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Regulatory Alerts
The Forest Service seeks comments on a proposed rule to amend programmatic administrative fees for communications use authorizations on Forest Service lands. The fees will be applied to address the backlog of expired communications use authorizations, streamline implementation, and improve overall access. Written comments due February 22, 2022.
The Army Corps of Engineers seeks comments on the National Levee Safety Program and aims to improve the way levees are managed to reduce disaster suffering and improve resiliency of communities behind levees. Written comments due March 31, 2022.
The Department of Energy requests comments for a series of products. Energy seeks to determine whether to amend efficiency standards and/or test procedures, and whether it is technologically feasible and economically justifiable to do so.
On December 29, 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a draft revision for its risk determination for HBCD. EPA has made a determination of unreasonable risk for HBCD as a whole chemical substance driven by certain condition of uses. Additionally, EPA has removed the assumption of personal protective equipment use by workers. Comments on the proposed draft revisions are due February 14, 2022.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration will host three additional virtual listening sessions to gather stakeholder input regarding implementation of five new broadband grant programs authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The listening sessions will be on January 26, February 9, and February 23, beginning at 2:30 ET on each day.
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Letters from Advocacy
On November 22, 2021, the Bureau of Ocean Management published a Request for Information on Reducing or Avoiding Impacts of Offshore Wind Energy on Fisheries. Advocacy submitted a comment letter encouraging BOEM to conduct and publish small business impact analyses for each construction.
On October 18, 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed adding a series of chemicals including HHCB to the list of toxic chemicals subject to the reporting requirements under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act and the Pollution Prevention Act. Advocacy is concerned about the impact of this rule given the extremely low threshold for reporting and the multiple downstream users of HHCB who would be subject to the rule’s requirements.
Advocacy submitted a letter to the FCC on January 20, 2022 regarding its proceeding to improve competitive broadband access in multi-tenant environments. Advocacy shared the importance of a competitive broadband market to small businesses and highlighted the comments of competitive broadband providers regarding possible barriers to competition in MTEs.
On January 20, 2022, Advocacy submitted a letter to the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection on a proposal that would require financial institutions to collect and report data regarding applications for credit for small businesses, including those that are owned by women and minorities. Advocacy expressed concerns about the cost of the proposal to small businesses, among other concerns.
More Regulatory Alerts
The Federal Communications Commission has released its agenda for the January 27th Open Commission Meeting. More details can be found on the Advocacy site.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
There are two main ways you can connect with Advocacy and share your concerns about regulatory burdens on small businesses:
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1) Contact Advocacy Staff about the regulatory issues your small business is experiencing.
2) Check Out Advocacy's Publication, "A Basic Guide to Federal Rulemaking and Small Business" to learn how small business can get involved in the federal rulemaking process.
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