2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is amending and updating its VA Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) in phased increments to revise or remove any policy superseded by changes in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), to remove procedural guidance internal to VA into the VA Acquisition Manual (VAAM), and to incorporate any new agency specific 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 These changes seek to streamline and align the VAAR with the FAR and remove outdated and duplicative requirements and reduce burden on contractors.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, we will publish them in the Federal Register. In particular, this rulemaking revises VAAR concerning Contract Cost Principles and Procedures and Protests, Disputes and Appeals.

The plats of survey of lands described in this notice are scheduled to be officially filed in the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Alaska State Office, Anchorage, Alaska. The surveys, which were executed at the request of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the BLM, are necessary for the management of these lands.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 1 announces the deletion of the Old Southington Landfill Superfund Site (Site) located in Southington, Connecticut, from the National Priorities List (NPL). The NPL, promulgated pursuant to Section 105 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980, as amended, is an appendix of the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP). The EPA and the State of Connecticut, through the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CTDEEP), have determined that all appropriate response actions under CERCLA, other than operation and maintenance, monitoring, and five-year reviews, have been completed. However, this deletion does not preclude future actions under Superfund.

This regulation establishes an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of Metschnikowia fructicola strain NRRL Y- 27328 in or on the stone fruit group (group 12-12); the small fruit vine climbing subgroup, except fuzzy kiwifruit (subgroup 13-07F); and the low growing berry subgroup (subgroup 13-07G) when used in accordance with label directions and good agricultural practices. Interregional Research Project Number 4 (IR-4) 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 Metschnikowia fructicola strain NRRL Y-27328 under FFDCA.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is soliciting expressions of interest for the Expedited Project Delivery Pilot Program (Pilot Program) authorized by the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST). The Pilot Program is aimed at expediting delivery of new fixed guideway capital projects, small starts projects, or core capacity improvement projects that utilize public-private partnerships, are planned to be operated and maintained by employees of an existing public transportation provider, and have a Federal share not exceeding 25 percent of the project cost. It is also aimed at increasing innovation, improving efficiency and timeliness of project implementation, and encouraging new revenue streams. The law specifies that not more than eight projects can be awarded grants under the Pilot Program. FTA intends to work with selected project sponsors to further define the steps that must be completed before a construction grant can be awarded under the Pilot Program, including expedited FTA reviews of technical capacity, local financial commitment, and project justification. This announcement is available on the FTA's website at: www.transit.dot.gov/funding/grants/expedited-project-delivery -capital- investment-grants-pilot-3005b.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA, the Agency, or we) is removing instruction 13 from the Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food (Preventive Controls for Human Food) regulation. Instruction 13 directs the Federal Register to remove and reserve as of September 17, 2018, the Current Good Manufacturing Practice in Manufacturing, Packing, or Holding Human Food (Human Food CGMP) regulation. Removal of instruction 13 is necessary because the compliance dates for certain facilities subject to the modernized current good manufacturing practice requirements in the Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation have been extended. Retaining the Human Food CGMP regulation will maintain the status quo while these facilities prepare for compliance with the new CGMP requirements and will avoid an unintended gap in public health protection.

Notice is hereby given of the regular meeting of the Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation Board (Board).

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Mission Act of 2018 (VA Maintaining Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks Act), Section 502, provides that podiatrists be paid from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) physician and dentist pay system.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA, the Agency, or we) is proposing to repeal a regulation that requires an FDA-approved new drug application (NDA) or abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) for any drug product that is sterilized by irradiation (the irradiation regulation). Repealing the irradiation regulation would mean that over- the-counter (OTC) drug products that are generally recognized as safe and effective, that are not misbranded, and that comply with all applicable regulatory requirements can be marketed legally without an NDA or ANDA, even if they are sterilized by irradiation. FDA is proposing to take this action because the irradiation regulation is out of date and unnecessary. The technology of controlled nuclear radiation for sterilization of drugs is now well understood, and our regulations require that OTC drugs be manufactured in compliance with current good manufacturing practices (CGMPs). Appropriate and effective sterilization of drugs, including by irradiation, is adequately addressed by the CGMP requirements. This action is part of FDA's implementation of Executive Orders (EOs) 13771 and 13777. Under these EOs, FDA is comprehensively reviewing existing regulations to identify opportunities for repeal, replacement, or modification that will result in meaningful burden reduction while allowing the Agency to achieve our public health mission and fulfill statutory obligations.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management's (BLM), Southeast Oregon Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the Agency. 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 and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on an information collection supporting the development of improved child-size crash test dummies.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) is rescinding its administrative review of polyethylene terephthalate resin from Canada for the period or review (POR) May 1, 2017, through April 30, 2018.

This notice announces a meeting of the Electricity Advisory Committee. The Federal Advisory Committee Act requires that public notice of these meetings be announced in the Federal Register.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval for ballots and a petition form used to collect nominations of members and alternates to serve on the Board. Once approved, the forms would be merged with other forms the Board and AMS uses to collect information under Federal Marketing Order No. 981, Almonds Grown in California.

This rule implements a recommendation to establish a grower allotment percentage for the 2018-19 crop year and allows for the diversion of processed products from that year under the marketing order for cranberries grown in the production area (Order). This action also specifies handlers subject to the regulation, revises the definition of outlets for excess fruit, revises dates by which certain actions are due, and establishes exemptions to the action.

On March 31, 2003, the National Science Foundation (NSF) issued a final rule that authorized the collection of meteorites in Antarctica for scientific purposes only. In addition, the regulations provide requirements for appropriate collection, handling, documentation, and curation of Antarctic meteorites to preserve their scientific value. These regulations implement the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, as amended by the Antarctic Science, Tourism and Conservation Act of 1996, and Article 7 of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty. The NSF is required to publish notice of the availability of Meteorite Collection, Documentation, and Curation Plans received under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. This is the required notice.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for yellowfin sole in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI) for vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited access fishery. This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2018 allocation of yellowfin sole total allowable catch for vessels participating in the BSAI trawl limited access fishery in the BSAI.

The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is publishing the names of one or more persons that have been placed on OFAC's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List pursuant to Executive Order 13582 of August 17, 2011, ``Blocking Property of the Government of Syria and Prohibiting Certain Transactions With Respect to Syria.'' All property and interests in property subject to U.S. jurisdiction of these persons are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.

The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is publishing an update to the identifying information of a person currently included in the list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons. All property and interests in property subject to U.S. jurisdiction of these persons are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.