🌍EPA Extends Deadlines for Oil and Natural Gas Emissions Compliance
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking interim final action to extend certain deadlines within the final rule titled "Standards of Performance for New, Reconstructed, and Modified Sources and Emissions Guidelines for Existing Sources: Oil and Natural Gas Sector Climate Review," 89 FR 16820 (March 8, 2024) (hereafter "2024 final rule"). Specifically, the EPA is extending deadlines for certain provisions related to control devices, equipment leaks, storage vessels, process controllers, and covers/closed vent systems in "Subpart OOOOb--Standards of Performance for Crude Oil and Natural Gas Facilities for Which Construction, Modification or Reconstruction Commenced After December 6, 2022" (NSPS OOOOb). The EPA also is extending the date for future implementation of the SuperEmitter Program. Finally, the EPA is extending the state plan submittal deadline in "Subpart OOOOc--Emissions Guidelines (EG) for Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Existing Crude Oil and Natural Gas Facilities" (EG OOOOc). The EPA is requesting comments on all aspects of this interim final rule and will consider all comments received in determining whether amendments to this rule are appropriate after the conclusion of the comment period.
Learn More🌾EPA Establishes Pyroxasulfone Pesticide Tolerances
This regulation establishes tolerances for residues of pyroxasulfone in or on the nut, tree, group 14-12; the fruit, small, vine climbing, except fuzzy kiwifruit, subgroup 13-07F; and almond hulls. K-I Chemical U.S.A., Inc. requested these tolerances under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).
Learn More🔬EPA's New Use Rules for Chemical Substances
EPA is issuing significant new use rules (SNURs) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for certain chemical substances that were the subject of premanufacture notices (PMNs) and a Microbial Commercial Activity Notice (MCAN) and are also subject to an Order issued by EPA pursuant to TSCA. The SNURs require persons to notify EPA at least 90 days before commencing the manufacture (defined by statute to include import) or processing of any of these chemical substances for an activity that is designated as a significant new use in the SNUR. The required notification initiates EPA's evaluation of the conditions of that use for that chemical substance. In addition, the manufacture or processing for the significant new use may not commence until EPA has conducted a review of the required notification; made an appropriate determination regarding that notification; and taken such actions as required by that determination.
Learn More⚛️Amendment to Certificate of Compliance 1042 for Spent Fuel Storage
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its spent fuel storage regulations by revising the TN Americas LLC, NUHOMS[supreg] EOS Dry Spent Fuel Storage System listing within the "List of approved spent fuel storage casks" to include Amendment No. 4 to Certificate of Compliance No. 1042. Amendment No. 4 changes the certificate of compliance to incorporate a method to determine new loading patterns, introduce a steel plate composite option, introduce the use of MAVRIC software for a confirmatory run of the HSM-MX dose rates, make technical specification changes for consistency and terminology clarification, make various updated final safety analysis report editorial corrections for consistency and clarification, add measured exposures from past loading campaigns, allow use of a blended Portland cement, change the use of the MX-Loading Crane, and clarify the scenarios under which the maximum heat loads can be reduced.
Learn More🐬Proposed Regulations for Marine Mammal Taking in Alaska LNG Project
NMFS has received a request from 8 Star Alaska, LLC (8 Star Alaska), a subsidiary of Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC), for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to the Alaska Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Project in Cook Inlet, Alaska, over the course of 5 years (2026-2030). Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS proposes regulations setting forth permissible methods of taking, other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on such marine mammal stocks (i.e., mitigation measures), and requirements pertaining to monitoring and reporting such takes, and requests comments on the proposed regulations. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the promulgation of the requested MMPA regulations, and NMFS' responses to public comments will be summarized in the final notification of our decision.
Learn More🏥TRICARE Regulation Expands Coverage for Clinical Trials
The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs (ASD(HA)) issues this final rule regarding circumstances under which services and supplies related to emerging treatments may be covered under the TRICARE program. This rule finalizes provisions published in two interim final rules (IFRs) with request for comment, which temporarily added coverage for the treatment use of investigational drugs under U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-authorized expanded access (EA) programs when for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and permitted coverage of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID)-sponsored clinical trials for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19. This final rule discusses the DoD's decision not to make permanent the coverage of treatment use of investigational drugs under FDA EA programs while updating language for care associated with their administration and broadens the COVID-19 clinical trial benefit to include coverage of clinical trials sponsored or approved by any National Institutes of Health (NIH) Center or Institute to treat or prevent infectious diseases associated with a pandemic or epidemic. Lastly, the final rule expands TRICARE's clinical trial benefit by covering services and supplies provided in conjunction with Phase I, II, III, and IV clinical trials that are NIH-sponsored or approved and that involve a new treatment or cure for a specific condition or the treatment of a currently uncontrolled symptom or aspect of that condition, provided that the condition is severely debilitating, life- threatening, or a rare disease.
Learn More📈FDIC Proposes Rule for Regulatory Threshold Adjustments
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is inviting comment on a proposed rule that would amend certain regulatory thresholds in the FDIC's regulations to reflect inflation. Specifically, the proposal would generally update such thresholds to reflect inflation from the date of initial implementation or the most recent adjustment, and provide for future adjustments pursuant to an indexing methodology. The changes set forth in this proposal would provide a more durable regulatory framework by helping to preserve, in real terms, the level of certain thresholds set forth in the FDIC's regulations, thereby avoiding the undesirable and unintended outcome where the scope of applicability for a regulatory requirement changes due solely to inflation rather than actual changes in an institution's size, risk profile or level of complexity.
Learn More⚖️Proposed Rule for Scheduling Designer Benzodiazepines as Controlled Substances
The Drug Enforcement Administration proposes placing clonazolam, diclazepam, etizolam, flualprazolam, and flubromazolam and their salts, isomers, and salts of isomers, whenever the existence of such salts, isomers, and salts of isomers is possible within the specific chemical designation, as identified in this proposed rule, in schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. These five substances were temporarily scheduled in an order dated July 26, 2023, and subsequently extended until July 26, 2026, pursuant to an extension published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register. This action will also enable the United States to meet its obligations under the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances. If finalized, this action would make permanent the existing regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal sanctions applicable to schedule I controlled substances on persons who handle (manufacture, distribute, import, export, engage in research, conduct instructional activities or chemical analysis, or possess), or propose to handle these five specific controlled substances.
Learn More⚖️Appeal Procedures for Recoupment of VA Awards and Bonuses
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a final rule to implement provisions of the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017 that permit current and former employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to appeal the recoupment of awards, bonuses, or relocation expenses awarded or approved for these individuals. This regulation prescribes general procedures applicable to appeals to the Director of OPM regarding an order by the Secretary of the VA, or designee, directing the employee or former employee to repay the amount, or a portion of the amount, of any award, bonus, or relocation expenses paid to the employee.
Learn More🌍EPA Proposes Conditional Approval for Mojave Desert Air Permits
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing conditional approval of five permitting rules as a revision to the Mojave Desert Air Quality Management District (MDAQMD) portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). These are revisions to the District's New Source Review (NSR) air permitting program rules for new and modified sources of air pollution under the Clean Air Act (CAA or "Act"). The submitted rules address deficiencies identified in a previous limited disapproval action and incorporate other revisions related to the NSR permitting requirements. If finalized, this action will update the MDAQMD's current SIP with the revised rules. As a separate action in this Federal Register, we are making an interim final determination that will stay or defer the imposition of CAA sanctions associated with our previous limited disapproval action.
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