2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA 95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), the Department of Labor (the Department) conducts a preclearance consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and continuing collections of information. This program helps to ensure that the data the Department gathers can be provided in the desired format, that the reporting burden on the public (time and financial resources) is minimized, that the public understands the Department's collection instruments, and that the Department can accurately assess the impact of collection requirements on respondents. By this notice, the Department is soliciting comments concerning the information collection provisions of the regulation pertaining to section 401(c) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA). The statute and the regulatory provisions codified at 29 CFR 2550.401c-1 require insurers that issue certain types of insurance policies to employee benefit plans to make specific one-time and annual disclosures to such plans if assets of the plan are held in the insurer's general account. A copy of the ICR may be obtained by contacting the office listed in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.

Pursuant to subsection 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, codified as amended at 42 U.S.C. subsection 4332 (2)(C), the National Park Service announces the availability of a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Colorado River Management Plan, Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon, Arizona. The FEIS describes and analyzes the environmental impacts of several alternatives, including a modified preferred alternative, for future management of public use of the Colorado River through Grand Canyon National Park, including the Lower Gorge. The analysis includes both commercial and non-commercial uses. The FEIS incorporates changes based on comments on the Draft EIS, and includes the responses to public comments.

The information collection described below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520). The FTC proposes to issue compulsory process orders to the largest cigarette manufacturers and smokeless tobacco manufacturers in order to obtain information from those companies concerning, inter alia, their sales and marketing expenditures.

As set forth in 7 CFR 4279.107(b) and 4280.126(c), Rural Development (the Agency) has the authority to charge an annual renewal fee for loans made under the Business and Industry (B&I) Guaranteed Loan Program and the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Improvements (REEEI) Guaranteed Loan Program. Pursuant to that authority, the Agency is establishing the renewal fee rate at one- fourth of 1 percent for the B&I Guaranteed Loan Program and one-eighth of 1 percent for the REEEI Guaranteed Loan Program. These rates will apply to all loans obligated in fiscal year (FY) 2006 that are made under the cited programs. As established in 7 CFR 4279.107 and 4280.126, the amount of the fee on each guaranteed loan will be determined by multiplying the fee rate by the outstanding principal loan balance as of December 31, multiplied by the percent of guarantee. As set forth in 7 CFR 4280.126(a), each fiscal year the Agency shall establish the initial guarantee fee rate for loans made under the REEEI Guaranteed Loan Program. Pursuant to that authority, the Agency is establishing the initial guarantee fee rate at 1 percent for loans made in FY 2006. As set forth in 7 CFR 4279.107(a) and 4279.119(b)(4), each fiscal year the Agency shall establish a limit on the maximum portion of B&I guarantee authority available for that fiscal year that may be used to guarantee loans with a B&I guarantee fee of 1 percent or guaranteed loans with a guarantee percentage exceeding 80 percent. Allowing the guarantee fee to be reduced to 1 percent or exceeding the 80 percent guarantee on certain B&I guaranteed loans that meet the conditions set forth in 7 CFR 4279.107 and 4279.119 will increase the Agency's ability to focus guarantee assistance on projects which the Agency has found particularly meritorious, such as projects in rural communities that remain persistently poor, which experience long-term population decline and job deterioration, are experiencing trauma as a result of natural disaster, or are high impact as defined in 7 CFR 4279.155(b)(5). Not more than 12 percent of the Agency's quarterly apportioned B&I guarantee authority will be reserved for loan requests with a guarantee fee of 1 percent, and not more than 15 percent of the Agency's quarterly apportioned guarantee authority will be reserved for guaranteed loan requests with a guaranteed percentage exceeding 80 percent. Once the above quarterly limits have been reached, all additional loans guaranteed during the remainder of that quarter will require a 2 percent guarantee fee and not exceed an 80 percent guarantee limit. Written requests by the Rural Development State Office for approval of a guaranteed loan with a 1 percent guarantee fee or a guaranteed loan exceeding 80 percent must be forwarded to the National Office, Attn: Director, Business and Industry Division, for review and consideration prior to obligation of the guaranteed loan. The Administrator will provide a written response to the State Office confirming approval or disapproval of the request.

This document proposes to establish Class D airspace at Camp Ripley, MN, and establish Class E airspace at Camp Ripley, MN. This action would establish a radius of Class D airspace, and establish a radius of Class E airspace for Ray S. Miller Army Airfield.

