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The Western Area Power Administration (WAPA), under the Department of Energy, has issued a notice confirming and approving new Provisional Formula Rates for various services associated with the Central Valley Project. These rates, effective from March 25, 2021, to December 2024, cover Energy Imbalance Market (EIM) Services, Sale of Surplus Products, and updates to existing Energy Imbalance and Generator Imbalance services. The new rates aim to align WAPA’s practices with broader energy markets, manage costs efficiently, and ensure fair pricing for energy services in the Sierra Nevada Region.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has proposed a new order for promoting natural grass sod products. This initiative, called the Natural Grass Sod Promotion, Research, and Information Order, aims to support the natural grass sod industry by funding market expansion and research activities through fees collected from sod producers. A key aspect of the proposal is a referendum where natural grass sod producers can vote on whether to adopt this program. If approved, the program will be financed by a small assessment on the sale of sod, with the goal of supporting industry education, promotion, and research efforts.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has issued an emergency order that mandates the wearing of face masks by railroad personnel to reduce the spread of COVID-19 as directed by the CDC. This order, effective March 1, 2021, applies to all freight rail operations and certain passenger rail operations under FRA’s jurisdiction, though not in areas already covered by the TSA’s mask requirements. The FRA’s decision follows inconsistent mask-wearing practices observed by inspectors and aims to protect railroad workers, inspectors, and public health. Non-compliance may result in penalties, and specific exemptions exist for certain situations and individuals.

The Department of Defense (DoD), General Services Administration (GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are looking for public input on extending the approval for collecting information related to change order accounting and notifications of changes. This is part of ensuring that these processes are necessary for efficient federal acquisitions and to minimize the burden on respondents. The agencies are asking if the information collected is useful, if the burden estimates are accurate, and how to improve data quality while reducing collection burdens. Comments are open until June 10, 2025, and submissions can be made through the specified government website.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has provisionally accepted a Settlement Agreement with Fitbit, LLC, which includes a civil penalty of $12,250,000. The case concerns reports of battery overheating in Fitbit Ionic smartwatches, which caused burn injuries. Although Fitbit did not admit to any violations, they agreed to a recall and settlement to avoid further litigation. Furthermore, Fitbit will implement a compliance program to ensure adherence to safety regulations and report any changes or updates to the CPSC for a year.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the USDA has issued a final rule establishing procedures for a referendum among natural grass sod producers. This rule aims to determine support for a proposed order that would implement a research and promotion program for natural grass sod, funded by a mandatory assessment. The order requires a simple majority vote in favor among producers for it to proceed. The rule also outlines voting methods, including electronic voting, to ensure broad participation and includes provisions for ensuring the confidentiality of ballots.

The Federal Maritime Commission is investigating issues with shipping routes at important international maritime chokepoints, such as the English Channel and the Suez Canal. The investigation aims to understand how foreign laws, vessel practices, and other factors create shipping delays and complications. They have invited public comments to gather insights and possible solutions to these shipping constraints by May 13, 2025. The inquiry is looking into the financial, environmental, and geopolitical impacts of these maritime issues.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) proposed a consent agreement with accessiBe Inc. and accessiBe Ltd., addressing alleged violations of unfair or deceptive practices. The agreement accuses accessiBe of falsely claiming their product, accessWidget, could make any website fully compliant with accessibility standards. Additionally, accessiBe did not disclose financial ties to publishers of third-party reviews, which misrepresented the product as unbiased and objective. The order mandates accessiBe to correct these practices, make transparent disclosures, and pay $1,000,000 in monetary relief to the FTC. Public comments on this agreement are invited until February 5, 2025.

The USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service has amended the Mango Promotion, Research, and Information Order to remove frozen mangos as a covered commodity, following a referendum where the majority of first handlers and importers voted against their inclusion. This change discontinues the collection of assessments for frozen mangos and reduces the National Mango Board's membership from 21 to 18 members. These changes are intended to relieve regulatory burdens on frozen mango importers and streamline the Order's provisions, including clarifying definitions and updating voting procedures. The rule became effective on February 25, 2021, and stakeholders are invited to submit comments by April 26, 2021.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a provisionally accepted settlement with Cybex International, Inc. The settlement involves a civil penalty of $7,950,000 due to Cybex's failure to promptly report defects in their Arm Curl and Smith Press machines, which posed serious injury risks. Cybex has agreed to enhance its compliance program but does not admit to any wrongdoing. The public can submit comments or objections to this settlement until March 4, 2021.