2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are issuing an interim rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement supply chain risk information sharing and exclusion or removal orders consistent with the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act of 2018 and a final rule issued by the Federal Acquisition Security Council.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Canada Limited Partnership Model BD-500-1A10 and BD-500- 1A11 airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report the engine fire extinguishing control and indication system did not illuminate correctly. This AD requires installing a software update to the integrated cockpit control panel (ICCP) remote data concentrator (RDC), as specified in a Transport Canada AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2021-10- 20, which applied to certain ATR-GIE Avions de Transport R[eacute]gional Model ATR42-500 and ATR72-212A airplanes. AD 2021-10-20 required revising the existing aircraft flight manual (AFM) and applicable corresponding operational procedures to update a systems limitation, limiting dispatch with certain equipment inoperative, performing an operational test of a certain contactor and an electrical test of a certain battery toggle switch, and performing corrective actions if necessary. This AD was prompted by new procedures for modifying the wiring and replacing the battery toggle switch that have been developed that would terminate the AD requirements. This AD continues to require certain actions in AD 2021-10-20, and requires modifying the battery toggle switch wiring and replacing the battery toggle switch, and revises the applicability to include additional airplanes, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. This AD also prohibits the installation of affected parts. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus SAS Model A319-151N, -153N and -171N airplanes; Model A320-251N, -252N, -253N, -271N, -272N, and -273N airplanes; and Model A321-251N, -252N, -253N, -271N, -272N, -251NX, -252NX, -253NX, -271NX, and -272NX airplanes. This AD was prompted by a safety review of the airplane fuel system, which identified that the electrical harness routing of the engine low pressure shut off valve (LPSOV) is not adequately protected against uncontained engine rotor failure (UERF). This AD requires modification of the LPSOV electrical harness routing on either the left-hand engine or the right-hand engine, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2021-17-02, which applies to all ATRGIE Avions de Transport R[eacute]gional Model ATR42-200, -300, and -320 airplanes. AD 2021-17- 02 requires a one-time inspection for discrepancies of the wire bundles between the left- and right-hand angle of attack (AOA) probes and the crew alerting computer, and, depending on findings, applicable corrective actions. AD 2021-17-02 also required for certain airplanes, modifying the captain stick shaker wiring, and for all airplanes, revising the existing aircraft flight manual (AFM) and applicable corresponding operational procedures to incorporate procedures for the stick pusher/shaker. Since the FAA issued AD 2021-17-02, a modification was developed to the affected wiring. This proposed AD would require installing a new AOA power supply unit and revising the existing AFM, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is proposed for incorporation by reference (IBR). The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Saab AB, Support and Services Model SAAB 2000 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a review of the anti-skid system revealed the possibility of inadvertently connecting the inboard harness to the outboard channel (and vice versa) of the wheel speed transducers in the main landing gear (MLG) wheel axles. This proposed AD would require installing color markings on the harnesses and the wheel axles, to ensure proper installation and connection of the anti-skid harnesses, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is proposed for incorporation by reference (IBR). The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

In this final rule, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) is amending the Uniform System of Accounts (USofA) for public utilities and licensees to: create new accounts for wind, solar, and other renewable generating assets; create a new functional class for energy storage accounts; codify the accounting treatment of environmental credits; and create new accounts within existing functions for computer hardware, software, and communication equipment. We also amend the relevant FERC forms to accommodate these changes.

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2020-03- 24, which applied to certain Dassault Aviation Model MYSTERE-FALCON 20- C5, 20-D5, 20-E5, and 20-F5 airplanes. AD 2020-03-24 required revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations. This AD was prompted by a determination that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. This AD continues to require the actions in AD 2020-03-24 and requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This document corrects technical and typographical errors in the final rule that appeared in the August 28, 2023 Federal Register titled ``Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2024 Rates; Quality Programs and Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program Requirements for Eligible Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals; Rural Emergency Hospital and Physician-Owned Hospital Requirements; and Provider and Supplier Disclosure of Ownership; and Medicare Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) Payments: Counting Certain Days Associated with Section 1115 Demonstrations in the Medicaid Fraction'' (referred to hereafter as the ``FY 2024 IPPS/LTCH PPS final rule'').

