Agencies and Commissions February 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), agencies are required to submit proposed reporting and recordkeeping requirements to OMB for review and approval, and to publish a notice in the Federal Register notifying the public that the agency has made such a submission.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC or Commission) proposes to amend its regulation to establish that all complaints under section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (section 508), whether filed by members of the public or EEOC employees, will be processed under the procedures for section 504 public complaints. The Commission also proposes to update terminology which outlines how EEOC enforces section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act with respect to its own programs or activities. Finally, the Commission proposes to update or eliminate certain sections of this regulation that are no longer relevant.

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation's regulations on Benefits Payable in Terminated Single-Employer Plans and Allocation of Assets in Single-Employer Plans prescribe interest assumptions for valuing and paying benefits under terminating single-employer plans. This final rule amends the regulations to adopt interest assumptions for plans with valuation dates in March 2008. Interest assumptions are also published on the PBGC's Web site (https://www.pbgc.gov).

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) announces that it is planning to submit a request for a three-year extension of an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Before submitting this ICR to OMB for review and approval, MSPB is soliciting comments on specific aspects of its information collection activities as described below.

The FDIC is amending its Statement of Policy on Bank Merger Transactions (``Statement of Policy'') in order to conform it to the Bank Merger Act, as amended by the Financial Services Regulatory Relief Act of 2006 (``FSRRA''). The FSRRA (i) eliminated the need for the FDIC to obtain a competitive factors report from the other three Federal banking agencies in processing a merger application and (ii) eliminated both the post-approval waiting period and the need to obtain any competitive factors reports, when the merger solely involves an insured depository institution and one or more affiliates. In addition, the FDIC is amending its Statement of Policy in order to remove any discussion of ``Oakar Transactions'' since the Federal Deposit Insurance Reform Act of 2005 consolidated the former Savings Association Insurance Fund (``SAIF'') and the former Bank Insurance Fund (``BIF'') into the Deposit Insurance Fund. Finally, the FDIC is amending its Statement of Policy in order to conform the description of the factors to be considered in evaluating a merger more closely to the language of the Bank Merger Act, and for other technical reasons.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is announcing plans to request renewal of this collection. In accordance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13), we are providing an opportunity for public comment on this action. After obtaining and considering public comment, NSF will prepare the submission requesting that OMB approve clearance of this collection for no longer than 3 years.

The Board of Governors (Board) is amending appendix A of Regulation CC to delete the reference to the head office of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and reassign the Federal Reserve routing symbols currently listed under that office to the head office of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, and is amending appendix B of Regulation CC to delete the reference to the Kansas City head office.

The Securities and Exchange Commission is proposing amendments to its forms under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940 that would require disclosure by a registered investment company that divests, in accordance with the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act of 2007, from securities of issuers that the investment company determines, using credible information that is available to the public, conduct or have direct investments in certain business operations in Sudan. The Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act limits civil, criminal, and administrative actions that may be brought against a registered investment company that divests itself from such securities, provided that the investment company makes disclosures in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Commission.

This is a Notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of Arkansas (FEMA- 1744-DR), dated 02/07/2008. Incident: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding Incident Period: 02/05/2008 and continuing. Effective Date: 02/07/2008. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 04/07/2008.

The Commission hereby gives notice of the scheduling of the final phase of countervailing duty investigation No. 701-TA-450 (Final) under section 705(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1671d(b)) (the Act) and the final phase of antidumping investigation No. 731-TA- 1122 (Final) under section 735(b) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1673d(b)) to determine whether an industry in the United States is materially injured or threatened with material injury, or the establishment of an industry in the United States is materially retarded, by reason of subsidized and less-than-fair-value imports from China of laminated woven sacks, provided for in subheading 6305.33.00 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States.\1\

This is a Notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of Hawaii (FEMA-1743- DR), dated 02/06/2008. Incident: Severe Storms, High Surf, Flooding, and Mudslides. Incident Period: 12/04/2007 through 12/07/2007. Effective Date: 02/06/2008. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 04/07/2008. Addresses: Submit completed loan applications to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

This is a Notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Tennessee (FEMA-1745-DR), dated 02/07/2008. Incident: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding. Incident Period: 02/05/2008 through 02/06/2008.

The advisory committee was established by Public Law 98-181, November 30, 1983, to advise the Export-Import Bank on its programs and to provide comments for inclusion in the reports of the Export-Import Bank of the United States to Congress Time and Place: Wednesday, March 5, 2008 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The meeting will be held at Ex-Im Bank in the Main Conference Room 1143, 811 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20571. Agenda: Agenda items include an understanding of the ECA environment and the factors to consider when designing credit underwriting processes and programs. Public Participation: The meeting will be open to public participation, and the last 10 minutes will be set aside for oral questions or comments. Members of the public may also file written statement(s) before or after the meeting. If you plan to attend, a photo ID must be presented at the guard's desk as part of the clearance process into the building, and you may contact Susan Houser to be placed on an attendee list. If any person wishes auxiliary aids (such as a sign language interpreter) or other special accommodations, please contact, prior to February 25, 2008, Susan Houser, Rom 1273, 811 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20571, Voice: (202) 565-3232 or TDD (202) 565-3377. Further Information: For further information, contact Susan Houser, Room 1273, 811 Vermont Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20571, (202) 565-3232.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management is issuing a final rule to abolish the Rock Island, Illinois, nonappropriated fund (NAF) Federal Wage System (FWS) wage area and redefine Rock Island County, IL, and Johnson County, Iowa, as areas of application to the Lake, IL, NAF FWS wage area. Carroll County, IL, will no longer be defined. These changes are necessary because employment has significantly declined in the Rock Island NAF wage area.

The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Public Law 104-13. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. Pursuant to the PRA, no person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information that does not display a valid control number. Comments are requested concerning (a) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.