[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 90 (Wednesday, May 9, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 27279]
[FR Doc No: 2012-11157]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2012-0094]

Pipeline Safety: Information Collection Activities

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA),
DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, PHMSA
invites comments on two information collections that we will be
submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for renewal.
The information collections relate to the pipeline integrity management
requirements for gas transmission pipeline operators and the response
plan requirements for operators of onshore oil pipelines.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
July 9, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted in the following ways:
    E-Gov Web Site: http://www.regulations.gov. This site allows the
public to enter comments on any Federal Register notice issued by any
agency.
    Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
    Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation
(DOT), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building, Room W12-140,
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    Hand Delivery: Room W12-140 on the ground level of DOT, West
Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m.
and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Instructions: Identify the docket number, PHMSA-2012-0094, at the
beginning of your comments. Note that all comments received will be
posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any
personal information provided. You should know that anyone is able to
search the electronic form of all comments received into any of our
dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or
signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association,
business, labor union, etc.). Therefore, you may want to review DOT's
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on
April 11, 2000, (65 FR 19477) or visit http://www.regulations.gov
before submitting any such comments.
    Docket: For access to the docket or to read background documents or
comments, go to http://www.regulations.gov at any time or to Room W12-
140 on the ground level of DOT, West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue
SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays. If you wish to receive confirmation of receipt
of your written comments, please include a self-addressed, stamped
postcard with the following statement: ``Comments on PHMSA-2012-0094.''
The Docket Clerk will date stamp the postcard prior to returning it to
you via the U.S. mail. Please note that due to delays in the delivery
of U.S. mail to Federal offices in Washington, DC, we recommend that
persons consider an alternative method (internet, fax, or professional
delivery service) of submitting comments to the docket and ensuring
their timely receipt at DOT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Angela Dow by telephone at 202-366-
1246, by fax at<PHONE_NUMBER>, or by mail at DOT, PHMSA, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE., PHP-30, Washington, DC 20590-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 1320.8(d), Title 5, Code of Federal
Regulations, requires PHMSA to provide interested members of the public
and affected agencies an opportunity to comment on information
collection and recordkeeping requests. This notice identifies two
information collection requests that PHMSA will be submitting to OMB
for renewal. The following information is provided for each information
collection: (1) Title of the information collection; (2) OMB control
number; (3) Current expiration date; (4) Type of request; (5) Abstract
of the information collection activity; (6) Description of affected
public; (7) Estimate of total annual reporting and recordkeeping
burden; and (8) Frequency of collection. PHMSA will request a three-
year term of approval for each information collection activity. PHMSA
requests comments on the following information collections:
    1. Title: Pipeline Integrity Management in High Consequence Areas
Gas Transmission Pipeline Operators.
    OMB Control Number: 2137-0610.
    Current Expiration Date: 9/30/2012.
    Type of Request: Renewal with revision.
    Abstract: 49 CFR 192.947 requires operators of gas transmission
pipelines located in or near high consequence areas to maintain a
written integrity management program and records showing compliance
with 49 CFR part 192, subpart O. Operators must also submit
documentation relative to their integrity management program to PHMSA
as applicable.
    Affected Public: Operators of gas transmission pipelines located in
or near high consequence areas.
    Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden:
    Total Annual Responses: 733.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,018,807.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    2. Title: Response Plans for Onshore Oil Pipelines.
    OMB Control Number: 2137-0589.
    Current Expiration Date: 9/30/2012.
    Type of Request: Renewal.
    Abstract: 49 CFR part 194 requires an operator of an onshore oil
pipeline facility to prepare and submit an oil spill response plan to
PHMSA for review and approval.
    Affected Public: Operators of onshore oil pipeline facilities.
    Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden:
    Total Annual Responses: 367.
    Total Annual Burden Hours: 50,186.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
    Comments are invited on:
    (a) The need for the proposed collection of information for the
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether
the information will have practical utility;
    (b) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used;
    (c) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and
    (d) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on
those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques.

