Agencies and Commissions December 30, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The National Labor Relations Board (the Board or the NLRB) is revising its rules governing the processing of representation cases during periods when the Board lacks a quorum of Members. This revision is being adopted to facilitate, insofar as it is possible, the normal functioning of the Agency when the number of Board Members falls below three, the number required to establish a quorum of the Board. See 29 U.S.C. 153(b); New Process Steel v. NLRB, 130 S.Ct. 2635 (2010). The effect of the revision is to enable the Agency to process some representation cases to the certification of a representative or the certification of the results of the election, while deferring Board consideration of parties' requests for review until a quorum has been restored.

On August 30, 2011, the National Labor Relations Board (Board) published a final rule requiring employers, including labor organizations in their capacity as employers, subject to the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to post notices informing their employees of their rights as employees under the NLRA. (76 FR 54006, August 30, 2011.) On October 12, 2011, the Board amended that rule to delay the effective date from November 14, 2011, to January 31, 2012. (76 FR 63188, October 12, 2011.) The Board hereby further amends that rule to delay the effective date from January 31, 2012, to April 30, 2012. The purpose of this amendment is to facilitate the resolution of the legal challenges with respect to the rule.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is issuing for public comment draft regulatory guide (DG), DG-1274, ``Design, Inspection, and Testing Criteria for Air Filtration and Adsorption Units of Postaccident Engineered-Safety-Feature Atmosphere Cleanup Systems in Light-Water-Cooled Nuclear Power Plants.'' This guide applies to the design, inspection, and testing of air filtration and iodine adsorption units of engineered-safety-feature (ESF) atmosphere cleanup systems in light-water-cooled nuclear power plants.

This action adds products and services to the Procurement List that will be furnished by nonprofit agencies employing persons who are blind or have other severe disabilities.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) is amending its regulations to certify an amendment to the AP1000 standard plant design. The amendment replaces the combined license (COL) information items and design acceptance criteria (DAC) with specific design information, addresses the effects of the impact of a large commercial aircraft, incorporates design improvements, and increases standardization of the design. This action is necessary so that applicants or licensees intending to construct and operate an AP1000 design may do so by referencing this regulation (AP1000 design certification rule (DCR)), and need not demonstrate in their applications the safety of the certified design as amended. The applicant for this amendment to the AP1000 design is Westinghouse Electric Company, LLC (Westinghouse).

In this document, the Commission seeks comment on the implementation of certain provisions in sections 716, 717, and 718 of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA), the most significant piece of accessibility legislation since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. Specifically, this document seeks comment on whether to adopt a permanent exemption for small entities that provide advanced communications services (ACS). The document also seeks comment on implementing section 718 of the Act which requires Internet browsers built into mobile phones to be accessible to and usable by persons who are blind or have a visual impairment, unless doing so is unachievable. This inquiry includes the recordkeeping and enforcement requirements related to section 718. People with disabilities have often faced technical challenges associated with the use of Internet browsers, video conferencing services, and the accessibility of information content. The CVAA attempts to bring existing communications laws protecting people with disabilities in line with 21st Century technologies while providing flexibility to the industry by allowing for new and innovative ways to meet the needs of people with disabilities. These actions will promote rapid deployment of and universal access to broadband services for all Americans across the country, which will in turn stimulate economic growth and provide opportunity.