Agencies and Commissions January 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NASA hereby gives notice of its intent to grant a partially exclusive patent license in the United States to practice the inventions described and claimed in U.S. Patent No. 7,075,295 B2 for an invention titled ``Magnetic Field Response Sensor for Conductive Media,'' NASA Case Number LAR-16571-1; U.S. Patent No. 7,589,525 B2 for an invention titled ``Magnetic Field Response Sensor for Conductive Media,'' NASA Case Number LAR-16571-2; U.S. Patent No. 7,759,932 B2 for an invention titled ``Magnetic Field Response Sensor for Conductive Media,'' NASA Case Number LAR-16571-3; U.S. Patent No. 7,086,593 B2 for an invention titled ``Magnetic Field Response Measurement Acquisition System,'' NASA Case Number LAR-16908-1; U.S. Patent No. 7,047,807 B2 for an invention titled ``Flexible Framework for Capacitive Sensing,'' NASA Case Number LAR-16974-1; U.S. Patent No. 7,159,774 B2 for an invention titled ``Magnetic Field Response Measurement Acquisition System,'' NASA Case Number LAR-17280-1; U.S. Patent No. 8,430,327 B2 for an invention titled ``Wireless Sensing System Using Open-Circuit, Electrically-Conductive Spiral-Trace Sensor,'' NASA Case Number LAR-17294-1; U.S. Patent No. 8,673,649 B2 for an invention titled ``Wireless Chemical Sensor and Sensing Method for Use Therewith,'' NASA Case Number LAR-17579-1; U.S. Patent No. 9,329,149 B2 for an invention titled ``Wireless Chemical Sensor and Sensing Method for Use Therewith,'' NASA Case Number LAR- 17579-2; U.S. Patent No. 9,733,203 B2 for an invention titled ``Wireless Chemical Sensing Method,'' NASA Case Number LAR-17579-3; U.S. Patent No. 10,031,031 B2 for an invention titled ``Wireless Temperature Sensing Method Using No Electrical Connections,'' NASA Case Number LAR-17747-1-CON; U.S. Patent No. 10,605,673 B2 for an invention titled ``Wireless Temperature Sensor Having No Electrical Connections,'' NASA Case Number LAR-17747-2-CON; U.S. Patent No. 10,180,341 B2 for an invention titled ``Multi-Layer Wireless Sensor Construct for Use at Electrically- Conductive Material Surfaces,'' NASA Case Number LAR-18399-1; and U.S. Patent Application No. 10,193,228 B2 for an invention titled ``Antenna for Far Field Transceiving,'' NASA Case Number LAR-18400-1 to Aquatherm LP, having its principal place of business in Lindon, UT. The fields of use may be limited to polypropylene and plastic containers and pipes, and associated fittings and joints, within residential structures, and including but not limited to the non-destructive evaluation of the aforementioned containers and pipes and the detection of conditions and states of the contents therein, and/or similar field(s) of use thereto. NASA has not yet made a determination to grant the requested license and may deny the requested license even if no objections are submitted within the comment period.

The U.S. Copyright Office is releasing an update to its administrative manual, the Compendium of U.S. Copyright Office Practices, Third Edition.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA or Agency) is correcting regulations that published in the Federal Register on May 11, 2020. The final rule amended SBA's regulations to implement a statutory requirement to certify Women-Owned Small Business Concerns (WOSBs) and Economically-Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business Concerns (EDWOSBs), as well as to clarify existing regulations. This document makes corrections to the final regulations.

On April 2, 2020, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) posted an interim final rule announcing the implementation of sections 1102 and 1106 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). Section 1102 of the CARES Act temporarily adds a new program, titled the ``Paycheck Protection Program,'' to the SBA's 7(a) Loan Program. Section 1106 of the CARES Act provides for forgiveness of up to the full principal amount of qualifying loans guaranteed under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The PPP is intended to provide economic relief to small businesses nationwide adversely impacted by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Subsequently, SBA published twenty-three interim final rules providing additional guidance on the PPP (some of which were jointly issued with the Department of the Treasury) and Treasury published one interim final rule. On December 27, 2020, the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act (Economic Aid Act) became law. The Economic Aid Act extends the authority to make PPP loans through March 31, 2021 and revises certain PPP requirements. This interim final rule incorporates the Economic Aid Act amendments required to be implemented by regulation within 10 days of enactment. For ease of borrower and lender reference, this interim final rule also consolidates the interim final rules (and important guidance) issued to date governing borrower eligibility, lender eligibility, and PPP application and origination requirements for new PPP loans, as well as provides general rules relating to loan increases and loan forgiveness. This rule is not intended to substantively alter or affect PPP rules that were not amended by the Economic Aid Act. Additional rules related to second draw PPP loans will be published separately, and SBA intends to issue a consolidated rule governing all aspects of loan forgiveness and the loan review process as well. This interim final rule is intended to govern new PPP loans made under the Economic Aid Act, as well as applications for loan forgiveness on existing PPP loans where the loan forgiveness payment has not been remitted, and should not be construed to alter or affect the requirements applicable to PPP loans closed prior to its enactment, unless the provisions apply retroactively consistent with specific applicability provisions of the Economic Aid Act as identified in this rule. In addition, in this interim final rule, Treasury exercises its authority under section 1109 of the CARES Act to allow borrowers of first draw PPP loans to use 2019 or 2020 to calculate their maximum loan amount.

This document updates postal regulations by implementing inflation adjustments to civil monetary penalties that may be imposed under consumer protection and mailability provisions enforced by the Postal Service pursuant to the Deceptive Mail Prevention and Enforcement Act and the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act. These adjustments are required under the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015. This document includes the adjustments for 2021 for statutory civil monetary penalties subject to the 2015 Act.

