Department of Homeland Security October 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). The information collection is published in the Federal Register to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Henry Ford Avenue railroad bridge across the Cerritos Channel, mile 4.8, at Long Beach, CA. The deviation is necessary to allow the bridge owner to install necessary electrical equipment inside the bridge machinery room and operator house. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position during the deviation period.

The Navigation Safety Advisory Council will meet to discuss matters relating to maritime collisions, rammings, and groundings; Inland Rules of the Road; International Rules of the Road; navigation regulations and equipment, routing measures, marine information, diving safety, and aids to navigation systems. These meetings will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the Main Branch of the Chicago River, Chicago, IL. This action is necessary and intended to ensure safety of life on the navigable waters of the United States immediately prior to, during, and after a bridge based pyrotechnics display. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Lake Michigan.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the upper deck of the Steel Bridge across the Willamette River, mile 12.1, in Portland, OR. The deviation is necessary to support the Annual Run Like Hell Half Marathon event. This deviation allows the upper lift span of the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position to ensure the safety of construction crew members.

This notice announces the appointment of the members of the Senior Executive Service (SES) Performance Review Board (PRB) for DHS. The purpose of the PRB is to view and make recommendations concerning proposed performance appraisals, ratings, bonuses, pay adjustments, and other appropriate personnel actions for incumbents of SES, Senior Level and Senior Professional positions of the Department.

The purpose of this notice is to provide information on administrative revisions to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS or Department) Categorical Exclusions found in DHS Instruction 023-01-001- 01, Rev. 01, Implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (herein after referred to as Instruction). The Instruction was finalized October 31, 2014 and became effective on March 26, 2015; however, unintended administrative errors have since been identified. These errors are limited to Categorical Exclusions found in Appendix A, Table 1 of the Instruction. The administrative revisions covered under this notice either resolve ambiguity to ensure application which is consistent with the administrative record or resolve typographical errors that had the potential to result in inappropriate application. These revisions are effective upon publication in the Federal Register.

The Coast Guard is correcting a temporary final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on October 3, 2017. The document issued a temporary safety zone for certain waters of the Patapsco River, Northwest Harbor and Inner Harbor in association with the movement of the historic sloop-of-war USS CONSTELLATION on October 26, 2017 (rain date of October 27, 2017).

The Coast Guard has established a temporary safety zone for certain waters within the Sector Key West Captain of the Port (COTP) Zone. Vessels are prohibited from entering into, anchoring, loitering, or movement within a safety zone around salvage or pollution removal vessels in the Florida Keys. These temporary regulations are necessary for the safety of persons, vessels, and property due to the large volume of debris, sunken vessels and salvage operations associated with Hurricane Irma. We invite your comments on this rulemaking.

FEMA gives notice of an adjustment to the threshold for Small Project subgrants made to state, tribal, and local governments and private nonprofit facilities for disasters declared on or after October 1, 2017.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (FEMA-4339-DR), dated September 20, 2017, and related determinations.

FEMA gives notice that the countywide per capita impact indicator under the Public Assistance program for disasters declared on or after October 1, 2017, will be increased.

Comments are requested on proposed flood hazard determinations, which may include additions or modifications of any Base Flood Elevation (BFE), base flood depth, Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) boundary or zone designation, or regulatory floodway on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), and where applicable, in the supporting Flood Insurance Study (FIS) reports for the communities listed in the table below. The purpose of this notice is to seek general information and comment regarding the preliminary FIRM, and where applicable, the FIS report that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has provided to the affected communities. The FIRM and FIS report are the basis of the floodplain management measures that the community is required either to adopt or to show evidence of having in effect in order to qualify or remain qualified for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). In addition, the FIRM and FIS report, once effective, will be used by insurance agents and others to calculate appropriate flood insurance premium rates for new buildings and the contents of those buildings.

Flood hazard determinations, which may include additions or modifications of Base Flood Elevations (BFEs), base flood depths, Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) boundaries or zone designations, or regulatory floodways on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and where applicable, in the supporting Flood Insurance Study (FIS) reports have been made final for the communities listed in the table below. The FIRM and FIS report are the basis of the floodplain management measures that a community is required either to adopt or to show evidence of having in effect in order to qualify or remain qualified for participation in the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). In addition, the FIRM and FIS report are used by insurance agents and others to calculate appropriate flood insurance premium rates for buildings and the contents of those buildings.

