[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 144 (Friday, July 30, 2021)]
[Unknown Section]
[Pages 41324-41327]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-14878]



[[Page 41323]]

Vol. 86

Friday,

No. 144

July 30, 2021

Part XXII





Consumer Product Safety Commission





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Semiannual Regulatory Agenda

  Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 144 / Friday, July 30, 2021 / UA: Reg 
Flex Agenda  

[[Page 41324]]


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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION

16 CFR Ch. II


Semiannual Regulatory Agenda

AGENCY: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Semiannual regulatory agenda.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission publishes its semiannual 
regulatory flexibility agenda. In addition, this document includes an 
agenda of regulations that the Commission expects to develop or review 
during the next year. This document meets the requirements of the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act and Executive Order 12866.

DATES: The Commission welcomes comments on the agenda and on the 
individual agenda entries. Submit comments to the Division of the 
Secretariat on or before August 30, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Caption comments on the regulatory agenda, ``Regulatory 
Flexibility Agenda.'' You can submit comments by email to: [email protected]. You can also submit comments by mail or delivery to the 
Division of the Secretariat, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 
Room 820, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814-4408.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on the agenda, 
in general, contact Meridith L. Kelsch, Office of the General Counsel, 
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 East West Highway, 
Bethesda, MD 20814-4408, [email protected]. For further information 
regarding a particular item on the agenda, contact the person listed in 
the column titled, ``Contact,'' for that item.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA; 5 
U.S.C. 601-612) contains several provisions intended to reduce 
unnecessary and disproportionate regulatory requirements on small 
businesses, small governmental organizations, and other small entities. 
Section 602 of the RFA requires each agency to publish, twice a year, a 
regulatory flexibility agenda containing ``a brief description of the 
subject area of any rule which the agency expects to propose or 
promulgate which is likely to have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities.'' 5 U.S.C. 602. The agency must 
provide a summary of the nature of the rule, the objectives and legal 
basis for the rule, and an approximate schedule for acting on each rule 
for which the agency has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking. In 
addition, the regulatory flexibility agenda must contain the name and 
telephone number of an agency official who is knowledgeable about the 
listed items. Agencies must attempt to provide notice of their agendas 
to small entities and solicit their comments, by directly notifying 
them, or by including the agenda in publications that small entities 
are likely to obtain.
    In addition, Executive Order 12866, Regulatory Planning and Review 
(Sep. 30, 1993), requires each agency to publish, twice a year, a 
regulatory agenda of regulations under development or review during the 
next year. 58 FR 51735 (Oct. 4, 1993). The Executive Order states that 
agencies may combine this agenda with the regulatory flexibility agenda 
required under the RFA. The agenda required by Executive Order 12866 
must include all the regulations the agency expects to develop or 
review during the next 12 months, regardless of whether they may have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. 
This agenda also includes regulatory activities that the Commission 
listed in the fall 2020 agenda and completed before publishing this 
agenda.
    The agenda contains a brief description and summary of each 
regulatory activity, including the objectives and legal basis for each; 
an approximate schedule of target dates, subject to revision, for 
developing or completing each activity; and the name and telephone 
number of an agency official who is knowledgeable about items in the 
agenda.
    The internet is the primary means for disseminating the Unified 
Agenda. The complete Unified Agenda will be available online at: 
www.reginfo.gov, in a format that allows users to obtain information 
from the agenda database.
    Because agencies must publish in the Federal Register the 
regulatory flexibility agenda required by the RFA (5 U.S.C. 602), the 
Commission's printed agenda entries include only:
    (1) Rules that are in the agency's regulatory flexibility agenda, 
in accordance with the RFA, because they are likely to have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities; 
and
    (2) rules that the agency has identified for periodic review under 
section 610 of the RFA.
    The entries in the Commission's printed agenda are limited to 
fields that contain information that the RFA requires in an agenda. 
Additional information on these entries is available in the Unified 
Agenda published on the internet.
    The agenda reflects the Commission's assessment of the likelihood 
that the specified event will occur during the next year; the precise 
dates for each rulemaking are uncertain. New information, changes of 
circumstances, or changes in the law, may alter anticipated timing. In 
addition, you should not infer from this agenda a final determination 
by the Commission or its staff regarding the need for, or the substance 
of, any rule or regulation.

    Dated: March 17, 2021.
Alberta E. Mills,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.

