March 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS issues this temporary rule (also referred to herein as ``emergency action'') to provide it with authority to waive observer coverage requirements established in regulations promulgated under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) and other statutes, consistent with applicable law and international obligations. NMFS is taking this action to address public health concerns relating to the evolving pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19). NMFS is taking this action to protect public health, economic security, and food security, and to safeguard the health and safety of fishermen, observers, and other persons involved with such monitoring programs, while safeguarding the ability of fishermen to continue business operations and produce seafood for the Nation. This action also authorizes NMFS to waive some training or other program requirements to ensure that as many observers are available as possible while ensuring the safety and health of the observers and trainers.

On March 3, 2020, the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) published in the Federal Register a Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (SNPRM) requesting comment on the Bureau's proposal to amend Regulation F, which implements the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), to require debt collectors to make certain disclosures when collecting time-barred debts. The SNPRM provided a 60- day comment period that was set to close on May 4, 2020. To allow interested persons more time to consider and submit their comments, the Bureau has determined that an extension of the comment period until June 5, 2020, is appropriate.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or ``Agency'') proposes to approve portions of two state implementation plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the State of California to meet Clean Air Act (CAA or ``Act'') requirements for the 2006 fine particulate matter (PM2.5) national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS or ``standards'') in the San Joaquin Valley (SJV) Serious nonattainment area. Specifically, the EPA proposes to approve those portions of the ``2018 Plan for the 1997, 2006, and 2012 PM2.5 Standards'' and the ``San Joaquin Valley Supplement to the 2016 State Strategy for the State Implementation Plan'' that pertain to the 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS and address CAA requirements for Serious PM2.5 nonattainment areas. The EPA also proposes to approve inter-pollutant trading ratios for use in transportation conformity analyses for the 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS. As part of this action, the EPA proposes to grant an extension of the Serious area attainment date for the 2006 PM2.5 NAAQS in the San Joaquin Valley from December 31, 2019, to December 31, 2024 based on a proposed determination that the State has satisfied the statutory criteria for this extension. We may, however, reconsider this proposal or deny California's request for extension of the attainment date if, based on new information or public comments, we find that the State has not satisfied the statutory criteria for this extension.

The NCUA Board (Board) is seeking comment on a proposed rule that would amend the NCUA's corporate credit union regulation. The proposed rule would update, clarify, and simplify several provisions of the NCUA's corporate credit union regulation, including: Permitting a corporate credit union to make a minimal investment in a credit union service organization (CUSO) without the CUSO being classified as a corporate CUSO under the NCUA's rules; expanding the categories of senior staff positions at member credit unions eligible to serve on a corporate credit union's board; amending the minimum experience and independence requirement for a corporate credit union's enterprise risk management expert; and requiring a corporate credit union to deduct certain investments in subordinated debt instruments issued by natural person credit unions.

NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amounts of the Community Development Quota (CDQ) pollock directed fishing allowance (DFA) from the Aleutian Islands subarea to the Bering Sea subarea. This action is necessary to provide opportunity for harvest of the 2020 total allowable catch of pollock, consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI).

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Bombardier, Inc., Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440), CL-600-2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 701 & 702), CL-600-2C11 (Regional Jet Series 550), CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705), CL- 600-2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900), and CL-600-2E25 (Regional Jet Series 1000) airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a determination that certain airplanes have outdated magnetic variation (MV) tables inside navigation systems. This proposed AD would require revising the existing airplane flight manual (AFM) to update the Flight Management System (FMS), Inertial Reference System (IRS), and Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS) limitations. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish a temporary safety zone for certain waters of the Lake of the Ozarks. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters, during fireworks displays scheduled for May 23, June 20, June 27, July 4, July 11, July 18, July 25, August 1, August 8, and August 15, 2020. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from being in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Upper Mississippi River or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a revision to the Chattanooga portion of the Tennessee State Implementation Plan (SIP), provided by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation on behalf of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Air Pollution Control Bureau (Bureau) through a letter dated September 12, 2018. The revision makes changes to the definition of volatile organic compounds (VOC) that are consistent with changes to state and federal regulations. EPA is approving the changes because they are consistent with the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act).

The Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') is adopting amendments to the accelerated filer and large accelerated filer definitions to more appropriately tailor the types of issuers that are included in the categories of accelerated and large accelerated filers and promote capital formation, preserve capital, and reduce unnecessary burdens for certain smaller issuers while maintaining investor protections. The amendments exclude from the accelerated and large accelerated filer definitions an issuer that is eligible to be a smaller reporting company and that had annual revenues of less than $100 million in the most recent fiscal year for which audited financial statements are available. The amendments also include a specific provision excluding business development companies from the accelerated and large accelerated filer definitions in analogous circumstances. In addition, the amendments increase the transition thresholds for accelerated and large accelerated filers becoming non- accelerated filers from $50 million to $60 million, and for exiting large accelerated filer status from $500 million to $560 million. Further, the amendments add a revenue test to the transition thresholds for exiting from both accelerated and large accelerated filer status. Finally, the amendments add a check box to the cover pages of Forms 10- K, 20-F, and 40-F to indicate whether an internal control over financial reporting (``ICFR'') auditor attestation is included in the filing. As a result of the amendments, certain low-revenue issuers will remain obligated, among other things, to establish and maintain ICFR and have management assess the effectiveness of ICFR, but they will not be required to have their management's assessment of the effectiveness of ICFR attested to, and reported on, by an independent auditor.

This action amends the oxygen mask requirement for circumstances in which a single pilot is at the aircraft controls. This action applies to all certificate holders who conduct domestic, flag, and supplemental operations. This action responds to a statutory mandate that requires the FAA to increase the flight level threshold at which the FAA requires use of an oxygen mask by the remaining pilot at the aircraft controls when the other pilot at the controls leaves the control station.