    Issued in Washington, DC on May 3, 2012.
Cameron H. Satterthwaite,
Transportation Specialist, Office of Standards and Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 2012-11157 Filed 5-8-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P


[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 125 (Monday, June 30, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36858-36859]
[FR Doc No: 2014-15316]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

[Docket Number DOT-OST-2014-0073]

Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU)
Mentor Prot[eacute]g[eacute] Pilot Program

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Transportation (DOT) invites public comments
about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) to approve an information collection regarding the DOT's existing
small business Mentor-Prot[eacute]g[eacute] pilot program. If approved
by OMB, this information collection would request program participants
to submit their mentor-prot[eacute]g[eacute] relationship agreements
for review, and file a joint report on an annual basis documenting the
assistance they have provided or received. In addition, program
participants would be asked to complete an evaluation form at the end
of their participation in the program, and prot[eacute]g[eacute]s would
be asked to update OSDBU annually for 2 years after they exit the
program.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by on or before August 11,
2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments [identified by Docket No. DOT-OST-
2014-0073] through one of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 1<PHONE_NUMBER>.
     Mail or Hand Delivery: Docket Management Facility, U.S.
Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West
Building, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5
p.m., Monday through Friday, except on Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Leonardo San Rom[aacute]n, Mentor-
Prot[eacute]g[eacute] pilot program, U.S. Department of Transportation,
Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590,<PHONE_NUMBER>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In April 2012,\1\ the DOT launched a Mentor-
Prot[eacute]g[eacute] pilot program to enhance the capability of
disadvantaged and small business owners to compete for federal
procurement opportunities. The Mentor-Prot[eacute]g[eacute] pilot
program is designed to assist small businesses in developing the
necessary tools and relationships to compete and perform in DOT and
other federal procurement programs. Small businesses include small
disadvantaged businesses, women owned businesses, HUBZone small
businesses, veteran-owned-businesses and service disabled veteran-owned
small businesses. The program is designed to improve the performance of
DOT contractors and subcontractors by fostering the establishment of
long-term business relationships between small businesses and prime
contractors.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Although The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2013, Public Law 112-239, Sec.  1641, prohibits Federal
agencies from establishing new programs, this provision does not
apply to programs in existence on the date of the Act. Rather,
agencies with existing programs in place as of the date of the Act
may continue to implement and make modifications to their programs,
as is the case here.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Eligible businesses who are prime contractors may agree to mentor
eligible prot[eacute]g[eacute]s. The mentors would provide appropriate
developmental assistance to enhance the capabilities of
prot[eacute]g[eacute]s to perform as contractors and/or subcontractors.
    Since the inception of the program, small business concerns
participating in the program have been able to develop their core
capabilities, enabling them to compete and perform in federal
contracts. Therefore, DOT is continuing the Mentor
Prot[eacute]g[eacute] program, allowing increased participation as
indicated below.

Information Collection

    Under this new proposed information collection, we request that
participants submit their mentor-prot[eacute]g[eacute] agreements for
review. We request that only one copy of the joint agreement be
submitted to OSDBU. In addition, once the agreement is reviewed, we
would request that the participants submit annual report to the OSDBU
describing their progress. The report may be developed jointly by the
mentor and prot[eacute]g[eacute], so only one annual report per mentor-
prot[eacute]g[eacute] relationship would be submitted. If the
relationship extends beyond the first year, we would request that the
participants submit an annual update. The annual report would include
information about the action taken or suggested by the mentor to
increase the participation of the prot[eacute]g[eacute] in federal
procurement programs; actions taken or suggested to develop the
technical capabilities of the prot[eacute]g[eacute]; and the degree to
which the prot[eacute]g[eacute] has been able to implement those
actions or recommendations. Once the mentor-prot[eacute]g[eacute]
relationship has ended, we would also request that each program
participant complete a program evaluation and submit it to the OSDBU.
The purpose of the evaluation form is to provide feedback to the OSDBU
on the program, with suggestions for improvement. In addition, we would
ask prot[eacute]g[eacute]s, once they have exited the program, to
continue to provide annual updates to OSDBU for up to two years,
describing their progress in participating in federal procurement
programs.
    The estimated burden for this proposed collection is as follows:
    (1) Form: Mentor Prot[eacute]g[eacute] agreement.
    Type of Review: New Information Collection.
    Affected Public: Prime contractors and small businesses interested
in participating in DOT's Mentor Prot[eacute]g[eacute] Program.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses: Approximately 8.
    Frequency: One-time.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: 4 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 32 hours.
    (2) Form: Mentor Prot[eacute]g[eacute] program annual report.
    Type of Review: New Information Collection.
    Affected Public: Prime contractors and small businesses
participating in DOT's Mentor Prot[eacute]g[eacute] Program.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses: 8
    Frequency: One-time.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: 1 hour.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 8 hours.
    (3) Form: Mentor Prot[eacute]g[eacute] program evaluation form.

