2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This final rule amends the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List) provisions of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) organic regulations to implement recommendations submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). This rule changes the use restrictions for seventeen substances allowed for organic production or handling on the National List. This rule also adds sixteen new substances on the National List to be allowed in organic production or handling. In addition, this final rule lists the botanical pesticide, rotenone, as a prohibited substance in organic crop production. This final rule removes ivermectin as an allowed parasiticide for use in organic livestock production and amends our regulations to allow the use of parasiticides in fiber bearing animals. Finally, this rule inserts corrections of instructions and regulation text as listed in the proposed rule.

The United States Grain Standards Act (USGSA) provides the Secretary with the authority to charge and collect reasonable fees to cover the costs of performing official services and the costs associated with managing the program. The USDA, on behalf of the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), is eliminating the published table of fees in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Notice of changes to Schedule A Fees will be published in the Federal Register and AMS will make the fee schedule available on the Agency's public website.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is proposing to amend and update its VA Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) in phased increments to revise or remove any policy superseded by changes in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), to remove any procedural guidance that is internal to VA into the VA Acquisition Manual (VAAM), and to incorporate new regulations or policies. These changes seek to streamline and align the VAAR with the FAR and remove outdated and duplicative requirements and reduce burden on contractors. The VAAM incorporates portions of the removed VAAR as well as other internal agency acquisition policy. VA will rewrite certain parts of the VAAR and VAAM, and as VAAR parts are rewritten, VA will publish them in the Federal Register. VA will combine related topics, as appropriate. In particular, this rulemaking revises VAAR concerning Special Contracting Methods and Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Oklahoma Field Office (Field Office) is publishing this Notice to announce that an environmental assessment (EA) for Evans Coal Company Federal coal Lease-by-Application (LBA), serial number OKNM-127509, is available for public review and comment. The BLM is also announcing that it will hold a public hearing to receive comments on the EA, proposed sale, fair market value (FMV), and maximum economic recovery (MER) of the coal resources contained in the proposed LBA tract.

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) of the Department of Labor (Department) is issuing this notice to announce the 2019 Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) for the employment of temporary or seasonal nonimmigrant foreign workers (H-2A workers) to perform herding or production of livestock on the range. AEWRs are the minimum wage rates the Department has determined must be offered and paid by employers to H-2A workers and workers in corresponding employment so that the wages and working conditions of similarly employed workers in the United States (U.S.) will not be adversely affected. In this notice, the Department announces the annual update of the AEWR for workers engaged in the herding or production of livestock on the range, as required by the methodology established in the Temporary Agricultural Employment of H-2A Foreign Workers in the Herding or Production of Livestock on the Range in the United States, 80 FR 62958, 63067-63068 (Oct. 16, 2015); 20 CFR 655.211.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request a revision to and extension of approval of an information collection associated with the regulations for the importation of tomatoes from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing Revision 2 to Regulatory Guide (RG) 3.54, ``Spent Fuel Heat Generation in an Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation.'' Revision 2 provides methods acceptable to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff for calculating spent nuclear fuel heat generation rates for use for an Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI). The revision presents an up-to-date methodology for determining heat generation rates and provides greater flexibility (less restrictions). It also allows loading of higher burnup fuel by using more accurate methods for decay heat calculations.

This notice lists the projects approved by rule by the Susquehanna River Basin Commission during the period set forth in DATES.

The Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). The information collection is published in the Federal Register to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies.

We are superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2018-18-01 for all CFM International S.A. (CFM) Model CFM56-7B turbofan engines. AD 2018-18-01 required initial and repetitive inspections of certain fan blades and, if they fail the inspection, their replacement with parts eligible for installation. This AD requires the same initial and repetitive inspections but revises the compliance time for the initial inspections and revises the installation prohibition based on the updated compliance time. This AD was prompted by further analysis by the manufacturer that indicated a need to reduce the initial fan blade inspection interval based on an ongoing root cause investigation of an April 2018 engine failure. We are issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This notice announces EPA's receipt of application 73049-EUP- RN from Valent BioSciences LLC, requesting an experimental use permit (EUP) for aminoethoxyvinylglycine. EPA has determined that the permit may be of regional or national significance. Therefore, because of the potential significance, EPA is seeking comments on this application.

