March 2, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve certain elements of a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submission from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) addressing the applicable requirements of section 110 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) for the 2015 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Section 110 requires that each state adopt and submit a SIP revision to support the implementation, maintenance, and enforcement of each new or revised NAAQS promulgated by the EPA. These SIPs are commonly referred to as ``infrastructure'' SIPs. The infrastructure requirements are designed to ensure that the structural components of each state's air quality management program are adequate to meet the State's responsibilities under the CAA. In this action, the EPA is proposing to approve the interstate transport portions of the State's 2015 Ozone NAAQS infrastructure SIP submittal.

This action proposes special conditions for The Boeing Company (Boeing) Model 787-10 series airplanes. These airplanes will have a novel or unusual design feature when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport category airplanes. This design feature is single-occupant oblique seats equipped with pretensioner restraint systems. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These proposed 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 Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 amended the Lacey Act to provide, among other things, that importers submit a declaration at the time of importation for certain plants and plant products. The declaration requirement of the Lacey Act became effective on December 15, 2008, and enforcement of that requirement is being phased in. We are amending the regulations to establish an exception to the declaration requirement for products containing a minimal amount of plant materials. This action would relieve the burden on importers while continuing to ensure that the declaration requirement fulfills the purposes of the Lacey Act.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is clarifying its practice as to situations that will require additional information about whether a delay in seeking the revival of an abandoned application, acceptance of a delayed maintenance fee payment, or acceptance of a delayed priority or benefit claim was unintentional.

EPA is promulgating this rule of Agency procedure to fulfill the objectives outlined in the October 9, 2019 Executive Order (E.O.) 13892, Promoting the Rule of Law Through Transparency and Fairness in Civil Administrative Enforcement and Adjudication. This rule describes certain Agency procedures for conducting on-site civil inspections, as contemplated by section 7 of E.O. 13892, Ensuring Reasonable Administrative Inspections. This rule applies to on-site civil inspections conducted by federally credentialed EPA civil inspectors, federally credentialed contractors and Senior Environmental Employment (SEE) employees conducting inspections on behalf of EPA.