Federal Register Table of Contents - October 1, 2024
Department Of Transportation
I. Federal Aviation Administration a. Part 97 - Standard Instrument Approach Procedures i. Adoption of the Amendment (pg. 79828) - This section details the adoption of amendments to Part 97, which establishes, amends, suspends, or removes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures and/or Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures, effective at 0901 UTC on specified dates. ii. Effective Upon Publication (pg. 79842) - This section lists specific airports and their corresponding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) codes, detailing amendments to Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) that are effective immediately upon publication. b. Part 61 - Certification: Pilots, Flight Instructors, and Ground Instructors (pg. 80034) i. Removal of Expiration Date on a Flight Instructor - This rule removes the expiration date on flight instructor certificates, allowing for continuous validity as long as instructors meet certain requirements and pass required tests. II. Federal Railroad Administration a. Railroad Workplace Safety; Passenger Rail Equipment Safety Standards; Passenger Rail Equipment Crashworthiness Standards (pg. 79761) - This document presents a final rule amending passenger rail equipment safety standards, aiming to improve crashworthiness and minimize injuries in the event of accidents. III. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration a. Qualification of Drivers; Commercial Driver’s License (pg. 80007) - This notice announces an exemption for the State of Alaska from certain Commercial Driver's License (CDL) requirements for individuals operating commercial motor vehicles within specified areas of Alaska.
Department of Commerce
I. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration a. 40 CFR Part 52 (pg. 79744) i. Air Plan Approval; Pennsylvania; Oil and Natural Gas Control Measures for 2008 and 2015 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards - This final rule by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approves a Pennsylvania state plan revision regarding control measures for oil and natural gas operations to meet ozone standards. b. 50 CFR Part 679 (pg. 79784) i. Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Several Groundfish Species in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area - This temporary rule concerns the apportionment of reserves for several groundfish species in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area, impacting fishing quotas to ensure sustainable fishing practices. c. 50 CFR Part 648 (pg. 79775) i. Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fisheries - This final rule modifies regulations for the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fisheries in the Northeastern United States. d. Patent and Trademark Office i. Docket No.: PTO–P–2024–0051 (pg. 79990) - This notice announces the extension and potential termination of the "After Final Consideration Pilot Program 2.0,” which affects the patent examination process.
Department Of Housing and Urban Development
I. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing—Federal Housing Commissioner a. 24 CFR Part 1227 (pg. 79816) i. Preventing Loan Origination by Persons Subject to Civil Monetary Penalty Orders and Prohibition Orders - This proposed rule aims to prevent individuals or entities subject to significant civil monetary penalties from participating in mortgage loan origination.
Department of Health and Human Services
I. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention a. Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review (pg. 79929) - This notice announces the proposed information collection and burden hour estimates for the Medical Expenditure Component (MEC) of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), impacting data collection related to healthcare costs and utilization.
Department of Veterans Affairs
I. Secretary of Veterans Affairs a. 38 CFR Part 3 (pg. 79810) - This document details updates to the definitions used in relation to veterans' benefits, specifically clarifying terms related to service locations and types of pensions.
Department of Homeland Security
I. U.S. Customs and Border Protection a. 19 CFR Part 159 (pg. 79888) i. Extension of Time Limit for the Completion of Changed Circumstances Review on the Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Orders on Certain Aluminum Extrusions from the People’s Republic of China - This notice extends the deadline for completing a review of the antidumping and countervailing duty orders on certain aluminum extrusions from China. b. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services i. Instructions for the 2026 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV–2026) (pg. 80004) - These instructions provide guidance for the 2026 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV-2026), a lottery program that offers permanent residency to individuals from countries with low immigration rates to the United States.
