April 30, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This rule would revise National Park Service regulations to comply with the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in Sturgeon v. Frost. In the Sturgeon decision, the Court held that National Park Service regulations apply exclusively to public lands (meaning federally owned lands and waters) within the external boundaries of National Park System units in Alaska. Lands which are not federally owned, including submerged lands under navigable waters, are not part of the unit subject to the National Park Service's ordinary regulatory authority.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA, Agency, or we) is announcing the availability of a final guidance for industry entitled ``Temporary Policy Regarding Accredited Third-Party Certification Program Onsite Observation and Certificate Duration Requirements During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.'' Given the public health emergency presented by COVID-19, this guidance document is being implemented without prior public comment because FDA has determined that prior public participation is not feasible or appropriate, but it remains subject to comment in accordance with the Agency's good guidance practices. The guidance communicates the Agency's intention not to enforce certain requirements for the onsite monitoring activities and certificates for the currently recognized accreditation bodies (ABs) and accredited third-party certification bodies (CBs) in the Accredited Third-Party Certification Program for human and animal food in certain circumstances. Because travel restrictions and advisories related to COVID-19 may impact the ability of recognized ABs and accredited CBs to conduct onsite activities, this guidance provides temporary flexibility so that recognized ABs can maintain the accreditations of their CBs, and so that already-issued certifications need not lapse, in certain circumstances.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG Trent 1000-A, Trent 1000- A2, Trent 1000-AE, Trent 1000-AE2, Trent 1000-C, Trent 1000-C2, Trent 1000-CE, Trent 1000-CE2, Trent 1000-D, Trent 1000-D2, Trent 1000-E, Trent 1000-E2, Trent 1000-G, Trent 1000-G2, Trent 1000-H, Trent 1000- H2, Trent 1000-J2, Trent 1000-K2, and Trent 1000-L2 model turbofan engines. This proposed AD was prompted by the manufacturer identifying 38 low-pressure compressor (LPC) front cases that have non-optimal properties that could inhibit their ability to contain certain engine failures. This proposed AD would require removing the LPC front case from service and replacing it with a part eligible for installation. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

On March 31, 2020, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) solicited comments on a draft regulatory issue summary (RIS) to reinforce the existing requirement that prior to granting or reinstating unescorted access (UA), or certifying unescorted access authorization (UAA) to non-immigrant foreign nationals for the purpose of performing work, licensees shall take reasonable steps to access reliable, independent sources of information, in addition to the information provided by the applicant, to verify the applicant's claimed non-immigration status. The public comment period was originally scheduled to close on April 30, 2020. The NRC has decided to extend the public comment period to allow more time for members of the public to develop and submit their comments.

The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) amends the Common Crop Insurance Regulations, Forage Production Crop Insurance Provisions and Forage Seeding Crop Insurance Provisions. The intended effect of this action is to update existing policy provisions and definitions to better reflect current agricultural practices and allow for variations in insurance provisions based on regionally-specific agronomic conditions and potential future expansions. The changes are to be effective for the 2021 and succeeding crop years.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve elements of the New York State Implementation Plan (SIP) submittal regarding infrastructure requirements for interstate transport of pollution with respect to the 2012 annual fine particulate matter (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) or standard.

The NCUA Board (Board) is amending the agency's regulation requiring appraisals for certain residential real-estate related transactions. The final rule increases the threshold level below which appraisals are not required for residential real-estate related transactions from $250,000 to $400,000. Instead of an appraisal, and consistent with the requirement for other transactions that fall below applicable appraisal thresholds, federally insured credit unions (FICUs) are required to obtain written estimates of market value of the real estate collateral consistent with safe and sound practices. For ease of reference, this final rule explicitly incorporates the existing statutory requirement that appraisals be subject to appropriate review for compliance with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP). This final rule is consistent with the final rule, effective October 9, 2019, issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (federal banking agencies) that increases the threshold level at or below which appraisals are not required for residential real estate transactions from $250,000 to $400,000.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its spent fuel storage regulations by revising the Holtec International HI- STORM Flood/Wind Multipurpose Canister Storage System listing within the ``List of approved spent fuel storage casks'' to include Amendment No. 4 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1032. Amendment No. 4 revises the certificate of compliance to: Add multipurpose canister (MPC)-32ML for storage and allow the fuel assembly class 16x16D as content for MPC-32ML; add the fuel assembly class 16X16E as content for MPC-37; and make changes to the final safety analysis report to separate the design pressure for the short-term operation from the off-normal condition (to provide clarity in Table 2.2.1), add cautionary notes to Sections 9.2.1 and 9.2.3, update a definition, and replace a test program. These changes are discussed in more detail in the ``Discussion of Changes'' section of this direct final rule.

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975, as amended, prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including small electric motors. EPCA also requires the Secretary of Energy to periodically determine whether more-stringent, amended standards would be technologically feasible and cost effective, and would result in significant conservation of energy. In this document, DOE has tentatively determined that more stringent small electric motors standards would not be cost effective, and, thus, is not proposing to amend its energy conservation standards for this equipment. DOE requests comment on this proposed determination and associated analyses and results.

The Department of Justice (``DOJ'' or ``the Department'') is making technical amendments to its regulations to conform to changes made by the Northern Mariana Islands U.S. Workforce Act of 2018 (Workforce Act). The Workforce Act, in part, extended the bar for asylum in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) by fifteen years, providing that the current bar will continue to apply for asylum applications submitted prior to January 1, 2030. This final rule makes the necessary conforming date changes in the Department's regulations.