2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA or Agency) advises the public that it has revised its size standards methodology white paper, entitled "SBA's Size Standards Methodology (June 2024)" (the Revised Methodology or Methodology), explaining how it establishes, reviews, or revises small business size standards. SBA will apply the Revised Methodology to the forthcoming third five-year review of size standards required by the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010. On December 11, 2023, SBA published a notification seeking comments on proposed revisions to its Methodology. This notification describes major changes to the Methodology and their impacts on size standards, followed by a discussion of the comments SBA received on the proposed revisions to the Methodology and Agency's responses.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making two corrections to the final action that appeared in the Federal Register on May 16, 2024. The first correction allows the Office of Federal Register editors to codify and add paragraphs inadvertently removed from that final action in a recent correction published in the Federal Register on July 5, 2024. This correction does not alter or change the content or text of any regulatory provision in that final action. The second correction moves the placement of 3 explanatory notes in the regulatory text; this correction does not change the content of the explanatory notes.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a portion of a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) on behalf of Shelby County Health Department (SCHD) Pollution Control Section on March 2, 2022, in response to a finding of substantial inadequacy and SIP call published on June 12, 2015, regarding provisions in the Shelby County portion of the Tennessee SIP related to excess emissions during startup, shutdown, and malfunction (SSM) events. The revision contains amended air codes of Shelby County and the following municipalities within Shelby County: Town of Arlington, City of Bartlett, Town of Collierville, City of Germantown, City of Lakeland, City of Memphis, and Town of Millington (referred to hereinafter as the "included municipalities"). The SIP revision also contains other changes to the affected Chapter that are unrelated to the SIP call but of which Shelby County and the included municipalities are also requesting incorporation into the Shelby County portion of the Tennessee SIP. EPA is proposing to approve the portions of the SIP revision that correct certain deficiencies identified in the June 12, 2015, SSM SIP call and that are in accordance with the requirements for SIP provisions under the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act).

The Coast Guard will enforce a safety zone for the Mexican Independence Day fireworks display on the Delaware River on September 15, 2024, to provide for the safety of life on navigable waterways during this event. Our regulation for marine events within the Fifth Coast Guard District identifies the regulated area for this event in Philadelphia, PA. During the enforcement periods, the operator of any vessel in the regulated area must comply with directions from the Patrol Commander or any Official Patrol displaying a Coast Guard ensign.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for all navigable waters of the Kentucky River extending from mile marker (MM) 65.5 to MM 66 near Frankfort, KY. This safety zone is needed to protect life, vessels, and the marine environment due to stability concerns of the Broadway Bridge near MM 65.5. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Ohio Valley (COTP) or a designated representative.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA, Agency, or we) is classifying the whole exome sequencing constituent device into class II (special controls). The special controls that apply to the device type are identified in this order and will be part of the codified language for the whole exome sequencing constituent device's classification. We are taking this action because we have determined that classifying the device into class II (special controls) will provide a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness of the device. We believe this action will also enhance patients' access to beneficial innovative devices.

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2023-05-02, which applies to certain Airbus SAS Model A318, A319, A320 and A321 series airplanes. AD 2023-05-02 requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations. Since the FAA issued AD 2023-05-02, the FAA has determined that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. This proposed AD would require 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 proposed for incorporation by reference (IBR). The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The Environmental Protection Agency is withdrawing the direct final action, North Carolina: Final Authorization of State Hazardous Waste Management Program Revisions, published on July 15, 2024, which authorized revisions to North Carolina's hazardous waste program under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), as amended. Because the EPA received comments opposing the action, the EPA is withdrawing the direct final action. The EPA will address these comments and make a final authorization decision, in a subsequent final action, based on the proposed rule, also published on July 15, 2024.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to update a portion of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) air regulations. Requirements applying to OCS sources located within 25 miles of states' seaward boundaries must be updated periodically to remain consistent with the requirements of the corresponding onshore area (COA). The portion of the OCS air regulations that is being updated pertains to the requirements for OCS sources for which the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the designated COA. The intended effect of this proposed rule is to amend existing regulations incorporated by reference into the Massachusetts section of EPA's OCS air regulations.

This interim final rule updates existing regulations governing the WTC Health Program, which provides medical monitoring and treatment to eligible firefighters and related personnel, law enforcement officers, and rescue, recovery, and cleanup workers who responded to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City, at the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and to eligible survivors of the New York City attacks. This rulemaking expands existing eligibility criteria for enrollment of new Pentagon and Shanksville responders, caps those new members at 500, and makes various conforming amendments to the WTC Health Program regulations to align with statutory changes.

This proposed rule would amend the Bureau of Industry and Security's (BIS) Industrial Base SurveysData Collections regulations by establishing reporting requirements for the development of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) models and computing clusters under the Executive order of October 30, 2023, "Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence."

