2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action amends the Class E airspace at Devils Lake, ND. This action is the result of an airspace review caused by the decommissioning of the Devils Lake very high frequency omnidirectional range (VOR) as part of the VOR Minimum Operating Network (MON) Program. The geographic coordinates of the airport are also being updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), proposes to amend its foreign quarantine regulation to provide additional clarity and safeguards to address the public health risk of dog-maintained rabies virus variant (DMRVV) associated with the importation of dogs into the United States. The United States has been DMRVV-free since 2007, and reintroduction poses significant risk to human and animal health. The close relationship between dogs and people means there is a direct public health risk to individuals that interact with inadequately vaccinated dogs imported from countries at high risk of DMRVV (high- risk countries). The notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) also addresses the importation of cats because both dogs and cats are included in the current regulation. Cats are not required to have proof of rabies vaccination and CDC is not proposing new substantive changes relating to the importation of cats.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving, under the Clean Air Act (CAA), a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) on September 7, 2022. Ohio EPA requests that EPA approve revised volatile organic compounds (VOCs) control rules under Chapter 3745-112 of the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) into Ohio's SIP. The revised rules will reduce emissions that contribute to ozone formation and assist with efforts to achieve and maintain the 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). EPA finds that these rules are approvable because they are SIP strengthening measures. EPA proposed to approve this action on February 27, 2023, and received no adverse comments.

This action amends the Class E airspace at Sonora, TX. This action is the result of an airspace review caused by the decommissioning of the Sonora non-directional beacon (NDB).

This regulation establishes tolerances for residues of benzpyrimoxan in or on rice, husked; rice, polished rice; and rice, bran. Nichino America, Inc. requested these tolerances under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).

The Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) is implementing this interim final rule with comment period (interim final rule) to enable parties to proceedings before the FLRA's three-Member, decisional component (the Authority) to voluntarily requestin individual cases filed through the FLRA's electronic-filing (eFiling) systemthat the Authority use electronic mail (email) to serve the requesting parties any decisions, orders, and notices (Authority documents) issued in those individual cases. The Authority welcomes comments on this interim final rule.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the State of New Hampshire. These revisions provide certifications that the State has adopted regulations meeting the requirements for reasonably available control technology (RACT) for the 2008 and 2015 ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). We are also proposing approval of amendments to a related regulation that New Hampshire revised as part of its RACT certifications for these two NAAQS, a revision to the State's definition of emergency generator, and removal from the SIP of two previously issued RACT orders. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act.

This action proposes to revoke Colored Federal airway Green 4 (G-4) in the vicinity of Dillingham, AK due to the pending decommissioning of the Wood River (BTS) Non-directional Beacon (NDB).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to publish its approval of delegation of authority to the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NH DES) for implementing and enforcing the Federal Plan Requirements for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills That Commenced Construction On or Before July 17, 2014 and Have Not Been Modified or Reconstructed Since July 17, 2014 under the Clean Air Act (CAA). On February 6, 2023, the NHDES Commissioner signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) concerning the delegation of authority of the Federal Plan for existing municipal solid waste landfills to NHDES by EPA. Subsequently, the MoA became effective upon signature of the EPA Region 1 Deputy Regional Administrator on June 27, 2023. This notice informs the public of the MoA, provides a copy of the signed document, and proposes amending regulatory text to acknowledge the delegation of authority.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 747-8 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report of stress corrosion cracking in certain stringers and end stringer splice assemblies. This AD requires repetitive inspections of the stringers and end stringer splice assemblies for any crack, shim, or gap, and applicable on-condition actions. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

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.

NMFS proposes regulatory changes to revise the monitoring requirements for pot gear catcher/processors (CPs) participating in Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands (BSAI) groundfish fisheries. This action is needed to address management challenges created by observer data collection errors that have impacted catch estimates. This action would improve observer data collection by requiring participants to carry a Level 2 observer and comply with pre-cruise meeting notifications, and by requiring certification and testing standards for participants choosing any of the following voluntary monitoring options: providing observer sampling stations, installing motion-compensated platform and flow scales, and carrying additional observers on the vessel. Additionally, this action would change the location of existing monitoring regulations for longline CPs and halibut deck sorting by moving them under a single, new subpart within the regulations. This action promotes the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Groundfish of the BSAI Management Area, and other applicable laws.

This NPRM proposes to adopt a new Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) to require automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems on heavy vehicles, i.e., vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating greater than 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds). This notice also proposes to amend FMVSS No. 136 to require nearly all heavy vehicles to have an electronic stability control system that meets the equipment requirements, general system operational capability requirements, and malfunction detection requirements of FMVSS No. 136. An AEB system uses multiple sensor technologies and sub-systems that work together to sense when the vehicle is in a crash imminent situation and automatically applies the vehicle brakes if the driver has not done so or automatically applies more braking force to supplement the driver's applied braking. This NPRM follows NHTSA's 2015 grant of a petition for rulemaking from the Truck Safety Coalition, the Center for Auto Safety, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety and Road Safe America, requesting that NHTSA establish a safety standard to require AEB on certain heavy vehicles. This NPRM also responds to a mandate under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, as enacted as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, directing the Department to prescribe an FMVSS that requires heavy commercial vehicles with FMVSS-required electronic stability control systems to be equipped with an AEB system, and also promotes DOT's January 2022 National Roadway Safety Strategy to initiate a rulemaking to require AEB on heavy trucks. This NPRM also proposes Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations requiring the electronic stability control and AEB systems to be on during vehicle operation.

