March 27, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action proposes to clarify and simplify the number of days' interest that may be paid on loss claims. The liquidation provisions currently provides a timeframe for the interest payment based upon ``the date of the decision to liquidate'' which is often difficult to determine. In addition, the Agency is clarifying the application for payment after liquidation and the guaranteed lender's responsibility for future recoveries.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined the regulatory review period for A180 and is publishing this notice of that determination as required by law. FDA has made the determination because of the submission of an application to the Director of Patents and Trademarks, Department of Commerce, for the extension of a patent which claims that animal drug product.

DoD has adopted as final, without change, an interim rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to implement Section 1211 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006. Section 1211 prohibits DoD from acquiring United States Munitions List items from Communist Chinese military companies.

DoD has issued a final rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to update policy addressing requirements for DoD contractors to submit payment requests in electronic form. The rule clarifies the situations under which DoD will grant exceptions to requirements for electronic submission of payment requests.

DoD is making technical amendments to the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to update references within the DFARS text.

DoD is proposing to amend the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to remove text addressing DoD procedures for closeout of contract files. The text proposed for removal will be relocated to the DFARS companion resource, Procedures, Guidance, and Information.

The Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) is proposing to revise its regulations, at 12 CFR 584.2 and 584.2-2, to expand the permissible activities of savings and loan holding companies (SLHCs) to the full extent permitted under the Home Owners' Loan Act (HOLA). In addition, OTS proposes to amend 12 CFR 584.4 to conform the regulation to the statute that it is intended to implement by replacing the absolute prohibition on certain SLHC transactions that is currently in the regulation with a prior approval requirement. The proposed regulation sets forth standards that OTS will use to evaluate applications submitted pursuant to the application requirement.

This recommended decision invites written exceptions on proposed amendments to Marketing Order No. 984, which regulates the handling of walnuts grown in California (Order). The amendments were proposed by the Walnut Marketing Board (Board), which is responsible for local administration of the order. The amendments included in this recommended decision would: Change the marketing year; include ``pack'' as a handler function; restructure the Board and revise nomination procedures; rename the Board and add authority to change Board composition; modify Board meeting and voting procedures; add authority for marketing promotion and paid advertising; add authority to accept voluntary financial contributions and to carry over excess assessment funds; broaden the scope of the quality control provisions and add the authority to recommend different regulations for different market destinations; add authority for the Board to appoint more than one inspection service; replace outdated order language with current industry terminology; and other related amendments. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposed three additional amendments: To establish tenure limitations for Board members, to require that continuance referenda be conducted on a periodic basis to ascertain producer support for the order, and to make any changes to the order as may be necessary to conform with any amendment that may result from the hearing. The proposed amendments are intended to improve the operation and functioning of the marketing order program.

NCUA proposes to amend its regulations to address a federally- insured credit union's obligation to maintain a records preservation program. The proposed rule draws from existing guidance to clarify requirements for preserving vital records and to suggest important items for consideration in restoring vital member services. NCUA believes the revised language and new appendix will facilitate the recovery of essential operations after a catastrophic act resulting in continued member confidence in the credit union system. The agency also proposes to amend its regulations to clarify the meaning of catastrophic act.

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C., Appendix as amended), the Sunshine in the Government Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended), and 41 CFR 102-3.150, the following meeting notice is announced. In accordance with section 10(a)(2) of Public Law.

This is Supplement No.7 to the Treasury Department Circular 570, 2006 Revision, published June 20, 2006, at 71 FR 37694.

The FAA proposes to rule and invite public comment on the release of land at Pierce County Airport/Thun Field under the provisions of Section 125 of the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR 21).

Pursuant to National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service announces the availability of a Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Ellis Island Development Concept Plan, Statute of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island, New York and New Jersey. The primary purpose of the FEIS is to finalize the documentation of the environmental consequences of alternative management strategies for the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of 30 deteriorating buildings on Ellis Island, and the limited service and emergency access that are described in the preferred alternative of the Development Concept Plan. The Development Concept Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement (DCP/FEIS) evaluates three (3) alternatives regarding the future of the vacant historic buildings of Ellis Island. ``Alternative 1: No Action Continutation of Existing Management Direction,'' describes the conditions after only temporary stabilization of the buildings and the existing vehicular service bridge. The eventual result of the no action alternative is the complete or near-complete loss of these resources as the effects of temporary stabilization expire. This alternative provides the basis of comparison to judge the potential impacts of the two ``action'' alternatives. Both action alternatives would include a new service bridge to New Jersey for emergency and service vehicles; the no action alternative would not. ``Alternative 2: Ellis Island PartnersDay Use Only,'' describes conditions that would result after the buildings are rehabilitated as a campus for multiple non-profit/ institutional uses complimenting the historic of Ellis Island ``Alternative 3: Ellis Island Institute with Overnight Accommodations'' (the preferred alternative), describes the conditions if the buildings were rehabilitated as an educational, non-profit institute with an associated conference/retreat center. The facilities would include overnight accommodations to host meetings, retreats, and workshops primarily focusing on issues such as immigration, world migration, public health, family history, historic preservation, and the environment. The preferred alternative would accomplish the goals and objectives set forth in the NPS 1982 Statute of Liberty National Monument General Management Plan which identified several major buildings on the north side of the island for rehabilitation and reuse by the NPS for interpretation, visitor services and administration (subsequently completed utilizing private funds raised by the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation), and proposed that the balance of the buildings on the island, including all of the south-side buildings, be preserved on the exteriors and adapted for reuse by either the NPS or a private organization under a lease agreement or concession contract. The DCP/FEIS documents the project's requirements to comply with NPS Director's Order 21 and the Partnership Construction Process, as well as the requirement for additional analysis to confirm the economic and programmatic viability of the proposed action. The results of these studies will guide the scope, design and build-out of this project. If the project is determined by the NPS to not be economically feasible, the NPS will consider alternatives for management of Ellis Island taking into account the information gained from said market analysis and feasibility studies and other facts then available. This further consideration of alternatives will be conducted in accordance with applicable requirements of the National Environmental Protection Act and the National Historic Preservation Act (as amended). The release of the Development Concept Plan/Draft Environmental Impact Statement in June 2003, and publication of the Notice of Availability in the Federal Register on June 25, 2003 began a 60-day review period of the draft document. During that review period, the National Park Service held two public meetings to provide agencies and the public an opportunity to comment on the draft document. During the public comment period on the draft document, comments were received in the form of letters, cards, and emails. Written and verbal comments were submitted at public hearings. All substantive comments have been addressed in the ``Consultation and Coordination'' chapter of the DCP/ FEIS.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to designate critical habitat for the Pecos sunflower (Helianthus paradoxus) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, approximately 1579.3 acres (ac) (639.1 hectares (ha)) fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation. Proposed critical habitat is located in Chaves, Cibola, Guadalupe, Socorro, and Valencia Counties, New Mexico, and in Pecos County, Texas.