January 4, 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Through this notice of proposed rulemaking, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is proposing to amend its regulations covering rental housing assistance for the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant (NHHBG) program, consistent with the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (NAHASDA). HUD proposes to clarify and improve consistency with NAHASDA's statutory requirements and HUD's Indian Housing Block Grant program regulations. This proposed rule would also help make affordable housing opportunities, in the form of NHHBG-assisted rental housing, more available to eligible Native Hawaiian families.

The Surface Transportation Board (STB or Board) is adopting a final rule in Docket No. EP 755 to establish a new procedure for challenging the reasonableness of railroad rates in smaller cases. Under this rate review procedure, the Board will decide a case by selecting either the complainant's or the defendant's final offer, subject to an expedited procedural schedule that adheres to firm deadlines. The Board is also terminating its proceeding in Docket No. EP 665 (Sub-No. 2).

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposes to adjust certain immigration and naturalization benefit request fees charged by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). USCIS conducted a comprehensive biennial fee review and determined that its costs have increased considerably since its previous fee adjustment due to expanded humanitarian programs, higher demand, increased processing times, and a need for more USCIS employees. USCIS cannot maintain adequate service levels with the effects of the budget cuts and its current level of spending without lasting impacts on operations. DHS proposes to adjust USCIS fees, add new fees for certain benefit requests, establish distinct fees for petitions for nonimmigrant workers, and limit the number of beneficiaries on certain forms. DHS is also proposing additional fee exemptions for certain humanitarian categories and changes to certain other immigration benefit request requirements. If DHS does not adjust USCIS fees it will not have the resources it needs to provide adequate service to applicants and petitioners or be able to keep pace with incoming benefit request workload, and USCIS processing times and backlogs will not improve. DHS intends for this rulemaking to provide the funding required for USCIS to improve service levels.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposes to sell a 5-acre parcel of public land located in the southern portion of the Las Vegas Valley, Nevada, under the authorities of section 203 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended (FLPMA), BLM land sale regulations, and the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act of 1998, as amended (SNPLMA). The BLM proposes that the parcel be sold by direct sale to the Clark County Department of Social Services (Clark County), a division of the State of Nevada, at less than the appraised fair market value, for affordable housing purposes pursuant to section 7(b) of SNPLMA and applicable BLM policy.

The United States DoN, after carefully weighing the strategic, operational, and environmental consequences of the Proposed Action (Gulf of Alaska Navy Training Activities Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement [EIS/OEIS], published in the Federal Register on September 2, 2022), is announcing its decision to continue periodic military training activities within the Gulf of Alaska Temporary Maritime Activities Area and Western Maneuver Area, collectively referred to as the Gulf of Alaska Study Area, as identified in Alternative 1, the DoN's Preferred Alternative, in the Gulf of Alaska Navy Training Activities Final Supplemental EIS/OEIS.

This document highlights the key changes made by the recently enacted Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 (VAWA 2022) to the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, as amended, provides an overview of key provisions applicable to HUD programs, and explains HUD's plans to issue rules or guidance to implement VAWA 2022. In addition, this document seeks comment from HUD housing providers, grantees, and other interested members of the public on this document generally and on certain issues discussed in more detail below. Comments received in response to this solicitation will aid HUD in developing additional regulations and guidance.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that the respondents selected for individual examination, respectively, Ingenio Tala S.A. de C.V. and Ingenio Tamazula S.A. de C.V. (collectively, respondents), were in compliance with the terms of the Agreement Suspending the Antidumping Duty Investigation on Sugar from Mexico, as amended (AD Agreement) during the period of review (POR) from December 1, 2020, through November 30, 2021. Commerce also preliminarily determines that the AD Agreement met the applicable statutory requirements during the POR.

The United States Postal Service[supreg] (USPS) is proposing to revise a Customer Privacy Act System of Records (SOR). The proposed modifications will provide additional transparency into the collection and use of records for the USPS to administer and comply with Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) requirements. The Postal Service is focused on continuous improvement efforts that increase effectiveness and efficiency, such as enhancements to functionality and processing capabilities that support ongoing administrative and compliance activities.

In compliance with the requirement for opportunity for public comment on proposed data collection projects of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, HRSA announces plans to submit an Information Collection Request (ICR), described below, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Prior to submitting the ICR to OMB, HRSA seeks comments from the public regarding the burden estimate, below, or any other aspect of the ICR.

HUD is seeking approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for the information collection described below. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, HUD is requesting comment from all interested parties on the proposed collection of information. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment.

In compliance with the requirement for opportunity for public comment on proposed data collection projects of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, HRSA announces plans to submit an Information Collection Request (ICR), described below, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Prior to submitting the ICR to OMB, HRSA seeks comments from the public regarding the burden estimate, below, or any other aspect of the ICR.

The DoD is publishing this notice to announce that the following Federal Advisory Committee meeting of the Uniform Formulary Beneficiary Advisory Panel (UF BAP) will take place.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), ``National Estuary Program (Renewal)'' (EPA ICR No. 1500.11, OMB Control No. 2040-0138) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through September 30, 2023. An Agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information without a currently valid OMB control number.

The Department of State has submitted the information collection described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we are requesting comments on this collection from all interested individuals and organizations. The purpose of this notice is to allow 30 days for public comment.