Department of Homeland Security January 2023 – 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: 1625-0041, Various International Agreement Pollution Prevention Certificates and Documents, and Equivalency Certificates; 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.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the Commonwealth of Kentucky (FEMA-4663-DR), dated July 29, 2022, and related determinations.

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.

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).

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).

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for certain navigable waters in the Laguna Madre. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by a firework display launched from a barge in the Laguna Madre, South Padre Island, Texas. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Sector Corpus Christi or a designated representative.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Louisiana (FEMA-4611-DR), dated August 29, 2021, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Kansas (FEMA-4504-DR), dated March 29, 2020, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Iowa (FEMA-4483-DR), dated March 23, 2020, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of an emergency declaration for the State of California (FEMA-3591-EM), dated January 9, 2023, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of California (FEMA-4683-DR), dated January 14, 2023, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Florida (FEMA-4680-DR), dated December 13, 2022, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of South Carolina (FEMA-4677-DR), dated November 21, 2022, and related determinations.

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish a temporary safety zone for certain waters of the Potomac River. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters near Washington, DC, during a fireworks display on February 18, 2023. This proposed rulemaking would 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. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard will enforce a security zone along the Potomac River and Anacostia River, and adjacent waters at Washington, DC, for activities associated with the U.S. President's State of the Union Address before a Joint Session of Congress. The zone will be enforced on February 7, 2023 through the early morning hours on February 8, 2023. This action is necessary to protect government officials, mitigate potential terrorist acts and incidents, and enhance public and maritime safety and security immediately before, during, and after this activity. During the enforcement period, entry into or remaining within the zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port or his 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 1652-0032, abstracted below, that we will submit to OMB for an extension in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden. The collection involves using a questionnaire to collect medical information from candidates for the job of Transportation Security Officer (TSO) to ensure applicants are qualified to perform TSO duties.

The Coast Guard proposes to revise an existing safety zone regulation in Tampa Bay within the geographic boundaries of the Captain of the Port (COTP) St. Petersburg Zone. The proposed change is designed to align the coordinates in the regulation with the coordinates needed to properly control traffic in cases of restricted visibility in Tampa Bay. The current coordinates do not reflect the safety zones that the Coast Guard intended to put in place. The Coast Guard invites your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard proposes to modify the operating schedule that governs the Metro-North (Devon) Bridge, across the Housatonic River, mile 3.9, at Stratford, CT. The bridge owner, Metro-North (MNR), submitted a request on May 5, 2022 to modify the regulation by aligning with the Metro-North ``WALK'' Bridge train schedule and avoid bridge openings during peak transit hours. It is expected that this change to the regulations will better serve the needs of the community while continuing to meet the reasonable needs of navigation. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

The Coast Guard is proposing to establish a temporary special local regulation for navigable waters of the Bonita Tideway near Brigantine, NJ. This action is needed to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters during a rowing regatta on April 1, 2023, and April 2, 2023. This rulemaking prohibits persons and vessels from being in the regulated areas during the enforcement period unless authorized entry by the Captain of the Port (COTP), Delaware Bay, or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

This notice announces that the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) is suspending certain regulatory requirements for F-1 nonimmigrant students whose country of citizenship is Haiti, regardless of country of birth (or individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Haiti), and who are experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the current crisis in Haiti. The Secretary is taking action to provide relief to these Haitian students who are in lawful F-1 nonimmigrant student status so the students may request employment authorization on the date of publication of this notice, work an increased number of hours while school is in session, and reduce their course load while continuing to maintain their F-1 nonimmigrant student status. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will deem an F-1 nonimmigrant student granted 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.

Through this notice, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announces that the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) is extending the designation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months, beginning on February 4, 2023, and ending on August 3, 2024. This extension allows existing TPS beneficiaries to retain TPS through August 3, 2024, so long as they continue to meet the eligibility requirements for TPS. Existing TPS beneficiaries who wish to extend their status through August 3, 2024, must re-register during the 60-day re-registration period described in this notice. The Secretary is also redesignating Haiti for TPS. The redesignation of Haiti allows additional Haitian nationals (and individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Haiti) who have been continuously residing in the United States since November 6, 2022, to apply for TPS for the first time during the initial registration period described under the redesignation information in this notice. In addition to demonstrating continuous residence in the United States since November 6, 2022, and meeting other eligibility criteria, applicants for TPS under this designation must demonstrate that they have been continuously physically present in the United States since February 4, 2023, the effective date of this redesignation of Haiti for TPS.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will submit the information collection abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget for review and clearance in accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The submission seeks comments concerning the use of a form to collect data for the development and continuation of the National Fire Department Registry.

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).

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), in accordance with Federal Regulations. The currently effective community number is shown in the table below and must be used for all new policies and renewals.

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).