This document corrects technical errors that appeared in the final rule published in the Federal Register on August 2, 2023 entitled ``Medicare Program; FY 2024 Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities Prospective Payment SystemRate Update''.

This document corrects technical errors in the final rule that appeared in the August 7, 2023 Federal Register, entitled ``Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities; Updates to the Quality Reporting Program and Value-Based Purchasing Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2024'' (referred to hereafter as the ``FY 2024 SNF final rule''). The effective date of the FY 2024 SNF final rule is October 1, 2023.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to approve revisions to the Missouri State Implementation Plan (SIP) related to the control of emissions from volatile organic liquid storage. These revisions do not impact the stringency of the SIP or have an adverse effect on air quality. The EPA's approval of this rule revision is being done in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).

In the Rules and Regulations section of this issue of the Federal Register, the Department of the Treasury (Treasury Department) and the IRS are issuing interim final regulations that amend the current regulations to reduce the amount of the user fee imposed on tax return preparers to apply for or renew a preparer tax identification number (PTIN). The text of the interim final regulations also serves as the text of these proposed regulations.

NMFS announces that the Commonwealth of Virginia and the State of Delaware are transferring a portion of their 2023 commercial bluefish quota to the State of North Carolina. These adjustments to the 2023 fishing year quotas are necessary to comply with the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan quota transfer provisions. This announcement informs the public of the revised 2023 commercial bluefish quotas for Virginia, Delaware, and North Carolina.

This action extends the comment period for the NPRM titled ``Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification,'' that was published on July 24, 2023. In that document, the FAA proposed to amend rules for the manufacture, certification, operation, maintenance, and alteration of light-sport aircraft. The proposed amendments would enable enhancements in safety and performance and would increase privileges under a number of sport pilot and light-sport aircraft rules. These enhancements include increasing suitability for flight training, limited aerial work, and personal travel. This proposed rule would expand what aircraft sport pilots may operate. The NPRM also proposed to amend the special purpose operations for restricted category aircraft; amend the duration, eligible purposes, and operating limitations for experimental aircraft; and add operating limitations applicable to experimental aircraft engaged in space support vehicle flights to codify statutory language. The FAA is extending the comment period for this NPRM to allow commenters additional time to analyze the proposed rule and prepare a response.

On September 21, 2022, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, through the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet (Cabinet), Division of Air Quality (DAQ), submitted a request for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to redesignate the Northern Kentucky portion (hereinafter referred to as the ``Northern Kentucky Area'' or ``Area'') of the Cincinnati, Ohio- Kentucky, 2015 8-hour ozone nonattainment area (hereinafter referred to as the ``Cincinnati, OH-KY Area'') to attainment for the 2015 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS or standards) and to approve a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision containing a maintenance plan for the Area. The Cabinet submitted this request and SIP revision through a letter dated September 20, 2022, and supplemented it on November 22, 2022. EPA is approving the Commonwealth's plan for maintaining attainment of the 2015 8-hour ozone standard in the Northern Kentucky Area, including the motor vehicle emission budgets (budgets) for nitrogen oxides (NOX) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) for the years of 2026 and 2035 for the Area, incorporating the maintenance plan into the SIP, and redesignating the Area to attainment for the 2015 8-hour ozone NAAQS. EPA previously approved the redesignation request and maintenance plan for the Ohio portion of the Cincinnati, OH-KY Area. Additionally, EPA finds the 2026 and 2035 budgets for the Area adequate for the purpose of transportation conformity.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS or Department), through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is proposing to amend the regulation governing the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) Research Endowment Programs (REP) to update the heading of the regulation to reflect the new name of the program, the eligibility requirements for the program to indicate the new expanded eligibility for research endowment awards that is mandated by statute, the heading of one section of the regulation, and certain references to regulations and policies cited in the regulation that apply to program grant awards.