Short Takes – 9-4-26 - Federal Register Edition

TSCA  

1,2-Dichloropropane Draft Risk Evaluation Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA); Notice of Availability and Request for Comment. EPA, notice of availability. Summary: “The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) is announcing the availability of and seeking public comment on a draft risk evaluation under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for 1,2-dichloropropane. The purpose of risk evaluations under TSCA is to determine whether a chemical substance presents an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment under the conditions of use (COUs), including unreasonable risk to potentially exposed or susceptible subpopulations identified as relevant to the risk evaluation by EPA, and without consideration of costs or non-risk factors. EPA is seeking comment on the draft risk evaluation for 1,2-dichloropropane.” 

Port Security  

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection, Comment Request; FEMA Preparedness Grants: Port Security Grant Program (PSGP). FEMA 60-day ICR extension notice. Summary: “Section 102 of the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002, as amended (46 U.S.C. 70107 [link added]), authorizes the PSGP to provide for the risk-based allocation of funds to implement Area Maritime Transportation Security Plans and facility security plans among port authorities, facility operators, and State and local government agencies required to provide port security services and to train law enforcement personnel under 46 U.S.C. 70132. Before awarding a grant under the program, the Secretary for Homeland Security shall provide for review and comment by the appropriate Federal Maritime Security Coordinators and the Maritime Administrator. In administering the grant program, the Secretary shall consider national economic, energy, and strategic defense concerns based upon the most current risk assessments available.” 

UAS Security  

Notice Soliciting Representatives for Technical Roundtables on Security of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operating Beyond the Visual Line of Sight. TSA notice. Summary: “The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is soliciting individuals to participate in technical roundtables that will provide input to TSA relevant to the development of model language for TSA-approved security programs that will provide for the secure operation of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). These roundtables will be closed to the public. Participation is limited and all participants must be validated by TSA as a representative of either a UAS BVLOS operator or an industry association representing these operators or subset of operators, as discussed later in this notice. Participants must obtain approval from TSA for access to Sensitive Security Information (SSI).” 

Space Geek  

Name of Information Collection: NASA Visitor Management System (NVMS). NASA 30-day ICR revision notice. Summary: “NASA may collect event registration information to include but not limited to a visitor's name, address, citizenship, biometric data, purpose of visit, the location to be visited, escort/sponsor name with contact data, and preferred meeting/event sessions when options are available. When parking is provided on federally owned/leased space, driver's license information as well as vehicle make/model/tag information will be collected.” 

Notice of Availability on the Final Tiered Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for SpaceX Starship Reentry Contingency Operations in the Pacific Ocean and Additional Starship Landing Trajectory. FAA notice of availability. Summary: “In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), DOT Order 5610.1D, DOT's Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts, and FAA Order 1050.1G,  FAA National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures, the FAA is announcing the availability of the Final Tiered Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact/Record of Decision for SpaceX Starship Reentry Contingency Operations in the Pacific Ocean and Additional Starship Landing Trajectory (Final Tiered EA and FONSI/ROD).” 

Short Takes – 9-3-26 - Federal Register Edition

Railroad Safety  

Safety Advisory 2026-01; Restricted Speed. FRA notice of safety advisory. Summary: “FRA is issuing Safety Advisory 2026-01 to remind railroads and their employees of the importance of compliance with Federal regulations and railroad operating rules governing restricted speed. This Safety Advisory contains a summary of seven recent train accidents involving failure to operate at restricted speed and makes recommendations to railroads to ensure employee compliance with restricted speed requirements, with particular emphasis on operations in positive train control (PTC) Restricted Mode.” 

Executive Orders  

EO 14422. Honoring the American History of the Great Lakes and Renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America. 

EO 14423. Establishing the United States Space Academy. 

Short Takes – 9-1-26 - Federal Register Edition

NEPA  

National Environmental Policy Act Regulations. DOT/FHWA/FRA/FTA final rule. Summary: “FHWA, FRA, and FTA (collectively referred to as the “Agencies”) are finalizing the interim final rule (IFR) published on July 3, 2025, which revised the Agencies' National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 implementing regulations in light of the removal of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations, the amendments to NEPA included in the section of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FR Act) of 2023, known as the Building United States Infrastructure through Limited Delays and Efficient Reviews (BUILDER) Act of 2023, amendments regarding efficient environmental reviews included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021, and the Supreme Court decision in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition. The Agencies provided a 30-day comment period for the public to review and comment on the IFR. This final rule addresses public comments received and finalizes the IFR with minor technical changes.” 

