10 CFR Chapter II, Subchapter H - ASSISTANCE REGULATIONS

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is discontinuing the rulemaking activity that would have developed cyber security requirements for byproduct materials licensees possessing risk-significant quantities of radioactive materials. The purpose of this action is to inform members of the public of the discontinuation of the rulemaking activity and to provide a brief discussion of the NRC's decision. The rulemaking activity will no longer be reported in the NRC's portion of the Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions (the Unified Agenda).

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its regulations to collect information on nuclear material possessed by entities in the U.S. Caribbean Territories, as well as to allow for International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspection access, if requested by the IAEA. This final rule implements the requirements of “The Agreement between the United States of America and the IAEA for the application of safeguards in connection with the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America” (INFCIRC/366 or U.S.-IAEA Caribbean Territories Safeguards Agreement), that apply to the United States (U.S.) based on modifications to this Agreement's small quantities protocol.

DOE is amending its regulation concerning the Human Reliability Program (HRP). This regulation provides the policies and procedures to ensure that individuals who occupy positions affording unescorted access to certain nuclear materials, nuclear explosive devices, facilities and programs meet the highest standards of reliability and physical and mental suitability. The revisions include some clarification of the procedures and burden of proof applicable in certification review hearings, the addition and modification of certain definitions, and a clear statement that a security concern can be reviewed pursuant to the HRP regulation in addition to the DOE regulations for determining eligibility for access to classified matter or special nuclear material. These revisions are intended to provide better guidance to HRP-certified individuals and to ensure consistency in HRP decision making.

On March 26, 2018, the Department of Energy (DOE) received a petition from the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) to withdraw, and immediately stay the effectiveness of, the conventional cooking top test procedure. Through this notification, DOE seeks comment on the petition, as well as any data or information that could be used in DOE's determination whether to proceed with the petition.

On March 21, 2018, the Department of Energy (DOE) received a petition from the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) to define a new product class under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) for residential dishwashers. The new product class would cover dishwashers with a cycle time of less than one hour from washing through drying. Through this notification, DOE seeks comment on the petition, as well as any data or information that could be used in DOE's determination whether to proceed with the petition.

The Department of Energy (DOE) proposes to revise its regulations concerning the requirements for classification and declassification of Restricted Data (RD) and Formerly Restricted Data (FRD). Since 1997, when DOE amended the regulations, changes in legislation and DOE and national policies have rendered portions of the existing regulations outdated. The proposed revisions update the regulations to address these changes. Additional changes made are to clarify requirements, as well as allow agencies more flexibility in implementing RD/FRD programs. This proposed rule is rewritten for clarity and reorganized for ease of use.

In a final rule published on January 19, 2017, federal departments and agencies made revisions to the Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects (hereafter the “2018 Requirements”). The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) adopted the same regulatory changes in a separate final rule published on September 18, 2017. The 2018 Requirements were scheduled to become effective on January 19, 2018, with a general compliance date of January 19, 2018 (with the exception of the revisions to the cooperative research provision). The departments and agencies listed in this document have also published an interim final rule delaying the effective date and general compliance date for the 2018 Requirements for six months, to cover the time period of January 19, 2018 until July 19, 2018. As per the interim final rule, the effective date of the 2018 Requirements is now July 19, 2018. The departments and agencies listed in this document propose delaying the general compliance date for the 2018 Requirements for an additional six months, for the time period of July 19, 2018 until January 21, 2019. This proposed rule is intended to provide additional time to regulated entities for the preparations necessary to implement the 2018 Requirements. This proposed rule, if finalized, would require regulated entities to continue to comply with the requirements of the current Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects (hereafter the “pre-2018 Requirements”) until January 21, 2019. This proposal also takes comment on whether to permit institutions to implement, for certain research studies, the following provisions in the 2018 Requirements during the period from July 19, 2018, until January 21, 2019, that the general compliance date is delayed. Those three provisions, intended to reduce burdens on regulated entities, are the 2018 Requirements' definition of “research,” which deems certain activities not to be research, the allowance for no annual continuing review of certain categories of research, and the elimination of the requirement that institutional review boards (IRBs) review grant applications related to the research. The way that this option is proposed, regulated entities would be required to comply with all pre-2018 Requirements during the period that the general compliance date is delayed, except for provisions substituted by the three burden-reducing provisions of the 2018 Requirements. As described in section III, below, this flexibility is proposed only for studies for which an institution makes a choice to transition to comply with the 2018 Requirements, beginning on July 19, 2018. In order to clearly describe this proposed flexibility, including how it would impact institutions choosing to transition research to comply with the 2018 Requirements, this document proposes a redrafted transition provision.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE or the Department) is giving notice that DOE intends to establish a negotiated rulemaking working group under the Appliance Standards and Rulemaking Federal Advisory Committee (ASRAC) in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and the Negotiated Rulemaking Act (NRA) to negotiate proposed test procedures and amended energy conservation standards for variable refrigerant flow multi-split air conditioners and heat pumps (VRF multi-split systems). The purpose of the working group will be to discuss and, if possible, reach consensus on a proposed rule regarding test procedures and energy conservation standards for VRF multi-split systems, as authorized by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) of 1975, as amended. The working group will consist of representatives of parties having a defined stake in the outcome of the proposed standards and/or test procedure, and will consult as appropriate with a range of experts on technical issues. DOE is hereby soliciting nominations for members of the VRF multi-split systems working group. Application packages should be submitted to DOE by April 26, 2018.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has received a petition for rulemaking from Raymond Lutz and Citizens Oversight, Inc. (the Petitioners), dated January 2, 2018, requesting that the NRC amend its regulations regarding spent nuclear fuel storage systems. The petition was docketed by the NRC on January 22, 2018, and has been assigned Docket No. PRM-72-8. The NRC is examining the issues raised in PRM-72-8 to determine whether they should be considered in rulemaking. The NRC is requesting public comment on this petition.

