2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeks comment on the Commission's review of the accuracy, reliability, and representativeness of the Postal Service's Internal Service Performance Measurement (SPM) System. SPM produces service performance results that are an amalgamation of granular and siloed evaluations of performance for the individual segments of mail collection (First Mile), mail processing (Processing Duration), and mail delivery (Last Mile). Given recent changes in operations and mail mix, the Commission has concerns about the continued validity of the design and implementation of each of these three systems, as well as how the systems function collectively as a whole. This document informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, and takes other administrative steps.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all General Electric Company (GE) Model CF34-10E2A1, CF34-10E6, CF34-10E6A1, CF34-10E7, and CF34-10E7-B engines with certain part- numbered high-pressure turbine (HPT) shroud/low pressure turbine (LPT) nozzle assemblies installed. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of failed retention features of the inner and outer support air ducts (commonly referred to as spoolies) discovered during engine disassembly. This proposed AD would require a visual inspection of the combustion case for wear and gouges, repair if necessary, and rework of the affected HPT shroud/LPT nozzle assemblies. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish a temporary special local regulation for certain waters of the Cayuga Lake. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters near Ithaca, NY, during a marine event on August 10, 2024. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from transiting the area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Eastern Great Lakes or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making an interim final determination (IFD) that Pennsylvania has submitted revisions to the SIP that satisfy the requirements under the Clean Air Act (CAA) to implement RACT for these EGUs for the 1997 and 2008 ozone NAAQS. The effect of this IFD is to stay emission offset sanctions and defer the imposition of highway funding sanctions triggered by an August 2022 EPA partial disapproval of a prior Pennsylvania SIP addressing RACT for these EGUs. Proposed elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, EPA is proposing approval of a revision to Pennsylvania's State implementation plan (SIP), as submitted April 10, 2024, to address reasonably available control technology (RACT) nitrogen oxides (NOX) emission limits and requirements for the coal-fired electric generating units (EGUs) equipped with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) at the Keystone, Conemaugh, Homer City, and Montour facilities for the 1997 and 2008 ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS).

This regulation establishes a time-limited tolerance for residues of metamitron in or on the raw agricultural commodity (RAC) beet, sugar, roots. This action is in response to EPA's granting of emergency exemptions under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) authorizing use of the pesticide on the crop, sugar beets. This regulation establishes a maximum permissible level for residues of metamitron in or on the RAC beet, sugar, roots. The time-limited tolerance expires on December 31, 2027.

The Department of Education (Department) announces a priority and requirements for a National Technical Assistance Center to Improve State Capacity to Collect, Report, Analyze, and Use Accurate IDEA Part B Data (Data Center) under the Technical Assistance on State Data Collection program. The Department may use this priority and one or more of these requirements for competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2024 and later years. We take this action to focus attention on an identified national need to provide technical assistance (TA) to improve the capacity of States to meet the data collection requirements under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This Center will support States in collecting, reporting, and determining how to best analyze and use their data and will customize its TA to meet each State's specific needs.

The Video Division, Media Bureau (Bureau), has before it a petition for rulemaking filed June 7, 2024, by Gray Television Licensee, LLC (Gray), the licensee of KFVS-TV, channel 11, Cape Girardeau, Missouri (Station or KFVS-TV). Gray held a construction permit to construct a facility on channel 32 at Cape Girardeau. Gray now requests that the Bureau substitute channel 11 for channel 32 at Cape Girardeau in the Table of TV Allotments, with the technical parameters as set forth in KFVS-TV's current license.

Under the Clean Air Act (CAA or "Act"), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking final action to approve revisions to the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). These revisions concern an amendment to the California motor vehicle inspection and maintenance (I/M) program (also referred to as "Smog Check") to include a contingency measure that, if triggered, would narrow the Smog Check inspection exemption for newer model year vehicles in certain California nonattainment areas. The EPA is taking final action to approve, as part of the California SIP, the contingency measure and a related statutory provision that authorizes the contingency measure because they meet all the applicable requirements.

