2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This proposed rule would reform Medicare regulations that are identified as unnecessary, obsolete, or excessively burdensome on health care providers and suppliers. This proposed rule would increase the ability of health care professionals to devote resources to improving patient care by eliminating or reducing requirements that impede quality patient care or that divert resources away from furnishing high quality patient care.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing to amend the Siluriformes fish inspection regulations to list Thailand as a country eligible to export Siluriformes fish and fish products to the United States. FSIS is proposing this action because the Agency has reviewed Thailand's laws, regulations, and inspection system as implemented and has determined that Thailand's Siluriformes fish inspection system is equivalent to the system that the United States has established under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) and its implementing regulations. Under this proposal, only raw Siluriformes fish and fish products produced in certified Thailand establishments would be eligible for export to the United States. All such products would continue to be subject to re-inspection at U.S. points-of-entry by FSIS inspectors.

The Coast Guard is withdrawing the proposed rule entitled ``Outer Continental Shelf Activities'' that we published on December 7, 1999. The Coast Guard is withdrawing this proposed rule due to the passage of time, advances in technology, and changes in industry practices that have rendered the proposed rule obsolete.

The Coast Guard is eliminating the requirement for certain vessels that operate on voyages exclusively within a single Captain of the Port Zone to submit an Annual Ballast Water Summary Report for calendar year 2018. We view this current reporting requirement as unnecessary for us to analyze and understand ballast water management practices. This final rule will reduce the administrative burden on this regulated population of U.S. non-recreational vessels equipped with ballast tanks.

The U.S. Coast Guard announces a public meeting to receive comments on a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) involving a proposal to establish safety zones on the navigable waterways in the vicinity of the proposed Spaceport Camden, near Woodbine, Georgia, during rocket tests, launches, and landing operations. The NOI was published in the Federal Register on September 11, 2018. The purpose of this public meeting is to receive comments regarding the proposed safety zones.

We are proposing to remove the domestic quarantine regulations for the plant pest emerald ash borer. This action would discontinue the domestic regulatory component of the emerald ash borer program as a means to more effectively direct available resources toward management and containment of the pest. Funding previously allocated to the implementation and enforcement of these domestic quarantine regulations would instead be directed to a nonregulatory option of research into, and deployment of, biological control agents for emerald ash borer, which would serve as the primary tool to mitigate and control the pest.

The New England Fishery Management Council submitted the New England Industry-Funded Monitoring Omnibus Amendment, incorporating the Environmental Assessment and the Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis, for review by the Secretary of Commerce. NMFS is requesting comments from the public on the proposed amendment, which was developed to allow for industry-funded monitoring in New England Council fishery management plans and implement industry-funded monitoring in the Atlantic herring fishery. This amendment would ensure consistency in industry-funded monitoring programs across New England fisheries and increase monitoring in the Atlantic herring fishery.

A Petition for Reconsideration (Petition) has been filed in the Commission's Rulemaking proceeding by Harold Feld, on behalf of Public Knowledge.

FMCSA revises its regulations to permit individuals with a stable insulin regimen and properly controlled insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) to be qualified to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. Previously, ITDM individuals were prohibited from driving CMVs in interstate commerce unless they obtained an exemption from FMCSA. This rule enables a certified medical examiner (ME) to grant an ITDM individual a Medical Examiner's Certificate (MEC), MCSA-5876, for up to a maximum of 12 months. To do so, the treating clinician (TC), the healthcare professional who manages, and prescribes insulin for, the treatment of the individual's diabetes, provides the Insulin-Treated Diabetes Mellitus Assessment Form (ITDM Assessment Form), MCSA-5870, to the certified ME indicating that the individual maintains a stable insulin regimen and proper control of his or her diabetes. The certified ME then determines that the individual meets FMCSA's physical qualification standards and can operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier, Inc., Model BD-500-1A10 and BD-500-1A11 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of dislodged cargo compartment blow-out panels. This proposed AD would require repetitive inspections for any dislodged blow-out panel in the forward and aft cargo compartments, reporting of the inspection findings, and re-installation if necessary. We are proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This proposed rule would establish the 2019-20 harvest specifications and management measures for groundfish taken in the U.S. exclusive economic zone off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California, consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan. This proposed rule would also revise the management measures that are intended to keep the total catch of each groundfish stock or stock complex within the harvest specifications. The proposed measures are intended to help prevent overfishing, rebuild overfished stocks, achieve optimum yield, and ensure that management measures are based on the best scientific information available.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is confirming the effective date of July 10, 2018, for the final rule that appeared in the Federal Register of June 7, 2018, and that amended the color additive regulations to provide for the safe use of D&C Black No. 4 for coloring ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) non- absorbable sutures for use in general surgery.

