🌍EPA's Proposed Air
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve the state implementation plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the State of Alaska (Alaska or the State) on December 4, 2024, to address Clean Air Act requirements for the 2006 24-hour fine particulate matter (PM<INF>2.5</INF>) national ambient air quality standards in the Fairbanks North Star Borough Serious PM<INF>2.5</INF> nonattainment area. Alaska's submission includes SIP revisions to meet nonattainment planning requirements for emissions inventories, modeling and sulfur dioxide precursor demonstration for major stationary sources, control measures, attainment projections and progress to attainment and associated motor vehicle emissions budgets, and contingency measures. The EPA is also starting the adequacy process for the budgets.
Learn More📜CPSC Final Rule on Electronic Filing of Compliance Certificates
In consultation with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (Commission or CPSC) issues this final rule (the Final Rule) to revise the agency's regulation for Certificates of Compliance (certificates). The Final Rule aligns CPSC's current certificates rule with other CPSC rules on testing and certification, and implements, for importation of products and substances regulated by CPSC, electronic filing of certificates (eFiling) with CBP.
Learn More🦋Proposed Listing of Bleached Sandhill Skipper as Endangered
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list the bleached sandhill skipper (Polites sabuleti sinemaculata), an insect subspecies from Humboldt County, Nevada, as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This determination also serves as our 12-month finding on a petition to list the bleached sandhill skipper. After a review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing the subspecies is warranted. Accordingly, we propose to list the bleached sandhill skipper as an endangered species under the Act. If we finalize this rule as proposed, the final rule would add this subspecies to the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and extend the Act's protections to the subspecies. We find that a designation of critical habitat for the bleached sandhill skipper is not determinable at this time.
Learn More🌍EPA Defers Sanctions
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making an interim final determination that the State of Alaska has submitted state implementation plan (SIP) revisions that satisfy outstanding Clean Air Act requirements. This interim final determination defers the imposition of sanctions for the 2006 24-hour fine particulate matter (PM<INF>2.5</INF>) Fairbanks North Star Borough PM<INF>2.5</INF> nonattainment area. This determination is based on a proposed approval, published in the "Proposed Rules" section of this Federal Register, of the SIP revisions, submitted by the State of Alaska (Alaska or the State) on December 4, 2024, to address Clean Air Act requirements for the 2006 24-hour PM<INF>2.5</INF> national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS).
Learn More🚗New Federal Standards for Child Restraint Systems by 2025
This final rule amends Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 225; Child restraint systems, and FMVSS No. 213b; Child restraint systems, to improve ease-of-use of the lower and tether anchorages, improve correct use of child restraint systems in vehicles, and maintain or improve the correct use and effectiveness of child restraint systems (CRSs) in motor vehicles. This final rule fulfills a mandate of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP- 21) requiring that NHTSA improve the ease-of-use for lower anchorages and tethers in all rear seat positions.
Learn More🌿Business Implications of Ute Ladies'-Tresses Delisting Proposal
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to remove Ute ladies'-tresses (Spiranthes diluvialis) from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Plants. This determination also serves as our 12-month finding on a petition to delist Ute ladies'- tresses. After a review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that delisting the species is warranted. Our review indicates that the threats to Ute ladies'-tresses have been eliminated or reduced to the point that the species no longer meets the definition of an endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). Accordingly, we propose to delist Ute ladies'-tresses. If we finalize this rule as proposed, the prohibitions and conservation measures provided by the Act, particularly through sections 7 and 9, would no longer apply to Ute ladies'-tresses. We request information and comments from the public regarding this proposed rule and the draft post-delisting monitoring (PDM) plan for Ute ladies'-tresses.
Learn More⚓Temporary Safety Zone Established for Cypress Passage Powerline Demolition
The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for navigable waters within a 500-yard radius of 29[deg]47'38.18" N, 91[deg]21'50.52" W, approximately MM 105.5, on the Atchafalaya River, locally known as Cypress Passage, during an overhead electrical powerline structure demolition operation on Thursday, January 9, 2025. The safety zone is needed to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from potential hazards created by the demolition of the powerline structures resulting in electrical powerlines on the navigational water's surface. Entry of vessels or persons into this zone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Marine Safety Unit Houma.
Learn More🌍EPA Final Rule on Source Reclassification
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is making corrections to the Review of Final Rule Reclassification of Major Sources as Area Sources Under Section 112 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on September 10, 2024. Following publication of this final rule, the EPA discovered an inadvertent typographical error in the regulatory text and is correcting the error in this action.
Learn More🏭New Regulations for Energy Efficiency in Central Air Conditioners
This final rule amends the Federal test procedure for central air conditioners and heat pumps ("CAC/HPs") to incorporate by reference the latest versions of the applicable industry standards. Specifically, DOE is incorporating by reference the latest version of the relevant industry consensus test standard, AHRI 210/240-2024 (I-P) for the current test procedure for CAC/HPs ("appendix M1") for measuring the current cooling and heating metrics--seasonal energy efficiency ratio 2 ("SEER2") and heating seasonal performance factor 2 ("HSPF2"). DOE is incorporating by reference the new industry consensus test standard, AHRI 1600-2024 (I-P), for a new test procedure ("appendix M2") for CAC/HPs that adopts two new metrics--seasonal cooling and off-mode rating efficiency ("SCORE") and seasonal heating and off-mode rating efficiency ("SHORE"). Testing to the SCORE and SHORE metrics would not be required until such time as compliance is required with any amended energy conservation standard based on the new metrics. Additionally, DOE is amending certain provisions of DOE's regulations related to representations and enforcement for CAC/HPs.
Learn More♻️EPA's Final Rule on Perchloroethylene Emission Standards for Dry Cleaners
This action finalizes the Clean Air Act (CAA) technology review (TR) conducted for the commercial and industrial dry cleaning facilities using perchloroethylene (PCE) as the cleaning solvent (PCE Dry Cleaning) source categories regulated under National Emission Standards for Hazardous air Pollutants (NESHAP). This final rule does not finalize the changes made at proposal and makes no amendments to the current NESHAP given the recently finalized action under the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) which has instituted a 10-year phaseout of the use of PCE for dry cleaning.
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