Environmental Protection Agency
I. 40 CFR Part 52 (pg. 79820) a. Finding of Failure To Attain the Primary 2010 1-Hour Sulfur Dioxide Standard for the San Juan and Guayama-Salinas Nonattainment Areas; Approval and Conditional Approval of Air Quality State Implementation Plans; Puerto Rico; Attainment Plan for the 2010 1-Hour Sulfur Dioxide Standard for the San Juan and Guayama-Salinas Nonattainment Areas - This proposed rule addresses the failure of the San Juan and Guayama-Salinas regions in Puerto Rico to meet the 2010 1-Hour Sulfur Dioxide standard and outlines plans for achieving compliance.
Federal Reserve System
I. Formations of, Acquisitions by, and Mergers of Bank Holding Companies (pg. 79916)
This notice lists companies that have applied to the Federal Reserve Board for approval to become bank holding companies or engage in activities related to bank ownership and control.
Drug Enforcement Administration
I. Schedules of Controlled Substances: Placement of N– Ethylpentylone, N– Ethylhexedrone, and 4–Chloro-N– Ethylcathinone Into Schedule I (pg. 79938) - This document announces the final rule placing three synthetic cathinones—N–Ethylpentylone, N–Ethylhexedrone, and 4–Chloro-N–Ethylcathinone—into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act due to their high potential for abuse and lack of accepted medical use.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
I. Arizona Public Service Company, et al. (pg. 79984) a. Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3; Maricopa County, AZ - This notice announces amendments to the operating licenses for the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station, Units 1, 2, and 3. The amendments revise Technical Specification (TS) 3.5.1, ‘‘Safety Injection Tanks (SITs)—Operating.
Federal Election Commission
I. Sunshine Act Meeting (pg. 79886)
This notice announces a meeting of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) Board of Advisors to discuss various aspects of federal elections.
Potential Inefficiencies and Wasteful Spending in the Federal Register
The sources, excerpts from the October 1, 2024, Federal Register, offer a glimpse into the complexities of government operations and potential areas of inefficiency or wasteful spending. While direct evidence of such instances is limited in these excerpts, several points warrant attention:
Administrative Burden in Fisheries Management: The sources highlight the administrative challenges associated with managing fisheries. For instance, NOAA's disapproval of incorporating state-specific allocations into the Black Sea Bass fishery management plan (FMP) stemmed from concerns over increased administrative burden on both NOAA and the states. [1, 2] Adding state-level quotas would necessitate additional resources for monitoring, implementing closures, and managing quota transfers. [3, 4] This example suggests potential inefficiencies when regulatory complexity at the federal level creates duplicative efforts and increased workload for multiple entities.
AFCP 2.0 Costs at USPTO: The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) raises concerns about the economic inefficiencies within its Accelerated Examination for First Action Interview Pilot Program (AFCP 2.0). [5] While intended to expedite patent application reviews, the program's high usage (over 60,000 requests annually) leads to significant administrative costs. [5] The USPTO estimated spending over $15 million in 2022 for examiners to evaluate AFCP 2.0 submissions, representing a potential area of wasteful spending if the program's benefits do not outweigh these costs. [5] The USPTO's proposal to implement fees for AFCP 2.0 participation suggests an attempt to address these inefficiencies and ensure the program's financial sustainability. [6]
Supply Chain Risk Management in the Energy Sector: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) proposes directing the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) to enhance its supply chain risk management (SCRM) standards for the Bulk-Power System. [7] FERC identified gaps in NERC's existing SCRM Reliability Standards, particularly concerning the sufficiency of responsible entities’ SCRM plans and the applicability of these standards to protected cyber assets (PCAs). [8] FERC argues that these gaps could potentially lead to insufficient identification, assessment, and response to supply chain risks, jeopardizing the reliability of the Bulk-Power System. [8] Addressing these gaps proactively through stricter standards could potentially mitigate future costs associated with supply chain disruptions or cyberattacks.
It's important to acknowledge that the sources primarily present proposed rules and agency notices, not detailed analyses of existing programs or spending. Therefore, drawing definitive conclusions about inefficiencies or wasteful spending solely from these excerpts would be premature. Further investigation and analysis of government programs and spending practices are necessary to comprehensively address these concerns.
