December 22, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (FY 2020 NDAA) was signed into law on December 19, 2019. Section 7361 of the FY 2020 NDAA directs the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to publish interim guidance on the destruction and disposal of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and materials containing PFAS. The EPA is releasing the interim guidance for public comment. The guidance provides information on technologies that may be feasible and appropriate for the destruction or disposal of PFAS and PFAS-containing materials. It also identifies needed and ongoing research and development activities related to destruction and disposal technologies, which may inform future guidance.

The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2021 for Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with DisabilitiesStepping-up Technology Implementation, Assistance Listing Number 84.327S. This notice relates to the approved information collection under OMB control number 1820-0028.

Due to ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related impacts on demand for air travel, the FAA seeks comment on providing additional relief at slot-controlled and designated International Air Transport Association (IATA) Level 2 airports in the United States with regard to the Summer 2021 scheduling season ending on October 30, 2021. Two options are presented for comment: Continuation of the existing relief that the FAA has provided at these airports through March 27, 2021, on the same terms currently in effect; and a proposal by the Worldwide Airport Slot Board (WASB), which includes representatives of IATA, the Airports Council International-World (ACI World), and the Worldwide Airport Coordinators Group (WWACG). The FAA invites comment on these two different approaches for the Summer 2021 scheduling season and anticipates subsequently providing notice of its final decision. Commenters may also propose different or additional options for relief. The FAA further invites comment on whether the proposal adopted by the FAA should make relief available for the full duration of the Summer 2021 scheduling season, which ends on October 30, 2021.

The NCUA Board (Board) is extending the effective date of its temporary final rule, which modified certain regulatory requirements to help ensure that federally insured credit unions (FICUs) remain operational and can properly conduct appropriate liquidity management to address economic conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the temporary final rule issued by the Board in April 2020 temporarily raised the maximum aggregate amount of loan participations that a FICU may purchase from a single originating lender to the greater of $5,000,000 or 200 percent of the FICU's net worth. The rule also temporarily suspended limitations on the eligible obligations that a Federal credit union (FCU) may purchase and hold. In addition, given physical distancing practices necessitated by COVID-19, the rule also tolled the required timeframes for the occupancy or disposition of properties not being used for FCU business or that have been abandoned. Unless extended, each of these temporary modifications will expire on December 31, 2020. Due to the continued impact of COVID- 19, the Board has decided it is necessary to extend the effective period of these temporary modifications until December 31, 2021.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are proposing to renew an information collection.

The Commission is noticing a recent Postal Service filing for the Commission's consideration concerning a negotiated service agreement. This notice informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, and takes other administrative steps.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), is seeking nominations of qualified candidates to be considered for appointment as members of the Veterans' Advisory Committee on Rehabilitation (hereinafter referred to as ``the Committee'').

The Office of Family Assistance (OFA), Administration for Children and Families, is requesting a 3-year extension of the form ACF-4125: Annual Statistical Report on Children in Foster Homes and Children in Families Receiving Payment in Excess of the Poverty Income Level from a State Program Funded Under Part A of Title IV of the Social Security Act (OMB #0970-0004, expiration 3/21/2021). There are no changes requested to the form.

The Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) Program provides healthcare occupational training for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families recipients and other low-income people. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved various data collection activities for the National and Tribal Evaluation of the 2nd Generation of HPOG (HPOG 2.0 National and Tribal Evaluation) under OMB #0970-0462. Due to the profound effects the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the U.S. economy, on families nationwide and on HPOG 2.0 programs, the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) is considering surveying study participants who applied to the HPOG Program after the onset of the pandemic. This notice provides a summary for public review and comment of the use and burden associated with a new information collection for this ``COVID Cohort'' Survey.

On August 20, 2020, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) received from the Governor of the State of Florida a complete program submission to assume regulating discharges of dredged or fill material into waters within the jurisdiction of the State in accordance with Clean Water Act (CWA) section 404(g-l). Receipt of the package initiated a 120-day statutory review period. After careful review of the package submitted, as well as consideration of comments submitted on the package by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), comments received during consultation with tribes, and over 3,000 comments received from the public, EPA has determined that the State of Florida has the necessary authority to operate a CWA Section 404 program in accordance with the requirements found in CWA section 404(g-l) and EPA's implementing regulations. Therefore, EPA has taken final action to approve Florida's assumption of the program.

The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is amending the official commentary that interprets the requirements of the Bureau's Regulation C (Home Mortgage Disclosure) to reflect the asset-size exemption threshold for banks, savings associations, and credit unions based on the annual percentage change in the average of the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). Based on the 1.3 percent increase in the average of the CPI-W for the 12-month period ending in November 2020, the exemption threshold is adjusted to $48 million from $47 million. Therefore, banks, savings associations, and credit unions with assets of $48 million or less as of December 31, 2020, are exempt from collecting data in 2021.

Notice is hereby given that NMFS has issued an Incidental Take Permit (ITP) (No. 23861) to Midwest Biodiversity Institute (MBI), pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973, as amended, for the incidental take of shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum), Gulf of Main Distinct population segment (GOM DPS) Atlantic sturgeon, or the New York Bight (NYB DPS) of Atlantic sturgeon. (A. oxyrinchus) and the GOM DPS Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) associated with the otherwise lawful sampling of non-ESA listed fish in the Lower Kennebec River. The permit is issued for a duration of 10 years.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew an information collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on October 21, 2020.

New or modified Base (1-percent annual chance) Flood Elevations (BFEs), base flood depths, Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) boundaries or zone designations, and/or regulatory floodways (hereinafter referred to as flood hazard determinations) as shown on the indicated Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) for each of the communities listed in the table below are finalized. Each LOMR revises the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), and in some cases the Flood Insurance Study (FIS) reports, currently in effect for the listed communities. The flood hazard determinations modified by each LOMR will be used to calculate flood insurance premium rates for new buildings and their contents.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has submitted the following information collection requirement to OMB for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This is the second notice for public comment; the first was published in the Federal Register, and no comments were received. NSF is forwarding the proposed submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance simultaneously with the publication of this second notice.

The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.