July 18, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document contains a correction to a final rule that was published on May 24, 2005.

This document corrects a final rule published in the Federal Register amending the Subsistence Halibut Program. This correcting amendment corrects the description, geographic coordinates, and associated figures for the Anchorage/Matsu/Kenai non-subsistence marine waters area and the Local Area Management Plan (LAMP) for the halibut fishery in Sitka Sound in the Gulf of Alaska.

NMFS proposes regulations to implement Framework Adjustment 41 (FW 41) to the NE Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). FW 41 management measures were developed by the New England Fishery Management Council (Council) to expand participation in the existing Closed Area (CA) I Hook Gear Haddock Special Access Program (SAP) to all Northeast (NE) multispecies limited access Days-at Sea (DAS) vessels fishing with hook gear. The proposed action would also modify some of the management measures currently applicable to the Georges Bank (GB) Cod Hook Sector (Sector) vessels when declared into the CA I Hook Gear Haddock SAP by including modification of the season, haddock total allowable catch (TAC), and restricting vessels to fishing only inside the SAP area on trips declared into the SAP. In addition, NMFS proposes to clarify regulations pertaining to fishing in the Eastern U.S./Canada Haddock SAP Pilot Program Area. Specifically, during the time the SAP is open, eligible vessels could choose to fish in the SAP, and fish in the Eastern U.S./Canada Area west of CA II. This action is intended to mitigate the economic and social impacts resulting from Amendment 13 to the FMP and to meet the conservation and management requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).

In the Rules and Regulations section of this issue of the Federal Register, the IRS is issuing temporary regulations relating to the IRS preparing or executing returns for persons who fail to make required returns. The text of those regulations also serves as the text of these proposed regulations.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific Ocean perch in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2005 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific Ocean perch in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposes the final designation of an ocean dredged material disposal site (ODMDS) located offshore of Newport Beach, California (known as LA-3), managed at a maximum annual dredged material disposal quantity of 2,500,000 cubic yards (yd3) (1,911,000 cubic meters [m3]), and the management of permanently-designated LA-2 ODMDS at an increased maximum annual dredged material disposal quantity of 1,000,000 yd3 (765,000 m3) for the ocean disposal of clean dredged material from the Los Angeles County and Orange County regions. The availability of suitable ocean disposal sites to support ongoing maintenance and capital improvement projects is essential for the continued use and economic growth of the vital commercial and recreational areas in the region. Dredged material will not be allowed to be disposed of in the ocean unless the material meets strict environmental criteria established by the EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The action would shift the center of the permanently-designated LA- 3 site approximately 1.3 nautical miles (nmi) (2.4 kilometers [km]) to the southeast of the interim LA-3 site, and encompass a region that is already disturbed by dredged material. The permanent site also would be located on a flat, depositional plain, and away from the submarine canyons, that will be more amenable to surveillance and monitoring activities. The LA-2 site is a permanently designated ODMDS that has been historically managed at an average annual disposal quantity of 200,000 yd3 (153,000 m3) for the disposal of material dredged primarily from the Los Angeles/Long Beach Harbor complex. The proposed action will allow an increased volume of dredged material to be disposed annually at this site. The annual disposal quantity has occasionally exceeded the historical annual average due to capital projects from both the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Thus, the new maximum volume designation would accommodate the projected average annual volume requirements as well as provide for substantial annual volume fluctuations.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is making minor technical changes to a final rule published in the Federal Register on July 18, 2003 (68 FR 42932). That final rule amended appendices in 14 CFR parts 121, 125, and 135. In that final rule the FAA inadvertently did not make conforming amendments to two parts of Appendix M of part 121.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending the animal drug regulations to reflect approval of a supplemental new animal drug application (NADA) filed by Pfizer, Inc. The supplemental NADA provides for use of oxytetracycline hydrochloride soluble powder for skeletal marking of finfish fry and fingerlings by immersion.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a final regulation to amend the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Acquisition Regulation. The regulation incorporates changes in administrative policy and practices and makes clarifying language changes.

This notice proposes to update the pipeline safety regulations to incorporate by reference all or parts of new editions of voluntary consensus technical standards to enable pipeline operators to utilize current technology, materials, and practices.

EPA proposes to approve the State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Delaware for the purpose of including the new ambient air quality standards for ozone and fine particulate matter. In the Final Rules section of this Federal Register, EPA is approving the State's SIP submittal as a direct final rule without prior proposal because the Agency views this as a noncontroversial submittal and anticipates no adverse comments. A detailed rationale for the approval is set forth in the direct final rule. If no adverse comments are received in response to this action, no further activity is contemplated. If EPA receives adverse comments, the direct final rule will be withdrawn and all public comments received will be addressed in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. EPA will not institute a second comment period. Any parties interested in commenting on this action should do so at this time.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) is establishing a program for making grants, loan guarantees, and direct loans to farmers and ranchers (agricultural producers) or rural small businesses to purchase renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements. The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (2002 Act) established the Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program under Title IX, Section 9006. This program will help farmers, ranchers, and rural small businesses to reduce energy costs and consumption.