May 13, 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is requesting to renew the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for an existing information collection titled, ``Equal Access to Justice Act.''

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt of an application from Orange County Utilities (applicant) for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act. The applicant requests the ITP to take the federally listed sand skink incidental to construction in Orange County, Florida. We request public comment on the application, which includes the applicant's proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP) and the Service's preliminary determination that this HCP qualifies as ``low-effect,'' categorically excluded, under the National Environmental Policy Act. To make this determination, we used our environmental action statement and low- effect screening form, both of which are also available for public review.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce receipt of an application from Duke Energy Florida, LLC (applicant) for an incidental take permit (ITP) under the Endangered Species Act. The applicant requests the ITP to take the federally listed scrub-jay and eastern indigo snake incidental to construction in Volusia County, Florida. We request public comment on the application, which includes the applicant's proposed habitat conservation plan (HCP) and the Service's preliminary determination that this HCP qualifies as ``low- effect,'' categorically excluded, under the National Environmental Policy Act. To make this determination, we used our environmental action statement and low-effect screening form, both of which are also available for review.

This final rule amends the Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Order (Soybean Order) and the Beef Promotion and Research Order (Beef Order) to add provisions allowing producers subject to these Orders to request, under certain circumstances, that their assessments paid to a State board or council authorized under their respective statutes, be redirected to the national program. The final rule also makes technical amendments to the Beef Order.

The Federal Trade Commission (``Commission'') amends its Trade Regulation Rule Concerning the Labeling and Advertising of Home Insulation (``R-value Rule'' or ``Rule'') to clarify, streamline, and improve existing requirements. Specifically, the amendments clarify the Rule's coverage, improve Fact Sheet disclosures, require certain test methods to substantiate R-value claims for non-insulation products, update the test procedures incorporated into the Rule, and exempt certain disclosures for limited format advertising.

NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Navy (Navy) to extend the time period from November 2023 to November 2025 for Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) regulations authorizing the take of marine mammals incidental to Navy training and testing activities conducted in the Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing (AFTT) Study Area. In August 2018, the MMPA was amended by the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2019 to allow for seven-year authorizations for military readiness activities, as compared to the previously allowed five years. The Navy's activities qualify as military readiness activities pursuant to the MMPA as amended by the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2004. In making the request to extend the time period covered by the MMPA AFTT regulations from five to seven years, the Navy proposes no changes to their specified activities, the geographical region in which those activities would be conducted, mitigation measures, monitoring, or reporting over the longer seven- year period. Pursuant to the MMPA, NMFS is requesting comments on the proposed seven-year rule and associated Letters of Authorization (LOAs) to cover the same activities covered by the existing 2018 AFTT regulations. NMFS will consider all public comments prior to issuing any final rule and making final decisions on the issuance of the requested LOAs, and agency responses will be summarized in the notice of the final decision.

This document updates postal regulations by implementing inflation adjustments to civil monetary penalties that may be imposed under consumer protection and mailability provisions enforced by the Postal Service pursuant to the Deceptive Mail Prevention and Enforcement Act and the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act. These adjustments are required under the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015. This document includes the adjustments for 2018 and 2019 for statutory civil monetary penalties subject to the 2015 Act.

This document corrects an error in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule language of the March 28, 2018 final rule pertaining to oxides of nitrogen (NOX) and Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT), submitted by the State of Maryland.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``Commission'' or ``CFTC'') is proposing amendments to parts 23, 43, 45, and 49 of the Commission's regulations to improve the accuracy of data reported to, and maintained by, swap data repositories (``SDRs''). Among other changes, the proposed amendments would modify existing requirements for SDRs to establish policies and procedures to confirm the accuracy of swap data with both counterparties to a swap. The proposed amendments would further require reporting counterparties to verify the accuracy of swap data pursuant to those SDR procedures. The Commission is also proposing certain amendments to parts 23, 43, 45, and 49 to provide enhanced and streamlined oversight over SDRs and data reporting generally.