The Department of Energy (DOE) published, on November 28, 2017, a Request for Information (RFI) seeking comments from interested parties to assist DOE in evaluating the potential advantages and disadvantages of additional flexibilities in the U.S. Appliance and Equipment Energy Conservations Standards (ECS) program. The comment period for the RFI ends on February 26, 2018. Through this notice, DOE extends the comment period until March 26, 2018.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is seeking stakeholder participation and involvement in identifying the various technical issues that should be considered in the development of a regulatory basis for the disposal of Greater-than-Class C (GTCC) and transuranic radioactive waste through means other than a deep geologic disposal, including near surface disposal. To assist in this process, the NRC is holding a public meeting and is requesting that stakeholders respond to the questions discussed in Section IV, “Specific Request for Comments,” of this document.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend the licensing, inspection, special project, and annual fees charged to its applicants and licensees. These proposed amendments are necessary to implement the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990, as amended (OBRA-90), which requires the NRC to recover approximately 90 percent of its annual budget through fees; amounts appropriated for Waste Incidental to Reprocessing (WIR), generic homeland security activities, and Inspector General (IG) services for the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, as well as any amounts appropriated from the Nuclear Waste Fund, are excluded from this fee-recovery requirement. The NRC is issuing the fiscal year (FY) 2018 proposed fee rule based on the FY 2018 budget request since full-year appropriations have not yet been enacted for FY 2018. The NRC is using $967.0 million for the total budget authority in the proposed fee rule because it has included an adjustment to account for funding of $15.0 million for the Integrated University Program, which was not included in the budget request, but has historically been included by Congress in the final appropriations bill. Based on that total budget authority, the NRC is proposing to collect $826.7 million in fees in FY 2018. If the NRC receives an appropriation providing a different total budget authority, the final fee rule will reflect the final appropriation.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) published a direct final rule in the Federal Register on September 27, 2017, which amended its spent fuel storage regulations by revising the Standardized NUHOMS® Horizontal Modular Storage System (NUHOMS® System) listing within the “List of approved spent fuel storage casks” to renew, for an additional 40-year period, the initial certificate and Amendment Nos. 1 through 11 and 13, Revision 1, and Amendment No. 14 of Certificate of Compliance (CoC) No. 1004. That direct final rule was effective on December 11, 2017. The technical specifications (TS) for the NUHOMS® System, Renewed Amendments No. 11, Revision 1, and No. 13, Revision 1 included an incorrect title in Figure 1-15. The purpose of this action is to correct this minor editorial and non-substantive error to Figure 1-15 for both Renewed Amendments No. 11, Revision 1, and No. 13, Revision 1.

