June 11, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document contains a correction to a notice of proposed rulemaking (REG-104591-18) that was published in the Federal Register on May 13, 2020. The guidance on section 162(f) of the Internal Revenue Code (Code), as amended by legislation enacted in 2017, concerning the deduction of certain fines, penalties, and other amounts.

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2011-12-08 for Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. (Bell), Model 205A, 205A-1, 205B, 212, 412, 412CF, and 412EP helicopters. AD 2011-12-08 required a one-time inspection of the tail rotor (T/R) blade for corrosion and pitting. This new AD retains the requirements of AD 2011-12-08 while excluding certain T/R blades from the applicability. This AD was prompted by new manufacturing and inspection procedures implemented by Bell that correct the unsafe condition on more recently manufactured T/R blades. The actions of this AD are intended to address an unsafe condition on these products.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is issuing this interim final rule to extend the deadline for former members insured under Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI) to apply for Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI) coverage following separation from service in order to address the inability of members directly or indirectly affected by the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency to purchase VGLI. This rule will be in effect for one year.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing processes that it would be required to undertake in promulgating regulations under the Clean Air Act (CAA) to ensure that information regarding the benefits and costs of regulatory decisions is provided and considered in a consistent and transparent manner. This proposed rulemaking addresses, among other things, issues raised in the June 13, 2018 advance notice of proposed rulemaking, ``Increasing Consistency and Transparency in Considering Costs and Benefits in the Rulemaking Process,'' and proposes how the concepts described in that advance document would be implemented in rulemakings conducted by the EPA using its authorities under the CAA. The EPA is proposing to establish procedural requirements governing the development and presentation of benefit-cost analyses (BCA), including risk assessments used in the BCA, for significant rulemakings conducted under the CAA. Together, these requirements would help ensure that the EPA implements its statutory obligations under the CAA, and describes its work in implementing those obligations, in a way that is consistent and transparent.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Cirrus Design Corporation (Cirrus) Model SF-50 airplanes. This AD was sent previously as an emergency AD to all known U.S. owners and operators of these airplanes. This AD requires disconnecting and removing the headset amplifier and microphone interface circuit card assemblies for the 3.5 mm audio and microphone jacks. This AD was prompted by a cabin fire incident that occurred on a Cirrus Model SF50 airplane during ground operations where the operator observed smoke exiting from behind the right sidewall interior panel. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is adopting as final, without change, its interim final rule that adjusted the civil monetary penalties NEH may impose for violations of its New Restrictions on Lobbying regulation, pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (the 2015 Act).

This document contains corrections to Treasury Decision 9394, which was published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, April 29, 2008. Treasury Decision 9394 contained final regulations regarding when a partnership may consider certain deductions and losses of a foreign partner to reduce or eliminate the partnership's obligation to pay withholding tax under section 1446 on effectively connected taxable income allocable under section 704 to such partner.

This rule revises reporting and monitoring provisions for vessels participating in the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery. This would: Increase the position transmission rate for certain vessels using NMFS type-approved vessel monitoring system units; allow midwater trawl vessels participating in the Pacific whiting fishery to change their landing declarations while at sea; exempt groundfish trawl vessels from observer coverage while testing authorized fishing gear; and allow shorebased Individual Fishing Quota fixed gear vessels to deploy pot gear in one management area while retrieving gear from another management area on a single trip. This action will increase monitoring efficiency and effectiveness, improve enforcement of restricted areas, and increase operational flexibility for groundfish fishery participants.

This final rule implements a recommendation from the Far West Spearmint Oil Administrative Committee (Committee) to establish salable quantities and allotment percentages of Class 1 (Scotch) and Class 3 (Native) spearmint oil produced in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and designated parts of Nevada and Utah (the Far West) for the 2020-2021 marketing year.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service or USFWS), are removing the Borax Lake chub (currently listed as Gila boraxobius), a fish native to Oregon, from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife on the basis of recovery. This final rule is based on a review of the best available scientific and commercial information, which indicates that the threats to the Borax Lake chub have been eliminated or reduced to the point where the species no longer meets the definition of an endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act).