February 17, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The inventions listed below are owned by an agency of the U.S. Government and are available for licensing in the U.S. in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 207 to achieve expeditious commercialization of results of federally-funded research and development. Foreign patent applications are filed on selected inventions to extend market coverage for companies and may also be available for licensing.

This notice announces the Fourteenth Public Meeting of members of the Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network. CIREN is a collaborative effort to conduct research on crashes and injuries at eight Level 1 Trauma Centers linked by a computer network. Researchers can review data and share expertise, which could lead to a better understanding of crash injury mechanisms and the design of safer vehicles.

Pursuant to Section 9(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2, section 102-3.65, title 41, Code of Federal Regulations and following consultation with the other Federal agencies responsible for preparing Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) Synthesis and Assessment Products that are required to comply with Section 106 of the Global Change Research Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101- 606), notice is hereby given that the Climate Change Science Program Product Development Advisory Committee has been established for a two- year period. The Committee will draft specific CCSP Synthesis and Assessment Products at the request of the Department of Energy in accordance with the Guidelines for producing the CCSP Synthesis and Assessment Products. The Committee will update the Department of Energy on the progress during the development of the products and will agree upon the contents of the products before advising the Department to adopt the language. The Committee will function solely as an advisory body. The Secretary of Energy has determined that establishment of the Climate Change Science Program Product Development Advisory Committee is essential to the conduct of the Department's business and in the public interest in connection with the performance of duties imposed by law upon the Department of Energy. The Committee will operate in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. No. 92-463), the General Services Administration Final Rule on Federal Advisory Committee Management, and other directives and instructions issued in implementation of those acts.

This is a notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Kansas (FEMA-1626-DR), dated January 26, 2006, and related determinations.

The NOAA National Sea Grant College Program publishes this notice to re-open the submission period for the Regional Research, Information Planning and Coordination Competitive funding announcement originally published in the Federal Register on December 23, 2005. The new submission deadline is 5 p.m. e.s.t. on March 1, 2006. The NOAA National Sea Grant College Program publishes this notice to also change the definition of the insular Pacific region in the Federal Funding Opportunity associated with the FRN that was published on December 23, 2005. For the purpose of developing a regional research and information plan, the insular Pacific region is defined as being ``comprised of the marine and coastal waters off the State of Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Freely Associated States.''

This notice amends the notice of an emergency declaration for the State of Texas (FEMA-3261-EM), dated September 21, 2005, and related determinations.

This is a notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of South Carolina (FEMA-1625-DR), dated January 20, 2006, and related determinations.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office is soliciting nominations for nationally recognized scientists to serve on an SAB expert Panel or Panels to conduct an evaluation of the complex scientific and technical issues that affect the causes, location, magnitude and duration of the hypoxic zone in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, as well as the priority and feasibility of management and control options in the Mississippi River Basin and Gulf to reduce it.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440) airplanes. This proposed AD would require an inspection of the manufacturer's date code on certain electrical relays to identify defective Leach TDH-series electrical relays and replacement of identified relays. This proposed AD results from a report of defective electrical relays affecting emergency equipment. We are proposing this AD to prevent the malfunction of emergency equipment (the passenger oxygen system, the thrust reverse control system, and the auxiliary power unit fire detection, warning, and extinguishing system) during an emergency.

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. app. 2, notice is hereby given that the Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology (VCAT), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), will meet Tuesday, March 7, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. and Wednesday, March 8, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology is composed of fifteen members appointed by the Director of NIST who are eminent in such fields as business, research, new product development, engineering, labor, education, management consulting, environment, and international relations. The purpose of this meeting is to review and make recommendations regarding general policy for the Institute, its organization, its budget, and its programs within the framework of applicable national policies as set forth by the President and the Congress. The agenda will include an update on NIST's activities; an overview of the strategic planning process in the Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory (MEL), the Building and Fire Research Laboratory (BFRL), and the Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory (CSTL); an overview of NIST's health information technology activities; ethics training for VCAT members; a summary of the National Research Council's FY 04-05 assessment of NIST laboratories; and selected laboratory tours. The agenda may change to accommodate Committee business. The final agenda will be posted on the NIST Web site.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, 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 a proposed extension of a currently approved information collection. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice seeks comments concerning a Governor's request for a major disaster or an emergency declaration by the President.

