2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend its spent fuel storage regulations by revising the NAC International, Inc. MAGNASTOR[supreg] Storage System listing within the "List of approved spent fuel storage casks" to include Amendment No. 13 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1031. Amendment No. 13 would revise the certificate of compliance to add a new type of radioactive contents to be stored inside the MAGNASTOR[supreg] transportable storage canister, add a new design configuration for the canister to accommodate the fuel bearing material and new canister components, and use an alternate compressive strength for concrete cask number 6 of 6,000 psi.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are reopening the public comment period on our December 20, 2023, proposed rule to list the West Virginia spring salamander (Gyrinophilus subterraneus), an amphibian species from Greenbrier County, West Virginia, as an endangered species and to designate critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We are taking this action to allow all interested parties an additional opportunity to comment on the proposed listing of the species and the proposed critical habitat. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted and will be fully considered in our final determinations.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is classifying the heparin and direct oral factor Xa inhibitor drug test system 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 heparin and direct oral factor Xa inhibitor drug test system'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 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its spent fuel storage regulations by revising the Holtec International HI- STORM 100 Cask System listing within the "List of approved spent fuel storage casks" to include Renewed Amendment No. 18 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1014. Renewed Amendment No. 18 amends the certificate of compliance to incorporate the Holtec Report No. HI-2200343-A entitled, "Topical Report for Allowance of Heat Load Patterns in HI-STORM 100 and HI-STORM FW Systems."

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act ("CERCLA" or "the Act"), as amended, requires that the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan ("NCP") include a list of national priorities among the known releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants throughout the United States. The National Priorities List ("NPL") constitutes this list. The NPL is intended primarily to guide the Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA" or "the agency") in determining which sites warrant further investigation. These further investigations will allow the EPA to assess the nature and extent of public health and environmental risks associated with the site and to determine what CERCLA-financed remedial action(s), if any, may be appropriate. This rule proposes to add four sites to the General Superfund section of the NPL.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending the food additive regulations to update the organism Pichia pastoris which has been renamed as Komagataella pastoris. Additionally, the food additive regulation is being updated to include language to clarify that the yeast is non-viable in the market formulation. This action is being taken to improve the accuracy of the regulations.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Service is proposing to amend a regulation to establish timeframes for initial or monthly certification to VA of a Chapter 31 veteran's enrollment at a facility, which would include information regarding the veteran's rate of pursuit, dates of attendance, and the number of credit or training hours, and for reporting to VA when changes are made. This would allow for the timely processing of monthly subsistence allowance payments to participating veterans who depend on these funds. It would also help prevent undue hardship for veterans resulting from underpayments or overpayments caused by the delay in reporting changes in rate of pursuit, dates of attendance, or the number of credit or training hours.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a revision to the Feather River Air Quality Management District (FRAQMD or "District") portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). This revision concerns recodification of certain rules to replace historical Sutter County Air Pollution Control District and Yuba County Air Pollution Control District rules with the corresponding FRAQMD rules. These rules regulate pollutants under the Clean Air Act (CAA or "Act"). We are taking comments on this proposal and plan to follow with a final action.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is classifying the radiofrequency toothbrush 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 radiofrequency toothbrush'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 Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for certain waters of the Chesapeake Bay adjacent to the William P. Lane Bridge, Annapolis MD. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on the navigable waters during a paddleboat race on September 15, 2024. This action will prohibit persons and vessels from entering the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, Maryland-National Capital Region or a designated representative.

This action proposes to establish Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Dubois Airport, Dubois, WY, in support of the airport's transition from visual flight rules (VFR) to instrument flight rules (IFR) operations.

The Coast Guard will enforce a special local regulation for the Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix race from September 13 through 15, 2024, to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during this event. Our regulation for marine events within the Captain of the Port St. Petersburg identifies the regulated area for this event in Gulf of Mexico, in the vicinity of Lido Beach, FL. During the enforcement period, no person or vessel may enter, transit through, anchor in, or remain within the designated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port St. Petersburg or a designated representative.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving the demonstration portions of the comprehensive State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by New Jersey that certify that the State has satisfied the requirements for an emission statement program, certify that the State has satisfied the requirements for an ozone nonattainment new source review program, certify that the State has satisfied the requirements for a nonattainment emission inventory, and certify that the State has satisfied the requirements for clean fuels for fleets. The EPA is approving New Jersey's reasonable further progress plans and associated motor vehicle emission budgets for both the Moderate and Serious classifications of the 2008 ozone NAAQS. These actions are being taken in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act.

