November 3, 2022 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service or we) proposes to establish annual hunting regulations for certain migratory game birds for the 2023-24 hunting season. We annually prescribe outside limits (frameworks) within which States may select hunting seasons. This proposed rule provides the regulatory schedule and describes the proposed regulatory alternatives for the 2023-24 general duck seasons and preliminary proposals that vary from the 2022-23 hunting season regulations. Migratory bird hunting seasons provide opportunities for recreation and sustenance; aid Federal, State, and Tribal governments in the management of migratory game birds; and permit harvests at levels compatible with migratory game bird population status and habitat conditions.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing a new Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.250, ``Dedication of Commercial-Grade Digital Instrumentation and Control Items for Use in Nuclear Power Plants.'' RG 1.250 provides guidance that the staff of the NRC considers acceptable to meet, in part, regulatory requirements for the dedication of commercial-grade digital instrumentation and control items (I&C) for use in nuclear power plant safety applications.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing a new Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.246, ``Acceptability of ASME Code, Section XI, Division 2, `Requirements for Reliability and Integrity Management (RIM) Programs for Nuclear Power Plants,' for Non-Light Water Reactors.'' This RG describes an approach that is acceptable to the NRC staff for the development and implementation of a preservice inspection (PSI) and inservice inspection (ISI) program for non-light water reactors (non-LWRs). It endorses, with conditions, the 2019 Edition of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (ASME Code), Section XI, ``Rules for Inservice Inspection of Nuclear Power Plant Components,'' Division 2, for non-LWR applications. This RG also describes a method that applicants can use to incorporate PSI and ISI programs into a licensing basis.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to amend existing regulations to implement certain provisions of the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act, as enacted on December 27, 2020. This rulemaking proposes to establish the methodology for allocating hydrofluorocarbon production and consumption allowances for the calendar years of 2024 through 2028. EPA is also proposing to amend the consumption baseline to reflect updated data and to make other adjustments based on lessons learned from implementation of the hydrofluorocarbon phasedown program thus far, including proposing to: codify the existing approach of how allowances must be expended for import of regulated substances; revise recordkeeping and reporting requirements; and implement other modifications to the existing regulations.

Comments are requested on proposed flood hazard determinations, which may include additions or modifications of any Base Flood Elevation (BFE), base flood depth, Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) boundary or zone designation, or regulatory floodway on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), and where applicable, in the supporting Flood Insurance Study (FIS) reports for the communities listed in the table below. The purpose of this notice is to seek general information and comment regarding the preliminary FIRM, and where applicable, the FIS report that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has provided to the affected communities. The FIRM and FIS report are the basis of the floodplain management measures that the community is required either to adopt or to show evidence of having in effect in order to qualify or remain qualified for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is extending the comment period for the notice titled ``Request for Comments on USPTO Initiatives to Ensure the Robustness and Reliability of Patent Rights'' that was published in the Federal Register on October 4, 2022. The notice's comment period is extended until February 1, 2023. This will be the only extension of the comment period.

As required by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is hereby giving notice that the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders will hold a virtual, two-day meeting on December 5 and December 6, 2022.

FMCSA announces its decision to deny the Small Business in Transportation Coalition's (SBTC) request for an exemption from the requirement that motor carriers not permit a person to drive a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) unless the driver is capable of reading and speaking the English language sufficiently to communicate with the public, to understand highway traffic signs and signals in the English language, to respond to official inquiries, and to make entries on reports and records drivers. SBTC requests the exemption on behalf of all motor carriers in North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) category 484230 (Specialized Freight (except Used Goods) Trucking, Long-Distance) with revenues under $30 million. FMCSA analyzed the exemption application and public comments, and determined that the application lacked evidence that would ensure an equivalent level of safety or greater would be achieved absent such exemption.

The Executive Office for Immigration Review, Department of Justice (DOJ), will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This proposed information collection was previously published in the Federal Register Aug. 25, 2022, allowing for a 60-day comment period.