          Consumer Product Safety Commission--Final Rule Stage
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Regulation
       Sequence No.                    Title             Identifier No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
296.......................  Flammability Standard for          3041-AB35
                             Upholstered Furniture.
297.......................  Regulatory Options for             3041-AC31
                             Table Saws.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


          Consumer Product Safety Commission--Long-Term Actions
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Regulation
       Sequence No.                    Title             Identifier No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
298.......................  Portable Generators.......         3041-AC36
299.......................  Recreational Off-Road              3041-AC78
                             Vehicles.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 41325]]

CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION (CPSC)

Final Rule Stage

296. Flammability Standard for Upholstered Furniture

    Legal Authority: 15 U.S.C. 1193; 5 U.S.C. 801
    Abstract: The Commission published a notice of proposed rulemaking 
(NPRM) to prescribe flammability standards for upholstered furniture 
under the Flammable Fabrics Act (FFA) to address the risk of fire 
associated with cigarette and small open-flame ignitions of upholstered 
furniture. The Commission's proposed rule would require that 
upholstered furniture have cigarette-resistant fabrics or cigarette and 
open flame-resistant barriers. The proposed rule would not require 
flame-resistant chemicals in fabrics or fillings. Since the Commission 
published the NPRM, Congress signed into law, ``COVID-19 Regulatory 
Relief and Work From Home Safety Act,'' Public Law 116-260 (COVID-19 
Act). Section 2101 of the COVID-19 Act mandates that, 180 days after 
the date of enactment of the COVID-19 Act, the standard for upholstered 
furniture set forth by the Bureau of Electronic and Appliance Repair, 
Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation of the Department of Consumer 
Affairs of the State of California in Technical Bulletin 117-2013, 
entitled ``Requirements, Test Procedure and Apparatus for Testing the 
Smolder Resistance of Materials Used in Upholstered Furniture,'' 
originally published June 2013, ``shall be considered to be a 
flammability standard promulgated by the Consumer Product Safety 
Commission under section 4 of the Flammable Fabrics Act (15 U.S.C. 
1193).'' In light of the enactment of the COVID-19 Act, in FY 2021, 
staff intends to submit a briefing package to the Commission that 
recommends that the NPRM be withdrawn.
    Timetable:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Action                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANPRM...............................   06/15/94  59 FR 30735
Commission Hearing May 5 & 6, 1998     03/17/98  63 FR 13017
 on Possible Toxicity of Flame-
 Retardant Chemicals.
Meeting Notice......................   03/20/02  67 FR 12916
Notice of Public Meeting............   08/27/03  68 FR 51564
Public Meeting......................   09/24/03  .......................
ANPRM...............................   10/23/03  68 FR 60629
ANPRM Comment Period End............   12/22/03  .......................
Staff Held Public Meeting...........   10/28/04  .......................
Staff Held Public Meeting...........   05/18/05  .......................
Staff Sent Status Report to            01/31/06  .......................
 Commission.
Staff Sent Status Report to            11/03/06  .......................
 Commission.
Staff Sent Status Report to            12/28/06  .......................
 Commission.
Staff Sent Options Package to          12/22/07  .......................
 Commission.
Commission Decision to Direct Staff    12/27/07  .......................
 to Prepare Draft NPRM.
Staff Sent Draft NPRM to Commission.   01/22/08  .......................
Commission Decision to Publish NPRM.   02/01/08  .......................
NPRM................................   03/04/08  73 FR 11702
NPRM Comment Period End.............   05/19/08  .......................
Staff Published NIST Report on         05/19/09  .......................
 Standard Test Cigarettes.
Staff Publishes NIST Report on         09/14/12  .......................
 Standard Research Foam.
Notice of April 25 Public Meeting      03/20/13  78 FR 17140
 and Request for Comments.
Staff Holds Upholstered Furniture      04/25/13  .......................
 Fire Safety Technology Meeting.
Comment Period End..................   07/01/13  .......................
Staff Sends Briefing Package to        09/08/16  .......................
 Commission on California's TB 117-
 2013.
Staff Sends Options Package to the     09/25/19  .......................
 Commission.
Commission Decision.................   10/04/19  .......................
Staff Submits Final Rule Briefing      09/00/21  .......................
 Package Withdrawing the NPRM.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Andrew Lock, Project Manager, Directorate for 
Laboratory Sciences, Consumer Product Safety Commission, National 
Product Testing and Evaluation Center, 5 Research Place, Rockville, MD 
20850, Phone: 301 987-2099, Email: [email protected].
    RIN: 3041-AB35