The OCC has adopted an interim final rule adding a reservation of authority provision to the OCC's short-term investment fund (STIF) rule (STIF Rule) for national banks acting in a fiduciary capacity. The reservation of authority addresses the STIF Rule's limits on weighted average portfolio maturity, weighted average portfolio life maturity, and the method for determining those limits. The OCC has also issued an administrative order pursuant to the reservation of authority contained in the interim final rule. The order states that banks seeking to comply with the STIF Rule's portfolio maturity and life limits will be deemed to be in compliance with those requirements, if the STIF maintains a dollar-weighted average portfolio maturity of 120 days or less, and the STIF maintains a dollar-weighted average portfolio life maturity of 180 days or less.

NMFS is opening directed fishing for pollock in the West Yakutat District of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to fully use the 2020 total allowable catch of pollock in the West Yakutat District of the GOA.

These special conditions are issued for the Boeing Model 777- 300ER series airplane. This airplane, as modified by GDC Technics, 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 a lower lobe crew rest (LLCR) compartment located under the passenger cabin floor of the Boeing Model 777-300ER series airplane. 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 Federal Labor Relations Authority (Authority) solicits written comments on a request from the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation (the Foundation) for a general statement of policy or guidance. The Foundation asks the Authority to issue a general statement of policy or guidance concerning whether Section 7131 of the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute (the Statute) permits parties to bargain over, or union representatives to use, official time for lobbying activities that are subject to Federal law. Comments are solicited on whether the Authority should issue a general statement of policy or guidance, and, if so, what the Authority's policy or guidance should be.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. (Bell) Model 205B helicopters. This proposed AD was prompted by flight testing and fatigue analysis results. This proposed AD would require reducing the life limit of certain tail rotor (T/R) blades and re-identifying them with a new part number (P/N). The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This document announces the decision of the Secretary of Homeland Security to temporarily limit the travel of individuals from Mexico into the United States at land ports of entry along the United States-Mexico border to ``essential travel'' as further defined in this document.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issues this interim final rule with request for comments to amend its Foreign Quarantine Regulations. This interim final rule provides a procedure for CDC to suspend the introduction of persons from designated countries or places, if required, in the interest of public health.

This action increases the possession and trip limits of Georges Bank cod, Gulf of Maine cod, Gulf of Maine haddock, Cape Cod/ Gulf of Maine yellowtail flounder, American plaice, and witch flounder for Northeast multispecies common pool vessels for the remainder of the 2019 fishing year. This action will provide the common pool fishery greater opportunity to harvest, but not exceed, the annual quotas for these stocks.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking a direct final action to approve a negative declaration submitted to satisfy the requirements of the Emission Guidelines and Compliance Times for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills for the State of Vermont. The negative declaration certifies that there are no existing facilities in the State of Vermont that must comply with this rule.

This action amends area navigation (RNAV) route Q-56 in the vicinity of Atlanta, GA, by re-establishing the route over the KBLER, GA, waypoint, which was recently removed from the route. Subsequent to the recent publication of the rule that removed the KBLER waypoint from Q-56, the FAA has identified safety related issues resulting from the removal of the waypoint and the resultant relocation of the affected route segment. This action amends Q-56 to reflect the route as it was charted prior to the KBLER waypoint being removed, addresses the safety issues created by the removal of the waypoint from the route, and restores the safety and efficiency of the high altitude enroute structure supporting the flow of air traffic in the vicinity of the Atlanta, GA, and Charlotte, NC, Metroplex areas.

This action amends Class D airspace, Class E airspace designated as an extension to a Class D surface area, and Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Boire Field, Nashua, NH, to accommodate airspace reconfiguration due to the decommissioning of CHERN non-directional beacon, and cancellation of the associated approaches. 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, as well as Manchester VOR/DME. In addition, this action recognizes the name change of Pepperell Airport (formerly Sports Center Airport). This action also replaces the outdated term Airport/Facility Directory with the term Chart Supplement in the legal descriptions of associated Class D and E airspace of Boire Field. Also, the FAA inadvertently failed to address the purpose of the radius of Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface increasing from 7.0 miles to 7.9 miles. In addition, the Manchester VOR/DME was incorrectly identified as VORTAC. This action corrects these errors.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a revision to the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District (SJVUAPCD) portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). This revision concerns emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOX) and particulate matter (PM) from off-road mobile, diesel agricultural equipment. We are proposing to approve a local measure to reduce NOX and PM emissions from these emission sources under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act). We are taking comments on this proposal and plan to follow with a final action.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a revision to the Wisconsin State Implementation Plan (SIP). On December 13, 2019, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) submitted the state's plans for maintaining the 1997 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS or standard) in the following areas: Kewaunee County, Door County, Manitowoc County, and Milwaukee- Racine area (Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Washington and Waukesha counties). EPA is proposing to approve these maintenance plans because they provide for the maintenance of the 1997 ozone NAAQS through the end of the second 10-year maintenance period. This action, when finalized, would make certain commitments related to maintenance of the 1997 ozone NAAQS in these areas federally enforceable as part of the Wisconsin SIP.

This document contains rules that amend the regulations of the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (Commission) dealing with the mitigation of consumptive uses.

This action proposes to amend low altitude RNAV route T-300, and establish low altitude RNAV routes T-391, T-393, and T-395 in the northeastern United States. The proposed changes would reduce the dependency of the National Airspace System (NAS) on ground-based navigational systems, and assist with the transition to a more efficient Performance Based Navigation (PBN) route structure. This proposal would also provide RNAV routing in support the FAA's VOR Minimum Operating Network (VOR MON) program.