July 15, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This rule updates and clarifies export and reexport license requirements on striking weapons, restraint devices, shotguns and parts, optical sighting devices, and electric shock devices. It also adds equipment designed for the execution of humans to the Commerce Control List. This rule makes no changes to the longstanding policy of denial of applications to export or reexport specially designed implements of torture. The rule provides additional illustrative examples of such items and adopts a definition of torture used in a U.S. statute that implements the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. BIS is publishing this rule as part of an ongoing review of crime control license requirements and policy.

A recently issued independent actuarial study shows that the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund (MMIF) capital ratio has fallen below its statutorily mandated threshold. Consistent with HUD's responsibility under the National Housing Act to ensure that the MMIF remains financially sound, this notice solicits public comment on three proposed initiatives that will contribute to the restoration of the MMIF capital reserve account. The changes proposed in this notice are designed to preserve both the historical role of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) in providing a home financing vehicle during periods of economic volatility and HUD's social mission of helping underserved borrowers. FHA proposes to tighten only those portions of its underwriting guidelines that have been found to present an excessive level of risk to both homeowners and FHA. First, FHA proposes to reduce the amount of closing costs a seller may pay on behalf of a homebuyer purchasing a home with FHA-insured mortgage financing for the purposes of calculating the maximum mortgage amount. This proposed cap on ``seller concessions'' will minimize FHA exposure to the risk of adverse selection. Secondly, FHA proposes to introduce a credit score threshold as well as reduce the maximum loan-to-value (LTV) for borrowers with lower credit scores, who represent a higher risk of default and mortgage insurance claim. Finally, FHA will tighten underwriting standards for mortgage loan transactions that are manually underwritten. These transactions have resulted in high mortgage insurance claim rates and present an unacceptable risk of loss.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463, as amended, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration announces a meeting of the Audit, Finance and Analysis Committee of the NASA Advisory Council.

This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of West Virginia (FEMA-1918-DR), dated 06/24/2010.

The Director, Information Collection Clearance Division, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management invites comments on the submission for OMB review as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13).

On April 15, 2010, notice was published on pages 19668-19669 of the Federal Register (volume 75, number 72) of determination made by the Department of State pertaining to the exhibit ``From Xanadu to Dadu: The World of Khubilai Khan.'' The reference notice is corrected to accommodate additional objects to be included in the exhibition, and the exhibit name is now titled, ``The World of Khubilai Khan: Chinese Art in the Yuan Dynasty.'' Pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Act of October 19, 1965 (79 Stat. 985; 22 U.S.C. 2459), Executive Order 12047 of March 27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 (112 Stat. 2681, et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 6501 note, et seq.), Delegation of Authority No. 234 of October 1, 1999, and Delegation of Authority No. 236-3 of August 28, 2000, I hereby determine that the additional objects to be included in the exhibition ``The World of Khubilai Khan: Chinese Art in the Yuan Dynasty,'' imported from abroad for temporary exhibition within the United States, are of cultural significance. The additional objects are imported pursuant to loan agreements with the foreign owners or custodians. I also determine that the exhibition or display of the additional exhibit objects at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY, from on or about September 28, 2010, until on or about January 2, 2011, and at possible additional exhibitions or venues yet to be determined, is in the national interest. I have ordered that Public Notice of these Determinations be published in the Federal Register.

In response to requests from interested parties, the Department of Commerce (``Department'') is currently conducting the 2008-2009 administrative review of the antidumping duty order on tapered roller bearings and parts thereof, finished or unfinished (``TRBs''), from the People's Republic of China (``PRC''), covering the period June 1, 2008, through May 31, 2009. We have preliminarily determined that sales have been made below normal value (``NV'') by certain companies subject to this review. If these preliminary results are adopted in our final results of this review, we will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (``CBP'') to assess antidumping duties on entries of subject merchandise during the period of review (``POR'') for which the importer-specific assessment rates are above de minimis.

This document sets forth a proposal to amend the FM Table of Allotments, Section 73.202(b) of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR Section 73.202(b). The Commission requests comment on a petition filed by Black Hills Broadcasting, L.P. proposing the allotment of FM Channel 243A as the first local service at Gearhart, Oregon. The channel can be allotted at Gearhart in compliance with the Commission's minimum distance separation requirements with a site restriction of 8.2 km (5.1 miles) south of Gearhart, at 45-57-11 North Latitude and 123-56-14 West Longitude. See Supplementary Information infra.

The National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are extending the comment period for our joint request for comments on the Stanford University Habitat Conservation Plan (Plan), the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Authorization of Incidental Take and Implementation of the Plan, and the Implementing Agreement (IA). As of July 2, 2010, we have received comments from four organizations and individuals requesting that the comment period be extended by 45 days. In response to these requests, we are extending the comment period for an additional 45 days.

NMFS is soliciting applications for American Samoa pelagic longline limited entry permits. At least ten permits of various class sizes will be available for 2010. This notice is intended to announce the availability of permits and to solicit applications for the permits.

On April 29, 2010, the Commission submitted to the Congress amendments to the sentencing guidelines and official commentary, which become effective on November 1, 2010, unless Congress acts to the contrary. Such amendments and the reasons for amendment subsequently were published in the Federal Register. 75 FR 27388 (May 14, 2010). One of the amendments, specifically Amendment 5 pertaining to the use of recency as a factor in the calculation of the criminal history score, has the effect of lowering guideline ranges. The Commission requests comment regarding whether that amendment should be included in subsection (c) of Sec. 1B1.10 (Reduction in Term of Imprisonment as a Result of Amended Guideline Range (Policy Statement)) as an amendment that may be applied retroactively to previously sentenced defendants.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. app. 2, the U.S. Department of Energy is soliciting nominations for candidates to fill vacancies on the Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that an Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing approved collection. The ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the nature of the information collection and its estimated burden and cost.

On December 22, 2009, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD), Office of Infrastructure Protection (IP), Infrastructure Information Collection Division (IICD) published a 60-day comment period notice in the Federal Register at 74 FR 68070-68071 seeking comments for an information collection entitled, ``IP Data Call.'' This is a correction notice to correct the title of the published 60-day notice to read, ``IP Data Call Survey.'' There are no further updates. This correction notice is issued as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have received an application from CJR General Partnership (applicant) for an incidental take permit under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We are considering issuing a permit that would authorize the applicant's take of the federally threatened desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) and State threatened Mohave ground squirrel (Xerospermophilus mohavensis) incidental to otherwise lawful activities that would result in the permanent loss of 120 acres of habitat for the species near Oro Grande in San Bernardino County California. We invite comments from the public on the application, which includes the AgCon Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) that fully describes the proposed project and measures the applicant will undertake to minimize and mitigate anticipated take of the species. We also invite comments on our preliminary determination that the HCP qualifies as a ``low- effect'' plan, which is eligible for a categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended. We explain the basis for this determination in our draft Environmental Action Statement and associated Low-Effect Screening Form, both of which are also available for review.