🔍Proposed Rule on Federal Employee Accountability and Performance
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is proposing a rule to increase career employee accountability. Agency supervisors report great difficulty removing employees for poor performance or misconduct. The proposed rule lets policy-influencing positions be moved into Schedule Policy/Career. These positions will remain career jobs filled on a nonpartisan basis. Yet they will be at-will positions excepted from adverse action procedures or appeals. This will allow agencies to quickly remove employees from critical positions who engage in misconduct, perform poorly, or undermine the democratic process by intentionally subverting Presidential directives.
Learn More⚓Proposed Regulations for Ludington Harbor Navigation Safety
The Coast Guard is proposing to establish a regulated navigation area to control vessel movement for certain waters of Lake Michigan, the Ludington Harbor Channel, and Pere Marquette Lake in Ludington, MI. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life, environment, and property on these navigable waters due to hazardous conditions resulting from increased vessel traffic congestion. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.
Learn More🛡️Amendments to Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule
The Federal Trade Commission amends the Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule (the "Rule"), consistent with the requirements of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. The amendments to the Rule, which are based on the FTC's review of public comments and its enforcement experience, include one new definition and modifications to several others, as well as updates to key provisions to respond to changes in technology and online practices. The amendments are intended to strengthen protection of personal information collected from children, and, where appropriate, to clarify and streamline the Rule since it was last amended in January 2013.
Learn More💰Proposed Changes to Capital Plan Rule and Stress Capital Buffer
The Board is inviting public comment on a notice of proposed rulemaking (the proposal) that would amend the calculation of the Board's stress capital buffer requirement applicable to certain large bank holding companies, savings and loan holding companies, U.S. intermediate holding companies of foreign banking organizations, and nonbank financial companies supervised by the Board to reduce the volatility of the stress capital buffer requirement. The proposal would use the average of the maximum common equity tier 1 capital declines projected in each of the Board's prior two annual supervisory stress tests to inform a firm's stress capital buffer requirement. The proposal would also extend the annual effective date of the stress capital buffer requirement by one quarter, to January 1, to provide additional time for firms to comply with the requirement. In addition, the proposal would make changes to the FR Y-14A/Q/M reports to collect additional net income data that would improve the accuracy of the stress capital buffer requirement calculation, as well as remove data items that are no longer needed to conduct the supervisory stress test. The changes in the proposal are not designed to materially affect overall capital requirements and would decrease regulatory reporting burden.
Learn More🌬️EPA Updates Wisconsin Air Quality Regulations
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is revising the format for materials that are made part of the Wisconsin State Implementation Plan (SIP) through the process of incorporation by reference (IBR). The regulations and materials affected by this format change have all been previously submitted by Wisconsin and approved by EPA as part of the SIP.
Learn More🌬️EPA Approves Connecticut's SIP Revisions for Ozone Standards
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the State of Connecticut for the 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). These revisions certify the adequacy of the SIP to satisfy the nonattainment new source review permitting requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA) for the reclassification of the Greater Connecticut area to moderate nonattainment for the 2015 ozone NAAQS, and certify the emission statement program satisfies CAA requirements for the initial nonattainment designations and the reclassification to moderate nonattainment for the 2015 ozone NAAQS. This action is being taken in accordance with the CAA.
Learn More🦪Framework Adjustment 39 to Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Regulation
NMFS approves and implements Framework Adjustment 39 to the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan that establishes specifications and other management measures for fishing years 2025 and 2026, including fishing effort allocation into access areas, modifying when areas open to optimize yield and minimize bycatch, and closures to protect juvenile scallops. Vessels with a limited access general category B permit may transit outside of the Northern Gulf of Maine with scallops onboard. Research set-aside program regulations are clarified. This action is necessary to prevent overfishing and improve resource yield-per-recruit and management of the fishery.
Learn More🌬️Indiana EPA Proposes Revisions for NOx Emissions Monitoring
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve under the Clean Air Act (CAA) a request from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) to revise the Indiana State Implementation Plan (SIP) to incorporate revisions to nitrogen oxides (NO<INF>X</INF>) emissions monitoring, reporting and record keeping requirements for new and existing large non-Electric Generating Units (non-EGUs) affected by the NO<INF>X</INF> SIP Call. This SIP revision would approve monitoring, reporting, and record keeping requirements that are permissible as alternatives under Federal rules for these sources for purposes of the NO<INF>X</INF> SIP Call.
Learn More⚓Temporary Safety Zone for Cable Laying Operations off Virginia Beach
The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary, moving safety zone to surround nearshore operations conducted by a cable laying barge. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on these navigable waters near Virginia Beach, Virginia. Cable lay and burial operations will create navigational hazards moving along a corridor from shore extending seaward 12 NM. This rulemaking will prohibit persons and vessels from entering the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, Sector Virginia or a designated representative.
Learn More🐎Removal of Horse Inspection Regulations by USDA
FSIS is amending the Federal meat inspection regulations to remove the regulation that established a voluntary fee-for-service program for ante-mortem inspection of horses. The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia vacated the voluntary fee-for-service program on March 28, 2007. FSIS is removing the regulation to ensure the Agency's regulations accurately reflect current requirements.
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