DoD is issuing a final rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to provide updates to the existing definition of "departments and agencies."

DoD is issuing a final rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to implement a section of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 that provides direction to contracting officers evaluating the past performance of small business concerns.

DoD is amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to make needed editorial changes.

The Federal Trade Commission ("FTC" or "Commission") issues final amendments to the Commission's trade regulation "Rule Concerning Use of Prenotification Negative Option Plans," retitled the "Rule Concerning Recurring Subscriptions and Other Negative Option Programs" ("Rule," "final Rule" or "Negative Option Rule"). The final Rule now applies to all negative option programs in any media. This document also contains the text of the final Rule, the Rule's Statement of Basis and Purpose ("SBP"), and a final regulatory analysis.

The United States Postal Service seeks public comment on proposed revisions to the service standards for certain market-dominant mail products. The Postal Service proposes to restructure the service standards, such that service standards for domestic First-Class Mail would retain the current day range of 1-5 days (as well as the current 0-1 days for USPS Connect[supreg] Local), while being calculated, with certain exceptions, as the sum of delivery days accruing across three successive operational legs reflecting end-to-end service from an originating 5-digit ZIP Code to a destinating 5-digit ZIP Code. The proposed rule would also partially adjust the service standards for end-to-end Periodicals, USPS Marketing Mail, and Package Services so that they would all be primarily based on the standards for First-Class Mail, consistent with the Postal Service's implementation of a more integrated network, thus continuing our efforts to eliminate our legacy network that, due to its poor design, has multiple, redundant network flows. In particular, the proposed service standards align with operational initiatives that the Postal Service plans to implement on a nationwide basis to fundamentally transform our processing and transportation networks to achieve greater operational precision and efficiency, significantly reduce costs, and enhance service pursuant to the Delivering for America strategic plan ("Plan"). The Postal Service is required by law to provide prompt, reliable, and efficient universal postal services in a financially self-sufficient manner, through an integrated network for the delivery of mail and packages at least six days a week. However, the Postal Service currently is not achieving the requirements of the statute, as we lack a network that enables the integrated movement of mail and packages in a precise, efficient, and cost-effective manner. The Postal Service network has not been appropriately adjusted to account for volume and mail mix changes, including the substantial decline in Single-Piece First-Class Mail and increase in package volume, leading to significant inefficiencies. These initiatives will comprehensively transform these operations to fix the problems that exist today and create a network that enables the integrated movement of mail and packages in a precise and cost-effective manner far into the future. These initiatives would lead to a net positive impact for First-Class Mail from a service standard perspective, and generally faster service for end-to-end USPS Marketing Mail, Periodicals, and Package Services. They will also lead to substantial cost savings (estimated at between $3.6 to $3.7 billion annually), which is critical given the Postal Service's current poor financial condition, which can be addressed only through comprehensive changes to reduce costs and increase efficiency (in conjunction with the other elements of the Plan). Further details of the proposed changes appear below.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Connecticut. On May 9, 2023, and supplemented on February 21, 2024, the State submitted a Limited Maintenance Plan (LMP) for the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for New Haven and Fairfield Counties (New Haven-Fairfield). This revision provides for the maintenance of the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS through the end of the second 10-year portion of the maintenance period. Additionally, EPA finds the LMP to be adequate since it meets the appropriate transportation conformity requirements. The intended effect of this action is to approve Connecticut's LMP for the 2006 24- hour PM2.5 NAAQS for the New Haven- Fairfield maintenance area into the Connecticut SIP. This action is being taken in accordance with the Clean Air Act.

On October 25, 2024, Rural Development's Multifamily Housing (MFH or Agency), an Agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), published a final rule. The final rule amended the current regulation for the Off-Farm Labor Housing (Off-FLH) program to clarify the grant agreement term and adopted the period of performance as required by Federal award information requirements. The changes clarified for applicants and grantees their obligations and requirements as Federal award recipients. The effective date set out in the preamble of the final rule was October 25, 2024 (the date the final rule published in the Federal Register). The effective date should have been November 25, 2024 (30 days after the final rule published in the Federal Register). This document sets November 25, 2024, as the enforcement date for the amendments in the October 25, 2024, final rule.

The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is publishing a general license (GL) issued pursuant to the Belarus Sanctions Regulations: GL 10, which was previously made available on OFAC's website.

The Department of the Interior (Interior) is amending regulations administered by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) regarding the bonding requirements for entities filing an appeal from a BSEE decision that assesses a civil penalty. The regulations will clarify that entities appealing a BSEE civil penalty decision to the Interior Board of Land Appeals (IBLA) must have a bond covering the civil penalty assessment amount for the IBLA to have jurisdiction over the appeal.

The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is publishing five general licenses (GLs) issued pursuant to the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations: GLs 8K, 25G, 110, 111, and 112, each of which was previously made available on OFAC's website.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve revisions to the Washington State Implementation Plan (SIP) that were submitted by the Department of Ecology (Ecology) in coordination with the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency (SRCAA). In 2021, the EPA approved a comprehensive update to the SRCAA general air quality regulations in the SIP, which include new source review permitting requirements as well as other general requirements for sources regulated under SRCAA's jurisdiction. In this action, the EPA proposes to approve additional updates to the SRCAA general air quality regulations promulgated since our comprehensive approval in 2021.

The Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) was originally written in title and narrative format. The entire FTR has since been re-written in question and answer format to align with plain language standards. This final rule removes the remaining references to the defunct title and narrative format, clarifies the applicability of the FTR, and clarifies multiple provisions regarding relocation authorization and allowances. Finally, the final rule makes various editorial changes to better align the regulatory question with its corresponding answer.

This action proposes to establish Class E airspace at Faith, SD. The FAA is proposing this action due to the development of new public instrument procedures at Faith Municipal Airport, Faith, SD, and to support instrument flight rule (IFR) operations.

The Departments of the Interior and Agriculture are correcting an amendatory instruction in the final rule that published in the Federal Register on October 17, 2024. That rule revises the regulations concerning the composition of the Federal Subsistence Board, which has authority to administer the subsistence taking and uses of fish and wildlife on public lands in Alaska.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) adopts as final, with changes, an interim final rule (IFR) to implement a new authority requiring VA to award grants to eligible entities that will provide certain legal services for homeless veterans and veterans at risk for homelessness.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is proposing to amend its regulations governing risk-based Asset Management Plans (AMP). State departments of transportation (State DOT) are required to develop and implement a risk-based AMP for the National Highway System (NHS) to improve or preserve the condition of the assets and the performance of the NHS. Through this notice, FHWA is proposing to amend its AMP regulations to add and revise definitions in the rule and update the processes State DOTs are required to use in developing an AMP, the required content of the AMP, procedures for State DOTs to submit AMPs to FHWA to ensure that State DOTs are implementing AMPs consistent with law, and procedures for State DOTs to recertify their processes for developing the AMP. The FHWA is proposing these revisions to implement changes in law, advance current policies, and increase the flexibility for State DOTs to comply with AMP regulations. The FHWA is also making minor technical corrections and changes to the rule to improve readability. Finally, FHWA proposes to remove obsolete regulations governing transportation management and monitoring systems.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission ("Commission") adopts a 100% hearing aid compatibility requirement that applies to all future wireless handset models offered for sale or use in the United States and implementation provisions related to this 100% requirement, including a Bluetooth coupling requirement.

This rule establishes, amends, suspends, or removes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPS) and associated Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure procedures (ODPs) for operations at certain airports. These regulatory actions are needed because of the adoption of new or revised criteria, or because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System, such as the commissioning of new navigational facilities, adding new obstacles, or changing air traffic requirements. These changes are designed to provide safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.

