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The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has published the final 2021 and 2022 harvest specifications for groundfish in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. These specifications, which include catch limits and prohibitions on certain species' catch, are set to ensure sustainable fishing practices according to the Fishery Management Plan. The rules aim to conserve and manage marine resources in alignment with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The document also details the U.S. Department of Commerce's approach to balancing environmental, social, and economic factors in these fisheries management decisions.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), as requested by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), has issued regulations to allow the oil and gas industry to unintentionally take marine mammals during geophysical survey activities in the Gulf of Mexico over the next five years. This means that companies can get special permissions to conduct surveys that might disturb marine mammals, as long as they follow guidelines to minimize the impact on these animals and their habitats. This includes using monitoring and reporting methods to ensure compliance with the rules, and taking measures like stopping activities to avoid harming the animals. These regulations aim to balance industrial activities with the protection of marine life.

The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is seeking public feedback on the proposed information collection for the Individual Fishing Quotas (IFQ) for Pacific Halibut and Sablefish in Alaska. The IFQ Program aims to provide economic stability and manage these fisheries effectively, supporting coastal communities while protecting small-scale fishers. Public comments are invited until March 15, 2021, and individuals or organizations can submit their thoughts via email. The collection includes various forms and requirements to manage permits and quota shares effectively, and the feedback will help evaluate and improve the program's utility and reduce the reporting burden.

The Department of Commerce has issued a final rule to adjust civil monetary penalties (CMPs) for inflation, effective January 15, 2021. This adjustment is required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act and aims to ensure the penalties continue to serve as a deterrent. The changes will only apply to penalties with a specific dollar amount and will affect those assessed after the effective date. The penalties are adjusted based on the cost-of-living increase from October 2019 to October 2020.

The Department of Commerce has issued a final rule to adjust civil monetary penalties (CMPs) for inflation as mandated by federal law. This rule applies to CMPs with specific dollar amounts and is set to become effective on January 15, 2025. The adjustments are based on the Consumer Price Index changes from October 2023 to October 2024, ensuring that penalties keep their deterrence value. These changes apply only to penalties assessed after the rule's effective date and do not involve prior public notice or comment since the adjustments follow a prescribed methodology.

The Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS) held its virtual Seventy-third Plenary Session, during which it adopted six recommendations and issued one official statement. The recommendations cover a range of topics including rules on rulemakings, protecting sensitive materials in public rulemaking dockets, improving government contract bid protest procedures, and making agency appellate systems more efficient. The official statement addresses the use of artificial intelligence by agencies, highlighting the importance of transparency and oversight. While these recommendations are not binding, they are intended to improve processes within federal agencies and will be shared with affected entities such as Congress and the Judicial Conference of the United States.

The National Park Service proposes to update regulations for using personal watercraft at the Gulf Islands National Seashore. The proposal includes reducing flat wake speed zones in specific areas and officially closing certain parts of West Petit Bois Island and around the Fort Pickens ferry pier to watercraft. These changes aim to protect the natural and cultural resources of the seashore and enhance visitor safety. Public comments on this proposed rule must be submitted by March 16, 2021.

The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is seeking public comments on an information collection related to observer programs for at-sea processing vessels involved in the Pacific Coast groundfish fishery. This initiative aims to ensure the efficient gathering of data by observers, which is important for monitoring fishery activities and managing resources to prevent overfishing, in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Act. The public is invited to submit comments by March 8, 2021, to assist in evaluating the necessity, efficiency, and burden of these data collection activities. The proposed methods of collection involve both electronic and paper forms, as well as interviews and phone calls.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing a rule to update standards for Primary Magnesium Refining, aimed at improving air quality and protecting public health and the environment. The proposed regulation will ensure that emissions of hazardous air pollutants, such as chlorine, are better controlled. The EPA is planning to eliminate exemptions previously allowed during startup, shutdown, and malfunction periods and include new work practice standards for malfunction events. Additionally, the proposal requires electronic reporting to streamline data handling and improve compliance.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a final rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to regulate hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD), a chemical deemed persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic. This rule prohibits almost all manufacturing, processing, and distribution of HCBD and products containing it, except when HCBD is unintentionally produced as a byproduct in the creation of chlorinated solvents and when distributed for incineration as waste fuel. The rule aims to significantly reduce exposure to HCBD to protect human health and the environment, and it becomes effective on March 8, 2021.