2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action amends Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Pittsfield Municipal Airport, Pittsfield, MA, to accommodate airspace reconfiguration due to the redesign of the Localizer (LOC)/Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) Runway (RWY) 26 approach. Controlled airspace is necessary for the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at this airport. This action also updates the geographic coordinates of this airport.

This action proposes to amend the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Pratt Regional Airport, Pratt, KS. The FAA is proposing this action as the result of an airspace review caused by the decommissioning of the Pratt non- directional beacon (NDB), which provided navigation information for the instrument procedures at this airport. Additionally, the geographic coordinates of the Pratt Regional Airport, would also be updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database. Airspace redesign is necessary for the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at this airport.

This action proposes to amend the Class E airspace designated as a surface area, at Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport, Gunnison, CO. The proposal would increase the circular radius of the Class E surface area and add an extension to the west of the airport. Also, this action proposes to amend the Class E airspace by adding an airspace area designated as an extension to a Class D or Class E surface area, to the southwest of the airport. Additionally, this action proposes to amend the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface by significantly reducing the area around the airport, except to the west and southwest of the airport. Furthermore, this action proposes to amend the Class E airspace extending upward from 1,200 feet above the surface by removing this area. This area is wholly contained within the Denver Class E6 en route airspace area and duplication is not necessary. Lastly, this action proposes several administrative changes to the airspace legal descriptions for the airport. These changes are necessary to accommodate airspace redesign for the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus SAS Model A319-131, -132, and -133 airplanes, Model A320-231, -232, and -233 airplanes, and Model A321-131, -231, and -232 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of rupture of a hydraulic reservoir air pressurization hose on an in-service airplane, leading to air leakage that was undetectable during normal operation, and found during subsequent zonal inspection. This proposed AD would require modifying the airplane by replacing the affected bleed air hoses with a modification of hydraulic pressurization lines, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which will be incorporated by reference. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA or Act) generally requires that covered, nonexempt employees receive overtime pay of at least one and one-half times their regular rate of pay for time worked in excess of 40 hours per workweek. The regular rate includes all remuneration for employment, subject to the exclusions outlined in section 7(e) of the FLSA. In this final rule, the Department of Labor (Department) updates a number of regulations on the calculation of overtime compensation both to provide clarity and to better reflect the 21st- century workplace. These changes will promote compliance with the FLSA, provide appropriate and updated guidance in an area of evolving law and practice, and encourage employers to provide additional and innovative benefits to workers without fear of costly litigation.

The FAA proposes 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 a report that cracking was discovered in a channel within a structural support member for the rudder quadrant, rudder feel unit assembly, and environmental control system due to fatigue. This proposed AD would require repetitive inspections of the rudder quadrant box assembly for any cracking, and modification of the rudder quadrant box assembly. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This final rule amends the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation's regulations on Benefits Payable in Terminated Single- Employer Plans and Allocation of Assets in Single-Employer Plans to prescribe certain interest assumptions under the benefit payments regulation for plans with valuation dates in January 2020 and interest assumptions under the asset allocation regulation for plans with valuation dates in the first quarter of 2020. These interest assumptions are used for valuing benefits and paying certain benefits under terminating single-employer plans covered by the pension insurance system administered by PBGC.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve the portions of New Jersey's State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submittal regarding infrastructure requirements for interstate transport of pollution with respect to the 2006 particulate matter of 10 microns ([mu]m) or less (PM10), 2008 lead, 2010 nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and 2011 carbon monoxide (CO) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).

On November 15, 2019, the U.S. Department of Energy (``DOE'') published a request for information (``RFI'') to solicit information from the public to help DOE determine whether amended standards for consumer refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers would result in a significant amount of additional energy savings and whether those standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified. The November 15, 2019 RFI also stated that public comments will be accepted until December 30, 2019. On November 21, 2019, the DOE received a request from the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) to extend the public comment period by 60 days. DOE has reviewed this request and will be granting a 45 day extinction of the public comment period to allow public comments to be summited until February 13, 2020.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office published in the Federal Register on July 31, 2019 (delayed on October 2, 2019), a final rule amending its regulations to mandate electronic filing of trademark applications and all submissions associated with trademark applications and registrations, and to require the designation of an email address for receiving USPTO correspondence, with limited exceptions. This rulemaking clarifies the mandatory electronic filing regulation addressing the requirements for receiving a filing date, by amending it to remove the word ``domicile.'' This rulemaking also clarifies the mandatory electronic filing regulation addressing the requirements for a TEAS Plus application.

This document contains corrections to Treasury Decision 9879, which was published in the Federal Register on Thursday, October 31, 2019. Treasury Decision 9879 contained final regulations providing guidance on new information reporting obligations under section 6050Y related to reportable policy sales of life insurance contracts and payments of reportable death benefits and guidance on the amount of death benefits excluded from gross income under section 101 following a reportable policy sale.

This action amends Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Grove City Airport, Grove City, PA, by updating the geographic coordinates of this airport. Also, this action would update the name and geographic coordinates of Grove City Medical Center Heliport (formerly United Community Hospital Heliport). Controlled airspace is necessary for the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations in the area.

