2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of the Treasury, 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, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning an existing final regulation, INTL-868-89 (TD 8353), Information With Respect to Certain Foreign-Owned Corporations (Sec. Sec. 1.6038A-2 and 1.6038A-3).

An open meeting of the Area 7 committee of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel will be conducted (via teleconference). The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (TAP) is soliciting public comments, ideas, and suggestions on improving customer service at the Internal Revenue Service. The TAP will use citizen input to make recommendations to the Internal Revenue Service.

The invention listed below is owned by the U.S. Government as represented by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and is available for licensing in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 207 and 37 CFR part 404 and/or Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADA) Collaboration under 15 U.S.C. 3710a to achieve expeditious commercialization of results of Federally-funded research and development. Foreign patents are filed on selected inventions to extend market coverage for U.S. companies and may also be available for licensing.

Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969; the Council on Environmental Quality Guidelines (40 CFR part 1500); and the Natural Resources Conservation Service Guidelines (7 CFR part 650); The Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, gives notice that an environmental impact statement is being prepared for South Fork of Licking River Watershed, Licking, Perry, Fairfield Counties, Ohio.

On September 1, 2005, DOE announced its intention to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for site selection and expansion of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as required by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (70 FR 52088). DOE at that time planned to assess the impacts of capacity expansion at three of the four existing storage sites and the development of a new storage site in the Gulf Coast region. Three scoping meetings were held and the scoping period, which was extended in response to conditions following Hurricane Katrina, closed on October 28, 2005 (70 FR 56649; September 28, 2005). On October 27, 2005, the Governor of Mississippi requested the Secretary of Energy to include a new site at Bruinsburg Salt Dome in the analysis of potential sites and environmental impacts for the proposal to expand the storage capacity of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. In light of this request, DOE has reopened the public scoping period and scheduled another scoping meeting.

The General Services Administration (GSA) announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 to assess the potential impacts of the construction of a Central Records Complex in the delineated area of Frederick County, Virginia. At the request of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the GSA is proposing to provide for lease construction of up to 947,000 rentable square feet (RSF) for the creation of a Central Records Complex in the delineated areas of Frederick County, Virginia. The project proposes new construction of a records storage facility, a data center for the FBI and Department of Justice (DOJ), an administrative offices building and a common support building. This facility will consolidate the FBI's various records management activities in Washington, DC and around the country into a state-of-the-art records storage facility to comply with National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) standards. This project will provide for the consolidation of FBI's various records management activities and relieve overcrowding at existing facilities by providing 947,000 rentable square feet for approximately 1200 employees: Office Building 150,000 usable square feet Archive Building 495,000 usable square feet Data Centers 227,000 usable square feet A public advertisement was placed in the local newspapers and Fed BizOps on September 20, 2005 expressing the government's interest in acquiring an assignable land option for this project. The following three sites will serve as alternatives in the Environmental Impact Statement, including the No Action Alternative: Alternative 1: Construct a Central Records Complex at 831 Shady Elm Road, Winchester, Virginia. Alternative 2:Construct a Central Records Complex at the Carpers Valley Golf course (Route 50), Winchester,Virginia. Alternative 3: Construct a Central Records Complex at 200-299 Woodbine Rd, Clear Brook, Virginia. No Action Alternative: Under the no action alternative, the Central Records Facility will not be constructed in the delineated area of Frederick County, VA. This alternative is included to provide a basis for comparison to the action alternatives described above as required by NEPA regulations (40 CFR 1002.14(d)). GSA invites individuals, organizations and agencies to submit comments concerning the scope of the EIS. The public scoping period starts with the publication of this notice in the Federal Register and will continue for forty five (45) days from the date of this notice. GSA will consider all comments received or postmarked by that date in defining the scope of the EIS. GSA expects to issue a Draft EIS in Spring 2006 at which time its availability will be announced in the Federal Register and local media. A public comment period will commence upon publication of the Notice of Availability. The GSA will consider and respond to comments received on the Draft EIS in preparing the Final EIS.

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 [64 FR 56014], Delegation of Authority No. 236 of October 19, 1999 [64 FR 57920], 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, ``Masterpieces from an English Country House: The Fitzwilliam Collection,'' imported from abroad for temporary exhibition within the United States, are of cultural significance. The objects are imported pursuant to a loan agreement with the foreign lender. I also determine that the exhibition or display of the exhibit objects at the Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Virginia, from on or about April 28, 2006, to on or about August 13, 2006, the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphis, Tennessee, from on or about September 15, 2006, to on or about December 3, 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.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, as amended), notice is hereby given that the following meetings of the Humanities Panel will be held at the Old Post Office, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20506.

NMFS issues this proposed rule to implement a regulatory amendment to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP) prepared by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council). This proposed rule would establish a 6,000-lb (2,722-kg) commercial trip limit for shallow-water and deep- water grouper, combined, in the exclusive economic zone of the Gulf of Mexico. The intended effect of this proposed rule is to minimize the effects of derby fishing and prolong the fishing season.

This notice announces the availability of and requests comments on a proposed advisory circular (AC) which sets forth an acceptable means, but not the only means, of demonstration compliance with the provisions of the airworthiness standards for transport category airplanes related to Fuel Tank Flammability Reduction. This proposed AC complements revisions to the airworthiness standards that are being proposed by a separate notice. This notice is necessary to give all interested persons an opportunity to present their views on the proposed AC.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary moving security zone around foreign naval submarines in transit within the area between 12 nautical miles offshore from the baseline, also known as the shoreline, at the mouth of the St. Mary's River to the Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base, Kings Bay, GA. The security zone includes all waters within 500 yards in any direction of the submarine. The rule prohibits entry into the security zone without the permission of the Captain of the Port (COTP) Jacksonville or his designated representative. Persons or vessels that receive permission to enter the security zone must proceed at a minimum safe speed, must comply with all orders issued by the COTP or his designated representative, and must not proceed any closer than 100 yards, in any direction, to the submarine. This security zone is needed to ensure public safety and to prevent sabotage or terrorist acts against the submarine.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher/processor vessels using pot gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2005 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod specified for catcher/processor vessels using pot gear in the BSAI.

