Approval and promulgation of Hospital/Medical/Infectious Waste Incinerators: State Plan for designated facilities and pollutants: Idaho. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Direct final rule

EPA is approving the State of Idaho's section 111(d) State Plan for controlling emissions from existing Hospital/Medical/Infectious Waste Incinerators (HMIWI). The plan was submitted on December 16, 1999, to fulfill the requirements of sections 111(d) and 129 of the Clean Air Act. The State Plan adopts and implements the Emissions Guidelines applicable to existing HMIWIs, and establishes emission limits and controls for sources constructed on or before June 20, 1996. EPA has determined that Idaho's State Plan meets CAA requirements and hereby approves this State Plan, thus making it federally enforceable.     

Procurement forms and administrative matters--HHS. Proposed rule

The Office of the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services, is proposing to amend 41 CFR Part 3-50, Administrative matters, by adding a new subpart, 3-50.8, Determination of Adequacy of Contractors' Accounting and Billing Systems and Preparation of Invoices. This new subpart will establish uniform Departmental billing and financial reporting requirements for inclusion in cost-reimbursement type contracts. The objective of the new subpart are: (a) Streamlining the reporting of financial data; (b) establishing the requirements for determination of the adequacy of a contractor's accounting and billing system; and (c) establishing guidelines for the preparation of invoices for cost-reimbursement type contracts. Part 3-16, Procurement Forms, will be amended by the addition of three subsections to Subpart 3-16.9, Illustration of Forms. These subsections illustrate the financial reporting form and contain instructions for filling out the form and preparing invoices under cost reimbursement type contracts. When issued as a final rule, this regulation will supersede Procurement Circular HEW-78.1, Billing Instructions and Financial Reporting Requirements dated April 12, 1978, except for Section 3-50.803(b). Paragraph 3-50.803(b) has been superseded by Procurement Circular HHS 82.04, Prompt Payment, dated October 1, 1982.     

Approval of Hospital/Medical/Infectious Waste Incinerator State Plan for designated facilities and pollutants: Indiana. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Direct final rule

EPA is approving Indiana's State Plan for Hospital/Medical/Infectious Waste Incinerators (HMIWI), submitted on September 30, 1999. The State Plan adopts and implements the Emissions Guidelines (EG) applicable to existing HMIWIs. This approval means that EPA finds the State Plan meets Clean Air Act (Act) requirements. Once effective, this approval makes the State Plan federally enforceable.     

Hazardous materials: revision to standards for infectious substances. Final rule

RSPA is revising transportation requirements for infectious substances, including regulated medical waste, to: adopt defining criteria and packaging requirements consistent with international standards; revise the current broad exceptions for diagnostic specimens and biological products; and authorize bulk packaging options for regulated medical waste consistent with requirements in international standards and DOT exemptions. These revisions will assure an acceptable level of safety for the transportation of infectious substances, and facilitate domestic and international transportation.     

Medicare, Medicaid and CLIA programs; revision of the laboratory regulations for the Medicare, Medicaid, and Clinical Laboratories Improvement Act of 1967 programs--HCFA. Final rule with comment period

This rule revises regulations for laboratories regulated under the Medicare, Medicaid and Clinical Laboratories Improvement Act of 1967 (CLIA '67) programs. The revisions recodify the regulations for these programs into a new part 493 in order to simplify administration and unify the health and safety requirements for all programs as much as possible. We will now have a single set of regulations for the three programs, with an additional subpart for the licensure procedures unique to the CLIA program. We are revising the regulations to remove outdated, obsolete and redundant requirements, make provision for new technologies and place increased reliance on outcome measures of performance. We provide for new uniform proficiency testing standards. We have also added requirements for additional specialties, such as clinical cytogenetics. We also implement the now and self-implementing provisions of the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA '88).     

Uniform administrative requirements for grants and agreements with institutions of higher education, hospitals and other non-profit organizations--OMB Circular A-110 (revised)--HUD. Final rule

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-110 provides standards for obtaining consistency and uniformity among Federal agencies in the administration of grants and agreements with institutions of higher education, hospitals, and other non-profit organizations. On September 13, 1994, the Department published a final rule which adopted the revised circular as it pertains to HUD. However, the September 13, 1994 rule contained, in subpart E, special provisions relating to the use of lump sum grants. Therefore, subpart E was treated as an interim rule, and the public was invited to submit comments on subpart E. This final rule addresses the public comments received on subpart E and makes final the provisions of subpart E.     

