2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

DoD is postponing the effective date of the final rule published in the Federal Register on June 27, 2024. As published, the rule was to be effective August 26, 2024.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone in the navigable waters of the Hudson River in the vicinity of Pier 90 located in New York City, NY. The temporary safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by an aerial drone display scheduled for July 30, 2024. During the enforcement period, entry of vessels or persons into the safety zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port, Sector New York.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Wyoming coal regulatory program (Wyoming program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). On September 13, 2022, the Wyoming Environmental Quality Council approved a number of revisions to the Wyoming Land Quality Division Coal Rules and Regulations which comprise the Wyoming program. This document gives the times and locations that the Wyoming program and this proposed amendment to that program are available for your inspection, the comment period during which you may submit written comments on the amendment, and the procedures that we will follow for the public hearing, if one is requested.

This document amends the rules of practice prescribed by the Judicial Officer to implement a new electronic filing system and update the rule titles.

This document summarizes the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) rules agreed to by the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) in this Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2024-06. A companion document, the Small Entity Compliance Guide (SECG), follows this FAC.

This document amends the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to make needed editorial changes.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are issuing a final rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement regulatory changes made by the Small Business Administration to update and clarify requirements associated with size and socioeconomic status protests in connection with multiple-award contract set-asides and reserves, and orders placed under multiple-award contracts.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) stablishes the Schools and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot Program (Pilot or Pilot Program). The Pilot Program will enable the Commission to evaluate the impact that using Universal Service Fund (USF or Fund) support for eligible cybersecurity services and equipment will have on protecting school and library broadband networks and data. In so doing, the Commission seeks to address the apparent needs of schools and libraries for additional support for cybersecurity services and equipment, while evaluating the impact that providing that support would have on the USF.

NMFS announces that the States of New Jersey and Maryland and the Commonwealth of Virginia are transferring a portion of their 2024 commercial bluefish quota to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the States of Rhode Island, New York, and North Carolina. These adjustments to the 2024 fishing year quotas are necessary to comply with the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan quota transfer provisions. This announcement informs the public of the revised 2024 commercial bluefish quotas for New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, and North Carolina.

NMFS announces inseason action for the 2024 Pacific halibut non- Tribal directed commercial fishery in the International Pacific Halibut Commission's (IPHC) regulatory Area 2A. This action adds a fishing period, August 6 through August 8, 2024, with a fishing period catch limit of 1,000 pounds (0.45 metric tons (mt)) per vessel, dressed weight. This action is intended to provide opportunity to achieve the 2024 non-tribal directed commercial fishery allocation.

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2023-24-06, which applies to certain Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (RRD) Model Trent 1000 engines. AD 2023-24-06 requires revising the airworthiness limitation section (ALS) of the operator's existing approved engine maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive tasks and limitations and associated thresholds and intervals for life-limited parts. Since the FAA issued AD 2023-24-06, the manufacturer revised the time limits manual (TLM) to introduce new or more restrictive tasks and limitations and associated thresholds and intervals for life-limited parts, which prompted this AD. This proposed AD would require revisions to the ALS of the operator's existing approved engine maintenance or inspection program, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), seeks public comments on proposed amendments to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) in support of U.S. national security and foreign policy interests. To build upon existing controls, BIS proposes establishing certain Foreign-Security End User (FSEU) and "U.S. persons" activities controls and Commerce Control List-based (CCL) controls. The proposed additions of the foreign-security end user control and "U.S. persons" activity controls would implement expanded authority under the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (ECRA), as amended, to control certain "U.S. persons" activities under the EAR. Specific to the EAR's "U.S. persons" activities controls, BIS is proposing amendments to control "support" furnished by "U.S. persons" to identified foreign-security end users. In addition, BIS is proposing to add to the Commerce Control List two new unilateral item controls on facial recognition technology.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 737-300 and -400 series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report that flight control rigging tolerances could result in spoiler deflection not reaching the minimal level required to engage the cruise thrust split monitor (MONFD) used by the autothrottle (A/T) system. This proposed AD would require changing certain wire bundles, installing a new housing assembly, removing the mechanical aileron force limiter (MAFL), doing an inspection or records check to determine if certain flight control computers (FCCs) are installed, and applicable on-condition actions. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

Under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the "Act"), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is granting a request from the State of Connecticut to reclassify the Greater Connecticut ozone nonattainment area from "Moderate" to "Serious" for the 2015 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). This action does not reclassify any areas of Indian country within the boundaries of this ozone nonattainment area.

The Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration is issuing this temporary order to schedule two synthetic benzimidazole- opioid substances, as identified in this order, in schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. This action is based on a finding by the Administrator that the placement of these two substances in schedule I is necessary to avoid imminent hazard to the public safety. This order imposes the regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal sanctions applicable to schedule I controlled substances on persons who handle (manufacture, distribute, reverse distribute, import, export, engage in research, conduct instructional activities or chemical analysis with, or possess) or propose to handle these two specified controlled substances.

