2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Commission is acknowledging a recent Postal Service filing requesting the Commission initiate a rulemaking proceeding to consider changes to analytical principles relating to periodic reports (Proposal Four). This document informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, and takes other administrative steps.

The purpose of this notification is to announce that the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) Office of Capital Access (OCA) is opening the application period for new Small Business Lending Companies (SBLC) licenses from September 2, 2024, to October 15, 2024, and share the process by which interested entities may apply. SBA is similarly opening the application period for Community Advantage SBLCs (CA SBLCs) from September 2, 2024, to December 20, 2024, and will be reviewing and decisioning CA SBLC licenses on a rolling basis.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary moving safety zone on the navigable waters between Harpswell, ME and South Portland, ME. This safety zone will surround the M/V JACOB PIKE, once refloated, and dead ship towed from Harpswell, ME though Casco Bay to Turner Island Marine Rail located on the Fore River in South Portland, ME. The safety zone will extend 200-yards on all sides of the M/V JACOB PIKE during the dead ship tow transit. Vessels and people are prohibited from entering this safety zone.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are approving an amendment to the Pennsylvania regulatory program under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). The amendment authorizes and implements a land reclamation financial guarantee program as a new alternative bonding option for operators that meet certain requirements. The amendment also authorizes and implements a bioenergy crop bonding program to provide financial guarantees to remining operators that grow bioenergy crops as a postmining land use. Finally, the amendment standardizes certain terms and corrects citations in statutory and regulatory provisions affected by the addition of a new section to the Pennsylvania regulatory program or changed for other reasons.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are approving an amendment to the Kentucky regulatory program (hereinafter, the Kentucky program), under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). We are approving Kentucky's revision to its regulations regarding the qualifications of members of the Kentucky Reclamation Guaranty Fund Commission.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list the Cedar Key mole skink (Plestiodon egregius insularis), a lizard subspecies from the Cedar Keys, Florida, as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). After a review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing this subspecies is warranted. We also propose to designate critical habitat for the Cedar Key mole skink under the Act. In total, approximately 2,713 acres (1,098 hectares) in Levy County, Cedar Keys, Florida, fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation. In addition, we announce the availability of an economic analysis of the proposed designation of critical habitat for the Cedar Key mole skink. If we finalize this rule as proposed, it would extend the Act's protections to this subspecies and its designated critical habitat.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) is proposing to address the unreasonable risk of injury to human health presented by 1-bromopropane (1-BP) (CASRN 106-94-5), also known as n- propyl bromide, under its conditions of use as documented in EPA's August 2020 Risk Evaluation for 1-BP and the December 2022 Revised Risk Determination for 1-BP prepared under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). 1-BP is a widely used solvent in a variety of occupational and consumer applications, including vapor degreasing, aerosol degreasing, adhesives and sealants, and in insulation. EPA determined that 1-BP presents an unreasonable risk of injury to health due to the significant adverse health effects associated with exposure to 1-BP, including neurotoxicity, developmental toxicity from acute and chronic inhalation exposures and dermal exposures, and cancer from chronic inhalation exposures. TSCA requires that EPA address by rule any unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment identified in a TSCA risk evaluation and apply requirements to the extent necessary so the chemical no longer presents unreasonable risk. To address the identified unreasonable risk, EPA is proposing requirements to, among other things, prevent consumer access to the chemical, restrict the industrial and commercial use of the chemical while also allowing for a reasonable transition period where an industrial and commercial use of the chemical is being prohibited, and protect workers from the unreasonable risk of 1-BP while on the job.

This document announces the Agency's receipt of an initial filing of a pesticide petition requesting the establishment or modification of regulations for residues of pesticide chemicals in or on various commodities.

This regulation establishes an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of Ophioglossum pendulum IPD079Ea protein (hereafter IPD079Ea protein) when used as a plant incorporated protectant (PIP) in or on the food and feed commodities of corn: corn, field; corn, sweet, and corn, pop. Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., submitted a petition to EPA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), requesting an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of IPD079Ea protein.

