2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) PRGLAC Implementation Working Group of Council is charged with monitoring and reporting on implementation of the recommendations from the PRGLAC. This includes monitoring and reporting on implementation, updating regulations, and guidance, as applicable, regarding the inclusion of pregnant women and lactating women in clinical trials.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking public nominations of scientific and technical experts that EPA can consider for service as ad hoc reviewers assisting the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) with the peer review of the Agency's evaluation of the risks from formaldehyde being conducted to inform risk management decisions under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) programs. EPA expects to ask the SACC to consider and review the Office of Pollution, Prevention, and Toxics (OPPT) and the Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) joint hazard assessments for human and ecological health; and the OPPT exposure and risk characterizations. This SACC peer review is in addition to prior external peer reviews by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), the EPA's Human Studies Review Board (HSRB) and the SACC. The Agency is leveraging these peer reviews to support further development of the risk evaluation of formaldehyde. To facilitate nominations, this document provides information about the SACC, the intended topic for the planned peer review, the expertise sought for this peer review, instructions for submitting nominations to EPA, and the Agency's plan for selecting the ad hoc reviewers for this peer review.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in response to a request under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended, from the Bureau of Land Management, propose to authorize nonlethal incidental take by harassment of small numbers of Southern Beaufort Sea (SBS) polar bears (Ursus maritimus) for 1 year from the date of issuance. The applicant requested this authorization for take by harassment that may result from activities associated with oil well plugging and reclamation, soil sampling, snow trail, pad, and airstrip construction, and summer cleanup activities in the North Slope Borough of Alaska between the Wainwright and Oliktok Areas. This proposed authorization, if finalized, will be for up to 18 takes of polar bears by Level B harassment and up to 3 takes of polar bears by non-serious Level A harassment. No serious Level A or lethal take is requested, expected, or proposed to be authorized.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is publishing the names of persons and a vessel that have been placed on OFAC's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List) based on OFAC's determination that one or more applicable legal criteria were satisfied. All property and interests in property subject to U.S. jurisdiction of these persons and a vessel are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is seeking comments on whether to grant a waiver of its Buy America requirements to the Nevada Department of Transportation (NVDOT) for certain components that are not produced in the United States for use in a high-speed passenger train project between Las Vegas, NV and Rancho Cucamonga, CA (Project). FRA selected the Project for funding under the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program (FSP Program), and therefore, FRA's Buy America requirements apply to the Project. FRA's Buy America requirements include both FRA's statutory requirements, which require 100 percent of the manufactured products and steel and iron used in an FRA-funded project to be produced in the United States, and the Build America, Buy America Act (BABA), which requires that all construction materials used in the FRA-funded project be produced in the United States. FRA is not proposing to waive the applicable BABA requirements for construction materials used in the Project, and therefore this proposed waiver would not apply to the construction materials used in the Project. The proposed waiver would apply to the trainset, signal systems, high-speed rail turnout and fire alarm systems based on the domestic nonavailability of such components, as identified by NVDOT's railroad operating partner Brightline West and the two potential suppliers (Alstom and Siemens) of the rolling stock and signaling systems for the project. NVDOT and Brightline estimate that over 95 percent of the total direct dollar expenditures for the Project would be spent on domestically sourced products and labor, including 100 percent of the civil infrastructure costs.

This notice announces a meeting of the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB), Savannah River Site. The Federal Advisory Committee Act requires that public notice of this meeting be announced in the Federal Register.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, DoD, GSA, and NASA invite the public to comment on an extension concerning Implementation of Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act (FASCSA) Orders. DoD, GSA, and NASA invite comments on: whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of Federal Government acquisitions, including whether the information will have practical utility; the accuracy of the estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. OMB has approved this information collection for use through April 30, 2024. DoD, GSA, and NASA propose that OMB extend its approval for use for three additional years beyond the current expiration date.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that Jiangsu Senmao Bamboo and Wood Industry Co., Ltd. (Senmao) did not make sales of subject merchandise at less than normal value (NV), and that certain companies had no shipments of subject merchandise during the period of review (POR) December 1, 2021, through November 30, 2022. In addition, we are rescinding the review with respect to one company. We invite interested parties to comment on these preliminary results.