In accordance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 which provides opportunity for public comment on new or revised data collections, the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) will publish periodic summaries of proposed data collections. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed information collection is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information has practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the RRB's estimate of the burden of the collection of the information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden related to the collection of information on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. 1. Title and purpose of information collection: Application for Survivor Insurance Annuities; OMB 3220-0030. Under Section 2(d) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), monthly survivor annuities are payable to surviving widow(er)s, parents, unmarried children, and in certain cases, divorced spouses, mothers (fathers), remarried widow(er)s, and grandchildren of deceased railroad employees if there are no qualified survivors of the employee immediately eligible for an annuity. The requirements relating to the annuities are prescribed in 20 CFR 216, 217, 218, and 219. To collect the information needed to help determine an applicant's entitlement to, and the amount of, a survivor annuity the RRB uses Forms AA-17, Application for Widow(er)'s Annuity; AA-17b, Applications for Determination of Widow(er)'s Disability; AA-18, Application for Mother's/Father's and Child's Annuity; AA-19, Application for Child's Annuity; AA-19a, Application for Determination of Child's Disability; AA-20, Application for Parent's Annuity, and electronic Forms AA- 17cert, Application Summary and Certification and AA-17sum, Application Summary. The on-line automated survivor annuity application (Forms AA-17, AA-18, AA-19, and AA-20) process obtains information about an applicant's marital history, work history, benefits from other government agencies, and Medicare entitlement for a survivor annuity. An RRB representative interviews the applicant either at a field office (preferred), an itinerant point, or by telephone. During the interview, the RRB representative enters the information obtained into an on-line information system. Upon completion of the interview, the system generates, for the applicant's review, either Form AA-17cert or AA- 17sum, which provides a summary of the information that the applicant provided or verified. Form AA-17cert, Application Summary and Certification, requires a tradition pen and ink ``wet'' signature. Form AA-17sum, Application Summary, documents the alternate signing method called ``Attestation,'' which is an action taken by the RRB representative to confirm and annotate in the RRB records (1) the applicant's intent to file an application; (2) the applicant's affirmation under penalty of perjury that the information provided is correct; and (3) the applicant's agreement to sign the application by proxy. When the RRB representative is unable to contact the applicant in person or by telephone, for example, the applicant lives in another country, a manual version of the appropriate form is used. One response is requested of each respondent. Completion of the forms is required to obtain a benefit. The RRB proposes significant changes to Form AA-17b in support of the RRB's Disability Program Improvement Plan (DPIP) to enhance and improve disability case processing and overall program integrity as recommended by the RRB's Office of Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office. Proposed changes to Form AA-17b include the addition of questions regarding the applicant's attempt to go back to work; education and training; additional scheduled medical care; daily activities, including any social and recreational activities and volunteer work; and possible use of a facilitator or attorney to either complete or aid in the completion of the application. Clarification of existing items and other non-burden impacting editorial and formatting changes to make the AA-17b consistent with other DPIP forms enhancements are also being proposed.

EPA has received applications to register pesticide products containing active ingredients not included in any currently registered pesticide products. Pursuant to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), EPA is hereby providing notice of receipt and opportunity to comment on these applications.

This regulation establishes an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of chlorate in or on cantaloupe and tomato under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a request submitted by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) on February 5, 2018, to revise the Ohio State Implementation Plan (SIP) under the Clean Air Act (CAA). Ohio EPA is requesting to remove from the SIP the remaining provisions of the Ohio Administrative Code concerning the State's former 7.8 pounds per square inch (psi) Reid vapor pressure (RVP) fuel requirements for the Cincinnati and Dayton areas. In a previous action, EPA approved the removal of the 7.8 psi RVP fuel applicability requirements in the Cincinnati and Dayton areas as a component of the Ohio SIP, including the approval of a demonstration under section 110(l) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) that addressed emissions impacts associated with the removal of the program.

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is announcing an opportunity for the public to comment on the proposed collection of certain information listed above. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (the PRA), Federal agencies are required to publish a notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on the information collection requirements relating to a new data collection (ICR New) effort titled ``Inventory of Adult Protective Services Practices and Service Innovations.''

The Administration for Community Living is announcing that the proposed collection of information listed above has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance as required under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This 30-Day notice collects comments on the information collection requirements related to Independent Living Services Program Performance Report (Proposed Extension with Changes of a Currently Approved Collection (ICR Rev)).

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is announcing that the proposed collection of information listed above has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance as required under section 506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This 30-Day notice collects comments on the information collection requirements related to Centers for Independent Living Program Performance Report (New Data Collection (ICR New)).

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received an enhancement of survival permit application from Crestmont Farm pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The permit application includes a draft safe harbor agreement (SHA) developed for the conservation of the Taylor's checkerspot butterfly. The permit would authorize the incidental take of the endangered Taylor's checkerspot butterfly associated with habitat management actions intended to benefit the butterfly. We have prepared a draft environment action statement (EAS) for our preliminary determination that the SHA and permit decision may be eligible for categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act. We are making the permit application package, including the proposed SHA and draft EAS, available for public review and comment.

This rule implements a recommendation from the Kiwifruit Administrative Committee (Committee) to decrease the assessment rate established for the 2018-2019 and subsequent fiscal periods. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Regulatory Secretariat Division will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve a new information collection requirement regarding OMB Control No. 3090-0308, Construction Contract Administration.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Regulatory Secretariat Division has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to terminate previously approved information collection requirements under OMB Control Number 3090-0286, GSA Mentor Prot[eacute]g[eacute] Program.