August 22, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This rule would increase the assessment rates established for the Nectarine Administrative Committee and the Peach Commodity Committee (committees) for the 2005-06 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.195 and $0.19, respectively, to $0.20 per 25-pound container or container equivalent of nectarines and peaches handled. The committees locally administer the marketing orders that regulate the handling of nectarines and peaches grown in California. Authorization to assess nectarine and peach handlers enables the committees to incur expenses that are reasonable and necessary to administer the programs. The fiscal period runs from March 1 through the last day of February. The assessment rates would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

Notice is hereby given that the comment period on the proposed relaxation of minimum grade requirements for Colorado Area No. 2 potatoes under Marketing Order No. 948 (order), and for imported red- skinned round type potatoes under the potato import regulation is reopened until September 12, 2005.

This document corrects a direct final rule published in the Federal Register of August 9, 2005, regarding fees for testing, evaluation, and approval of mining products.

DOE is vacating unused natural gas import and export authorizations.

Following receipt on August 9, 2005 of a request form the United States Trade Representative (USTR) under section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332(g)), the Commission instituted investigation No. 332-470, Advice Concerning Possible Modifications to the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences, 2005 Review. Background: As requested by the USTR, in accordance with sections 503(a)(1)(A), 503(e), and 131(a) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (1974 Act), and under section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930, the Commission will provide advice with respect to the probable economic effect on U.S. industries producing like or directly competitive articles and on consumers of the elimination of U.S. import duties for all beneficiary developing countries under the GSP for HTS subheading 1302.39.0010. In providing its advice on these articles, the USTR asked that the Commission assume that the benefits of the GSP would not apply to imports that would be excluded from receiving such benefits by virtue of competitive need limits specified in section 503(c)(2)(A) of the 1974 Act. In his letter, the USTR also requested that the Commission provide advice, on a different time schedule, with respect to the probable economic effect of the elimination of U.S. duties on certain watches. The Commission will provide that advice in February 2006 in its report on investigation No. 332-471, Advice Concerning Possible Modifications to the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences, 2005 Special Review on Watches. As requested by the USTR, the Commission will provide advice as to the probable economic effect on United States industries producing like or directly competitive articles and on consumers of the restoration of India for duty-free treatment under the GSP for HTS subheading 2916.39.15. As requested by the USTR and in accordance with section 503(d)(1)(A) of the 1974 Act, the Commission will provide advice on whether any industry in the United States is likely to be adversely affected by a waiver of the competitive need limits specified in section 503(c)(2)(A) of the 1974 Act for the Philippines for HTS subheading 0804.50.80; for Brazil for HTS subheading 4412.19.40; and for Turkey for HTS subheadings 6802.21.10 and 6802.91.20. As requested by the USTR, the Commission will provide its advice no later than November 10, 2005. With respect to the competitive need limit in section 503(c)(2)(A)(i)(I) of the 1974 Act, the Commission, as requested, will use the dollar value limit of $115,000,000.

Following receipt of a request on July 29, 2005, from the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), the Commission instituted investigation No. 332-472, Probable Economic Effect of the Reduction of U.S. Tariffs: Update of Advice for Certain Items, under section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332(g)). Background: In August 2002, at the request of the USTR, the Commission provided advice as to the probable economic effect of implementing certain tariff reduction scenarios (Inv. No. 332-440, Probable Economic Effect of the Reduction or Elimination of U.S. Tariffs). The advice was based on 2002 U.S. Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) nomenclature and 2000 trade data. In his letter of July 29, 2005, the USTR noted that U.S. imports of certain products have risen significantly since 2000, and directed that the Commission update its advice on products that have experienced a substantial increase in imports as defined by certain criteria. As requested by the USTR, the Commission will provide advice as to the probable economic effect on industries producing like or directly competing articles and on consumers of reducing U.S. tariffs by 75 percent on dutiable imports from all U.S. trading partners for products (8-digit HTS items) that meet all of the following criteria: At least a 50-percent increase in the value of dutiable imports from 2000-2004; At least a $10 million increase in the value of dutiable imports from 2000-2004; Dutiable imports were valued at more than $500,000 in 2000; A 2004 ad valorem equivalent U.S. tariff on dutiable imports of at least 5 percent; and The Commission's 2002 advice for the item did not indicate a substantial adverse effect on U.S. industry as a result of U.S. tariff elimination. The USTR requested that the Commission base its advice on 2005 HTS nomenclature and 2004 trade data. He also asked that the advice include a concordance to the 1996 Harmonized System nomenclature that is being used in the WTO negotiations. In addition, he requested that the report identify the five largest sources of dutiable imports (including import values) for each item analyzed under the criteria identified above. The USTR also asked that the Commission provide supplementary analysis that examines factors affecting trade and the competitive position of U.S. industry if, in conducting its analysis based on the more recent data, the Commission identifies items for which the 75 percent tariff reduction scenario indicates a greater adverse effect on U.S. industry than was indicated for those items under the tariff elimination scenario presented in the 2002 report. As requested, the Commission will transmit its report by no later than December 13, 2005.

This announces the availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) which assesses the potential environmental impacts of the proposed reinforcement of an existing stone revetment wall at Montauk Point, Suffolk County, NY. The DEIS has been prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) regulations for implementing NEPA.

This document revises an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain Boeing Model 727-100 and -100C series airplanes, that would have required repetitive inspections of the frame inner chord, outer chord, and web of the forward and aft edge frames of the lower lobe forward cargo door (FCD) cutout, and corrective action if necessary. This new action revises the proposed rule by adding high frequency eddy current inspections and a detailed inspection for cracks of certain areas described above. This new action also removes one airplane from the applicability. The actions specified by this new proposed AD are intended to detect and correct fatigue cracking of the forward and aft edge frames of the lower lobe FCD cutout, which could result in the loss of the FCD and rapid decompression of the airplane. This action is intended to address the identified unsafe condition.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all Bombardier Model DHC-7 series airplanes. This proposed AD would require implementing a corrosion prevention and control program (CPCP) either by accomplishing specific tasks or by revising the maintenance inspection program to include a CPCP. This proposed AD is prompted by the determination that, as airplanes age, they are more likely to exhibit indications of corrosion. We are proposing this AD to prevent structural failure of the airplane due to corrosion.

The Advisory Committee on Commercial Remote Sensing (ACCRES) will meet September 13, 2005. Date and Time: The meeting is scheduled as follows: September 13, 2005, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. The first part of this meeting will be closed to the public. The public portion of the meeting will begin at 1 p.m.