Agencies and Commissions January 11, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

It is the policy of the Commission to publish settlements which it provisionally accepts under the Consumer Product Safety Act in the Federal Register in accordance with the terms of 16 CFR 1118.20(e). Published below is a provisionally-accepted Settlement Agreement with RC2 Corporation, containing a civil penalty of $1,250,000.00.

This is a notice of an Administrative declaration of a disaster for the State of Florida dated 12/29/2009.

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 requirements associated with Sections 25.132(b)(3), 25.226(a)(6), (b), (c), (d)(1), and (d)(3) of the Commission's rules, and that these rules will take effect as of the date of this notice. On November 4, 2009, the Commission published the summary document of the Report and Order, In the Matter of Amendment of Parts 2 and 25 of the Commission's Rules to Allocate Spectrum and Adopt Service Rules and Procedures to Govern the Use of Vehicle-Mounted Earth Stations in Certain Frequency Bands Allocated to the Fixed-Satellite Service, IB Docket No. 07-101, FCC 09-64, at 74 FR 57092. The Report and Order stated that the Commission will publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing when OMB approval for the rule sections which contain information collection requirements has been received and when the revised rules will take effect. This notice is consistent with the statement in the Report and Order.

We are amending our Supplemental Security Income (SSI) regulations by making technical revisions to our rules on income and resources. Many of these revisions reflect legislative changes found in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2001 (CAA), the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA), an amendment to the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (NFIA), the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000 (EEOICPA), and the Social Security Protection Act of 2004 (SSPA). We are also amending our SSI rules to extend the home exclusion to beneficiaries who, because of domestic abuse, leave a home that had otherwise been an excludable resource. Finally, we are updating our ``conditional- payment'' rule to eliminate the liquid-resource requirement as a prerequisite to receiving conditional-benefit payments.

The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection(s), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) 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; (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 and (e) ways to further reduce the information burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.

In response to the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) December 8, 2009, Open Government Directive, which helps to implement the President's January 21, 2009, Memorandum on Transparency and Open Government, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is requesting public comment to aid the NRC's determination of what data sets it might be appropriate to publish online and what transparency, public participation, and collaboration improvements it might include as it drafts its Open Government Plan. The December 8, 2009, Directive generally instructs Federal agencies to identify and publish online in an open format at least three high-value data sets by January 22, 2010, and an Open Government Plan by April 7, 2010. While the Open Government Directive, by its terms, does not strictly apply to independent agencies like the NRC, the President has stated that independent agencies should comply with it. Accordingly, the NRC, in line with its longstanding commitment to openness and transparency, will endeavor to comply with the Open Government Directive and meet its deadlines. As part of this effort, the NRC will seek to identify and publish high-value data sets and draft an Open Government Plan, and the NRC is now inviting public comment on these matters. In addition, if a draft Open Government Plan is developed sufficiently prior to the April 7, 2010, deadline to allow time for meaningful public comment on the draft, the draft will be posted on the NRC's forthcoming Open Government Web page. Comments on the draft Plan could then be submitted to the NRC via the Open Government Web page.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (the ``Commission'') is publishing interpretive guidance for independent public accountants in connection with the adoption of amendments to Rule 206(4)-2 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the ``Custody Rule''). This guidance provides direction with respect to the independent verification and internal control report as required under the amended Custody Rule.

The Postal Service has proposed adjustments to the methodology of a key element in the Parcel Select cost model. If adopted, the adjustments could affect the cost differences between certain Parcel Select price categories. The Commission is establishing a docket to consider this proposal and invites public comment.

The Corporation for National and Community Service (hereinafter the ``Corporation''), has submitted a public information collection request (ICR) entitled the Longitudinal Evaluation of AmeriCorps Members: Respondent Tracking to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). Copies of this ICR, with applicable supporting documentation, may be obtained by calling the Corporation for National and Community Service, Lillian Dote at (215) 597-2861. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TTY-TDD) may call (202) 606-3472 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. eastern time, Monday through Friday.

The Committee is proposing to add to the Procurement List a product to be furnished by a nonprofit agency employing persons who are blind or have other severe disabilities, and to delete services previously furnished by such agencies.