March 28, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document contains a correction to the final regulations implementing the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act of 1994 (USERRA), which were published in the Federal Register on December 19, 2005. Congress enacted USERRA to protect the rights of persons who voluntarily or involuntarily leave employment positions to undertake military service. USERRA authorizes the Secretary of Labor to prescribe rules implementing the law as it applies to States, local governments, and private employers. 38 U.S.C. 4331(a). The Department, through the Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS), promulgated rules under this statutory authority to provide guidance to employers and employees concerning their rights and obligations under USERRA. The final rule contained an incorrect citation to the Agency's statutory authority to promulgate regulations under USERRA. This document corrects the final regulations by revising the statutory authority citation.

The South Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet at the Snoqualmie Ranger District Office in North Bend, WA to review and select Title II projects for FY 2007.

An Opal Creek Scenic Recreation Area Advisory Council meeting will convene in Stayton, Oregon on Thursday, April 27, 2006. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m., and will conclude at approximately 8:30 p.m. The meeting will be held in the South Room of the Stayton Community Center located on 400 West Virginia Street in Stayton, Oregon. The Opal Creek Wilderness and Opal Creek Scenic Recreation Area Act of 1996 (Opal Creek Act) (Pub. L. 104-208) directed the Secretary of Agriculture to establish the Opal Creek Scenic Recreation Area Advisory Council. The Advisory Council is comprised of thirteen members representing state, county and city governments, and representatives of various organizations, which include mining industry, environmental organizations, inholders in Opal Creek Scenic Recreation Area, economic development, Indian tribes, adjacent landowners and recreation interests. The council provides advice to the Secretary of Agriculture on preparation of a comprehensive Opal Creek Management Plan for the SRA, and consults on a periodic and regular basis on the management of the are. Tentative agenda items include new advisory council member introductions, roles and responsibilities, current project updates and future projects. A direct public comment period is tentatively scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Time allotted for individual presentations will be limited to 3 minutes. Written comments are encouraged, particularly if the material cannot be presented within the time limits of the comments period. Written comments may be submitted prior to the April 27th by sending them to Designated Federal Official Paul Matter at the address given below.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is publishing its annual comprehensive list of all guidance documents currently in use at the agency. This list is being published under FDA's good guidance practices (GGPs) regulations. It is intended to inform the public of the existence and availability of all of our current guidance documents. It also provides information on guidance documents that have been added or withdrawn in the past year.

In response to a petition by the National Business Aircraft Association (NBAA), this final rule amends the requirements governing the licensing and operation in the United States of ``foreign civil aircraft'' which are not engaged in common carriage. The rule provides that certain types of operations by business aircraft operators using U.S.-registered foreign civil aircraft (such as carriage of a company's own officials and guests, or aircraft time-sharing, interchange or joint ownership arrangements between companies) do not constitute operations ``for remuneration or hire'' and, therefore, do not require a DOT permit. This document also dismisses, without prejudice, the request of NBAA that the regulation be amended so that reimbursement by political candidates carried on foreign civil aircraft is not considered ``remuneration or hire'' under the rule.