In compliance with the requirement of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of the Secretary (OS), Department of Health and Human Services, is publishing the following summary of a proposed collection for public comment.

Pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974 and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular No. A-108, notice is hereby given that the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), a component within the United States Department of Justice (DOJ or Department), proposes to modify a system of records notice titled Public Safety Officers' Benefits System, JUSTICE/OJP-012. The component proposes to revise Routine Uses B, G, and L.

Pursuant to section 135 of the Trade Act of 1974 and the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, notice is hereby given that the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary), in coordination with the United States Trade Representative (Trade Representative or USTR), is soliciting nominations for the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee (APAC) and the related Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees (ATACs) for Trade to provide detailed policy and technical advice, information, and recommendations regarding trade barriers, negotiation of trade agreements, and implementation of existing trade agreements affecting food and agricultural products, including the performance of other advisory functions relevant to U.S. agricultural trade policy matters. The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) continues to welcome nominations for persons to serve on APAC and ATACs. The APAC and ATACs charters were renewed on June 13, 2023, and the committees are in the public interest in connection with the duties of USDA imposed by the Trade Act of 1974, as amended.

NMFS is adjusting the 2024 total allowable catch (TAC) amounts for the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) pollock, Atka mackerel, and Pacific cod fisheries. This action is necessary because NMFS has determined these TACs are incorrectly specified, and will ensure the BSAI pollock, Atka mackerel, and Pacific cod TACs are the appropriate amounts based on the best scientific information available. This action is consistent with the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area.

The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for renewal of an existing information collection that is summarized below under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The Surface Transportation Board has adopted the first quarter 2024 Rail Cost Adjustment Factor and cost index filed by the Association of American Railroads.

Notice is hereby given that the Indian Health Service (IHS) has decided to view the seven Mid-Atlantic Tribes in the Commonwealth of Virginia collectively and to expand the geographic boundaries of their current Purchased/Referred Care Delivery Areas (PRCDAs). The seven Mid-Atlantic Tribes include the Pamunkey Indian Tribe, Chickahominy Indian Tribe, Chickahominy Indian TribeEastern Division, Upper Mattaponi Tribe, Rappahannock Tribe, Monacan Indian Nation, and Nansemond Indian Tribe.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) is announcing the availability of a final guidance for industry entitled ``Rare Diseases: Considerations for the Development of Drugs and Biological Products.'' This guidance is intended to assist sponsors of drugs and biological products for treatment of rare diseases in conducting efficient and successful drug development programs through a discussion of selected issues commonly encountered in rare disease drug development. This guidance finalizes the draft guidance entitled ``Rare Diseases: Common Issues in Drug Development'' issued on February 1, 2019.

This action proposes to amend Class D airspace and E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface for Tri-State/Milton J. Ferguson Field, Huntington, WV, and removes unnecessary verbiage from the descriptor header.

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 NCUA Board (Board) is amending its methodology for computing the annual operating fees it charges to federal credit unions (FCUs). First, for purposes of calculating the annual operating fee, the Board will increase the current asset exemption threshold from $1 million to $2 million. Second, the Board will adjust the asset exemption threshold annually in future years by the computed rate of aggregate asset growth at FCUs. Third, in response to comments from the public, as part of future reviews of the Operating Fee Schedule methodology the Board plans to analyze options to adjust the distribution of operating fee costs.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has notified the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that it has adopted regulations applicable to new 2026 and subsequent model year (MY) California on- road light- and medium-duty vehicles, hereinafter the Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) regulations. The ACC II regulations include two sets of requirements, one for conventional vehicles powered by internal combustion engines and one for zero-emission vehicles (with plug-in hybrid electric vehicles subject to both sets). By letter dated May 22, 2023, CARB submitted a request that EPA grant a waiver of preemption under section 209(b) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) for the ACC II regulations. This notice announces that EPA has scheduled a public hearing concerning California's request and that EPA is accepting written comment on the request.