An examination of controlled airspace for Rapid City Regional Airport, SD, and Rapid City Ellsworth AFB, SD, revealed discrepancies in the legal descriptions for both airports as contained in FAA order 7400.9M. This action corrects those discrepancies by modifying the legal descriptions.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is announcing its intention to request approval for the collection of information for 30 CFR PART 783, Underground Mining Permit ApplicationsMinimum Requirements for Information on Environmental Resources.

A working group of the Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (MERPAC) will meet to discuss Task Statement 53, ``Medical Certification Standards and Disqualifying Medical Conditions for Merchant Mariners.'' MERPAC advises the Secretary of Homeland Security on matters relating to the training, qualifications, licensing, certification, and fitness of seamen serving in the U.S. merchant marine. This meeting will be open to the public.

In this temporary rule, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau amends its regulations relating to special (occupational) tax, to reflect a 3-year tax suspension effected by section 246 of the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004. Section 246 amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide that, during the period from July 1, 2005, through June 30, 2008, the rate of special (occupational) tax on certain occupations will be zero. The occupations affected by the 3- year tax suspension are: Manufacturers of nonbeverage products who claim tax drawback; proprietors of distilled spirits plants, alcohol fuel plants, bonded and taxpaid wine premises, and breweries; and wholesale and retail dealers in distilled spirits, wine, and beer. The requirements to register annually and keep prescribed records remain in effect. The text of these temporary regulations serves as the text of the proposed regulations set forth in the notice of proposed rulemaking on this subject in the Proposed Rules section of this issue of the Federal Register.

On September 13, 2004, EPA promulgated national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP) for industrial, commercial, and institutional boilers and process heaters. In this action, EPA is proposing a limited number of amendments to the NESHAP. In response to a petition for reconsideration, EPA is proposing and requesting comment on an amendment allowing for consolidated testing of commonly vented boilers under the emission averaging provision. In addition, EPA is proposing amendments and technical corrections to the final rule to clarify some applicability and implementation issues raised by stakeholders subject to the final rule.

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain Airbus Model A320-111 airplanes, and Model A320- 200 series airplanes, that requires a detailed inspection of the tail cone triangle to determine its position, and corrective actions if necessary. This action is necessary to prevent excessive vibrations of the elevators, which could result in reduced structural integrity and reduced controllability of the airplane. This action is intended to address the identified unsafe condition.

On September 16, 2005, the Bureau of Industry and Security published a final rule that amended the Export Administration Regulations by making several revisions and clarifications. This document corrects an inadvertent error that the final rule made in redesignating several paragraphs. This correction ensures that paragraphs in Supplement No. 2 to part 736 of the Export Administration Regulations are consistently designated.

On April 1, 2005, the Department of Commerce (``the Department'') initiated a sunset review of the antidumping duty order on brass sheet and strip from Germany. On the basis of the notice of intent to participate, adequate substantive responses and rebuttal comments filed on behalf of the domestic and respondent interested parties, the Department is conducting a full sunset review of the antidumping duty order pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (``the Act'') and section 351.218(e)(2)(i) of the Department's regulations. As a result of this sunset review, the Department preliminarily finds that revocation of the antidumping duty order would likely lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping at the levels listed below in the section entitled ``Preliminary Results of Review.''

The Department of Commerce (``the Department'') is extending the time limit for the preliminary results of the review of Heavy Forged Hand Tools, Finished or Unfinished, With or Without Handles (``HFHTs'') from the People's Republic of China (``PRC''). This review covers the period February 1, 2004 through January 31, 2005.

On July 1, 2005, the Department of Commerce (``the Department'') initiated a sunset review of the countervailing duty order (``CVD'') on welded carbon steel standard pipe from Turkey pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (``the Act''). See Initiation of Five-year (``Sunset'') Reviews, 70 FR 38101 (July 1, 2005). On the basis of a notice of intent to participate and an adequate substantive response filed on behalf of the domestic interested parties and inadequate response from respondent interested parties (in this case, no response), the Department conducted an expedited sunset review of this CVD order pursuant to section 751(c)(3)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.218(e)(1)(ii)(B). As a result of this sunset review, the Department finds that revocation of the CVD order would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of a countervailable subsidy at the level indicated in the ``Final Results of Review'' section of this notice.

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

The Committee is proposing to add to the Procurement List services to be furnished by nonprofit agencies employing persons who are blind or have other severe disabilities. Comments Must be Received on or Before: November 27, 2005.