July 29, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice is hereby given of meetings of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. Name: Larry Wortzel, Chairman of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. The Commission is mandated by Congress to investigate, assess, evaluate and report to Congress annually on the U.S.-China economic and security relationship. The mandate specifically charges the Commission to prepare a report to the Congress ``regarding the national security implications and impact of the bilateral trade and economic relationship between the United States and the People's Republic of China [that] shall include a full analysis, along with conclusions and recommendations for legislative and administrative actions * * *'' Purpose of Meetings: Pursuant to this mandate, the Commission will meet in Washington, DC on August 14, September 24-25, October 6-7, and October 20-22, 2008, to consider the first and later rounds of drafts of material for its 2008 Annual Report to Congress that have been prepared for its consideration by the Commission staff, and to make modifications to those drafts that Commission members believe are needed. Topics to be Discussed: The Commissioners will be considering draft Report sections addressing the following topics: The United States-China trade and economic relationship, including the relationship's current status; significant changes during 2008; the control of China's economy by its government, and the effect of that control on the United States. The implications of China's Sovereign Wealth Fund; seafood imports from China into Louisiana and the U.S. Gulf Coast; and R&D activities in China and resulting technology transfers to China for the U.S. economy and security. China's Activities Directly Affecting U.S. Security Interests, including China's proliferation policies and practices and China's space and cyber activities. China's Energy and Environmental Policies and Activities, including bilateral and multilateral energy and environment agreements; and China's efforts pertaining to climate change. China's Foreign and Regional Activities and Relationships in East Asia including those pertaining to Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea, and to its own special administrative region of Hong Kong. China's Media and Information Controls China's Compliance with the U.S.-China Memorandum of Understanding on China's Use of Prison Labor

This notice announces the 28th meeting of the American Health Information Community Consumer Empowerment Workgroup in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. No. 92-463, 5 U.S.C., App.).

This document cancels a public hearing on proposed rulemaking providing guidance under section 2642(g)(1). The proposed regulations describe the circumstances and procedures under which an extension of time will be granted under section 2642(g)(1). The proposed guidance affects individuals (or their estates) who failed to make a timely allocation of generation-skipping transfer (GST) exemption to a transfer, and individuals (or their estates) who failed to make a timely election under section 2632(b)(3) or (c)(5).

This document contains proposed regulations relating to credits and payments for alcohol mixtures, biodiesel mixtures, renewable diesel mixtures, alternative fuel mixtures, and alternative fuel sold for use or used as a fuel, as well as proposed regulations relating to the definition of gasoline and diesel fuel. These regulations reflect changes made by the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004, the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users, and the Tax Technical Corrections Act of 2007. These regulations affect producers of alcohol, biodiesel, and renewable diesel; producers of alcohol, biodiesel, renewable diesel, and alternative fuel mixtures; sellers and users of alternative fuel; and certain persons liable for the tax on removals, entries, or sales of gasoline or diesel fuel.

This document contains final regulations that amend the utility allowances regulations concerning the low-income housing tax credit. The final regulations update the utility allowance regulations to provide new options for estimating tenant utility costs. The final regulations affect owners of low-income housing projects who claim the credit, the tenants in those low-income housing projects, and the State and local housing credit agencies that administer the credit.

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) are hosting a public meeting on August 14th, 2008. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States positions for the 24th Session of the Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables (CCPFV), which will be held in Arlington, VA (Washington, DC, metro area), September 15-20, 2008. The Under Secretary for Food Safety and AMS recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on this forthcoming Session of CCPFV and to address items on the agenda.

This document contains proposed regulations relating to options granted under an employee stock purchase plan as defined in section 423 of the Internal Revenue Code (Code). These proposed regulations affect certain taxpayers who participate in the transfer of stock pursuant to the exercise of options granted under an employee stock purchase plan. These proposed regulations provide guidance to assist taxpayers in complying with section 423 in addition to clarifying certain rules regarding options granted under an employee stock purchase plan. This document also contains proposed regulations under sections 421 and 422 of the Code.

Notice is hereby given of the order of succession in the absence of the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts.

In this notice of review, we announce our annual petition findings for foreign species, as required under section 4(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended. When, in response to a petition, we find that listing a species is warranted but precluded, we must complete a new status review each year until we publish a proposed rule or make a determination that listing is not warranted. These subsequent status reviews and the accompanying 12-month findings are referred to as ``resubmitted'' petition findings. Information contained in this notice describes our status review of 50 foreign taxa that were the subjects of previous warranted-but- precluded findings, most recently summarized in our 2007 Notice of Review (72 FR 20184). Based on our current review, we find that 20 species (see Table 1) continue to warrant listing, but that their listing remains precluded by higher-priority listing actions. For 30 species previously found to be warranted but precluded, the petitioned action is now warranted. We will promptly publish listing proposals for those 30 species (see Table 1). With this annual notice of review (ANOR), we are requesting additional status information for the 20 taxa that remain warranted but precluded by higher priority listing actions. We will consider this information in preparing listing documents and future resubmitted petition findings for these 20 taxa. This information will also help us to monitor the status of the taxa and in conserving them.

A 90-day public comment period was announced in the May 6, 2008 Federal Register, Volume 73, No. 88, to end on August 4, 2008. To accommodate receipt of additional comments NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries has extended the period for public comments on the draft management plan and draft environmental assessment for the Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary to October 3, 2008.

The EPA is approving revisions to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the Governor of Montana on December 8, 1997, May 28, 2003, and August 25, 2004. The December 8, 1997 submittal revised the Administrative Rules of Montana (ARM) chapter 8, subchapter 3, section 17.8.316 (Incinerators) by adding subsection (6). ARM 17.8.316(6) excludes incinerators from having to comply with the other provisions of ARM 17.8.316, including the particulate matter emissions standard of 0.10 grains per cubic foot and the 10% opacity standard, if these sources have been issued a Montana air quality permit under 75-2- 215, Montana Code Annotated (MCA), and ARM 17.8.770, which pertain to permitting of solid or hazardous waste incinerators. The August 25, 2004 submittal made a minor editorial revision to ARM 17.8.316(5). The May 28, 2003 submittal made minor editorial revisions to ARM 17.8.316(6). In a December 12, 2007 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (72 FR 70540), we proposed to approve these revisions to the Montana State Implementation Plan (SIP). This action is being taken under section 110 of the Clean Air Act (CAA).

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announce the reopening of the public comment period on the June 19, 2007, proposed rule (72 FR 33808) to revise critical habitat for the San Bernardino kangaroo rat (Dipodomys merriami parvus) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This action will provide all interested parties with an additional opportunity to submit written comments on the proposed revised designation, draft economic analysis (DEA), and addendum to the DEA. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted as they are already incorporated into the public record and will be fully considered in any final decision.