Federal Register Highlights – 11/8/16

Unpublished, time-sensitive and proposed rules for November 8, 2016:

PROPOSED RULE: The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary special local regulation on Saint Andrew Bay extending the entire width of the channel from mile marker 285.0 to mile marker 289.0 on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in Panama City, FL. The special local regulation is needed to protect the persons participating in the Boat Parade of Lights marine event. This rulemaking restricts transit into, through and within the regulated area unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port Mobile. This rule is effective from 4 p.m. until 10 p.m. on December 10, 2016.

PROPOSED RULE: This document proposes revisions to Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) rules to improve WEA, leveraging advancements in technology to improve WEA’s multimedia, multilingual and geo-targeting capabilities, as well as lessons learned from alert originators’ experience since WEA was initially deployed. This document also proposes steps to improve the availability of information about WEA, both to empower consumers to make informed choices about the emergency information that they will receive, as well as to promote transparency for emergency management agencies and other WEA stakeholders. By this action, the Commission affords interested parties an opportunity to participate more fully in WEA, and to enhance the utility of WEA as an alerting tool. Comments are due on or before December 8, 2016 and reply comments are due on or before January 9, 2017.

PROPOSED RULE: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) wants to provide states and NOAA with a more efficient process for making changes to state coastal management programs (“management programs”). NOAA proposes to revise the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) program change regulations and associated guidance (Program Change Guidance (July 1996) and Addendum (November 2013)) within our regulations. Under the CZMA, a coastal state may not implement any amendment, modification, or other change as part of its approved management program unless the amendment, modification, or other change is approved by the Secretary of Commerce under this subsection. Once NOAA approves the incorporation of a change into a management program, any new or amended management program enforceable policies are applied to federal actions through the CZMA federal consistency provision. This proposed rule addresses the issues raised in NOAA’s Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 73 FR 29093 (May 20, 2008) (ANPR) to: Provide a more efficient process for states and NOAA to make changes to state management programs; remove unnecessary requirements in the current regulations; establish program change documentation that all states would adhere to; continue to ensure that federal agencies and the public have an opportunity to comment to NOAA on a state’s proposed change to its management program; and comply with the requirements of the CZMA and other applicable federal law. The proposed rule also addresses comments submitted on the ANPR. Comments on this notice must be received by January 9, 2017. (To submit comments, visit www.regulations.gov, reference Docket No. NOAA–NOS–2016–0137.)