297. Regulatory Options for Table Saws

    Legal Authority: 5 U.S.C. 553(e); 15 U.S.C. 2051
    Abstract: In 2006, the Commission granted a petition asking that 
the Commission issue a rule to prescribe performance standards for an 
active injury mitigation system to reduce or prevent injuries from 
contacting the blade of a table saw. The Commission subsequently issued 
a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would establish a 
performance standard requiring table saws to limit the depth of cut to 
3.5 millimeters when a test probe, acting as a surrogate for a human 
body/finger, contacts the table saw's spinning blade. Staff has 
conducted several studies to provide information for the rulemaking. 
Staff is working on a final rule briefing package.
    Timetable:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Action                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commission Decision to Grant           07/11/06  .......................
 Petition.
ANPRM...............................   10/11/11  76 FR 62678
Notice of Extension of Time for        12/02/11  76 FR 75504
 Comments.
Comment Period End..................   02/10/12  .......................
Notice to Reopen Comment Period.....   02/15/12  77 FR 8751
Reopened Comment Period End.........   03/16/12  .......................
Staff Sent NPRM Briefing Package to    01/17/17  .......................
 Commission.
Commission Decision.................   04/27/17  .......................
NPRM................................   05/12/17  82 FR 22190
NPRM Comment Period End.............   07/26/17  .......................
Public Hearing......................   08/09/17  82 FR 31035
Staff Sent 2016 NEISS Table Saw Type   08/15/17  .......................
 Study Status Report to Commission.
Staff Sent 2017 NEISS Table Saw        11/13/18  .......................
 Special Study to Commission.
Notice of Availability of 2017 NEISS   12/04/18  83 FR 62561
 Table Saw Special Study.

[[Page 41326]]

 
Staff Sends a Status Briefing          08/28/19  .......................
 Package on Table Saws to Commission.
Commission Decision.................   09/10/19  .......................
Staff Sends Final Rule Briefing        09/00/21  .......................
 Package to Commission.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Caroleene Paul, Project Manager, Directorate for 
Engineering Sciences, Consumer Product Safety Commission, National 
Product Testing and Evaluation Center, 5 Research Place, Rockville, MD 
20850, Phone: 301 987-2225, Email: [email protected].
    RIN: 3041-AC31

CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION (CPSC)

Long-Term Actions

298. Portable Generators

    Legal Authority: 15 U.S.C. 2051
    Abstract: In 2006, the Commission issued an advance notice of 
proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) under the Consumer Product Safety Act 
(CPSA) concerning portable generators. The ANPRM discussed regulatory 
options that could reduce deaths and injuries related to portable 
generators, particularly those involving carbon monoxide (CO) 
poisoning. In FY 2006, staff awarded a contract to develop a prototype 
generator engine with reduced CO in the exhaust. Also, in FY 2006, 
staff entered into an interagency agreement (IAG) with the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to conduct tests with a 
generator, in both off-the-shelf and prototype configurations, 
operating in the garage attached to NIST's test house. In FY 2009, 
staff entered into a second IAG with NIST with the goal of developing 
CO emission performance requirements for a possible proposed regulation 
that would be based on health effects criteria. After additional staff 
and contractor work, the Commission issued a notice of proposed 
rulemaking (NPRM) in 2016, proposing a performance standard that would 
limit the CO emission rates from operating portable generators. In 
2018, two voluntary standards adopted different CO mitigation 
requirements intended to address the CO poisoning hazard associated 
with portable generators. Staff developed a simulation and analysis 
plan to evaluate the effectiveness of those voluntary standards' 
requirements. In 2019, the Commission sought public comments on staff's 
plan. In August 2020, staff submitted to the Commission a draft notice 
of availability of the modified plan, based on staff's review and 
consideration of the comments, for evaluating the voluntary standards; 
the Commission published the notice of availability in August 2020. 
Staff is now executing the modified plan.
    Timetable:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Action                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Sent ANPRM to Commission......   07/06/06  .......................
Staff Sent Supplemental Material to    10/12/06  .......................
 Commission.
Commission Decision.................   10/26/06  .......................
Staff Sent Draft ANPRM to Commission   11/21/06  .......................
ANPRM...............................   12/12/06  71 FR 74472
ANPRM Comment Period End............   02/12/07  .......................
Staff Releases Research Report for     10/10/12  .......................
 Comment.
NPRM................................   11/21/16  81 FR 83556
NPRM Comment Period Extended........   12/13/16  81 FR 89888
Public Hearing for Oral Comments....   03/08/17  82 FR 8907
NPRM Comment Period End.............   04/24/17  .......................
Staff Sends Notice of Availability     06/26/19  .......................
 to the Commission.
Commission Decision.................   07/02/19  .......................
Notice of Availability..............   07/09/19  84 FR 32729
Staff Sends Notice of Availability     08/12/20  .......................
 to Commission.
Commission Decision.................   08/19/20  .......................
Notice of Availability..............   08/24/20  85 FR 52096
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Report on Evaluation of                  To Be Determined
 Voluntary Standards.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Janet L. Buyer, Project Manager, Directorate for 
Engineering Sciences, Consumer Product Safety Commission, National 
Product Testing and Evaluation Center, 5 Research Place, Rockville, MD 
20850, Phone: 301 987-2293, Email: [email protected].
    RIN: 3014-AC36