    Type of Review: New Information Collection.
    Affected Public: Prime contractors and small businesses
participating in DOT's Mentor Prot[eacute]g[eacute] Program.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses: 16
    Frequency: One-time.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: 1 hour per respondent.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 16 hours.

Extending the Duration of the Relationship

    The duration of the mentorship will be determined by the mentor and
prot[eacute]g[eacute]. We anticipate in most cases, this period will be
12 months, but some participants may want to extend their mentorship
relationship. Currently, the DOT allows for this relationship to be
extended up to 24 months. However, the DOT proposes to amend the 24
month cap and allow the relationship to be extended up to 36 months. We
received anecdotal information from program participants and other
businesses expressing that a longer relationship may be beneficial to
the firms. Program participants should be able to develop long range
developmental plans up to 36 months benefiting small business concerns
to receive additional technical assistance; otherwise not received due
to time constraints and limitations. In addition, other federal
government Mentor-Prot[eacute]g[eacute] programs allow their
participants to establish a relationship for up to 36 months.

Reports Beyond Program Participation

    DOT's Mentor Prot[eacute]g[eacute] program's primary goal is to
provide developmental assistance to help small business to compete and
perform on federal procurement opportunities. It's important to DOT to
ensure the developmental assistance received by prot[eacute]g[eacute]s
during their program participation helps them to succeed beyond the
term of the Mentor Prot[eacute]g[eacute] agreement. DOT will request
firms participating as prot[eacute]g[eacute]s in the program to agree
to report its progress to the OSDBU annually for two (2) years after
exiting the program. OSDBU will not request this of Mentors.
    For additional information related to the Mentor
Prot[eacute]g[eacute] program, visit OSDBU's Web site at www.dot.gov/osdbu.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on June 19, 2014.
Brandon Neal,
Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization.
[FR Doc. 2014-15316 Filed 6-27-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P


[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 121 (Wednesday, June 24, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36338-36339]
[FR Doc No: 2015-15405]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OPP-2015-0389; FRL-9929-01]

Pesticides; Risk Management Approach To Identifying Options for
Protecting the Monarch Butterfly; Notice of Availability and Public
Comment Opportunity

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: EPA is announcing the availability of a document for public
review and comment that describes the Agency's management approach for
understanding and identifying protections for the monarch butterfly.
This document is the start of an approach for monarch butterfly
protection and weed management which will depend upon (i) input from a
diverse group of stakeholders to identify and integrate information
with respect to influences on the population dynamics of the monarch
butterfly and the milkweed plant; and, (ii) cooperation and
collaboration from these diverse stakeholders to identify activities
that will balance weed management needs across varied landscapes with
conservation of the milkweed plant. EPA is soliciting public comment on
which potential action or a combination of actions would be the most
effective in reducing the impacts of herbicides on the monarch
butterfly.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 24, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by docket identification
(ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2015-0389, by one of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Do not submit
electronically any information you consider to be Confidential Business
Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted
by statute.
     Mail: OPP Docket, Environmental Protection Agency Docket
Center (EPA/DC), (28221T), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC
20460-0001.
     Hand Delivery: To make special arrangements for hand
delivery or delivery of boxed information, please follow the
instructions at http://www.epa.gov/dockets/contacts.html.
    Additional instructions on commenting or visiting the docket, along
with more information about dockets generally, is available at http://www.epa.gov/dockets.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Khue Nguyen, Pesticide Re-Evaluation
Division (7508P), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460-
0001; telephone number:<PHONE_NUMBER>; email address:
<EMAIL_ADDRESS>
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this action apply to me?

    This action is directed to the public in general, and may be of
interest to a wide range of stakeholders including environmental, human
health, farmworker, and agricultural advocates; the chemical industry;
pesticide users; and members of the public interested in the sale,
distribution, or use of pesticides. Since others also may be
interested, the agency has not attempted to describe all the specific
entities that may be affected by this action.

B. What should I consider as I prepare my comments for EPA?

    1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit this information to EPA through
http://www.regulations.gov or email. Clearly mark the part or all of
the information that you claim to be CBI. For CBI information in a disk
or CD-ROM that you mail to EPA, mark the outside of the disk or CD-ROM
as CBI and then identify electronically within the disk or CD-ROM the
specific information that is claimed as CBI. In addition to one
complete version of the comment that includes information claimed as
CBI, a copy of the comment that does not contain the information
claimed as CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public docket.
Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance with
procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2.
    2. Tips for preparing your comments. When preparing and submitting
your comments, see the commenting tips at http://www.epa.gov/dockets/comments.html.