This regulation establishes tolerances for residues of indoxacarb in or on multiple crops listed later in this document. Interregional Research Project Number 4 (IR-4) requested these tolerances under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all MHI RJ Aviation ULC Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440) airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by the discovery of ten ultrasonic inspections associated with airworthiness limitations (AWL) tasks and structural deviation inspection requirements (SDIR) tasks potentially not detecting cracks. This proposed AD would require repetitive ultrasonic inspections of certain structural areas for cracking as specified in a Transport Canada AD, which is proposed for incorporation by reference (IBR), and repair of cracking, as applicable. This proposed AD would also prohibit use of the previous revisions of certain procedures and mandate the use of the revised procedures when performing the inspections required by the associated AWL and SDIR tasks. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain MD Helicopters, LLC (MDHI), Model 369, 369A, 369D, 369E, 369F, 369FF, 369H, 369HE, 369HM, 369HS, 500N, and 600N helicopters. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of a seized and damaged roller bearing in the pilot interconnecting cyclic torque tube (torque tube) assembly. This proposed AD would require repetitively inspecting the torque tube assembly for corrosion and cracks and the roller bearings for corrosion and degradation. This proposed AD would also require repetitively inspecting the torque tube assembly for freedom- of-movement. Depending on the results, this proposed AD would require replacing parts or accomplishing additional inspections. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

This action proposes to amend domestic Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal Airways V-16, V-103, V-375, and V- 473 in the eastern United States. The FAA is taking this action due to the planned decommissioning of the Roanoke, VA (ROA), VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME). This action is in support of the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) Program.

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is amending the Farm Loan Programs (FLP) regulations to implement the Distressed Borrower Set- Aside (DBSA) Program and other changes. DBSA will provide a new loan servicing program for financially distressed borrowers that will allow for the deferral of one annual loan installment at a reduced interest rate. DBSA will provide a simpler option to resolve financial distress than existing loan servicing programs. In addition to helping borrowers by adding DBSA as a new loan servicing program, FSA is amending the FLP regulations to revise loan making and servicing to improve program access and delivery. This rule is part of FSA's ongoing efforts for farm loans to remove barriers to capital access and increase opportunities for borrowers to be successful.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters of the Green River from Mile Marker 61 to 62 in Calhoun, KY. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by a power line replacement due to unstable powerline poles. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port, Sector Ohio Valley.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is revising its regulations to modernize and streamline how the agency notifies the public of temporary closure and restriction orders; clarify that such orders may be issued to avoid conflicts among public land users and ensure the privacy of Tribal activities for traditional or cultural use; require that all orders specify the date and time that a temporary closure or restriction becomes effective and terminates; and harmonize the penalties for violating temporary closure and restriction orders consistent with current statutory authority.

This final action updates the prospective payment rates, the outlier threshold, and the wage index for Medicare inpatient hospital services provided by Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities (IPF), which include psychiatric hospitals and excluded psychiatric units of an acute care hospital or critical access hospital. This final action also revises the patient-level adjustment factors, the Emergency Department adjustment, and the payment amount for electroconvulsive therapy. These changes will be effective for IPF discharges occurring during the fiscal year (FY) beginning October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025 (FY 2025). In addition, this final action finalizes the adoption of a new quality measure. It does not finalize modifications to the reporting requirements under the IPF Quality Reporting Program beginning with the FY 2027 payment determination. Furthermore, this final action summarizes comments received through Requests for Information regarding potential future revisions to the IPF PPS facility-level adjustments and regarding the development of a standardized IPF Patient Assessment Instrument.

