2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend its regulations by revising the TN Americas LLC, Standardized NUHOMS[supreg] Horizontal Modular Storage System (Standardized NUHOMS[supreg] System) listing within the ``List of approved spent fuel storage casks'' to include Renewed Amendment No. 16 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1004. This amendment used a qualitative risk-informed approach (graded approach criteria) to streamline the format and content of the certificate of compliance. Renewed Amendment No. 16 does not include any design or fabrication changes to the Standardized NUHOMS[supreg] System.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is withdrawing its proposed action disapproving the interstate transport portion of the state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Maryland (Maryland) to address the infrastructure requirements of the 2010 primary sulfur dioxide (SO2) national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). EPA proposed disapproval of the interstate transport element of the SIP because it did not contain provisions prohibiting emissions from Maryland that were contributing significantly to or interfering with maintenance of the 2010 SO2 NAAQS in another state. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA).

We are proposing to approve and implement specifications submitted by the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils in Framework Adjustment 12 to the Monkfish Fishery Management Plan. This action would set monkfish specifications for fishing year 2020 and project specifications for the 2021 and 2022 fishing years. This action is needed to establish allowable monkfish harvest levels that will prevent overfishing.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are proposing to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to further implement the statute which requires an adjustment every five years of statutory acquisition- related thresholds for inflation. The adjustment uses the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers, and does not apply to the Construction Wage Rate Requirements statute (Davis-Bacon Act), Service Contract Labor Standards statute, and trade agreements thresholds. DoD, GSA, and NASA are also proposing to use the same methodology to adjust nonstatutory FAR acquisition-related thresholds in 2020.

This rule implements a recommendation from the South Texas Onion Committee (Committee) to decrease the assessment rate established for the 2019-20 and subsequent fiscal periods. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

This action proposes special conditions for the Boeing Commercial Airplanes (Boeing) Model 777-9 airplane. This airplane will have a novel or unusual design feature when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport- category airplanes. This design feature is an overhead flightcrew rest (OFCR) compartment occupiable during taxi, takeoff, and landing (TT&L). The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These proposed special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.

In this document, the Office of Managing Director of the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) adopts an Order that establishes the new location and hours for filing hand-carried documents at Commission headquarters and modifies the relevant rule provisions to reflect such changes.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA or the Agency) is seeking comments on a new regulatory capital framework for the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac, and with Fannie Mae, each an Enterprise). The proposed rule would also make conforming amendments to definitions in FHFA's regulations for assessments and minimum capital and would also remove the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight's (OFHEO) regulation on capital for the Enterprises.

This final rule amends the regulatory relief originally provided in the Relief for Certain Persons and Operations during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) final rule. Other than relief for medical certificate duration, the relief in this final rule applies to a new population of airmen and does not extend the relief provided in the original Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR). The amended relief applies to new persons who may have challenges complying with certain training, recent experience, testing, and checking requirements. This relief allows operators to continue to use pilots and other crewmembers in support of essential operations during this extended period. This SFAR also provides regulatory relief to additional persons unable to meet duration and renewal requirements due to the public health emergency.

This rule amends, suspends, or removes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and associated Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures for operations at certain airports. These regulatory actions are needed because of the adoption of new or revised criteria, or because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System, such as the commissioning of new navigational facilities, adding new obstacles, or changing air traffic requirements. These changes are designed to provide for the safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.

NMFS issues revised specifications and recreational management measures for the 2020 Atlantic bluefish fishery and projected specifications for fishing year 2021. This action is necessary to establish allowable harvest levels and other management measures to prevent overfishing, consistent with the most recent scientific information. This rule informs the public of these revised fishery specifications and management measures for the 2020 fishing year.

This action amends VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal airways V-13, V-55, and V-505, and Area Navigation (RNAV) route T-354 in the Northcentral United States. The modifications are necessary due to the planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Siren, WI, VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) navigation aid (NAVAID) which provides navigation guidance for portions of the affected air traffic service (ATS) routes. The Siren VOR is being decommissioned as part of the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) program. The VOR Federal airway V-15, V-26, V-78, V-100, V-159, V-175, V- 219, and V-307, and Area Navigation (RNAV) route T-285 modifications proposed in the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) require additional coordination and flight inspection activities. As such, those ATS route modifications are removed from this rule. Additionally, the V-55 and T- 354 modifications effected by the Park Rapids, MN, VOR/DME proposed in the NPRM also require additional coordination and flight inspection activities, and are removed from this rule, too.

