A final rule published Nov. 5 raises the threshold for spending that requires advance approval by recipients of Legal Services Corporation funds, the corporation said in the Federal Register.
The changes take effect June 1, 2027. A separate proposal published the same day would remove a spending threshold from the definition of improvements to real estate.
The final rule changes requirements governing which costs recipients can pay with corporation funds and when they must seek permission before spending. It also revises standards for property and purchasing.
The corporation clarified how recipients must treat money raised through fundraising activities supported with its funds. It also revised the documentation required when recipients request advance approval for spending.
The rule gives the corporation more flexibility when reviewing those requests. It also changes the deadline and requirements for accounting for corporation funds invested in real estate.
The separate proposed rule would classify real estate work as a capital improvement without requiring recipients to spend a minimum amount of corporation funding on it.
That would separate the definition of a capital improvement from the spending thresholds that determine whether advance approval is required. Comments on the proposal close Dec. 21.
The Environmental Protection Agency also published a final rule Nov. 5 approving an Arizona air pollution program that allows vehicle emission cuts to count toward requirements for large stationary sources.
The rule takes effect Dec. 7 and covers the Maricopa County Air Quality Department's portion of Arizona's air pollution control plan. The approved program is enforceable under federal law.
The program allows emission reduction credits, which represent cuts in air pollution, from retrofitting existing road vehicles or replacing them with vehicles that emit less pollution.
Those credits are intended to offset emissions from major stationary sources under the county department's permitting program. The EPA said the revision meets applicable Clean Air Act requirements.
The Transportation Department's Maritime Administration published a proposed rule Nov. 5 setting procedures for processing deepwater port license applications. Comments close Jan. 4, 2027.
The proposal reflects the transfer of application processing management from the Coast Guard to the administration under the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2026.
The administration is the lead federal agency for environmental reviews of all deepwater port license applications. The Coast Guard retains responsibility for port design, construction, equipment, operations and navigational safety.
The Transportation Department's Federal Aviation Administration separately published a final rule Nov. 5 modifying controlled airspace at Roberts Field/Redmond Municipal Airport in Redmond, Oregon. It takes effect Feb. 18, 2027.