DoD is proposing to amend the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to implement a section of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 that provides directions for awarding architectural and engineering service task orders and delivery orders under multiple-award contracts.

The Secretary proposes to revise the regulations that govern the Professional Development program, Assistance Listing Number (ALN) number 84.299B, authorized under title VI of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA), to establish priorities, requirements, and a definition for the program, including a priority for teacher retention projects.

On April 24, 2024, President Biden signed "Making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes," into law. The law requires the United States to regulate the export of certain foreign-produced items destined for Iran. This rule implements the law's requirements by expanding the scope of the Export Administration Regulations' (EAR) Foreign Direct Product rule for Iran and applicable license requirements, thereby increasing restrictions under the EAR.

The Federal Trade Commission ("FTC" or "Commission") is publishing a final rule to implement amendments to the Ophthalmic Practice Rules ("Eyeglass Rule" or "Rule"). These amendments require that prescribing eye care practitioners obtain a signed confirmation after releasing an eyeglass prescription to a patient and maintain each such confirmation for a period of not less than three years. The Commission is permitting prescribers to comply with automatic prescription release via electronic delivery if they first obtain verifiable affirmative consent from the patient and maintain a record of such consent for a period of not less than three years. The amendments further clarify that the presentation of proof of insurance coverage shall be deemed to be a payment for the purpose of determining when a prescription must be provided. Finally, the Commission amends the term "eye examination" to "refractive eye examination" throughout the Rule.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or (the Agency) is finalizing certain amendments to the hazardous waste manifest regulations, and the hazardous waste electronic manifest (e-Manifest) regulations under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to increase utility of the e-Manifest system in delivering benefits to reduce administrative burden and improve tracking of hazardous waste shipments, and to various related regulations. Among other things, EPA is finalizing changes to manifest regulations for shipments of hazardous waste that are exported for treatment, storage, and disposal. EPA is also finalizing regulatory changes to the hazardous waste export and import shipment international movement document-related requirements to more closely link the manifest data with the international movement document (hereafter referred to as "movement document") data. In addition, EPA is finalizing regulatory amendments to three manifest-related reports (i.e., Discrepancy, Exception, and Unmanifested Waste Reports). EPA is also finalizing conforming regulatory changes to the manifest regulations under the Toxic Substances and Control Act (TSCA) for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) wastes to better align these requirements with the RCRA manifest regulations and the e-Manifest program. Lastly, this action makes technical corrections to fix typographical errors in the e-Manifest and movement document regulations.

This action proposes to amend the Class E airspace at South Haven, MI. The FAA is proposing this action as the result of an airspace review conducted due to the decommissioning of the Pullman very high frequency omnidirectional range (VOR) as part of the VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) Program. The geographic coordinates of the South Haven Regional Airport, South Haven, MI, and the name of Cromwell Health Watervliet Community Hospital Heliport, Watervliet, MI, would also be updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database. This action will bring the airspace into compliance with FAA orders and support instrument flight rule (IFR) procedures and operations.

Pursuant to Department of State regulations, all parents or legal guardians of a U.S. passport applicant under 16 years old must appear in person to execute the minor's passport application unless the applying parent can demonstrate sole authority to obtain the passport. If one parent or legal guardian is unable to appear in person to execute the minor's application, such parent must provide a notarized statement/affidavit giving consent to the issuance of a U.S. passport to the minor. The Department will now allow a non-applying parent to sign the statement of consent before a notary public, or a passport specialist at one of the public passport agency/center counters located within the United States in circumstances that will be outlined by Department policy. This alternative to signing before a notary public will provide more flexibility for the non-applying parent, will improve the customer experience, and eliminate the added burden, time, and cost to the customer of seeking the services of a notary public. Department of State Form DS-3053, which is used to obtain the written consent from the parent or legal guardian of a minor passport applicant when they cannot be present at the time the application is executed, is being revised to be consistent with this rulemaking.

This action amends the Class E airspace at Llano, TX, and Mason, TX. This action is the result of airspace reviews conducted due to the decommissioning of the Llano very high frequency omnidirectional range (VOR) as part of the VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) Program. The geographic coordinates of the Llano Municipal Airport, Llano, TX, are also being updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database. This action brings the airspace into compliance with FAA orders and supports instrument flight rule (IFR) operations and procedures.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) adopted a new methodology for assessing annual regulatory fees for small satellites and spacecraft, and included space stations that are principally used for Rendezvous & Proximity Operations (RPO) or On-Orbit Servicing (OOS), including Orbit Transfer Vehicles (OTV), in the existing fee category for "small satellites" on an interim basis until the Commission can develop more experience in how these space stations will be regulated. These changes are intended to be effective for fiscal year (FY) 2024.

The Coast Guard is establishing a special local regulation to provide for the safety of life on certain waters of the San Jacinto River, in Houston, TX. This regulation will be enforced during a high- speed boat race every third weekend in July. This regulation prohibits persons and vessels from being in the regulated areas unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Houston-Galveston or designated Coast Guard Patrol Commander.