May 23, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) to supersede AD 2003-14-20, which applies to all AeroSpace Technologies of Australia Pty Ltd. (ASTA) Models N22B and N24A airplanes. AD 2003-14-20 requires you to repetitively inspect, using either dye penetrant or magnetic particle methods, the rudder control lever shafts for cracks; inspect (one-time) all lever shaft side plates by measuring the thickness; and if cracks or discrepancies in thickness are found, replace unserviceable parts with new or serviceable parts. Since AD 2003-14-20 was issued, we determined that the AD should also affect Model N22S airplanes. The manufacturer has also revised the service information to include a rudder control lever shaft part number (P/N) that was not part of AD 2003-14-20. Consequently, this AD retains the actions of AD 2003-14-20, adds Model N22S airplanes to the applicability, and adds rudder control lever shaft P/N 1/N-45-1102 to the inspection requirements. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracks in the rudder control lever torque shafts and discrepancies in the thickness of the lever shaft side plates, which could result in failure of the rudder control lever torque shaft. Such failure could lead to reduced controllability of the airplane.

This final rule revises the NASA FAR Supplement (NFS) by amending the definition of ``head of contracting activity'' consistent with the realignment of program management responsibilities between NASA Headquarters and the field centers.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the reopening of the public comment period for the status review initiated by the 90-day finding on a petition to list Cicurina cueva as an endangered species (February 1, 2005; 70 FR 5123). This action will allow all interested parties an opportunity to provide information on the status of the species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act).

This document contains proposed regulations that provide guidance for the filing of information returns by donees relating to qualified intellectual property contributions. The text of the temporary regulations published in the Rules and Regulations section of this issue of the Federal Register also serves as the text of these proposed regulations. The regulations affect donees receiving qualified intellectual property contributions after June 3, 2004.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for yellowfin sole in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2005 yellowfin sole total allowable catch (TAC) in the BSAI.

The Department of the Treasury (``Treasury,'' ``We,'' or ``Us'') is issuing in final form an amendment to the regulations issued under the Government Securities Act of 1986, as amended (``GSA''), that are applicable to depository institutions that hold government securities as fiduciary, custodian, or otherwise for the account of customers. The provisions of the GSA regulations for custodial holding of government securities held by depository institutions generally provide an exemption from these rules for a depository institution's holdings of such government securities that are subject to the fiduciary standards of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (``the Board''), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (``FDIC''), or the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (``OCC''). We published a proposed rule amendment to the exemption on September 23, 2004, and are now adopting the change as proposed. Specifically, this amendment modifies the exemption to include savings associations subject to the fiduciary standards of the Office of Thrift Supervision (``OTS'').

The EPA is proposing to approve revisions to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the Chairman of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) on December 6, 2004. The proposed revisions will demonstrate attainment of the 8-hour ozone standard and incorporate the San Antonio Early Action Compact (EAC) Clean Air Plan into the Texas SIP. EPA is proposing approval of the photochemical modeling in support of the attainment demonstration of the 8-hour ozone standard within the San Antonio EAC area and is proposing approval of the associated control measures. EPA is proposing these actions as a strengthening of the SIP in accordance with the requirements of sections 110 and 116 of the Federal Clean Air Act (the Act), which will result in emission reductions needed to help achieve attainment and maintenance of the 8-hour National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ozone.

This document contains final regulations that deem certain eligible entities that file timely S corporation elections to have elected to be classified as associations taxable as corporations. These regulations affect certain eligible entities filing timely elections to be S corporations on or after July 20, 2004.

Based on the agency's evaluation, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) denies a petition for rulemaking from Mercedes-Benz to amend the Federal lighting standard to permit the use of optional use of stoplamps that would flash under higher levels of deceleration. Mercedes-Benz has not demonstrated that this manufacturer-installed option would result in reduced crashes. NHTSA is denying the petition because it would take away from NHTSA the ability to use a potentially valuable rear signal for a higher safety purpose sometime in the future. NHTSA concludes that it would require more in- depth information than provided on the safety benefit of any such change before it would initiate a rulemaking on what rear signal lamp performance changes are appropriate or necessary to reduce the incidence or rear-end crashes.