March 2022 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The DoD is publishing this notice to announce that the following Federal Advisory Committee meeting of the Defense Advisory Committee on Investigation, Prosecution, and Defense of Sexual Assault in the Armed Forces (DAC-IPAD) will take place.

Following receipt on February 22, 2022, of a request from the Committee on Ways and Means of the U.S. House of Representatives (Committee), under section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930, the U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission) instituted Investigation No. 332-590, U.S.-Haiti Trade: Impact of U.S. Preference Programs on Haiti's Economy and Workers. The Committee requested that the Commission conduct an investigation and provide a report on the Haitian economy and U.S.-Haiti preference programs, and also provide several case studies showing the impact of these preference programs on industries of importance to Haiti's economy.

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 revision of a currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) is extending the modified COVID-19 Prioritized Examination Pilot Program, which provides prioritized examination of certain patent applications. Requests that are compliant with the pilot program's requirements and are filed on or before June 30, 2022, will be accepted. The USPTO will evaluate whether to terminate or further extend the program during this extension period.

On August 28, 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule titled ``Revisions to the California State Implementation Plan, Antelope Valley Air Quality Management District.'' That publication inadvertently omitted regulatory text rescinding four previously approved rules for the Antelope Valley Air Quality Management District portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). On September 20, 2016, the EPA issued a final rule titled ``Approval of California Air Plan Revisions, Department of Pesticide Regulations.'' That publication listed the wrong EPA approval dates and Federal Register citations for certain rules. The EPA is taking direct final action to correct these errors.

The Internal Revenue Service, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning Form 4970, Tax on Accumulation Distributions of Trusts.

The Coast Guard is changing the operating schedule that governs the 63rd Street Bridge, across Indian Creek, mile 4.0, at Miami Beach, FL. A request was made to place the drawbridge on a weekend operating schedule to assist with alleviating vehicle congestion due to on demand drawbridge openings. This change extends the operating schedule to the weekend, so that openings on the hour and half-hour will be required every day of the week, except Federal Holidays.

On February 4, 2022, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board), published in the Federal Register a proposed supervisory framework for depository institution holding companies that are significantly engaged in insurance activities, or supervised insurance organizations. The Board has determined that an extension of the comment period until May 5, 2022, is appropriate, and is therefore making that extension.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters within a 100-yard radius of oil spill recovery vessels in Neva Strait. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by pollution response efforts. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Southeast Alaska.

The Joint Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries gives notice of a closed teleconference meeting of the Advisory Committee on Actuarial Examinations.

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or the Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection. Comments are requested concerning: Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and ways to further reduce the information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees. The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the PRA that does not display a valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS), a Rural Development agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, is correcting a notice of funding availability (NOFA) that was published in the Federal Register on March 9, 2022, entitled, ``Section 514 Off-Farm Labor Housing Loans and Section 516 Off-Farm Labor Housing Grants to Improve, Repair, or Make Modifications to existing Off-Farm Labor Housing Properties for Fiscal Year 2022.'' The notice announced the acceptance of pre- applications for subsequent Section 514 Off-Farm Labor Housing (Off- FLH) loans and subsequent Section 516 Off-FLH grants to improve, repair, or make modifications to existing Off-Farm Labor Housing Properties for fiscal year 2022. The purpose of this notice is to correct the application deadline dates published in the Federal Register on March 9, 2022.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on March 4, 2022, establishing Class E airspace for Falmouth Airpark, Falmouth, MA. This action corrects the legal description of the Class E airspace by correcting a typographical error in the geographic coordinates.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing approval of revisions to the Missouri State Implementation Plan (SIP) received on February 11, 2020. In the submission, Missouri requests to revise a regulation that controls emissions from reactor processes and distillation operations in the St. Louis 1997 8-hour ozone nonattainment area. The revisions to this rule include amending the rule applicability section for sources subject to the rule, removing unnecessary words, updating incorporations by reference, amending definitions specific to the rule, updating test and reference methods, and other minor edits. These revisions do not impact the stringency of the SIP or air quality. Approval of these revisions will ensure consistency between State and federally approved rules.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (the ``Commission'' or the ``SEC'') is proposing new rules under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the ``Advisers Act'' or the ``Act''). We propose to require registered investment advisers to private funds to provide transparency to their investors regarding the full cost of investing in private funds and the performance of such private funds. We also are proposing rules that would require a registered private fund adviser to obtain an annual financial statement audit of each private fund it advises and, in connection with an adviser-led secondary transaction, a fairness opinion from an independent opinion provider. In addition, we are proposing rules that would prohibit all private fund advisers, including those that are not registered with the Commission, from engaging in certain sales practices, conflicts of interest, and compensation schemes that are contrary to the public interest and the protection of investors. All private fund advisers would also be prohibited from providing preferential treatment to certain investors in a private fund, unless the adviser discloses such treatment to other current and prospective investors. We are proposing corresponding amendments to the Advisers Act books and records rule to facilitate compliance with these proposed new rules and assist our examination staff. Finally, we are proposing amendments to the Advisers Act compliance rule, which would affect all registered investment advisers, to better enable our staff to conduct examinations.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Bell Textron Canada Limited (type certificate previously held by Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited) Model 206L, 206L-1, 206L-3, and 206L-4 helicopters with a certain part-numbered main rotor (M/R) blade installed under Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) SR02684LA. This proposed AD was prompted by delamination of M/R blades. This proposed AD would require a repetitive inspection for delamination, and depending on the results, removing the M/R blade from service and reporting certain information. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

NOAA proposes to amend procedures governing its civil administrative enforcement proceedings. The principal changes would include updates to statutory references, clarifications regarding the Administrator's discretionary review, revised directions for appealing a written warning, revised requirements for denying a request for admission, and revised directions for electronic service related to certain appeals and petitions. Other changes would remove the requirement for NOAA to challenge late hearing requests, simplify the use of electronic signatures, rename discovery filings, allow depositions by videoconference, require discovery filings to state when a witness is expected to speak in a language other than the English language in order to arrange interpretation, clarify when failing to pay can be a basis for permit sanctions, incorporate Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act deadlines into administrative forfeiture proceedings, and allow NOAA to publish a Notice of Proposed Forfeiture on an official government website. In addition, minor changes would update titles and addresses and correct clerical errors.

This document provides notice of the availability of application packages for the 2023 Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) Program.

The United States Postal Service (Postal Service) is proposing to amend Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) by adding new subsections to establish parcel selvage standards and to clarify how to measure parcels prepared in soft packaging.