II. What Action is the Agency Taking?

    EPA is taking public comment on a document entitled, Risk
Management Approach to Identifying Options for Protecting the Monarch
Butterfly, a copy of which is available in the docket at http://www.regulations.gov under docket ID number EPA-HQ-OPP-2015-0389. The
document identifies the types of information that EPA believes may be
important to have in order to identify appropriate actions to take
under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)
to protect monarch butterflies (including milkweed resources) while
also enabling pesticide users to meet important weed management needs.
EPA is initiating efforts focused specifically on the monarch butterfly
for several reasons.
    First, the U.S. has been engaged in an effort with Canada and
Mexico through the Canada/Mexico/U.S. Trilateral Committee for Wildlife
and Ecosystem Conservation and Management, where the three partner
nations have agreed to make natural resource conservation a priority.
Consistent with its objective to conserve and manage natural resources
across North America, the committee has recognized the monarch
butterfly as an emblematic species shared by the three countries and
renewed their collaborative effort to protect the species and its
required resources.
    Secondly, in addition to the efforts of the Trilateral Committee,
President Obama issued a memorandum on pollinator protection entitled,
Creating a Federal Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and
other Pollinators. The memorandum highlights the importance of the
monarch butterfly and establishes a task force of Federal agencies to
develop a strategy to conserve pollinators and the monarch butterfly in
particular. The memorandum states that the task force is to develop a
strategy that looks to developing partnerships with external
stakeholders such as state, tribal and local governments, farmers,
corporations, and non-governmental organizations to achieve the goal of
protecting and conserving the monarch butterfly and its habitat.
    Finally, in February 2014, EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP)
received a petition from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

asking EPA to take actions to reduce the use of the herbicide
glyphosate because NRDC believes that the widespread use of glyphosate
has impacted the monarch butterfly by reducing the presence of the
milkweed. While EPA has denied NRDC's petition, EPA concludes that its
ongoing efforts to protect bees, in conjunction now with this effort to
protect the monarch butterfly, are in line with the objectives of the
NRDC petition.
    In addition, together with several non-governmental organizations,
various agencies within the Federal government have been working
collaboratively with the Monarch Joint Venture to develop and implement
measures to protect monarch butterflies and their migration. The
approach and objectives outlined in Risk Management Approach to
Identifying Options for Protecting the Monarch Butterfly will support
and complement the actions and objectives of the Trilateral Committee
and the Presidential Memorandum on Pollinator Health.
    EPA is soliciting public comment on which potential action or a
combination of actions would be the most effective in reducing the
impacts of herbicides on the monarch butterfly. The agency is also
requesting that any additional measures not discussed here be
identified.
    Please note that the approach discussed in Risk Management Approach
to Identifying Options for Protecting the Monarch Butterfly is intended
to provide guidance to EPA personnel and decision-makers and to
pesticide registrants. While the requirements in the statutes and
Agency regulations are binding on EPA and the applicants, this guidance
document is not binding on either EPA or pesticide registrants, and EPA
may depart from the guidance where circumstances warrant and without
prior notice. Likewise, pesticide registrants may assert that the
guidance is not applicable to a specific pesticide or situation.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq.

    Dated: June 16, 2015.
Jack Housenger,
Director, Office of Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 2015-15405 Filed 6-23-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P


[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 140 (Monday, July 26, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40111-40114]
[FR Doc No: 2021-15832]

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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-92453; File No. SR-NYSEArca-2021-63]

Self-Regulatory Organizations; NYSE Arca, Inc.; Notice of Filing
and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change To Permit Monday
and Wednesday Expirations for Options Listed Pursuant to the Short Term
Option Series Program on the Invesco QQQ TrustSM Series (``QQQ'') ETF
Trust

July 21, 2021.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) \1\ of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 (the ``Act'') \2\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\3\ notice is hereby
given that, on July 12, 2021, NYSE Arca, Inc. (``NYSE Arca'' or the
``Exchange'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
``Commission'') the proposed rule change as described in Items I and II
below, which Items have been prepared by the self-regulatory
organization. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit
comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 15 U.S.C. 78a.
    \3\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The Exchange proposes to amend Rule 6.4-O to permit Monday and
Wednesday expirations for options listed pursuant to the Short Term
Options Series Program on the Invesco QQQ TrustTM Series
(``QQQ'') ETF Trust. The proposed rule change is available on the
Exchange's website at www.nyse.com, at the principal office of the
Exchange, and at the Commission's Public Reference Room.

