January 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This is advance notification to the public regarding the implementation of an information exchange between the Social Security Administration (SSA) and Equifax, a payroll data provider. We expect that the information exchange will enable us to administer Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments more efficiently, while helping to prevent improper payments.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the issuance of two Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) (the Authorizations) under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) for biological products for use during the COVID-19 pandemic. FDA issued one Authorization for a biological product as requested by Pfizer, Inc, and one Authorization for a biological product as requested by ModernaTX, Inc. The Authorizations contain, among other things, conditions on the emergency use of the authorized products. The Authorizations follow the February 4, 2020, determination by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) that there is a public health emergency that has a significant potential to affect national security or the health and security of U.S. citizens living abroad and that involves a novel (new) coronavirus. The virus, now named SARS-CoV- 2, causes the illness COVID-19. On the basis of such determination, the Secretary of HHS declared on March 27, 2020, that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of drugs and biological products during the COVID-19 pandemic, pursuant to the FD&C Act, subject to the terms of any authorization issued under that section. The Authorizations, which include an explanation of the reasons for issuance, are reprinted in this document.

EPA has received a number of petitions last year for a waiver of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) obligations that apply in 2019 and 2020. These petitions argue that recent events warrant EPA exercising its general waiver authority on the basis of severe economic harm. In late March, a group of small refineries requested a waiver of the 2019 and 2020 obligations of their individual small refineries. In April and May, the Governors of several states submitted three separate petitions for waivers of the nationwide volumes. The Clean Air Act grants EPA the discretion to waive the requirements of the RFS program in whole or in part if the Administrator determines, after notice and comment, that implementation of the applicable annual volume requirements would severely harm the economy or environment of a State, region, or the United States. EPA is inviting comment on the petitions we have received.

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that difluoromethane (R-32) from the People's Republic of China (China) is being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation is July 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019. The final dumping margins of sales at LTFV are listed below in the ``Final Determination'' section of this notice.

The DoD has submitted to OMB for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness announces a proposed public information collection and seeks public comment on the provisions thereof. Comments are invited on: Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

On December 21, 2020, DOT published in the Federal Register a request for information (RFI) regarding an Inclusive Design Reference Hub. This notice extends the deadline date for receiving comments until February 19, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. (ET).

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requests public comment on the recommendations it has received from the Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Area Standards Review Committee for changes to OMB's metropolitan and micropolitan statistical area standards. These standards determine the procedures for delineating and updating the statistical areas as new data become available, and responses to this request will be carefully considered by OMB in establishing revised standards.

NMFS is issuing regulations under the Tuna Conventions Act to implement Resolution C-20-05 (Conservation of Tuna in the Eastern Pacific Ocean During 2021), which was adopted by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC or Commission) on December 22, 2020. All of the provisions of Resolution C-20-05 are identical in content to the previous resolution on tropical tuna management that expired at the end of 2020. This interim final rule implements the C-20-05 fishing management measures for tropical tuna (i.e., bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus), yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares), and skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis)) in the eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO). The fishing restrictions in this interim final rule are applicable in 2021 only and apply to purse seine vessels of class sizes 4-6 (carrying capacity of 182 metric tons (mt) or greater) and longline vessels greater than 24 meters (m) in overall length that fish for tropical tuna in the EPO. This interim final rule is necessary for the conservation of tropical tuna stocks in the EPO and for the United States to satisfy its obligations as a member of the IATTC.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following applications for a permit to conduct activities intended to recover and enhance endangered species survival. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA), prohibits certain activities that may impact endangered species unless a Federal permit allows such activity. The ESA also requires that we invite public comment before issuing these permits.

On October 8, 2020, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent the State of West Virginia (West Virginia) a letter acknowledging that West Virginia's delegation of authority to implement and enforce the National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) and New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) had been updated, as provided for under previously approved delegation mechanisms. To inform regulated facilities and the public, EPA is making available a copy of EPA's letter to West Virginia through this notice.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Humboldt River Field Office, Winnemucca, Nevada has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the potential impacts of approving the proposed expansion to the Relief Canyon gold mining operation in Pershing County, Nevada. This notice announces the beginning of the public comment period to solicit public comments on the Draft EIS.

The Secretary of State has imposed sanctions on three individuals.

The Internal Revenue Service, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The IRS is soliciting comments concerning electronic deposit of tax refund of $1 million or more.

Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of a currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing for public comment draft regulatory guide (DG), DG-1303, ``Application and Testing of Safety-Related Diesel Generators in Nuclear Power.'' This draft guide is proposed revision 5 of Regularity Guide (RG) 1.9. DG- 1303 provides updated guidance that the staff of the NRC considers acceptable to demonstrate compliance with the NRC regulations for safety-related alternating current (AC) power supplies intended for use as onsite emergency power sources in nuclear power plants. This revision of RG 1.9 would endorse, with supplements and clarifications, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Std 387-2017, ``IEEE Standard for Criteria for Diesel Generator Units Applied as Standby Power Supplies for Nuclear Power Generating Stations'' and IEEE Std 2420-2019, ``IEEE Standard for Combustion Turbine Generator Units Applied as Standby Power Supplies for Nuclear Power Generating Stations.'' This guidance would help ensure that the standby emergency power supplies are qualified, have sufficient capacity, and have the necessary reliability and availability for design-basis events.