Department of Homeland Security November 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is changing the operating schedule that governs the CSX Railroad swing bridge across the Tensaw River mile 15.0, Hurricane, Baldwin County, AL. This bridge will open on signal if at least ten-hours-notice is given. This rule is being changed because there are infrequent requests to open the bridge. This change will remove the drawbridge tender during daylight hours.

The Coast Guard is considering amending its regulations to establish new anchorage grounds in the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean. We are considering this action after receiving requests suggesting additional anchorage grounds are necessary to accommodate current and future vessel traffic, improve navigation safety, and because traditional anchorage areas may not be available due to planned or potential offshore wind energy development. We invite your comments on whether we should initiate a rulemaking to amend our existing anchorage regulations based on this, or if the status quo should be maintained or other actions considered.

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.

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to CBP regulations, that AmSpec LLC (La Porte, TX), has been approved to gauge petroleum and certain petroleum products for customs purposes for the next three years as of June 12, 2019.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public to take this opportunity to comment on a revision of a currently approved information collection. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice seeks comments concerning the HSGP.

The Coast Guard is removing the existing drawbridge operation regulation for the Winneconne Highway Bridge, mile 2.4, at Winneconne, WI. The drawbridge was replaced with a fixed bridge through the Coast Guard Bridge Permitting and Public Notice Process in 2018 and the operating regulation is no longer applicable or necessary.

The Coast Guard is seeking information and comments on a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking with a test schedule for the bridges crossing the Milwaukee, Menomonee, and Kinnickinnic Rivers and South Menomonee and Burnham Canals. The City of Milwaukee requested the regulations to be reviewed and updated to allow for a more balanced flow of maritime and land based transportation. The current regulation has been in place for over 30 years and is obsolete.

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 must be submitted (no later than January 24, 2020) to be assured of consideration.

The Coast Guard is authorizing the Conrail Railroad Bridge, mile 1.48, across the River Rouge, to be operated remotely.

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.

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.

The Department of Homeland Security is publishing the Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of Guatemala on Cooperation Regarding the Examination of Protection Claims. The text of the Agreement is set out below.

The Department of Justice (``DOJ'') and the Department of Homeland Security (``DHS'') (collectively, ``the Departments'') are adopting an interim final rule (``IFR'' or ``rule'') to modify existing regulations to provide for the implementation of Asylum Cooperative Agreements (``ACAs'') that the United States enters into pursuant to section 208(a)(2)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (``INA'' or ``Act''). Because the underlying purpose of section 208(a)(2)(A) is to provide asylum seekers with access to only one of the ACA signatory countries' protection systems, this rule adopts a modified approach to the expedited removal (``ER'') and section 240 processes in the form of a threshold screening as to which country will consider the alien's claim. This rule will apply to all ACAs in force between the United States and countries other than Canada, including bilateral ACAs recently entered into with El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras in an effort to share the distribution of hundreds of thousands of asylum claims. The rule will apply only prospectively to aliens who arrive at a U.S. port of entry, or enter or attempt to enter the United States between ports of entry, on or after the effective date of the rule.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters within a 150-foot radius of a sunken vessel, in Port Sutton Channel in Tampa, FL. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by the sunken vessel and its salvage. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port St. Petersburg.

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.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Technical Mapping Advisory Council (TMAC) will meet in person on Wednesday, December 11, 2019, and Thursday, December 12, 2019, in Arlington, VA. The meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone for all navigable waters of the Green River from mile marker (MM) 64.0 to MM 65.0. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters near Rumsey, KY, during the wire-crossing event. Entry into, transiting through, or anchoring within this zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Ohio Valley (COTP) or a designated representative.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Illinois (FEMA-4461-DR), dated September 19, 2019, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Texas (FEMA-4466-DR), dated October 4, 2019, and related determinations.

This is a notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Florida (FEMA-4468-DR), dated October 21, 2019, and related determinations.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) (collectively, the Departments), are jointly issuing this final rule to amend the regulations governing DOL's certification of nonagricultural labor or services to be performed by temporary foreign workers in H-2B nonimmigrant status (H-2B workers). Pursuant to Section 214(c)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), this certification serves as DHS's consultation with DOL regarding whether a qualified United States (U.S.) worker is available to fill the petitioning H-2B employer's job opportunity, and whether a foreign worker's employment in the job opportunity will adversely affect the wages or working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers. This final rule modernizes and improves the labor market test that DOL uses to assess whether qualified U.S. workers are available by: Rescinding the requirement that an employer advertise its job opportunity in a print newspaper of general circulation in the area of intended employment, and expanding and enhancing DOL's electronic job registry to disseminate available job opportunities to the widest audience possible.

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 Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) announces a public meeting of the President's National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC). To facilitate public participation, CISA invites public comments on the agenda items and any associated briefing materials to be considered by the council at the meeting.

DHS CISA ISD will submit the following information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. CISA previously published this ICR for a 60-day public comment period. No comments were received by CISA. The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for public comments.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposes to adjust certain immigration and naturalization benefit request fees charged by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). USCIS conducted a comprehensive biennial fee review and determined that current fees do not recover the full costs of providing adjudication and naturalization services. DHS proposes to adjust USCIS fees by a weighted average increase of 21 percent, add new fees for certain benefit requests, establish multiple fees for petitions for nonimmigrant workers, and limit the number of beneficiaries on certain forms to ensure that USCIS has the resources it needs to provide adequate service to applicants and petitioners. Adjustments to the fee schedule are necessary to recover the full operating costs associated with administering the nation's immigration benefits system, safeguarding its integrity, and efficiently and fairly adjudicating immigration benefit requests, while protecting Americans, securing the homeland, and honoring our country's values. USCIS also is proposing changes to certain other immigration benefit request requirements.