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🦎Salamander Regulations and Their Economic Impact on Businesses

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is affirming as final the 2016 interim rule that added all species of salamanders from 20 genera to the list of injurious amphibians. Under the injurious wildlife prohibitions of the Lacey Act, this final rule prohibits the importation into the United States and shipment between the continental United States, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any territory or possession of the United States of any live or dead specimen, including hybrids and parts, of those 20 genera of salamanders, except by permit for certain purposes or by Federal agencies solely for their own use. In addition to finalizing the listing of those 20 genera, we are publishing a new interim rule to add to the injurious amphibian list 16 genera that recent studies determined are also carriers of the fungus and to clarify some provisions from the final rule. This interim rule includes any live or dead specimen, hybrid, or parts of the 16 genera and opens a public comment period. We take these actions to protect U.S. ecosystems from the introduction, establishment, and spread of the lethal chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, which infects and is carried by salamanders, and which is not yet known to be found in the United States.

🚂BNSF Railway's Trackage Rights Exemption with Union Pacific Explored

♻️California EPA Issues Decision on Diesel Transport Refrigeration Units

The Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") is providing notice of its decision to partially grant the California Air Resources Board's ("CARB's") request for an authorization of amendments to its In-Use Diesel-Fueled Transport Refrigeration Units (TRU) and TRU Generator Sets (collectively, "TRU") regulations ("2022 TRU Amendments"). EPA's decision was issued under the authority of section 209 of the Clean Air Act ("CAA" or "Act").

🐠Proposed Rule on Injurious Wildlife Affecting Trade and Business

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) proposes to add all species of freshwater mussels from two genera, Asian pond mussels (Sinanodonta species) and golden mussels (Limnoperna species), to the list of injurious mollusks. Additionally, the Service proposes to add marbled crayfish (Procambarus virginalis) to the list of injurious crustaceans. Listing these taxa as injurious will prohibit the importation of any live animal, larvae, viable egg, or hybrid of these taxa into the United States, except as specifically authorized. These listings would also prohibit shipment of any live animal, larvae, viable egg, or hybrid of these species between the continental United States, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any territory or possession of the United States, except as specifically authorized. The action is necessary to protect wildlife and wildlife resources by preventing the introduction and subsequent establishment of these foreign aquatic invertebrates into ecosystems of the United States.

🚍Avalon Motor Coaches Tentatively Approved for Key Acquisition

On December 11, 2024, Avalon Motor Coaches, LLC (Avalon Motor Coach), an interstate passenger motor carrier, together with its noncarrier affiliates Virgin-Fish, Inc. (Virgin-Fish), and Jeffrey Brush (Avalon Motor Coach, Virgin-Fish, and Jeffrey Brush will be collectively referred to as "Avalon") filed an application for Avalon to purchase most of the assets of another interstate passenger motor carrier, Rose Chauffeured Transportation, Inc. (Rose), and assume substantially all of its outstanding contracts related to its charter services. The Board is tentatively approving and authorizing this transaction. If no opposing comments are timely filed, this notice will be the final Board action.

💼2025 Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment - Labor Impact

The U.S. Department of Labor (Department) is publishing this final rule to adjust for inflation the civil monetary penalties assessed or enforced by the Department, pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 as amended by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (Inflation Adjustment Act). The Inflation Adjustment Act requires the Department to annually adjust its civil money penalty levels for inflation no later than January 15 of each year. The Inflation Adjustment Act provides that agencies shall adjust civil monetary penalties notwithstanding section 553 of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). Additionally, the Inflation Adjustment Act provides a cost- of-living formula for adjustment of the civil penalties. Accordingly, this final rule sets forth the Department's 2025 annual adjustments for inflation to its civil monetary penalties.

🚆CSX Transportation Abandonment Exemption in Norfolk County, MA

🚛Implications of New FMCSA Regulations for Motor Carriers and Brokers

In a final rule published in the Federal Register on November 18, 2024, FMCSA amended its regulations by making technical corrections throughout the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). The final rule included an amendatory instruction to revise a stayed section without first lifting the stay. The final rule also included an amendatory instruction which referenced an incorrect paragraph letter. The Agency corrects these errors.

⚓Proposed Drawbridge Regulation Changes Impacting Business Traffic

The Coast Guard proposes to change the operating schedule that governs the Blackburn Point Bridge across the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GICW), mile 63.1, at Osprey, FL. The Casey Key Association has requested the Coast Guard consider changing the operating schedule to reduce drawbridge openings during the weekday peak traffic periods to assist with alleviating roadway congestion. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking.

🚧PHMSA Extends Comment Period for Hazardous Materials Regulations

On October 28, 2024, PHMSA published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) titled "Hazardous Materials: Advancing Safety of Highway, Rail, and Vessel Transportation (HM-265)," proposing amendments to the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) to adopt several modal-specific amendments that would enhance the safe transportation of hazardous materials in commerce by highway, rail, and vessel transportation. In response to a request for an extension of the comment period submitted by the Railway Supply Institute (RSI), PHMSA is extending the comment period for the HM-265 NPRM by an additional 90 days.