🌊New Florida Keys Sanctuary Regulations
As part of its Restoration Blueprint initiative, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is issuing final regulations for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS or sanctuary) that will expand the boundary of the sanctuary, update sanctuary-wide regulations, update the individual marine zones and their associated regulations, and revise the sanctuary's terms of designation. NOAA is also finalizing a revised management plan and final environmental impact statement (EIS) as part of this action. The final rule describes how NOAA will work to improve the condition of resources in FKNMS through a series of regulatory measures designed to reduce threats and, where appropriate, restore coral reefs, seagrasses, and other important habitats. The intended effect of this final rule is to manage and protect the living and heritage resources of FKNMS for the benefit of the public.
Learn More⚖️Updates on Postal Service Civil Penalties Effective January 2025
This document updates postal regulations by implementing inflation adjustments to civil monetary penalties that may be imposed under consumer protection and mailability provisions enforced by the Postal Service pursuant to the Deceptive Mail Prevention and Enforcement Act and the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, as well as the civil monetary penalty that may be imposed by the Postal Service for false claims and statements under the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act. These adjustments are required under the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015. This document includes the adjustments for 2025 for the statutory civil monetary penalties subject to the 2015 Act and all necessary updates authorized by the 2015 Act for regulatory civil monetary penalties.
Learn More🚆FRA Withdraws Accident Investigation Regulation Affecting Railroads
FRA is withdrawing the direct final rule titled "Federal Railroad Administration Accident/Incident Investigation Policy for Gathering Information and Consulting with Stakeholders," (the Rule) which was published on October 1, 2024.
Learn More⚖️Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustments for Oil and Gas Operations
This final rule adjusts the amounts of civil monetary penalties contained in the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) regulations governing onshore oil and gas operations and coal trespass. This final rule is required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 and is consistent with applicable Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance. The adjustments made by this final rule constitute the 2025 annual inflation adjustments and account for one year of inflation spanning the period from October 2023 through October 2024.
Learn More⚖️Regulatory Updates for Federal Mine Safety and Health Compliance
The Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission (the "Commission") is an independent adjudicatory agency that provides trials and appellate review of cases arising under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (the "Mine Act"). Trials are held before the Commission's Administrative Law Judges, and appellate review is provided by a five-member Review Commission appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. This rule makes final revisions to many of the Commission's procedural rules. The Commission makes these changes in a continued effort to ensure the just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of all proceedings before the Commission.
Learn More📜Compliance and Trade Implications for USMCA Textile and Automotive Industries
This interim final rule amends the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations to add implementing regulations for the preferential tariff treatment and related customs provisions of the Agreement Between the United States of America, the United Mexican States, and Canada (USMCA) with respect to general definitions, drawback and duty-deferral programs, textile and apparel goods, and automotive goods. This document also amends the regulations to implement the temporary admission of goods, to delineate recordkeeping and protest requirements, to clarify the fee provisions, and to make conforming amendments, including technical corrections to other laws as required by statute.
Learn More📈Annual Civil Penalty Adjustment for Indian Gaming Effective 2025
In compliance with the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (the Act) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance, the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC or Commission) is amending its civil monetary penalty rule to reflect an annual adjustment for inflation in order to improve the penalty's effectiveness and maintain its deterrent effect. The Act provides that the new penalty level must apply to penalties assessed after the effective date of the increase, including when the penalties whose associated violation predate the increase.
Learn More⚖️FTC Civil Penalty Increases Effective January 17, 2025
The Federal Trade Commission ("FTC" or "Commission") is implementing adjustments to the civil penalty amounts within its jurisdiction to account for inflation, as required by law.
Learn More🛴New Regulations for Powered Micromobility in National Parks
The National Park Service proposes a management framework for the use of powered micromobility devices within the National Park System. The proposed rule would define powered micromobility devices separately from motor vehicles, traditional bicycles, electric bicycles, and human powered coasting devices, and create rules for where and how they may be used in units of the National Park System. Examples of powered micromobility devices include electric scooters (e- scooters), hoverboards, and Segways.
Learn More🌊Business Implications of Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Sanctuary Regulations
NOAA is designating Papah[amacr]naumoku[amacr]kea National Marine Sanctuary (sanctuary) to protect nationally significant biological, cultural, and historical resources and to manage this special place as part of the National Marine Sanctuary System. The sanctuary consists of an area of approximately 582,570 square statute miles (439,910 square nautical miles) of Pacific Ocean waters surrounding the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and the submerged lands thereunder. NOAA is establishing the terms of designation for the sanctuary and the regulations to implement the national marine sanctuary designation. NOAA has also published a final environmental impact statement (final EIS) in coordination with the State of Hawai[revaps]i, final management plan, and Record of Decision.
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