December 9, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Regulatory Secretariat will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve an extension of a previously approved information collection requirement concerning material and workmanship. Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether this collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of functions of the FAR, and whether it will have practical utility; whether our estimate of the public burden of this collection of information is accurate, and based on valid assumptions and methodology; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways in which we can minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, through the use of appropriate technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is delaying the effective date of the final regulations that require nutrition labeling of the major cuts of single-ingredient, raw meat and poultry products and ground or chopped meat and poultry products that were published in the Federal Register on December 29, 2010. The original effective date of these regulations was January 1, 2012. FSIS is taking this action in response to a request from eight trade associations. The trade associations requested that FSIS exercise enforcement discretion for a six month period following the January 1, 2012, effective date of the final rule. However, FSIS has concluded that a two month delay in the effective date will allow industry sufficient time to comply with the requirements of the final rule. The new effective date of the final rule is March 1, 2012. FSIS is also making a correction to the final rule to clarify an amendatory instruction.

This notice establishes final adjusted 2011 aggregate production quotas for controlled substances in Schedules I and II of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) is amending the regulations issued under the Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921, as amended and supplemented (P&S Act). GIPSA is amending the regulations to clarify conditions for industry compliance with the P&S Act pursuant to the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill). In response to comments and other public input received in response to the proposed rule published in the Federal Register on June 22, 2010, making necessary changes. The provisions finalized with this action will clarify conditions for industry compliance with the P&S Act. Other provisions listed in the June 22, 2010, proposed rule are not being finalized at this time.

The Committee is proposing to add a service to the Procurement List that will be provided by a nonprofit agency employing persons who are blind or have other severe disabilities. Comments Must Be Received On or Before: 1/9/2012.

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument has completed an inventory of human remains and associated funerary objects, in consultation with the appropriate Indian tribes, and has determined that there is a cultural affiliation between the human remains and associated funerary objects and present-day Indian tribes. Representatives of any Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary objects may contact Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Repatriation of the human remains and associated funerary objects to the Indian tribes stated below may occur if no additional claimants come forward.

This document informs the public that an appeal of the closing of the Geuda Springs, Kansas post office has been filed. It identifies preliminary steps and provides a procedural schedule. Publication of this document will allow the Postal Service, petitioners, and others to take appropriate action.

The United States and Canada are staunch allies, vital economic partners, neighbors, and steadfast friends. We share common values, communities, and deep links among our citizens. The extensive mobility of people, goods, capital, and information between our two countries has helped ensure that our societies remain open, democratic, prosperous, and secure. On February 4, 2011, President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced Beyond the Border: A Shared Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness. This declaration describes a perimeter approach to security in which the United States and Canada share responsibility for the security and resilience of our nations. Our countries will seek to jointly address threats at the earliest point possible, while working together to facilitate the flows of legitimate travel and trade. Beyond the Border identifies four key areas of cooperation: Addressing Threats Early; Trade Facilitation, Economic Growth, and Jobs; Integrated Cross-Border Law Enforcement; and Critical Infrastructure and Cybersecurity. Progress in these areas will be underpinned by a respect for the sovereignty, civil rights and civil liberties, privacy protections, and legal frameworks of both countries. On December 7, 2011, President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Harper announced the Beyond the Border Action Plan, which describes specific initiatives our countries intend to undertake to achieve Beyond the Border's goals of perimeter security and economic competitiveness. With this notice, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), on behalf of the Administration, is seeking public input on the Beyond the Border Action Plan.

The Coast Guard is amending its vessel inspection regulations to add the International Anti-fouling System (IAFS) Certificate to the list of certificates a recognized classification society may issue on behalf of the Coast Guard. This action is being taken in response to recently enacted legislation implementing the International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-fouling Systems on Ships, 2001. This final rule will enable recognized classification societies to apply to the Coast Guard for authorization to issue IAFS Certificates to vessel owners on behalf of the Coast Guard.

The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) executes the Department of Defense (DoD) Procurement Technical Assistance Program by awarding cost sharing cooperative agreements to assist states, local governments, private nonprofit organizations, tribal organizations and economic enterprises in establishing or maintaining procurement technical assistance centers (PTACs) pursuant to Chapter 142 of title 10, United States Code. The Solicitation for Cooperative Agreement Applications (SCAA) issued July 7, 2010 is amended to allow acceptance of applications for new programs in fiscal year (FY) 2012. For FY 2012, new applications will only be considered from entities proposing to provide service to an area that will not be covered by an existing program. Applications proposing to duplicate any portion of the service area of an existing program will neither be accepted nor considered. Amendment No. 004 is not applicable to existing programs that have already received a base period award in FY 2011 under the amended solicitation. As of the issue date of Amendment No. 004, significant areas not covered or expected to become uncovered in FY 2012 include, but may not be limited to, the States of Washington, North Dakota and Rhode Island, and Washington DC. There are also uncovered regional areas (i.e., counties), but those areas have not been listed. Any entity contemplating submitting an application under this amendment, including those that propose to service an area identified, must first submit the inquiry discussed in Amendment No. 004 to ascertain if the proposed area is covered. Funding of new programs for FY 2012 is contingent on the availability of funds. In addition, awards may not be made to all acceptable applicants. Award decisions will optimize the use of program funds while at the same time maximizing the availability of procurement technical assistance. DLA will make funding decisions on a case-by-case basis and in the best interest of the overall program. An award decision for any application submitted pursuant to this amendment will be made prior to October 1, 2012. The SCAA issued on July 7, 2010 and Amendment Nos. 001-004 are available at https://www.dla.mil/SmallBusiness/Pages/SCAA.aspx. Additional details regarding this opportunity are provided in Amendment No. 004. Printed copies are not available for distribution. Applications must be submitted to DLA by 5 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, on January 31, 2012. Notwithstanding any other provision in the SCAA or in previous Amendments, late applications will be neither accepted nor evaluated.

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)). The IRS is soliciting comments concerning information collection requirements related to amortization of intangible property.

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 8931, Agricultural Chemicals Security Credit.

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)). The IRS is soliciting comments concerning information collection requirements related to bad debt reserves of banks.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is publishing a list of members who may be named to serve on FDA's Senior Executive Performance Review Board or Panels, which oversee the evaluation of performance appraisals of FDA's Senior Executive Service (SES) members. The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 requires that the appointment of Performance Review Board Members be published in the Federal Register.

This notice of proposed rulemaking makes technical corrections to the notice of proposed rulemaking concerning alternatives to the use of external credit ratings that was published on November 29, 2011 to correct a mischaracterization of section 939(d) of the Dodd-Frank Act.