2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

DoD is issuing a final rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to implement a section of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 that increases the statutory fee limit for architect and engineering services.

The Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP), Cost Accounting Standards Board (CAS Board or the Board), is releasing this notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to elicit public comments on proposed changes to the Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) to conform them with changes in Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) related to operating revenue and lease accounting. This proposed rule follows issuance of an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) 85 FR 70572 (November, 5, 2020), and a Staff Discussion Paper (SDP) 84 FR 9143 (March 13, 2019).

NMFS received a request from SouthCoast Wind Energy LLC (SouthCoast) (formerly Mayflower Wind Energy LLC), for Incidental Take Regulations (ITR) and an associated Letter of Authorization (LOA) pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The requested regulations would govern the authorization of take, by Level A harassment and Level B harassment, of small numbers of marine mammals over the course of five years (2027-2032) incidental to construction of the SouthCoast Wind Project (SouthCoast Project) offshore of Massachusetts within the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lease Area OCS-A 0521 (Lease Area) and associated Export Cable Corridors (ECCs). Specified activities expected to result in incidental take are pile driving (impact and vibratory), unexploded ordnance or munitions and explosives of concern (UXO/MEC) detonation, and site assessment surveys using high-resolution geophysical (HRG) equipment. NMFS requests comments on this proposed rule. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the promulgation of the requested ITR and issuance of the LOA; agency responses to public comments will be summarized in the final rule. The regulations, if promulgated, would be effective April 1, 2027 through March 31, 2032.

The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) is amending its regulations to expand the availability of enterprise and optional units. FCIC is also clarifying double cropping requirements when another plan of insurance does not require records of acreage and production. FCIC is removing burdensome written agreement requirements and setting new yield guarantee limits for new breaking acreage. In this rule, FCIC is providing flexibility and clarifying rules regarding assignment of indemnity and streamlining and shortening good farming practice determinations. FCIC is also clarifying the timing and method of yield reductions for several perennial crops, and allowing sunburn damaged walnuts to be eligible for indemnity payments through quality adjustment. The changes to the crop insurance policies resulting from the amendments in this rule are applicable for the 2025 and succeeding crop years for crops with a contract change date on or after June 30, 2024. For all other crops, the changes to the policies made in this rule are applicable for the 2026 and succeeding crop years.

The Coast Guard is establishing two temporary safety zones for navigable waters of the Savannah River, within a 500-yard radius around Motor Vessel (M/V) BIGLIFT BAFFIN. The safety zones are needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by the transit through the Savannah River to Georgia Port Authority Ocean Terminal Berth No. 3 while carrying oversized intermodal cranes, and for the offload of those intermodal cranes to the facility. Entry of vessels or persons into the safety zones are prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Savannah or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the waters of the Monongahela River from mile marker 23.5 to mile marker 24.5. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters during a lock and dam demolition from July 8, 2024, through July 31, 2024. This rulemaking prohibits persons and vessels from being in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Pittsburgh or a designated representative.

This document denies a petition, submitted by Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, the Truck Safety Coalition, Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways, and Parents Against Tired Truckers, for reconsideration of a final rule amending Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 223, "Rear impact guards," and FMVSS No. 224, "Rear impact protection." The final rule, published on July 15, 2022, upgraded NHTSA's standards addressing rear underride protection in crashes of passenger vehicles into trailers and semitrailers by requiring rear impact guards to provide sufficient strength and energy absorption to protect occupants of compact and subcompact passenger cars impacting the rear of trailers at 56 kilometers per hour (km/h) (35 miles per hour (mph)).

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is issuing an interim final rule, temporary emergency rule in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) establishing three special use areas that will prohibit all entry except for restoration activities under a valid Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) permit. These special use areas are needed for the relocation of coral nursery stock to cooler waters in response to an anticipated marine heatwave this summer with a high likelihood of coral bleaching. NOAA is establishing three special use areas, each of which are individually approximately 0.07 square miles and are within Federal waters of FKNMS. This temporary rule is necessary to prevent or minimize destruction of, loss of, or injury to sanctuary resources by facilitating restoration activities to improve or repair living habitats through protecting coral nursery stock at this site from potential impacts caused by anchor damage and/or fishing gear. These special use areas would expire within 60 days unless they are extended an additional 60 days. NOAA also requests comments on this action.

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 2021 that defines the term "material weakness" for Government evaluation of contractor business systems. The term "material weakness" replaces the term "significant deficiency."

The Coast Guard will enforce a safety zone for the Madisonville Old Fashioned 4th of July fireworks display located on the navigable waters of the Tchefuncte River, in front of the Madisonville Town Hall. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waterways during the event. During the enforcement period, entry into this safety zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port or a designated representative.

