2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 an additional 30 days of public comment.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency is seeking individuals to serve on the Advisory Committee on Affordable, Equitable, and Sustainable Housing (Committee). It is estimated that the Committee will meet at least twice annually to advise FHFA regarding affordable, equitable, and sustainable housing. Recommendations by the Committee help inform FHFA's perspective on regulatory, guidance, or policy changes that may be necessary to expand affordable, equitable, and sustainable housing, with a focus on FHFA's regulated entities and their respective roles in providing a reliable source of liquidity and funding for housing finance and community investment including both single-family and multifamily housing.

This final rule amends the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation's regulation on Allocation of Assets in Single-Employer Plans to prescribe interest assumptions under the asset allocation regulation for plans with valuation dates in the fourth quarter of 2023. These interest assumptions are used for valuing benefits under terminating single-employer plans and for other purposes.

The New England Fishery Management Council is convening a joint ad-hoc sub-panel of its Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) with members of the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Council's SSC to provide the Council with input on methods to designate Essential Fish Habitat and to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

The Administration for Children and Families' (ACF) Office of Refugee Resettlement is requesting a 3-year extension of the Serious Medical Procedure Request (SMR) Form (Office of Management and Budget #0970-0561, expiration February 29, 2024). Revisions are proposed to the currently approved form.

FMCSA announces its decision to deny applications from 32 individuals who requested an exemption from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) prohibiting persons with a clinical diagnosis of epilepsy or any other condition that is likely to cause a loss of consciousness or any loss of ability to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) from operating CMVs in interstate commerce.

FMCSA announces its decision to renew exemptions for seven individuals from the hearing requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) for interstate commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. The exemptions enable these hard of hearing and deaf individuals to continue to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

An open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Joint Committee will be conducted. The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is soliciting public comments, ideas, and suggestions on improving customer service at the Internal Revenue Service. This meeting will be held via teleconference through the Microsoft Teams Platform.

An open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel's Taxpayer Communications Project Committee will be conducted. The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is soliciting public comments, ideas, and suggestions on improving customer service at the Internal Revenue Service. This meeting will be held via teleconference.

The Commission is noticing a recent Postal Service filing for the Commission's consideration concerning a negotiated service agreement. This notice informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, and takes other administrative steps.

The NMFS publishes its proposed List of Fisheries (LOF) for 2024, as required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The LOF for 2024 reflects new information on interactions between commercial fisheries and marine mammals. NMFS must classify each commercial fishery on the LOF into one of three categories under the MMPA based upon the level of mortality and serious injury of marine mammals that occurs incidental to each fishery. The classification of a fishery on the LOF determines whether participants in that fishery are subject to certain provisions of the MMPA, such as those on registration, observer coverage, and take reduction plan (TRP) requirements.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to amend the General Provisions for National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) to address applicability and compliance issues resulting from the addition of a compound to the list of hazardous air pollutants (HAP) under the Clean Air Act (CAA). This action focuses on issues related to newly applicable standards for sources that become major sources solely from the addition of a compound to the CAA HAP list. This action also includes a discussion of the impacts of a newly listed HAP on the federal operating permit program.

In accordance with the regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as amended, notification is hereby given that NMFS promulgates regulations to govern the incidental taking of marine mammals incidental to Ocean Wind, LLC (Ocean Wind), a subsidiary wholly owned by Orsted Wind Power North America, LLC (Orsted), construction of the Ocean Wind 1 Offshore Wind Energy Project (hereafter known as the ``Project'') in Federal and State waters off of New Jersey, specifically within the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lease Area OCS-A 0498 (Lease Area) and along two export cable routes to sea-to-shore transition points (collectively referred to as the ``Project Area''), over the course of 5 years (October 13, 2023 through October 12, 2028). These regulations, which allow for the issuance of a Letter of Authorization (LOA) for the incidental take of marine mammals during construction-related activities within the Project Area during the effective dates of the regulations, prescribe the permissible methods of taking and other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species or stocks and their habitat, as well as requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking.

This rule updates obsolete nomenclature in the regulations under the Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921 (Act). Obsolete references to the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) are changed to the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). References to Packers and Stockyards Programs, Packers and Stockyards Administration, and other obsolete terms are likewise changed to reflect the USDA's, AMS's, and the Packers and Stockyards Division's current organizational structure. Administration of Packers and Stockyards (P&S) activities under the Act was transferred to AMS in 2017.

The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) established the Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program that allows a State to assume FHWA's 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. The program mandates annual audits during each of the first 4 years of State participation to ensure compliance with program requirements. This notice finalizes the findings of the fourth and final audit report for the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT).

The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) 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 notice makes available the final fourth audit report for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF).