Review – Bills Introduced – 3-19-26

Yesterday, with both the House and Senate in session, there were 69 bills introduced. One of those bills will receive additional coverage in this blog:

HR 7996 To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to clarify that utility line technicians qualify as emergency response providers. Higgins, Clay [Rep.-R-LA-3] 

 

For more information on these bills, including legislative history for similar bills in the 118^th Congress, as well as a mention-in-passing of a bill requiring the reporting of railroad caused brush fires, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/bills-introduced-3-19-26 - subscription required.

Chemical Transportation Incidents – Week of 2-14-26

Reporting Background

See this post for explanation, with the most recent update here (removed from paywall).

Data from PHMSA’s online database of transportation related chemical incidents that have been reported to the agency.

Incidents Summary

• Number of incidents – 420 (388 highway, 28 air, 4 rail, 0 water)

• Serious incidents – 1 (1 Bulk release, 0 evacuation, 0 injury, 0 death, 0 major artery closed, 1 fire/explosion, 39 no release)

• Largest container involved – 30,220-gal DOT 117R100W Railcar {Gasoline Includes Gasoline Mixed with Ethyl Alcohol, With Not More Than 10% Alcohol} The liquid and vapor valves were left open and caps were not adequately taped.

• Largest amount spilled – 147-gal Tank Truck {Diesel Fuel} Operator error during unloading at fuel station.

• Total amount reported spilled in all incidents – 1214.5-gal

NOTE: Links above are to Form 5800.1 for the described incidents.

Most Interesting Chemical: 1,1-Difluoroethane: 1,1-Difluoroethane is colorless, odorless gas shipped as a liquefied gas under its vapor pressure. Contact with the liquid can cause frostbite. It is easily ignited. Its vapors are heavier than air and a flame can travel back to the source of leak very easily. This leak can be either a liquid or vapor leak. It can asphyxiate by the displacement of air. Under prolonged exposure to fire or heat the containers may rupture violently and rocket. (Source: CameoChemicals.NOAA.gov).

 

INSERT UN 2468 Placard

BIS Sends EAR Revision Final Rule to OMB

Yesterday the OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) announced that it had received a final rule from the DOC’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) on “Revisions to the EAR” [Export Administration Regulations]. This would be (as is frequently the case with BIS regulatory actions) a direct final rule.

According to the Spring 2025 Unified Agenda entry for this rulemaking:

“In this rule, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR).”

That is the entire abstract for this rulemaking. Needless to say, this is a less than helpful description of the purpose and scope of the rulemaking. It is hard to tell if there will be any detailed coverage here if/when this is published in the Federal Register.

Review – 8 Advisories Published – 3-19-26

Today CISA’s NCCIC-ICS published control system security advisories for products from Automated Logic, IGL-Technologies, CTEK, Mitsubishi, and Schneider (4).

Advisories

Automated Logic Advisory - This advisory describes three vulnerabilities in the Automated Logic WebCTRL Premium Server.

IGL-Technologies Advisory - This advisory describes four vulnerabilities in the IGL-Technologies eParking.fi.

CTEK Advisory - This advisory describes four vulnerabilities in the CTEK Chargeportal.

NOTE: I briefly discussed Sarieddine/Sayed’s research into vehicle charging systems back on February 26^th, 2026. It is interesting that continuing reports into new systems all show the same four vulnerabilities. Does this mean that all of these systems are using the same core technology?

Mitsubishi Advisory - This advisory describes an improper validation of specified index, position, or offset vulnerability in the Mitsubishi CNC Series products.

Schneider Advisory #1 - This advisory describes a deserialization of untrusted data vulnerability in the Schneider EcoStruxure PME and EPO products.

NOTE: I briefly mentioned this vulnerability on March 16^th, 2026.

Schneider Advisory #2 - This advisory describes code injection vulnerability in the Schneider EcoStruxure Automation Expert.

NOTE: I briefly mentioned this vulnerability on March 16^th, 2026.

Schneider Advisory #3 - This advisory describes a cross-site scripting vulnerability in the Schneider Modicon Controllers.

NOTE: I briefly mentioned this vulnerability on March 16^th, 2026.

 

For more information on these advisories, including another ‘missing advisories’ discussion, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/8-advisories-published-3-19-26-552  - subscription required.

