October 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Copyright Office is extending the deadline to submit comments in connection with a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking regarding the applicability of the derivative works exception to termination rights under the Copyright Act to the new statutory mechanical blanket license established by the Music Modernization Act and other matters relevant to identifying the proper payee to whom the mechanical licensing collective must distribute royalties.

This document cancels a public hearing on proposed regulations that would identify monetized installment sale transactions and substantially similar transactions as listed transactions, a type of reportable transaction.

This action establishes Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface in Warrenton, VA, as new instrument approach procedures have been designed for Fauquier Hospital Emergency Transport Heliport, Warrenton, VA.

This document invites comments on a proposed amendment to Marketing Order No. 927, which regulates the handling of pears grown in Oregon and Washington. The proposed amendment would revise the Fresh Pear Committee's approval requirement for recommending modifications to the marketing order's fresh pear handling regulations from 80 to 75 percent.

This rule implements a recommendation from the Walla Walla Sweet Onion Marketing Committee (Committee) to increase the assessment rate established for the 2023 and subsequent fiscal periods. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended (``EPCA''), prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer equipment and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including commercial refrigerators, freezers, and refrigerator-freezers (``commercial refrigeration equipment'' or ``CRE''). EPCA also requires the U.S. Department of Energy (``DOE'' ``the Department'') to periodically determine whether more stringent standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified, and would result in significant energy savings. In this notice of proposed rulemaking (``NOPR''), DOE proposes new and amended energy conservation standards for CRE, and also announces a public meeting to receive comment on these proposed standards and associated analyses and results.

In this document, the Commission announces the compliance dates for the rules implementing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act per the Broadband Label Order. The rules require broadband internet access service providers (providers) to display, at the point of sale, labels that disclose certain information about broadband prices, introductory rates, data allowances, and broadband speeds, and to include links to information about their network management practices, privacy policies, and the Commission's Affordable Connectivity Program.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for various airplanes modified with a certain configuration of the Garmin GFC 500 Autopilot System installed per Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) No. SA01866WI. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of an un-commanded automatic pitch trim runaway when the autopilot was first engaged. This proposed AD would require updating the applicable Garmin GFC 500 Autopilot System software for your airplane and would prohibit installing earlier versions of that software. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The Secretary establishes and amends regulations related to gainful employment (GE) to address ongoing concerns about educational programs designed to prepare students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation, but that instead leave them with unaffordable amounts of student loan debt in relation to their earnings, or with no gain in earnings compared to others with no more than a high school education. The Secretary separately seeks to enhance transparency by providing information about financial costs and benefits to students at nearly all academic programs at postsecondary institutions that are eligible to participate in title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA).

On August 1, 2023, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) published a rule amending the regulation that redefines two of the seven designated spot markets and changing the names of the affected markets. The amendatory language in this rule did not provide instructions necessary to effectuate the changes in the Code of Federal Regulations. This action corrects the names and definitions of the two affected cotton spot markets.

The Corporation for National and Community Service (operating as AmeriCorps) proposes to revise its regulations governing the AmeriCorps State and National program. This proposed rule would make four substantive changes to the regulations governing the AmeriCorps State and National program to provide programmatic and grantmaking flexibilities. Specifically, this proposed rule would: limit AmeriCorps State and National grantees' required share of program costs (known as ``match'' or ``cost share'') to a scale that starts at 24 percent for the first three-year grant cycle and increases more incrementally with each successive three-year grant cycle, until it reaches 50 percent in the sixth three-year grant cycle (that is, the sixteenth year of the grant) and beyond; simplify the criteria that allow AmeriCorps to waive match for AmeriCorps State and National grantees; allow AmeriCorps to grant waivers of education hour limitations under certain circumstances to permit AmeriCorps State and National AmeriCorps members to spend an increased number of hours on education and training activities; and remove the four-term limit on service in AmeriCorps State and National programs, instead referring to the limitation on total value of the Segal Education Awards (education awards) a member may earn. The main non-substantive change in this proposed rule updates nomenclature to reflect that the Corporation for National and Community Service operates as AmeriCorps.