This action amends VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal airways V-4 and V-119, and removes VOR Federal airways V-331 and V-478 in the vicinity of Newcombe, KY. The Air Traffic Service (ATS) route modifications are necessary due to the planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Newcombe, KY, VOR/Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) navigation aid (NAVAID) which provides navigation guidance for portions of the affected ATS routes. The Newcombe VOR is being decommissioned as part of the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) program. The VOR Federal airway V-53, V-115, V-140, and V-339, and Area Navigation (RNAV) route T-215 and T-323 modifications proposed in the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) require additional coordination and flight inspection activities. As such, those ATS route modifications are removed from this rule.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of West Virginia. This revision pertains to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection's (WVDEP) plan for maintaining the 1997 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for the West Virginia Portion of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY area (Huntington Area), comprising Cabell and Wayne Counties. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of West Virginia. This revision pertains to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection's (WVDEP) plan for maintaining the 1997 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for the West Virginia portion of the Steubenville-Weirton, OH-WV area (Weirton Area), comprising Brooke and Hancock Counties. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA).

NMFS proposes to remove the swordfish retention limit in the American Samoa deep-set longline fishery. NMFS originally implemented the limit as part of a suite of gear and operational requirements intended to discourage shallow-set fishing, thus reducing interactions with green sea turtles. The gear requirements have reduced green sea turtle interactions, and the swordfish retention limit is not needed. The proposed rule would remove the unnecessary restriction that results in the discard of small amounts of marketable swordfish that could otherwise be supplied as seafood. The proposed rule is intended to promote efficiency in the fishery.

The Copyright Office is issuing a revised proposed rule to make electronic-only books published in the United States subject to the Copyright Act's mandatory deposit provisions if they are affirmatively demanded by the Office. In response to comments received in response to the Office's April 16, 2018 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the revised proposed rule makes additional clarifying edits to the definition of an ``electronic-only book'' and adjusts the requirements related to employment of technological protection measures. This document also updates the public on developments subsequently announced by the Library of Congress related to certain questions raised in public comments with respect to its digital collection strategy and information technology security matters.

The Coast Guard will enforce the Dutch Shoe Marathon special local regulation on the waters of San Diego Bay, California on July 17, 2020. These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of the participants, crew, spectators, sponsor vessels, and general users of the waterway. During the enforcement period, persons and vessels are prohibited from anchoring, blocking, loitering, or impeding within this regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, or his designated representative.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection requirements associated with the Local Telephone Competition and Broadband Reporting, Report and Order, FCC Form 477. This document is consistent with the Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of the information collection requirements.

This interpretive rule construes the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection's (Bureau's) Regulation Z, which implements the Truth in Lending Act (TILA). The Bureau produces annually a list of rural and underserved counties and areas that is used in applying various Regulation Z provisions, such as the exemption from the requirement to establish an escrow account for a higher-priced mortgage loan and the ability to originate balloon-payment qualified mortgages. Regulation Z states that an area is ``underserved'' during a calendar year if, according to Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data for the preceding calendar year, it is a county in which no more than two creditors extended covered transactions, as defined in Regulation Z, secured by first liens on properties in the county five or more times. The official commentary provides an interpretation relating to this standard that refers to certain data elements from the previous version of the Bureau's Regulation C, which implements HMDA, that were modified or eliminated in the 2015 amendments to Regulation C. The Bureau is issuing this interpretive rule to supersede that now outdated interpretation, specifically by describing below the HMDA data that will instead be used in determining that an area is ``underserved.''

On April 2, 2020, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) posted on its website an interim final rule relating to the implementation of sections 1102 and 1106 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act or the Act) (published in the Federal Register on April 15, 2020). Section 1102 of the Act temporarily adds a new product, titled the ``Paycheck Protection Program,'' to the SBA's 7(a) Loan Program. Subsequently, SBA and Treasury issued additional interim final rules implementing the Paycheck Protection Program. On June 5, 2020, the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020 (Flexibility Act) was signed into law, amending the CARES Act. This interim final rule revises interim final rules posted on SBA's and the Department of the Treasury's websites on May 22, 2020 (published on June 1, 2020, in the Federal Register), by changing key provisions to conform to the Flexibility Act. Several of these amendments are retroactive to the date of enactment of the CARES Act, as required by section 3(d) of the Flexibility Act.

In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved the information collection associated with rules governing information to be provided to the Reassigned Numbers Database in the 2018 Second Report and Order, FCC 18-177, in CG Docket No. 17-59. The Commission also announces that compliance with the rules for aging numbers and maintaining records of the most recent date of permanent disconnection is now required. The Commission will publish another document in the Federal Register announcing the compliance date for reporting the information. This document is consistent with the 2018 Second Report and Order, which states the Commission will publish a document in the Federal Register announcing a compliance date for the rule sections and revise the rules accordingly.

This action proposes to amend VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal airway V-63 due to the planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Texoma, OK, VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) navigation aid (NAVAID). The Texoma VOR provides navigation guidance for a portion of V-63 and is being decommissioned as part of the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) program.