II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

    In its filing with the Commission, the self-regulatory organization
included statements concerning the purpose of, and basis for, the
proposed rule change and discussed any comments it received on the
proposed rule change. The text of those statements may be examined at
the places specified in Item IV below. The Exchange has prepared
summaries, set forth in sections A, B, and C below, of the most
significant parts of such statements.

A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and the
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

1. Purpose
    The purpose of this filing is to amend Rule 6.4-O, Series of
Options Open for Trading, to permit Monday and Wednesday expirations
for options listed pursuant to the Short Term Options Series Program
(``Program'') on QQQ.
    A Short Term Options Series is a series in an option class that is
approved for listing and trading on the Exchange in which the series is
opened for trading on any Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or
Friday that is a business day and that expires on the Monday, Wednesday
or Friday of the next business week, or, in the case of a series that
is listed on a Friday and expires on a Monday, is listed one business
week and one business day prior to that expiration.\4\ The Exchange is
proposing to amend Rule 6.4-O Commentary .07(g) to permit the listing
of options series that expire on Mondays and Wednesdays in QQQ.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ See NYSE Arca Rule 6.1-O(b)41. Short Term Option Series.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday Expirations
    As proposed, with respect to Monday QQQ Expirations within Rule
6.4-O Commentary .07, the Exchange may open for trading on any Friday
or Monday that is a business day series of options on QQQ to expire on
any Monday of the month that is a business day and is not a Monday in
which Quarterly Options Series on the same class expire (``Monday QQQ
Expirations''), provided that Monday QQQ Expirations that are listed on
a Friday must be listed at least one business week and one business day
prior to the expiration. The Exchange may list up to five consecutive
Monday QQQ Expirations at one time; the Exchange may have no more than
a total of five Monday QQQ Expirations.\5\
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    \5\ The Exchange proposes to make a clarifying change to Rule
6.4-O Commentary .07(g) to make clear that the Exchange may have no
more than a total of five each of Wednesday SPY Expirations and
Wednesday QQQ Expirations and a total of five each of Monday SPY
Expirations and Monday QQQ Expirations. The Exchange also proposes
to make a non-substantive change to add the word ``business'' before
``day'' in the first sentence of Rule 6.4-O Commentary .07(g).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday Expirations
    As proposed, with respect to Wednesday QQQ Expirations within Rule
6.4-O Commentary .07, the Exchange may open for trading on any Tuesday
or Wednesday that is a business day series of options on QQQ to expire
on any Wednesday of the month that is a business day and is not a
Wednesday in which Quarterly Options Series on the same class expire
(``Wednesday QQQ Expirations''). The Exchange may list up to five
consecutive Wednesday QQQ Expirations at one time; the Exchange may
have no more than a total of five Wednesday QQQ Expirations.
Monday and Wednesday Expirations
    The interval between strike prices for the proposed Monday and
Wednesday QQQ Expirations will be the same as those for the current
Short Term Option Series for Wednesday and Friday expirations
applicable to the Program.\6\ Specifically, the Monday and Wednesday
QQQ Expirations will have a $0.50 strike interval minimum.\7\ As is the
case with other equity options series listed pursuant to the Program,
the Monday and Wednesday QQQ Expirations series will be P.M. settled.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \6\ See NYSE Arca Rule 6.4-O Commentary .07(g).
    \7\ See NYSE Arca Rule 6.4-O Commentary .07(e).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Pursuant to Rule 6.1-O,\8\ with respect to the Program, if Monday
is not a business day the series shall expire on the first business day
immediately following that Monday. This procedure differs from the
expiration date of Wednesday expiration series that are scheduled to
expire on a holiday. Pursuant to Rule 6.1-O \9\ a Wednesday expiration
series shall expire on the first business day immediately prior to that
Wednesday, e.g., Tuesday of that week, if the Wednesday is not a
business day. For purposes of QQQ, however, the Exchange believes that
it is preferable to require Monday expiration series in this scenario
to expire on the Tuesday of that week rather than the previous business
day, e.g., the previous Friday, since the Tuesday is closer in time to
the scheduled expiration date of the series than the previous Friday,
and therefore may be more representative of anticipated market
conditions. Nasdaq PHLX LLC (``Phlx'') uses the same procedure for QQQ
with Monday and Wednesday expirations.\10\ Nasdaq Phlx \11\ and Nasdaq
ISE, LLC (``ISE'') \12\ also use the same procedure for options on the
Nasdaq-100[supreg] (``NDX'') with Monday expirations that are listed
pursuant to its Nonstandard Expirations

