March 2, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) of the Department of Labor (Department or DOL) is issuing this notice to announce: the 2005 AEWRS for employers seeking to employ temporary or seasonal nonimmigrant alien workers to perform agricultural labor or services (H-2A workers) or logging (H-2 logging workers); the allowable charges for 2005 that employers seeking H-2A workers and H-2 logging workers may levy upon their workers when three meals a day are provided by the employer; and the maximum travel subsistence reimbursement which a worker with receipts may claim in 2005. AEWRs are the minimum wage rates the Department has determined must be offered and paid to U.S. and alien workers by employers of H-2A workers or H-2 logging workers. AEWRs are established to prevent the employment of these aliens from adversely affecting wages of similarly employed U.S. workers. The Department announces the AEWRs for 2005. The Department also announces the new rates for 2005 which covered agricultural and logging employers may charge their workers for three daily meals. Under specified conditions, workers are entitled to reimbursement for travel subsistence expenses. The minimum reimbursement is the charge for three daily meals as noted above. The Department also announces the current maximum reimbursement that may be claimed in 2005 by workers with receipts.

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, notice is hereby given that the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary), in coordination with the United States Trade Representative (USTR), intends to reestablish the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee (APAC) for Trade and the six existing Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees (ATAC) for Trade. The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is requesting nominations for persons to serve on these seven committees.

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on an information collection requirement concerning Establishment of a Bonded Warehouse (Bonded Warehouse Regulations). This request for comment is being made pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13; 44 U.S.C. 3505(c)(2)).

The Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) of the Department of Homeland Security has submitted the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995: NAFTA Duty Deferral. This is a proposed extension of an information collection that was previously approved. CBP is proposing that this information collection be extended with no change to the burden hours. This document is published to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. This proposed information collection was previously published in the Federal Register (69 FR 76954) on December 23, 2004, allowing for a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.10.

The Defense Science Board Task Force on Identifying and Sustaining U.S. Department of Defense/UK Ministry of Defence Defense Critical Technologies (Study) will meet in closed session on April 1, 2005, at Strategic Analysis, Inc., 3601 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA. This Task Force will develop a methodology to identify unique defense technologies as well as commercially developed technologies needing augmentation to fulfill defense niche areas, and then apply the methodology to develop a list of defense critical technologies. The mission of the Defense Science Board is to advise the Secretary of Defense and the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology & Logistics on scientific and technical matters as they affect the perceived needs of the Department of Defense. At these meetings, the Defense Science Board Task Force should focus its effort on high leverage, differentiated and transformational technologies. The Study may then use this list of defense critical technologies to further assess the tools available to the U.S. DoD or UK MoD to develop its critical technology needs. Some of the considerations the Study should examine include mechanisms to develop niches in pre-existing technologies, foster new technology until the commercial marketplace takes over, or develop technology without any expectation of commercial development; the analysis should include a review of the applicable acquisition/business case. Finally, the Study should consider the impact of technology development in other countries and the implications that this may have on Anglo-U.S. unique needs. In accordance with Section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463, as amended (5 U.S.C. App. 2), it has been determined that these Defense Science Board Task Force meetings concern matters listed in 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(1) and that, accordingly, these meetings will be closed to the public.

MMS is considering an increase to the base level rentals and the use of sliding scale rentals in Gulf of Mexico lease sales. This notice explains the purpose of the change and what the sliding scale rentals might be. MMS requests comments on both the increase to the base amounts and on the structure of the sliding scale system and its potential effects.

NASA hereby gives notice that Every Little Bit, Inc., 1638 South Main, Tulsa, OK 74119, has applied for a Exclusive license to practice the inventions described in NASA Case Number LAR-16324-1 for which a U. S. Patent has issued and LAR-16324-2 for which a Patent Application was filed, both entitled ``Self-Activating System And Method For Alerting When An Object Or A Person Is Left Unattended'' and assigned to the United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Written objections to the prospective grant of a license should be sent to Langley Research Center.

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, Pub. L. 104-13(44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning an existing final regulation, Limitation on Passive Activity Losses and CreditsTreatment of Self-Charged Items of Income and Expense (Section 1.469-7(f)).

In this document, the Commission amends its rules so that certain sections do not apply to transfers of telephone exchanges between non-rural carriers following the phase-down of interim hold- harmless support, and the Commission addresses the request to reconsider portions of the Commission's order modifying the Commission's rules for providing high-cost universal service support based on the proposals made by the Rural Task Force by amending its rules to provide that rural carriers may receive ``safety valve'' support for investment made in the first year of operating acquired exchanges.

In this final rule, OTS is making changes to its Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) regulations to reduce burden, provide greater flexibility to meet community needs, and restore the focus of CRA to lending. Specifically, OTS is providing additional flexibility to each savings association evaluated under the large retail institution test to determine the combination of lending, investment, and service it will use to meet the credit needs of the local communities in which it is chartered, consistent with safe and sound operations.

The public is invited to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species. We provide this notice pursuant to section 10(c) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Central Montana Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

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 Office of Foreign Assets Control (``OFAC'') within the Department of the Treasury is soliciting comments concerning OFAC's ``Request for a Specific License to Visit an Immediate Family Member in Cuba who is a National of Cuba once in a three year period'' Application Form TD-F 90-22.60 and TD-F 90-22.60 (SP).

The EPA, Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office announces two public teleconferences of the Second Generation Model (SGM) Advisory Panel.

In accordance with section 113(g) of the Clean Air Act, as amended (``Act''), 42 U.S.C. 7413(g), notice is hereby given of a proposed consent decree, to address lawsuits filed by the State of North Carolina and Environmental Defense: State of North Carolina v. Johnson, No. 5:05-CV-112 (E.D. N.C.) and Environmental Defense v. Johnson, No. 5:05-CV-113 (E.D. N.C.). On February 17, 2005, the State of North Carolina and Environmental Defense filed complaints against EPA seeking to compel EPA to take action on a petition submitted to EPA under section 126 of the Clean Air Act on March 18, 2004. Under the terms of the proposed consent decree, EPA is to sign a notice of proposed rulemaking regarding the section 126 petition no later than August 1, 2005, and a notice of final rulemaking no later than March 15, 2006.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that an Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is a request for a new collection. This ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its estimated burden and cost.