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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is suggesting that the Sacramento Metro area in California has met the ozone air quality standards set in 2008 by the deadline of December 31, 2024. This decision is based on air quality data collected from 2022 to 2024. If this proposal is finalized, certain air quality contingency measures that were required in case of air quality standard violations would no longer be necessary. The EPA is currently seeking public comments on this proposal until April 21, 2025, before making a final decision.

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 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced 90-day findings on petitions to add several species to the endangered or threatened species list and to remove one species. They are starting detailed status reviews for the Amargosa toad, Carson Valley monkeyflower, large marble butterfly, Mohave ground squirrel, Morrison bumble bee, Oasis Valley speckled dace, Tennessee bottlebrush crayfish, and the golden-cheeked warbler to understand if these actions are necessary. The agency invites scientific and commercial data to ensure thorough status reviews and will publish further findings after these reviews. The reviews will consider factors such as habitat destruction, climate change, and other threats to the species.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) determined that more stringent energy conservation standards for small electric motors (SEMs) are not cost-effective, so existing standards will remain unchanged. The analysis by DOE found that while technically feasible improvements exist for SEMs, the costs of implementing them would outweigh the energy savings benefits for consumers. As a result, the standards set by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) will not be amended because they would not be economically justified. This decision concludes that the potential energy conservation from new standards would not meet significant conservation thresholds under the current criteria.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a final rule extending the effective removal date of the 1-psi gasoline volatility waiver for Ohio and nine counties in South Dakota by one year, from April 28, 2025, to April 28, 2026. This decision comes in response to petitions from the governors of Ohio and South Dakota citing concerns over insufficient gasoline supply without the extension. Factors influencing this decision include infrastructure challenges in Ohio and a recent explosion at a key refinery in Wyoming affecting supply to South Dakota. The EPA's action ensures that gasoline remains available during the summer of 2025 while necessary adjustments are made.

On October 18, 2024, the Defense Industrial Based Consortium (DIBC) submitted notifications to the Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission about changes in its membership to seek protection under the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993. This protection limits antitrust plaintiffs to claiming actual damages under certain conditions. Additionally, several organizations have withdrawn from the consortium, but the group remains open to new members. The Department of Justice had initially published the DIBC's activities in the Federal Register on June 24, 2024, with the latest update being on September 17, 2024.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has updated its regulations under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978. This final rule expands the definition of qualifying cogeneration facilities to include fuel cell systems that use waste heat in a process to produce hydrogen, covering systems beyond just solid oxide fuel cells. The aim is to recognize technological advancements and promote efficient energy generation using fuel cells with integrated steam hydrocarbon reformation processes. This change encourages more efficient energy production and supports the evolving energy landscape while complying with existing environmental and energy conservation laws.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has introduced the 2024 Public Access Policy, which enhances public access to scholarly publications resulting from NIH-funded research. This policy mandates that authors submit their accepted manuscripts to PubMed Central, a digital archive, making them freely accessible without an embargo period starting December 31, 2025. The aim is to foster transparency, encourage collaboration, and ensure the public can engage with the latest scientific findings. The policy is grounded in feedback and is consistent with federal expectations for open access to taxpayer-funded research.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has issued a final rule to update its regulations by incorporating the latest standards (Version 004) for business practices and communication protocols for public utilities. These standards, developed by the North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB), aim to enhance consistency in utility operations and bolster cybersecurity. FERC requires utilities to make compliance filings by June 27, 2025, and to implement cybersecurity standards by February 27, 2026, with the remaining standards by August 27, 2026. The rule ensures public utilities adhere to updated practices that support reliable and secure energy systems.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued a final rule to revise civil penalty amounts for violations of various transportation regulations, effective December 30, 2024. These adjustments are required by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act and are meant to ensure that penalties maintain their deterrent effect by accounting for inflation. The rule covers a wide array of areas including aviation, hazardous materials, and vehicle safety, among others. The adjustments apply prospectively, meaning they will only affect violations occurring after the rule takes effect.