The evidentiary hearing phase of this proceeding, involving the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak), CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSXT), Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NSR), and the Alabama State Port Authority and its rail carrier division, the Terminal Railway Alabama State Docks (collectively, the ``Port''; and with Amtrak, CSXT, and NSR, the ``Parties''), will continue on November 17 and 18, 2022. On December 7, 2022, the Board will hold a voting conference, at which Board members will discuss among themselves, and may vote on, the outcome of the case. The evidentiary hearing and voting conference will both take place in the hearing room of the Board's headquarters. The hearing and voting conference will also be available for public viewing on YouTube.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request an extension of approval of an information collection associated with the bovine and captive cervid tuberculosis regulations.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is announcing plans to renew this collection. In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we are providing opportunity for public comment on this action. After obtaining and considering public comment, NSF will prepare the submission requesting Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearance of this collection for no longer than 3 years.

The Postal Service gives notice of filing a request with the Postal Regulatory Commission to add a domestic shipping services contract to the list of Negotiated Service Agreements in the Mail Classification Schedule's Competitive Products List.

The Postal Service gives notice of filing a request with the Postal Regulatory Commission to add a domestic shipping services contract to the list of Negotiated Service Agreements in the Mail Classification Schedule's Competitive Products List.

This notice seeks comments on two draft recommendations to update the HRSA-Supported Women's Preventive Services Guidelines (``Guidelines'') relating to Screening for Diabetes in Pregnancy and Screening for Type 2 Diabetes after Pregnancy. The existing Guidelines address Screening for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) and Screening for Diabetes Mellitus after Pregnancy. These draft recommendations have been developed through a cooperative agreement, known as the Women's Preventive Services Initiative (WPSI), with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), through which they convene health professionals to develop draft recommendations. Under applicable law, non-grandfathered group health plans and health insurance issuers offering non-grandfathered group and individual health insurance coverage must include coverage, without cost sharing, for certain preventive services, including those provided for in the HRSA-supported Guidelines. The Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury have previously issued regulations, which describe how group health plans and health insurance issuers apply the coverage requirements.

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.

FHWA, on behalf of TxDOT, is issuing this notice to advise the public that an EIS will be prepared for a proposed transportation project to study the effects of the project on Interstate Highway 10 (I-10), known as the Downtown 10 project. The limits of the proposed project are from Executive Center Boulevard (Blvd.) to State Loop (SL) 478 (Copia Street) in El Paso County, Texas. The proposed project is approximately 5.7 miles in length.

The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act established the Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program that allows a State to assume FHWA's environmental responsibilities for environmental review, consultation, and compliance under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for Federal highway projects. When a State assumes these Federal responsibilities, the State becomes solely responsible and liable for carrying out the responsibilities it has assumed, in lieu of FHWA. This program mandates annual audits during each of the first 4 years of State participation to ensure compliance with program requirements. This is the second audit of the Arizona Department of Transportation's (ADOT) performance of its responsibilities under the Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program (NEPA Assignment Program). This notice announces and solicits comments on the second audit report for ADOT.

This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (FEMA-4671-DR), dated 09/29/2022. Incident: Hurricane Fiona. Incident Period: 09/17/2022 through 09/21/2022.

This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of Florida (FEMA-4673-DR), dated 10/03/2022. Incident: Hurricane Ian. Incident Period: 09/23/2022 and continuing.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Mission Support, Administration and Resources Management (OMS-ARM) is giving notice that it proposes to modify a system of records pursuant to the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974. The Labor and Employee Relations Information System (LERIS) is being modified to change the name and location of the system to Labor and Employee Relations Tracking System (LERTS), per a vendor change. Additionally, EPA is modifying the SORN previously published in 2014 to update the system manager name and to add applicable routine uses. The purpose of the system is to allow Labor and Employee Relations (LER) specialists to track, manage and report on a full spectrum of labor and employee relations cases throughout the Agency.