High-Impact Items in the Federal Register
The sources, excerpts from the October 1, 2024 Federal Register, contain numerous notices and proposed rules from various government agencies. While it's difficult to discern "urgent" items without further context on your specific interests, here are some potentially high-impact items:
Public Health:
Blood Culture Media Shortage: The FDA announced interruptions in the supply of Becton Dickinson BACTEC blood culture media bottles due to supplier issues [1]. This shortage could significantly impact patient care by delaying diagnosis, affecting treatment decisions, and hindering antimicrobial stewardship efforts. The CDC plans to assess the shortage's impact on individual facilities and its potential effects on bloodstream infection surveillance data [1].
Healthy People 2030 Objectives: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is soliciting public comment on proposed objectives for Healthy People 2030 [2]. This initiative sets national health objectives with the goal of improving health and well-being in the United States. Public input on these objectives can shape health priorities and resource allocation for the coming years [2].
Environmental Protection:
Pennsylvania Air Quality: The EPA is approving revisions to Pennsylvania's air quality regulations concerning volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from the oil and gas industry [3]. This approval impacts air quality standards in Pennsylvania, including Allegheny County, and reflects the EPA's ongoing efforts to address VOC emissions and improve air quality [3].
Endangered Species: The US Fish and Wildlife Service proposes listing the Bethany Beach firefly as threatened under the Endangered Species Act due to habitat loss and degradation from factors like development, invasive species, and sea-level rise [4]. This listing could trigger conservation efforts and impact land management practices within the firefly's habitat [4]. However, the Las Vegas Bearpoppy was found to not warrant listing as endangered or threatened, based on the best scientific and commercial data available [5].
Other:
Special Immigrant Visas for Afghans: USAID is requesting emergency approval from OMB for a new data collection effort to assist with the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) process for Afghan nationals who worked on USAID contracts [6]. This data collection signals the urgency of processing these visas and highlights the ongoing efforts to relocate Afghan allies [6].
Medicare Hospice Payment Rates: CMS issued a correction to the FY 2025 Hospice final rule, addressing technical errors in the preamble, addenda, payment rates, and tables [7]. These corrections are crucial for ensuring accurate payment rates and preventing financial disruptions for hospices participating in Medicare [7].
It's important to note that this is not an exhaustive list, and the potential impact of these items may vary depending on your specific interests. The Federal Register covers a vast range of topics and industries.
Obscure and Onerous Regulations
The provided text from the daily Federal Register primarily lists proposed rules and agency actions, many of which relate to highly specialized industries and government procedures. Here are a few examples of regulations an average American might find obscure or excessively burdensome:
Fisheries Management: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issues extensive rules governing fishing practices in US waters, including very specific regulations for different species, areas, and seasons. For example, NOAA issued regulations for "Several Groundfish Species in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area" and "Amendment 23 to the Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan." [1] While these rules are intended to ensure sustainable fishing practices, their complexity and specificity can be challenging for recreational fishers to understand and follow.
Air Traffic Control: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) heavily regulates airspace and air traffic procedures, often through complex documents like Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs), Takeoff Minimums and Obstacle Departure Procedures (ODPs). These documents are incorporated by reference in the Federal Register, meaning they are not published in full due to their "complex nature" and reliance on "graphic depiction on charts." [2] The process of accessing and interpreting these regulations, while critical for aviation safety, can be difficult for the average American to navigate.
Toxic Exposure Claims: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposed amending regulations regarding disability or death benefit claims related to toxic exposure. [3] The proposed rule refers to multiple statutes, Executive Orders, and previous rulings, creating a dense web of regulations for veterans seeking benefits. Navigating this complex system can be a significant challenge for veterans already dealing with health issues.
It is important to note that these are just a few examples from a vast number of regulations. Many regulations are necessary for safety and other important reasons, but their complexity and specificity can sometimes create significant burdens for individuals and businesses.
Federal Register Redux - 2024-10-01