New regs for Wednesday: Rules for lending in flood areas

A handful of new rules will be published in the Federal Register on Wednesday. Here’s a peek into what’s coming:

Finance:
Five federal agencies are releasing proposals to change lending regulations for communities with special flood concerns.

{mosads}The new measures set requirements for paying out and accepting flood insurance, and clarify other aspects of current rules.

The five agencies are the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Farm Credit Administration and the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). 

Additionally, the board for the NCUA is releasing two rules for credit unions.

One requires small credit unions to maintain a policy on liquidity and funding in “emergency situations.” 

The other changes current rules for the types of reports that federally insured credit unions have to file. Under the new regulations, the credit unions will be able to file the information electronically. 

Federal employees:
The Office of Personnel Management is issuing a rule to extend health benefits to children of federal workers who are in domestic homosexual partnerships in states that do not recognize same-sex marriages.

The rules also expand coverage of federal workers’ children through the age of 26. 

Transparency:
The Federal Trade Commission is changing its rules on processing appeals under the Freedom of Information Act to allow the general counsel to delegate their authority.

“The changes will affect internal procedures only and are not intended to influence the outcomes of appeals made under the rules,” the commission said in the rule. 

Energy:
The Coast Guard is releasing a proposed policy letter outlining when barges can be endorsed to carry the wastewater used to extract shale gas. 

Fishing:
The National Marine Fisheries Service is continuing “emergency measures” for a type of yellowtail flounder and white hake in the Northeast.