299. Recreational Off-Road Vehicles

    Legal Authority: 15 U.S.C. 2056; 15 U.S.C. 2058
    Abstract: The Commission is considering whether recreational off-
road vehicles (ROVs) present an unreasonable risk of injury that should 
be regulated. Staff conducted testing and evaluation programs to 
develop performance requirements addressing vehicle stability, vehicle 
handling, and occupant protection. In 2014, the Commission issued an 
NPRM proposing standards addressing vehicle stability, vehicle 
handling, and occupant protection. Congress directed in fiscal year 
2016, and reaffirmed in subsequent fiscal year appropriations, that 
none of the amounts made available by the Appropriations Bill may be 
used to finalize or implement the proposed Safety Standard for 
Recreational Off-Highway Vehicles until after the National Academy of 
Sciences completes a study to determine specific information as set 
forth in the Appropriations Bill. Staff ceased work on a Final Rule 
briefing package and instead engaged the Recreational Off-Highway 
Vehicle Association (ROHVA) and Outdoor Power Equipment Institute 
(OPEI) in the development of voluntary standards for ROVs. Staff 
conducted dynamic and static tests on ROVs, shared test results with 
ROHVA and OPEI, and participated in the development of revised 
voluntary standards to address staff's concerns with vehicle stability, 
vehicle handling, and occupant protection. The voluntary standards for 
ROVs were revised and published in 2016 (ANSI/ROHVA 1-2016 and ANSI/
OPEI B71.9-2016). Staff assessed the new voluntary standard 
requirements and prepared a termination of rulemaking briefing package 
that was submitted to the Commission on November 22, 2016. The 
Commission voted not to terminate the rulemaking associated with ROVs. 
In the FY 2020 Operating Plan, the Commission directed staff to prepare 
a rulemaking termination briefing package. Staff submitted a briefing 
package to the Commission on September 16, 2020 that recommended 
termination of rulemaking. On September 22, 2020 the Commission voted 
2-2 on this matter. A majority was not reached and no action will be 
taken.
    Timetable:

[[Page 41327]]



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               Action                    Date            FR Cite
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Staff Sends ANPRM Briefing Package     10/07/09  .......................
 to Commission.
Commission Decision.................   10/21/09  .......................
ANPRM...............................   10/28/09  74 FR 55495
ANPRM Comment Period Extended.......   12/22/09  74 FR 67987
Extended Comment Period End.........   03/15/10  .......................
Staff Sends NPRM Briefing Package to   09/24/14  .......................
 Commission.
Staff Sends Supplemental Information   10/17/14  .......................
 on ROVs to Commission.
Commission Decision.................   10/29/14  .......................
NPRM Published in Federal Register..   11/19/14  79 FR 68964
NPRM Comment Period Extended........   01/23/15  80 FR 3535
Extended Comment Period End.........   04/08/15  .......................
Staff Sends Briefing Package           11/22/16  .......................
 Assessing Voluntary Standards to
 Commission.
Commission Decision Not to Terminate   01/25/17  .......................
Staff Sends Briefing Package to        09/16/20  .......................
 Commission.
Commission Decision: majority not      09/22/20  .......................
 reached, no action will be taken.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Next Step Undetermined..............           To Be Determined
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes.
    Agency Contact: Caroleene Paul, Project Manager, Directorate for 
Engineering Sciences, Consumer Product Safety Commission, National 
Product Testing and Evaluation Center, 5 Research Place, Rockville, MD 
20850, Phone: 301 987-2225, Email: [email protected].
    RIN: 3041-AC78

[FR Doc. 2021-14878 Filed 7-29-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P