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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has issued a final rule listing three butterflies from Brazil—the Fluminense swallowtail, Harris' mimic swallowtail, and Hahnel's Amazonian swallowtail—as endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. This move aims to extend legal protections to these butterflies, mainly due to threats like habitat loss and degradation, capture, and insufficient existing regulatory mechanisms to address these issues. These butterflies are facing extinction risks because their populations have been reduced and isolated in their natural habitats, which are undergoing severe urbanization and deforestation. The agency has highlighted both the challenges these species face and the legal measures in place to protect them.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is enforcing a new airworthiness directive for certain models of General Electric turbofan engines due to a reported crack in the outer fuel manifold leading to fuel leakage. This rule requires initial and routine inspections of specific clamps and may involve further inspections or replacements if defects are found. The purpose is to prevent potential engine fire and aircraft damage. The directive details necessary actions, compliance timelines, and communication procedures for alternative methods or further information.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced the reclassification of the June sucker from "endangered" to "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act, reflecting significant improvements in its population through conservation efforts. The agency has implemented a set of rules under section 4(d) to continue the protection and recovery of the species, allowing certain activities like research, habitat restoration, and the management of recreational fisheries to occur without violating the Act, provided they aid in the conservation of the June sucker. These activities include removing nonnative fish, conducting habitat restoration projects, and monitoring populations, all aimed at securing the June sucker's recovery while maintaining public engagement and education efforts.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced an emergency rule to list the blue tree monitor, a lizard species from Indonesia, as endangered. This decision is due to significant threats from overcollection for the international pet trade and ongoing deforestation, which put the species at high risk of extinction. The emergency protection will last for 240 days starting from December 26, 2024, while a proposed permanent listing rule is being considered concurrently. The agency's action aims to provide immediate federal protection to help prevent the species from becoming extinct.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is organizing two public meetings to discuss the Pike Island and New Cumberland Hydroelectric Projects. These scoping meetings are scheduled for May 6, 2025, at the Wingate by Wyndham in Steubenville, Ohio, with sessions from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Commission staff might end the meetings half an hour earlier than planned. The meetings aim to gather public input on environmental and other aspects of these hydroelectric projects. For inquiries, contact Project Coordinator Colleen Corballis at (202) 502-8598 or via email.

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 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued significant new use rules (SNURs) for certain chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). These rules require companies to notify the EPA 90 days before manufacturing or processing these chemicals for any newly designated significant uses. The purpose is to allow the EPA to assess potential risks and take necessary actions before these activities start. Businesses that want to use these chemicals in a significant new way must submit a Significant New Use Notice (SNUN) and wait for EPA review and approval.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has withdrawn a proposed rule that aimed to replace an existing Airworthiness Directive (AD) for certain Agusta helicopters. The initial directive required inspections and set life limits for tail rotor blades, but the proposed changes were intended to expand these requirements to include new blade designs. The FAA decided to withdraw the proposal because it did not adequately address safety concerns and plans to address the issue in a separate rule. Despite public comments, the FAA concluded that additional steps are needed to ensure safety, leading to the withdrawal of the original notice.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes listing the eastern hellbender salamander as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. This decision is based on the decline of its populations due to threats such as habitat destruction, pollution, disease, and unauthorized collection. The listing would provide the subspecies with greater protection but does not include a critical habitat designation to avoid increasing the risk of illegal collection. Public comments are invited on the rule before February 11, 2025.

The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has introduced a final rule that changes some parts of the Code of Federal Regulations. This rule updates the way payments for legal services, originating from outside the United States, are handled. OFAC is now requiring recordkeeping instead of reporting requirements and has revised general licenses, so payments for certain legal services can be made from external funds. This rule is effective from December 19, 2024, and applies starting March 12, 2025.