August 5, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

HUD's current rule states that participating agencies and counselors must comply with certification requirements by 36 months after HUD commences the administration of the certification examination. That 36-month grace period ends on August 1, 2020. Due to the COVID-19 national emergency, which has caused the shutdown of the testing centers where housing counselors take the certification examination, a large number of housing counselors will be unable to get certified by the end of the grace period, resulting in a loss of Federal funding for some HUD-approved housing counseling agencies and loss of the ability to provide counseling that is required or provided in numerous HUD programs. Therefore, this interim rule amends the time period in which to become certified to a new deadline of August 1, 2021.

NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for commercial blueline tilefish in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. Commercial landings of blueline tilefish are projected to reach the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) by August 11, 2020. Therefore, NMFS is closing the commercial sector for blueline tilefish in the South Atlantic EEZ on August 11, 2020, and it will remain closed until the start of the next fishing year on January 1, 2021. This closure is necessary to protect the blueline tilefish resource.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. Models PC-6, PC-6/350, PC-6/350-H1, PC-6/350-H2, PC-6/A, PC-6/A-H1, PC-6/A-H2, PC-6/B-H2, PC-6/B1-H2, PC-6/B2-H2, PC-6/ B2-H4, PC-6/C-H2, PC-6/C1-H2, PC-6-H1, and PC-6-H2 airplanes. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as rudder shaft assemblies with incorrect rivet configurations. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This action proposes to amend nine VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal airways, V-15, V-26, V-55, V-78, V-100, V-159, V-175, V- 219, and V-307, and two Area Navigation (RNAV) routes, T-285 and T-354, in the Northcentral United States. The modifications are necessary due to the planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Park Rapids, MN, VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME); Sioux City, IA, VOR/ Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC); and Huron, SD, VORTAC navigation aids (NAVAIDs). The NAVAIDs provide navigation guidance for segments of the affected air traffic service (ATS) routes. The VORs are being decommissioned as part of the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) program.

This final rule updates the payment rates used under the prospective payment system (PPS) for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) for fiscal year (FY) 2021. We are also making changes to the case-mix classification code mappings used under the SNF PPS and making two minor revisions in the regulation text. Additionally, we are adopting the recent revisions in Office of Management and Budget (OMB) statistical area delineations. This rule also updates the Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program that affects Medicare payment to SNFs.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Model S-76C helicopters. This AD was prompted by reports of inaccurate main gear box (MGB) indications in flight. This AD requires updating the remote data acquisition unit (RDAU) software and re-identifying the RDAU and, for certain helicopters, updating the software of the display unit (DU) and re- identifying the DU. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 6 is issuing a Notice of Intent to Delete Cimarron Mining Corporation Superfund Site (Site) located in Carrizozo, New Mexico, from the National Priorities List (NPL) and requests public comments on this proposed action. The NPL, promulgated pursuant to section 105 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980, as amended, is an appendix of the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP). The EPA and the State of New Mexico, through the New Mexico Environment Department, have determined that all appropriate response actions under CERCLA, other than operation and maintenance, monitoring and five-year reviews, have been completed. However, this deletion does not preclude future actions under Superfund.

The Coast Guard proposes to modify the operating schedule that governs the Elgin, Joliet, and Eastern Railroad Bridge, mile 0.68, and the Elgin, Joliet, and Eastern Railroad Bridge, mile 1.89, both over the Indiana Harbor Canal near the town of East Chicago, IN. Canadian National, the owner and operator of these bridges has requested to stop continual drawtender service to both bridges and operate the bridges only while trains are crossing the bridge.

This document maintains the number of National Dairy Promotion and Research Board (Dairy Board) importer members at one member, as is stated in the Dairy Promotion and Research Order (Dairy Order). The Dairy Order requires that at least once every three years, after the initial appointment of importer members on the Dairy Board, the Secretary shall review the average volume of domestic production of dairy products compared to the average volume of imports of dairy products into the United States during the previous three years and, on the basis of that review, if warranted, reapportion the importer representation on the Dairy Board to reflect the proportional shares of the United States market served by domestic production and imported dairy products.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) proposes amending the USDA organic regulations to strengthen oversight and enforcement of the production, handling, and sale of organic agricultural products. The proposed amendments are intended to protect integrity in the organic supply chain and build consumer and industry trust in the USDA organic label by strengthening organic control systems, improving farm to market traceability, and providing robust enforcement of the USDA organic regulations. Topics addressed in this proposed rule include: Applicability of the regulations and exemptions from organic certification; National Organic Program Import Certificates; recordkeeping and product traceability; certifying agent personnel qualifications and training; standardized certificates of organic operation; unannounced on-site inspections of certified operations; oversight of certification activities; foreign conformity assessment systems; certification of grower group operations; labeling of nonretail containers; annual update requirements for certified operations; compliance and appeals processes; and calculating organic content of multi-ingredient products.