We announce our intention to establish a negotiated rulemaking committee to prepare proposed regulations for the Federal Student Aid programs authorized under title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA). The committee will include representatives of organizations or groups with interests that are significantly affected by the subject matter of the proposed regulations. We also announce one public hearing at which interested parties may comment on the topic suggested by the Department and may suggest additional topics that we should consider for action by the negotiating committee. In addition, we announce that the Department will accept written comments on the topics suggested by the Department and suggestions for additional topics that we should consider for action by the negotiating committee.

On November 1, 2022, the Department of Education (Department) published in the Federal Register final regulations relating to loans under the Federal Perkins Loan (Perkins) Program, the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program and the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program. This document corrects technical errors in the regulations and preamble. This document does not contain any substantive changes to the regulations.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is amending its regulatory description of the agency's seal. Since the seal's inception, the agency has utilized various versions of the seal. For consistency, the agency proposes updating the regulation and codifying current agency practice. This proposed change will provide a revised graphical representation of the seal. Additionally, the NTSB is including non-substantive technical amendments throughout part 803 due to recent internal organizational changes and a typographical error reflected in the agency's mailing address.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) establishes the approximately 7,605-acre ``Long Valley-Lake County'' viticultural area in Lake County, California. Additionally, TTB is expanding the boundary of the established 14,000-acre High Valley viticultural area by approximately 1,542 acres in order to create a contiguous border with the Long Valley-Lake County viticultural area. Finally, TTB is modifying the boundary of the North Coast viticultural area to eliminate a partial overlap with the Long Valley-Lake County viticultural area. TTB designates viticultural areas to allow vintners to better describe the origin of their wines and to allow consumers to better identify wines they may purchase.

This action amends the Daytona Beach, FL Class C airspace description to update the airport name, and the geographic coordinates of the airport reference point (ARP) to match the FAA's National Airspace System Resources (NASR) database information. Additionally, this action amends the airspace description by updating the header format. This action does not change the boundaries, altitudes, or operating requirements of the Class C airspace area.

On May 31, 2023, FRA published an NPRM proposing to require railroads to develop written programs for certifying individuals who work as dispatchers on their networks and to submit those written certification programs to FRA for approval prior to implementation. By this notice, FRA is extending the NPRM's comment period by 30 days.

The United States Copyright Office is extending the deadline for written petitions for new exemptions in connection with the ninth triennial rulemaking proceeding under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act from the original deadline identified in the Office's June 8, 2023 notice.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve, under the Clean Air Act (CAA), the limited maintenance plans (LMP) submitted on September 8, 2021, by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) for the Canton-Massillon (Stark County), Cleveland-Akron-Lorain (Cuyahoga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, and Summit Counties) and Steubenville-Weirton (Ohio-West Virginia, Jefferson County) maintenance areas. The plans address the second 10- year maintenance periods for particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to a nominal 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5). EPA is proposing to approve Ohio's LMP submissions for Canton-Massillon, Cleveland-Akron-Lorain, and Steubenville-Weirton because they provide for the maintenance of the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) through the end of the second 10-year portion of the maintenance periods. In addition, EPA is initiating the process to find the Canton-Massillon, Cleveland-Akron-Lorain, and Steubenville-Weirton PM2.5 LMPs adequate for transportation conformity purposes.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is amending its delegations and designations rule to make nonsubstantive changes to correct citations and titles throughout and clarify regulatory text in specific sections.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), as authorized under the Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020, proposes regulations to establish the Veteran and Spouse Transitional Assistance Grant Program (VSTAGP). VA would establish grant application procedures and evaluative criteria for determining whether to issue funding to eligible organizations providing transition services to former members of the Armed Forces who were separated, retired, or discharged, as well as their spouses.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus SAS A300 B4-600, B4-600R, and F4-600R series airplanes, and Model A300 C4-605R Variant F airplanes (collectively called Model A300- 600 series airplanes). This AD was prompted by a determination that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. This AD requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, 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 is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2020-07- 13, which applied to certain Bombardier, Inc., Model BD-100-1A10 airplanes. AD 2020-07-13 required revising the existing airplane flight manual (AFM) to provide the flightcrew with new warnings for ``Autoflight'' and ``Engine Failure in Climb During ALTS CAP.'' This AD requires revising the existing AFM to provide the flightcrew with new warnings for ``Autoflight'' and ``Engine Failure in Climb During (V) ALTS CAP or (V) ALTV CAP.'' This AD was prompted by a revision to the procedures to ensure that all applicable altitude capture modes utilized and annunciated in the affected fleet are included and to more clearly denote these altitude capture modes. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.