Tuesday’s edition of the Federal Register contains new rules from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Here’s what to look for:
Sugar beets: The EPA is allowing a certain amount of the pesticide Hexythiazox to be left in or on sugar beets and in their roots.
The agency is granting a request from the Gowan Company to allow 0.15 parts per million (ppm) of the chemical to remain in or on the sugar beet and root and 0.30 ppm to remain in dried sugar beet pulp.
{mosads}The EPA said Hexythiazox is classified as “likely to be carcinogenic to humans” based on a treatment related to an increase in benign and malignant liver tumors in female mice and the presence of mammary gland tumors in male rats. But the agency said those tumors were only found after the rats were given high doses of the chemical.
The rule will take effect immediately.
Legal assistance treaties: The DOJ is issuing a final rule to delegate the central authority in carrying out agreements on criminal justice matters between the U.S. and other countries to the assistant attorney general.
The assistant attorney general is then allowed to re-delegate that authority to the deputy assistant attorney general.
The DOJ said the Office of International Affairs (OIA) serves as the central authority over all requests for information and evidence received from and made to foreign authorities under Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties, but the OIA is inundated with requests. The office received 6,000 in 2016 alone.
With only three senior leaders authorized to sign off on requests for mutual legal assistance, the agency said it’s expanding its authority delegation.
The final rule will take effect immediately.