April 20, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

As a result of disruptions and uncertainty to the U.S. food agriculture sector during the upcoming summer agricultural season caused by the global novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency, the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, has decided to temporarily amend the regulations regarding temporary and seasonal agricultural workers, and their U.S. employers, within the H-2A nonimmigrant classification. The Department is temporarily removing certain limitations on agricultural employers and workers in order to provide agricultural employers with an orderly and timely flow of legal foreign workers, thereby protecting the integrity of the nation's food supply chain and decreasing possible reliance on unauthorized aliens, while encouraging agricultural employers' use of the H-2A program, which protects the rights of U.S. and foreign workers. Namely, the Department will allow H-2A employers whose extension of stay H-2A petitions are supported by valid temporary labor certifications (TLCs) issued by the Department of Labor to begin work immediately after the extension of stay petition is received by USCIS. The Department is also temporarily amending its regulations to allow H-2A workers to stay in the United States beyond the 3 years maximum allowable period of stay. DHS will apply this temporary final rule to H-2A petitions requesting an extension of stay, and, if applicable, any associated applications for an extension of stay filed by or on behalf of an H-2A worker, if they were received on or after March 1, 2020 and remain pending as of the effective date of this rule, as well as H-2A petitions for an extension of stay, received on or after the effective date of this rule, ending on the last day this rule is in effect.

NMFS closes the Angling category Gulf of Mexico area incidental trophy fishery for large medium and giant (``trophy'' (i.e., measuring 73 inches curved fork length or greater)) Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT). This action is being taken to prevent further overharvest of the Angling category Gulf of Mexico incidental trophy BFT subquota.

On April 2, 2020, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) posted an interim final rule (the First PPP Interim Final Rule) announcing the implementation of sections 1102 and 1106 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act or the Act). Section 1102 of the Act temporarily adds a new program, titled the ``Paycheck Protection Program,'' to the SBA's 7(a) Loan Program. Section 1106 of the Act provides for forgiveness of up to the full principal amount of qualifying loans guaranteed under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The PPP is intended to provide economic relief to small businesses nationwide adversely impacted by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). This interim final rule supplements the First PPP Interim Final Rule with guidance for individuals with self-employment income who file a Form 1040, Schedule C. This rule also addresses eligibility issues for certain business concerns and requirements for certain pledges of PPP loans. This interim final rule supplements SBA's implementation of sections 1102 and 1106 of the Act and requests public comment.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain ATRGIE Avions de Transport R[eacute]gional Model ATR72 airplanes. This AD was prompted by occurrences of smoke in the flight deck and flap extension difficulties due to wire chafing on the electrical harness under a certain panel. This AD requires modifying the clamp installation of the electrical routing on a certain rib of the left- and right-hand side of the wing rear spars, 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 FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Saab AB, Support and Services Model SAAB 2000 airplanes. This AD was prompted by a determination that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. This AD requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations, 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 Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is extending the comment period for the proposed rule that appeared in the Federal Register of May 20, 2005. The proposed rule, entitled ``Food Standards; General Principles and Food Standards Modernization,'' would establish a set of general principles for food standards for FDA to use when considering whether to establish, revise, or eliminate a food standard. The proposed rule was issued jointly with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and, while FDA will continue to engage with USDA regarding the proposed rule, we are extending the comment period to allow interested persons additional time to submit comments.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to find that the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI area (Chicago Area) is attaining the 2008 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS or standard) and to approve a request from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM or Indiana) to redesignate the Indiana portion of the Chicago area to attainment for the 2008 ozone NAAQS because the request meets the statutory requirements for redesignation under the Clean Air Act (CAA). The Indiana portion of the Chicago 2008 ozone area consists of Lake and Porter Counties in Northwest Indiana. Indiana submitted this request on February 27, 2020. EPA is also proposing to approve, as a revision to the Indiana State Implementation Plan (SIP), the State's plan for maintaining the 2008 ozone NAAQS through 2030 in the Chicago area. EPA is also proposing to approve a waiver, for the Indiana portion of the Chicago area (Lake and Porter Counties), from the oxides of nitrogen (NOX) requirements of section 182(f) of the CAA. Finally, EPA finds adequate and is proposing to approve Indiana's 2025 and 2030 volatile organic compound (VOC) and oxides of nitrogen (NOX) Motor Vehicle Emission Budgets (MVEBs) for the Indiana portion of the Chicago area (Lake and Porter Counties).

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is proposing to amend and update its VA Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) in phased increments to revise or remove any policy superseded by changes in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), to remove any procedural guidance internal to VA into the VA Acquisition Manual (VAAM), and to incorporate any new agency specific regulations or policies. These changes seek to streamline and align the VAAR with the FAR and remove outdated and duplicative requirements and reduce burden on contractors. The VAAM incorporates portions of the removed VAAR as well as other internal agency acquisition policy. VA will rewrite certain parts of the VAAR and VAAM, and as VAAR parts are rewritten, will publish them in the Federal Register. VA will combine related topics, as appropriate. This rulemaking revises VAAR coverage concerning Contractor Qualifications, Acquisition of Utility Services, and Contract Administration and Audit Services, as well as affected parts concerning Definitions of Words and Terms and Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses.

On July 8, 2019, the Coast Guard published a final rule that established two special anchorage areas in the Passagassawakeag River in the vicinity of Belfast, ME, effective August 7, 2019. That rule contained errors in the coordinates describing the boundaries of these special anchorage areas, causing parts of them to extend into the navigable channel. This document corrects those errors.

This rule identifies communities where the sale of flood insurance has been authorized under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) that are scheduled for suspension on the effective dates listed within this rule because of noncompliance with the floodplain management requirements of the program. If the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) receives documentation that the community has adopted the required floodplain management measures prior to the effective suspension date given in this rule, the suspension will not occur and a notice of this will be provided by publication in the Federal Register on a subsequent date. Also, information identifying the current participation status of a community can be obtained from FEMA's Community Status Book (CSB). The CSB is available at https:// www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program-community-statu s-book.

This final rule sets forth the Service's procedures governing the issuance of guidance documents as required by the Executive order titled ``Promoting the Rule of Law Through Improved Agency Guidance Documents''.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing a limited approval and limited disapproval of a revision to the Placer County Air Pollution Control District (PCAPCD or ``District'') portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). This revision concerns the District's New Source Review (NSR) permitting program for new and modified sources of air pollution under section 110(a)(2)(C) of the Clean Air Act (CAA or ``Act''). This action updates the PCAPCD's applicable SIP with current administrative requirements for the issuance of permits.

In this document, the Commission adopts final rules, as required by the Pallone-Thune Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act (TRACED Act), to establish a registration process for the registration of a single consortium that conducts private-led efforts to trace back the origin of suspected unlawful robocalls.