May 16, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document amends Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regulations to reflect a provision in the Veterans Education and Benefits Expansion Act of 2001 (Act). The Act contains a provision in section 505 that prohibits VA from awarding educational assistance allowance to individuals during any period that they are fugitive felons. Section 505 further prohibits payment of educational assistance allowance to a dependent of a veteran if the veteran is a fugitive felon. The prohibitions apply to the following VA educational assistance programs: Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty, Post-Vietnam Era Veteran's Educational Assistance Program, and Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance.

Federal motor vehicle safety standard (FMVSS) No. 109, New pneumatic tires, specifies performance requirements for certain types of passenger car tires. Three paragraphs of regulatory text related to tire testing procedures have been inadvertently removed through administrative error. This document corrects this inadvertent removal.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary final rule governing the operation of the P.J. McArdle Bridge, mile 0.3, across the Chelsea River between East Boston and Chelsea, Massachusetts. This final rule will allow the bridge to remain in the closed position from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 18, 2005, to facilitate the Annual Chelsea River Revel 5K Road Race. Vessels that can pass under the bridge without a bridge opening may do so at all times.

The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Drawbridge, mile 190.4, Nashville, Tennessee across the Cumberland River. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed- to- navigation position for three consecutive days from 7 a.m. June 11, 2005 until 7 a.m. June 14, 2005. The deviation is necessary to allow time for making repairs of critical mechanical components essential to the continued safe operation of the drawbridge.

This action amends the regulations governing air taxi operators and commuter air carriers to eliminate the requirement that commuter air carriers file initial and amended registration forms. The information provided on such forms is duplicative of information that commuter air carriers are separately required to file under other regulations. Accordingly, this amendment simplifies the process of applying for and maintaining commuter air carrier authority. This action also makes conforming amendments to other rules affected by the amendment, as well as to make other minor administrative, editorial, clarifying, and organizational changes to rules applicable to air taxi operators and commuter air carriers.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency delivering the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Utilities Programs, is amending its regulations on accounting policies and procedures for RUS Telecommunications Borrowers as set forth in RUS's regulations concerning Accounting System Requirements for RUS Telecommunications Borrowers. This final rule adopts some recent accounting changes made by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). These changes include increasing the expense limit for some assets excluding personal computers, allowing tools and test equipment located in the central office to be expensed under the new limitation. This final rule affirms the use of Class A accounts by RUS borrowers; maintains the expense matrix requirements; maintains the requirement that borrowers request prior approval to record extraordinary items, prior period adjustments, and contingent liabilities; establishes policies and procedures to permit RUS borrowers to follow Prudent Utility Practice regarding the storage and retention of business records; and eliminates certain Telecommunications Plant Under Construction accounts. This final rule also adds three new accounting interpretations on Allowance for Funds Used During Construction, Reporting Comprehensive Income, and Disclosures About Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits.

The Coast Guard modified the regulations that govern the operation of the Treasure Island Causeway Bridge. The change allows for daily bridge openings every 20-minutes from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. This regulation should improve vehicular traffic movement while the Treasure Island Causeway Bridge is undergoing repairs and will not unreasonably interfere with vessel movement.

The Coast Guard is implementing the special local regulations for the U.S. Naval Academy Blue Angels Air show to be held May 24 and 25, 2005, over the waters of the Severn River at Annapolis, Maryland. These special local regulations are necessary to control vessel traffic due to the confined nature of the waterway and expected vessel congestion during the event. The effect will be to restrict general navigation in the regulated area for the safety of event participants, spectators and vessels transiting the event area.

This amendment establishes, amends, suspends, or revokes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) for operations at certain airports. These regulatory actions are needed because of the adoption of new or revised criteria, or because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System, such as the commissioning of new navigational facilities, addition of new obstacles, or changes in air traffic requirements. These changes are designed to provide safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.

The Department of Commerce (``Commerce'') is amending its regulation, which governs the establishment of tariff rate quotas (TRQ) for a limited quantity of worsted wool fabrics pursuant to Title V of the Trade and Development Act of 2000 (``the Act'') as amended by the Trade Act of 2002 and the Miscellaneous Trade Act of 2004, (Public law 108-429). Section 501(e) of the Act requires the President to fairly allocate TRQs on the import of certain worsted wool fabric. Section 504(b) of the Act authorizes the President to modify the limitations on worsted wool fabric imports under TRQs. The President has delegated to the Secretary of Commerce the authority to allocate the quantity of imports under the TRQs (specifically for wool products under HTS headings, 9902.51.11 and 9902.51.12) and to determine whether the limitations on the quantity of imports under the TRQs should be modified. This interim rule is necessary to implement the amendment to the Act included in the Miscellaneous Trade Act of 2004, (Public law 108-429). Principally, this document amends the regulations to specify which HTS categories may be allocated as TRQs and to eliminate Commerce's authority to modify these quotas.