February 5, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing two actions related to the attainment date for two areas classified as ``Moderate'' for the 2008 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). First, EPA is proposing to determine that the Inland Sheboygan, Wisconsin (WI) nonattainment area attained the standard by the July 20, 2019, extended attainment date. Second, EPA is proposing to determine that the Shoreline Sheboygan, WI nonattainment area failed to attain the standard by the extended attainment date. The effect of failing to attain by the attainment date is that the area will be reclassified by operation of law to ``Serious'' upon the effective date of the final reclassification action. Consequently, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) must submit State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions required to satisfy the statutory and regulatory requirements for Serious areas for the 2008 ozone NAAQS. EPA is proposing deadlines for submittal of those SIP revisions and implementation of the related control requirements.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) is proposing to amend the rules of practice in patent cases to clarify and expand exceptions to the rule pertaining to government use licenses and their effect on small entity status for purposes of paying reduced patent fees so as to support independent inventors, small business concerns and nonprofit organizations in filing patent applications. The proposed rule change is designed to encourage persons, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations to collaborate with the Federal Government by providing an opportunity to qualify for the small entity patent fees discount for inventions made during the course of federally-funded or federally-supported research.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (Department or DOT) is seeking comment in this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on proposed amendments to the Department's Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) regulation on the transportation of service animals by air. The proposed amendments are intended to ensure that our air transportation system is safe for the traveling public and accessible to individuals with disabilities.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a Missouri State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision received on March 7, 2019. The submission revises a Missouri regulation that establishes emission limits for batch-type charcoal kilns based on operational parameters to reduce emissions of particulate matter (PM10), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon monoxide (CO). Specifically, the revisions to the rule add definitions specific to the rule, update references to test methods, remove unnecessary words, remove an obsolete requirement which applied only during the phase-in period of the rule that ended December 31, 2005, clarify a provision for an alternative operating temperature, and make other minor edits. These revisions are administrative in nature and do not impact the stringency of the SIP or air quality. Approval of these revisions will ensure consistency between State and federally-approved rules.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is revising its regulations to streamline and clarify processes related to submission and review of title V petitions. This final rule implements changes in three key areas: Method of petition submittal to the agency, required content and format of petitions, and administrative record requirements for permits. In the first area, the EPA is establishing an electronic submittal system as the preferred method of submittal, with specified email and physical addresses as alternate routes to submit petitions. By doing so, the agency anticipates (and has already seen) improved tracking of petitions. To help petitioners in preparing their petitions, as well as the EPA in reviewing and responding to petitions, the EPA is finalizing its proposal to incorporate certain content and format requirements into the regulations, codifying practices that the EPA has described in prior orders responding to petitions and the preamble to the proposal for this rule. Finally, the EPA is requiring permitting authorities to prepare a written response to comments (RTC) document if significant comments are received during the public participation process on a draft permit, and requiring that the RTC, when applicable, be sent to the agency with the proposed permit and necessary documents including the statement of basis for its 45-day review. This change is anticipated to provide more complete permit records during the EPA's 45-day review period for proposed permits, the 60-day petition window, and the EPA's review of any petition submitted, and thus reduce the likelihood that the Administrator will grant a petition because of an incomplete permit record.