2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action finalizes national emission standards (NESHAP) for hazardous air pollutants for hazardous waste combustors (HWCs): hazardous waste burning incinerators, cement kilns, lightweight aggregate kilns, industrial/commercial/institutional boilers and process heaters, and hydrochloric acid production furnaces. EPA has identified HWCs as major sources of hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emissions. These standards implement section 112(d) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) by requiring hazardous waste combustors to meet HAP emission standards reflecting the performance of the maximum achievable control technology (MACT). The HAP emitted by HWCs include arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, dioxins and furans, hydrogen chloride and chlorine gas, lead, manganese, and mercury. Exposure to these substances has been demonstrated to cause adverse health effects such as irritation to the lung, skin, and mucus membranes, effects on the central nervous system, kidney damage, and cancer. The adverse health effects associated with exposure to these specific HAP are further described in the preamble. For many HAP, these findings have only been shown with concentrations higher than those typically in the ambient air. This action also presents our decision regarding the February 28, 2002 petition for rulemaking submitted by the Cement Kiln Recycling Coalition, relating to EPA's implementation of the so-called omnibus permitting authority under section 3005(c) of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). That section requires that each permit issued under RCRA contain such terms and conditions as permit writers determine to be necessary to protect human health and the environment. In that petition, the Cement Kiln Recycling Coalition requested that we repeal the existing site-specific risk assessment policy and technical guidance for hazardous waste combustors and that we promulgate the policy and guidance as rules in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act if we continue to believe that site-specific risk assessments may be necessary.

In response to a request from Kunshan Xin'an Trade Co., Ltd., the Department of Commerce (``the Department'') initiated a new shipper review of the antidumping duty order on honey from the People's Republic of China. The period of review (``POR'') is December 1, 2003, through November 30, 2004. For the reasons discussed below, we are rescinding this new shipper review.

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed new collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on the information needed to determine a claimant's continued eligibility for educational benefits.

On September 21, 2005, the Committee received a request from the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, the National Council of Textile Organizations, the National Textile Association, and UNITE HERE requesting that the Committee limit imports from China of other men's and boys' man-made fiber coats and women's and girls' man-made fiber coats (Category 634/635). They request that a textile and apparel safeguard action, as provided for in the Report of the Working Party on the Accession of China to the World Trade Organization (the Accession Agreement) be applied on imports of such coats. The Committee hereby solicits public comments on this request, in particular with regard to whether imports from China of such coats are, due to market disruption, threatening to impede the orderly development of trade in this product. Comments must be submitted by November 10, 2005 to the Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, Room 3001A, United States Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20230.

On September 21, 2005, the Committee received a request from the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, the National Council of Textile Organizations, the National Textile Association, and UNITE HERE requesting that the Committee limit imports from China of men's and boys' wool suits (Category 443). They request that a textile and apparel safeguard action, as provided for in the Report of the Working Party on the Accession of China to the World Trade Organization (the Accession Agreement) be applied on imports of such suits. The Committee hereby solicits public comments on this request, in particular with regard to whether imports from China of such suits are, due to market disruption, threatening to impede the orderly development of trade in this product. Comments must be submitted by November 10, 2005 to the Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, Room 3001A, United States Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20230.

On September 14, 2005, the Committee received a request from the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, the National Council of Textile Organizations, the National Textile Association, SEAMS, and UNITE HERE requesting that the Committee reapply a limit on imports from China of man-made fiber trousers (Category 647/648). They request that a textile and apparel safeguard action, as provided for in the Report of the Working Party on the Accession of China to the World Trade Organization (the Accession Agreement), be reapplied on imports of man-made fiber trousers. The current limit on man-made fiber trousers expires on December 31, 2005. The Committee hereby solicits public comments on this request, in particular with regard to whether imports from China of man-made fiber trousers are, due to the threat of market disruption, threatening to impede the orderly development of trade in this product. Comments must be submitted by November 10, 2005 to the Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, Room 3001A, United States Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20230.

On September 14, 2005, the Committee received a request from the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, the National Council of Textile Organizations, the National Textile Association, and UNITE HERE requesting that the Committee reapply a limit on imports from China of other synthetic filament fabric (Category 620). They request that a textile and apparel safeguard action, as provided for in the Report of the Working Party on the Accession of China to the World Trade Organization (the Accession Agreement), be reapplied on imports of other synthetic filament fabric. The current limit on other synthetic filament fabric expires on December 31, 2005. The Committee hereby solicits public comments on this request, in particular with regard to whether imports from China of other synthetic filament fabric are, due to the threat of market disruption, threatening to impede the orderly development of trade in this product. Comments must be submitted by November 10, 2005 to the Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, Room 3001A, United States Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20230.

On September 14, 2005, the Committee received a request from the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, the National Council of Textile Organizations, the National Textile Association, SEAMS, and UNITE HERE requesting that the Committee reapply a limit on imports from China of cotton and man-made fiber brassieres (Category 349/649). They request that a textile and apparel safeguard action, as provided for in the Report of the Working Party on the Accession of China to the World Trade Organization (the Accession Agreement), be reapplied on imports of such brassieres. The current limit on cotton and man-made fiber brassieres expires on December 31, 2005. The Committee hereby solicits public comments on this request, in particular with regard to whether imports from China of cotton and man-made fiber brassieres are, due to the threat of market disruption, threatening to impede the orderly development of trade in this product. Comments must be submitted by November 10, 2005 to the Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, Room 3001A, United States Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20230.

On September 14, 2005, the Committee received a request from the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, the National Council of Textile Organizations, the National Textile Association, SEAMS, and UNITE HERE requesting that the Committee reapply a limit on imports from China of men's and boys' cotton and man-made fiber shirts, not knit (Category 340/640). They request that a textile and apparel safeguard action, as provided for in the Report of the Working Party on the Accession of China to the World Trade Organization (the Accession Agreement), be reapplied on imports of such shirts. The current limit on men's and boys' cotton and man-made fiber shirts, not knit expires on December 31, 2005. The Committee hereby solicits public comments on this request, in particular with regard to whether imports from China of such shirts are, due to the threat of market disruption, threatening to impede the orderly development of trade in this product. Comments must be submitted by November 10, 2005, to the Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, Room 3001A, United States Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20230.

On September 14, 2005, the Committee received a request from the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, the National Council of Textile Organizations, the National Textile Association, and UNITE HERE requesting that the Committee reapply a limit on imports from China of combed cotton yarn (Category 301). They request that a textile and apparel safeguard action, as provided for in the Report of the Working Party on the Accession of China to the World Trade Organization (the Accession Agreement), be reapplied on imports of combed cotton yarn. The current limit on combed cotton yarn expires on December 31, 2005. The Committee hereby solicits public comments on this request, in particular with regard to whether imports from China of combed cotton yarn are, due to the threat of market disruption, threatening to impede the orderly development of trade in this product. Comments must be submitted by November 10, 2005 to the Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, Room 3001A, United States Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20230.