This document corrects technical and typographical errors in the final rule that appeared in the May 10, 2024 Federal Register, entitled "Medicaid Program; Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services (referred to hereafter as the "Access final rule"). The effective date of the Access final rule is July 9, 2024.

On June 20, 2024, we published a notification of findings regarding three species not warranted for listing as endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. The notification of findings contained a table with incorrect docket numbers in the ADDRESSES section. This document corrects those docket numbers.

This action establishes United States Area Navigation Routes (RNAV) Q-143 and T-467 in southern Utah. The FAA is taking this action to provide alternative routing around the TIPET and SEVIER Air Traffic Control Assigned Airspaces (ATCAA) and the White Elk and Gandy Military Operations Areas (MOA).

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is revising the U.S. Standards for Grades of Pecans in the Shell and the U.S. Standards for Grades of Shelled Pecans by replacing the current grades with U.S. Extra Fancy, U.S. Fancy, U.S. Choice, and U.S. Standard grades. In addition, AMS is updating terminology, definitions, and defect scoring guides.

This regulation establishes tolerances for residues of spiromesifen in or on Oranges and Orange, oil. Bayer CropScience, LP requested these tolerances under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Embraer S.A. Model ERJ 170 airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report of a landing gear not locked indication during the final approach, which led the flight crew to declare an emergency. This AD requires reviewing maintenance records of the main landing gear (MLG) assemblies to determine whether the MLG was modified according to a certain service bulletin or restored during overhaul maintenance; inspecting the left and right MLG locking-stay bracket assemblies to verify that the correct attaching hardware is correctly installed on the brackets; replacing nuts having certain part numbers (P/Ns); replacing the locking-stay bracket assembly, if necessary; and prohibits the installation of affected parts on the MLG locking-stay bracket assembly; as specified in an Ag[ecirc]ncia Nacional de Avia[ccedil][atilde]o Civil (ANAC) AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for a fireworks display on certain waters of the Provincetown Harbor near Provincetown, MA. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, spectators, and vessels from potential hazards created by the fireworks display. This rulemaking will prohibit persons and vessels from entering the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Sector Southeastern New England or a designated representative.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 767-200, -300, and -400ER series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of multiple engine indicating and crew alerting system messages during the potable water servicing for a Model 777 freighter airplane after the water leaked onto the electronics equipment cooling air filter. Since the Model 767 passenger airplanes are similar in design, we are issuing an AD against the Model 767 passenger airplanes. This proposed AD would require installation of hoseducts around the left-side section 43 potable water supply hoses and connections, a potable water system leakage test, and applicable corrective actions. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

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. 16 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1014. Renewed Amendment No. 16 revises the certificate of compliance to add a new overpack, include the ability to use computational fluid dynamics analysis to evaluate site-specific accident scenarios, modify the cask design, modify operational and testing requirements, and make changes to the final safety analysis report.

The Department of the Treasury is issuing a revised interim rule implementing the Capital Magnet Fund (CMF), administered by the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund). This revised interim rule incorporates, among other things: revisions to certain definitions and CMF program requirements to improve the public's understanding and streamline the administration of CMF program requirements; revisions to project level requirements to better align CMF with other Federal housing programs; programmatic updates to address current business practices in the affordable housing industry; and consolidation of Economic Development Activities under a new section for a more comprehensive articulation of the criteria. This revised interim rule also reflects requirements set forth in a final rule, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, adopted by the Department of the Treasury on December 19, 2014 (hereafter referred to as the Uniform Administrative Requirements).

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for a portion of the Elizabeth River while the M/V DALI is moored in the Port of Virginia. This action is necessary to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by the heavily damaged M/V Dali while it offloads cargo in Norfolk, VA. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port, Sector Virginia.

The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on April 30, 2024.

The Coast Guard will enforce safety zone for the Town of Swansboro Fireworks DisplayJuly 4 Celebration display on July 3, 2024, to provide for the safety of life on navigable waterways of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway during this event. Our regulation for marine events within the Fifth Coast Guard District identifies the regulated area for this event in Swansboro, NC. During the enforcement period, entry of vessels or persons into this safety zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) North Carolina or any Official Patrol displaying a Coast Guard ensign.

This document corrects typographical and technical errors in the final rule that appeared in the May 10, 2024 Federal Register, entitled "Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting (referred to hereafter as the "Minimum Staffing final rule"). The effective date of the Minimum Staffing final rule is June 21, 2024.

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish special local regulations to provide for the safety of life on certain waters of the San Jacinto River, in Houston, TX. These regulations would be enforced during a high-speed boat race every first weekend in March. This proposed rulemaking would prohibit persons and vessels from being in the regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Houston-Galveston or Patrol Commander. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.