New regs for Tuesday: Immigrants, buses, energy conservation

Tuesday’s edition of the Federal Register contains new health standards for immigrants, safety standards for buses and tractors, and energy conservation standards for fluorescent lamps and spray valves.

Here’s what is happening:

Spray valves: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing new energy conservation standards for commercial prerinse spray valves.

The Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is looking at revising the definition of a commercial prerinse spray valve and establishing new test procedures for these devices. 

The public has 75 days to comment.

Fluorescent lamps: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is looking at new energy conservation standards for fluorescent lamp ballasts.

The Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is issuing a framework document in advance of a formal rulemaking.

The public has 45 days to comment.

Bus: The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is proposing new testing standards for buses.

The new safety and efficiency requirements will test for safety, structural integrity, maintainability, reliability, fuel economy, emissions, noise, and performance, the agency noted.

The FTA will implement a pass/fail testing system. Cities that receive financial assistance from the agency would not be allowed to use that money for purchasing buses that fail this test.

The public has 60 days to comment.

Immigration: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is proposing to loosen certain health standards by which immigrants are legally admitted into the United States.

The CDC is looking to remove three sexually transmitted diseases from a list of illnesses that currently block immigrants from entering the country.

Immigrants with chancroid, granuloma inguinale, and lymphogranuloma venereum would be allowed to move to the United States under the proposed rule.

The CDC is also looking at revising the standard for immigrants with mental disorders, drug addictions, and tuberculosis.

The public has 60 days to comment.

Tractors: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is moving forward with new safety standards for large truck tractors and buses.

Truck tractors and buses that weigh more than 26,000 pounds will be required to be equipped with electronic stability control systems “designed to reduce untripped rollovers and mitigate severe understeer or oversteer conditions that lead to loss of control by using automatic computer-controlled braking and reducing engine torque output.”

The NHTSA estimates these rules will prevent as many as 1,759 crashes and 49 deaths.

The changes go into effect in 60 days.