Department of Defense April 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel & Readiness 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.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency 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 Department of Defense is publishing the unclassified text of an arms sales notification.

The Department of Defense is publishing the unclassified text of an arms sales notification.

The Department of Defense is publishing the unclassified text of an arms sales notification.

The U.S. Army Installation Management Command (IMCOM) has completed a Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) analyzing the impacts of developing, adopting, implementing, and updating Real Property Management Plans (RPMPs) and their component documents using a standardized process in accordance with Department of Defense (DoD) and Army guidance, and encouraging community partner participation in this process. The Army is making the PEA and a draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) available for public comment. The PEA identifies no significant environmental impacts from implementing the Proposed Action. The draft FONSI concludes that preparing an environmental impact statement is not required and, therefore, one will not be prepared.

Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality, and Presidential Executive Order 12114, the Department of the Navy (DON) has prepared and filed the Point Mugu Sea Range (PMSR) Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (EIS/OEIS) with the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The PMSR Draft EIS/OEIS evaluates the potential environmental consequences associated with conducting military readiness activities within the PMSR, which include testing (research, development, acquisition, testing and evaluation (RDAT&E)) and training activities analyzed in the March 2002 PMSR Final EIS/OEIS and environmental assessments (EAs) completed since 2002. The Draft EIS/OEIS also evaluates proposed increases in military testing and training tempo at the PMSR to fully support current, emerging, and foreseeable future RDAT&E and Fleet training requirements.

On April 14, 2020, the United States Air Force (USAF) signed the Record of Decisions for the Environmental Impact Statement United States Air Force F-35A Operational Beddown Air National Guard.

The DoD is publishing this notice to announce that the following Federal Advisory Committee meeting of the Defense Advisory Committee on Investigation, Prosecution, and Defense of Sexual Assault in the Armed Forces will take place.

Defense Human Resources Activity publishes this Civilian Personnel Per Diem Bulletin Number 312. Bulletin Number 312 lists current per diem rates prescribed for reimbursement of subsistence expenses while on official Government travel to Alaska, Hawaii, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the possessions of the United States. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 per diem rate review for the U.S. Virgin Islands resulted in lodging and meal rate changes in certain locations.

DoD announces an early engagement opportunity regarding implementation of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act within the acquisition regulations.

The Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Army are publishing a final rule defining the scope of waters federally regulated under the Clean Water Act. The Navigable Waters Protection Rule is the second step in a comprehensive, two-step process intended to review and revise the definition of ``waters of the United States'' consistent with the Executive Order signed on February 28, 2017, ``Restoring the Rule of Law, Federalism, and Economic Growth by Reviewing the `Waters of the United States' Rule.'' Once effective, it replaces the rule published on October 22, 2019. This final rule implements the overall objective of the Clean Water Act to restore and maintain the integrity of the nation's waters by maintaining federal authority over those waters that Congress determined should be regulated by the Federal government under its Commerce Clause powers, while adhering to Congress' policy directive to preserve States' primary authority over land and water resources. This final definition increases the predictability and consistency of Clean Water Act programs by clarifying the scope of ``waters of the United States'' federally regulated under the Act.

On February 6, 2020, the Department of Defense (DoD) published an updated notice that announced the third meeting of the Table Rock Lake Oversight Committee, which was to take place on Wednesday, May 6, 2020 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. DoD is publishing this notice to announce that this federal advisory committee meeting has been cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns (the State of Missouri is under ``Stay at Home'' orders) and will be re- scheduled at a later date, along with meeting four.

On March 31, 2020, DoD, GSA, and NASA published a rule proposing to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to incorporate recent revisions and updates to accessibility standards issued by the U.S. Access Board pursuant to section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. DoD, GSA, and NASA are making editorial changes to correct amendatory instructions.

The Department of the Army, through the United States Army Corps of Engineers (``Corps''), is soliciting comments on its proposed revision of its regulation that governs the possession and transportation of firearms and other weapons at Corps water resources development projects (``projects''). This proposed revision would align the Corps regulation with the regulations of the other Federal land management agencies by removing the need for an individual to obtain written permission before possessing a weapon on Corps projects.

The Air Force Deputy Chief Information Officer is adding a new System of Records titled, Bring Your Own Approved Device (BYOAD), F017 SAF CN A. The BYOAD program provides authorized AF users the ability to voluntarily use their authorized personal mobile devices to conduct government business. This system safeguards government records by providing secured communication mechanisms on personal mobile devices with secured containers and AF Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) certificates for conducting government business.

The Department of Defense is publishing the unclassified text of an arms sales notification.

DoD is making needed technical amendments to update the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS).

DoD is proposing to amend the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to remove internal agency guidance and a clause that is no longer necessary, pursuant to action taken by the Regulatory Reform Task Force.

DoD is issuing a final rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to modify the text of an existing DFARS clause to include the text of another DFARS clause on the same subject in an effort to streamline contract terms and conditions for contractors, pursuant to action taken by the Regulatory Reform Task Force.

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 2019 that provides for accelerated payments to small business contractors and subcontractors.

DoD is issuing a final rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to modify the text of an existing DFARS clause to include the text of another DFARS clause on the same subject, in an effort to streamline contract terms and conditions for contractors, pursuant to action taken by the Regulatory Reform Task Force.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Galveston District, has received a permit application for a U.S. Department of the Army (DA) permit pursuant to Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act from Dow Chemical Company (Dow) (SWG-2016-01027) for the Harris Reservoir Expansion Project (proposed Project). The proposed Project site is located between the Brazos River and Oyster Creek approximately 8 miles northwest of the City of Angleton in Brazoria County, Texas. The primary federal involvement associated with the proposed action (proposed Project) is the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States (U.S.), and the construction of structures and/or work that may affect navigable waters. Federal authorizations for the Project would constitute a major federal action. Based on the potential impacts, both individually and cumulatively, the Corps intends to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to render a final decision on the permit applications. The Corps' decision will be to issue, issue with modification, or deny DA permits for the proposed action. The EIS will assess the potential social, economic, and environmental impacts of the construction and operation of the proposed project, and is intended to be sufficient in scope to address federal, state, and local requirements; environmental and socioeconomic issues concerning the proposed action; and permit reviews.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Regulatory Secretariat Division has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve a revision and renewal of a previously approved information collection requirement regarding payments to small business subcontractors.

This final rule removes DoD's regulation that provides instructions to DoD Components on the collection and disposition of cash and cash equivalents received for the sale of DoD surplus personal property. Proceeds from the sale of surplus personal property shall be deposited by the collecting DoD Component promptly to a U.S. Treasury account. Process instructions are conveyed directly to potential buyers and bidders when invitation for bids are distributed or published. Therefore, this rule is unnecessary and can be removed from the CFR.