November 29, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to section 10(a) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act as amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), notice is hereby given of the 2005 White House Conference on Aging (WHCoA) meeting in December 2005 and the final Annotated Agenda for the 2005 WHCoA. The Policy Committee approved this final Annotated Agenda during a meeting held by conference call on November 3, 2005. The Annotated Agenda covers six broad areas that reflect major issues facing older individuals now and for the next 10 years. The 2005 WHCoA will be open to the public. Individuals who wish to attend should call or email the contact person listed below in advance of the meeting and inform her of the day they wish to attend; since space for the public is limited, attendance will be on a first come first-served basis. Individuals who need special assistance, such as sign language interpretation or other reasonable accommodations, should inform the contact person of the type of assistance that is desired.

Notice is hereby given of the following determinations: Pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Act of October 19, 1965 (79 Stat. 985; 22 U.S.C. 2459), Executive Order 12047 of March 27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 (112 Stat. 2681, et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 6501 note, et seq.), Delegation of Authority No. 234 of October 1, 1999, Delegation of Authority No. 236 of October 19, 1999, as amended, and Delegation of Authority No. 257 of April 15, 2003 [68 FR 19875], I hereby determine that the objects to be included in the exhibition ``The Princess and the Patriot: Ekaterina Dashkova, Benjamin Franklin and the Age of Enlightenment'', imported from abroad for temporary exhibition within the United States, are of cultural significance. The objects are imported pursuant to loan agreements with the foreign owners. I also determine that the exhibition or display of the exhibit objects at The Museum of the American Philosophical Society in Philosophical Hall, Philadelphia, PA, from on or about February 17, 2006, until on or about December 31, 2006, and at possible additional venues yet to be determined, is in the national interest. Public Notice of these Determinations is ordered to be published in the Federal Register.

