August 7, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Secretary waives the requirements in the Education Department General Administrative Regulations that generally prohibit project periods exceeding five years and project period extensions involving the obligation of additional Federal funds. The waiver and extension would enable 23 projects under Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 84.382A to receive funding for an additional period, not to exceed September 30, 2021.

NMFS is delaying the effective date of a final rule that published on February 24, 2020.

This action amends Class E surface airspace, and Class E airspace designated as an extension to a Class D surface area at Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport, Ithaca, NY due to the decommissioning of the Ithaca VOR/DME, and cancellation of associated approaches. Controlled airspace is necessary for the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations in the area.

This action proposes to amend VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal airways V-25, V-27, V-494, V-108, V-301, and United States Area Navigation route T-257 in the vicinity of Santa Rosa, CA. The amendments are due to the planned decommissioning of the Santa Rosa, CA VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) navigation aid (NAVAID) which provides navigation guidance for portions of the affected airways. The Santa Rosa VOR/DME is being decommissioned as part of the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) program.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Pilatus Aircraft Ltd Model PC-24 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as the vinyl grommets on the upper panel assembly on the left-hand (LH) and right-hand (RH) emergency exits becoming rigid after exposure to low temperatures, which could result in failure of the emergency exits to open during an evacuation. This proposed AD would require replacing the grommets. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The Coast Guard is amending a pre-established safety zone for certain waters of the Upper Missippi River during a fireworks display. This Safety Zone is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters. This rulemaking will prohibit persons and vessels from entering the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Upper Mississippi River (COTP) or a designated representative.

This document withdraws a notice of proposed rulemaking (REG- 132434-17) published in the Federal Register on March 28, 2018, which contained proposed regulations that addressed the participation of persons described under section 6103(n) of the Code in the interview of a summoned witness and excluded certain non-government attorneys from participating in an IRS examination. This document also contains new proposed regulations to implement section 7602(f) of the Internal Revenue Code (Code), which was added to the Code by the Taxpayer First Act of 2019. The new proposed regulations implement new section 7602(f) regarding the persons who may be provided books, papers, records, or other data obtained pursuant to section 7602 for the sole purpose of providing expert evaluation and assistance to the IRS, and continue to propose limitations on the types of non-governmental attorneys to whom, under the authority of section 6103(n), any books, papers, records, or other data obtained pursuant to section 7602 may be provided. The new proposed regulations also propose to prohibit any IRS contractors from asking a summoned person's representative to clarify an objection or assertion of privilege. The regulations affect these persons.

The Coast Guard will enforce a safety zone for a pyrotechnics display at Green Turtle Bay Marina & Resort, Grand Rivers, KY. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waterways during this event. During the enforcement period, entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Ohio Valley or a designated representative.

HUD grantees are generally required to certify that they will ``affirmatively further fair housing'' (AFFH) through HUD's implementation of the 1968 Fair Housing Act and other applicable statutes. For years after this certification was first required, it was merely part of a general commitment to use the funds in good faith and accompanied similar certifications not to violate various civil rights statutes. Over time however, HUD began to use this AFFH certification as a vehicle to force states and localities to change zoning and other land use laws. This was done via a series of regulations and guidance documents culminating with the 2015 AFFH rule. This approach is not required by applicable statutes, which give HUD considerable discretion in determining what ``affirmatively furthering fair housing'' means, and it is also at odds with both federalism principles and specific statutes protecting local control over housing policy. For example, Congress specifically barred HUD from using funding to force grantees to change any public policy, regulation, or law. HUD has reexamined the 2015 AFFH rule and the definition of AFFH. In the new rule, HUD repeals the 2015 AFFH rule and its related accretions. The new rule returns to the original understanding of what the AFFH certification was for the first eleven years of its existence: AFFH certifications will be deemed sufficient provided grantees took affirmative steps to further fair housing policy during the relevant period.

As required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, the Federal Election Commission is adjusting for inflation the civil monetary penalties established under the Federal Election Campaign Act, the Presidential Election Campaign Fund Act, and the Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account Act. The civil monetary penalties being adjusted are those negotiated by the Commission or imposed by a court for certain statutory violations, and those imposed by the Commission for late filing of or failure to file certain reports required by the Federal Election Campaign Act. The adjusted civil monetary penalties are calculated according to a statutory formula and the adjusted amounts will apply to penalties assessed after the effective date of these rules.