New regs for Tuesday: Airlines, nuclear facilities, ATVs

Tuesday’s edition of the Federal Register contains new rules for airline security fees, nuclear facilities’ response to natural disasters like earthquakes and wildfires, international money transfers, and all-terrain vehicles.

Here’s what is happening:

Security: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is dropping a security fee it charges airlines to screen passengers and their bags.

TSA has collected an average of $373 million each year since 2002 from the Aviation Security Infrastructure Fee, which it charged to both domestic and foreign air carriers.

But TSA will continue charging passengers a security fee, even though airlines will no longer have to pay a similar fee.

The changes go into effect on Oct. 1.

Nuclear: The Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board is faulting the Energy Department for emergency preparedness “shortcomings” at nuclear facilities around the country.

A review conducted by the nuclear watchdog found that many of the Energy Department’s defense nuclear facilities are not prepared to respond to natural disasters like earthquakes and wildfires.

The watchdog is recommending new guidelines to bring the Energy Department’s nuclear facilities up to speed.

The public has 30 days to comment.

Contractors: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is moving forward with new rules for government contractors.

The new rules restrict companies from contracting with DHS as lead system integrators if they have any financial interests in the project.

“Such contractors may have no direct financial interest in the development or construction of any individual system or element of any system or systems they would integrate,” the agency writes.

The rule goes into effect immediately.

Money transfers: The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is moving forward with plans to regulate international money transfer companies like Western Union.

The CFPB announced last week that it would regulate nonbanks that offer international money transfers, but will publish the rule in Tuesday’s edition of the Federal Register, which makes it official.

The new rules go into effect on Dec. 1.

ATV: The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is considering new rules that would prohibit passengers from being carried on all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).

The public has 60 days to comment on the notice.