This action amends the Class E airspace at Zanesville, OH. This action is the result of an airspace review conducted due to the decommissioning of the Zanesville very high frequency omnidirectional range (VOR) as part of the VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) Program. The geographic coordinates of the Zanesville Municipal Airport, Zanesville, OH, and the name of Genesis Health Care Heliport, Zanesville, OH, are also being updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database. This action brings the airspace into compliance with FAA orders and supports instrument flight rule (IFR) procedures and operations.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposes to amend the portion of the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD or Rating Schedule) that addresses neurological conditions and convulsive disorders. The purpose of these changes is to incorporate medical advancements that have occurred since the last revision, update current medical terminology, and provide clear evaluation criteria. The proposed rule reflects advances in medical knowledge and recommendations contained in the report from the Institute of Medicine, part of the National Academy of Sciences, titled "A 21st Century System for Evaluating Veterans for Disability Benefits," National Academies Press, 2007.

As part of EPA's high-priority efforts to reduce childhood lead exposure, and in accordance with a U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit 2021 opinion, EPA is finalizing its proposal to lower the dust-lead hazard standards to any reportable level as analyzed by a laboratory recognized by EPA's National Lead Laboratory Accreditation Program (NLLAP). EPA's lead-based paint (LBP) regulations do not compel property owners or occupants to evaluate their property for LBP hazards or to take control actions, but if a LBP activity such as an abatement is performed, then EPA's regulations set requirements for doing so. EPA is also finalizing changes to lower the post-abatement dust-lead clearance levels to 5 micrograms per square foot ([micro]g/ft\2\), 40 [micro]g/ft\2\, and 100 [micro]g/ft\2\ for floors, window sills and troughs respectively, the current levels in New York City. Due to feedback from public comments, EPA is also finalizing changes to the nomenclature to adopt the terms dust-lead reportable levels (DLRL) and dust-lead action levels (DLAL). Given the decoupling of the action levels from the reportable levels, EPA is finalizing revisions to the definition of abatement so that the recommendation for action based on dust-lead applies when dust-lead loadings are at or above the action levels, rather than the hazard standards, as has been the case historically. The dust-lead hazard standards will be described as DLRL moving forward (i.e., after publication of this final rule) and the dust-lead clearance levels will be described as DLAL. Additionally, EPA is finalizing several other amendments, including revising the definition of target housing to conform with the statute.

The FAA proposes to supersede Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2022-01-02, which applies to certain De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited Model DHC-8-400, -401, and -402 airplanes. AD 2022-01-02 requires inspecting for corrosion of the nacelle to wing rear spar attachment pins, and the nacelle to landing gear attachment pins, and doing all applicable corrective actions. Since the FAA issued AD 2022- 01-02, it was discovered that some operators were unable to identify the airplanes subject to each requirement. This proposed AD would continue to require the actions specified in AD 2022-01-02, clarify the affected airplanes for each required action, and revise the applicability by removing Model DHC-8-400 airplanes, as specified in a Transport Canada AD, which is proposed for incorporation by reference (IBR). This proposed AD would also revise a certain compliance time. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2023-21- 02, which applied to certain Airbus SAS Model A330-200 series, A330-200 Freighter series, A330-300 series, A330-800 series, and A330-900 series airplanes. AD 2023-21-02 required revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations. This AD was prompted by a determination that new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations are necessary. This AD continues to require certain actions in AD 2023- 21-02 and requires revising the existing maintenance or inspection program, as applicable, to incorporate new or more restrictive airworthiness limitations, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD, which is incorporated by reference. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier, Inc., Model BD-700-2A12 airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports that the baggage bay discharge push-button annunciator (PBA) switch was making contact but was not fully engaged, and the tabs were not fully locked. This AD requires a verification of the baggage bay discharge PBA functionality and tab installation. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published in the Federal Register on February 16, 2023, a final rule to amend its beneficiary travel regulations to establish a new payment methodology for special modes of transportation available through the VA beneficiary travel program. The preamble of that final rule stated the effective date was February 16, 2024. VA published in the Federal Register on December 29, 2023, a final rule to delay the effective date for the rule from February 16, 2024, to February 16, 2025. This rulemaking further delays the effective date of February 16, 2025, to February 16, 2029.