Pilot Programs, respectively. Cboe Exchange, Inc. (``Cboe'') uses the
same procedure for options on the S&P500 index (``SPX'') with Monday
expirations that are listed pursuant to its Nonstandard Expirations
Pilot Program and that are scheduled to expire on a holiday.\13\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \8\ Rule 6.1-O, Definition of ``Short Term Option Series.''
    \9\ Id.
    \10\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 91238 (March 2,
2021), 86 FR 13404 (March 8, 2021) (SR-Phlx-2021-10).
    \11\ See Phlx Options 4A, Section 12(b)(5).
    \12\ See ISE Supplementary Material .07 to Options 4A, Section
12.
    \13\ See Cboe Rule 4.13(e)(1) ``. . . If the Exchange is not
open for business on a respective Monday, the normally Monday
expiring Weekly Expirations will expire on the following business
day. If the Exchange is not open for business on a respective
Wednesday or Friday, the normally Wednesday or Friday expiring
Weekly Expirations will expire on the previous business day.''
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    Currently, for each option class eligible for participation in the
Program, the Exchange is limited to opening thirty (30) series for each
expiration date for the specific class.\14\ The thirty (30) series
restriction does not include series that are open by other securities
exchanges under their respective short term options rules; the Exchange
may list these additional series that are listed by other
exchanges.\15\ This thirty (30) series restriction would apply to
Monday and Wednesday QQQ Expiration series as well. In addition, the
Exchange will be able to list series that are listed by other
exchanges, assuming they file similar rules with the Commission to list
QQQ options expiring on Mondays and Wednesdays.
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    \14\ See NYSE Arca Rule 6.4-O Commentary .07.
    \15\ Id.
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    Finally, the Exchange is amending Rule 6.4-O Commentary .07(a),
which addresses the listing of Short Term Options Series that expire in
the same week as monthly or quarterly options series. Currently, that
rule states that no Short Term Option Series may expire in the same
week in which monthly option series on the same class expire (with the
exception of Monday and Wednesday SPY Expirations) or, in the case of
Quarterly Options Series, on an expiration that coincides with an
expiration of Quarterly Options Series on the same class.\16\ As with
Monday and Wednesday SPY Expirations, the Exchange is proposing to
permit Monday and Wednesday QQQ Expirations to expire in the same week
as monthly options series on the same class. The Exchange believes that
it is reasonable to extend this exemption to Monday and Wednesday QQQ
Expirations because Monday and Wednesday QQQ Expirations and standard
monthly options will not expire on the same trading day, as standard
monthly options expire on Fridays. Additionally, the Exchange believes
that not listing Monday and Wednesday QQQ Expirations for one week
every month because there was a monthly QQQ expiration on the Friday of
that week would create investor confusion.
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    \16\ See NYSE Arca Rule 6.4-O Commentary .07(a).
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    The Exchange does not believe that any market disruptions will be
encountered with the introduction of P.M.-settled Monday and Wednesday
QQQ expirations. The Exchange has the necessary capacity and
surveillance programs in place to support and properly monitor trading
in the proposed Monday and Wednesday QQQ Expirations. The Exchange
currently trades P.M.-settled Short Term Option Series that expire
Monday and Wednesday for SPY and has not experienced any market
disruptions nor issues with capacity. The Exchange currently has
surveillance programs in place to support and properly monitor trading
in Short Term Option Series that expire Monday and Wednesday for SPY.
    Similar to SPY, the introduction of Monday and Wednesday QQQ
Expirations will, among other things, expand hedging tools available to
