Short Takes – 10-15-26 - Federal Register Edition

Facility Response Plan 

Clean Water Act Hazardous Substance Facility Response Plans: Compliance Date Delay and Changes to Reflect Administration Policy. EPA final rule. Summary: “The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing an extension to the compliance date for Facility Response Plans (FRPs) required by the Clean Water Act (CWA) addressing potential worst-case discharges of CWA hazardous substances. These requirements apply to onshore non-transportation-related facilities that could reasonably be expected to cause substantial harm to the environment from a CWA hazardous substance worst-case discharge to navigable waters, adjoining shorelines, or the exclusive economic zone. This action is also finalizing language modifications to remove references to climate change and environmental justice in the FRP requirements to align with Executive Order 14148 [link added] of January 20, 2025. EPA is revising the compliance deadlines in light of serious concerns that facilities may be unable to comply with the relevant requirements by the existing deadline. These changes are necessary to allow the Agency to consider implementation and compliance assistance tools that regulated facilities may be able to take advantage of when complying with the new requirements, and to ensure proper planning for all communities while promoting a science-based and risk-based approach to planning. EPA also recognizes that a delay would provide time for EPA to consider whether revisions are necessary before facilities must comply.” 

TSCA  

Trichloroethylene (TCE); Regulation Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA); Compliance Date Extensions. EPA notice of proposed rulemaking. Summary: “The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) is proposing to extend certain compliance dates applicable to certain entities subject to the regulation of trichloroethylene (TCE) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) until December 31, 2027, including for certain chemical processors in meeting the prohibition compliance deadline for the processing of TCE, industrial and commercial use of TCE as a processing aid, and associated wastewater disposal; and for refrigerant manufacturers in meeting the compliance deadline for phasing down TCE feedstock in the production of HFC-134a. This proposed compliance extension would allow for necessary and reasonable transition periods for regulated entities under TSCA section 6(d).” 

Space Geek  

Notice of Intent to Prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS), Open Public Scoping Period, and Hold Public Scoping Meetings on the Proposed SpaceX Starship-Super Heavy Launch and Landing Operations at the Boca Chica Launch Site at Starbase, Texas and Expansion of Starship Landing and Expenditure Locations. FAA notice of intent to prepare PEIS. Summary: “In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA) and FAA Order 1050.1G, FAA National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures, FAA is announcing its intent to prepare a PEIS analyzing Space Exploration Technologies Corp.'s (SpaceX) proposal to increase Starship-Super Heavy operations at the Boca Chica Launch Site at Starbase, TX and expand Starship landing and expenditure locations. Subsequent license modifications or renewals under 14 CFR part 400 are within the scope of the PEIS, and the issuance of temporary airspace closures associated with the Proposed Action are included in FAA's Federal Action. FAA is requesting comments concerning the scope and content of the PEIS. A Draft PEIS will be released for public review and comment at a later date.” 

Executive Orders 

EO 14435 - Emergency Tax Relief on Diesel Fuel. 

Short Takes – 10-8-26 – Federal Register Edition

Advisory Committee Meetings  

Office of Science Advisory Committee. DOE open meeting notice. Summary: “The purpose of the committee is to provide advice and guidance on a continuing basis to the Under Secretary for Science, the Office of Science (SC), and the Department of Energy on a variety of complex scientific and technical issues that arise in the planning, management, and implementation of the Office of Science research programs.” 

Public Meeting of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) on Oxides of Nitrogen. EPA meeting notice. Summary: “The CASAC shall also: advise the EPA Administrator of areas in which additional knowledge is required to appraise the adequacy and basis of existing, new, or revised NAAQS; describe the research efforts necessary to provide the required information; advise the EPA Administrator on the relative contribution to air pollution concentrations of natural as well as anthropogenic activity; and advise the EPA Administrator of any adverse public health, welfare, social, economic, or energy effects which may result from various strategies for attainment and maintenance of such NAAQS. As amended, 5 U.S.C., App. Section 109(d)(1) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) requires that EPA carry out a periodic review and revision, as appropriate, of the air quality criteria and the NAAQS for the six “criteria” air pollutants, including oxides of nitrogen.” 

Automated Driving Systems  

NHTSA Safety Research Portfolio Public Meeting: Fall 2026, and Automated Driving Systems Workshop. NHTSA meeting notice. Summary: “The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will hold a public meeting on December 1-2, 2026, to provide updates and insights into ongoing activities across NHTSA's safety research programs. The meeting will be held in-person and will feature panel presentations and research posters by representatives from the Offices of Vehicle Safety Research and Behavioral Safety Research. Each research panel will conclude with an opportunity for the audience to ask technical questions related to the presented materials. Visual slides used in presentations and posters will be made available in the public docket following the public meeting. The event will not be live streamed; however, panel presentations will be recorded and made available on the NHTSA website after the event. On the afternoon of the first day, Tuesday, December 1, the Agency will also convene an Automated Driving Systems (ADS) Workshop organized by the Office of Automation Safety. The ADS Workshop will not be recorded.” 

