmental quality from the North Dakota Department of Health (NDDH) to the NDDEQ. The first part of the program revision is the complete transfer of all hazardous waste program rules from Title 33 Article 24 of the North Dakota Administrative Code (NDAC) to NDAC Title 33.1 Article 24. The second part is replacing all references to NDDH with NDDEQ. No other changes are being made to the hazardous waste program rules in this revision. The EPA has reviewed the application and determined that North Dakota's hazardous waste program revision satisfies all of the requirements necessary to qualify for final authorization. The EPA is authorizing the state program revision through this direct final rule. The EPA is publishing this rule without prior proposal because the Agency views this as a noncontroversial action and does not anticipate adverse comments. However, in the proposed rules section of this Federal Register, the EPA is publishing a separate document that will serve as a proposal to authorize the revision should the Agency receive adverse comment. Unless the EPA receives adverse written comments during the review and comment period, the decision to authorize North Dakota's hazardous waste program revision will take effect as provided below.
North Dakota: Authorization of State Underground Storage Tank Program Revisions
Document Number: 2018-27421
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2018-12-19
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
Pursuant to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA or Act), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions to the State of North Dakota's Underground Storage Tank (UST) program submitted by the State. This action is based on the EPA's determination that the State's revisions satisfy all requirements for UST program approval. The State's federally-authorized UST program, as revised pursuant to this action, will remain subject to the EPA's inspection and enforcement authorities under sections 9005 and 9006 of RCRA subtitle I and other applicable statutory and regulatory provisions. All revisions to the State of North Dakota's UST program would be federally approved as of the effective date of this action.
North Dakota: Final Approval of State Underground Storage Tank Program Revisions
Document Number: 2018-27420
Type: Rule
Date: 2018-12-19
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
Pursuant to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA or Act), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking direct final action to approve revisions to the State of North Dakota's Underground Storage Tank (UST) program submitted by the State. The EPA has determined that these revisions satisfy all requirements needed for program approval. The State's federally-authorized and codified UST program, as revised pursuant to this action, will remain subject to the EPA's inspection and enforcement authorities under sections 9005 and 9006 of RCRA subtitle I and other applicable statutory and regulatory provisions.
New Mailing Standards for Domestic Mailing Services Products
Document Number: 2018-27412
Type: Rule
Date: 2018-12-19
Agency: Postal Service, Agencies and Commissions
On October 10, 2018, the Postal Service filed a notice of mailing services price adjustments with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC), effective January 27, 2019. This final rule contains the revisions to Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) to implement the changes coincident with the price adjustments and other minor DMM changes.
Drawbridge Operation Regulation; Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, Boca Raton, FL
Document Number: 2018-27386
Type: Rule
Date: 2018-12-19
Agency: Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security
The Coast Guard is temporarily modifying the operating schedule that governs the Camino Real (Boca Club) Bridge across the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, mile 1048.2, at Boca Raton, Florida. This modification is necessary to allow for the completion of extensive rehabilitation of the bridge and fender system. This modification will allow the draw to provide single-leaf openings with a 6-hour advanced notice for a full opening.
Proposed Establishment of Class E Airspace; Coushatta, LA
Document Number: 2018-27370
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2018-12-19
Agency: Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation
This action proposes to establish Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at The Red River Airport, Coushatta, LA. Controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate new standard instrument approach procedures developed at The Red River Airport, for the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations.
Air Plan Approval; North Carolina Miscellaneous Revisions
Document Number: 2018-27358
Type: Rule
Date: 2018-12-19
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to approve portions of State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions provided by the State of North Carolina through the North Carolina Division of Air Quality (NCDAQ) in letters dated June 5, 2017, and August 22, 2017. The submissions revise several regulations concerning nitrogen oxides (NOX), emission control standards, monitoring, and reporting requirements. EPA is taking final action to approve these provisions of the SIP revisions because these changes are consistent with the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) and federal regulations.
Air Plan Approval; KY; Updates to Attainment Status Designations
Document Number: 2018-27356
Type: Rule
Date: 2018-12-19
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to approve portions of a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, through the Kentucky Division for Air Quality, on December 13, 2016. The changes to the SIP that EPA is taking final action to approve are the attainment status designations, as of October 6, 2016, for geographic areas within the Commonwealth for several national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). The updates are being made to conform Kentucky's attainment status tables with the federal attainment status designations made for these areas. EPA has determined that the December 13, 2016, SIP revision is consistent with the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) and EPA's regulations.
Establishment of Class E Airspace; Hardinsburg, KY
Document Number: 2018-27255
Type: Rule
Date: 2018-12-19
Agency: Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation
This action establishes Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Breckinridge County Airport, Hardinsburg, KY, to accommodate new area navigation (RNAV) global positioning system (GPS) standard instrument approach procedures serving the airport. Controlled airspace is necessary for the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at this airport.
Update to Fees for Search and Review of Agency Records by NRC Personnel
Document Number: 2018-27168
Type: Proposed Rule
Date: 2018-12-19
Agency: Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Agencies and Commissions
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend its regulations to revise the fees charged for search and review of agency records by NRC personnel in response to certain Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. These revisions are being made to ensure the NRC recovers direct costs of these activities, as required by the FOIA.
Determination of Royalty Rates and Terms for Transmission of Sound Recordings by Satellite Radio and “Preexisting” Subscription Services (SDARS III)
Document Number: 2018-26922
Type: Rule
Date: 2018-12-19
Agency: Copyright Royalty Board, Library of Congress, Library of Congress, Agencies and Commissions
The Copyright Royalty Judges announce their final determination of the rates and terms for the digital transmission of sound recordings and the reproduction of ephemeral recordings by preexisting subscription services and preexisting satellite digital audio radio services for the period beginning January 1, 2018, and ending on December 31, 2027.
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