This document contains final regulations regarding information reporting and the determination of amount realized and basis for certain digital asset sales and exchanges. The final regulations require brokers to file information returns and furnish payee statements reporting gross proceeds and adjusted basis on dispositions of digital assets effected for customers in certain sale or exchange transactions. These final regulations also require real estate reporting persons to file information returns and furnish payee statements with respect to real estate purchasers who use digital assets to acquire real estate.

The FAA is correcting a final rule that was published in the Federal Register on June 18, 2024. The final rule modified Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Yerington Municipal Airport, Yerington, NV. This action corrects an error in the airspace legal description.

The U.S. Copyright Office is issuing a final 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. The final rule also addresses other matters relevant to identifying the proper payee to whom the mechanical licensing collective must distribute royalties. Among other things, the Office is adopting regulations addressing the mechanical licensing collective's distribution of matched historical royalties and administration of ownership transfers, other royalty payee changes, and related disputes.

This proposed rulemaking would implement a recommendation from the National Watermelon Promotion Board to increase the assessment rate from six cents per hundredweight to nine cents per hundredweight. Domestic watermelon producers of 10 acres or more and domestic first handlers of watermelons would each pay four and a half cents per hundredweight, and importers of 150,000 pounds or more annually of watermelons would pay nine cents per hundredweight. This proposed rulemaking would also amend current regulatory language to correct non- substantive and typographical errors.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving the limited maintenance plan (LMP) submitted by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) for the Milwaukee-Racine maintenance area including Milwaukee, Waukesha, and Racine counties. The plan addresses the second 10-year maintenance period for particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to a nominal 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5). EPA is approving Wisconsin's LMP submission for the Milwaukee-Racine maintenance area because it provides for the maintenance of the 2006 PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) through the end of the second 10-year portion of the maintenance period. Additionally, EPA finds adequate and is approving the LMP as meeting the appropriate transportation conformity requirements. EPA proposed to approve this action on March 19, 2024, and received no comments.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Leonardo S.p.a. Model AW189 helicopters. This AD was prompted by a report of abnormal oscillatory behavior during automated glide slope approaches, due to sealant on the glide slope (G/S) antenna coaxial connectors. This AD requires visually inspecting certain G/S antennas and G/S antenna coaxial connectors for the presence of any sealant; cleaning parts and removing any sealant; performing an external G/S acceptance test procedure (ATP); and taking corrective actions if necessary. This AD would also prohibit installing certain G/S antennas and G/S antenna coaxial connecters. These requirements are specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2022-14- 10, which applied to certain Airbus SAS Model A318 series airplanes; Model A319-111, -112, -113, -114, -115, -131, -132, and -133 airplanes; Model A320-211, -212, -214, -216, -231, -232, and -233 airplanes; and Model A321-111, -112, -131, -211, -212, -213, -231, and -232 airplanes. AD 2022-14-10 required repetitive inspections for cracking of the radius of the front spar vertical stringers and the horizontal floor beam on a certain frame (FR), repetitive inspections for cracking of the fastener holes of the front spar vertical stringers on that frame, and repair if necessary. AD 2022-14-10 also provided, for certain airplanes, a modification of the center wing box area that terminates the repetitive inspections under certain conditions. Since the FAA issued AD 2022-14-10, an additional airplane model has been identified that is also subject to the unsafe condition. This AD continues to require the actions in AD 2022-14-10 and adds Model A321-271N airplanes to the applicability, 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.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG (RRD) Trent 1000-A, Trent 1000-AE, Trent 1000-C, Trent 1000-CE, Trent 1000-D, Trent 1000-E, Trent 1000-G, and Trent 1000-H engines. This AD is prompted by reports of cracking and separation of certain low-pressure turbine (LPT) stage 1 blade assemblies. This AD requires initial and repetitive inspections of affected LPT stage 1 blade assemblies for cracking or separation and, depending on the results of the inspections, reduction of the inspection interval or replacement of the LPT stage 1 blade set and disk. This AD also prohibits the installation of an LPT disk or blade set assembly unless it is considered a serviceable part, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Connecticut. This revision addresses source monitoring in Connecticut. The principal revision is replacement of Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies (RCSA) section 22a-174-4 (source monitoring, record keeping and reporting) with a new regulation section 22a-174-4a, also called "source monitoring, record keeping and reporting," in the Connecticut SIP. This source monitoring SIP revision provides monitoring, recordkeeping and reporting requirements to ensure that certain sources comply with applicable emissions limitations. This action is being taken in accordance with the Clean Air Act.

