November 29, 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In this notice, OSHA announces the final decision to expand the scope of recognition for SGS North America, Inc., as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL). Additionally, OSHA announces the addition of one test standard to the NRTL Program's List of Appropriate Test Standards.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a notice in the Federal Register on March 2, 2021, announcing a permanent variance to Gestamp West Virginia LLC from a specific provision of the OSHA standard that regulates the control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout). The document contained incorrect references to the relevant provision of the lockout/tagout standard. This notice corrects the provision of the standard referenced in the permanent variance.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 this notice announces the Department of Transportation's intention to reinstate an OMB control number for an online complaint form by which a consumer can electronically submit a service-related complaint against an airline and other sellers of air transportation.

The Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, provides direction to employees through issuances in its Directive System, comprised of the Forest Service Manual and Forest Service Handbooks. The Agency must provide public notice of and opportunity to comment on any directives that formulate standards, criteria, or guidelines applicable to Forest Service programs. Once per quarter, the Agency provides advance notice of proposed and interim directives that will be made available for public comment during the next three months and notice of final directives issued in the last three months. No directives are planned for publication for public comment between October 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021. No proposed or interim directives that were previously published for public comment have been issued since July 1, 2021.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35, as amended) this notice announces that DOT is submitting a request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for renewal of OMB Control Number 2138-0041 covering Airline Service Quality Performance, On-time Performance, and Mishandled Baggage reports that the largest U.S. air carriers file with DOT under part 234 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). On August 11, 2021, the Director, Office of Airline Information (OAI), published a Federal Register notice announcing DOT's intent to renew the information collections and providing a 60-day comment period regarding the information collections. See 86 FR 44137. DOT did not receive any comments in response to the August 11, 2021 notice. This notice announces an additional 30 days of public comment.

The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is publishing the names of one or more persons that have been removed from the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Person List (SDN List). Their property and interests in property are no longer blocked, and U.S. persons are no longer generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. Additionally, OFAC is publishing updates to the identifying information of one or more persons currently included on the SDN List. All property and interests in property subject to U.S. jurisdiction of these persons remain blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC, the Commission) is issuing an exemption from the Commission's regulations that require a written examination and operating test to be requested and administered to 72 licensed operator candidates at Vogtle Electric Generating Plant (VEGP) Unit 4 in response to Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc.'s (SNC) request dated July 8, 2021, as supplemented by letter dated October 1, 2021. The NRC is effectively giving these 72 candidates credit for the written examination and operating test that they already took and passed at VEGP Unit 3.

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease and National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, institutes of the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, are contemplating the grant of an exclusive rights under active Non-exclusive Patent License to practice the inventions embodied in the United States, European and Japan Applications listed in the Supplementary Information section of this notice to Atsena Therapeutics, Inc., located in Durham, North Carolina, USA.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposes to establish SEC-34, Public Health and Safety Records under the Privacy Act of 1974. This system of records maintains information collected in response to a public health emergency. Information will be collected from SEC personnel (political appointees, employees, consultants, detailees, interns, and volunteers), contractors, visitors, job applicants, and others who access or seek to access SEC facilities or worksites to assist the SEC with maintaining a safe and healthy workplace and to protect its workforce from risks associated with communicable diseases.

The recently enacted Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests in the deployment of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure as one of many important ways to confront the climate crisis. Through a National Electric Vehicle Formula Program (EV Charging Program), the law provides funding to States to strategically deploy EV charging infrastructure and to establish an interconnected network to facilitate data collection, access, and reliability. The law also establishes a discretionary grant program for Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Program) to strategically deploy publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure and hydrogen, propane, and natural gas fueling infrastructure along designated alternative fuel corridors or in certain other locations that are accessible to all drivers of such vehicles. The law directs DOT, in coordination or consultation with the Department of Energy (DOE), to develop guidance for both programs. Through this notice, FHWA invites public comments to inform the development of the guidance. FHWA is especially interested in comments suggesting ways that the guidance could promote equity in the deployment of EV charging infrastructure under these programs.

The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Advisory Committee (REEEAC or the Committee) will hold a virtual meeting via WebEx on Thursday December 9, 2021, hosted by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The meeting is open to the public with registration instructions provided below.

We are proposing to amend the regulations for the importation of equines. These changes include increasing the number of days horses exported from regions free from contagious equine metritis (CEM) are allowed to spend in a CEM-affected region and re-enter the United States without testing from 60 days to 90 days; requiring an import permit for horses transiting through CEM-affected regions; adding requirements for health certifications to ensure health certifications properly attest to the health of the imported horse; removing the requirement that horses permanently imported from Canada undergo inspection at the port of entry; requiring that horses transiting Central America or the West Indies comply with the same regulations that apply to horses directly imported from these regions; and adding requirements for shipping containers used in transporting horses. We are also proposing a number of miscellaneous changes to the regulations such as clarifications of existing policy or intent, and corrections of inconsistencies or outdated information. Many of these proposed changes would better align our regulations with international standards and allow us and the equine industry more flexibility. The proposed changes would also add further safeguards that protect against introducing or disseminating pests or diseases of livestock into the United States.