2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On July 24, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a supplemental proposed rule titled ``National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Primary Copper Smelting.'' The EPA is extending the comment period on this proposed rule that currently closes on September 7, 2023, by 15 days. The comment period will now remain open until September 22, 2023, to allow additional time for Tribal Nations and stakeholders to review and comment on the proposal.

In this final rule, the Department of Labor (Department or DOL) updates regulations issued under the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts. As the first comprehensive regulatory review in nearly 40 years, revisions to these regulations will promote compliance, provide appropriate and updated guidance, and enhance their usefulness in the modern economy.

Pursuant to the Federal Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve portions of the revisions to the Arkansas State Implementation Plan (SIP) including revisions to the Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission's (``Commission'' or APC&EC) Rule No. 19, Rules of the Arkansas Plan of Implementation for Air Pollution Control submitted by the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment, Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ) via the Arkansas Governor's Office on June 22, 2022. Most of the revisions are administrative in nature and make the SIP current with Federal rules.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a reported quality escapement where the seat track fitting nuts were under-torqued on some flight attendant seats in production. This proposed AD requires re- torqueing each free standing attendant seat track fitting nut. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list the salamander mussel (Simpsonaias ambigua), a freshwater mussel species from the United States (Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin) and Canada (Ontario), as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This determination also serves as our 12-month finding on a petition to list the salamander mussel. After a review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing the species is warranted. Accordingly, we propose to list the salamander mussel as an endangered species under the Act. We also propose to designate critical habitat for the salamander mussel under the Act. In total, approximately 2,012 river miles (3,238 kilometers) in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation. We announce the availability of a draft economic analysis (DEA) of the proposed designation of critical habitat for the salamander mussel. If we finalize this rule as proposed, it would extend the Act's protections to this species and its designated critical habitat.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list the Brawleys Fork crayfish (Cambarus williami), a freshwater crayfish species from Tennessee, as a threatened species and designate critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This determination also serves as our 12-month finding on a petition to list the Brawleys Fork crayfish. After a review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing the species is warranted. Accordingly, we propose to list the Brawleys Fork crayfish as a threatened species with a rule issued under section 4(d) of the Act (``4(d) rule''). If we finalize this rule as proposed, it would add this species to the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and extend the Act's protections to the species. We also propose to designate critical habitat for the Brawleys Fork crayfish under the Act. In total, approximately 86.6 river miles (139.4 river kilometers) in Cannon, Rutherford, and Warren Counties, Tennessee, fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation. We also announce the availability of a draft economic analysis of the proposed designation of critical habitat for Brawleys Fork crayfish.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions to the Missouri State Implementation Plan (SIP) related to the control of emissions from volatile organic liquid storage. The revisions to this rule include adding incorporations by reference to other state rules, adding definitions specific to the rule, revising unnecessarily restrictive or duplicative language, and making administrative wording changes. These revisions do not impact the stringency of the SIP or have an adverse effect on air quality. The EPA's proposed approval of this rule revision is being done in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).

The Broadband Data Task Force, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Wireline Competition Bureau, and the Office of Economics and Analytics (Bureaus), seeks comment on a Petition for Extension of Waiver (Petition) requesting that the Bureaus renew for an additional three filing cycles the BDC Limited Waiver.

The Coast Guard is establishing two temporary safety zones for navigable waters of the Savannah River, within a 500-yard radius around Motor Vessel (M/V) BIGLIFT BARENTSZ. The safety zones are needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by the transit through the Savannah River to Georgia Port Authority Garden City Terminal Berth No. 1 while carrying large cranes, and for the offload of those cranes to the facility. Entry of vessels or persons into the safety zones are prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Savannah or a designated representative.

On May 31, 2023, FRA published an NPRM proposing to require railroads to develop written programs for certifying dispatchers and to submit those written certification programs to FRA for approval prior to implementation. On July 5, 2023, FRA published a notice extending the comment period by 30 days. By this notice, FRA is extending the NPRM's comment period by an additional 15 days.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is amending the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by removing a total of 35 persons from the Unverified List (UVL), including 27 under the destination of China, one under the destination of Indonesia, two under the destination of Pakistan, one under the destination of Singapore, one under the destination of Turkey, and one under the destination of the United Arab Emirates because BIS was able to verify their bona fides; two persons, under the destination of Russia, are also removed from the UVL after they were added to the Entity List.

On May 23, 2023, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) proposing security vetting of certain public transportation, railroad, and over- the-road-bus (OTRB) employees. Through this notice, TSA is extending the comment period to October 1, 2023, to provide additional time for the public to submit comments.

EPA is proposing to revoke the tolerance exemption for residues of the antimicrobial pesticide ingredient phenol when used as an inert ingredient (solvent/cosolvent) in pesticide formulations applied to growing crops. This rulemaking is proposed on the Agency's own initiative under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) to implement a tolerance action the Agency determined was appropriate during the registration review conducted under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) for phenol. EPA is proposing to revoke this tolerance exemption because it corresponds to a use no longer current or registered under FIFRA in the United States.

