February 14, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This final rule amends the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations to reflect the imposition of import restrictions on certain archaeological and ethnological material from Ecuador. These restrictions are being imposed pursuant to an agreement between the United States and Ecuador that has been entered into under the authority of the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act. The final rule amends CBP regulations by adding Ecuador to the list of countries which have a bilateral agreement with the United States that imposes cultural property import restrictions. The final rule also contains the designated list that describes the types of archaeological and ethnological material to which the restrictions apply.

The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (``FRTIB'') proposes to allow participants to take hardship withdrawals for expenses related to natural disasters.

The Coast Guard proposes amending and updating its special local regulations for recurring marine parades, regattas, and other events that take place in the Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley area of responsibility (AOR). Through this notice the current list of recurring special local regulations is updated with revisions, additions, and removals of events that no longer take place in the Sector Ohio Valley AOR. When these special local regulations are enforced, certain restrictions are placed on marine traffic in specified areas. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish a temporary safety zone for certain waters of the Upper Potomac River. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters of the Washington Channel adjacent to The Wharf DC, Washington, DC, for recurring fireworks displays from April 4, 2020, through December 31, 2020. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from being in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Maryland-National Capital Region or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish temporary special local regulations for certain waters of the Tred Avon River. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters located between Bellevue, MD, and Oxford, MD, during a swim event on June 6, 2020. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from entering the regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Maryland-National Capital Region or the Coast Guard Patrol Commander. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

This final rule amends the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation's regulation on Benefits Payable in Terminated Single- Employer Plans to prescribe certain interest assumptions under the regulation for plans with valuation dates in March 2020. These interest assumptions are used for paying certain benefits under terminating single-employer plans covered by the pension insurance system administered by PBGC.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Pennsylvania regulatory program (hereinafter, the Pennsylvania program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). The proposed amendment would make changes to Pennsylvania's Coal Refuse Disposal Control Act. Those changes would include establishing the terms and conditions under which a system that prevents precipitation from contacting coal refuse must be installed, requiring that the regulations regarding temporary cessation at coal refuse disposal areas conform with Federal SMCRA regulations, and providing for future regulations addressing the connection with source mines that are in temporary cessation in determining temporary cessation for the coal refuse disposal permit. This document provides the times and locations that the Pennsylvania program and this proposed amendment to that program are available for your inspection, the comment period during which you may submit written comments on the amendment, and the procedures that we will follow for the public hearing, if one is requested.

NMFS issues regulations to modify the medical and beneficiary transfer provisions of the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program for the fixed-gear commercial Pacific halibut and sablefish fisheries. This final rule is intended to simplify administration of the medical and beneficiary transfer provisions while promoting the long-standing objective of maintaining an owner-operated IFQ fishery. This final rule makes minor technical corrections to regulations for improved accuracy and clarity. This final rule is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the IFQ Program, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982, and other applicable laws.

In the November 12, 2019 issue of the Federal Register, we published a final rule with comment period that made changes to the conditions for therapeutic outpatient hospital or CAH services and supplies incident to a physician's or nonphysician practitioner's service. This correcting amendment corrects a technical error in the regulations resulting from an error in that final rule with comment period.

The Federal Trade Commission (``FTC'' or ``Commission'') is requesting public comment on its Trade Regulation Rule entitled ``Funeral Industry Practices Rule'' (``Funeral Rule'' or ``Rule''). The Rule defines unfair and deceptive practices in the sale of funeral goods and services and prescribes preventive requirements to protect against these practices. The Commission is soliciting comments about the efficiency, costs, benefits, and regulatory impact of the Rule as part of its systematic review of all current Commission regulations and guides. All interested persons are hereby given notice of the opportunity to submit written data, views, and arguments concerning the Rule.

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC or Commission) proposes to amend its rules governing Service Contracts. The proposed rule is intended to reduce regulatory burden.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving, under the Clean Air Act (CAA), a revision to Ohio's State Implementation Plan (SIP) as requested by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) on March 30, 2011, and amended on August 22, 2019 and December 10, 2019. The revision to Ohio's SIP modifies Ohio's Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) program to establish emission thresholds for determining when stationary source projects are potentially subject to Ohio's PSD permitting requirements for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Consistent with Ohio's requests, EPA is taking no action on paragraphs (B), (C), and (D) of Ohio's GHG rule.

