July 9, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announces the availability of approximately $10 million in grant funds, less USDA administrative costs, to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. The funds announced under this program (SCBGP-FB) are separate from the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) funds announced by AMS on March 5, 2008. SCBGP-FB funds are authorized by the recently enacted Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2007 Farm Bill). The application process to apply for the SCBGP-FB funds will parallel those currently found in 7 CFR part 1290. Regulations to implement the amendments made in the 2007 Farm Bill will be published in the near future. State departments of agriculture are encouraged to develop their grant applications promptly. The 2007 Farm Bill requires USDA to obligate the grant funds under this program by the end of the fiscal year, September 30, 2008, which necessitates a short application period. State departments of agriculture interested in obtaining grant program funds are invited to submit applications to USDA. State departments of agriculture, meaning agencies, commissions, or departments of a State government responsible for agriculture within the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands are eligible to apply. State departments of agriculture are encouraged to involve industry groups, academia, and community-based organizations in the development of applications and the administration of projects.

The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that a First Tier Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for proposed improvements to I-70 from the end of the last ramp termini east of the Missouri and Kansas state line to east of the I-470 interchange, including the entire Kansas City Downtown Central Business District (CBD) Freeway Loop, in Jackson County, Missouri.

The following applicants filed AM or FM proposals to change the community of license: DAVAO LLC, Station KWAP, Facility ID 165961, BMPH-20080611AAZ, From PINE HAVEN, WY, To ROZET, WY; JER LICENSES, LLC, Station NEW, Facility ID 170966, BNPH-20070502ACF, From GRAPELAND, TX, To BULLARD, TX; MATINEE RADIO, LLC, Station KKUL-FM, Facility ID 164216, BMPH-20080523ADF, From GROVETON, TX, To TRINITY, TX; ULTIMATE CAPS, INC., Station KYDT, Facility ID 78241, BPH-20080611ABA, From SUNDANCE, WY, To PINE HAVEN, WY; UNITED STATES CP, LLC, Station KXCL, Facility ID 164277, BPH-20080606AES, From WESTCLIFFE, CO, To FORT CARSON, CO.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will convene a Reef Fish Advisory Panel (AP).

The General Services Administration (GSA) is proposing to amend the General Services Acquisition Regulation (GSAR) to revise language pertaining to requirements for types of contracts.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, as amended), notice is hereby given that the following meetings of Humanities Panels will be held at the Old Post Office, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20506.

The Peace Corps proposes to revise its regulation concerning claims filed under the Federal Tort Claims Act, to make the regulation internally consistent with another provision stating that the Chief Financial Officer has authority to approve claims for amounts under $5000.

The EPA is announcing an extension of the public comment period on the proposed rule ``National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Lead.'' As initially published in the Federal Register on May 20, 2008, written comments on the proposed rule were to be submitted by July 21, 2008. On July 1, 2008, EPA received a court order extending the deadline for signature of the notice of final rulemaking to October 15, 2008 and extending the public comment period on the proposed rule to August 4, 2008.

This notice announces the opening of the application period for the U.S. EPA's third annual Water Efficiency Leader Awards. The awards recognize those organizations and individuals who are providing leadership and innovation in water efficient products and practices. These awards are intended to help foster a nationwide ethic of water efficiency, as well as to inspire, motivate, and recognize efforts to improve water efficiency. This program will enable EPA to document ``best practices'', share information, encourage an ethic of water efficiency, and create a network of water efficiency leaders. Recognition will be given on the basis of persuasive community or organizational leadership in the area of water efficiency, originality and innovativeness, national/global perspective and implications, and overall improvements in water efficiency. Actual (as opposed to anticipated) results are preferred and applicants should be able to demonstrate the amount of water saved. Candidates may be from anywhere in the United States, they may work in either the public or the private sector, and they may be either self-nominated or nominated by a third party. The following sectors are encouraged to apply: Corporations and Industry, Water Utilities, Government, Non-Governmental Organizations, and Individuals. Water utilities may be public or privately owned. Government includes, for example, Local, State, Tribal, and Federal Agencies, and Military bases. In order to be considered, applicants must have a satisfactory compliance record with respect to environmental regulations and requirements. Applications will be judged by a panel of national water efficiency experts from a variety of sectors. The panelists will provide recommendations to EPA, who will then make the final decision. EPA reserves the right to contact nominees for additional information should it be deemed necessary. To Apply: Send a one page description (single sided) of the water efficient project being nominated. Also send a completed application form found at https://www.epa.gov/water/wel.

On July 9, 2008, the Securities and Exchange Commission will hold a roundtable to facilitate an open discussion of the benefits and potential challenges associated with existing fair value accounting and auditing standards. The roundtable will be organized as two panels: The first panel to discuss fair value accounting issues from the perspective of larger financial institutions and the needs of their investors; and the second panel to discuss the issues from the perspective of all public companies, including small public companies, and the needs of their investors. The panels will include investors, preparers, auditors, regulators and other interested parties. Additionally, representatives from the Financial Accounting Standards Board, International Accounting Standards Board and Public Company Accounting Oversight Board will be present as observers. The roundtable will be held in the auditorium at the SEC's headquarters at 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC. The roundtable will be open to the public with seating on a first-come, first-served basis. The roundtable discussions also will be available via webcast on the SEC's Web site at https://www.sec.gov. The roundtable agenda and other materials related to the roundtable, including a list of participants and moderators, will be accessible at https://www.sec.gov/spotlight/ fairvalue.htm. The Commission welcomes feedback regarding any of the topics to be addressed at the roundtable.

