Agencies and Commissions July 30, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) is requesting that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) extend its approval, with modifications, of a collection of information under the Paperwork Reduction Act (OMB control number 1212-0055, expires August 31, 2008). The purpose of the information collection is to enable PBGC to locate and pay benefits to participants and beneficiaries in plans covered by the PBGC insurance program, as well as other pension plans that will be covered by PBGC's expanded Missing Participant program under the Pension Protection Act of 2006. This notice informs the public of PBGC's request and solicits public comment on the collection of information.

The Commission requests comments on a channel substitution proposed by Glendive Broadcasting Corp. (``Glendive''), the permittee of KXGN-DT, DTV channel 10, Glendive, Montana. Glendive requests the substitution of DTV channel 5 for channel 10 at Glendive.

The Commission requests comments on a channel substitution proposed by Television Station KTXA L.P. (``KTXA''), the licensee of KTXA-DT, DTV channel 18, Fort Worth, Texas. KTXA requests the substitution of DTV channel 19 for channel 18 at Fort Worth.

In accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act, as amended, this notice announces the renewal of an existing computer matching program that SSA is currently conducting with the RRB.

The Advisory Committees on Appellate, Bankruptcy, Civil, and Criminal Rules, and the Rules of Evidence have proposed amendments to the following rules: Appellate Rules: 1, 29, and Form 4. Bankruptcy Rules: 1007, 1014, 1015, 1018, 1019, 4004, 5009, 7001, and 9001, and New Rules 1004.2, and 5012. Civil Rules 26 and 56. Criminal Rules 5, 12.3, 15, 21, and 32.1. Evidence Rule 804. The text of the proposed rules amendments and new rules and the accompanying Committee Notes can be found at the United States Federal Courts' Home Page at https://www.uscourts.gov/rules. The Judicial Conference Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure submits these proposed rules amendments and new rules for public comment. All comments and suggestions with respect to them must be place in the hands of the Secretary as soon as convenient and, in any event, not later than February 17, 2009. All written comments on the proposed rule amendments can be sent by one of the following three ways: by overnight mail to Peter G. McCabe, Secretary, Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure of the Judicial Conference of the United States, Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building, Washington, DC 20544; by electronic mail at https://www.uscourts.gov/rules; or by facsimile to Peter G. McCabe at (202) 502-1766. In accordance with established procedures all comments submitted on the proposed amendments are available to public inspection. Public hearings are scheduled to be held on the amendments to: Appellate Rules in Washington, DC, on January 30, 2009, and in New Orleans, LA, on February 11, 2009; Bankruptcy Rules in New York, NY, on January 23, 2009, and in San Francisco, CA, on February 6, 2009; Civil Rules in Washington, DC, on November 17, 2008, in San Antonio, TX, on January 14, 2009, and in San Francisco, CA, on February 2, 2009; Criminal Rules in Los Angeles, CA, on January 16, 2009, and in Dallas, TX, on February 9, 2009; and Evidence Rules in San Antonio, TX, on January 13, 2009, and in Atlanta, GA, on January 26, 2009. Those wishing to testify should contact the Committee Secretary at the above address in writing at least 30 days before the hearing.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act and supporting regulations, the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution (the U.S. Institute), part of the Morris K. Udall Foundation, will submit for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) review, a request for an extension for the currently approved information collection request (ICR), OMB Control No. 3320-0008: Application for the National Roster of Environmental Dispute Resolution and Consensus Building Professionals. Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information has practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the time spent completing the application (``burden of the proposed collection of information''), including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

The Federal Trade Commission [bs](``FTC'' or ``Commission'') has extended the date by which comments must be submitted concerning its proposal to rescind Commission guidance that it is generally not a violation of the FTC Act to make factual statements of the tar and nicotine yields of cigarettes when statements of such yields are supported by testing conducted pursuant to the Cambridge Filter Method. This document informs prospective commenters of this change and sets a new date of September 12, 2008.

NCUA requests public comment on a proposed rule implementing a statutory amendment to the definition of a natural person credit union's ``net worth'' that applies solely to NCUA's system of regulatory capital standards, known as ``prompt corrective action.'' The amendment expands the definition of ``net worth'' to allow the acquiring credit union, in a merger of natural person credit unions, to include the merging credit union's retained earnings with its own to determine the acquirer's post-merger ``net worth.'' In a merger of corporate credit unions, the proposed rule similarly redefines corporate credit union capital to allow an acquiring credit union to include with its capital the retained earnings of the merging credit union to determine the acquirer's post-merger capital.

In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection associated with the Commission's Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to-Speech Services for Individuals with Hearing and Speech Disabilities, Report and Order and Declaratory Ruling (2007 TRS Cost Recovery Order). This notice is consistent with the 2007 TRS Cost Recovery Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of the rule.

The Board is publishing final rules amending Regulation Z, which implements the Truth in Lending Act and Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act. The goals of the amendments are to protect consumers in the mortgage market from unfair, abusive, or deceptive lending and servicing practices while preserving responsible lending and sustainable homeownership; ensure that advertisements for mortgage loans provide accurate and balanced information and do not contain misleading or deceptive representations; and provide consumers transaction-specific disclosures early enough to use while shopping for a mortgage. The final rule applies four protections to a newly-defined category of higher-priced mortgage loans secured by a consumer's principal dwelling, including a prohibition on lending based on the collateral without regard to consumers' ability to repay their obligations from income, or from other sources besides the collateral. The revisions apply two new protections to mortgage loans secured by a consumer's principal dwelling regardless of loan price, including a prohibition on abusive servicing practices. The Board is also finalizing rules requiring that advertisements provide accurate and balanced information, in a clear and conspicuous manner, about rates, monthly payments, and other loan features. The advertising rules ban several deceptive or misleading advertising practices, including representations that a rate or payment is ``fixed'' when it can change. Finally, the revisions require creditors to provide consumers with transaction-specific mortgage loan disclosures within three business days after application and before they pay any fee except a reasonable fee for reviewing credit history.