The Coast Guard will enforce the special local regulation for the Charleston Harbor Christmas Parade of Boats on December 14, 2019. This action is necessary to ensure safety of life on navigable waters of the United States during the Charleston Harbor Christmas Parade of Boats. During the enforcement period, no person or vessel may enter, transit through, anchor in, or remain within the designated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Charleston (COTP) or a designated representative.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) adopts as final, with changes based on subsequent statutory authority, an interim final rule providing for reimbursement of qualifying adoption expenses incurred by a veteran with a service-connected disability that results in the inability of the veteran to procreate without the use of fertility treatment. Under the Continuing Appropriations and Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017, and Zika Response and Preparedness Act, VA may use funds appropriated or otherwise made available to VA for the ``Medical Services'' account to provide adoption reimbursement to these veterans. Under the law, reimbursement may be for the adoption-related expenses for an adoption that is finalized after the date of the enactment of this Act under the same terms as apply under the adoption reimbursement program of the Department of Defense (DoD), as authorized in DoD Instruction 1341.09, including the reimbursement limits and requirements set forth in such instruction. This rulemaking implements the new adoption reimbursement benefit for covered veterans.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Dassault Aviation Model MYSTERE FALCON 50, MYSTERE FALCON 900, and FALCON 900EX airplanes; and Model FALCON 2000 and FALCON 2000EX airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report that the Dassault maintenance planning document (MPD) of the related Dassault aircraft maintenance manual (AMM) states that the ``combined service/storage life'' of the fire extinguisher percussion cartridges is longer than it should be, and could have a safety impact in case of fire. This AD requires replacing the fire extinguisher percussion cartridges with serviceable parts. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus SAS Model A350-941 and -1041 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of incorrectly engaged lock washer tabs of the main landing gear (MLG) forward pintle bearing (FPB) at the forward face of the trunnion block. This proposed AD would require detailed inspections of the left-hand (LH) and right-hand (RH) side MLG FPB nuts and lock washer tabs, and depending on findings, accomplishment of repetitive detailed inspections or corrective actions, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which will be incorporated by reference. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are issuing a second interim rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to require offerors to represent annually whether they offer to the Government equipment, systems, or services that include covered telecommunications equipment or services. These provisions implement section 889(a)(1)(A) of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (collectively, the agencies) are adopting a final rule to revise the definition of ``high volatility commercial real estate (HVCRE) exposure'' in the regulatory capital rule. This final rule conforms this definition to the statutory definition of ``high volatility commercial real estate acquisition, development, or construction (HVCRE ADC) loan,'' in accordance with section 214 of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (EGRRCPA). The final rule also clarifies the capital treatment for loans that finance the development of land under the revised HVCRE exposure definition.

In this advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting information that will aid in potential future revisions to the Ethylene Oxide Emission Standards for Sterilization Facilities. The EPA is soliciting information and requesting comment on potential control measures for reducing ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions from commercial sterilization facilities. These control measures include controls for fugitive emissions of EtO, safety measures for the chamber exhaust vents (CEVs), process equipment improvements, and advances in add-on control technologies for point sources. In addition, the EPA is considering, and requesting comment on, how best to assess potential impacts on small businesses. The EPA is also taking comment on the available EtO usage data for individual facilities and on additional data contained in the modeling file that will be used to evaluate the impact of emissions from commercial EtO sterilizers.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 737-300, -400, -500, -600, -700, -700C, -800, -900, and -900ER series airplanes; Model 757 series airplanes; Model 767 series airplanes; Model 777 series airplanes; and Model 787-8 and 787-9 airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of fuel crossfeed valves failing to open when activated during flight. This AD requires, for certain airplanes, revising the existing airplane flight manual (AFM); and for certain other airplanes, revising the existing minimum equipment list (MEL) to do an operational check of the fuel crossfeed valve prior to each extended operations (ETOPS) flight if one fuel crossfeed valve (or the fuel balancing system on Model 787 airplanes) is inoperative. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

These special conditions are issued for the Airbus Model A330- 300 airplane. This airplane, as modified by VT DRB Aviation Consultants (VT DRB), will have novel or unusual design features when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport-category airplanes. This design feature is single-occupant, oblique (side-facing) seats with airbag devices or 3-point restraints. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.

The Department of Education (``Department'') issues a final rule amending its Availability of Information to the Public regulations to reflect amendments to the Freedom of Information Act (``FOIA'') made by the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016 (``Improvement Act'') and a minor technical update. Among other things, the Improvement Act requires the Department to amend its FOIA regulations to extend the deadline for administrative appeals for FOIA decisions, add information on dispute resolution services, and amend the way the Department charges fees for FOIA requests.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus SAS Model A320-251N and A321-253N airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of cracks on the pylon block seals. This AD requires replacement of the pylon block seals, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Delaware. The revisions pertain to amendments made to the definition of volatile organic compound (VOC) in the Delaware Administrative Code to conform with EPA's regulatory definition of VOC. EPA found that certain compounds have negligible photochemical reactivity and, therefore, has exempted them from the regulatory definition of VOC in several rulemaking actions. This revision to the Delaware SIP requested the exemption of eight compounds from the regulatory definition of VOC to match the actions EPA has taken. The revision also requested to remove the recordkeeping, reporting, modeling, and inventory requirements for t-butyl acetate (TBAC). EPA is approving these revisions to update the definition of VOC in the Delaware SIP in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).