New regs for Friday: Gas pipelines, farmers, uranium

Friday’s edition of the Federal Register contains new rules for natural gas pipelines, the sale of assets from failed financial institutions, conservation requirements for farmers, and environmental standards for uranium and thorium mill tailings.

Here’s what is happening: 

Farmers: The U.S. Department of Agriculture is moving forward with new conservation compliance requirements for farmers receiving federal funds.

Farmers receiving marketing assistance loans, farm storage facility loans or commodity and disaster payments would be subject to these new conservation requirements, the agency said Thursday.

{mosads}The new rule goes into effect immediately.

Uranium: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is delaying new health and environmental standards for uranium and thorium mill tailings.

The EPA proposed the rules in January, but said Thursday it is extending the comment period to give the public more time to consider the changes.

The public now has until May 27 to comment.

Gas pipelines: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is moving forward with new rules for scheduling interstate pipelines for natural gas transportation.

The new scheduling practices will improve reliability and efficiency, and “better coordinate the scheduling of wholesale natural gas and electricity markets in light of increased reliance on natural gas for electric generation,” the agency said.

The new rule goes into effect in 75 days.

Banks: The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation is moving forward with new restrictions on the sale of assets from a failed financial institution.

The revised rules will be consistent with the Dodd-Frank financial reform laws.

The changes go into effect on July 1.