market participants and continue the reduction of the premium cost of
buying protection. The Exchange believes that Monday and Wednesday QQQ
Expirations will allow market participants to purchase QQQ based on
their timing as needed and allow them to tailor their investment and
hedging needs more effectively.
2. Statutory Basis
    The Exchange believes that its proposed rule change is consistent
with Section 6(b) of the Act \17\ in general, and furthers the
objectives of Section 6(b)(5) of the Act \18\ in particular, in that it
is designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices,
to promote just and equitable principles of trade, to foster
cooperation and coordination with persons engaged in facilitating
transactions in securities, to remove impediments to and perfect the
mechanisms of a free and open market and a national market system and,
in general, to protect investors and the public interest.
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    \17\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b).
    \18\ 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).
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    The proposed rule change is intended to provide the investing
public and other market participants more flexibility to closely tailor
their investment and hedging decisions in QQQ options, thus allowing
them to better manage their risk exposure.
    In particular, the Exchange believes the Program has been
successful to date and that Monday and Wednesday QQQ Expirations should
simply expand the ability of investors to hedge risk against market
movements stemming from economic releases or market events that occur
throughout the month in the same way that the Program has expanded the
landscape of hedging. Similarly, the Exchange believes Monday and
Wednesday QQQ Expirations should create greater trading and hedging
opportunities and flexibility, and will provide customers with the
ability to tailor their investment objectives more effectively. The
Exchange currently lists Monday and Wednesday SPY Expirations.\19\
Also, Cboe \20\ currently permits Monday and Wednesday expirations for
other options with a weekly expiration, such as options on the SPX
pursuant to its Nonstandard Expirations Pilot Program and Phlx \21\ and
ISE \22\ currently permit Monday and Wednesday expirations for other
options with a weekly expiration on NDX pursuant to its Nonstandard
Expirations Pilot Programs, respectively.
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    \19\ Supra note 14.
    \20\ Supra note 13.
    \21\ Supra note 11.
    \22\ Supra note 12.
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    With the exception of Monday expiration series that are scheduled
to expire on a holiday, there are no material differences in the
treatment of Monday and Wednesday QQQ Expirations for Short Term Option
Series. The Exchange believes that it is consistent with the Act to
treat Monday expiration series that expire on a holiday differently
than Wednesday or Friday expiration series, since the proposed
treatment for Monday expiration series will result in an expiration
date that is closer in time to the scheduled expiration date of the
series, and therefore may be more representative of anticipated market
conditions. Monday SPY expirations are currently treated in this
manner.\23\ Cboe \24\ uses the same procedure for SPX options with
Monday expirations that are listed pursuant to its Nonstandard
Expirations Pilot Program and that are scheduled to expire on a
holiday, as do Phlx \25\ and ISE \26\ for NDX options with Monday
expirations that are listed pursuant to their Nonstandard Expirations
Pilot Programs, respectively.
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    \23\ Supra note 14.
    \24\ Supra note 13.
    \25\ Supra note 11.
    \26\ Supra note 12.
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    Given the similarities between Monday and Wednesday SPY Expirations
and the proposed Monday and Wednesday QQQ Expirations, the Exchange
believes that applying the provisions in NYSE Arca Rule 6.4-O
Commentary .07 that currently apply to Monday and Wednesday SPY

