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. 

House Passes HR 5174 – Technical Update to 51 USC

Yesterday, the House took up HR 5147, the revision of Title 51, United States Code, National and Commercial Space Programs, under the suspension of the rules process. After 21 minutes of debate, the bill was passed by a voice vote. The bill revises 51 USC to keep the Title current and make technical corrections to improve the USC.  

Subsection 2(b) explains the scope of the changes being made:  

“The restatement of existing law enacted by this Act does not change the meaning or effect of the existing law. The restatement incorporates in title 51, United States Code, various provisions that were enacted separately over a period of years, reorganizing them, conforming style and terminology, modernizing obsolete language, and correcting drafting errors. These changes serve to remove ambiguities, contradictions, and other imperfections, but they do not change the meaning or effect of the existing law or impair the precedential value of earlier judicial decisions or other interpretations.” 

The bill will most likely be handled similarly in the Senate, where it would be considered under the unanimous consent process. However, a similar bill, HR 7339, was introduced and similarly passed in the House in December of 2024, but no action was taken in the Senate. 

FCC Sends Direct-to-Device NPRM to OMB

Yesterday, the OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) announced that it had received a notice of proposed rulemaking from the FCC on “Unleashing Unlicensed Spectrum for Direct-to-Device”. 

According to the 2026 Unified Agenda entry for this rulemaking: 

“As space launches and satellite deployment continue to increase, companies with space-based operations are increasingly looking to expand capacity, reduce cost, and increase the utility of their operations.  The increase in space launches, coupled with the growing diversity of non-satellite spacecraft, has resulted in a growing need to support communication in space and between Earth and space. To meet this growing need, the Commission begins this proceeding to explore unlicensed device use in space.” 

FCC Sends Satellite Spectrum Abundance 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 Federa Communications Commission (FCC) on “Satellite Spectrum Abundance (SB Docket No. 25-180)”. The notice of proposed rulemaking for this action was published on June 27th, 2025.  

According to the 2026 Unified Agenda Entry for this rulemaking: 

“On May 22, 2025, the Commission adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to seek further comment on ways to use the 12.7-13.25 GHz band (12.7 GHz band) and the 42.0-42.5 GHz band (42 GHz band) more efficiently and intensively. Specifically, the item seeks comment on the possibility of achieving more intensive use of the 12.7 GHz band by satellite communications through the removal of existing regulatory restrictions and the opening of the band to a wider range of satellite operations. Likewise, it seeks comment on the potential for more intensive use of the 42 GHz band by adding for the first time an allocation for fixed-satellite service (FSS). In both instances, the item seeks comment on ways to protect any incumbent spectrum users in the bands, as well as ways to protect spectrum users, particularly Federal operators, in adjacent bands.” 

Short Takes – 8-18-26 - Federal Register Edition

Advisory Committees  

Secretary of Energy Advisory Board. DOE notice of renewal. Summary: “Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act and following consultation with the Committee Management Secretariat, General Services Administration, notice is hereby given that the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board (SEAB) will be renewed for a two-year period beginning on August 26, 2026. The Committee provides advice and recommendations to the Secretary of Energy on energy policies; the Department's basic and applied research and developmental activities; economic and national security policy; and on any other activities and operations of the Department of Energy.” 

Nominations to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act Scientific Advisory Panel (FIFRA SAP). EPA notice. Summary: “The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the Agency) is now accepting public comments on the experts the Agency is considering for membership on the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP). This document identifies the individuals nominated. The Agency anticipates selecting from those nominees that are identified as interested and available to appoint two new SAP members by October 2026 due to expiring membership terms. Public comments on these nominations will be used to assist the Agency in selecting the new members for the FIFRA SAP.” 

Energy Infrastructure  

America's Great Corridors of Commerce; Request for Information. DOT request for information. Summary: “The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT or the Department), through the Build America Bureau, created the America's Great Corridors of Commerce (AGCC) initiative to unleash opportunities for both highway and rail ROW owners to generate revenue streams through utility colocation that can fund transportation improvement projects, while simultaneously delivering significant economic development to these areas. AGCC is a voluntary, applicant-driven process in which ROW owners propose corridors for strategic colocation of utility infrastructure in the transportation ROW through an innovative public-private partnership (P3) model. Selected corridors receive concierge technical assistance and enhanced collaboration from a team of experts from relevant Federal agencies. In this RFI, DOT seeks comments from the public and interested parties on the AGCC model and the proposed elements of DOT's anticipated AGCC designation process.” 

Space Geek  

Notice of Public Comment Period and Request for Comment on the Draft Environmental Assessment for Reditus Space ENOS Reentries in the Gulf of America. FAA notice of availability and public comment. 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, the FAA is announcing the availability of and requesting comment on the Draft Environmental Assessment for Reditus Space ENOS Reentries in the Gulf of America (Draft EA).”