Agencies and Commissions February 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Commission is noticing a recent Postal Service filing concerning an addition of Priority Mail Contract 109 to the competitive product list. This notice informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, and takes other administrative steps.

On December 23, 2014, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau published a document seeking updated input to better understand the current consumer experience with hearing aid compatible wireless handsets, to explore technical or other barriers to the provision of hearing aid compatible devices on new wireless technologies, and to consider changes to its rules that may be necessary to ensure that wireless handsets used with advanced communications services are accessible in light of directives contained in the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA). The comment date was erroneously published as an effective date and neither the comment nor the comment-reply date was provided. We also failed to provide an address for submission of comments. This document corrects those errors and extends the time within which to file comments and reply comments.

On December 1, 2014, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requested public comment on the proposed ``NRC Tribal Policy Statement.'' The public comment period was originally scheduled to close on March 31, 2015. The NRC has decided to extend the public comment period to allow more time for members of the public to develop and submit their comments.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend its spent fuel storage regulations by revising the Holtec International HI-STORM 100 Cask System listing within the ``List of approved spent fuel storage casks'' to add Amendment No. 8, Revision No. 1, to the Certificate of Compliance (CoC) No. 1014. Amendment No. 8, Revision No. 1, changes burnup/cooling time limits for thimble plug devices; changes Metamic-HT material testing requirements; changes Metamic-HT material minimum guaranteed values; and updates fuel definitions to allow boiling water reactor fuel affected by certain corrosion mechanisms with specific guidelines to be classified as undamaged fuel.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA or Agency) is proposing to amend its regulations to implement provisions of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 and the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013. Based on authorities provided in these two statutes, the proposed rule would establish a Government-wide mentor- prot[eacute]g[eacute] program for all small business concerns, consistent with SBA's mentor-prot[eacute]g[eacute] program for Participants in SBA's 8(a) Business Development (BD) program. The proposed rule would also make minor changes to the mentor- prot[eacute]g[eacute] provisions for the 8(a) Business Development program in order to make the mentor-prot[eacute]g[eacute] rules for each of the programs as consistent as possible. The proposed rule would amend the current joint venture provisions to clarify the conditions for creating and operating joint venture partnerships, including the effect of such partnerships on any mentor-prot[eacute]g[eacute] relationships. Finally, the proposed rule would make several additional changes to current size, 8(a) Office of Hearings and Appeals or HUBZone regulations, concerning among other things, ownership and control, changes in primary industry, standards of review and interested party status for some appeals.

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collections. Comments are requested concerning: 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; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; 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 ways to further reduce the information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees. The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the PRA that does not display a valid OMB control number.

NARA is giving public notice that the agency has submitted to OMB for approval the information collection described in this notice. The public is invited to comment on the proposed information collection pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The Commission is noticing a recent Postal Service filing concerning the Postal Service's intention to changes rates of general applicability for competitive products. This notice informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, and takes other administrative steps.

Following receipt on December 17, 2014, of a request from the Senate Committee on Finance (Committee) under section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332(g)), the U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission) instituted investigation No. 332-552, Overview of Cuban Imports of Goods and Services and Effects of U.S. Restrictions.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) takes the next critical steps to modernize the Universal Service Fund's Schools and Libraries program, known as E-rate. Building on the E-rate Modernization Order, the Commission adopted in July, the improvements to the program that the Commission adopts in this Order seek to close the high-speed connectivity gap between rural schools and libraries and their urban and suburban counterparts, and provide sufficient and certain funding for high-speed connectivity to and within all eligible schools and libraries. The Commission takes these actions to ensure the continued success of the E-rate program as it transitions from supporting legacy services to focusing on meeting the high-speed broadband connectivity needs of schools and libraries consistent with the recently adopted program goals and long-term connectivity targets. In the Order on Reconsideration, the Commission grants in part the petitions for reconsideration of the areas designated as urban for purposes of the E-rate program. The Commission also denies petitions for reconsideration of the document retention period, the phase out of support for telephone components and other services, and funding commitments that cover multiple years. At the same time, the Commission clarifies our cost effectiveness test for individual data plans and the cost allocation rules for circuits carrying voice services.

In this document, the Media Bureau (Bureau) announces the top national nonbroadcast networks for the 2013 to 2014 ratings year according to data provided by the Nielsen Company for purposes of the July 1, 2015 update to the video description requirements. The Bureau provides filing instructions for any program network that believes it should be excluded from the list of top five networks covered by the video description requirements based on an applicable exemption.