Search Results for type:"Rule"

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved a revision to Pennsylvania's state implementation plan (SIP), which ensures that the 1997 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standards will be maintained in the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre area. This action follows Pennsylvania's submission of a second maintenance plan, which fulfills federal requirements for continued air quality management. The EPA received supportive comments on this plan and did not face any opposition. The revision does not impose new requirements but strengthens existing state measures to maintain air quality standards.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a final rule changing the Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPS), Takeoff Minimums, and Obstacle Departure Procedures (ODPs) at specific airports. These updates are due to new or revised criteria and changes in the National Airspace System, like new navigational facilities and obstacles. The goal is to ensure safe and efficient airspace use and flight operations under instrument rules. The rule becomes effective on December 10, 2024, and some updates may take effect in less than 30 days due to urgent safety needs.

On November 27, 2024, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) updated their Area Risk Protection Insurance Regulations and Common Crop Insurance Policy. They later found some mistakes in these changes, such as missing provisions and included ones that shouldn’t have been there. This document corrects those errors, especially in the Small Grains and Green Pea Crop Insurance Provisions. The corrections are effective as of December 27, 2024.

The FAA has issued a new rule replacing previous airworthiness directives for ATR72 airplanes. This rule mandates incorporating updated airworthiness limitations to prevent fatigue cracking that could compromise the airplane's structure. The updated limitations are based on European Union Aviation Safety Agency guidelines and apply to certain ATR72 models, excluding those with certificates issued after December 12, 2019. The new requirements must be implemented by March 31, 2021, with specified compliance details and options for alternative approaches.

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 Rural Housing Service (RHS) of the Department of Agriculture announced updates to the competitive process for lenders submitting applications for the Section 538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program (GRRHP). The updates include new scoring criteria focusing on priorities like maturing mortgages and Qualified Contract waivers, adjustments in scoring points, and changes to the application process such as requiring lenders to include closing dates and details about commercial spaces. Applications are being accepted continuously, and funding will depend on allocations provided by the Appropriations Act each fiscal year. The goal of the GRRHP is to increase affordable rental housing in rural areas by supporting partnerships between private lenders and public agencies.

The Coast Guard has established 55 temporary safety zones around the construction of wind energy facilities for the Empire Wind 1 project, located offshore from Long Island, New York. These zones, each extending 500 meters from the facility's center point, aim to protect life, property, and the environment during construction, which may begin as early as March 2025 and continue through February 2028. During enforcement, only authorized vessels are allowed within these safety zones, and mariners will be notified of enforcement periods through various communication channels. This action was implemented following regulatory processes and public comments, focusing solely on safety rather than the wind energy projects themselves.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a clarification explaining that language in the preamble of a previous rule about nondiscrimination based on disability does not carry legal weight because it was not included in the official regulatory text. This clarification focuses on discussions about whether gender dysphoria could be considered a disability, noting that such preamble language isn't legally enforceable. The Department aims to reduce confusion by affirming that only the regulatory text itself has legal authority. This clarification emphasizes that interpretations or statements in rule preambles do not have the force of law.

The Department of Commerce made changes to regulations for antidumping and countervailing duties to fix mistakes from an earlier update. These changes are effective from March 31, 2025, and they correct errors related to deadlines and regulatory language in the annexes of trade remedy regulations. The corrections were made without prior notice or public comment because they simply fix errors from previously approved regulations. These updates are not considered significant under Executive Order 12866.

The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection issued a correction to a previously published rule regarding the definition of a Qualified Mortgage under the Truth in Lending Act, which appeared in the Federal Register on December 29, 2020. The correction fixes a minor error in the wording of an amendatory instruction related to the regulation that guides mortgage definitions. The change will become effective on March 1, 2021. For further details, individuals can contact Amanda Quester at the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.