WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service has issued a proposed rule that would modernize a marketing order that governs raisins produced from California grapes, and opened a grower referendum to decide whether the changes take effect. The Raisin Administrative Committee, facing persistent vacancies and low meeting attendance after years of shrinking industry acreage and the 2018 removal of volume controls, recommended slashing its size fro more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a proposed rule to revise the Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model for performance year 2. The proposal seeks to adjust participant eligibility, performance metrics, and transparency standards. Under the proposal, the agency modifies eligibility criteria by excluding Department of Veterans Affairs facilities and military medical treatment centers. Addition more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration is extending the temporary control of the synthetic cannabinoid MDMB-4en-PINACA, keeping the substance in schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. This order continues the regulatory, civil and criminal penalties for anyone handling the compound. The Administrator of the DEA issued the order to extend the drug's temporary Schedule I status for one year. This ensures controls remain in place until D more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration has extended the temporary schedule I placement of the synthetic cannabinoid Cumyl-Pegaclone, also known as SGT-151, for an additional year, keeping the substance under the strictest level of federal control. The extension continues the schedule I restrictions originally imposed on December 12, 2023. The classification means that anyone who manufactures, distributes, imports, exports, researches, or po more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration has issued a proposed rule to permanently place the synthetic cannabinoid Cumyl-Pegaclone, also known as SGT-151, into schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The substance was initially controlled temporarily in December 2023 due to the imminent threat it posed to public safety. This action, if finalized, would make permanent the strict regulatory controls and criminal sanctions already ap more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued a final rule approving a state implementation plan (SIP) revision from South Carolina, signaling satisfaction of Clean Air Act requirements for the regional haze program's second planning period. This action focuses on the long-term strategy (LTS) to improve visibility in mandatory Class I Federal areas, addressing the national goal of preventing future, and remedying existing, air pollution impairment. The appr more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved the Tennessee's plan to combat regional haze and improve visibility in mandatory Class I federal areas, such as national parks and wilderness areas. The Tennessee Department of Environmental Conservation (TDEC) submitted the plan on February 23, 2022, to satisfy applicable requirements for the regional haze program's second planning period under the Clean Air Act. This rule represents the successful outcome of  more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has given final approval to a revision for the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) portion of the California state implementation plan (SIP). This action concerns a rule designed to meet requirements under section 185 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) regarding the 1997 and 2008 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). The approved rule, identified as SCAQMD Rule 317.1, is titled "Clean Air Ac more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed to approve a revision to California's air quality plan concerning rules for the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. This proposed action addresses two rules submitted to satisfy requirements under section 185 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) related to the 2008 and 2015 ozone ambient air quality standards. Under the CAA, states containing Severe or Extreme ozone nonattainment areas must ensure their air p more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has granted full approval to the Arizona state implementation plan (SIP) addressing air pollution permitting in the West Pinal PM10 nonattainment area. This final action resolves a previous partial approval concerning how the state handles emissions from major stationary sources. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) submitted the "2023 Five Percent Particulate Plan" which included an evaluation showing th more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has given its final approval to local air quality rule revisions in Maricopa County, Arizona, aimed at controlling emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and particulate matter (PM). EPA's action incorporates the updated rules into the Arizona state implementation plan (SIP), making them federally enforceable under the Clean Air Act. The approval addresses emissions from various industrial and commercial activities. more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (TNSFR) -- North Salt Lake and Salt Lake City, Utah, have petitioned the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration for more time to install required warning devices at two grade crossings located in a quiet zone. The cities are seeking an extension of a waiver concerning regulations that mandate active warning devices--specifically flashing lights and gates--be fully operational at all quiet zone crossings by the time the zone is implemented. The pet more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (TNSFR) -- The National Credit Union Administration has proposed to remove a section of its regulatory code that gives advice to credit unions on managing unauthorized access to member information. NCUA is seeking to take Appendix B to 12 CFR Part 748, which contains guidance on creating and maintaining programs to address data breaches, out of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The guidance was issued in June 2005 to help federally insured credit unions (FICUs) develop  more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (TNSFR) -- The National Credit Union Administration proposed a rule to decrease regulatory burden and enhance operational flexibility for corporate credit unions by removing specific reporting and governance requirements. The agency is proposing two primary changes to its regulations governing corporate credit unions. First, the proposal eliminates the requirement that a corporate credit union's Asset and Liability Management Committee (ALCO) must include at least one member more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (TNSFR) -- The National Credit Union Administration has proposed amendments to its regulations governing supervisory committee audits for federally insured credit unions (FICUs). The goal of the action is to simplify compliance by removing outdated, redundant, or overly prescriptive requirements, thus reducing regulatory burden and increasing operational flexibility. The proposed rule would partially or wholly eliminate several sections of 12 CFR Part 715. For instance, the more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service has proposed to revise regulations that currently forbid dogs on the Pribilof Islands. This change is being pursued to allow trained and certified rodent detection dogs to respond to and prevent invasive rodents from becoming established on the islands. The current rule prohibits the landing of any dogs to prevent the harassment of fur seal herds and d more PR

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service, Rural Housing Service and Rural Business-Cooperative Service issued technical amendments to its OneRD Guarantee Loan Program rules to correct errors found following the implementation of a rule that became effective in late 2024. The original final rule, published on September 30, 2024, revised policy and procedures to strengthen oversight of the growing loan guarantee portfolios for Community Facilities, more PR