Agencies and Commissions October 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

It is the policy of the Commission to publish settlements which it provisionally accepts under the Consumer Product Safety Act in the Federal Register in accordance with the terms of the Consumer Product Safety Commission's regulations. Published below is a provisionally-accepted Settlement Agreement with Costco Wholesale Corporation, containing a civil penalty in the amount of $3.85 million dollars ($3,850,000), to be paid within thirty (30) days of service of the Commission's final Order accepting the Settlement Agreement.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) is forwarding an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Review and approval by OIRA ensures that we impose appropriate paperwork burdens. The RRB invites comments on the proposed collections of information to determine (1) the practical utility of the collections; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden of the collections; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information that is the subject of collection; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of collections on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments to the RRB or OIRA must contain the OMB control number of the ICR. For proper consideration of your comments, it is best if the RRB and OIRA receive them within 30 days of the publication date. 1. Title and purpose of information collection: Employee's Certification; OMB 3220-0140. Section 2 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), provides for the payment of an annuity to the spouse or divorced spouse of a retired railroad employee. For the spouse or divorced spouse to qualify for an annuity, the RRB must determine if any of the employee's current marriage to the applicant is valid. The requirements for obtaining documentary evidence to determine valid marital relationships are prescribed in 20 CFR 219.30 through 219.35. Section 2(e) of the RRA requires that an employee must relinquish all rights to any railroad employer service before a spouse annuity can be paid. The RRB uses Form G-346, Employee's Certification, to obtain the information needed to determine whether the employee's current marriage is valid. Form G-346 is completed by the retired employee who is the husband or wife of the applicant for a spouse annuity. Completion is required to obtain a benefit. One response is requested of each respondent. The RRB proposes no changes to Form G-346. Consistent with 20 CFR 217.17, the RRB uses Form G-346sum, Employee's Certification Summary, which mirrors the information collected on Form G-346, when an employee, after being interviewed by an RRB field office representative ``signs'' the form using an alternative signature method known as ``attestation.'' Attestation refers to the action taken by the RRB field office representative to confirm and annotate the RRB's records of the applicant's affirmation under penalty of perjury that the information provided is correct and the applicant's agreement to sign the form by proxy. Completion is required to obtain a benefit. One response is requested of each respondent. Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the initial 60-day notice (83 FR 35032 on July 24, 2018) required by 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is denying a petition for rulemaking (PRM) submitted on October 22, 2015, by Jeffrey M. Skov (the petitioner), and supplemented on December 7, 2015, March 1, 2016, March 21, 2016, and March 1, 2017. The petition was docketed by the NRC on November 10, 2015, and was assigned Docket No. PRM-2-15. The petitioner requests that the NRC amend its rules of practice to establish procedures for responding to adverse court decisions and to annually report to the public each instance where the NRC does not receive ``sufficient funds reasonably necessary to implement in good faith its statutory mandates.'' The NRC is denying the petition because the petitioner has not identified shortcomings in the NRC's current regulations or demonstrated a need for the requested changes.

This notice advises interested persons that the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (``PBGC'') has received a request from the United Food and Commercial Workers International UnionIndustry Pension Fund for approval of a plan amendment providing for special withdrawal liability rules. Under PBGC's regulation on Extension of Special Withdrawal Liability Rules, a multiemployer pension plan may, with PBGC approval, be amended to provide for special withdrawal liability rules similar to those that apply to the construction and entertainment industries. Such approval is granted only if PBGC determines that the rules apply to an industry with characteristics that make use of the special rules appropriate and that the rules will not pose a significant risk to the pension insurance system. Before granting an approval, PBGC's regulations require PBGC to give interested persons an opportunity to comment on the request. The purpose of this notice is to advise interested persons of the request and to solicit their views on it.

Pursuant to Section 189a.(2) of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (the Act), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is publishing this regular biweekly notice. The Act requires the Commission to publish notice of any amendments issued, or proposed to be issued, and grants the Commission the authority to issue and make immediately effective any amendment to an operating license or combined license, as applicable, upon a determination by the Commission that such amendment involves no significant hazards consideration, notwithstanding the pendency before the Commission of a request for a hearing from any person. This biweekly notice includes all notices of amendments issued, or proposed to be issued, from September 11, 2018, to September 24, 2018. The last biweekly notice was published on September 25, 2018.

The consent agreement in this matter settles alleged violations of federal law prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or practices. The attached Analysis to Aid Public Comment describes both the allegations in the complaint and the terms of the consent order embodied in the consent agreementthat would settle these allegations.

This action deletes products and services from the Procurement List previously furnished by nonprofit agencies employing persons who are blind or have other severe disabilities.

The following public hearing on proposed amendments to the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure has been canceled: Appellate Rules Hearing on October 26, 2018, in Washington DC.

This is a Notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of HAWAII (FEMA-4395- DR), dated 09/27/2018. Incident: Hurricane Lane. Incident Period: 08/22/2018 through 08/29/2018.

This is a Notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the Commonwealth of the NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS (FEMA-4396-DR), dated 09/29/2018. Incident: Typhoon Mangkhut. Incident Period: 09/10/2018 through 09/11/2018.

The FDIC is seeking comments and information from interested parties on the FDIC's communication methods and related initiatives to promote efficiency and increase transparency.

This is a notice of an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) declaration for the State of Oregon, dated 09/27/2018. Incident: Wildfires. Incident Period: 07/15/2018 and continuing.