Department of Homeland Security – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard, as the lead agency, announces its intent to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement that will evaluate the potential environmental consequences of the Coast Guard's Proposed Action to establish shipping safety fairways and other routing measures along the Atlantic Coast of the United States. While vessels are not required to use them, fairways are designed to keep traditional navigation routes free from fixed structures that could impact navigation safety and impede other shared offshore activities. This Notice of Intent is intended to solicit feedback on preliminary alternatives to help the Coast Guard narrow the scope of the PEIS. The Coast Guard intends to host three in-person meetings and one virtual scoping public meeting to provide additional information to the public and to solicit input on potential issues, concerns, and reasonable alternatives that should be considered in the PEIS.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is publishing this interim final rule (IFR) amending its regulations governing the Individual Assistance program to increase equity by simplifying processes, removing barriers to entry, and increasing eligibility for certain types of assistance under the program.

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.

Pursuant to the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974, as amended, the Administrator of FEMA is publishing this notice describing the fiscal year (FY) 2023 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program application process, deadlines, and award selection criteria. This notice explains the differences, if any, between these guidelines and those recommended by representatives of the national fire service leadership during the annual meeting of the Criteria Development Panel (CDP), which was held July 18-19, 2023. The application period for the FY 2023 AFG Program is Jan. 29, 2024-March 8, 2024, and was announced on the FEMA AFG Program website at https:// www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/firefighters, as well as at https:// www.grants.gov.

This rule amends the Department of Homeland Security regulations to require persons intending to travel to Guam or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) under the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program (G-CNMI VWP) to submit Form I-736 electronically in advance of travel and receive an electronic travel authorization prior to embarking on a carrier for travel to Guam or the CNMI. Under the current G-CNMI VWP regulations, a paper U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Form I-736 is presented to CBP upon arrival. This rule also establishes the CNMI Economic Vitality & Security Travel Authorization Program (EVS-TAP) as a restricted sub-program of the G- CNMI VWP. This program is being established based on recommendations made pursuant to consultations between the United States and the CNMI under Section 902 of the Covenant to Establish the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America. Once implemented, the CNMI EVS-TAP will allow prescreened nationals of the People's Republic of China to travel to the CNMI without a visa under specified conditions.

The Coast Guard will enforce a special local regulation for the Gasparilla Invasion and Parade on January 27, 2024, to provide for the safety of life on navigable waterways during this event. Our regulation for recurring marine events within the Captain of the Port St. Petersburg identifies the regulated area for this event in Tampa, FL. During the enforcement periods, no person or vessel may enter, transit through, anchor in, or remain within the regulated area unless authorized by the Coast Guard Patrol Commander or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters within a 100-yard radius of the vessels and machinery conducting operations at the site of the tug MAZAPETA in Little Potato Slough near Stockton, CA. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by salvage and pollution removal operations. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port, Sector San Francisco.

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. FEMA 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 changes to modernize and simplify the disaster assistance registration. The changes will reduce the burden on survivors by only requiring them to answer questions based on the type of assistance they need. This will also reduce the amount of time it takes for survivors to apply either online, or through a call center, therefore allowing call center agents to assist survivors more quickly.

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).

This notice advises the public that the quarterly Internal Revenue Service interest rates used to calculate interest on overdue accounts (underpayments) and refunds (overpayments) of customs duties will remain the same from the previous quarter. For the calendar quarter beginning January 1, 2024, the interest rates for underpayments will be 8 percent for both corporations and non-corporations. The interest rate for overpayments will be 8 percent for non-corporations and 7 percent for corporations. This notice is published for the convenience of the importing public and U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel.

The National Maritime Security Advisory Committee (Committee) will conduct a series of meetings over three days in conjunction with the 11th Annual Maritime Security East Conference in Arlington, VA to discuss the Committee's open taskings concerning NVIC 03-03 updates, Active Shooter/Active Threat in the Maritime Environment, and Unmanned Systems in the Maritime Environment. All meetings will be open to the public and will not require registration to the Conference.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the Commonwealth of Kentucky (FEMA-4630-DR), dated December 12, 2021, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of an emergency declaration for the State of Louisiana (FEMA-3600-EM), dated September 27, 2023, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of an emergency declaration for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (FEMA-3599-EM), dated September 15, 2023, and related determinations.

This is a notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Tennessee (FEMA-4751-DR), dated December 13, 2023, and related determinations.

This is a notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Illinois (FEMA-4749-DR), dated November 20, 2023, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Alaska (FEMA-4730-DR), dated August 23, 2023, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the Commonwealth of Kentucky (FEMA-4711-DR), dated May 9, 2023, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Alaska (FEMA-4672-DR), dated September 23, 2022, and related determinations.

The U. S. Coast Guard announces the availability of recommendations from the National Commercial Fishing Safety Advisory Committee (NCFSAC). The Committee met in September 2023 and sent eight recommendations to the Secretary of Homeland Security. The U.S. Coast Guard issues this Notice as the mechanism for receiving public comments and requests public comments on the recommendations.

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 Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 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 Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters within a 1 nautical mile radius of the M/V GENIUS STAR XI. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by a fire onboard the M/V GENIUS STAR XI. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port, Western Alaska.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Technical Mapping Advisory Council (TMAC) will hold an in-person public meeting with a virtual option on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, and Wednesday, February 28, 2024. The meeting will be open to the public in-person and via a Microsoft Teams Video Communications link.