Under the provisions of Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the National Park Service is preparing a Coral Restoration Plan/Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (RP/PEIS). This plan is intended to guide all future coral restoration activities performed within Biscayne National Park (BISC). NPS is undertaking restoration planning and an impact analysis to identify and assess potential impacts of performing restoration activities on injured coral reef communities at vessel grounding sites within BISC. As part of this process NPS will evaluate a range of alternatives for coral reef restoration to determine the potential impacts of those alternatives, including those on land use, water quality, biological resources, geology, cultural resources, human health and safety, and aesthetics. The alternatives that may be evaluated for coral restoration are specific for each injury type including geological, biological, and other. Preliminary alternatives for geological injuries include seal/fill fractures, removal of material/rubble, filling fractures with rubble or other materials, translocate biota to stabilize surface, promote natural depositional processes, re-attachment of displaced substrate, re-establish topography, stabilize rubble, and relocation of rubble. Preliminary alternatives for biological injuries include re-attachment on-site, translocation/transplanting, seeding, removal of toxic material (e.g., bottom paint), and removal of acute and chronic point source and on-site treatment of water column contaminants. Preliminary alternatives for other injuries would include removal of debris. The purpose of the coral RP/PEIS is to develop a restoration plan that can be used by the NPS to restore coral reefs. This plan is needed to remedy injuries and damage caused by vessel groundings. To facilitate sound planning and consideration of environmental resources, the NPS intends to gather information necessary for the preparation of the coral RP/PEIS and to obtain suggestions and information from other agencies and the public on the scope of issues to be addressed in the RP/PEIS. Vessel groundings are common occurrences in BISC due to shallow water conditions outside marked channels. When a vessel runs aground on a coral reef, injuries associated with the grounding and subsequent extrication include surficial scraping of the hard bottom substrate and reef structure, blowhole formations (displacement of unconsolidated substrate that occurs when the vessel attempts to power off) fractured substrate, loss of topography, displacement of substrate (rubble), loss of living organisms, hull paint deposition on scarred substrate, introduction of contaminants to the water column (e.g., fuel, cargo) and keel scars. Coral reefs are some of the oldest, most unique, and productive ecosystems. The coral reefs within BISC are natural resources that the NPS preserves and protects for the education, inspiration, recreation, and enjoyment of present and future generations. Vessel groundings often cause structural injury to the reef matrix increasing the potential for continued erosion. Lack of management intervention after a grounding incident often results in a continued degradation and enlargement of the impacted site over time. The Park System Resource Protection Act (PSRPA) authorizes the NPS to seek compensation for injuries to Park System resources and use the recovered funds to restore, replace, or acquire equivalent resources, and to monitor and study such resources. It is the intent of NPS to prepare this coral RP/ PEIS to facilitate so that a tiered process can be used to facilitate further site-specific coral reef restoration actions within BISC.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared a draft Exotic Fruit Fly Strategic Plan for fiscal years 2006 through 2010. We are making this draft strategic plan available to the public for review and comment.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, this notice announces that the Bureau of Indian Affairs is submitting an information collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for renewal. The collection concerns the Data Elements for Student Enrollment in Bureau-funded Schools. We are requesting a renewal of clearance and requesting comments on this information collection.

NARA proposes to revise the regulations relating to the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) grant program to reflect changes in the operation of the NHPRC and to clarify provisions. Beginning in FY 2005, the NHPRC began publishing online grant announcements (linked to Grants.gov). This proposed rule will affect State and local government agencies; United States nonprofit organizations and institutions, including institutions of higher education; Federally acknowledged and State-recognized American Indian tribes or groups; and United States citizens applying for NHPRC grants as individuals.