September 8, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. International Trade Commission has determined not to review an initial determination (``ID'') granting a joint motion to terminate the above-captioned investigation on the basis of a license agreement.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the withdrawal of an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) concerning needle-bearing devices. FDA is concerned about the significant health risk posed by needlestick and other percutaneous injuries but FDA believes that the actions it has taken and continues to take along with the actions taken by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are addressing the issue adequately at this time.

The EPA is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of New York. This revision will establish an updated ten-year carbon monoxide (CO) maintenance plan for the Onondaga County attainment area. Onondaga County was redesignated to attainment of the CO National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) on September 29, 1993 and a maintenance plan was also approved at that time. By this action, EPA is approving the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's (New York) second maintenance plan for Onondaga County because it provides for continued attainment for an additional ten years of the CO NAAQS. In addition, EPA is approving New York's revised Part 225-3 (Oxygenated Gasoline Program provisions).

This notice announces the eligibility of firefighters and emergency medical technicians to purchase HUD-acquired homes located in HUD-designated revitalization areas at a discount, in accordance with HUD's regulations for the Officer Next Door (OND) Sales Program. Inclusion in the OND Sales Program is designed to help more firefighters and emergency responders become homeowners, and will further the goals of the OND Sales Program to accelerate the revitalization of America's cities by promoting the integration of dedicated role models and mentors into the community. Elsewhere in today's Federal Register, HUD has published a proposed rule that would establish the Good Neighbor Next Door (GNND) Sales Program. The GNND Sales Program would build upon and replace the existing OND Sales Program and Teacher Next Door Sales Program, combining them into one broader program. The proposed rule, when made final, will codify the eligibility of law enforcement officers, teachers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians to participate in the new Good Neighbor Next Door Sales Program.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing revisions to the RCRA hazardous waste permitting program, originally proposed on October 12, 2001, to allow for a ``standardized permit.'' The standardized permit will be available to RCRA treatment, storage, and disposal facilities (TSDs) otherwise subject to RCRA permitting that generate and then store or non-thermally treat hazardous waste on- site in tanks, containers, and containment buildings. The standardized permit will also be available to facilities which receive hazardous waste generated off-site by a generator under the same ownership as the receiving facility, and which then store or non- thermally treat the hazardous waste in containers, tanks, or containment buildings. The standardized permit will streamline the permitting process by allowing facilities to obtain and modify permits more easily, while still achieving the same level of environmental protection as individual permits. This rule finalizes the proposal, with changes based on public comments. In the preamble to proposed rule, the Agency also requested comments on other permitting-related topics including: how cleanups under non-RCRA state cleanup programs might be reflected in RCRA permits; the conclusions about captive insurance in a March, 2001 report by EPA's Inspector General; and whether insurers that provide financial assurance for hazardous waste and PCB facilities have a minimum rating from commercial rating services. The Agency is not taking action at this point on these questions.