Search Results for type:"Rule"

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is updating its rules on indemnity payments for losses due to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in poultry. New requirements mandate that premises either at risk or affected by HPAI must undergo biosecurity audits to receive indemnity payments. These audits will verify that proper safety measures to prevent disease spread are in place and maintained. Virtual audits will generally suffice for buffer zones, while previously affected premises need in-person audits, unless there are exceptions.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has updated its regulations to adjust for inflation the civil monetary penalties under its jurisdiction. This action is aligned with the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act and is mandatory for ensuring penalties keep their deterrent power. For 2025, the penalties for false certifications related to VA-guaranteed loans have been increased from $27,894 to $28,619, and penalties for false claims to VA have risen from $13,946 to $14,308. The changes take effect on January 10, 2025, and were made without public comments due to the statutory requirements.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a correction for a previously published rule regarding air quality standards for particulate matter, particularly focusing on PM2.5 standards. The final rule, originally published in March 2024, had errors in its text about deadlines for state plans and technical descriptions for air quality monitors. The EPA clarified that states must submit implementation plans within three years of the standards' announcement, not their effective date. Additionally, several technical corrections were made, such as updating measurement methods and fixing typographical errors, all of which don't change the rule's substance.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) have finalized a rule to enhance the exchange of health information across networks. This rule establishes the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA), which sets guidelines and standards for networks known as Qualified Health Information Networks (QHINs) to facilitate seamless and secure data sharing. The rule outlines specific requirements for becoming a QHIN, procedures for onboarding, and processes for dealing with suspensions and terminations. It also ensures that QHINs can voluntarily attest to adopting TEFCA and establishes a directory to list organizations that meet the standards for trusted health information exchange.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that the Northern Wasatch Front area in Utah failed to meet the 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) by the set deadline. As a result, this area will be reclassified to "Serious" nonattainment status for ozone, requiring stricter controls to improve air quality. Utah must submit revised plans to meet these new requirements by August 3, 2027. This decision ensures that stricter measures will be put in place to reduce ozone pollution in the region.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has updated a part of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Air Regulations, which involve air pollution control requirements near state seaward boundaries. Specifically, this update affects the requirements for OCS sources near Massachusetts and involves removing two state provisions from the federal regulations as they are either redundant or irrelevant to air quality standards. This rule will ensure that the OCS regulations are in line with onshore regulations and will be effective from January 27, 2025.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector General announced a temporary delay in the effective date of certain amendments to a rule about safe harbor protections for prescription drug rebates. This decision is in line with the "Regulatory Freeze Pending Review" memo from January 20, 2021, and is due to ongoing litigation challenging the rule. The effective date for these amendments, initially set for January 29, 2021, is postponed to March 22, 2021, to allow time for further review and consideration. Additionally, a correction was made to a technical error in the published amendatory instructions.

The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) has issued a final rule that updates the income levels for individuals who can receive legal assistance. These adjustments align with the new Federal Poverty Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, effective January 28, 2025. The updated income levels are set at 125% of these guidelines, with additional reference information provided for income levels at 200%. These changes ensure that LSC's criteria reflect current economic standards for determining eligibility for legal aid.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has delayed the effective date of a rule initially established on January 16, 2025, regarding changes to various airways and a navigation route in Industry, TX. This delay, moving the effective date to August 7, 2025, allows additional time for redesigning and inspecting a flight procedure into George Bush Intercontinental/Houston Airport, which failed its initial evaluations. The decision was deemed necessary to ensure safety and efficiency without prior public comment due to the minor nature of the delay.

The Commerce Department and the Patent and Trademark Office have issued a correction related to a rule on allocating the burden of persuasion on motions to amend in trial proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. This correction appears in the rule document C2-2020-28159. Initially, a correction was issued in a previous document but has now been withdrawn as of January 13, 2021. The document was officially filed on January 14, 2021.