🌲USDA Proposes Revision of Forest Land Management Plans in Oregon & Washington
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service is revising the land management plans for the Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests (together known as the Blue Mountains National Forests) and preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) consistent with the agency's National Forest System Land Management Planning regulations (36 CFR 219) and USDA National Environmental Policy Act regulations (7 CFR 1b.7). This notice announces the Forest Service's intent to prepare an EIS and initiate public involvement on the proposed action and request comments on the Preliminary Need to Change, Preliminary Draft Proposed Land Management Plan, the Evaluation of Wilderness Characteristics of Lands included in the inventory, and the list of Preliminary Species of Conservation Concern. This notice describes the documents available for review and how to obtain them; summarizes the need for change to the existing land management plans; provides information concerning public participation and collaboration, including the process for submitting comments; provides an estimated schedule for the planning process, including the time available to submit comments; and explains how to obtain additional information. The Planning, Administrative Reviews, and Litigation System identification number for the project is 64157.
Learn More📄CMS Information Collection Notice and Its Business Implications
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is announcing an opportunity for the public to comment on CMS' intention to collect information from the public. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information (including each proposed extension or reinstatement of an existing collection of information) and to allow 60 days for public comment on the proposed action. Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding our burden estimates or any other aspect of this collection of information, including the necessity and utility of the proposed information collection for the proper performance of the agency's functions, the accuracy of the estimated burden, ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected, and the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology to minimize the information collection burden.
Learn More🎓Updates to Income-Contingent Repayment Plan for 2025 Announced
The Secretary announces the annual updates to the ICR plan formula for 2025 to give notice to borrowers and the public regarding how monthly ICR payment amounts will be calculated for the 2025-2026 year under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program, Assistance Listing Number 84.063.
Learn More⛴️Inquiry on Foreign-Built Vessels for U.S. Coastwise Trade
The Secretary of Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), is authorized to make determinations regarding the coastwise use of foreign built; certain U.S. built; and U.S. and foreign rebuilt vessels that solely carry no more than twelve passengers for hire. MARAD has received such a determination request and is publishing this notice to solicit comments to assist with determining whether the proposed use of the vessel set forth in the request would have an adverse effect on U.S. vessel builders or U.S. coastwise trade businesses that use U.S.-built vessels in those businesses. Information about the requestor's vessel, including a description of the proposed service, is in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below.
Learn More💵FDA Announces Biosimilar User Fee Rates for FY 2026
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA, Agency, or we) is announcing the rates for biosimilar user fees for fiscal year (FY) 2026. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), as amended by the Biosimilar User Fee Amendments of 2022 (BsUFA III), authorizes FDA to assess and collect user fees for certain activities in connection with biosimilar biological product development; review of certain applications for approval of biosimilar biological products; and each biosimilar biological product approved in a biosimilar biological product application. BsUFA III directs FDA to establish, before the beginning of each fiscal year, the amount of initial and annual biosimilar biological product development (BPD) fees, the reactivation fee, and the biosimilar biological product application and program fees for such year.
Learn More⚛️Proposed Amendments to Spent Fuel Storage Regulations by NRC
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend 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 would change 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🌿Amendments to Air Quality Designations and Business Compliance in NC
The Environmental Protection Agency announces corrections to the air quality planning designations in North Carolina's CFR. Specifically, updates to the attainment status for Brunswick County and the removal of certain entries from the sulfur dioxide NAAQS table are detailed. These changes will impact regulatory compliance for affected businesses in the state.
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🏞️West Virginia Regulatory Amendment on Reclamation Liabilities
We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are approving an amendment to the West Virginia regulatory program under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). The amendment revises the West Virginia Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Act (WVSCMRA) as contained in House Bill 4758 of 2022. The revisions require the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) to develop and maintain a database to track reclamation liabilities, including water treatment, at coal mining operations in the state of West Virginia that were permitted after August 3, 1977, and for which the SMCRA permit has yet to be completely released. The database of reclamation liabilities will serve to inform management and operation of WVDEP's Special Reclamation Program.
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.
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