Minimum guidelines and requirements for accessible design--Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board. Proposed rule

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board proposes to rescind the minimum guidelines and requirements for standards for accessibility and usability of federal and federally-funded buildings and facilities by physically handicapped persons, adopted on January 6, 1981. The Board seeks public comments on which parts of the January 6 rule should be retained, which parts should be deleted, and which should be modified to formulate alternative ways for the Board to carry out its responsibility to establish such guidelines and requirements.     

Respiratory protective devices--NIOSH. Notice of proposed rulemaking

This proposed rule addresses NIOSH's and the Department of Labor/Mine Safety and Health Administration's (MSHA) certification requirements for respiratory protective devices. Specifically, the proposal would replace existing MSHA regulations with new public health regulations, while also upgrading current testing requirements for particulate filters. This action is the first of a series of modulates which will, over the next several years, upgrade current respirator requirements. This modular approach will allow improvements to be implemented on a priority basis as well as facilitate adaptation to new requirements by the manufacturers and users of respirators. Except for the particulate-filter requirements, most requirements of existing regulations would be incorporated into the new regulations without change. The proposed testing requirements for particulate filters would significantly improve the current approach to evaluating the effectiveness of an air-purifying respirator's filter to remove toxic particulates from the ambient air, updating existing provisions to be consistent with two decades of advances in respiratory protection technology. The certification of air-purifying respirators under these proposed requirements would also enable respirator users to select from a broader range of certified respirators that meet the current performance criteria recommended by CDC for respiratory devices used in health-care settings for protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the infectious agent that causes tuberculosis (TB). This Notice also announces an informal public meeting on the proposed rule, as indicated below. Elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, MSHA is publishing a proposal to remove existing regulations at 30 CFR part 11, which would be made obsolete by a final rule resulting from this proposed rule.     

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility guidelines for buildings and facilities. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board. Final guidelines

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board is issuing final guidelines to assist the Department of Justice to establish accessibility standards for new construction and alterations in places of public accommodation and commercial facilities, as required by title III the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. The guidelines will ensure that newly constructed and altered portions of buildings and facilities covered by title III of the ADA are readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities in terms of architecture and design, and communication. The Department of Justice has proposed to adopt the guidelines as the accessibility standards for new construction and alterations in places of public accommodation and commercial facilities for purposes of title III of the ADA.     

National emission standards for hazardous air pollutants--EPA. Final rule

Today EPA is staying the effectiveness of subpart I of 40 CFR part 61, the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Radionuclide Emissions (54 FR 51654, December 15, 1989) as applied to facilities licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission or an Agreement State ("NRC-licensed facilities"), other than nuclear power reactors, until November 15, 1992. The purpose or this rule is to afford EPA the time required to make an initial determination pursuant to section 112(d)(9) of the 1990 Clean Air Amendments before subpart I becomes effective for such facilities. EPA intends to propose a rule pursuant to section 112(d)(9) to rescind subpart I for nuclear power reactors, and to take final action no later than June 30, 1991, concerning a separate proposal to stay the effectiveness of subpart I for nuclear power reactors during the pendency of the rulemaking on recission. This rule staying subpart I for NRC-licensed facilities other than nuclear power reactors, and the Agency's final action on its proposal to stay subpart I for nuclear power reactors, will completely supplant all stays previously entered for such facilities during the Agency's reconsideration of subpart I under Clean Air Act section 307(d)(7)(B).     

Dipping and coating operations. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor. Final rule

OSHA's standards for dipping and coating operations, codified at sections 1910.108 and 1910.94(d), are designed to protect employees from fire, explosion, and other hazards associated with these operations. On April 7, 1998 (63 FR 16918), OSHA published proposed revisions to these standards in the Federal Register. The Federal Register announcement requested comments on the proposed rule, as well as on three major issues identified by OSHA. Based on these comments and other considerations, the Agency has developed the final standard to accomplish several goals: To rewrite the former standards in plain language; to consolidate the former requirements in sequential sections (sections 1910.122 through 1910.126 in subpart H of part 1910); and to update the former standards to increase the compliance options available to employers. In addition to achieving these goals, OSHA concludes that the final rule being published today will enhance employee protection by making it more understandable and useful to employers and employees and more flexible and performance-oriented than the former rules. The final rule accomplishes these goals without increasing the regulatory burden of employers or reducing employee protection.     

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility guidelines for buildings and facilities; play areas. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board. Final rule

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) is issuing final accessibility guidelines to serve as the basis for standards to be adopted by the Department of Justice for new construction and alterations of play areas covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The guidelines include scoping and technical provisions for ground level and elevated play components, accessible routes, ramps and transfer systems, ground surfaces, and soft contained play structures. The guidelines will ensure that newly constructed and altered play areas meet the requirements of the ADA and are readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. The Department of Justice must adopt the guidelines as standards for them to be enforceable under the ADA.     