The Coast Guard is establishing a permanent safety zone to be enforced in the event of hurricanes, tropical storms, and other disasters in southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana. This action is necessary to ensure the safety of the waters of the Port Arthur Captain of the Port (COTP) zone Port Arthur, TX, prior to, during and following hurricanes, tropical storms and other disasters. This regulation establishes actions to be completed by industry and vessels in the COTP zone prior to landfall of hurricanes, tropical storms, and other disasters threatening Port Arthur, TX.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters on the St. Clair River in Algonac, MI. The safety zone is necessary and intended to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards associated with fireworks displays created by the Youth for the Future organization. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Detroit, or his designated representative.

NMFS is reallocating the projected unused amount of Pacific cod from vessels using jig gear, trawl catcher vessels, and catcher vessels greater than or equal to 60 feet (18.3 meters (m)) length overall (LOA) using hook-and-line gear to catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 m) LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to allow the 2023 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod to be harvested.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is correcting the preamble of a proposed rule that was published in the Federal Register on August 8, 2023, to amend its regulations to incorporate by reference the 2021 Edition of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code and the 2022 Edition of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Operation and Maintenance of Nuclear Power Plants, Division 1: OM Code: Section IST, for nuclear power plants. This action is necessary to correct an editorial error to include reference to missing standards.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is correcting a final rule, Expansion of Nuclear Nonproliferation Controls on the People's Republic of China and Macau, that appeared in the Federal Register on August 14, 2023. That rule intended to amend the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by adding additional nuclear nonproliferation controls on China and Macau. There was an inadvertent error in one of the regulatory instructions for that rule; this final rule corrects that inadvertent error.

EPA issued a final rule in the Federal Register of July 19, 2023, finalizing several tolerance actions under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) that the Agency determined were necessary or appropriate during the registration review conducted under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). That document inadvertently instructed the Federal Register to designate a tolerance for ginseng as time-limited, with an expiration date, but used an incorrect footnote number and neglected to include the expiration date. Elsewhere, an instruction to redesignate a paragraph was not clearly stated. This technical correction to the final rule will address these errors.

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 from the supplier of a manufacturing quality escape in which some sensing elements were manufactured with insufficient salt fill. This could result in an inability to detect hot bleed air leaks. This AD requires, depending on airplane serial number, reviewing the airplane maintenance records for affected bleed leak detection system sensing elements, testing the sensing elements, replacing those that fail, and witness marking those that pass, as specified in a Transport Canada AD, which is incorporated by reference. This AD also prohibits the installation of affected parts under certain conditions. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) provides the opportunity to test the conversion of assistance of public housing properties and other HUD-assisted properties to long-term, project- based Section 8 rental assistance. This document announces the posting of a supplement to the most current notice (Revised RAD Notice Revision 4, H-2019-09/PIH-2019-23 (HA)). As provided by the RAD Statute, this document addresses the requirement that RAD may proceed after publication of notice of its terms in the Federal Register. This document summarizes the key changes made to the H-2019-09/PIH-2019-23 (HA) through the RAD Supplemental Notice 4B, H-2023-08/PIH-2023-19 (HA). This document also meets the RAD statutory requirement to publish waivers and alternative requirements at least 10 days before effect, while this does not prevent the demonstration, as modified, from proceeding immediately.

This rule amends, suspends, or removes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) and associated Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures for operations at certain airports. These regulatory actions are needed because of the adoption of new or revised criteria, or because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System, such as the commissioning of new navigational facilities, adding new obstacles, or changing air traffic requirements. These changes are designed to provide for the safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing Revision 1 to Regulatory Guide (RG) 4.26 ``Volcanic Hazards Assessment for Proposed Nuclear Power Reactor Sites,'' to restore text and a Section heading inadvertently omitted from Section C, ``Staff Regulatory Guidance,'' of Revision 0. The restored text appeared in the draft guide released for public comment. In addition, there is a minor update of the Paperwork Reduction Act text in the RG. The changes do not represent substantive changes in the NRC staff's regulatory positions.

The Federal Trade Commission (``FTC'' or ``Commission'') seeks public comment on proposed amendments to the Trade Regulation Rule Relating to Power Output Claims for Amplifiers Utilized in Home Entertainment Products (``Amplifier Rule'' or ``Rule''). The proposed amendments modify the previous proposal by updating a required test condition (total harmonic distortion), improving differentiation between power output disclosures that comply with the Rule's testing methods and those that do not, and modernizing as well as clarifying Rule language considering the foregoing modifications. Additionally, the proposed amendments now formalize prior Commission guidance on applying the Rule to multichannel amplifiers.