The inventions listed below are owned by an agency of the U.S. Government and are available for licensing in the U.S. in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 207 to achieve expeditious commercialization of results of federally-funded research and development. Foreign patent applications are filed on selected inventions to extend market coverage for companies and may also be available for licensing.

This notice is for planning purposes only. It does not constitute a solicitation or Request for Proposal (RFP), nor does it restrict the Government as to the ultimate acquisition approach. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI or to otherwise pay for the information solicited. Any contract that might be awarded based on information received or derived from this RFI will be the outcome of the competitive process. Any purchases that might result from information received or derived from this RFI will be at the discretion of the Government. Purpose: To ensure development of a rigorous and comprehensive battery of HTS assays, the NTP seeks information and comments on the identification and selection of critical cellular toxicity pathways for interrogation in cell-based high throughput screens. The NTP is also interested in receiving recommendations on particular molecular targets within these critical cellular toxicity pathways that are most informative for profiling the pathways, both in cell-based and biochemical assay formats. In addition to information on cellular pathways and targets, the NTP seeks information on technologies and assay systems that might be used in the development of a comprehensive approach to high throughput toxicity screening. Responses to RFI: The Government requests a brief (no more than 1 page) description of the proposed presentation addressing one or more of the points listed below or other directly related topics. In considering responses to this RFI, please keep in mind the assay protocol requirements for assays run at the NIH Chemical Genomics Center (NCGC) (https://www.ncgc.nih.gov/guidance/HTS_Assay_Guidance_ Criteria.html ). Recommendations on the identification and selection of critical cellular pathways involved in toxicity and associated with a phenotypic manifestation of toxicity in vivo (disease outcome). Information on assays that can be used to measure the activity of a compound on a target within a critical pathway. Information on the selection of the best targets within pathways and networks in order to accurately and fully characterize the activity of a compound within a specific pathway or the ability of a compound to trigger a stress-responsive pathway resulting in a defined toxicity or disease. Information on assays, technologies, or methods that will aid in identifying compounds which are active only after metabolic activation. New technologies or technologies under development that can be exploited in HTS programs, such as those underway at the NCGC or as secondary, targeted, follow-up testing to expand and more carefully characterize the findings from initial screens. All responses should include the following information: Company name, company address, name of presenter, telephone number, and e-mail address. Responses should be submitted by August 11, 2008, either electronically via the meeting Web site or by fax, e-mail, or mail to: Jennifer Smith, Contract Specialist, NIEHS, P.O. Box 12874, Mail Drop EC-02, 79 T.W. Alexander Drive, Building 4401, Room 134, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709; fax: 919-541-2712; e-mail: smithj3@niehs.nih.gov. Responses will be reviewed to ensure that the Government, by extending an invitation to a party to participate in the RFI meeting, will receive information directly relevant to its HTS program for toxicity assessment and that the party fully understands the nature of the meeting and the type of information sought. Acknowledgement of receipt of responses will not be made nor will respondents be notified of the Government's assessment of the information received. No basis for claims against the Government shall arise as a result of a response to this request for information or in the Government's use of such information as either part of its evaluation process or to develop specifications for any subsequent announcement. Responses will not be returned. The summarized responses (without identifiers) may appear in internal reports or be made public. Although the NIH will provide safeguards to prevent the release of identifying information, there is no guarantee of confidentiality. Attendance and Registration: An informational public meeting will be held on September 11-12, 2008, at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, 111 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Attendance at the meeting is limited only by the available space. The purpose of this meeting is for interested parties to provide the Government information about assays, molecular targets, and cellular pathways through brief presentations and a question and answer session. Parties interested in making a presentation at the meeting must register on the meeting Web site: (https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/32908). Attendees not making presentations are also encouraged to register at the Web site for planning purposes. The Government anticipates that registered presenters will be allotted 20 minutes each for presentations (limit of one speaker per organization); however, the Government retains the right to limit the number of presentations and/ or limit the allotted time for presentations based upon the number of registered presenters. Presenters will be notified about the scheduled order of presentations and the list of presenters will be posted on the meeting Web site at least one week prior to the meeting. It is anticipated that the meeting will include time for questions and information exchange. The slides from the presentations may appear in internal reports or be made public. Further information will be made available on the meeting Web site. Persons needing interpreting services in order to attend should contact 301-402-8180 (voice) or 301- 435-1908 (TTY). For other special accommodations while on NIEHS campus, contact 919-541-2475 or e-mail niehsoeeo@niehs.nih.gov.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Nebraska (FEMA-1770-DR), dated June 20, 2008, and related determinations.

In accordance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations and FAA Order 1050.1E, Change 1, the FAA is announcing the availability of and requesting comments on the Draft EIS for the Spaceport America Commercial Launch Site, Sierra County, New Mexico. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Office of Commercial Space Transportation is the lead Federal agency for the development of this EIS. Cooperating agencies include the Bureau of Land Management; the National Park Service; United States Department of the Army, White Sands Missile Range (WSMR); and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Draft EIS was prepared in response to an application for a launch site operator license from the New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA). Under the Proposed Action, the FAA would issue a launch site operator license to NMSA to operate a launch facility capable of accommodating both horizontal and vertical launches of suborbital launch vehicles (LVs). The vehicles may carry space flight participants, scientific experiments, or other payloads. The proposed site is located in Sierra County, approximately 30 miles southeast of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, and 45 miles north of Las Cruces, New Mexico. The Draft EIS addresses the potential environmental impacts of issuing a launch site operator license for horizontal launches only (Alternative 1), vertical launches only (Alternative 2), and the No Action Alternative.