Agency Rulemaking Highlights
Notable Actions
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule to rescind a 2020 EPA rule that required the agency to conduct benefit-cost analysis (BCA) for all significant proposed and final regulations under the Clean Air Act, among other provisions. An EPA review of the 2020 rule determined that the changes advanced by the rule were not necessary to execute the Clean Air Act. Effective August 14.
The Office of Child Support Services is proposing to provide temporary relief from some child support program performance requirements during events that negatively affect state child support program operations. The proposed rule would allow the Administration for Children and Families to modify performance requirements when states are affected by natural disasters and other calamities. Comments due September 11.
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is proposing to amend the Child Care and Development Fund. ACF proposes changes to lower families’ child care costs and improve child care provider payment rates. These changes aim to increase parent choice for child care arrangements and stabilize operations for participating child care providers. The proposed rule would also streamline eligibility and enrollment processes so families can receive child care assistance faster and with less disruption. Comments due August 28.
The Rural Housing Service (RHS) is waiving four regulatory requirements for the Section 504 Home Repair Loans and Grants in a Presidentially Declared Disaster Areas pilot program. RHS aims to evaluate the existing regulations and remove regulatory barriers to improve program usage for very-low-income homeowners who seek to repair their homes in presidentially declared disaster areas. Effective July 18.
The Small Business Administration issued a final rule that revises the regulations for the Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program to reduce barriers to program participation for new SBIC fund managers and funds that invest in underserved communities, capital intensive investments, and national security and economic development technologies. Effective August 17.
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) proposes to designate specific marine areas as critical habitat for six distinct populations of green sea turtles. The proposed critical habitat areas include near-shore areas along the coasts of Florida, North Carolina, Texas, California, Hawai’i, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. The NMFS proposes to exclude multiple areas from designation as critical habitat, based on economic impacts. Comments due October 17.
This Presidential Memorandum delegates authority to the Secretary of State to direct the drawdown of up to $800 million in defense articles and services of the Department of Defense, as well as military education and training, to provide assistance to Ukraine. The memorandum also delegates authority to the Secretary of State to determine whether it is important to U.S. security interests to provide up to $122 million in assistance to Ukraine.
The National Institutes of Standards and Technology announces that the National Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee will host a virtual briefing on Thursday, August 3, 2023. Experts will brief the committee on related topics. The briefing is open to the public. Registration is required to view the briefing. For registration information, the final agenda, and other details, visit ai.gov/naiac.
