⚖️Federal Consistency Appeal Notice for Shoreline Project in New York
This announcement provides notice that the Department of Commerce (DOC) has received a "Notice of Appeal" filed by Robert Hagopian, (Appellant) requesting that the Secretary override an objection by the New York State Department of State to a consistency certification for a proposed project to perform shoreline stabilization, dock installation, and dredging at a property along the Hudson River in Ulster, New York.
Learn More🏗️Summary of CDBG-DR Grant Requirements and Financial Oversight
This notice contains a preamble and the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Universal Notice: Waivers and Alternative Requirements (the "Universal Notice"). The Universal Notice describes the processes, procedures, timelines, waivers, and alternative requirements that U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) intends to implement with each allocation of Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding after a qualifying presidential disaster declaration. Specifically, following the appropriation of CDBG-DR funds for qualifying disasters, HUD will publish an Allocation Announcement Notice in the Federal Register that incorporates, via cross-reference, the waivers and alternative requirements provided in the Universal Notice, as appropriate, along with any other new requirements imposed by the specific appropriation. This notice also describes the grant award process, pre-award certification submissions, criteria for Action Plan approval, and eligible disaster recovery activities to streamline post-disaster processes for future grantees. By publishing the Universal Notice, HUD intends to provide grantees and the public with increased transparency, consistency, and more timely access to CDBG-DR funds, helping to minimize program delays and accelerate recovery.
Learn More⚖️New VA Rule on Cancer Presumptions for Veterans
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is issuing this interim final rule (IFR) to amend its adjudication regulations to establish presumptive service connection for urinary bladder, ureter, and related genitourinary (GU) cancers due to exposure to Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM<INF>2.5</INF>) and to implement certain provisions of the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (PACT Act). The new presumptions would apply to Veterans who served on active military, naval, air, or space service in Southwest Asia theater of operations or Somalia during the Persian Gulf War (hereafter Gulf War) on or after August 2, 1990, and in Afghanistan, Syria, Djibouti, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Yemen during the Gulf War on or after September 11, 2001. This amendment is necessary to provide expeditious health care, services, and benefits to these veterans. This IFR addresses the needs and concerns of Gulf War veterans and Service members who have served and continue to serve in these locations and have been diagnosed with bladder, ureter, and related GU cancers. Neither Congress nor the President has established an end date for the Gulf War. Therefore, to expedite the provision of health care, services, and benefits to current and future Gulf War veterans who may be affected by PM<INF>2.5</INF> due to their military service, VA is establishing presumptive service connection for urinary bladder, ureter, and related GU cancers. This IFR will ease the evidentiary burden of Gulf War Veterans who file claims with VA for these conditions.
Learn More📈Civil Penalty Inflation Adjustments
In this final rule, DHS adjusts for inflation its civil monetary penalties for 2025, in accordance with the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 and Executive Office of the President (EOP) Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance. The new penalty amounts will be effective for penalties assessed after January 2, 2025, whose associated violations occurred after November 2, 2015.
Learn More🛢️Coastal Plain Lease Sale Notice
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is changing the oil and gas lease sale bid opening date, previously published in the Federal Register on December 10, 2024, for 12 tracts in the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Learn More🌱Compliance Implications of 5-Year Status Reviews Under ESA
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are initiating 5-year status reviews under the Endangered Species Act, for 4 plant and 10 animal species. A 5-year status review is based on the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review; therefore, we are requesting submission of any such information that has become available since the last review for the species. We invite comments from the public and Federal, Tribal, State, and local governments.
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