Expirations to Monday and Wednesday QQQ Expirations is justified. For
example, the Exchange believes that allowing Monday and Wednesday QQQ
Expirations and monthly QQQ expirations in the same week will benefit
investors and minimize investor confusion by providing Monday and
Wednesday QQQ Expirations in a continuous and uniform manner. The
Exchange also believes that it is appropriate to amend NYSE Arca Rule
6.4-O Commentary .07 to clarify that no Short Term Option Series may
expire on the same day as an expiration of Quarterly Option Series on
the same class, same as SPY.
    The Exchange represents that it has an adequate surveillance
program in place to detect manipulative trading in Monday and Wednesday
expirations, including Monday and Wednesday QQQ Expirations, in the
same way that it monitors trading in the current Short Term Option
Series and trading in Monday and Wednesday SPY Expirations. The
Exchange also represents that it has the necessary systems capacity to
support the new options series. Finally, the Exchange does not believe
that any market disruptions will be encountered with the introduction
of Monday and Wednesday QQQ Expirations.

B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    The Exchange does not believe that the proposed rule change will
impose any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate
in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. The Exchange notes that
having Monday and Wednesday QQQ Expirations is not a novel proposal, as
Monday and Wednesday SPY Expirations are currently listed on the
Exchange.\27\ Cboe \28\ uses the same procedure for SPX options with
Monday expirations that are listed pursuant to its Nonstandard
Expirations Pilot Program and that are scheduled to expire on a
holiday, as do Phlx \29\ and ISE \30\ for NDX options with Monday
expirations that are listed pursuant to their Nonstandard Expirations
Pilot Programs, respectively.
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    \27\ Supra note 14.
    \28\ Supra note 13.
    \29\ Supra note 11.
    \30\ Supra note 12.
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    The Exchange does not believe the proposal will impose any burden
on intra-market competition, as all market participants will be treated
in the same manner under this proposal. Additionally, the Exchange does
not believe the proposal will impose any burden on inter-market
competition, as nothing prevents the other options exchanges from
proposing similar rules to list and trade Short-Term Option Series with
Monday and Wednesday expirations.

C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others

    No written comments were solicited or received with respect to the
proposed rule change.

III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for
Commission Action

    Because the foregoing proposed rule change does not: (i)
Significantly affect the protection of investors or the public
interest; (ii) impose any significant burden on competition; and (iii)
become operative for 30 days from the date on which it was filed, or
such shorter time as the Commission may designate, it has become
effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \31\ and Rule 19b-
4(f)(6) thereunder.\32\
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    \31\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \32\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6). In addition, Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii)
requires a self-regulatory organization to give the Commission
written notice of its intent to file the proposed rule change, along
with a brief description and text of the proposed rule change, at
least five business days prior to the date of filing of the proposed
rule change, or such shorter time as designated by the Commission.
The Exchange has satisfied this requirement.
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    A proposed rule change filed under Rule 19b-4(f)(6) \33\ normally
does not become operative prior to 30 days after the date of the
filing. However, pursuant to Rule 19b-4(f)(6)(iii),\34\ the Commission
may designate a shorter time if such action is consistent with the
protection of investors and the public interest. The Exchange has
requested that the Commission waive the 30-day operative delay so that
the proposal may become operative immediately upon filing. The
Commission notes that it recently approved Phlx's substantially similar
proposal to list and trade Monday QQQ Expirations and Wednesday QQQ
Expirations.\35\ The Exchange has stated that waiver of the operative
delay is consistent with the protection of investors and the public
interest as it would encourage fair competition among exchanges by
allowing the Exchange to compete effectively with Phlx by having the
ability to list and trade the same Monday and Wednesday QQQ Expirations
that Phlx is able to list and trade. For these reasons, the Commission
believes that the proposed rule change presents no novel issues and
that waiver of the 30-day operative delay is consistent with the
protection of investors and the public interest, and will allow the
Exchange to remain competitive with other exchanges. Accordingly, the
Commission hereby waives the operative delay and designates the
proposed rule change operative upon filing.\36\
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    \33\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6).
    \34\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(6)(iii).
    \35\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 91614 (April 20,
2021), 86 FR 22082 (April 26, 2021) (SR-Phlx-2021-10).
    \36\ For purposes only of waiving the 30-day operative delay,
the Commission also has considered the proposed rule's impact on
efficiency, competition, and capital formation. See 15 U.S.C.
78c(f).
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    At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule
change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend such rule
change if it appears to the Commission that such action is necessary or
appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or
otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act. If the Commission
takes such action, the Commission shall institute proceedings to
determine whether the proposed rule change should be approved or
disapproved.

IV. Solicitation of Comments

    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and
arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule
change is consistent with the Act. Comments may be submitted by any of
the following methods:

Electronic Comments

     Use the Commission's internet comment form (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml); or
     Send an email to<EMAIL_ADDRESS>Please include
File Number SR-NYSEArca-2021-63 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

     Send paper comments in triplicate to Secretary, Securities
and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549-1090.

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-NYSEArca-2021-63. This
file number should be included on the subject line if email is used. To
help the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently,
please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on
the Commission's internet website (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml).
Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all written
statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are filed with
the Commission, and all written

communications relating to the proposed rule change between the
Commission and any person, other than those that may be withheld from
the public in accordance with the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be
available for website viewing and printing in the Commission's Public
Reference Room, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549 on official
business days between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of
the filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the
principal office of the Exchange. All comments received will be posted
without change. Persons submitting comments are cautioned that we do
not redact or edit personal identifying information from comment
submissions. You should submit only information that you wish to make
available publicly. All submissions should refer to File Number SR-
NYSEArca-2021-63, and should be submitted on or before August 16, 2021.
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    \37\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets,
pursuant to delegated authority.\37\
J. Matthew DeLesDernier,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2021-15832 Filed 7-23-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P