Federal Register Digest: Guam Disaster Loans, IWC Public Meeting, and Three PRA Comment Windows Open

Guam Disaster Declaration: SBA Loans Available After Super Typhoon Sinlaku

The President declared a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the territory of Guam (FEMA-4921-DR) on June 30, 2026, following Super Typhoon Sinlaku. As a result of that declaration, Private Non-Profit organizations providing essential services of a governmental nature may file disaster loan applications online using the MySBA Loan Portal or in person at locally announced locations, according to the Small Business Administration notice.

The SBA has set interest rates at 3.625 percent across all applicable loan categories — for physical damage and for economic injury — for both Private Non-Profit Organizations with credit available elsewhere and those without. The number assigned to this disaster for physical damage is 217008 and for economic injury is 217010. Guam is listed as the primary area determined to be adversely affected.

NOAA Public Meeting Ahead of IWC 70th Session

NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service will hold a virtual public meeting on August 7, 2026 at 2 p.m. EDT to discuss U.S. preparations for the 70th meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). The IWC itself will convene in Hobart, Australia from September 28 through October 2, 2026.

The notice states that the Secretary of Commerce is responsible for implementing the domestic obligations of the United States under the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, 1946, and that the U.S. IWC Commissioner — staffed by the Department of Commerce and assisted by the Department of State and the Marine Mammal Commission — holds responsibility for the preparation and negotiation of U.S. positions on international issues concerning whaling. U.S. persons and entities with an interest in U.S. whale conservation and management policy may participate in the August 7 session and share views about the topics and proposals to be discussed. According to the notice, the information obtained from the public session will help the U.S. government in its preparations for the Commission meeting, including engagement with other IWC Member Governments, consideration of proposals, and formulation of U.S. positions.

Advance registration is required; meeting access and conferencing platform information will be sent to those who register. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids must be directed to Madison Harris at (301) 427-8371 by July 17, 2026.

Three Paperwork Reduction Act Comment Windows

USCIS — Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative (60-day window): USCIS is inviting public comment through September 14, 2026 on a proposed revision to the currently approved information collection supporting Form I-130. The form allows U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals who are not U.S. citizens, or lawful permanent residents to petition on behalf of certain alien relatives who wish to immigrate to the United States; Form I-130A is used by the beneficiary to certify certain information contained on Form I-130. The agency estimates 472,753 total respondents for the I-130 collection, with an estimated hour burden per response of 2.3 hours, and 438,179 total respondents for the I-130A, with an estimated hour burden per response of 0.4 hours. The estimated total annual hour burden associated with this collection is 2,019,008 hours, and the estimated total annual cost burden is $378,202,400. Comments must be submitted in English, or an English translation must be provided, via the Federal eRulemaking Portal using docket USCIS-2007-0037.

USDA FSIS — Two collections (30-day window): The Department of Agriculture has submitted two Food Safety and Inspection Service information collections to OMB for review; comments will be considered if received by August 17, 2026. The first, "Procedures for the Notification of New Technology" (OMB Control Number 0583-0127), covers flexible procedures FSIS established to actively encourage the development and use of new technologies in meat and poultry establishments and egg products plants, allowing the agency to decide whether a new technology requires a pre-use review. The collection covers 210 respondents and carries a total burden of 12,800 hours. The second, "Nutrition Labeling of Major Cuts of Single-Ingredient Raw Meat or Poultry Products and Ground or Chopped Meat and Poultry Products" (OMB Control Number 0583-0148), covers FSIS requirements for nutrition labeling of major cuts of single-ingredient raw meat and poultry products and all ground or chopped meat and poultry products, with or without added seasonings, unless an exemption applies.

DOJ OVW — Technical Assistance Program Progress Reports (30-day window): The Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women is seeking OMB approval for a three-year extension of the Semi-Annual Progress Report for the Technical Assistance Program (OMB Control Number 1122-0017); comments are accepted through August 17, 2026. The notice states that the primary purpose of the OVW Technical Assistance Program is to provide assistance to grantees and their subgrantees to enhance the success of local projects they are implementing with VAWA grant funds, and that OVW is focused on building capacity of criminal justice and victim services organizations to respond to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. The affected public includes 53 programs providing technical assistance as recipients under the program. The total annual hour burden to complete the semi-annual progress report form is 106 hours, and the annualized costs to the Federal Government resulting from OVW staff review of the progress reports are estimated to be $6,144.89.

What to Watch

• July 17, 2026 — Deadline to request special accommodations (sign language interpretation or auxiliary aids) for the NOAA/IWC public meeting.
• August 7, 2026 — NOAA virtual public meeting on U.S. preparations for IWC 70th meeting; advance registration required.
• August 17, 2026 — Comment deadline for USDA FSIS new-technology notification and nutrition-labeling PRA collections, and for the DOJ OVW Technical Assistance Program progress-report collection.
• September 14, 2026 — Comment deadline for USCIS proposed revision to Form I-130/I-130A collection.
• September 28–October 2, 2026 — IWC 70th meeting, Hobart, Australia.

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