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2016-20-12, AD 2018-17-21, and AD 2019-14-04, which apply to certain Airbus SAS Model A318, A319, A320, and A321 series airplanes. AD 2019- 14-04 requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations and terminates the provisions of AD 2018-17-21, which in turn terminates the provisions of AD 2016-20-12. Since the FAA issued AD 2019-14-04, the FAA has determined that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. This proposed AD would require 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 proposed for incorporation by reference (IBR). The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This final rule revises the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board's (DNFSB or Board) Freedom of Information Act (FOIA or Act) fee schedule and makes conforming amendments to two related provisions of its FOIA regulations.

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2023-22- 13, which applied to certain Dassault Aviation Model FALCON 7X airplanes. AD 2023-22-13 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 certain actions in AD 2023- 22-13 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 (IBR). The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

On April 1, 2024, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published a final rule in the Federal Register to incorporate certain Airman Certification Standards and Practical Test Standards by reference into the certification requirements for pilots, flight instructors, flight engineers, aircraft dispatchers, and parachute riggers. That final rule incorrectly set forth certain regulatory text that includes duplicative requirements. This correction remedies the error. This correction does not make any substantive revisions to the regulations.

This action amends the Class E airspace at Beloit, KS. This action is the result of an airspace review conducted due to the decommissioning of the Mankato 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. This action brings the airspace into compliance with FAA orders to support instrument flight rule (IFR) operations.

The Department of Energy (DOE, the Department) is proposing to revise its regulations to exempt certain records maintained under a newly established system of recordsDOE-85, Research, Technology, and Economic Security Due Diligence Review Recordsfrom the notification and access provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974. The Department proposes to exempt portions of this system of records from these subsections of the Privacy Act because of requirements related to classified information.

The EPA is finalizing requirements for sources that reclassify from major source status to area source status under the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) program. The requirements of this final rule apply to all sources that choose to reclassify after September 10, 2024. The final amendments include a requirement that sources subject to certain major source NESHAP used to meet the Agency's obligations under the Clean Air Act (CAA) for seven specific persistent and bioaccumulative pollutants must remain subject to those NESHAP even if the sources reclassify to area source status. This requirement is based on the EPA's analysis of the statute and of comments received on the EPA's 2023 proposal to amend requirements for NESHAP-regulated sources that choose to reclassify from major to area source status. These final amendments will assure that sources accounting for not less than 90 per centum of the aggregate emissions of each persistent and bioaccumulative hazardous air pollutant (HAP) listed in CAA remain subject to standards promulgated under the CAA, as the Act requires, and will thereby ensure continued health protections from NESHAP that regulate those HAP. Additionally, we are finalizing clarifications to notification requirements and updating language regarding submittal of confidential business information.

FSIS is announcing the availability of an updated version of its guideline on documentation needed to support animal-raising or environment-related claims on meat or poultry product labeling. Official establishments submit this documentation to the Agency when they apply for approval of labels with animal-raising or environment- related claims. The updated guideline includes changes made in response to updated scientific information, FSIS sampling data, askFSIS questions, public comments, petitions, and other meetings with Agency stakeholders.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone for the navigable waters of the Sector Delaware Bay Captain of the Port (COTP) Zone to be enforced in the event of hurricanes, tropical storms, and other storms with high winds. This action is necessary to ensure the safety of the waters of the Sector Delaware Bay COTP Zone. It would establish actions to be completed by industry and vessels within the COTP Zone before and after hurricanes, tropical storms, and other storms with high winds threatening the States of Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania make landfall.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 767-300 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by report that some Model 767-300 series airplanes that had been converted into a freighter configuration are missing an electrical bracket for a wire bundle in the main equipment center. This AD requires installing an electrical support bracket and re-installing wire bundles. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This document amends the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations to reflect the imposition of emergency import restrictions on categories of archaeological and ethnological material of Ukraine, pursuant to a determination made by the United States Department of State under the terms of the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act. The emergency import restrictions will be in effect until March 5, 2029, unless extended. This document contains the Designated List of Archaeological and Ethnological Material of Ukraine that describes the types of objects or categories of archaeological and ethnological material to which the import restrictions apply.

This regulation establishes new tolerances for residues of saflufenacil in or on Mint, dried leaves and Mint, fresh leaves and crop group expansions for Fruit, citrus, group 10-10; Fruit, pome, group 11-10; Fruit, stone, group 12-12; and Nut, tree, group 14-12. The Interregional Project Number 4 (IR-4) requested these tolerances under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is classifying the endoscopic pancreatic debridement device into class II (special controls). The special controls that apply to the device type are identified in this order and will be part of the codified language for the endoscopic pancreatic debridement device's classification. We are taking this action because we have determined that classifying the device into class II (special controls) will provide a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness of the device. We believe this action will also enhance patients' access to beneficial innovative devices.