2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document rescinds the National Endowment for the Arts' rule relating to the issuance of guidance documents.

The Coast Guard proposes to change the operating schedule that governs the California Department of Transportation (Route 4) highway bridge, across Old River, mile 14.8, between Victoria Island and Byron Tract, California. This action is proposed due to the infrequent amount of vessels requiring drawbridge openings on the waterway and will reduce unnecessary staffing of the drawbridge during periods of navigational inactivity while continuing to meet the reasonable needs of navigation. The proposed rulemaking would require vessels to provide a four-hour advance notification for a bridge opening. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

On June 9, 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of the Army (hereafter, ``the agencies'') announced their intent to revise the definition of ``waters of the United States'' under the Clean Water Act through two rulemakings first, a foundational rule that will propose to restore longstanding protections, and a second rulemaking process that builds on that regulatory foundation. On July 30, 2021, the agencies announced stakeholder engagement opportunities, including the agencies' intent to host ten regionally focused roundtables. EPA and Army are announcing a process for stakeholders to submit nomination letters to the agencies to potentially be selected for one of these ten geographically focused roundtables. Each roundtable should include diverse perspectives and highlight the experience of individual participants with the definition of ``waters of the United States.'' The agencies intend to livestream each roundtable to make them available for public viewing.

This action proposes to establish United States Area Navigation (RNAV) route T-396 in the vicinity of Nome, AK in support of a large and comprehensive T-route modernization project for the state of Alaska.

This action proposes to establish United States Area Navigation (RNAV) route T-385 in the vicinity of Kodiak, AK in support of a large and comprehensive T-route modernization project for the state of Alaska.

This action proposes to establish United States Area Navigation (RNAV) route T-390 in the vicinity of St. Paul Island, AK in support of a large and comprehensive T-route modernization project for the state of Alaska.

This action amends Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface for Lake Norman Airpark, Mooresville, NC, by removing Lowe's Mooresville Heliport from the description as the heliport has closed, and airspace is no longer required. This action enhances the safety and management of controlled airspace within the national airspace system. Also, during the airspace review, the FAA determined a radius increase was required at Lake Norman Airpark. In addition, the FAA is removing unnecessary verbiage that references Class E airspace in Statesville, NC and Concord, NC. Controlled airspace is necessary for the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations in the area.

This action proposes to amend Class D airspace, Class E surface area, and Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface for Columbus Airport and Lawson Army Air Field (AAF), Fort Benning, Columbus, GA. This action would merge Columbus Airport and Lawson AAF (Fort Benning) Class D airspace and Class E surface area airspace into one header under FAA Order JO 7400.11 and removes the header Columbus Lawson AAF under FAA Order JO 7400.11. The Columbus Airport's Class D airspace would be amended by updating the name of Columbus Airport, formerly Columbus Metropolitan Airport, and updating the name of Lawson Army Airfield (Fort Benning), formerly Columbus Lawson AAF; the Lawson AAF (Fort Benning) Class D would be amended by establishing an extension to the southeast. This action would establish Class E airspace designated as an extension to a Class D surface area for Columbus Airport, Columbus, GA. The Columbus Airport Class E surface area extension would be eliminated, and Lawson AAF (Fort Benning) Class E surface area would be amended by establishing an extension to the southeast. Columbus Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface and Lawson AAF (Fort Benning) Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface would be amended by increasing the radii and removing the Lawson Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range with Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/ DME) and Lawson Localizer (LOC) from the description. This action would also make an editorial change replacing the term Airport/Facility Directory with the term Chart Supplement in the legal descriptions of associated Class D and Class E surface area. In addition, this action would also update the geographic coordinates of the Lawson AAF (Fort Benning) to coincide with the FAA's database. Controlled airspace is necessary for the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations in the area.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2021 total allowable catch of Pacific ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

The Farm Credit Administration (FCA) issued a final rule amending our regulations governing standards of conduct of directors and employees of the Farm Credit System (System) institutions to require each System institution to have or develop a Standards of Conduct Program based on core principles.

NMFS announces that the states of New Jersey and Maryland are transferring a portion of their 2021 commercial bluefish quota to the States of Rhode Island and North Carolina, respectively. These quota adjustments are necessary to comply with the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan quota transfer provisions. This announcement informs the public of the revised commercial bluefish quotas for New Jersey, Rhode Island, Maryland, and North Carolina.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to approve revisions to the San Diego Air Pollution Control District (SDAPCD) portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). These revisions concern emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from cold solvent cleaning and stripping operations, and from vapor degreasing operations. We are approving revisions to local rules that regulate these emission sources under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act).