The Stanislaus National Forest is in the process of preparing an environmental analysis for the Great Hunt Reforestation and Release Project. This project is being planned on National Forest lands encompassing portions of the Groveland, Mi-Wok and Summit Ranger Districts. The proposal to be analyzed consists of conducting site preparation, planting, and plantation release treatments using a combination of methods on approximately 2330 acres. Treatments will include backpack application of the herbicide glyphosate on approximately 545 acres; mechanically shredding or hand cutting competing vegetation on 1,655 acres with follow-up glyphosate applications on 1,530 acres; and burning and hand cutting competing vegetation with follow up glyphosate applications on 30 acres. Treatments are designed to assure adequate survival and growth of planted conifers by reducing competing vegetation. The goals tied to this project in the Stanislaus National Forest Plan Direction 2005 (STF FPD) are to increase the frequency of large trees, improve the continuity and distribution of old forests, and restore forest species composition and structure following large scale, stand-replacing disturbance events (STF FPD page 9). The areas under consideration for management activities are old timber harvest units, as well as areas burned by the following wildfires: Granite Fire, 1973; River Fire, 1987; Cotton Fire, 1990; Ruby Fire, 1992; and Creek Fire, 1994. In areas identified for site preparation and planting, natural regeneration of conifer seedlings following the harvest or fire disturbance events is inadequate due to rapid and vigorous growth of competing vegetation and the lack of a seed source in some areas (STF FPD page 146, Standard and Guideline 15- J: ``Reforest all openings in available, capable, and suitable lands for timber production created by timber harvest, wind, fire, or insect and disease pests (36 CFR 219.27(b)(2))''). These areas are not on track to meet the goals of the STF FPD. As such, the benefits of a forested environment, and all the associated benefits of forest structure have not occurred. Decision to be Made: The decision to be made is whether to implement the proposed action as described above, to meet the purpose and need for action through some other combination of activities, or to take no action at this time. Scoping Process: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis should be received in writing within 15 days of the date of publication of this Notice of Intent in the Federal Register. The project was initially listed in the Forest's July and October 2005 quarterly edition of the Schedule of Proposed Actions (SOPA). Scoping letters were sent in September 1, 2005 to those who responded to the SOPA and to other identified interested and affected individuals and government agencies. In the SOPA, the mode of environmental documentation was predicted as an environmental assessment. It has now been determined that the environmental analysis will be documented in an environmental impact statement. Since there are no changes being made to the proposed action that was previously scoped, the scoping period at this point is brief. Scoping letters previously received by the Forest Service from the first scoping period will continue to be used for this process. A public scoping meeting is not anticipated at this time. The scoping process will be used to identify issues regarding the proposed action. An issue is defined as a point of dispute, debate, or disagreement related to a specific proposed action based on its anticipated effects. Significant issues brought to our attention are used during environmental analysis to develop alternatives to the proposed action. Some issued raised in scoping may be considered non- significant because they are: (1) Beyond the scope of the proposed action and its purpose and need; (2) already decided by law, regulation, or the Land and Resource Management Plan; (3) irrelevant to the decision to be made; or (4) conjectural and not supported by scientific or factual evidence. Alternatives: Alternatives proposed to date are the Proposed Action as described above and the No Action. Identification of Permits or Licenses Required: No permits or licenses have been identified to implement the proposed action. Lead, Joint Lead, and Cooperating Agencies: The USDA Forest Service is the lead agency for this proposal; there are no cooperating agencies. Estimated Dates for Filing: The expected filing date with the Environmental Protection Agency for the draft EIS is March 1, 2006. The expected filing date for the final EIS is July 1, 2006. Person to Whom Comments May Be Mailed: Comments may be submitted to: District Ranger, Mi-Wok Ranger District, P.O. Box 100, Mi-Wuk Village, CA 95346 or (209) 586-0643 (fax) during normal business hours. The Mi-Wok Ranger District business hours are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m Monday through Friday. Electronic comments, in acceptable plain text (.txt), rich text (.rtf), or Word (.doc) formats, may be submitted to: mgmelin@fs.fed.us using Subject: Great Hunt Reforestation and Release Project. Reviewer's Obligation to Comment: The comment period on the draft EIS will be 45 days from the date the Environmental Protection Agency publishes the notice of availability of the draft EIS in the Federal Register. The Forest Service believes, at this early stage, it is important to give reviewers notice of several court rulings related to public participation in the environmental review process. First, reviewers of draft statements must structure their participation in the environmental review of the proposal so that it is meaningful and alerts an agency to the reviewer's position and contentions. Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also, environmental objections that could be raised at the draft environmental impact statement stage but that are not raised until after completion of the final environmental impact statement may be waived or dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of these court rulings, it is very important that those interested in this proposed action participate by the close of the 45-day comment period so that substantive comments and objections are made available to the Forest Service at a time when it can meaningfully consider them and respond to them in the final environmental impact statement. To assist the Forest Service in identifying and considering issues and concerns with the proposed action, comments on the draft environmental impact statement should be as specific as possible. It is also helpful if comments refer to specific pages or chapters of the draft statement. Comments may also address the adequacy of the draft environmental impact statement or the merits of the alternatives formulated and discussed in the statement. Reviewers may wish to refer to the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act at 40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points. Further Information: Marty Gmelin, Interdisciplinary Team Leader may be contacted by phone at (209) 586-3234 ex. 629 for more information about the proposed action and the environmental impact statement or at the Mi-Wok Ranger District, P.O. Box 100, Mi-Wuk Village, CA 95348. Responsible Official and Mailing Address: Tom Quinn, Forest Supervisor, 19777 Greenly Road, Sonora, CA 95370.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Coeur d'Alene District Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

EPA is proposing a correction to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the State of Georgia regarding the State's general ``nuisance'' rule. EPA has determined that this rule, Georgia Rule 391- 3-1.02(2)(a)1, was erroneously incorporated into the SIP. EPA is proposing to remove this rule from the approved Georgia SIP because the rule is not related to the attainment and maintenance of the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS).

The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for a proposed highway project in the Towns of Skowhegan and Madison, Maine.

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Transmission Infrastructure Investment provisions in section 1241 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which adds a new section 219 to the Federal Power Act, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is proposing to amend its regulations to establish incentive-based (including performance-based) rate treatments for the transmission of electric energy in interstate commerce by public utilities for the purpose of benefiting consumers by ensuring reliability and reducing the cost of delivered power by reducing transmission congestion.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM), are approving an amendment to the Illinois regulatory program (Illinois program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). The Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Office of Mines and Minerals (Department or Illinois) is revising its regulations regarding revegetation success standards, to update statutory citations, to correct regulatory citations, and to clarify language in various provisions. Illinois is revising its program to clarify ambiguities and to improve operational efficiency.

We are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Wyoming abandoned mine land reclamation (AMLR) plan (the ``Wyoming plan'') under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Wyoming proposes revisions and additions to its AMLR Plan to be consistent with SMCRA by removing phrases concerning liens for reclamation on private lands and by removing and adding words concerning contract eligibility.

