Department of Homeland Security December 18, 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the U.S. Coast Guard intends to submit an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), requesting an extension of its approval for the following collection of information: 1625-0127, Marine Transportation System Recovery; without change. Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Before submitting this ICR to OIRA, the Coast Guard is inviting comments as described below.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) 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 a notice about this ICR, in the Federal Register on July 20, 2020, for a 60-day public comment period. No comments were received. In this notice, CISA solicits additional public comments concerning this ICR for 30-days.

As a result of continued disruptions and uncertainty to the U.S. food agriculture sector during the upcoming winter and spring agricultural seasons caused by the global novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency, the Department of Homeland Security, (``DHS'' or ``the Department''), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, has decided it is necessary to temporarily extend the amendments to certain regulations regarding temporary and seasonal agricultural workers, and their U.S. employers, within the H-2A nonimmigrant classification. Through this temporary final rule DHS is extending the provisions of the August 20, 2020, temporary final rule. Namely, DHS will continue to allow H-2A employees whose extensions of stay H-2A petitions are supported by valid temporary labor certifications issued by the U.S. Department of Labor to begin work with a new employer immediately after the extension of stay petition is received by USCIS. DHS will apply this temporary final rule to H-2A petitions requesting an extension of stay, if they were received on or after December 18, 2020, but no later than June 16, 2021. The temporary extension of these flexibilities will ensure that agricultural employers have access to the orderly and timely flow of legal foreign workers, thereby protecting the integrity of the nation's food supply chain and decreasing possible reliance on unauthorized aliens, while at the same time encouraging agricultural employers' use of the H-2A program, which protects the rights of U.S. and foreign workers.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for all navigable waters of the Lower Mississippi River (LMR), between Mile Marker 368 and 370. The safety zone is needed to protect persons, property, infrastructure, and the marine environment from the potential safety hazards associated with line pulling operations in the vicinity of the Natchez, MS. Entry of persons or vessels into this zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Lower Mississippi River or a designated representative.