December 23, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The United States Coast Guard will meet to discuss the comments received relating to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for Kenner Bend Anchorage as published in the Federal Register, Vol. 70, No. 80 on Wednesday, April 27, 2005.

This notice announces a meeting of the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EMSSAB), Oak Ridge Reservation. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that public notice of this meeting be announced in the Federal Register.

This notice announces a meeting of the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EMSSAB), Northern New Mexico. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that public notice of this meeting be announced in the Federal Register.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announces a second availability of grant funds for Fiscal Year 2006. The purpose of this notice is to provide the general public with a consolidated source of program and application information related to NOAA's competitive grant offerings. It contains the information about those programs as required to be published in the Federal Register. This omnibus notice is designed to replace multiple Federal Register notices that traditionally advertised the availability of NOAA's discretionary funds for its various programs. Applicants must comply with all requirements contained in the full funding opportunity announcements for each project competition in this announcement. It should be noted that additional program initiatives unanticipated at the time of the publication of this notice may be announced later in the year.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is today announcing the availability of its Environmental Economics Research Strategy, EPA/600/R-04/195. The Environmental Economics Research Strategy identifies and prioritizes environmental economics and decision science research that will be conducted over the next several years to improve the scientific foundation for EPA's decision-making and policy initiatives.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will convene public meetings.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Center for Environmental Innovation (NCEI) is giving notice of the availability of its solicitation for proposals for the 2006 grant program to support innovation by state environmental regulatory agenciesthe ``State Innovation Grant Program.'' The solicitation is available at the Agency's State Innovation Grant Web site: https://www.epa.gov/innovation/stategrants/ solicitation2006.pdf, or may be requested from the Agency by e-mail, telephone, or by mail. Only the principal environmental regulatory agency within each State (generally, where delegated authorities for Federal environmental regulations exist) is eligible to receive these grants.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces that a Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Assessment (Draft CCP/EA) for the Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge is available for review and comment. This Draft CCP/EA was prepared pursuant to the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee et seq), and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321-4370d). It describes how the Service intends to manage the refuge over the next 15 years. Compatibility determinations for several existing uses (farming, sport fishing, wildlife observation, photography, environmental education and interpretation) were re-evaluated, and are included in the draft plan. In addition, draft compatibility determinations for two new proposed uses (grazing and hunting) are also available for review and comment in the Draft CCP/EA.

The Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory Committee (ETTAC) will hold a plenary meeting on January 13, 2006, at the U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230, in Room 4830. The ETTAC will discuss global climate change mitigation initiatives, the European Union's electronic and other waste initiatives, updated negotiations in the World Trade Organization's environmental goods and services trade liberalization, the Export-Import Bank's environmental exports program, U.S. EPA's Environmental Technologies Verification (ETV) Program, the USG role in the Asia-Pacific Partnership, and an overview of the U.S. International Trade Commission's environmental services sector market analysis. The meeting is open to the public and time will be permitted for public comment. Written comments concerning ETTAC affairs are welcome anytime before or after the meeting. Minutes will be available within 30 days of this meeting. The ETTAC is mandated by Public Law 103-392. It was created to advise the U.S. government on environmental trade policies and programs, and to help it to focus its resources on increasing the exports of the U.S. environmental industry. ETTAC operates as an advisory committee to the Secretary of Commerce and the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee (TPCC). ETTAC was originally chartered in May of 1994. It was most recently rechartered until May 30, 2006. For further information phone Ellen Bohon, Office of Energy and Environmental Technologies Industries (OEEI), International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce at (202) 482-0359. This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to OEEI at (202) 482-5225.

The Committee is proposing to add to the Procurement List products and services to be furnished by nonprofit agencies employing persons who are blind or have other severe disabilities, and to delete a service previously furnished by such agencies. Comments Must Be Received on or Before: January 22, 2006.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4321-4347, and 40 CFR Part 1500, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces that the Final EIS/EIR for the Imperial Irrigation District's (IID) Desert Southwest Transmission Line Project is available for a thirty (30) day public review and comment period.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposes to amend its regulations governing accreditation of representatives of claimants for veterans' benefits. These proposed changes would require that recognized organizations periodically recertify the qualifications of accredited representatives, and require that VA is notified when a recognized organization requests cancellation of a representative's accreditation based upon misconduct or lack of competence, or if a representative resigns to avoid cancellation of accreditation for misconduct or lack of competence. The proposed changes would also require that accredited claims agents periodically reestablish their good character and reputation and qualifications to assist claimants for VA benefits. We would also clarify that the authority to cancel accreditation includes the authority to suspend accreditation for a period of time. The purpose of these proposed changes is to ensure that claimants for veterans' benefits have responsible, qualified representation in the preparation, presentation, and prosecution of claims.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. Appendix 2, section 10(a) (Pub. L. 92-463), this notice announces a meeting of the Advisory Panel on Medicare Education (the Panel) on January 26, 2006. The Panel advises and makes recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on opportunities to enhance the effectiveness of consumer education strategies concerning the Medicare program. This meeting is open to the public.