This document is issued under the joint authority of DOD, GSA, and NASA. This Small Entity Compliance Guide has been prepared in accordance with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996. It consists of a summary of the rules appearing in Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2021-03, which amends the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). Interested parties may obtain further information regarding these rules by referring to FAC 2021-03, which precedes this document.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are issuing a final rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement a section of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 to change the kinds of assets that individual sureties must pledge as security for their bonds.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are adopting as final, with changes, an interim rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement a section of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 that addresses measures against persons involved in activities that violate arms control treaties or agreements with the United States.

The Media Bureau, Video Division (Bureau) has before it a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued in response to a petition for rulemaking filed by Multimedia Holdings Corporation (Multimedia), licensee of KARE, channel 11, Minneapolis, Minnesota, requesting the substitution of channel 31 for channel 11 at Minneapolis in the DTV Table of Allotments. The Bureau had instituted a freeze on the acceptance of rulemaking petitions by full power television stations requesting channel substitutions in May 2011 and waived the freeze to consider Multimedia's proposal to substitute channel 31 at Minneapolis. TEGNA, Inc., filed comments in support of the petition reaffirming its commitment to applying for channel 31. The Bureau believes the public interest would be served by the substitution and will permit the station to better serve its viewers, who have experienced reception problems with VHF channel 11.

We are adopting amendments to facilitate capital formation and increase opportunities for investors by expanding access to capital for small and medium-sized businesses and entrepreneurs across the United States. Specifically, the amendments simplify, harmonize, and improve certain aspects of the exempt offering framework to promote capital formation while preserving or enhancing important investor protections. The amendments also seek to close gaps and reduce complexities in the exempt offering framework that may impede access to investment opportunities for investors and access to capital for businesses and entrepreneurs.

This interim final rule contains amendments to the regulations governing the 8(a) Business Development (BD) program. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is revising its regulations to implement a provision in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Appropriations Act), and the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (NDAA 2021), which authorized certain 8(a) Participants to extend their 8(a) BD program term by a period of one year. This interim final rule amends the 8(a) BD program regulations to carry out the changes made by the Act.

Pursuant to a letter from the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) received on December 23, 2020, withdrawing his request of July 29, 2020 that the Commission conduct an investigation and prepare a report that details any negative effects of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Canada and the European Union on the United States lobster industry, the Commission has terminated Investigation No. 332- 579: Lobsters: Effects of the Canada-EU Trade Agreement on the U.S. Industry, and will not release a report. The USTR requested the investigation and report under authority delegated by the President and pursuant to section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930. In his letter withdrawing the request, the USTR stated that the European Union's recent removal of tariffs on imported lobsters eliminated the need for a report analyzing any disadvantages to the U.S. lobster industry caused by the prior agreement between Canada and the European Union.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services announces the following information collection has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. This program helps to ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. The purpose of this Notice is to solicit comments about the plan to offer a grant program targeted to the needs of Native American libraries. A copy of the proposed information collection request can be obtained by contacting the individual listed below in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.

Following receipt on December 7, 2020, of a request from the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), under section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930, the U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission) instituted Investigation No. 332-583, Cucumbers: Effect of Imports on U.S. Seasonal Markets, with a Focus on the U.S. Southeast. The USTR asked that the investigation cover all imports that fall within the product description of U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule subheading 0707.00 (cucumbers, including gherkins, fresh or chilled).

The Securities and Exchange Commission (the ``Commission'') is publishing this notice (the ``Notice'') pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (the ``2015 Act''). This Act requires all agencies to annually adjust for inflation the civil monetary penalties that can be imposed under the statutes administered by the agency and publish the adjusted amounts in the Federal Register. This Notice sets forth the annual inflation adjustment of the maximum amount of civil monetary penalties (``CMPs'') administered by the Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ``Exchange Act''), the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, and certain penalties under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. These amounts are effective beginning on January 15, 2021, and will apply to all penalties imposed after that date for violations of the aforementioned statutes that occurred after November 2, 2015.

Notice is hereby given that the International Trade Commission has received a complaint entitled Certain Wireless Communications Equipment and Components Thereof, DN 3522; the Commission is soliciting comments on any public interest issues raised by the complaint or complainant's filing pursuant to the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure.

The Federal Trade Commission (``FTC'' or ``Commission'') is implementing adjustments to the civil penalty amounts within its jurisdiction to account for inflation, as required by law.

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation is required to amend its regulations annually to adjust for inflation the maximum civil penalty for failure to provide certain notices or other material information and for failure to provide certain multiemployer plan notices.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is confirming the effective date of January 25, 2021, for the direct final rule that was published in the Federal Register on November 9, 2020. This direct final rule amended the Holtec International HI-STORM UMAX Canister Storage System listing in the ``List of approved spent fuel storage casks'' to include Amendment No. 4 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1040. Amendment No. 4 revises the certificate of compliance to update the technical specifications for radiation protection regarding the dose rate limit for the vertical ventilated module lid, update the technical specifications for the vent blockage limiting condition for operation, and add a Type 1 version of multi-purpose canister MPC-37.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) implements section 12 of the TRACED Act in order to enable voice service providers to block calls from numbers associated with a type of illegal robocall known as a one-ring scam. The Commission also, pursuant to the TRACED Act, expands collaborative law enforcement and consumer education activities to stop one-ring scams and other fraudulent and abusive robocalling practices. The measures adopted by the Commission empower voice service providers to stop these illegal robocalls and will give consumers substantial additional protection from these scams.