Photo: Joe Haupt (CC BY-SA 2.0)
The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) is seeking the public s help in determining the future of the world s first nuclear-powered merchant ship.
The NS Savannah was built by New York Shipbuilding Corp. and launched in 1959 as part of President Dwight D. Eisenhower s Atoms for Peace Program to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The ship was removed from service in 1971 and the reactor was defueled. Registered as a National Historic Landmark since 1991, the ship is currently part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) in retention status. All that remains of the vessel s nuclear power plant are its systems, structures and components.
USPTO Changes Small Entity Rules To Promote CRADAs Tuesday, February 2, 2021
While I stand by my view that the doctrine of obviousness-type double patenting is one of the most complicated aspects of U.S. patent law, regulations governing the ability to claim “Small Entity” status and pay reduced USPTO fees come a close second. In a final rule effective January 20, 2021, the USPTO revised its Small Entity rules to remove disincentives of collaborating with the Federal government by, for example, making the impact of Federal agency rights to inventions made under “Cooperative Research and Development Agreements” (CRADAs) similar to the impact of Federal agency rights to inventions made under Federal funding agreements.
Wounded Veterans Relief Fund makes smiles possible for military heroes January 28, 2021 at 11:15 AM EST - Updated January 28 at 11:15 AM
For last decade the Wounded Veterans Relief Fund has been a leading force to ensure veterans have safe and affordable housing.
The South Florida non-profit organization is now offering veterans additional relief by assisting with the cost of dental care.
“Like many veterans, so many of us do not qualify for dental support through the VA,” said Mike Durkee, Executive Director for the Wounded Veterans Relief Fund. “A veteran must be 100% disabled before he or she can receive dental through the VA.”
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) issued a pre-publication Federal Register Notice for its 2021 Clean Water Act National Pollution Discharge Elimination System Multi-Sector General Permit for Industrial Stormwater Discharges (“MSGP”).
The MSGP is a general permit (as opposed to an individual permit) utilized by EPA to address stormwater discharges associated with thousands of different types of facilities in the United States.
The MSGP applies to any number of businesses in multiple industrial sectors. Examples might include cement mixing, scrap metal, trucking, food processing, printing and publishing, oil and gas extraction, and asphalt paving and roofing materials. A separate general permit is used for construction activities.
Labeling
See 86 Fed. Reg. 5094.
The proposed rule addresses the sale and distribution of gasoline-ethanol blends containing greater than 10 volume percent ethanol and up to 15 percent volume ethanol.
EPA is co-proposing to either:
Modify the E15 label; or
Remove the label entirely and seek comment on whether state and local governments may be preempted from requiring different labels on fuel dispensers
EPA is also proposing to modify the underground storage tank (“UST”) regulations to grant certain allowances for compatibility demonstration for storage of ethanol blends. The objective is stated to be to facilitate the proper storage of E15 in USTs.
The federal agency is also proposing compatibility requirements for future UST installations or component replacements. This proposal is stated to be an attempt to ensure compatibility with higher blends of ethanol.