Levels of Benzene,Toluene, Ethylbenzene,and Xylene near a Traffic-Congested Area of East Delhi

Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) have been classified as hazardous air pollutants and cause serious effects on human health. In this study, BTEX sampling was conducted during March 2018 and the concentrations were analyzed using GC-FID. The BTEX emissions exhibited a diurnal pattern with a peak in the evening followed by in morning due to rush hours of traffic. The study suggests that the high density of vehicles and traffic on road is responsible for higher emission of BTEX that affects the health of daily commuters and also the people residing near the roadside area in East Delhi.     

The hazardous waste management system--Environmental Protection Agency. Interim final amendments to interim final and final rules

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) requires that EPA set regulatory standards for all facilities which treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste. In partial implementation of its requirement, on January 23, 1981, EPA set regulatory standards for incinerators that burn hazardous waste. These regulations were issued as "interim final," which means that, although they were issued in final form, the Agency invited public comment on them with a view to future amendment. Today, EPA is amending, on an interim final basis, certain of its regulations applicable to hazardous waste incineration facilities. Today's amendments include revisions to: the general standards for permitting hazardous waste incinerators (Part 264, Subpart O), published in the Federal Register on January 23, 1981; the interim status standards for hazardous waste incinerators (Part 265, Subpart O), revised on January 23, 1981; and the consolidated permit requirements for incinerators (Part 122), published on May 19, 1980 and January 23, 1981.U     

国际碳排放权交易及其对我国的启示

全球气候变化对各国产生了一系列的影响,碳排放权已成为新兴的交易客体,国际碳排放权的产生与发展,既为我国带来机遇,也使我国面临挑战。我国碳排放权交易市场尚处于起步阶段,建立与完善我国碳排放市场机制显得尤为重要与迫切。因此,我们应当借鉴国际碳排放权交易的经验,从法律、政策、信息透明度、政府职能等方面进行改进。     

Minimum guidelines and requirements for accessible design--Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board. Final rule

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board hereby revises its "Minimum Guidelines and Requirements for Accessible Design" (guidelines and requirements). These revisions respond to concerns registered by certain Board members and to issues raised in comments submitted during the rulemaking process. The purpose of the revisions is to make the guidelines and requirements more cost effective and consistent with Federal and nationally recognized standards while still providing ready access and use. The guidelines and requirements, as revised, will provide a basis for consistent and improved accessibility standards to be issued under the Architectural Barriers Act by the General Services Administration, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Defense, and the United States Postal Service. For clarity, the guidelines and requirements are published in their entirety with the revisions incorporated.     

Privacy Act of 1974; new system of records--Department of Health and Human Services; Public Health Service. Notification of a new system of records: 09-25-0143

In accordance with the requirements of the Privacy Act, the Public Health Service (PHS) is publishing notice of a proposal to establish a new system of records, 09-25-0143, Biomedical Research: Records of Subjects in Clinical, Epidemiologic and Biometric Studies of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, HHS/NIH/NIAID. We are also proposing routine uses for this system. This system will be used to support (1) epidemiologic, clinical and biometric investigations into the causes, nature (morbidity and mortality), outcome, therapy and cost of infectious, immunologic and related diseases; (2) review and evaluation of the progress of these research projects, and identification and planning for improvements or for additional research. The population and statistical studies supported by this system may be conducted or managed by Institute staff as well as others outside the Institute. This system comprises records maintained in a number of distinct research projects. The number and specific nature of projects will change over time as new ones are started and as work on existing projects is completed.     

Container and waste pile standards for owners and operators of hazardous waste facilities: consolidated permit regulations--Environmental Protection Agency. Amendments to interim final rule

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is today promulgating amendments to the hazardous waste management regulations regarding the management of hazardous waste in containers and piles and associated permit regulations (40 CFR Part 264, Subparts I and L, and Part 122, Subpart B). These amendments better tailor the standards to the particular type of hazard posed by specific situations. The standards for containers are amended to waive the containment system requirements for wastes that do not contain free liquids, provided that the wastes are protected from contact with accumulated liquid. The standards for waste piles are amended to waive the containment system requirements for wastes that do not contain free liquids, provided that the pile is protected from precipitation by a structure and from surface water run-on and wind dispersal of the waste by the structure or some other means. The Agency believes these amendments believes these amendments will not reduce the level of protection of human health and the environment.