April 24, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Based on recommendations contained in Amendment 6 to Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's (ASMFC) Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass (Amendment 6) and comments received from an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR), NMFS previously announced its intent to begin a scoping process to gather information for the preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS). Initial scoping occurred during nine public hearings in November-December 2003. Due to the significant time that had passed since these initial scoping hearings, NMFS is seeking additional scoping on its preliminary draft analyses of Federal management options to open the EEZ to the harvest of Atlantic Striped Bass. The purpose of this notice is to alert the interested public of this further scoping process and to provide for public participation in compliance with environmental documentation requirements.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is announcing its intent to hold a public hearing to inform interested parties of the proposed modifications to Federal regulations affecting pound net leaders in the Virginia Chesapeake Bay and to accept public comments on this action.

This order announces a mail classification docket to consider and clarify domestic mail classification schedule language pertaining to Express Mail Second Day service. The proposed change, if adopted, will help clarify delivery guarantees.

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 directs the Secretary of Energy to develop procedures for the acquisition of petroleum for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) in appropriate circumstances. The Department of Energy (DOE) is today proposing procedures for the acquisition of petroleum for the SPR, including acquisition by direct purchase and transfer of royalty oil from the Department of the Interior. The proposed rule also has provisions concerning the deferral of scheduled deliveries of petroleum for the SPR.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is correcting a notice that appeared in the Federal Register of April 17, 2003 (68 FR 18992). The document announced that FDA had determined the regulatory review period for FASLODEX. A request for revision of regulatory review period was filed for the product on June 16, 2003. FDA reviewed its records and found that the effective date of the investigational new drug application (IND) was incorrect due to a clerical error. Therefore, FDA is revising the determination of the regulatory review period to reflect the correct effective date for the IND.

The National Tree-marking Paint Committee will meet in Eureka, California on May 16-18, 2006. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss activities related to improvements in, concerns about, and the handling and use of tree-marking paint by personnel of the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. International Trade Commission has determined not to review an initial determination (``ID'') issued by the presiding administrative law judge (``ALJ'') granting complainant's motion to amend the complaint and notice of investigation.

The Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) of 1990, as amended, requires the establishment of a National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). The NOSB is a 15-member board that is responsible for developing and recommending to the Secretary a proposed National List of Approved and Prohibited Substances. The NOSB also advises the Secretary on other aspects of the National Organic Program. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is requesting nominations to fill four (4) upcoming vacancies on the NOSB. The positions to be filled are: Organic handler (1 position), scientist (1 position), consumer public interest (1 position), and an environmentalist (1 position). The Secretary of Agriculture will appoint a person to each position to serve a 5-year term of office that will commence on January 24, 2007, and run until January 24, 2012. USDA encourages eligible minorities, women, and persons with disabilities to apply for membership on the NOSB.

Notice is hereby given of a public hearing to receive evidence on proposed amendments to Marketing Order No. 984, which regulates the handling of walnuts grown in California. The amendments are proposed by the Walnut Marketing Board (Board), which is responsible for local administration of order 984. The amendments would: Change the marketing year; include ``pack'' as a handler function; restructure the Board and revise nomination procedures; rename the Board and add authority to change Board composition; modify Board meeting and voting procedures; add authority for marketing promotion and paid advertising; add authority to accept contributions, and to carry over excess assessment funds; broaden the scope of the quality control provisions and add the authority to recommend different regulations for different market destinations; add authority for the Board to appoint more than one inspection service; replace outdated order language with current industry terminology; and other related amendments. The USDA proposes three additional amendments: To establish tenure limitations for Board members, to require that continuance referenda be conducted on a periodic basis to ascertain producer support for the order, and to make any changes to the order as may be necessary to conform with any amendment that may result from the hearing. The proposed amendments are intended to improve the operation and functioning of the marketing order program.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission is making technical corrections to Footnotes 5 and 6 which were published in the Federal Register on April 18, 2006 (71 FR 19877). The footnotes are revised as follows: Footnote 5: The Statement of Policy did not apply to broad-based stock index futures and option contracts that are now covered by Section 2(a)(1)(C) of the Commodity Exchange Act. Foreign boards of trade were (and presently are) required to seek and receive written supplemental no-action relief from Commission staff prior to offering or selling such contracts through U.S.-located trading systems. Footnote 6: This notice of revision will not alter a foreign board of trade's obligation to seek and receive written supplemental no- action relief from Commission staff prior to offering or selling broad- based securities index futures and option contracts through U.S.- located trading systems.

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that an appealable decision approving lands for conveyance pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act will be issued to MTNT, Ltd., Successor in Interest to Chamai, Incorporated, for lands in the vicinity of McGrath, Alaska, and located in:

Pursuant to the Mineral Leasing Act of February 25, 1920, as amended, and to Title 43, Code of Federal Regulations, subpart 3410, members of the public are hereby invited to participate with Western Fuels-Colorado, LLC, in a program for the exploration of unleased coal deposits owned by the United States of America containing approximately 10,810.40 acres in Montrose County, Colorado.

The Bureau of Land Management Medford District Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Medford, Oregon to tour project sites and to discuss proposed 2007 projects, pursuant to Public Law 106-393. Agenda topics include on-site inspections of previous projects and proposed 2007 projects, review of last meeting minutes, presentations on proposed fiscal year 2007 Title II projects, and discussion regarding proposed projects.