2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration is issuing this notice of intent to publish a temporary order to schedule seven synthetic benzimidazole-opioid substances, including their isomers, esters, ethers, salts, and salts of isomers, esters, and ethers whenever the existence of such isomers, esters, ethers, and salts is possible, in schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. When it is issued, the temporary scheduling order will impose the regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal sanctions applicable to schedule I controlled substances on persons who handle (manufacture, distribute, reverse distribute, import, export, engage in research, conduct instructional activities or chemical analysis, or possess) or propose to handle these seven specified controlled substances.

This notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) proposes changes to ANA regulations to allow grant recipients to apply for an emergency waiver of part or all of their proposed non-Federal share (NFS) due to emergency circumstances.

The U.S. Department of Energy (``DOE'') proposes to amend the test procedures for ceiling fans. DOE initially presented proposed amendments in a notice of proposed rulemaking (``NOPR'') published on September 30, 2019. DOE is publishing this supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (``SNOPR'') to present modifications to certain proposals presented in the NOPR, and to propose additional amendments. In this SNOPR, DOE proposes to include a definition for ``circulating air'' for the purpose of the ceiling fan definition, include ceiling fans greater than 24 feet in the scope, include certain belt-driven ceiling fans within scope, include a standby metric for large-diameter ceiling fans, amend the low speed definition, permit an alternate set- up to collect air velocity test data, amend certain set-up and operation specifications, amend the blade thickness measurement requirement, and update product-specific rounding and enforcement provisions. DOE is seeking comment from interested parties on the proposal.

On October 21, 2021, the Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau or CFPB) ordered six large technology companies operating payments systems in the United States to provide information about certain of their business practices. Accompanying the orders, the Director of the Bureau issued a statement and invited interested parties to comment on the inquiry. The statement and request for comment was published in the Federal Register on November 5, 2021, in a document titled, ``Notice and Request for Comment Regarding the CFPB's Inquiry Into Big Tech Payment Platforms.'' The Bureau has determined that a re-opening of the comment period until December 21, 2021, is appropriate.

This action extends the Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) prohibiting certain flights in the specified areas of the Sanaa Flight Information Region (FIR) (OYSC) by all: U.S. air carriers; U.S. commercial operators; persons exercising the privileges of an airman certificate issued by the FAA, except when such persons are operating U.S.-registered aircraft for a foreign air carrier; and operators of U.S.-registered civil aircraft, except when the operator of such aircraft is a foreign air carrier. The FAA finds this action necessary to address hazards to persons and aircraft engaged in such flight operations due to significant, continuing safety-of-flight risks to U.S. civil aviation operations in that airspace associated with the ongoing conflict between the Saudi Arabian-led Coalition and Iranian- aligned Houthi forces. The FAA extends the expiration date of this SFAR from January 7, 2022, until January 7, 2025. Additionally, the FAA republishes the approval process and exemption information for this SFAR, consistent with other recently published flight prohibition SFARs.

The U.S Codex Office is sponsoring a public meeting on January 27, 2022. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States (U.S.) positions to be discussed at the 52nd Session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which will meet virtually, February 28-March 4, 2022 with the report adoption on March 9, 2022. The U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius and the Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 52nd Session of the CCFH and to address items on the agenda.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is announcing an opportunity for the public to comment on CMS' intention to collect information from the public. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (the PRA), federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information (including each proposed extension or reinstatement of an existing collection of information) and to allow 60 days for public comment on the proposed action. Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding our burden estimates or any other aspect of this collection of information, including the necessity and utility of the proposed information collection for the proper performance of the agency's functions, the accuracy of the estimated burden, ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected, and the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology to minimize the information collection burden.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), 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 information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The IRS is soliciting comments concerning TD 9467Measurement of Assets and Liabilities for Pension Funding Purposes, Pension Funding Stabilization under the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014 (HAFTA), Notice 2020-61Special Rules for Single-Employer Defined Benefit Pension Plans under the Cares Act, Notice 2020-60Election of Alternative Minimum Funding Standards for Community Newspaper Plans Benefit Pension Plans under the Cares Act, and Notice 2021-48, Guidance on Single-Employer Defined Benefit Pension Plan Funding Changes under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will host broadband grant program public virtual listening sessions in connection with the five new broadband grant programs authorized and funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program; the Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program; and the Digital Equity Act Programs, which include the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program, State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, and Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program. These public virtual listening sessions are designed to collect stakeholder input to help inform program development and implementation.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued one exemption in October 2021 in response to a request from one licensee for relief due to the coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) public health emergency (PHE). The exemption affords the licensee temporary relief from certain requirements under NRC regulations.

Based on affirmative final determinations by the Department of Commerce (Commerce) and the International Trade Commission (ITC), Commerce is issuing the countervailing duty order on utility scale wind towers (wind towers) from India.

As a result of this sunset review, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) finds that revocation of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on heavy walled rectangular welded carbon steel pipes and tubes (HWR pipes and tubes) from the Republic of Turkey (Turkey) would be likely to lead to the continuation or recurrence of countervailable subsidies at the levels indicated in the ``Final Results of Sunset Review'' section of this notice.

The Office of Indian Economic Development (OIED), through its Living Languages Grant Program (LLGP), is soliciting proposals from federally recognized Tribes and Tribal organizations for grants to fund Native language instruction and immersion programs for Native students not enrolled at Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) schools, including those Tribes in States without BIE-funded schools.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as part of its continuing effort to reduce public burden and maximize the utility of government information, invites the general public and other Federal agencies the opportunity to comment on a proposed and/or continuing information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This notice invites comment on a proposed information collection project titled ``Building Resilience Against Climate Effects (BRACE) Performance Measures.'' The National Center for Environmental Health's Climate and Health Program (CHP) supports U.S. cities and states to build and enhance resilience to the health impacts of climate change.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus SAS Model A319-111, -112, -113, -114, -115, -131, -132, and -133 airplanes; Model A320-211, -212, -214, -216, -231, -232, and - 233 airplanes; and Model A321-111, -112, -131, -211, -212, -213, -231, and -232 airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report that during re- engineering of galley G5, a 9G forward full scale qualification test was performed, and the door of the waste compartment opened before the required load was reached. This AD requires modifying the waste compartment door of each affected galley, as specified in a European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 787-8 and 787-9 airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports that shimming requirements were not met during the assembly of certain structural joints, which can result in reduced fatigue thresholds and cracking of the affected structural joints. This AD requires repetitive inspections for cracking of certain areas of the aft wheel well bulkhead (AWWB) body chord and AWWB side fitting and failsafe straps, and repair of any cracking found. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The Coast Guard announces the availability of Change 3 to Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) 19-14 Policy on Qualified Assessors (QAs). This NVIC provides guidance to mariners concerning assessments of competence for STCW endorsements. This change notice revises NVIC 19-14 to indicate that until June 30, 2024, the Coast Guard will accept assessments of competence that are signed before January 1, 2024, by a person who is not a Coast Guard approved QA.