2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is proposing to disestablish the existing security zone for Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant, Plymouth, Massachusetts. Since the implementation of the regulation, the facility has permanently ceased power operations making the provisions of the security zone no longer applicable. The waterfront facility's security zone will be removed from all charts, publications, and other navigational references. All related private aids to navigational marking the boundaries of the security zone will also be removed. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) establishes the approximately 97,733-acre "San Luis Rey" American viticultural area (AVA) in San Diego County, California. The San Luis Rey viticultural area lies entirely within the established South Coast 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.

Under the Clean Air Act (CAA or "Act"), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to approve a revision to the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). This revision addresses the CAA requirements for motor vehicle inspection and maintenance (I/M) programs (also referred to as "Smog Check" programs) for the 2015 8- hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards ("2015 ozone NAAQS").

The Corporation for National and Community Service (operating as AmeriCorps) is revising its regulations governing AmeriCorps Seniors programs. This rule removes barriers to service for individuals and increases flexibility for grantees to accomplish project goals and recruit volunteers. Specifically, this rule removes barriers for individuals to serve as AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers in three ways: first, by modernizing what is considered income in the calculation that determines eligibility to receive a stipend; second, by allowing volunteers to continue to receive a stipend when their sponsor places them on administrative leave due to extenuating circumstances that prevent service; and third, by allowing grantees to supplement stipends. This rule reduces burden for AmeriCorps Seniors grantees in two ways: first, it establishes a single 10 percent match value regardless of grant year. Second, this rule allows grantees to choose to pay more than (but not less than) the AmeriCorps-established stipend rates, using non-AmeriCorps funds for the amount that exceeds the AmeriCorps-established rate. These changes will improve grantees' ability to recruit volunteers and allow grantees to devote to program operations resources that would otherwise be devoted to meet increasingly high match requirements. The rule also updates nomenclature to reflect that the Corporation for National and Community Service operates as AmeriCorps and that "Senior Corps" is now known as "AmeriCorps Seniors."

This action amends United States Area Navigation (RNAV) Routes T-328 by changing the name of the DAINA, WA, waypoint (WP) to the ZAGGS, WA, WP. The FAA is taking this action due to a similarly pronounced fix (DIANN) being located within five miles of the DAINA, WP. This action is an administrative change and does not affect the airspace boundaries or operating requirements.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its regulations to incorporate by reference the 2021 Edition of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code and the 2022 Edition of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Operation and Maintenance of Nuclear Power Plants, Division 1, OM Code: Section IST, for nuclear power plants. This action is in accordance with the NRC's policy to periodically update the regulations to incorporate by reference new editions of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Codes and is intended to maintain the safety of nuclear power plants and to make NRC activities more effective and efficient. This amendment also incorporates editorial changes that do not change the technical information.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve the Ohio regional haze state implementation plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio or Ohio EPA) on July 30, 2021, which Ohio EPA supplemented on August 6, 2024, as satisfying applicable requirements under the Clean Air Act (CAA) and EPA's Regional Haze Rule for the program's second implementation period. EPA proposes to find that Ohio'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, and also addresses other applicable requirements for the second implementation period of the regional haze program. EPA is taking this action pursuant to sections 110 and 169A of the CAA.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Schempp-Hirth Flugzeugbau GmbH Model Duo Discus and Duo Discus T gliders. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of gliders' canopies opening during air tow. This proposed AD would require modifying the canopy locking mechanism. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The Coast Guard is establishing a special local regulation for certain waters of the Detroit River, Grosse Ile, MI. This action is necessary to protect safety of life on navigable waters immediately prior to, during, and after the Find Your Way Home Swim. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Detroit or a designated representative.

This rule prescribes the seasons, hours, areas, and daily bag and possession limits for hunting migratory birds. Taking of migratory birds is prohibited unless specifically provided for by annual regulations. This rule permits the taking of designated species during the 2024-25 season.

The Department of the Interior (the Department or DOI), acting through the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), is amending its regulations related to service fees. This final rule adjusts for inflation the service fees due to BOEM for processing documents related to oil and gas activities on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

The Department of the Interior (DOI or Department), through the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), is adding requirements for new or unusual technology, including equipment used in high pressure high temperature (HPHT) environments; revising and reorganizing the information submission requirements for a project's Conceptual Plans and Deepwater Operations Plan (DWOP); and requiring independent third parties to review certain information prior to submission to BSEE. This final rule will improve operational and environmental safety and human health, while providing consistency and clarity to industry regarding the equipment and operational requirements as well as the submissions that are necessary so that BSEE can review and consider for approval proposed projects that would use new or unusual technology.

