October 2, 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Commission hereby gives notice of the institution of investigations and commencement of preliminary phase antidumping and countervailing duty investigations Nos.701-TA-630 and 731-TA-1462 (Preliminary) pursuant to the Tariff Act of 1930 (``the Act'') to determine whether there is a reasonable indication that an industry in the United States is materially injured or threatened with material injury, or the establishment of an industry in the United States is materially retarded, by reason of imports of glass containers from China, provided for in subheading 7010.90.50 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, that are alleged to be sold in the United States at less than fair value and alleged to be subsidized by the Government of China. Unless the Department of Commerce (``Commerce'') extends the time for initiation, the Commission must reach preliminary determinations in antidumping and countervailing duty investigations in 45 days, or in this case by November 12, 2019. The Commission's views must be transmitted to Commerce within five business days thereafter, or by November 19, 2019.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is soliciting public comment on revisions to Voluntary Product Standard (PS) 20-15, American Softwood Lumber Standard. This standard, prepared by the American Lumber Standard Committee, serves the procurement and regulatory needs of numerous federal, state, and local government agencies by providing for uniform, industry-wide grade-marking and inspection requirements for softwood lumber. The implementation of the standard also allows for uniform labeling and auditing of treated wood and wood packaging materials. As part of a five-year review process, NIST is seeking public comment and invites interested parties to review the revised standard and submit comments.

The United States (U.S.) Department of the Navy (DoN), after participating as a cooperating agency in the development and evaluation of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Boardman to Hemingway Transmission Line Project (B2H Project), and carefully weighing the strategic, operational, and environmental consequences of the proposed action, announces its decision to adopt the Final EIS and implement real estate actions as set out in the selected alternative, identified as the Agency Preferred Alternative in the Final EIS dated November 2016.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have received an application from the County of San Luis Obispo for an incidental take permit under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. The permit, if issued, would authorize take of the federally endangered Morro shoulderband snail (Helminthoglypta walkeriana) and Morro Bay kangaroo rat (Dipodomys heermanni morroensis) and provide assurances for the federally endangered Indian Knob mountainbalm (Eriodictyon altissimum) and federally threatened Morro manzanita (Arctostaphylos morroensis). We invite public comment on the draft habitat conservation plan and a draft environmental assessment prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended.

The Federal Trade Commission (``FTC'' or ``Commission'') seeks public comment on the need for amendments to the Commission's ``Rule Concerning the Use of Prenotification Negative Option Plans'' (i.e., ``Negative Option Rule'' or ``Rule'') to help consumers avoid recurring payments for products and services they did not intend to order and to allow them to cancel such payments without unwarranted obstacles.

NMFS proposes to implement management measures described in Amendments 50A, 50B, 50C, 50D, 50E, and 50F to the Fishery Management Plan for Reef Fish Resources in the Gulf of Mexico (FMP), as prepared by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council)(Amendments 50A-F). This proposed rule would delegate authority to Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Texas (Gulf states), to establish specific management measures for the harvest of red snapper in Federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) by the private angling component of the recreational sector. The purposes of this proposed rule and Amendments 50A-F are to increase fishing opportunities and economic benefits by allowing each Gulf state to establish specific management measures for the recreational harvest of red snapper in Federal waters by private anglers landing in that state.

On July 26, 2019, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a rule titled ``Reclassification of Major Sources as Area Sources Under Section 112 of the Clean Air Act.'' The EPA is reopening the comment period on the proposed rule that closed on September 24, 2019. The comment period will remain open until November 1, 2019 to allow additional time for stakeholders to review and comment on the proposal.

On July 31, 2019, the United States Patent and Trademark Office published in the Federal Register a final rule amending the Rules of Practice in Trademark Cases and the Rules of Practice in Filings Pursuant to the Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks. That final rule had an effective date of October 5, 2019. This action changes the effective date to December 21, 2019.

This action extends the comment period for an NPRM that was published in the Federal Register on July 3, 2019. In the NPRM, the FAA proposed to amend certain airworthiness regulations for fire protection of interior compartments on transport category airplanes. The proposal would convert those flammability regulations from detailed, prescriptive requirements into simpler, performance-based standards. The proposal would divide these standards into two categories: those designed to protect the airplane and its occupants from the hazards of in-flight fires, and those designed to protect the airplane and its occupants from the hazards caused by post-crash fires. In addition, the proposal would remove test methods from the regulations and allow applicants, in certain cases, to demonstrate compliance either without conducting tests or by providing independent substantiation of the flammability characteristics of a proposed material. The proposal includes conforming changes to various FAA regulations. The proposal is necessary to eliminate unnecessary testing, increase standardization, and improve safety. The FAA is extending the closing date of the comment period to allow commenters time to adequately analyze the proposal and prepare responses.

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the Washington Apricot Marketing Committee (Committee) to increase the assessment rate established for the 2019-2020 and subsequent fiscal periods. The assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

FMCSA proposes to amend its Hazardous Materials Safety Permits regulations to incorporate by reference the updated Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) handbook. The Out-of-Service Criteria provide enforcement personnel nationwide, including FMCSA's State partners, with uniform enforcement tolerances for roadside inspections. Currently, the regulations reference the April 1, 2018, edition of the handbook. Through this document, FMCSA proposes to incorporate by reference the April 1, 2019, edition.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are proposing to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement a section of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, which specifies the criteria that must be met in order to include lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) source selection criteria in a solicitation; and requires procurements predominantly for the acquisition of certain services and supplies to avoid the use of LPTA source selection criteria, to the maximum extent practicable.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are proposing to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement a section of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 and several sections of the NDAA for FY 2018 that increase the micro-purchase threshold (MPT), increase the simplified acquisition threshold (SAT), and clarify certain procurement terms, as well as align some non- statutory thresholds with the MPT and SAT.

This document contains proposed regulations relating to the modification of section 958(b) of the Internal Revenue Code (``Code'') by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which was enacted on December 22, 2017. The proposed regulations affect United States persons that have ownership interests in or that make or receive payments to or from certain foreign corporations.

This final rule is issued to fulfill a requirement in the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act of 2012 (MAP-21) that NHTSA establish regulations permitting states to adopt schemes that allow electronic odometer disclosure statements in conjunction with electronic titling systems associated with the transfer of interests in motor vehicles. Amendments in this final rule allow odometer disclosures in an electronic medium while maintaining and protecting the existing system(s) ensuring accurate odometer disclosures and aid law enforcement in prosecuting odometer fraud. To accomplish this goal, the final rule amends prior regulations governing transactions made on paper titles and similar documents allowing odometer disclosures to be made in a purely electronic environment or through using paper documents that are scanned and converted into electronic form and stored in a state data system. This final rule also adds new sections containing specific additional requirements only applying to electronic disclosures to ensure the secure creation and maintenance of electronic records. NHTSA is also amending the mileage disclosure exemption to vehicles that are 20 years old or older.