2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

These special conditions are issued for the Airbus Model A321neo XLR airplane. This airplane will have a novel or unusual design feature when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the applicable airworthiness standards. This design feature is an electronic flight-control system (EFCS) associated with lateral- directional and longitudinal stability, and low-energy awareness. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing two revisions to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) portion of the Arizona State Implementation Plan (SIP). In this action, we are finalizing the approval of revisions submitted by the ADEQ governing the issuance of permits for stationary sources in accordance with changes that EPA has made to its New Source Review (NSR) program regulations under the Clean Air Act (CAA or "the Act"). We are also finalizing the determination that with these revisions, the ADEQ's NSR program satisfies the requirements for the preconstruction review and permitting of major sources and major modifications under part D of title I of the Act for areas designated nonattainment with the 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) with a Marginal classification, for areas and sources within the ADEQ's permitting jurisdiction.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the Agency) is requesting comments and information to assist in the potential development of regulations for the manufacture (including importing), processing (including recycling), and distribution in commerce of lead for wheel-balancing weights ("lead wheel weights") under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). To inform this consideration, EPA is requesting comment and information from all stakeholders on the use and exposure to lead from the manufacture (including importing), processing (including recycling), distribution in commerce, use, and disposal of lead wheel weights, as well as information on their substitutes, to help determine if there is unreasonable risk to human health and the environment associated with this use. This action is relevant to a petition for a writ of mandamus filed in August 2023, by the Ecology Center, Center for Environmental Health, United Parents Against Lead & Other Environmental Hazards, and Sierra Club in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit requesting the court to direct EPA to conduct a rulemaking regulating lead wheel weights under TSCA.

The Department of Energy ("DOE" or "the Department") is amending its procedures for providing public input on possible corrections of errors contained in the regulatory text of energy conservation standard final rules. In this final rule, DOE modifies certain aspects of these procedures to clarify and reflect the Department's intent regarding the error correction process that it previously created. The procedures as amended in this final rule do not in any way restrict, limit, diminish, or eliminate the Secretary's discretion to determine whether to establish or amend an energy conservation standard, or to determine the appropriate level at which to amend or establish any energy conservation standard.

This document sets forth final rules that amend the definition of short-term, limited-duration insurance, which is excluded from the definition of individual health insurance coverage under the Public Health Service Act. This document also sets forth final rules that amend the regulations regarding the requirements for hospital indemnity or other fixed indemnity insurance to be considered an excepted benefit in the group and individual health insurance markets.

This document gives notice of a granted amendment to prohibited transaction class exemption 84-14 (the QPAM Exemption). The QPAM Exemption provides relief from certain prohibited transaction restrictions of Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA) and Title II of ERISA, as codified in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code).

To comply with a court order, the Secretaries, through the Federal Subsistence Board (Board), initiated regulatory proceedings to identify those submerged lands within the Tongass National Forest that did not pass to the State of Alaska at statehood and, therefore, remain Federal public lands subject to Federal subsistence provisions. This rule adds to the list of submerged parcels in the Federal subsistence regulations that have been identified through agency review. The purpose of this rule is to complete regulatory proceedings addressing submerged public lands within the Tongass National Forest, as directed by the Court, and will result in increased subsistence harvest opportunities for rural Alaskans. This final rule will also make nonsubstantive changes to present the list of submerged parcels in a tabular format.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus SAS Model A320-214, A320-216, A320-251N, A320-271N, and A321-253NX airplanes. This AD was prompted by a quality review of the forward cargo door frame-to-fuselage skin panel assembly identified several fastener holes that deviated from the manufacturing requirements. This AD requires a geometrical check of the diameter of certain fastener holes for deviations, and if any deviation is found, repetitive special detailed inspections of the affected area for discrepancies and, depending on findings, accomplishment of applicable corrective actions, 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 adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 767 airplanes. This 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 AD requires repetitive inspections for cracking at the affected area, and applicable on-condition actions. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This document extends the comment period for the request for information entitled "SECURE 2.0 Section 319Effectiveness of Reporting and Disclosure Requirements" that was published in the January 23, 2024, issue of the Federal Register. The comment period for the request for information, which had been scheduled to close on April 22, 2024, is extended 30 days to May 22, 2024.

The Coast Guard will enforce a security zone for all navigable waters within 400 yards of the Left Descending Bank (LDB) of the Lower Mississippi River (LMR) Mile Marker (MM) 94.4 to MM 95.1, Above Head of Passes (AHP), New Orleans, LA. This security zone is necessary to provide security and protection for visiting personnel during the events related to the French Quarter Festival. No person or vessel may enter this security zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port New Orleans (COTP) or a designated representative.

On April 1, 2020, the Department of Justice ("the Department" or "DOJ") published an interim final rule ("IFR") with request for comments that amended its regulations relating to the organization of the Board of Immigration Appeals ("Board") by adding two Board member positions, thereby expanding the Board to 23 members. This final rule responds to comments received and adds five additional Board member positions, thereby expanding the Board to 28 members. The final rule also clarifies that temporary Board members serve renewable terms of up to six months and that temporary Board members are appointed by the Attorney General.