The OCC, Board, FDIC, NCUA, CFPB, and FHFA (collectively, the agencies) are adopting a final rule to implement the quality control standards mandated by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) for the use of automated valuation models (AVMs) by mortgage originators and secondary market issuers in determining the collateral worth of a mortgage secured by a consumer's principal dwelling. Under the final rule, institutions that engage in certain credit decisions or securitization determinations must adopt policies, practices, procedures, and control systems to ensure that AVMs used in these transactions to determine the value of mortgage collateral adhere to quality control standards designed to ensure a high level of confidence in the estimates produced by AVMs; protect against the manipulation of data; seek to avoid conflicts of interest; require random sample testing and reviews; and comply with applicable nondiscrimination laws.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is revising its regulations to conform with the Fair Hiring in Banking Act (FHBA) which was enacted on and immediately effective as of December 23, 2022. Among other provisions, the FHBA excluded or exempted categories of otherwise-covered offenses from the scope of statutory prohibitions on participation in banking. These categories pertain to certain older offenses, offenses committed by individuals 21 or younger, and relatively minor offenses. The FHBA also clarified several definitions in section 19 and provided application-processing procedures. The FDIC considers most of the revisions to its regulations to be required by the FHBA. Most other revisions reflect the FDIC's interpretation of statutory prohibitions in light of the FHBA.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to disapprove a revision to Kansas's State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted on July 28, 2021, intended to satisfy applicable requirements under the Clean Air Act (CAA) and EPA's Regional Haze Rule (RHR) for the program's second planning period. As required by the CAA, the RHR calls for State and Federal agencies to work together to improve visibility, including by reducing or eliminating regional haze, in 156 national parks and wilderness areas. The rule requires the States, in coordination with the EPA, the National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the U.S. Forest Service (FS), and other interested parties, to develop and implement air quality protection plans in which States revise their long-term strategies (LTS) for making reasonable progress towards the national goal of preventing any future, and remedying any existing, anthropogenic impairment of visibility in these mandatory Class I Federal Areas. Disapproval does not trigger imposition of mandatory sanctions. The effective date of this action does trigger an obligation for the EPA to issue a Federal Implementation Plan (FIP) within two years.

The Coast Guard is temporarily modifying the operating schedule that governs the Florida East Coast (FEC) Railroad Bridge, across the Okeechobee Waterway (OWW), mile 7.41, at Stuart, FL. This action is necessary to allow for continuity of drawbridge operations while the Coast Guard reviews comments and documents associated with the temporary test deviation. Allowing the drawbridge to return to its regular operating schedule would not meet the reasonable needs of navigation given the increase in railway traffic.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is confirming the effective date of September 9, 2024, for the direct final rule that was published in the Federal Register on June 25, 2024. This direct final rule amended 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. 16 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1014.

The Postal Service is proposing to amend Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) in various sections to remove the hardcopy address correction notice option for all packages bearing an Intelligent Mail[supreg] package barcode (IMpb[supreg]).

In the Proposed Rules section of this Federal Register, EPA is proposing approval and conditional approval of portions of a State Implementation Plan (SIP) submission from the State of Colorado dated May 3, 2024. The submission relates to Colorado Air Quality Control Commission Regulation Number 7 (Reg. 7) and Regulation Number 21 (Reg. 21), and addresses Colorado's SIP obligation to require sources to meet reasonably available control technology (RACT) requirements for nonattainment areas for the 2008 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS), which includes requiring adequate reporting by sources. In this action, EPA is making an interim final determination based on that proposed approval and conditional approval. The effect of this interim final determination is that the imposition of sanctions that were triggered by EPA's May 9, 2023 limited disapproval are now deferred. Although this action is effective upon publication, EPA will take comment on this interim final determination.

When funds provided by a mortgagor to a mortgagee are not fully disbursed with the initial advance of the insured mortgage proceeds, the proposed rule would permit mortgagees to disburse up to 1 percent of the mortgage amount initially endorsed for insurance before requiring that the funds provided by the mortgagor be disbursed in full. This proposed change would allow mortgagees to pool mortgages into mortgage-backed securities guaranteed by the Government National Mortgage Association prior to the funds provided by the mortgagor being disbursed in full.