This document proposes regulations announced and described in Notice 2014-32 and Notice 2016-73, with modifications. The proposed regulations relate to the treatment of property used to acquire parent stock or securities in connection with certain triangular reorganizations involving one or more foreign corporations; the consequences to persons that receive parent stock or securities pursuant to such reorganizations; and the treatment of certain subsequent inbound nonrecognition transactions following such reorganizations and certain other transactions. The proposed regulations affect corporations engaged in certain triangular reorganizations involving one or more foreign corporations, certain shareholders of foreign corporations acquired in such reorganizations, and foreign corporations that participate in certain inbound nonrecognition transactions.

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended (``EPCA''), prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including Commercial Water Heating (``CWH'') equipment. EPCA also requires the U.S. Department of Energy (``DOE'') to periodically review standards. In this final rule, DOE is adopting amended energy conservation standards for CWH equipment.

NMFS issues this temporary rule to extend the expiration date of interim measures to reduce overfishing of gag in Federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. This temporary rule extends the commercial and recreational harvest levels and the revised recreational fishing season for gag for an additional 186 days. The purpose of this temporary rule extension is to reduce overfishing of gag while NMFS implements management measures to end overfishing of gag on a permanent basis.

NMFS establishes the annual harvest guideline for the commercial lobster fishery in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) for calendar year 2023 at zero lobsters.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain International Aero Engines, LLC (IAE) Model PW1124G1-JM, PW1127G-JM, PW1127GA-JM, PW1129G-JM, PW1130G-JM, PW1133G-JM, and PW1133GA-JM engines. This proposed AD was prompted by a report that certain high-pressure compressor (HPC) 2nd stage rotors and HPC 4th stage rotors have potentially degraded knife-edge seals and abrasive coating of the rear wing 4th stage rotor due to having been cleaned in alkaline solution without masking the knife-edge seal coating. Operating in this condition could result in material degradation and fracture of the HPC 2nd stage rotor and HPC 4th stage rotor. This proposed AD would require replacement of certain HPC 2nd stage rotors and HPC 4th stage rotors. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This regulation establishes an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of Ledprona double-stranded (ds) RNA in or on potato when used as a foliar-applied insecticide for the selective control of Colorado potato beetle and in accordance with label directions and good agricultural practices. GreenLight Biosciences, Inc. submitted a petition to EPA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), requesting an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of Ledprona dsRNA under FFDCA when used in accordance with this exemption.

The Small Business Administration (``SBA'' or ``Agency'') is sunsetting the Community Advantage Pilot Program effective October 31, 2023.

The Copyright Royalty Judges publish final regulations that adjust the amounts and terms of the Administrative Assessment To fund the Mechanical Licensing Collective.

This action amends Class D and Class E surface airspace for Northeast Philadelphia Airport, Philadelphia, PA, by updating the airport's description headers and making editorial changes. This action does not change the airspace boundaries or operating requirements.

NMFS is announcing that the Pacific bluefin tuna (PBF) 2023- 2024 biennial catch limit for U.S. commercial fishing vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) is 1,054 metric tons (mt).

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 767 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of cracks on the forward entry door and forward service door cutout aft lower corner fuselage skin and bear strap. This proposed AD would require repetitive inspections for cracking at the affected area, and applicable on-condition actions. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This rule makes non-substantive changes to Coast Guard regulations in association with a change in the Coast Guard's internal organization. The purpose of this rule is to reflect that U.S. Coast Guard Sector Juneau has been renamed U.S. Coast Guard Sector Southeast Alaska. This rule will have no substantive effect on the regulated public.

This document is issued under the joint authority of DoD, GSA, and NASA. This Small Entity Compliance Guide has been prepared in accordance with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996. It consists of a summary of the rules appearing in Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2023-06, which amends the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). Interested parties may obtain further information regarding these rules by referring to FAC 2023-06, which precedes this document.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are issuing a final rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement regulatory changes made by the Small Business Administration to update and clarify requirements associated with the 8(a) program.