April 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

An open meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel will be conducted (via teleconference). The TAP will be discussing issues pertaining to lessoning the burden for individuals. Recommendations for IRS systemic changes will be developed.

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 IRS is soliciting comments concerning Form 8891, U.S. Information Return for Beneficiaries of Certain Canadian Registered Retirement Plans.

The Coast Guard proposes to temporarily change the drawbridge operating regulations governing the operation of the U.S. 1 Bridge, mile 3.5, across the Housatonic River at Stratford, Connecticut. Under this temporary rule only one of the two-bascule leafs at the bridge would open for the passage of vessel traffic from June 18, 2005 through December 30, 2005, except holidays. Two-leaf, full bridge openings, would be provided upon a three-day advance notice. This temporary rulemaking is necessary to facilitate rehabilitation repairs at the bridge.

This document contains final regulations under section 355(e) of the Internal Revenue Code relating to the recognition of gain on certain distributions of stock or securities of a controlled corporation in connection with an acquisition. Changes to the applicable law were made by the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997. These regulations affect corporations and are necessary to provide them with guidance needed to comply with those changes.

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), Public Law 96-463, notice is hereby given that the Defense Task Force on Sexual Harassment and Violence at the Military Academies will hold an open meeting at Loews Annapolis Hotel, 126 West Street, Annapolis, MD 21401, on May 3, 2005, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Purpose: The Task Force will meet on May 3, 2005, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and this session will be open to the public, subject to the availability of space. In keeping with the spirit of Federal Advisory Committee Act, it is the desire of the Task Force to provide the public with an opportunity to ask questions of the Task Force or to make comment regarding the current work of the Task Force. The first hour of the meeting will be designated for any public comment. During the final two hours, the Task Force as a whole will discuss findings and recommendations regarding victims' rights and services, accountability, training, and community collaboration at the U.S. Military and Naval Academies. Any interested citizens are encouraged to attend.

This notice announces the forthcoming public meeting of the Code Committee established by Article 146(a), Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C. 946(a). The agenda for this meeting will include consideration of proposed changes to the Uniform Code of Military Justice and the Manual for CourtsMartial, United States, and other matters relating to the operation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice throughout the Armed Forces.

There will be a public meeting of the Study Group on Enforcement of Judgments of the Secretary of State's Advisory Committee on Private International Law, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday May 9 at the new headquarters of the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: Randolph Building Conference Center (401 Dulany Street, Alexandria, VA 22313- 1450. Full Text: The Department of State is convening a meeting of the Secretary of State's Advisory Committee on Private International Law, Study Group on Enforcement of Judgments, in order to seek consultations on the proposed draft Hague Convention on Exclusive Choice of Court Agreements. The draft convention will be considered at the 20th Diplomatic Session of the Hague Conference on Private International Law, June 14-30, 2005, and is expected to be adopted and opened for signature at that time. The meeting of the Advisory Committee will consider the full range of issues raised by the draft convention, in order to assist the U.S. delegation prepare for the Diplomatic Conference. In addition to members of the U.S. delegation, the meeting will include experts from industry, trade associations, consumer groups, bar associations, non- governmental associations, and other interested parties. The current draft of the proposed convention, including an explanatory report, may be found on the Web site of the Hague Conference (https://www.hcch.net). The meeting will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, May 9, at the Randolph Building Conference Center of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, 401 Dulany Street, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450. The meeting is open to the public up to the capacity of the meeting room. Interested persons are invited to attend and to express their views. Persons who wish to have their views considered are encouraged, but not required, to submit written comments in advance of the meeting. Written comments should be submitted by e-mail to Jeffrey Kovar at kovarjd@state.gov. All comments will be made available to the public by request to Mr. Kovar via e-mail or by telephone (202-776-8420). Persons wishing to attend must notify Ms. Cherise Reid by e-mail (reidcd@state.gov), fax (202-776-8482), or by telephone (202-776-8420).

The Head Start Bureau is announcing the availability of funds and request for applications for professional development and training grants for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in partnership with Head Start and Early Head Start programs to improve staff training and to thereby enhance services to Head Start and Early Head Start children and families. Through this announcement, the Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) is making available up to $1,500,000 annually for each of five years to support Head Start Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Partnerships. These partnerships are designed to improve the quality and long-term effectiveness of Head Start and Early Head Start grantees by developing academic training models to increase the number of Head Start/Early Head Start teachers with BA degrees in early childhood education.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service published in the Federal Register of March 25, 2005 (70 FR 15277), a document concerning the FY 2005 CSP sign-up process. The notice contained a typographic error that may impact program implementation. This document corrects that error.

Notice is hereby given of contractual actions that have been proposed to the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and are new, modified, discontinued, or completed since the last publication of this notice on March 10, 2005. This notice is one of a variety of means used to inform the public about proposed contractual actions for capital recovery and management of project resources and facilities consistent with section 9(f) of the Reclamation Project Act of 1939. Additional announcements of individual contract actions may be published in the Federal Register and in newspapers of general circulation in the areas determined by Reclamation to be affected by the proposed action.

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service, announce that we are reopening the comment period for the Technical/Agency Draft Recovery Plan for Catesbaea melanocarpa (no common name) to solicit comment on revised ``Recovery Goal'' and ``Recovery Criteria'' sections. The revised recovery goal of the draft recovery plan is to protect and stabilize existing populations and associated habitat of Catesbaea melanocarpa and ultimately remove the species from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants. The revised recovery criteria establish criteria for both downlisting and delisting. We solicit review and written comments from the public on these sections of the recovery plan.

On March 1, 2004, the Forest Service published a Notice of Intent to prepare an environmental impact statement for the Growden Dam and Sherman Creek Restoration Project in the Federal Register (69 FR 9569). The Forest Service is revising the project title, the proposed action, the date the EIS is expected to be available for public review and comment, the expected date of release of the final EIS, and the name of the Responsible Official. The project title will be changed to Growden Dam, Sherman Creek Restoration Project and Forest Plan Amendment 28. The proposed action is modified to include Forest Plan Amendment 28, which would change the visual quality objective for the Growden Dam area from ``Retention'' to ``Restoration'' until such time as the vegetation recovers. The immediate foreground area around Growden Dam, a significant dispersed recreation site, would be a construction zone visible from Washington State Highway 20 under each of the three action alternatives. Depending on the alternative selected, there would be up to eight acres of unvegetated landscape next to the highway in the first year of construction. A change in visual quality objective to ``Restoration'' would be in effect until vegetation is reestablished. Within one season grass is expected to cover most of the site and trees and shrubs will have been planted. It is expected that trees and shrubs would be established within five years and the area will appear more natural.

The Office of Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and Infrastructure Technologies of the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is soliciting financial assistance applications for cost-shared financial assistance agreements with the DOE for research and development that will enhance fuel cell technology. DOE intends to provide financial support under provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 1992.

The Department of Energy (DOE), pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995), intends to extend for three years, an information collection package with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) concerning information ``Technology Partnerships Ombudsmen Reporting Requirements.'' The ombudsman appointed at each DOE National Laboratory must submit reports to DOE on the number and nature of complaints and disputes raised by outside organizations regarding the policies and actions of each laboratory with respect to technology transfer partnerships, including Cooperative Research and Development Agreements, patents, and technology licensing. The reports must also include an assessment of the ombudsman's resolution to the disputes. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the extended collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information collection; they also will become a matter of public record.