2024 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On December 18, 2024, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued guidance in a memorandum to the heads of Federal departments and agencies (agencies) to assist agencies with compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) during emergencies. The CEQ regulations implementing NEPA provide for alternative arrangements during emergencies when an agency's action is likely to have significant effects and would require preparation of an environmental impact statement. This guidance also addresses compliance with NEPA when the action is unlikely to have significant effects and might require preparation of an environmental assessment or application of a categorical exclusion.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing a Federal Implementation Plan (FIP) under the Clean Air Act (CAA) that consists of Nonattainment New Source Review (NNSR) rules for areas within the jurisdiction of the Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District (MDAQMD or "District") in which air pollutant concentrations are above specific National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). The NNSR rules will apply to construction of new major stationary sources and major modifications at existing major stationary sources of air pollution. The FIP will be implemented by the EPA, unless and until it is replaced by an EPA-approved state implementation plan (SIP). In this action, the EPA is also responding to a September 5, 2024 decision of the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which remanded the EPA's disapproval of a MDAQMD rule provision related to the calculation and generation of emissions offsets. This response again disapproves MDAQMD Rule 1304(C)(2)(d) and provides additional information to support that decision.

This document contains final regulations regarding information reporting by brokers that regularly provide services effectuating certain digital asset sales and exchanges. The final regulations require these brokers to file information returns and furnish payee statements reporting gross proceeds on dispositions of digital assets effected for customers in certain sale or exchange transactions.

This document contains final regulations that address when tax-exempt bonds are treated as retired for certain Federal income tax purposes. The final regulations are necessary to unify and to clarify existing guidance on this subject. The final regulations affect State and local governments that issue tax-exempt bonds.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) amends Regulations E and Z to update regulatory exceptions for overdraft credit provided by very large financial institutions, thereby ensuring that these extensions of overdraft credit adhere to consumer protections required of similarly situated products, unless the overdraft fee is a small amount that only recovers estimated costs and losses. The rule allows consumers to better comparison shop across credit products and provides substantive protections that apply to other consumer credit.

This document contains final regulations that affect affiliated groups of corporations that file consolidated Federal income tax returns. These regulations modify the consolidated return regulations and the controlled group of corporations regulations to reflect statutory changes, update language to remove antiquated or regressive terminology, and enhance clarity. Additionally, this document withdraws certain temporary regulations.

The Postal Service gives notice of filing a request with the Postal Regulatory Commission to add a domestic shipping services contract to the list of Negotiated Service Agreements in the Mail Classification Schedule's Competitive Products List.

The Postal Service gives notice of filing a request with the Postal Regulatory Commission to add a domestic shipping services contract to the list of Negotiated Service Agreements in the Mail Classification Schedule's Competitive Products List.

The Drug Enforcement Administration proposes placing seven fentanyl-related substances, as identified in this proposed rule, in schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. These seven substances fall within the definition of fentanyl-related substances set forth in the February 6, 2018 temporary scheduling order. Through the Temporary Reauthorization and Study of Emergency Scheduling of Fentanyl Analogues Act, which became law on February 6, 2020, Congress extended the temporary control of fentanyl-related substances until May 6, 2021. This temporary order was subsequently extended multiple times, most recently on December 29, 2022, through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, which extended the order until December 31, 2024. If finalized, this action would make permanent the existing regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal sanctions applicable to schedule I controlled substances on persons who handle (manufacture, distribute, import, export, engage in research, conduct instructional activities or chemical analysis, or possess), or propose to handle these seven specific controlled substances.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council's (Pacific Council) Highly Migratory Species Management Team (HMSMT) will hold a webinar, which is open to the public.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions to Ohio EPA's title V rules. These revisions include revisions to the definition of hazardous air pollutants and requirements for a permit statement of basis that are consistent with recent Federal rulemaking actions. Other changes are insignificant and part of the state's statutory five-year review of adopted regulations.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is publishing the names of one or more persons and vessels that have been placed on OFAC's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List) based on OFAC's determination that one or more applicable legal criteria were satisfied. All property and interests in property subject to U.S. jurisdiction of these persons are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. The vessels placed on the SDN List have been identified as property in which a blocked person has an interest. OFAC is also updating the entry on the SDN List for one person.

The Upper Great Plains (UGP) region of the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) proposes new formula rates for the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin ProgramEastern Division (P-SMBPED) transmission and ancillary services for UGP's costs to be recovered under the Southwest Power Pool's (SPP) Open Access Transmission Tariff (Tariff) should UGP decide to expand its participation in SPP in the Western Interconnection. These rates will be used by UGP to provide rate data to SPP, the Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) of which UGP is a member, after SPP's planned expansion of the RTO into the Western Interconnection on April 1, 2026. The existing UGP rates for services expire on September 30, 2025, but are being extended under a separate rate process, Rate Order No, WAPA-217, to continue to provide existing rate data to SPP between October 1, 2025, and final implementation date of the planned RTO expansion into the Western Interconnection. The proposed rates will address UGP operating changes and new provisions and settlement requirements under the proposed revisions to SPP's Tariff filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to accommodate their RTO expansion into the Western Interconnection. The proposed formula rates will become effective on the go-live date of the expansion of the SPP RTO into the Western Interconnection (scheduled for April 1, 2026, as of the date of this notice) and will remain in effect for five years from the effective date, which with an effective date of April 1, 2026, will be March 31, 2031, or until superseded.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Housing announces a proposed public information collection and seeks public comment on the provisions thereof. Comments are invited on: whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

The DoD has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act.

The DoD has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act.

The Postal Service gives notice of filing a request with the Postal Regulatory Commission to add a domestic shipping services contract to the list of Negotiated Service Agreements in the Mail Classification Schedule's Competitive Products List.

The Postal Service gives notice of filing a request with the Postal Regulatory Commission to add a domestic shipping services contract to the list of Negotiated Service Agreements in the Mail Classification Schedule's Competitive Products List.

The Postal Service gives notice of filing a request with the Postal Regulatory Commission to add a domestic shipping services contract to the list of Negotiated Service Agreements in the Mail Classification Schedule's Competitive Products List.

The Postal Service gives notice of filing a request with the Postal Regulatory Commission to add a domestic shipping services contract to the list of Negotiated Service Agreements in the Mail Classification Schedule's Competitive Products List.