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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a final rule to reduce the dust-lead clearance levels in order to lower childhood lead exposure. These levels indicate the acceptable amount of lead residue following lead abatement activities. The new standards lower the clearance levels from 40 micrograms per square foot to 10 micrograms for floors, and from 250 to 100 micrograms for window sills. This change is made to align with updated science and aims to improve children's health by minimizing lead exposure. This rule is effective from March 8, 2021.

The Administration for Children and Families has issued a final rule permitting State and Tribal child support agencies to use federal funds to provide employment and training services to eligible noncustodial parents. These services aim to help parents find and keep jobs to ensure consistent child support payments. Effective January 13, 2025, the rule allows noncustodial parents with open child support cases to receive assistance such as job search help, skills training, and work support services. The initiative also seeks to enhance coordination with existing federal employment and training programs to prevent duplication and maximize benefits.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is asking the public for feedback on how companies that provide financial services handle consumers' personal financial data. They want to understand how these companies collect, use, and share data from consumer payments. The information collected will help CFPB make decisions on whether to update regulations to better protect consumer privacy. Anyone interested can share their thoughts, and CFPB particularly wants to hear from consumers, advocates, researchers, and businesses by April 11, 2025.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is announcing the application process for the fiscal year 2024 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program. This program provides grants to fire departments, nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations, and state fire training academies to improve the health and safety of first responders. The application period ran from November 12, 2024, to December 20, 2024, and $291.6 million is available for award distribution. Applicants are evaluated based on financial need, project description, cost-benefit analysis, and the impact on daily operations.

The Social Security Administration has issued a final rule, effective March 3, 2025, to streamline the administration of benefits by using electronic payroll data. This rule allows standardized exchanges of wage and employment information with payroll providers, aiding in the management of Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. It aims to improve accuracy, reduce improper payments, and lessen the burden on both program beneficiaries and administration staff. Public comments have been considered, and the rule includes provisions for phased implementation, privacy, data accuracy, and addressing concerns regarding identity theft and reporting requirements.

The Department of Justice proposes a new rule to implement the Homicide Victims' Families' Rights Act of 2021. This rule aims to set up a system for reviewing and potentially reinvestigating unsolved murder cases, also known as "cold cases," that were initially investigated by federal law enforcement more than three years ago. Eligible family members of victims can apply to have a case reviewed, and if new evidence is found, a full reinvestigation may be conducted. The rule also calls for better coordination between federal agencies and requires annual reporting of actions taken under the Act.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to update the classification of the West Indian manatee by distinguishing between its two subspecies, listing the Florida manatee as a threatened species and the Antillean manatee as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. This proposal involves removing the West Indian manatee from the list and replacing it with the two subspecies to provide them with distinct protections. The Florida manatee faces threats like habitat loss, watercraft collisions, and climate change, whereas the Antillean manatee is endangered by factors like poaching, low genetic diversity, and ineffective regulatory enforcement in some areas. Public comments are invited on this proposed rule until March 17, 2025.

The Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) under the Treasury Department has announced the availability of funds through its CDFI Program for the 2025 fiscal year. The program offers Financial Assistance (FA) and Technical Assistance (TA) awards to eligible community-based financial institutions. These awards aim to enhance the capacity of these institutions to serve low-income markets and underserved communities. The availability of funding and any specific conditions depend on congressional appropriations and other federal guidelines.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to disapprove West Virginia's plan to address regional haze in national parks and wilderness areas. The EPA argues that West Virginia didn't properly analyze which pollution control measures are necessary to make reasonable progress toward improving visibility, as required by the Clean Air Act. The EPA's proposed disapproval doesn’t immediately impose any penalties on West Virginia, but it does start a two-year period during which the EPA must create its own plan if West Virginia doesn't correct the identified issues. Public comments on this proposal are being accepted until February 20, 2025.

The Miami International Securities Exchange LLC submitted a proposal to amend its fee schedule, specifically to increase the network connectivity fees for its 10-gigabit ultra-low latency fiber connections from $9,300 to $10,000 per month for both member and non-member users. This increase is intended to cover the exchange's growing costs and ensure the fees are fair and reasonable, reflecting the resources consumed by users of the higher bandwidth connections. The exchange argues that the proposed fees comply with U.S. securities law, are equitably allocated, and do not impose an unfair burden on competition.