Pipeline Safety  

Pipeline Safety: Joint Meeting of the Gas and Liquid Pipeline Advisory Committees. PHMSA comment period extension. Summary: “On July 17, 2026, PHMSA published a Federal Register notice titled: “Pipeline Safety: Joint Meeting of the Gas and Liquid Pipeline Advisory Committees,” which provided an opportunity for public comment by August 31, 2026, on the proceedings of the Gas and Liquid Pipeline Advisory Committees meeting related to 13 notices of proposed rulemakings (NPRM). These proposed rules covered topics such as special permit conditions, in-plant piping, incidental gathering lines, coating damage assessments, atmospheric corrosion, class change pressure tests, maximum allowable operating pressure reconfirmation, operator identification notifications, limitations on welding, remote valves, the property damage definition, right-of-way patrols, and reporting deadlines. PHMSA received requests from stakeholders to extend the comment period. Based on those requests, PHMSA is reopening the comment period for the joint Pipeline Advisory Committee (PAC) proceedings related to the 13 regulatory modernizing NPRMs to September 4, 2026.” 

Surface Transportation Security  

Revision of Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review: Cybersecurity Measures for Surface Modes. 30-day ICR revision notice. Summary: “The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden. The collection involves the designation of a Cybersecurity Coordinator; the reporting of cybersecurity incidents to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency; the development of a cybersecurity contingency/recovery plan to address cybersecurity gaps; and the completion of a cybersecurity assessment.” 

NOTE: Today’s notice reports that “After publishing the 60-day notice (link added), TSA reviewed and updated the number of respondents from 846 to 67 and updated the estimate of the annual time burden from 210,684 hours to 22,167 hours.” I will be taking a detailed look at the changes once TSA submits their data to OIRA. 

Short Takes – 8-29-26 - Federal Register Edition

Hurricane Safety  

Safety Zone; Hurricanes, Tropical Storms, and Severe Weather Events in the Sector Mobile Captain of the Port Zone. CG final rule. Summary: “The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone in the navigable waters within the Sector Mobile Captain of the Port (COTP) zone, to be enforced in the event of hurricanes, tropical storms, and other severe weather events. This regulation establishes requirements for industry and vessel operators in the Mobile COTP zone, to ensure the safety of the ports and waters within the zone prior to, during and immediately following these events.” 

Space Geek  

Name of Information Collection: NASA To Research, Evaluate, Assess, and Treat (TREAT) Astronauts Act. NASA 30-day ICR renewal notice. Summary: “Under this authority, NASA collects health-related information from former astronauts and former payload specialists to provide medical evaluation and treatment for conditions associated with human spaceflight. This ongoing information collection supports clinical care and contributes to a comprehensive knowledge base on the long-term effects of spaceflight. It also enables NASA to identify gaps in services that support medical monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment of spaceflight-associated conditions. Records are collected by authorized healthcare providers within the JSC Occupational Health Branch.” 

Executive Order  

EO 14421 - Declaring a National Emergency to Secure the United States Bulk-Power System. 

Deregulation  

FRA Final Rules. The DOT’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) published 10 final rules in Monday’s (available online today) Federal Register. All ten of these rules may be classified as ‘deregulatory’ under the requirements of §3(a) of EO 14192. None of the final rules are of specific interest here. They include:  

• Permitting Use of Computer-Based, Three-Dimensional Simulation for Periodic Refresher Training on Brake Systems, 
• Miscellaneous Amendments to FRA's Accident Reporting Regulations, 
• Expanding Certain Locomotive Wheel Set Diameter Variations, 
• Retiring Form FRA F 6180.107 and Form FRA F 6180.150, 
• Repealing Outdated Railroad Workplace Safety Requirements and Making Other Improvements, 
• Repealing Special Approval Requirement for Freight Cars More Than 50 Years Old, 
• Enhancing Railroad Discretion in Sounding Locomotive Horns at Passenger Stations, 
• Amendments to Brake System Maintenance and Inspection Requirements, 
• Regulatory Relief From Locomotive Horn Sounding Pattern at Public Highway-Rail Grade Crossings, and 
• Regulatory Relief for End of Car Cushioning Units.