As authorized by Public Law 105-383 and Public Law 107-295, the Secretary of Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), is authorized to grant waivers of the U.S.- build requirement of the coastwise laws under certain circumstances. A request for such a waiver has been received by MARAD. The vessel, and a brief description of the proposed service, is listed below. The complete application is given in DOT docket 2005-23095 at https:// dms.dot.gov. Interested parties may comment on the effect this action may have on U.S. vessel builders or businesses in the U.S. that use U.S.-flag vessels. If MARAD determines, in accordance with Public Law 105-383 and MARAD's regulations at 46 CFR part 388 (68 FR 23084; April 30, 2003), that the issuance of the waiver will have an unduly adverse effect on a U.S.-vessel builder or a business that uses U.S.-flag vessels in that business, a waiver will not be granted. Comments should refer to the docket number of this notice and the vessel name in order for MARAD to properly consider the comments. Comments should also state the commenter's interest in the waiver application, and address the waiver criteria given in Sec. 388.4 of MARAD's regulations at 46 CFR part 388.

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) are extending the date for submittal of public comments by two weeks for the proposed rule regarding payments under Time-and-Materials (T&M) and Labor-Hour (LH) Contracts. The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register at 70 FR 56314, September 26, 2005.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is confirming the effective date of December 5, 2005, for the direct final rule that was published in the Federal Register on September 20, 2005 (70 FR 55023). This direct final rule amended the NRC's regulations to revise the Transnuclear, Inc., Standardized NUHOMS[supreg] System listing to include Amendment No. 8 to Certificate of Compliance (CoC) No. 1004.

The proposed information collection requirement described below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) intends to hold public scoping meetings and prepare an environmental assessment in connection with possible impacts related to a project proposed by Central Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. (CEPCI) of South Carolina. The proposal consists of the construction of approximately 20 miles of 115 kilovolt transmission line to provide more reliable transmission power to McClellanville, SC. The proposed 115-kilovolt transmission line project would be constructed within one of several alternative corridors under consideration. The alternative transmission line corridors originate at existing power delivery points near Jamestown and Charity, Berkeley County and Winyah and Belle Isle south of the city of Georgetown in Georgetown County, SC and at a potential new substation that would be built in the vicinity of the town of Honey Hill, Berkeley County, SC. The corridors terminate at the proposed location of a substation in McClellanville from which electric power distribution lines would service the community. Portions of the alternative corridors include Federal lands of the Francis Marion National Forest therefore the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (FS) is a cooperating agency in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis. CEPCI is requesting RUS to provide financing for the proposed project.

This interim rule amends the regulations governing the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) to strengthen vendor cost containment. The rule incorporates into program regulations new legislative requirements that affect the selection, authorization, and reimbursement of retail vendors. These requirements are contained in the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, enacted on June 30, 2004. The rule reflects the statutory provisions that require State agencies to implement a vendor peer group system, competitive price criteria, and allowable reimbursement levels in a manner that ensures that the WIC Program pays authorized vendors competitive prices for supplemental foods. It also requires State agencies to ensure that vendors that derive more than 50 percent of their annual food sales revenue from WIC food instruments do not result in higher food costs to the program than do other vendors. The intent of these provisions is to maximize the number of eligible women, infants, and children served with available Federal funding.

The Bureau of the Public Debt published a final rule in the September 30, 2005, Federal Register, amending the Sale and Issue of Marketable Book-Entry Treasury Bills, Notes, and Bonds to permit Treasury bills, notes, and bonds to be held in the TreasuryDirect system. Several paragraphs were inadvertently omitted. This correction document corrects that omission.

The FAA adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Pacific Aerospace Corporation Ltd Model 750XL airplanes. This AD requires you to inspect the condition of the left and right outer panel attachment lugs for damage (scoring and gouging) and/or cracks (using a fluorescent penetrant inspection procedure for the crack inspection); to inspect the spacing of left and right outer panel attachment lugs; to replace the lugs if damage is found; and to make necessary corrections to the spacing. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the airworthiness authority for New Zealand. We are issuing this AD to prevent structural failure of the outer panel and spar due to a cracked, bent, or distorted condition of the left and right outer panel attachment lugs; and incorrect spacing of the left and right outer panel attachment lugs. This failure could lead to loss of control of the airplane.