DoD is proposing revisions to its regulations on Other Transaction (OT) agreements for prototype projects to implement changes in statutory authority enacted by Congress since the last update in 2004. The Department is proposing changes in: the authority to provide for follow-on production OTs and contracts; special circumstances for award of OTs to small businesses, nontraditional defense contractors, nonprofit research institutions, and consortia; approval requirements for large dollar OTs; the authority to supply prototypes and production items to another contractor as Government furnished items; and applying procurement ethics requirements to covered OT agreements.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is correcting a final rule published in the Federal Register on May 14, 2024. The final rule amended requirements that apply to the petroleum and natural gas systems source category of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule to ensure that reporting is based on empirical data, accurately reflects total methane emissions and waste emissions from applicable facilities and allows owners and operators of applicable facilities to submit empirical emissions data that appropriately demonstrate the extent to which a charge is owed under the Waste Emissions Charge. This document corrects inadvertent errors introduced in preparing the amendatory regulatory text for the final rule or in preparing the signed final rule for publication. These corrections do not result in any substantive changes to the final rule.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving in part and disapproving in part State implementation plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the State of Arizona pursuant to the Clean Air Act (CAA) for the implementation, maintenance, and enforcement of the 2015 ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS or "standard"). In addition to our partial approval and partial disapproval of Arizona's SIP revision, the EPA is approving rules in the Arizona Revised Statutes and Pima County Code related to public availability of emissions reports into the Arizona SIP and reclassifying regions in Arizona with respect to emergency episode plans for ozone. Additionally, this final action includes an error correction to amend regulatory text related to the nonattainment designation of the Phoenix-Mesa, Arizona area for the 2015 ozone NAAQS.

NMFS is opening directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters) length overall (LOA) using hook-and-line or pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (BSAI). This action is necessary to fully use the 2024 total allowable catch of Pacific cod allocated to catcher vessels less than 60 feet (18.3 meters) LOA using hook-and-line or pot gear in the BSAI.

The Department of the Interior (the Department or DOI), acting through the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), is finalizing regulatory amendments to require lessees and operators to submit an archaeological report with any oil and gas exploration or development plan they submit to BOEM for approval of proposed activities on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The previous regulations required an archaeological report only if the plan covered an area that a BOEM Regional Director had "reason to believe" may have contained an archaeological resource. This final rule will increase the protection of archaeological resources in compliance with section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) by acknowledging that there is a greater likelihood that such resources exist, thereby increasing the likelihood that these resources will be located and identified before they can be inadvertently damaged by an OCS operator. This rule defines the minimum level of survey information necessary to support the conclusions in the archaeological report, the procedures for reporting possible archaeological resources and continuing operations when a possible resource is present, and what to do if an unanticipated archaeological resource is discovered during operations.

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (hereafter, "Access Board" or "Board"), is issuing this notice of proposed rulemaking to amend the accessibility guidelines for buildings and facilities covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 (ABA) to specifically address the accessibility of Electric Vehicle Charging stations. This proposed rule provides specifications for the accessibility of EV charging stations, to include the EV charger (including physical and communication access), EV charging space, access aisles, and accessible routes.

Pursuant to the Federal Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to determine that the sulfur dioxide (SO2) nonattainment area (NAA) in Freestone and Anderson Counties and the SO2 NAA in Titus County have each attained the 2010 1-hour primary SO2 national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) by the applicable attainment date of January 12, 2022. This determination is based on primary source shutdowns, available ambient air quality monitoring data from the 2019-2021 monitoring period, relevant modeling analysis, and additional emissions inventory information. This action, if finalized, will address the EPA's obligation under CAA section 179(c) to determine whether the Freestone-Anderson and Titus SO2 NAAs attained the 2010 1-hour primary SO2 NAAQS by the statutory attainment date of January 12, 2022, for each area.

This action proposes to modify the Class D airspace, Class E airspace area designated as a surface area (Class E2 surface area), and Class E airspace area extending upward from 700 feet or more above the surface of the earth (Class E5 airspace area) at Camp Guernsey Airport, Guernsey, WY. This action would more appropriately contain instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at the airport. Additionally, the airport's legal descriptions should be amended to match the FAA's database.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA, Agency, or we) is classifying the intervertebral body graft containment 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 intervertebral body graft containment 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 Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is classifying the external compression device for internal jugular vein compression 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 external compression device for internal jugular vein compression'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 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving the removal of the New Jersey Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) nitrogen oxides (NOX) Trading Program regulations from the New Jersey State Implementation Plan (SIP) and is conditionally approving the removal of the New Jersey NOX Budget Program regulations from the New Jersey SIP. On August 23, 2018, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) submitted a SIP revision requesting the removal of the State's CAIR NOX Trading Program and NOX Budget Program regulations from the New Jersey SIP. NJDEP submitted a supplement to the revision on May 31, 2024, that commits NJDEP to develop a Memorandum of Agreement with the EPA that indicates how the State of New Jersey will maintain compliance with the State's NOX SIP Call obligations for the types of large non- electricity generating units (non-EGUs) that were previously regulated under the New Jersey NOX Budget Program.