This final rule amends DHS regulations regarding two CBP trusted traveler programs: Global Entry and Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI). CBP is amending regulations to make the Global Entry and SENTRI application fees uniform, provide a uniform standard regarding payment of the Global Entry and SENTRI application fees for minors, change the fee payment schedule and certain aspects of the application process for SENTRI, and incorporate SENTRI-specific regulations into DHS regulations. CBP is also amending regulations to address Global Entry expansion to preclearance facilities and eliminate the dedicated commuter lane systems cost fee.

GSA is issuing a final rule amending the General Services Administration Acquisition Regulation (GSAR) to revise the formatting for a contact clause included in solicitations, contracts, and orders issued under GSA's 8(a) Partnership Agreement with the Small Business Administration.

This is the second part of a two-part final rule that simplifies the eligibility and enrollment processes for Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the Basic Health Program (BHP). This rule aligns enrollment and renewal requirements for most individuals in Medicaid; establishes beneficiary protections related to returned mail; creates timeliness requirements for redeterminations of eligibility; makes transitions between programs easier; eliminates access barriers for children enrolled in CHIP by prohibiting premium lock-out periods, benefit limitations, and waiting periods; and modernizes recordkeeping requirements to ensure proper documentation of eligibility determinations.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Embraer S.A. Model ERJ 170 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a manufacturing quality escape concerning some overheat detection system (ODS) sensing elements. This proposed AD would require inspecting the ODS sensing elements and performing applicable corrective actions, and would prohibit the installation of affected parts, as specified in an Ag[ecirc]ncia Nacional de Avia[ccedil][atilde]o Civil (ANAC) AD, which is proposed for incorporation by reference (IBR). The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposes to approve revisions to the Oregon State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted on March 27, 2023. The submitted changes are designed to strengthen the stationary source permitting rules by eliminating generic plant site emission limits in favor of source-specific and source-category specific limits, updating construction notification requirements, clarifying the use of modeling and monitoring for compliance assurance, and streamlining the application process.

This action proposes to amend Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface for Fayetteville Regional/ Grannis Field, Fayetteville, NC, by replacing the reference to decommissioned non-directional beacon (Pope NDB), removing reference to decommissioned Simmons Very High-Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR), and updating the airports' geographic coordinates and names. This action would not change the airspace boundaries or operating requirements.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Airbus Helicopters Model EC130B4 and EC130T2 helicopters. This proposed AD was prompted by the determination that fatigue cracks may develop at the root section of certain tail rotor blades (TRBs). This proposed AD would require repetitively fluorescent penetrant inspecting those TRBs and, depending on the results, accomplishing corrective action. This proposed AD would also prohibit installing certain TRBs unless certain actions are accomplished. These actions are specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is proposed for incorporation by reference. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This rule establishes, amends, suspends, or removes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPS) and associated Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure procedures (ODPs) 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 safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.

This final rule revises certain regulations governing airman certification. Specifically, the FAA Airman Certification Standards and Practical Test Standards comprise the testing standard for practical tests and proficiency checks for persons seeking or holding an airman certificate and/or rating. This rule incorporates these Airman Certification Standards and Practical Test Standards by reference into the certification requirements for pilots, flight instructors, flight engineers, aircraft dispatchers, and parachute riggers.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are revising the rule for the African elephant (Loxodonta africana) promulgated under section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA). The purposes are threefold: To increase protection for African elephants in light of the recent rise in international trade of live African elephants by establishing ESA enhancement permit requirements for international trade in live elephants and specific enhancement requirements for the import of wild-sourced elephants, as well as requirements to ensure that all proposed recipients of live African elephants are suitably equipped to house and care for them; to clarify the existing enhancement requirement during our evaluation of an application for a permit to import African elephant sport-hunted trophies; and to incorporate a Party's designation under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) National Legislation Project into the decision-making process for the import of live African elephants, African elephant sport-hunted trophies, and African elephant parts and products other than ivory and sport-hunted trophies. Amendments to the section 4(d) regulations in 2016 prohibited the import and export of African elephant ivory with limited exceptions. This final rule does not affect the regulations pertaining to African elephant ivory.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving the regional haze state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by Maryland on February 8, 2022, as satisfying applicable requirements under the Clean Air Act (CAA) and the EPA's Regional Haze Rule (RHR) for the program's second implementation period. Maryland's SIP submission addresses the requirement that states must periodically revise their long-term strategies for making reasonable progress towards the national goal of preventing any future, and remedying any existing, anthropogenic impairment of visibility, including regional haze, in mandatory Class I Federal areas. The SIP submission also addresses other applicable requirements for the second implementation period of the regional haze program.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are issuing a final rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to add the framework for a new FAR part on information security and supply chain security. The creation of this new FAR part does not implement any of the information security and supply chain security policies or procedures. The amendment simply establishes the new FAR part.