Department of Homeland Security 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Louisiana (FEMA-4590-DR), dated March 9, 2021, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Texas (FEMA-4586-DR), dated February 19, 2021, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Colorado (FEMA-4581-DR), dated January 15, 2021, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster for the State of Oregon (FEMA-4562-DR), dated September 15, 2020, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of West Virginia (FEMA-4517-DR), dated April 3, 2020, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (FEMA-4506-DR), dated March 30, 2020, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Maryland (FEMA-4491-DR), dated March 26, 2020, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of an emergency declaration for the State of Florida (FEMA-3561-EM), dated July 4, 2021, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of an emergency for the State of Florida (FEMA-3560-EM), dated June 25, 2021, and related determinations.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 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 a list of hotels, motels, and similar places of public accommodations meeting minimum fire-safety requirements. The information collected is voluntary and if approved for listing, the lodging establishment may be used by Federal employees on government related travel and for Federal agency conferences. As the list is open to use by the public, non-government travelers may use the list to identify lodging meeting minimum life-safety criteria from fire.

This notice announces that the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) has suspended certain regulatory requirements for F-1 nonimmigrant students whose country of citizenship is Somalia (regardless of country of birth) and who are experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the current crisis in Somalia. The Secretary is taking action to provide relief to Somali citizens (regardless of country of birth) who are lawful F-1 nonimmigrant students so that students may request employment authorization, work an increased number of hours while school is in session, and reduce their course load while continuing to maintain F-1 nonimmigrant student status. DHS will deem an F-1 nonimmigrant student who receives employment authorization by means of this notice to be engaged in a ``full course of study'' for the duration of the employment authorization, if the nonimmigrant student satisfies the minimum course load requirement described in this notice.

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

On March 15, 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published in the Federal Register an Interim Final Rule, which amends the CBP regulations to provide for mandatory advance electronic data (AED) for international mail shipments. That document inadvertently misnumbered the regulatory text listing the circumstances when AED is not required for international mail shipments and made a typographical error in the authority citation.

DHS is publishing official notice that the Transportation Security Oversight Board (TSOB) has ratified Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Security Directive Pipeline-2021-01, which is applicable to certain owners and operators (Owner/Operators) of critical pipeline systems and facilities and requires actions to enhance pipeline cybersecurity.

The Coast Guard will enforce a safety zone for a swim event taking place at Lakeshore State Park in Milwaukee, WI from August 5 through August 8, 2021, in order to provide for the safety of life on navigable waterways during this event. During the enforcement period, no vessel may enter, move within, or exit the safety zone without permission from the Captain of the Port Lake Michigan or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for certain navigable waters of Great Egg Harbor Bay in Ocean City, NJ. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by a fireworks display. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) Delaware Bay.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for all navigable waters of the Cumberland River extending from mile marker (MM) 61.5 to MM 63.5 near Canton, KY. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards associated with the salvage of a cruise ship. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Ohio Valley (COTP) or a designated representative.

CISA announces the cancellation of the public meeting of the President's National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC) scheduled for July 23, 2021.

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.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary fixed and moving safety zone for all waters within 300 yards of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Bank Grading Units and USACE Mat Sinking Unit while operating on the Lower Mississippi River between MM332 through MM862. The safety zone is needed to protect persons, property, infrastructure, and the marine environment from the potential safety hazards associated with the bank grading and mat sinking operations performed by the USACE. During the effective period, USACE operations may require at times one way traffic, or complete closures during daylight hours when no traffic will be allowed to transit within 300 yards of the operation. Broadcast Notice to Mariners will be used to inform marine traffic of these times based on notice provided by the USACE. Deviation from the safety zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port, Lower Mississippi River, or a designated representative.

In 2020, the Coast Guard began making broadcast notices to mariners containing locally relevant information accessible by mobile devices and the internet. Previously, the only way to obtain this information in a timely fashion was to tune in to local Coast Guard broadcasts that take place on very high frequency (VHF) marine radio two or more times per day. The new methods of information delivery have included Rich Site Summary, also known as Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds, email, and other means such as map-based filtering. The Coast Guard has received public feedback indicating that mariners prefer the real-time accessibility of mobile and internet access to this information over scheduled VHF broadcasts, because access is more timely, reliable, convenient, and customizable. Also, some mariners have reported that VHF broadcast notice to mariners are bothersome, because they are perceived as unnecessary radio clutter that can be distracting when maneuvering along a dock, in ports or other areas of congested traffic. The Coast Guard is considering phasing out the process of distributing this information by routine VHF radio broadcasts, and is seeking public comment.

The Coast Guard announces the cancellation of several obsolete Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circulars (NVIC). NVICs are guidance documents issued by the Coast Guard that do not have the force of law. However, NVICs ensure Coast Guard inspections and other regulatory actions conducted by field personnel are complete and consistent. Similarly, the marine industry and the general public rely on NVICs as a way to assess how the Coast Guard will enforce certain regulations or conduct various marine safety programs. Thus, it is important that the public is made aware when NVICs are cancelled so as to avoid confusion.

From June 29, 2020, through June 28, 2021, the Coast Guard conducted the Northern New York Bight Port Access Route Study (NNYBPARS) and is now requesting your comments on a draft version of the study report. The goal of the study is to evaluate the adequacy of existing vessel routing measures and determine whether additional vessel routing measures are necessary for port approaches to New York and New Jersey and international and domestic transit areas in the First District area of responsibility. To accomplish this goal, the Coast Guard has undertaken measures to determine whether existing or additional routing measures are necessary to improve navigation safety due to factors such as planned or potential offshore development, current port capabilities and planned improvements, increased vessel traffic, existing and potential anchorage areas, changing vessel traffic patterns, effects of weather, or navigational difficulty. We seek your comments on the content and development of the report.

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.

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.