Under the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 (CFPA), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Bureau or CFPB) is issuing this final rule to require certain types of nonbank covered persons subject to certain final public orders obtained or issued by a government agency in connection with the offering or provision of a consumer financial product or service to report the existence of the orders and related information to a Bureau registry. The Bureau is also requiring certain supervised nonbanks to file annual reports regarding compliance with registered orders.

The Coast Guard is establishing temporary safety zones for certain waters of Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters near Cleveland, Ohio during the 2024 Pan-American Masters Games (Aquatic Sporting Events) from July 13 through July 14, 2024. This action would prohibit persons and vessels from entering these safety zones unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Eastern Great Lakes or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard will enforce a special local regulation for the Catalina Ski Race on July 13, 2024, to provide for the safety of life on navigable waterways during this event. Our regulation for marine events within the Los Angeles-Long Beach Captain of the Port Zone identifies the regulated area for this event in Long Beach, CA to Santa Catalina Island, CA. 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 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is issuing this final rule to permit all: U.S. air carriers; U.S. commercial operators; persons exercising the privileges of an airman certificate issued by the FAA, except when such persons are operating U.S.-registered aircraft for a foreign air carrier; and operators of U.S.-registered civil aircraft, except when the operator of such aircraft is a foreign air carrier, to operate transiting overflights of the Kabul Flight Information Region (FIR) (OAKX) on jet routes P500-G500 at altitudes at and above Flight Level (FL) 300, subject to the approval of, and in accordance with the conditions established by, the appropriate authorities of Afghanistan. The FAA became aware that certain U.S. operators were having difficulty using jet routes P500-G500 in the Kabul FIR (OAKX) at altitudes at and above FL320 due to aircraft performance issues under certain meteorological conditions. After consideration of Afghanistan's practice of publishing Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs) regarding overflights on these jet routes, the lack of any reported security incidents posing safety-of-flight risks to civil aircraft overflights on these jet routes since the FAA issued this Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) in July 2023 or while the FAA flight prohibition NOTAM that preceded it was in effect, and the very brief period of time U.S. civil aviation overflights on these jet routes would be in the Kabul FIR (OAKX), the FAA has determined transiting U.S. civil aviation overflights operating on jet routes P500-G500 in the Kabul FIR (OAKX) at altitudes at and above FL300 present a low risk. The FAA continues to prohibit U.S. civil aviation operations in the remainder of the Kabul FIR (OAKX) at altitudes below FL320 due to hazards to persons and aircraft engaged in operations at those altitudes due to the risk posed by violent extremist and militant activity and the lack of adequate risk mitigation capabilities to counter such activity.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is issuing a final rule supplementing a final rule it published on December 20, 2018, entitled "Removal of Final ADA Wellness Rule Vacated by Court," which removed the incentive section in ADA regulations. This rule removes the discussion about the incentive section from the ADA appendix.

This action establishes United States Area Navigation (RNAV) Routes Q-221 and Q-227; amends Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal Airways V-35, V-147, and V-270 and RNAV Routes T- 440 and T-445; and revokes VOR Federal Airway V-36 and Jet Routes J- 132, J-223, and J-227 in the eastern United States. The FAA is taking this action due to the planned decommissioning of the Elmira, NY (ULW), VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME). This action is in support of the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) Program.

This proposed rule would update and revise the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System for calendar year 2025. This rule also proposes to update the payment rate for renal dialysis services furnished by an ESRD facility to individuals with acute kidney injury. In addition, this proposed rule would update requirements for the Conditions for Coverage for ESRD Facilities, ESRD Quality Incentive Program, and ESRD Treatment Choices Model.

We, NMFS, are delaying the effective date of terminal gear requirements that amend the Pelagic Longline Take Reduction Plan (PLTRP) regulations in a final rule that published on June 6, 2023.