Short Takes – 3-19-26 – Federal Register Edition

Nominations for Substances To Be Evaluated for Toxicological Profile Development. Federal Register ATSDR notice with comment period. Summary: “The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announces that it is soliciting nominations of substances to be evaluated for an upcoming set of toxicological profiles. ATSDR is opening a docket for the public to submit nominations and provide comments on which toxicological profiles are developed next. Members of the public, government agencies, or private organizations may comment on which substances they are concerned about so that ATSDR may take this information into consideration when developing future toxicological profiles.”

National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Ethylene Oxide Emissions Standards for Sterilization Facilities Residual Risk and Technology Review Reconsideration. Federal Register EPA reconsideration of final rule NPRM. Summary: “Based on its reconsideration of the RTR in the 2024 Final Rule, the EPA is proposing to amend the Commercial Sterilization Facilities NESHAP. The amendments would rescind the risk based standards, revise the standard for new aeration room vents that resulted from the technology review, revise the compliance demonstration requirements, and rescind a requirement related to permanent total enclosure (PTE). This proposal also includes technical corrections and clarifications to the Commercial Sterilization Facilities NESHAP and Performance Specification 19 to address erroneous cross-references, omissions of text, and typographical errors in the regulatory text that the EPA has identified after publication of the 2024 Final Rule.”

Internet-Based Telecommunications Relay Service Modernization. Federal Register FCC notice of proposed rulemaking. Summary: “The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) proposes to modernize its telecommunications relay services (TRS) rules and seeks comment on the use of automatic speech recognition (ASR) for speech-to-text conversion and advanced text-to-speech technologies for Internet Protocol (IP) Relay Service; the need for metrics for IP Relay quality; the compatibility of IP Relay with Real-Time Text (RTT) technology; adding captioning functionality to Video Relay Service (VRS) platforms; amending VRS calling rules for calls to U.S. embassies and consulates by U.S. residents while traveling abroad; adjusting VRS call center requirements; streamlining TRS provider certification and user registration processes; updating or eliminating obsolete rules; and closing outdated dockets. With these proposals, the Commission presents targeted reforms that align internet-based TRS with twenty-first century technological advancements in relay services that can better serve the needs of persons with disabilities while securing the viability and enhancing the effectiveness and functional equivalency of internet-based TRS.”

EO 14395 - Establishing the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. Federal Register.

Short Takes – 3-18-26 – Federal Register Edition

Accepted Means of Compliance for Small Unmanned Aircraft (sUA) Category 2 and Category 3 Operations Over Human Beings; ParaZero Technologies Ltd. Federal Register FAA notice of availability. Summary: “This document announces the acceptance of a means of compliance with FAA regulations for sUA Category 2 and Category 3 operations over human beings. The Administrator finds that ParaZero's “ParaZero Part 107 Operations Over People Means of Compliance,” version 1.5, dated February 4, 2026, provides an acceptable means, but not the only means, of showing compliance with FAA regulations.”

National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Polyether Polyols Production Industry Review. Federal Register EPA final rule. Summary: “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing amendments to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for the Polyether Polyols (PEPO) Production source category (“PEPO NESHAP”) under Clean Air Act (CAA) section 112. Specifically, the EPA is finalizing certain ethylene oxide (EtO)-specific standards pursuant to CAA section 112(d)(6) rather than finalizing the proposed second residual risk review and corresponding amendments pursuant to CAA section 112(f)(2). In addition, the EPA is taking final action addressing certain issues raised in an administrative petition for reconsideration. Lastly, the EPA is finalizing maximum achievable control technology (MACT) standards for certain emission points, work practice standards for certain activities where alternatives are appropriate, performance testing requirements once every five years for certain process vents, and electronic reporting requirements for performance test reports, flare management plans, and periodic reports.” Effective date: March 18^th, 2026.

EO 14391 - Adjusting Certain Delegations Under the Defense Production Act, Federal Register. Federal Register.

EO 14392 - Ensuring Truthful Advertising of Products Claiming To Be Made in America. Federal Register.

EO 14393 - Promoting Access to Mortgage Credit. Federal Register.

EO 14394 - Removing Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Home Construction. Federal Register.

Review – Bills Introduced – 3-17-26

Yesterday, with both the House and Senate in session, there were 53 bills introduced. One of those bills will receive additional coverage in this blog:

S 4127 A bill making continuing appropriations for essential Transportation Security Administration pay and operations during the lapse in appropriations beginning on February 14, 2026, and for other purposes. Rosen, Jacky [Sen.-D-NV]

 

For more information on these bills, including legislative history for similar bills in the 118^th Congress, as well as a brief mention-in-passing of a bill to remove citizenship from individuals supporting terrorism, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/bills-introduced-3-17-26-e95 - subscription required.