The Food and Drug Administration is issuing a final rule to make conforming changes as required by the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (Appropriations Act), which established a new Federal minimum age of sale for tobacco products. These conforming changes include increasing the minimum age of sale for cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and covered tobacco products from 18 to 21 years of age; increasing the minimum age for age verification by means of photographic identification for cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and covered tobacco products from under the age of 27 to under the age of 30; increasing the minimum age of individuals who may be present or permitted to enter facilities that maintain vending machines to sell cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, or covered tobacco products from 18 to 21 years of age; and increasing the minimum age of individuals who may be present or permitted to enter facilities that maintain self-service displays that sell cigarettes or smokeless tobacco from 18 to 21 years of age.

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.

The U.S. Copyright Office is issuing a final rule adjusting certain due dates set in an earlier rule regarding how the Copyright Act's derivative works exception to termination rights applies to the statutory mechanical blanket license established by the Music Modernization Act.

This regulation revokes the tolerance exemption for residues of the antimicrobial pesticide ingredient phenol when used as an inert ingredient (solvent/cosolvent) in pesticide formulations applied to growing crops. This rulemaking is established on the Agency's own initiative under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) to implement a tolerance action the Agency determined was appropriate during the registration review conducted under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) for phenol.

NMFS is prohibiting retention of blackspotted and rougheye rockfish in the Central Aleutian and Western Aleutian districts (CAI/ WAI) of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary because the 2024 blackspotted and rougheye rockfish total allowable catch (TAC) in the CAI/WAI of the BSAI has been reached.

This regulation removes the duplicative exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of lactic acid and l-lactic acid, herein referred to as l-lactic acid, when applied/used in dairy processing equipment and food processing equipment and utensils. In addition, the Agency is amending an existing exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for lactic acid to also include l-lactic acid. The Agency is also establishing exemptions from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of l-lactic acid when used as a fruit and vegetable wash in or on all raw agricultural commodities, and for indirect or inadvertent residues of l-lactic acid in or on all livestock commodities, when residues are present therein as a result of animal drinking water coming into contact with hard non-porous surfaces treated with l-lactic acid (i.e., troughs). These tolerance exemptions are established on the Agency's own initiative under the Federal, Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), in order to implement the tolerance actions EPA identified during its review of this chemical as part of the Agency's registration review program under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).

The Federal Trade Commission ("Commission") is amending its Telemarketing Sales Rule ("TSR") by updating the fees charged to entities accessing the National Do Not Call Registry ("Registry") as required by the Do-Not-Call Registry Fee Extension Act of 2007.

Rhode Island has applied to EPA for final authorization of revisions to its hazardous waste program under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), as amended. EPA proposes to grant final authorization to Rhode Island for these revisions by a final action, which can be found in the "Rules and Regulations" section of this Federal Register. We have explained the reasons for this authorization in the preamble to the final action. The action also corrects errors made in the State authorization citations published in the March 12, 1990, March 5, 1992, October 2, 1992, and August 9, 2002 Federal Register. Unless EPA receives written comments that oppose this authorization during the comment period, the final action will become effective on the date it establishes and EPA will not take further action on this proposal.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are proposing to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement a section of the Construction Consensus Improvement Act of 2021 that prohibits the use of reverse auctions for certain construction services.

This proposed rule would establish the 2025-26 harvest specifications for groundfish caught in the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) seaward of Washington, Oregon, and California, consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act or MSA) and the Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan (PCGFMP). This proposed rule would also revise management measures intended to keep the total annual catch of each groundfish stock or stock complex within the annual catch limits. These proposed measures are intended to help prevent overfishing, rebuild overfished stocks, achieve optimum yield, and ensure that management measures are based on the best scientific information available. This proposed rule would also make minor corrections (e.g. correcting grammar, removing outdated regulations, revisions for clarity) to the regulations. Additionally, this proposed rule announces the receipt of exempted fishing permit (EFP) applications. NMFS has made a preliminary determination that these applications warrant further consideration and is requesting public comment on these applications. This proposed rule also would implement amendment 33 to the PCGFMP, which would establish a rebuilding plan for California quillback rockfish and revise the allocation framework for shortspine thornyhead. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, NMFS also announces the availability of a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) that analyzes the potential effects of the associated proposed rule.

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is proposing to amend its regulations that govern floating cabins located on the Tennessee River System.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is issuing a proposed rule and requesting comments on the housing goals for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) for 2025 through 2027 as required by the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992. The housing goals and subgoals include separate categories for single-family and multifamily mortgages on housing affordable to low- income and very low-income families, among others. The proposed rule also includes criteria for when housing plans would be required for 2025-2027, and it makes several technical changes to enhance clarity and conform the regulation to existing practice.