Flood hazard determinations, which may include additions or modifications of Base Flood Elevations (BFEs), base flood depths, Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) boundaries or zone designations, or regulatory floodways on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and where applicable, in the supporting Flood Insurance Study (FIS) reports have been made final for the communities listed in the table below. The FIRM and FIS report are the basis of the floodplain management measures that a community is required either to adopt or to show evidence of having in effect in order to qualify or remain qualified for participation in the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). In addition, the FIRM and FIS report are used by insurance agents and others to calculate appropriate flood insurance premium rates for buildings and the contents of those buildings.

Flood hazard determinations, which may include additions or modifications of Base Flood Elevations (BFEs), base flood depths, Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) boundaries or zone designations, or regulatory floodways on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and where applicable, in the supporting Flood Insurance Study (FIS) reports have been made final for the communities listed in the table below. The FIRM and FIS report are the basis of the floodplain management measures that a community is required either to adopt or to show evidence of having in effect in order to qualify or remain qualified for participation in the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). In addition, the FIRM and FIS report are used by insurance agents and others to calculate appropriate flood insurance premium rates for buildings and the contents of those buildings.

New or modified Base (1-percent annual chance) Flood Elevations (BFEs), base flood depths, Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) boundaries or zone designations, and/or regulatory floodways (hereinafter referred to as flood hazard determinations) as shown on the indicated Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) for each of the communities listed in the table below are finalized. Each LOMR revises the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), and in some cases the Flood Insurance Study (FIS) reports, currently in effect for the listed communities. The flood hazard determinations modified by each LOMR will be used to calculate flood insurance premium rates for new buildings and their contents.

This notice lists communities where the addition or modification of Base Flood Elevations (BFEs), base flood depths, Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) boundaries or zone designations, or the regulatory floodway (hereinafter referred to as flood hazard determinations), as shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), and where applicable, in the supporting Flood Insurance Study (FIS) reports, prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for each community, is appropriate because of new scientific or technical data. The FIRM, and where applicable, portions of the FIS report, have been revised to reflect these flood hazard determinations through issuance of a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR). The LOMR will be used by insurance agents and others to calculate appropriate flood insurance premium rates for new buildings and the contents of those buildings. For rating purposes, the currently effective community number is shown in the table below and must be used for all new policies and renewals.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on an extension, without change, of a currently approved information collection. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice seeks comments concerning the Fire Management Assistance Grant Program.

The designation of Sudan for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is set to expire on November 2, 2017. After reviewing country conditions and consulting with the appropriate U.S. Government agencies, the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) has determined that conditions in Sudan have sufficiently improved for TPS purposes and no longer support a designation for TPS. Therefore, the Secretary is terminating the TPS designation of Sudan. To provide for an orderly transition, this termination is effective November 2, 2018, twelve months following the end of the current designation. Nationals of Sudan (and aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in Sudan) who have been granted TPS and wish to maintain their TPS and have their current TPS- based Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) extended through November 2, 2018, should re-register for TPS in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Notice. On November 3, 2018, nationals of Sudan (and aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in Sudan) who have been granted TPS under the Sudan designation will no longer have TPS.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration (USCIS) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment upon this proposed extension of a currently approved collection of information. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the information collection notice is published in the Federal Register to obtain comments regarding the nature of the information collection, the categories of respondents, the estimated burden (i.e., the time, effort, and resources used by the respondents to respond), the estimated cost to the respondent, and the actual information collection instruments.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for public comments.

The Coast Guard proposes to modify the operating schedule that governs the Metro-North Peck Bridge across the Pequonnock River, mile 0.3, at Bridgeport, Connecticut. The owner of the bridge, Metro-North Railroad, has submitted a request that vessels seeking an opening of the draw submit a minimum of four hours of advance notice. It is expected this change to the regulations will better serve the needs of the public, particularly commuters and commercial interests utilizing the Northeast Corridor rail spur, while continuing to meet the reasonable needs of navigation.

The Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). The information collection is published in the Federal Register to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. Comments are encouraged and will be accepted (no later than November 9, 2017) to be assured of consideration.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Florida (FEMA-4337-DR), dated September 10, 2017, and related determinations.