August 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) published a notice in the Federal Register of August 17, 2010 concerning Fiscal Year 2011 tariff-rate quota allocations of raw cane sugar, refined and special sugar, and sugar-containing products. USTR is revising the effective date of that notice to September 1, 2010 from October 1, 2010.

In accordance with the requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (Privacy Act), the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) gives notice of a proposed Privacy Act system of records to replace a system of records issued by FHFA's predecessor agency, the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO) which was abolished July 30, 2009, and to fulfill FHFA's statutory requirement to collect the records. Upon the effective date of this notice, system OFHEO-07, ``Mortgage Fraud System'' published at 71 FR 6085 on February 6, 2006 will be deleted.

Section 608(d) of the Millennium Challenge Act of 2003 requires the Millennium Challenge Corporation to publish a report that identifies countries that are ``candidate countries'' for Millennium Challenge Account assistance during FY 2011. The report is set forth in full below.

This notice announces a solicitation for up to 20 additional eligible hospitals to participate in the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration program for a 5-year period.

As required by the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, the RRB is issuing public notice of its renewal of an ongoing computer-matching program with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The purpose of this notice is to advise individuals applying for or receiving benefits under the Railroad Retirement Act of the use made by RRB of this information obtained from OPM by means of a computer match.

As stipulated by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is hereby giving notice that the National Biodefense Science Board (NBSB) will be holding a public meeting. The meeting is open to the public.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) invites nominations of individuals qualified to serve as members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).

This notice announces the intention of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to request that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approve the proposed information collection project: ``Understanding Patients' Knowledge and Use of Acetaminophen Phase 2.'' In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520, AHRQ invites the public to comment on this proposed information collection.

The Acting 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).

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, intends to grant to Horticultural Research Institute, Inc. of Washington, DC, an exclusive license to U.S. Patent No. 7,066,995, ``Compositions and Films Comprised of Avian Feather Keratin,'' issued on June 27, 2006.

The General Services Administration's (GSA) annual per diem review has resulted in lodging and meal allowance changes for locations within CONUS to provide for the reimbursement of Federal employees' expenses covered by per diem. This Per Diem Bulletin updates the maximum per diem amounts in existing per diem localities and updates the standard CONUS rate. The CONUS per diem rates prescribed in Bulletin 11-01 may be found at https://www.gsa.gov/perdiem. GSA bases the lodging per diem rates on the average daily rate that the lodging industry reports to an independent organization. The use of such data in the per diem rate setting process enhances the government's ability to obtain policy-compliant lodging where it is needed. In conjunction with the annual lodging study, GSA identified five new non-standard areas (NSAs): West Des Moines, Iowa (Dallas County); Queen Anne County, Maryland; Moab, Utah (Grand County); Richland, Washington (Benton County); and Berkeley County, West Virginia.

Under the 2006 Softwood Lumber Agreement (SLA), Canada agreed to impose export measures on Canadian exports of softwood lumber products to the United States. At the request of the United States, an arbitral tribunal established under the SLA determined in March 2008 that Canada had breached certain SLA obligations. In February 2009, the tribunal issued a remedy award instructing Canada to collect an additional 10 percent ad valorem export charge on softwood lumber shipments from Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, until an entire amount of CDN $68 million has been collected. Canada did not begin collecting the additional export charge. In April 2009, the United States Trade Representative (``Trade Representative'') initiated an investigation under Section 302 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (``Trade Act''). In that investigation, the Trade Representative determined that Canada's failure to implement the tribunal's remedy award had the effect of denying U.S. rights under the SLA; and, pursuant to Section 301 of the Trade Act, the Trade Representative imposed 10 percent ad valorem duties on imports of softwood lumber products subject to the SLA from the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan (the April 2009 action). Under the April 2009 action, the duties are to remain in place until such time as the United States collects $54.8 million, the U.S. dollar equivalent of CDN $68 million at the time. The Government of Canada, however, has now

The Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning an existing final regulation, REG-120616-03 (TD 9346), Entry of Taxable Fuel, (Sec. Sec. 48.4081-1 and 48.4081-3).

The Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning an existing regulation of proposed rulemaking, REG-149519-03, Section 707 Regarding Disguised Sales, Generally.

The Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning Form 13094, Recommendation for Juvenile Employment with the Internal Revenue Service.

The Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning an existing proposed regulations, PS-19-92 (Final) Carryover Allocations and Other Rules Relating to the Low-Income Housing Credit, TD 9420 Section 42 Utility Allowance Regulations Update.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species, marine mammals, or both. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) prohibits activities with listed species unless a Federal permit is issued that allows such activities. Both laws requires that we invite public comment before issuing these permits.