New regs for Friday: Energy Department asked to review ‘social cost’ of carbon rule

{mosads}That metric is used to determine the monetary impact that rules combating carbon pollution would have. Increasing the cost, which critics and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have worried was done in secret, makes regulations preventing carbon pollution seem a lot more beneficial.

According to the department’s notice, the legal group wants a revision because the carbon cost “should have been subject to a prior opportunity for public comment.”

Automobiles:

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration is adding new rules for the amount of information auto manufacturers have to report to the agency.

The new regulation will require automakers to give additional data that might help the agency spot potential safety hazards and defects in news cars.

Additionally, the agency is withdrawing elements of a June rule on heavy-duty engines on which it received “adverse comment.” 

Chemicals:

The Coast Guard is updating its list of hazardous materials and chemicals that are approved to be transferred in bulk by ships. 

In its notice, the agency said that the rule “provides new information about approved substances and their categorizations, but would not make any changes in which substances are approved or how each substance is categorized.”

Additionally, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is setting limits for residues of the pesticides emamectin benzoate on wine grapes and imazapic on sugarcane. 

Emergency assistance:

A new rule from the Federal Emergency Management Agency would allow for people affected by major disasters to enter arbitration to settle disputes they may have. 

The measure is part of a pilot program called for by Congress in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

Financial:

Derivatives clearinghouses should have additional compliance standards if they have been declared “systemically important,” according to a proposed regulation from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. 

Food:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture wants to allow imports of cape gooseberry from Colombia. 

Additionally, the Food and Drug Administration has been asked to change its food additive rules to allow for vitamins D2 and D3 to be used as food additives in new ways. 

Government management:

A proposed rule from the General Services Administration would require federal agencies to give written authority to people contracted to run transportation services.

“This proposed rule, if adopted, would describe procedures that agencies should follow to delegate authority to Transportation Officers and includes experience and training requirements that a Transportation Officer should meet before being authorized to acquire transportation services,” the agency said in its proposal. 

Superfund:

The EPA is deleting a Michigan site from its list of cleanup priorities and accepting comments from the public on the deletion.

Spectrum sale:

The Federal Communications Commission will auction off and license a portion of the paired spectrum. 

Mining fees:

The Bureau of Land Management is increasing 18 fees for filing and processing documents under its minerals management program. The largest fee increase is $55. 

Fishing:

An area of water off of Rhode Island will be open to harvest surfclams and quahogs, thanks to a new rule from the National Marine Fisheries Service. 

Indian land:

The Bureau of Indian Affairs is reopening the comment period for a May proposal on rules for the agency to approve or deny applications to acquire land in trust for Native American tribes.

Pipelines:

The Department of Transportation wants to update rules for pipeline safety. The new rules would incorporate all new and updated measures from voluntary consensus standards and make “non-substantive edits” that would clarify language in the regulation.