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Effective Dates for Regulated Equipment: The proposed rule changes would delay an effective date for a standard that was adopted by the department in administrative rules to implement Oregon House Bill 2062 (2021). These rules and legislation included a standard for demand response-ready electric storage water heaters. The standard requires electric storage water heaters to comply with communications interface standard, CTA-2045-A, and was originally set to become effective for equipment (both heat pump water heaters and electric resistance water heaters) manufactured on or after 1 January 2022. (...)

The Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has undertaken a review of the biosecurity risk associated with glanders (Burkholderia mallei) in horses and horse semen. The review report has now been finalised. Trade may continue for countries previously approved for the import of horses and horse semen into Australia in accordance with the import requirements detailed in the review report.

Biosecurity Sustainable Funding – Discussion paper.
The Australian Government is seeking to establish a long-term sustainable funding model to strengthen and modernise Australia's national biosecurity system.
Australia's biosecurity system needs to be adaptable to meet new challenges and to respond quickly to maintain the appropriate level of protection required.
No decision on a sustainable funding model has been taken, but in the interests of transparency, as part of a public consultation a discussion paper has been released seeking stakeholders' views on options for funding Australia's biosecurity system.
The discussion paper considers options that have been proposed previously by stakeholders. They do not only reflect current funding arrangements.

This proposal presents the preliminary results of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) review of the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for Automobile and Light Duty Truck Surface Coating Operations as required by the Clean Air Act (CAA). The EPA is proposing, in a new NSPS subpart, revised volatile organic compound (VOC) emission limits for prime coat, guide coat, and topcoat operations for affected facilities that commence construction, modification or reconstruction after 18 May 2022. In addition, the EPA is proposing amendments under the new NSPS subpart: (...) the addition of work practices to minimize VOC emissions; (...); and other amendments to harmonize the new NSPS subpart and Automobile and Light Duty Truck Surface Coating National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) requirements. (...)

In this action, the EPA is proposing new and revised standards of performance for electric arc furnaces (EAF) and argon-oxygen decarburization (AOD) vessels in the steel industry. The EPA is proposing that EAF facilities that begin construction, reconstruction or modification after 16 May 2022 would need to comply with a particulate matter (PM) standard in the format of facility-wide PM emitted per amount of steel produced and a melt shop opacity limit of zero. The proposal would limit emissions of PM and opacity from new, modified, or reconstructed EAF and AOD vessels. In addition, we are proposing that all emission limits apply at all times; periodic compliance testing at least once every 5 years; and electronic reporting. (...)

Oil and Gas and Sulfur Operations in the Outer Continental Shelf--High Pressure High Temperature and Subpart B Revisions: The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) is proposing to add requirements for new or unusual technology, including equipment used in high pressure high temperature (HPHT) environments, to revise and reorganize the information submission requirements for a project's Conceptual Plans and Deepwater Operations Plans (DWOP), and to require independent third parties to review certain information prior to submission to BSEE. This proposed rule would improve operational and environmental safety and human health while providing consistency and clarity to industry regarding the equipment and operational requirements necessary for BSEE review and approval of projects using new or unusual technology.

Advanced Clean Cars II Regulations: Amends and extends rules to further reduce harmful pollution from light-and medium-duty motor vehicles. The proposed regulations will increase the stringency of existing regulations to ensure emissions are reduced under a wider range of conditions under which vehicles are used and will transition new light-duty vehicle sales in California to 100% zero-emission by 2035. (...)

Dragon fruit from the Philippines: biosecurity import requirements draft report.
The draft report proposes that the importation of commercially produced dragon fruit (Selenicereus spp. that were previously known as Hylocereus spp. and hybrids thereof) to Australia from all commercial export production areas of the Philippines be permitted, subject to a range of biosecurity requirements.
The draft report contains details of pests that are of biosecurity concern to Australia that are potentially associated with the importation of commercially produced dragon fruit from the Philippines, the risk assessments for the identified quarantine pests, and the proposed risk management measures to reduce biosecurity risks to an acceptable level.

Air Quality: Revision to the Regulatory Definition of Volatile Organic Compounds--Exclusion of (2E)-1,1,1,4,4,4-hexafluorobut-2-ene (HFO-1336mzz(E)): The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to revise the EPA's regulatory definition of volatile organic compounds (VOC) under the Clean Air Act (CAA). This action proposes to add (2E)-1,1,1,4,4,4-hexafluorobut-2-ene (also known as trans-1,1,1,4,4,4-hexafluorobut-2-ene, and HFO-1336mzz(E); CAS number 66711-86-2) to the list of compounds excluded from the regulatory definition on the basis that this compound makes a negligible contribution to tropospheric ozone (O3) formation.

Pest risk analysis for bacterial pathogens in the genus Xylella - draft report.
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry initiated a pest risk analysis to assess the biosecurity risks of all Xylella species, and to determine whether the emergency measures manage the biosecurity risks associated with the trade in commercially produced plants for planting and seeds for sowing.