Department of Defense 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of the Army (Army) announces the availability of its Record of Decision (ROD) for the proposed Heavy Off-Road Mounted Maneuver Training Area (HOMMTA) at Fort Benning, Georgia. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the ROD identifies the Army's Selected Alternative (and basis for its selection), the Environmentally Preferred Alternative, and the mitigation measures the Army commits to implement with the Selected Alternative. The ROD is based on the results of the Army's Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that analyzed the potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts associated with constructing, operating, and maintaining a HOMMTA of at least 2,400 contiguous acres at Fort Benning to support off-road mounted maneuver (Proposed Action).

The Defense Acquisition Regulations System has submitted to OMB for clearance, the following proposed revision and extension of a collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act.

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.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Defense Health 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.

Consistent with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and its implementing regulations, this document provides notice DoD is submitting an Information Collection Request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to conduct research to investigate the theoretical relationship between diversity, inclusion policies and practices, and Soldier and team performance. DoD requests emergency processing and OMB authorization to collect the information after publication of this notice for a period of six months.

The Department of Defense has submitted to OMB for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act.

The Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC) is carrying out an effort requested under the report accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, to, in part, work with communities to find measures that would mitigate noise caused by defense fixed wing aviation activities. Approximately 205 active and reserve installations have been identified with ``covered facilities'' (hospitals, daycare facilities, schools, facilities serving senior citizens, and private residences) that appear to be located within one mile or a day-night average sound level of 65 decibel or greater of a military installation or another location at which military fixed wing aircraft are stationed. OLDCC is requesting affected communities adjacent to those 205 active and reserve installations to provide feedback through a web portal on measures to mitigate defense aviation noise for OLDCC to consider in its efforts to develop a community noise mitigation program in collaboration with the Service Secretaries.

The Department of Defense is issuing this final rule to adjust each of its statutory civil monetary penalties (CMP) to account for inflation. The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended by the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 and the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (the 2015 Act), requires the head of each agency to adjust for inflation its CMP levels in effect as of November 2, 2015, under a revised methodology that was effective for 2016 and for each year thereafter.

The DTRA is modifying a system of records, titled ``Nuclear Test Participants,'' HDTRA 010. Each year, the DTRA uses this system of records to respond to over 700 atomic veteran radiogenic disease compensation inquiries from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The DTRA's responses include verification of participation in nuclear testing programs or military operations for presumptive claims, and radiation dose assessments for non-presumptive claims. The intended effect of modifying this SORN is to make updates associated with changes being made to the underlying information system that maintains these records.

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) 2021-07, which amends the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). Interested parties may obtain further information regarding these rules by referring to FAC 2021-07, which precedes this document.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are issuing a final rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation to implement a section of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, which requires examples of failure to make good faith efforts to comply with a small business subcontracting plan.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are issuing a final rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement revised and standardized limitations on subcontracting, including the nonmanufacturer rule, that apply to small business concerns.

This document summarizes the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) rules agreed to by the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) in this Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2021-07. A companion document, the Small Entity Compliance Guide (SECG), follows this FAC.

The Department of Defense has submitted to OMB for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act.

The Department of Defense has submitted to OMB for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act.

The Department of Army (Army) announces the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed implementation of an Area Development Plan (ADP) for Davison Army Airfield (DAAF) at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Final EIS analyzes the potential environmental impacts associated with implementing the construction, modernization, and demolition projects at DAAF recommended in the ADP (Proposed Action). A Finding of No Practicable Alternative (FONPA) addressing potential impacts on floodplains and wetlands was prepared in parallel with and is included as an appendix to the Final EIS. The Proposed Action would be implemented over an approximately 30-year time period to provide facilities and infrastructure necessary to support the ongoing and future missions of DAAF's tenants. The Proposed Action would improve the airfield's functional layout, demolish and replace aging facilities and infrastructure, and address multiple operational safety concerns along the runway. The ADP is specific to DAAF and all projects would occur entirely within its boundaries. No substantial changes in missions, air operations, or the number of aircraft and personnel at DAAF would occur under the Proposed Action.

The Defense Acquisition Regulations System has submitted to OMB for clearance the following proposed revision of a currently approved collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act.

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

The Department of Defense has submitted to OMB for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act.

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

On June 9, 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of the Army announced their intent to revise the definition of ``waters of the United States.'' This process includes two rulemakings: A foundational rule to restore longstanding protections, and a second rulemaking process that builds on that regulatory foundation. The forthcoming foundational rule will propose to restore the regulations defining ``waters of the United States'' that were in place for decades until 2015, with updates to be consistent with relevant Supreme Court decisions. The agencies will also pursue a separate, second rulemaking process that further refines and builds upon that regulatory foundation. The agencies intend to engage with state and tribal co-regulators and the public to inform these two rulemakings. The agencies are committed to learning from the past regulatory approachesthe pre-2015 regulations and guidance, the 2015 Clean Water Rule, and the 2020 Navigable Waters Protection Rule while engaging with stakeholders and crafting a refined definition of ``waters of the United States.'' This document includes a schedule for initial public meetings to hear from interested stakeholders on their perspectives on defining ``waters of the United States'' under the Clean Water Act and how to implement that definition as the agencies pursue this process. The agencies are also accepting written recommendations from members of the public and are planning further opportunities for engagement. These opportunities will include 10 geographically focused roundtables that will provide for broad, transparent, regionally focused discussions among a full spectrum of stakeholders.

On June 17, 2021, the Air Force submitted a report to the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) that addressed the value and effectiveness of the emergency alternative arrangements for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental review of proposed emergency response actions agreed to by the CEQ for the Department of the Air Force's (Air Force) Interim Beddown of the F-22 Formal Training Unit at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.

Pursuant to the Bayh-Dole Act and implementing regulations, the Department of the Air Force hereby gives notice of its intent to grant an exclusive patent license agreement to Palladium Labs, a C- Corporation, having a place of business at 126 Thomas Street NW, Washington, DC 20001.

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, the DoD is modifying and reissuing a current system of records titled ``Identity Synchronization Services (IdSS),'' K890.14. This system of records was originally established by the DISA to populate and maintain persona- based user objects in DoD enterprise-level Domain Controllers, such as the Enterprise Application and Services Forest (EASF) implemented by DISA to provide DoD Enterprise E-Mail, DoD Enterprise Portal Service (DEPS), etc. In addition, the DISA uses the IdSS to populate and maintain persona data elements in DoD Component networks and systems, such as directory services and account provisioning systems. This system of records notice (SORN) is being updated to make various changes, including expanding the individuals covered and adding DoD's standard routine uses.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are proposing to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement an Executive order (E.O.) addressing domestic preferences in Government procurement.