In this notice, EPA is notifying the public that EPA has found that the motor vehicle emissions budgets in the Vigo County, Indiana 8- hour ozone redesignation request and maintenance plan are adequate for conformity purposes. On March 2, 1999, the DC Circuit Court ruled that submitted State Implementation Plans (SIPs) cannot be used for conformity determinations until EPA has affirmatively found them adequate. As a result of our finding, Vigo County can use the motor vehicle emissions budgets from the submitted 8-hour ozone redesignation request and maintenance plan for future conformity determinations. These budgets are effective December 7, 2005. The finding and the response to comments will be available at EPA's conformity Web site: https://www.epa.gov/otaq/transp.htm, (once there, click on the ``Conformity'' button, then look for ``Adequacy Review of SIP Submissions for Conformity'').

The EPA is announcing a public hearing to be held on December 9, 2005 and an extension of the public comment period on our proposed changes to the New Source Review (NSR) permitting program at 70 FR 61081. (October 20, 2005). The proposed changes would revise the emissions test for existing electric generating units (EGUs) that are subject to the regulations governing the Prevention of Significant Deterioration and nonattainment major NSR programs mandated by parts C and D of title I of the Clean Air Act (CAA). We also solicited comment on a proposed revised emissions test under the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) regulations. The public hearing will provide interested parties the opportunity to present data, views, or arguments concerning these proposed changes. The EPA is also extending the public comment period from December 19, 2005 to February 17, 2006. The EPA is holding the public hearing and extending the public comment period by 60 days because of the number of requests we received in a timely manner.

This final rule revises existing regulations that govern coverage and payment for hospice care under the Medicare program. These revisions reflect the statutory changes required by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA), the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Balanced Budget Refinement Act of 1999 (BBRA), and the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and Protection Act of 2000 (BIPA). Additionally, these revisions reflect current policy on the documentation needed to support a certification of terminal illness, admission to Medicare hospice, and a new requirement that allows for discharges from hospice for cause under very limited circumstances. This final rule does not address the requirement for hospice data collection, the changes to the limitation of liability rules, or the changes to the hospice conditions of participation that were included in the BBA. The intent of this final rule is to expand the hospice benefit periods, improve documentation requirements to support certification and recertification of terminal illness, provide guidance on hospice admission procedures, clarify hospice discharge procedures, update coverage and payment requirements, and address the changing needs of beneficiaries, suppliers, and the Medicare program.

The MMS announces the availability of the proposed Notice of Sale for proposed Sale 198 in the Central GOM OCS. This Notice is published pursuant to 30 CFR 256.29(c) as a matter of information to the public. With regard to oil and gas leasing on the OCS, the Secretary of the Interior, pursuant to section 19 of the OCS Lands Act, provides the affected States the opportunity to review the proposed Notice. The proposed Notice sets forth the proposed terms and conditions of the sale, including minimum bids, royalty rates, and rentals.

The Minerals Management Service (MMS) is issuing this notice to advise the public, pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., that MMS intends to prepare an environmental assessment (EA) for proposed Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas Lease Sale 200 in the Western Gulf of Mexico (GOM) (Lease Sale 200) scheduled for August 2006. The MMS is issuing this notice to facilitate public involvement. The preparation of this EA is an important step in the decision process for Lease Sale 200. The proposal and alternatives for Lease Sale 200 were identified by the MMS Director in January 2002 following the Call for Information and Nominations/Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and were analyzed in the Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2003-2007; Central Planning Area Sales 185, 190, 194, 198, and 201; Western Planning Area Sales 187, 192, 196, and 200Final Environmental Impact Statement; Volumes I and II (Multisale EIS, OCS EIS/EA MMS 2002-052). This EA will reexamine the potential environmental effects of the proposed action (the offering of all available unleased acreage in the Western Planning Area (WPA)) and its alternatives (the proposed action excluding the unleased blocks near biologically sensitive topographic features; and no action) based on any new information regarding potential impacts and issues that were not available at the time the Multisale EIS was prepared.

The Department of the Navy proposes to alter a system of records notice in its existing inventory of records systems subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended.

The Department of Defense is publishing the unclassified text of a section 36(b)(1) arms sales notification. This is published to fulfill the requirements of section 155 of Public Law 104-164 dated 21 July 1996.

Pursuant to Section 10(a), Public Law 99-463, as amended, notice is hereby given of a forthcoming meeting of the Defense Department Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS). The purpose of the Committee meeting is to discuss the 2005 DACOWITS Report. The meeting is open to the public, subject to the availability of space. Interested persons may submit a written statement for reconsideration by the Committee and make an oral presentation of such. Persons desiring to make an oral presentation or submit a written statement to the Committee must notify the point of contact listed below no later than 5 p.m., 28 November 2005. Oral presentations by members of the public will be permitted only on Monday, 5 December 2005 from 4 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. before the full Committee. Presentations will be limited to two minutes. Number of oral presentations to be made will depend on the number of requests received from members of the public. Each person desiring to make an oral presentation must provide the point of contact listed below with one (1) copy of the presentation by 5 p.m., 28 November 2005 and bring 35 copies of any material that is intended for distribution at the meeting. Persons submitting a written statement must submit 35 copies of the statement to the DACOWITS staff by 5 p.m. on 28 November 2005.