This regulation establishes an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of Beauveria bassiana strain PPRI 5339 in or on all food commodities when this pesticide chemical is used in accordance with label directions and good agricultural practices. 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 Beauveria bassiana strain PPRI 5339 in or on all food commodities under FFDCA.

NMFS is prohibiting retention of ``other flatfish'' in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary because the 2018 ``other flatfish'' initial total allowable catch (ITAC) in the BSAI has been reached.

This action extends the Order Limiting Operations at New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA) published on December 27, 2006, as most recently extended May 25, 2016. The Order remains effective until October 24, 2020.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is announcing that we have filed a petition, submitted by Oakshire Naturals LP, proposing that the food additive regulations be amended to provide for the safe use of vitamin D2 mushroom powder as a nutrient supplement in specific food categories.

The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is issuing an interim final rule to update the Bureau's model forms for the Summary of Consumer Identity Theft Rights and the Summary of Consumer Rights to incorporate a notice of rights required by a new provision of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, added by the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act.

This action amends the prohibition against certain flight operations in the Pyongyang Flight Information Region (FIR) (ZKKP) by all: U.S. air carriers; U.S. commercial operators; persons exercising the privileges of an airman certificate issued by the FAA, except when such persons are operating U.S.-registered aircraft for a foreign air carrier; and operators of U.S.-registered civil aircraft, except where the operator of such aircraft is a foreign air carrier. The FAA is also providing an approval process and exemption information for this Special Federal Aviation Regulations (SFAR), consistent with the approval process and exemption information for more recently published flight prohibition SFARs. This final rule will remain in effect for 2 years.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier, Inc., Model BD-700-1A10 and BD-700-1A11 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of drainage holes on the belly fairing forward and middle access panels being obstructed with sealant. This proposed AD would require inspecting for and removing all sealant blocking the drainage holes on the belly fairing forward and middle access panels. We are proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Weatherly Aircraft Company (Weatherly) Models 201, 201A, 201B, 201C, 620, 620A, 620B, 620B-TG, and 620TP airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of fatigue cracking of the center wing and outer wing spar hinge brackets due to corrosion pitting. This proposed AD would require repetitive inspections of the wing hinge brackets, pins, and wing spar structure with repair or replacement of parts as necessary. We are proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) amends its regulations governing veterans' eligibility for VA pensions and other needs-based benefit programs. The amended regulations establish new requirements for evaluating net worth and asset transfers for pensions and identify which medical expenses may be deducted from countable income for VA's needs-based benefit programs. The amendments help to ensure the integrity of VA's needs-based benefit programs and the consistent adjudication of pension and parents' dependency and indemnity compensation claims. Lastly, the amendments effectuate: Statutory changes for pension beneficiaries who receive Medicaid-covered nursing home care; a statutory income exclusion for disabled veterans; and longstanding statutory income exclusions for all VA needs-based benefits.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus SAS Model A300 B4-600, B4-600R, and F4-600R series airplanes, and Model A300 C4-605R Variant F airplanes (collectively called Model A300-600 series airplanes); and Model A310 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by a determination that more restrictive maintenance requirements and airworthiness limitations are necessary. This AD requires revising the maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive maintenance requirements and airworthiness limitations. We are issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus SAS Model A300 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by a revision of an airworthiness limitation items (ALI) document. This AD requires revising the maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate the specified maintenance requirements and airworthiness limitations. We are issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

In this document, the Commission revises its Schedule of Regulatory Fees to recover an amount of $322,035,000 that Congress has required the Commission to collect for fiscal year 2018. Section 9 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, provides for the annual assessment and collection of regulatory fees under sections 9(b)(2) and 9(b)(3), respectively, for annual ``Mandatory Adjustments'' and ``Permitted Amendments'' to the Schedule of Regulatory Fees.