Department of Homeland Security August 23, 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) to receive input from the public on transforming the Community Rating System (CRS) under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to better align with the current understanding of flood risk and flood risk approaches and to incentivize communities to not only manage but also lower their flood risk through floodplain management initiatives. The NFIP's CRS program is a voluntary incentive program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management practices that exceed the minimum requirements of the NFIP for floodplain management. As FEMA undertakes a series of initiatives that will transform the NFIP, the agency is evaluating the CRS program and its potential to support FEMA, State, local, Tribal, and Territorial community goals and needs.

The Coast Guard is changing the regulation that governs the Route 88 (Veterans Memorial) Bridge and Route 13 (Lovelandtown) Bridge across the NJICW at Point Pleasant Canal, mile 3.0 and 3.9, respectively at Point Pleasant, NJ. The final rule allows the drawbridges to be maintained in the closed position overnight.

This document announces the decision of the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) to continue to temporarily limit the travel of individuals from Canada into the United States at land ports of entry along the United States-Canada border. Such travel will be limited to ``essential travel,'' as further defined in this document.

The National Merchant Mariner Medical Advisory Committee (Committee) will meet via teleconference to discuss matters relating to medical certification determinations for issuance of licenses, certificates of registry, and merchant mariners' documents, medical standards and guidelines for the physical qualifications of operators of commercial vessels, medical examiner education, and medical research. The meeting will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for certain waters in the Potomac River. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of persons, property, and the marine environment from the potential safety hazards associated with construction operations at the new Governor Harry W. Nice/Senator Thomas ``Mac'' Middleton Memorial (US-301) Bridge, which will occur from 7 a.m. on August 23, 2021, through 8 p.m. on September 11, 2021. This rule will prohibit persons and vessels from being in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Maryland-National Capital Region or a designated representative.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) invites public comment on one currently approved Information Collection Request (ICR), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number 1652-0013, that we will submit to OMB for a revision in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden. The collection involves surveying travelers to measure customer satisfaction with their aviation security screening experience in an effort to manage TSA's performance at the airport more efficiently.

Under provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) administers the public charge ground of inadmissibility as it pertains to applicants for admission and adjustment of status. DHS is publishing this advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) to seek broad public feedback on the public charge ground of inadmissibility that will inform its development of a future regulatory proposal. DHS intends to propose a rule that will be fully consistent with law; that will reflect empirical evidence to the extent relevant and available; that will be clear, fair, and comprehensible for officers as well as for noncitizens and their families; that will lead to fair and consistent adjudications and thus avoid unequal treatment of the similarly situated; and that will not otherwise unduly impose barriers on noncitizens seeking admission to or adjustment of status in the United States. DHS also intends to ensure that its regulatory proposal does not cause undue fear among immigrant communities or present other obstacles to immigrants and their families accessing public services available to them, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting long-term public health and economic impacts in the United States. DHS welcomes input from individuals, organizations, government entities and agencies, and all other interested members of the public. Comments will be most helpful if they clearly identify the questions to which they are responding, offer concrete proposals, and/or articulate support or opposition to current or prior DHS public charge policies, and cite to relevant laws, regulations, data, and/or studies. DHS is also providing notice of public virtual listening sessions on the public charge ground of inadmissibility and this ANPRM.