This regulation establishes tolerances for residues of difenoconazole in or on vegetable, root, subgroup 1A, except ginseng; vegetable, leaves of root and tuber, group 2; and tea, dried. In addition, this regulation amends the tolerances for residues of difenoconazole in or ginseng; cattle, liver; goat, liver; horse, liver; and sheep, liver. Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC requested these tolerances under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of New Hampshire. The revision approves a single source order for PSI Molded Plastics. The intended effect of this action is to approve this item into the New Hampshire SIP. This action is being taken in accordance with the Clean Air Act (CAA).

Pursuant to the Federal Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) is approving revisions to the Texas State Implementation Plan (SIP) that pertain to the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria (HGB) area and the 1979 1-hour and 1997 8- hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS or standard). The EPA is approving the plan for maintaining the 1-hour and 1997 ozone NAAQS through the year 2032 in the HGB area. The EPA is determining that the HGB area continues to attain the 1979 1-hour and 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS and has met the five CAA criteria for redesignation. Therefore, the EPA is terminating all anti-backsliding obligations for the HGB area for the 1-hour and 1997 ozone NAAQS. The EPA is also approving the Texas Severe Ozone Nonattainment Area Failure to Attain Fee regulations for the HGB area as an equivalent alternative program to address section 185 of the CAA for the 1-hour ozone NAAQS.

This regulation established exemptions from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of propanamide, 2-hydroxy-N, N-dimethyl-, when used as an inert ingredient (solvent/co-solvent) in pesticides applied to growing crops and raw agricultural commodities after harvest, or in pesticides applied to animals, limited to 50% by weight in the pesticide formulations. Spring Trading Company, LLC on behalf of BASF Corporation submitted a petition to EPA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), requesting an amendment to an existing requirement of a tolerance. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of propanamide, 2-hydroxy-N, N-dimethyl-, when used in accordance with the terms of these exemptions.

This regulation establishes tolerances for residues of chlorfenapyr in or on basil, fresh leaves; chive, fresh leaves; and cucumber and increases the established tolerance on vegetable, fruiting, group 8-10. Interregional Research Project Number 4 (IR-4) requested these tolerances under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).

This regulation establishes tolerances for residues of flutriafol in or on multiple commodities which are identified and discussed later in this document. Cheminova A/S on behalf of FMC Corporation requested these tolerances under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).

The Coast Guard is revising existing regulations and consolidating into one table special local regulations for recurring marine events at various locations within the geographic boundaries of the Seventh Coast Guard District Captain of the Port (COTP) Miami Zone. Consolidating marine events into one table simplifies Coast Guard oversight and public notification of special local regulations within COTP Miami Zone.

The Economic Development Administration (``EDA''), U.S. Department of Commerce (``DOC''), is issuing a final rule to update the agency's regulations implementing the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms (``TAAF'') provisions of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (``Trade Act''), and the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965, as amended (``PWEDA''). The changes to the TAAF program regulations clarify the process for import-impacted U.S. manufacturing firms, oil and natural gas production firms, and service firms to obtain technical assistanceidentified in the Trade Act as ``adjustment assistance''through the TAAF program, reorganize the regulations to make them easier to read and understand, incorporate best practices, and bring the regulations into closer alignment with the program's statutory requirements. The result will be to ease the burden on firms seeking adjustment assistance through the TAAF program and make it easier for Trade Adjustment Assistance Centers (``TAACs'') to work with firms. EDA is also eliminating certain TAAF and PWEDA regulations that are unnecessary or duplicative because they describe requirements already established in other regulations or award documentation.

The Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing amendments to its decision-making process for selecting energy conservation standards. More specifically, DOE is proposing changes that would require DOE to conduct a comparative analysis of the relative costs and benefits of all of the proposed alternative levels for potentially establishing or amending an energy conservation standard in order to make a reliable determination that the chosen alternative is economically justified.