Area Maritime Security 

Area Maritime Security Advisory Committee (AMSC), Eastern Great Lakes, Western New York; Sub-Committee Vacancy. CG vacancy announcement. Summary: “The Coast Guard is accepting applications to fill one vacancy on the Area Maritime Security Committee, Eastern Great Lakes, Western New York Region Sub-Committee (Sub-Committee). The Area Maritime Security Committee assists the Captain of the Port as the Federal Maritime Security Coordinator (FMSC), Buffalo, in developing, reviewing, and updating the Area Maritime Security Plan for their area of responsibility.” 

Short Takes – 10-6-26 - Federal Register Edition

FEMA Grants  

Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review, Comment Request; Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs. FEMA 30-day ICR revision notice. Summary: “This collection of information is necessary for eligibility determinations, grants management, and compliance with other Federal laws and regulations for HMA's financial and technical assistance programs. HMA programs included in this information collection are the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) program and FMA Swift Current (Swift Current), the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, BRIC Direct Technical Assistance (DTA), the Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program, the Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Program, the Rehabilitation of High Hazard Potential Dams (HHPD), and the National Dam Safety Program (NDSP).” 

Energy Transportation  

Notice of Rail Energy Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting. STB meeting notice. Summary: “Notice is hereby given of a meeting of the Rail Energy Transportation Advisory Committee (RETAC), pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act.” Meeting date: October 27th, 2026. 

Executive Orders  

EO 14432 - Streamlining Access to Government Services Through America.gov. 

EO 14433 - Eliminating Disease-Carrying Pests and Restoring Enjoyment of the Great Outdoors. 

EO 14434 - Inaugurating the Era of Super Intelligence. 

NOTE: I discovered a valuable information link for Executive Orders during a brief look at America.gov: https://www.federalregister.gov/presidential-documents/executive-orders  

Short Takes – 10-3-26 - Space Geek Edition

The DOT’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published five commercial space launch notices of proposed rulemaking in Monday’s Federal Register (available online today). They include:  

• 91 FR 63180; Docket No.: FAA-2026-9935 – Digital Modernization for Licensing Electronic Application Submissions – Summary: “FAA proposes to amend its commercial space launch and reentry licensing regulations to allow for submission of license and permit applications and requests for waivers, alternative time frames, and safety element approvals through additional electronic methods.” 
• 91 FR 63199; Docket No.: FAA-2026-9940 – Lightning Hazard Mitigation Burden-Reducing Exception – Summary “FAA proposes to amend its commercial space launch and reentry licensing regulations to streamline the licensing process and reduce regulatory burden for license applicants. Specifically, FAA proposes to add an exception for compliance with lightning hazard mitigation requirements for certain licensed launch and reentry operations.” 
• 91 FR 63204; Docket No.: FAA-2026-9941 – Overpressure Blast Effects Analysis Burden Reducing Clarification – Summary “FAA proposes to amend its commercial space launch and reentry licensing regulations to streamline the licensing process and reduce regulatory burden for license applicants. Specifically, FAA proposes to amend the regulations to state that a far-field overpressure blast effects analysis required for license applicants does not need to account for members of the public in hypothetical locations.” 
• 91 FR 63185; Docket No.: FAA-2026-9934 – Simplifying Physical Containment Requirements – Summary: “FAA proposes to amend its commercial space launch and reentry licensing regulations to streamline the licensing process and reduce regulatory burden on operators. Specifically, FAA proposes to relieve the burden by specifying that, when using physical containment as a hazard control strategy, operators do not need to develop flight hazard areas in accordance with FAA's existing flight hazard area analysis requirements.” 
• 91 FR 63190; Docket No.: FAA-2026-9936 – Streamlining Flight Safety Analysis Methodology Means of Compliance – Summary: “FAA proposes to amend its commercial space launch and reentry licensing regulations to streamline the licensing process. Specifically, FAA proposes to alleviate regulatory burden for license applicants by consolidating information required for an operator's flight safety analysis.” 

Each of these rulemakings would be considered to be ‘deregulatory actions’ under EO 14192. 

The FAA is soliciting comments on each of these NPRMs. Comments may be submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal (www.Regulations.gov; using the listed docket number). Comments should be submitted by November 4th, 2026.