November 9, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection(s), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not display a valid control number. Comments are requested concerning (a) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Section 5 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) requires any person who intends to manufacture (defined by statute to include import) a new chemical (i.e., a chemical not on the TSCA Inventory) to notify EPA and comply with the statutory provisions pertaining to the manufacture of new chemicals. Under sections 5(d)(2) and 5(d)(3) of TSCA, EPA is required to publish a notice of receipt of a premanufacture notice (PMN) or an application for a test marketing exemption (TME), and to publish periodic status reports on the chemicals under review and the receipt of notices of commencement to manufacture those chemicals. This status report, which covers the period from September 26, 2005 to October 14, 2005, consists of the PMNs pending or expired, and the notices of commencement to manufacture a new chemical that the Agency has received under TSCA section 5 during this time period.

The Chief Operating Officer for Federal Student Aid announces the interest rates for loans made under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program for the period July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006.

This notice announces the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) is considering additional management measures to limit entry into the commercial fishery for Spanish mackerel in the exclusive economic zone of the Atlantic (South Atlantic EEZ). Possible measures include the establishment of a limited entry program to control participation or effort in the commercial Spanish mackerel fishery in the Atlantic. If a limited entry program is established, the SAMFC is considering June 15, 2004, as a possible control date.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended) this notice announces the Department of Transportation's (DOT) intention to request an extension without change for a currently approved information collection.

On November 4, 2005, the Commission released a public notice announcing the November 30, 2005 meeting and agenda of the North American Numbering Council (NANC). The intended effect of this action is to make the public aware of the NANC's next meeting and agenda.

This notice solicits public comment on three documents created by subcommittees of the Interagency ADR Working Group Steering Committee (``Steering Committee''), a group of federal subject matter experts. The first document, ``Protecting the Confidentiality of Dispute Resolution Proceedings: A Guide for Federal Workplace ADR Program Administrators'' (``Confidentiality Guide''), provides practical guidance to program administrators on the application of the confidentiality provisions of the Administrative Dispute Resolution Act of 1996 (``the ADR Act'' 5 U.S.C. 574) to federal workplace dispute resolution programs. The other two documents (``Supplementation and Annotation documents''), consist of: (1) ``A Guide for Federal Employee Mediators,'' a supplementation and annotation of the 2005 Model Standards of Conduct for Mediators issued by the American Arbitration Association (``AAA''), American Bar Association (``ABA''), and the Association for Conflict Resolution (``ACR''), for use by federal employee mediators; and (2) ``A Guide for Federal Employee Ombuds,'' a supplementation and annotation of the Standards for the Establishment and Operations of Ombuds Offices issued on February 9, 2004 by the ABA, prepared by the Steering Committee in conjunction with the Coalition for Federal Ombudsmen (``CFO'') for use by federal employee ombuds. Complete versions of each of the three documents can be found at http:/ /www.adr.gov/draftguides.html or may be requested in hard copy from Hon. Richard C. Walters at 202-273-6747. The Steering Committee invites all interested individuals or organizations to submit comments on these documents for its consideration before they are posted in final form.

The purpose of this notice is to request public nominations for the Carrizo Plain National Monument Resource Advisory Committee. The advisory committee has nine member terms expiring in December of this year. The terms of the council members are three years long. Meetings are usually held quarterly, however additional meetings may be called if necessary. The committee advises the Secretary of the Interior and the Bureau of Land Management on resource management issues associated with the Carrizo Plain National Monument. BLM will consider public nominations for 30 days after the publication date of this notice.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has examined and found suitable for classification for lease and conveyance under provisions of the Recreation and Public Purposes Act, approximately 4.54 acres of public land in Shasta County, California. The County of Shasta proposes to use the land for waste transfer facility purposes.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has examined and found suitable for classification for lease and or conveyance, under provisions of the Recreation and Public Purposes Act approximately 60.87 acres of public land in Shasta County, California. Shasta Service Guild, a non-profit organization, proposes to use the land for a park and community center.

We are proposing to amend the regulations regarding the importation of cattle from Mexico by adding San Luis, AZ, as a port through which cattle that have been infested with fever ticks or exposed to fever ticks or tick-borne diseases may be imported into the United States. A new facility for the handling of animals is to be constructed on the Mexican side of the border at the port of San Luis, AZ, that will be equipped with facilities necessary for the proper chute inspection, dipping, and testing that are required for such cattle under the regulations. We would also amend the regulations to remove provisions that limit the admission of cattle that have been infested with fever ticks or exposed to fever ticks or tick-borne diseases to the State of Texas and that prohibit the movement of such cattle into areas of Texas quarantined because of fever ticks. The statutory requirement that limited the admission of those cattle to the State of Texas has been repealed, and we believe that the current provisions of our domestic fever tick quarantine regulations will effectively address any risk of the spread of tick-borne diseases associated with the subsequent movement of imported cattle from the quarantined area of Texas. These proposed changes would make an additional port of entry available and relieve restrictions on the movement of imported Mexican cattle within the United States.