In a final rule published on January 19, 2017, federal departments and agencies listed in this document made revisions to the Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) adopted the same regulatory changes in a separate final rule published on September 18, 2017. The revised policy, reflected in both final rules, is described here as the “2018 Requirements.” The 2018 Requirements are scheduled to become effective on January 19, 2018, with a general compliance date of January 19, 2018 (with the exception of the revisions to the cooperative research provision). This interim final rule delays the effective date and general compliance date of the 2018 Requirements to July 19, 2018. The federal departments and agencies listed in this document are in the process of developing a proposed rule to further delay implementation of the 2018 Requirements. The limited implementation delay accomplished by this interim final rule both provides additional time to regulated entities for the preparations necessary to implement the 2018 Requirements, and additional time for the departments and agencies listed in this document to seek input from interested stakeholders through a notice and comment rulemaking process that allows for public engagement on the proposal for a further implementation delay.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its regulations to incorporate by reference (IBR) the latest revisions of three regulatory guides (RGs) approving new, revised, and reaffirmed Code Cases published by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). This action allows nuclear power plant licensees and applicants for construction permits, operating licenses, combined licenses, standard design certifications, standard design approvals and manufacturing licenses to voluntarily use the Code Cases listed in these RGs as alternatives to engineering standards for the construction, inservice inspection (ISI), and inservice testing (IST) of nuclear power plant components. These engineering standards are set forth in the ASME's Boiler and Pressure Vessel (BPV) Codes and ASME Operation and Maintenance (OM) Codes, which are currently incorporated by reference into the NRC's regulations. This final rule announces the availability of the final versions of the three RGs that are being incorporated by reference. Further, the final rule announces the availability of a related RG, not incorporated by reference into the NRC's regulations that lists Code Cases that the NRC has not approved for use.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its regulations to adjust the maximum Civil Monetary Penalties (CMPs) it can assess under statutes enforced by the agency. These changes are mandated by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 (FCPIAA), as amended by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (2015 Improvements Act). The NRC is amending its regulations to adjust the maximum CMP for a violation of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (AEA), or any regulation or order issued under the AEA from $285,057 to $290,875 per violation, per day. Additionally, the NRC is amending provisions concerning program fraud civil penalties by adjusting the maximum CMP under the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act from $10,957 to $11,181 for each false claim or statement.

The Department of Energy (“DOE”) publishes this final rule to adjust DOE's civil monetary penalties (“CMPs”) for inflation as mandated by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as further amended by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (collectively referred to herein as “the Act”). This rule adjusts CMPs within the jurisdiction of DOE to the maximum amount required by the Act.

The U.S. Department of Energy (“DOE”) is issuing a final rule that establishes procedural regulations concerning the Secretary of Energy's issuance of an emergency order under the Federal Power Act. The statute authorizes the Secretary of Energy to order emergency measures, following a Presidential declaration of a grid security emergency, to protect or restore the reliability of critical electric infrastructure or defense critical electric infrastructure during the emergency. A grid security emergency could result from a physical attack, a cyber-attack using electronic communication, an electromagnetic pulse (EMP), or a geomagnetic storm event, damaging certain electricity infrastructure assets and impairing the reliability of the Nation's power grid. The procedures established by this final rule will ensure the expeditious issuance of emergency orders under the Federal Power Act.

The Bureau is amending the official commentary that interprets the requirements of the Bureau's Regulation Z (Truth in Lending) to reflect a change in the asset-size threshold for certain creditors to qualify for an exemption to the requirement to establish an escrow account for a higher-priced mortgage loan based on the annual percentage change in the average of the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) for the 12-month period ending in November. The exemption threshold is adjusted to increase to $2.112 billion from $2.069 billion. The adjustment is based on the 2.1 percent increase in the average of the CPI-W for the 12-month period ending in November 2017. Therefore, creditors with assets of less than $2.112 billion (including assets of certain affiliates) as of December 31, 2017, are exempt, if other requirements of Regulation Z also are met, from establishing escrow accounts for higher-priced mortgage loans in 2018. This asset limit will also apply during a grace period, in certain circumstances, with respect to transactions with applications received before April 1 of 2019. The adjustment to the escrows asset-size exemption threshold will also increase a similar threshold for small-creditor portfolio and balloon-payment qualified mortgages. Balloon-payment qualified mortgages that satisfy all applicable criteria, including being made by creditors that have (together with certain affiliates) total assets below the threshold, are also excepted from the prohibition on balloon payments for high-cost mortgages.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is publishing this final rule in order to codify in the Code of Federal Regulations certain backstop requirements for rough service lamps and vibration service lamps that Congress prescribed in the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. These backstop requirements apply as a result of the subject lamps exceeding sales thresholds specified in the statute. In particular, this rule applies a statutorily-established 40-watt maximum energy use and packaging limitation to rough service lamps and vibration service lamps.