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2020-16-01, which applies to all Airbus SAS Model A318, A319, A320, and A321 series airplanes. AD 2020-16-01 requires repetitive cleaning and greasing of affected cargo door seals (both original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and parts manufacturer approval (PMA) parts). Since the FAA issued AD 2020-16-01, the FAA determined that improved cargo door seals must be installed to address the unsafe condition, and that certain flight operations must be limited until the improved cargo door seals are installed. In addition, the FAA has issued a new AD to address the OEM parts. This proposed AD would limit the applicability to airplanes that have certain PMA parts installed. This proposed AD would retain certain actions required by AD 2020-16-01 and require replacing certain forward and aft cargo compartment door seals with new seals and installing a placard on the cargo compartment doors; and for certain airplanes, implementing an operational limitation for certain routes. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This action proposes to establish United States Area Navigation (RNAV) route T-375 in the vicinity of Bettles, AK in support of a large and comprehensive T-route modernization project for the state of Alaska.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to approve a Nevada State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Nevada Department of Environmental Protection (NDEP). On September 27, 2010, the EPA redesignated the Las Vegas Valley area from nonattainment to attainment for the carbon monoxide (CO) national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) and approved the State's CO maintenance plan ensuring the area would maintain the NAAQS for ten years through 2020. On June 18, 2019, NDEP submitted to the EPA a second 10-year limited maintenance plan for the Las Vegas Valley area that addresses maintenance of the CO NAAQS for a second 10-year period ending December 31, 2030.

This action proposes to establish United States Area Navigation (RNAV) route T-373 in the vicinity of Bethel, AK in support of a large and comprehensive T-route modernization project for the state of Alaska.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to approve portions of two state implementation plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the State of California to meet Clean Air Act (CAA or ``Act'') requirements for the 2008 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS or ``standards'') in the Sacramento Metro ozone nonattainment area (``Sacramento Metro Area''). These SIP revisions address the CAA nonattainment area requirements for the 2008 ozone NAAQS, such as the requirements for an emissions inventory, an attainment demonstration, reasonable further progress, reasonably available control measures, and contingency measures, and it establishes motor vehicle emissions budgets. The EPA is taking final action to approve these revisions as meeting all the applicable ozone nonattainment area requirements, except for the State's contingency measures revision. The EPA is deferring action on this revision related to contingency measures.

This action proposes to establish United States Area Navigation (RNAV) route T-368 in the vicinity of King Salmon, AK in support of a large and comprehensive T-route modernization project for the state of Alaska.

The Coast Guard is amending fire extinguishing equipment regulations for recreational vessels that are propelled or controlled by propulsion machinery. This rule relieves owners of these recreational vessels from certain inspection, maintenance, and recordkeeping requirements that are more suited for commercial vessels. To make it easier to find these regulations, this rule also relocates the regulations to another part of the Code of Federal Regulations.

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2018-11-01, which applies to certain Airbus Helicopters Model AS332L2 and EC225LP helicopters. AD 2018-11-01 requires installing a cut-out for the left-hand (LH) and right-hand (RH) rail support junction profiles and repetitively inspecting splices, frame 5295, and related equipment for a crack. Since the FAA issued AD 2018-11-01, the manufacturer has developed a modification for in-service helicopters for replacing aluminum splices with steel splices on frame 5295. This proposed AD would retain the requirements of AD 2018-11-01 and require a modification for replacing aluminum splices with steel splices on frame 5295 if cracking is found. This proposed AD would also provide terminating action for the repetitive inspections. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the Agency) proposes to expand the available options for extraction and determinative methods used to characterize and verify the cleanup of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) waste under the federal Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) regulations (also referred to as the PCB regulations). These proposed changes are expected to greatly reduce the amount of solvent used in PCB extraction processes, thereby conserving resources and reducing waste. In addition, the proposed changes are expected to result in quicker, more efficient, and less costly cleanups, due to greater flexibility in the cleanup and disposal of PCB waste, while still being equally protective of human health and the environment. EPA also proposes several other amendments to the PCB regulations, including the amendment of performance-based disposal option for PCB remediation waste; the removal of the provision allowing PCB bulk product waste to be disposed as roadbed material; the addition of more flexible provisions for cleanup and disposal of waste generated by spills that occur during emergency situations (e.g., hurricanes or floods); harmonizing the general disposal requirements for PCB remediation waste; and making other amendments to improve the implementation of the regulations, clarify ambiguity and correct technical errors.

This Notification announces the decision of the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) to continue to temporarily limit the non- essential travel of individuals from Mexico into the United States at land ports of entry along the United States-Mexico border. This Notification further announces that the Secretary intends to lift these limitations for individuals who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 (as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) to align with anticipated changes to international travel by air.

This document announces the Agency's receipt of initial filings of pesticide petitions requesting the establishment or modification of regulations for residues of pesticide chemicals in or on various commodities.

The Social Security Act (the Act) requires us to publish a Medicare final rule no later than 3 years after the publication date of the proposed rule. This document announces an extension of the timeline for publication of a Medicare final rule in accordance with the Act, which allows us to extend the timeline for publication of the ``Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit, Program of All- inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), Medicaid Fee-For-Service, and Medicaid Managed Care Programs for Years 2020 and 2021'' final rule under exceptional circumstances.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is giving concurrent notice of an updated and reissued system of records pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974 for the ``DHS/Office of Inspector General (OIG)-002 Investigative Records System of Records'' and this proposed rulemaking. In this proposed rulemaking, the Department proposes to exempt portions of the system of records from one or more provisions of the Privacy Act because of criminal, civil, and administrative enforcement requirements.