May 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The FAA is revising an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Boeing Model 737-300, -400, -500, -600, - 700, -700C, -800, and -900 series airplanes. The original NPRM would have required modifying the wiring for the master dim and test system. For certain airplanes, the original NPRM also proposed to require related concurrent actions as necessary. The original NPRM resulted from a report that the master dim and test system circuit does not have wiring separation of the test ground signal for redundant equipment in the flight compartment. This action revises the original NPRM by adding a new concurrent action for certain airplanes, extending the compliance time, and removing certain airplanes from concurrent requirements. We are proposing this supplemental NPRM to prevent a single fault failure in flight from simulating a test condition and showing test patterns instead of the selected radio frequencies on the communications panels, which could inhibit communication between the flightcrew and the control tower, affecting the continued safe flight of the airplane.

TXU Electric Delivery (Applicant) has applied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for an incidental take permit (TE- 125388-0) pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as amended. The requested permit, which is for a period of five years, would authorize incidental take of the golden-cheeked warbler (Dendroica chyrosparia) and black-capped vireo (Vireo atricapilla). The proposed take would occur as a result of the construction and continued operation of a 16-mile (26-kilometer), 138 kV transmission line within Bell and Coryell counties, Texas. We invite the public to review and comment on the permit application and associated draft Environmental Assessment/Habitat Conservation Plan (EA/HCP).

The NRC is preparing a submittal to OMB for review of continued approval of information collections under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). Information pertaining to the requirement to be submitted: 1. The title of the information collection: NRC Form 398, ``Personal Qualification StatementLicensee.'' 2. Current OMB approval number: 3150-0090. 3. How often the collection is required: On occasion and every six years (at renewal). 4. Who is required or asked to report: Individuals requiring a license to operate the controls at a nuclear reactor. 5. The number of annual respondents: 1,350 (600 new, 50 re- applications, 600 renewals and 100 waivers). 6. The number of hours needed annually to complete the requirement or request: 3,250 (2.4 hours per response). 7. Abstract: NRC Form 398 requests detailed information that should be submitted by a licensing applicant and facility licensee when applying for a new or renewal license to operate the controls at a nuclear reactor facility. This information, once collected, would be used for licensing actions and for generating reports on the Operator Licensing Program. Submit, by July 25, 2006, comments that address the following questions: 1. Is the proposed collection of information necessary for the NRC to properly perform its functions? Does the information have practical utility? 2. Is the burden estimate accurate? 3. Is there a way to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected? 4. How can the burden of the information collection be minimized, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology? A copy of the draft supporting statement may be viewed free of charge at the NRC Public Document Room, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Room O-1 F21, Rockville, MD 20852. OMB clearance requests are available at the NRC worldwide Web site: https://www.nrc.gov/public-involve/doc-comment/omb/. The document will be available on the NRC home page site for 60 days after the signature date of this notice. Comments and questions about the information collection requirements may be directed to the NRC Clearance Officer, Brenda Jo. Shelton (T-5 F52), U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001, by telephone at 301-415-7233, or by Internet electronic mail to INFOCOLLECTS@NRC.GOV.

Under the provisions of 30 U.S.C. 188(d) and (e), and 43 CFR 3108.2-3(a) and (b)(1), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement from Hot Springs Resources Ltd. for competitive oil and gas lease WYW156167 for land in Natrona County, Wyoming. The petition was filed on time and was accompanied by all the rentals due since the date the lease terminated under the law.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) amends its regulations on preparation for timber sales to allow third party scaling on density management sales with an upper limit on the quadratic mean diameter at breast height (DBH) of the trees to be harvested of 20 inches. Third party scaling will be limited to the situations described in the amended provision, that is, if a timber disaster has occurred and a critical resource loss is imminent, and tree cruising and BLM scaling are inadequate to permit orderly disposal of the damaged timber, or if BLM is carrying out density management timber sales subject to the size limits stated above. Thus, third party scaling will generally not be used for sales of higher-value and/or larger diameter timber. BLM is amending the regulations in order to improve the efficiency of density management timber sales where the timber to be harvested may be designated by prescription (a written prescription included in the timber sale contract). The regulations will no longer require that BLM perform all scaling except in the event that a timber disaster is threatening imminent critical resource loss and scaling by BLM would be inadequate to permit orderly disposal of the damaged timber. In the case of density management timber sales when the quadratic mean DBH of trees to be cut and removed is equal to or less than 20 inches, the regulations will only allow third party scaling by scalers or scaling bureaus under contract to BLM.

Under the provisions of 30 U.S.C. 188(d) and (e), and 43 CFR 3108.2-3(a) and (b)(1), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement from Encana Energy Resources for noncompetitive oil and gas lease WYW133962 for land in Sweetwater County, Wyoming. The petition was filed on time and was accompanied by all the rentals due since the date the lease terminated under the law.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request an extension for and revision to a currently approved information collection for pistachios grown in California, Marketing Order No. 983.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), prior to undertaking research and other work associated with revising official grade standards, is soliciting comments on the possible revisions of the United States Standards for Grades of Mushrooms. At a meeting with the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee, AMS was asked to review the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable grade standards for usefulness in serving the industry. As a result, AMS has identified the United States Standards for Grades of Mushrooms for possible revision. AMS is considering proposed revisions that would allow the standards to be used for open veil types of mushrooms, include small, medium, and large size classifications for open veil types of mushrooms; revise the current size classifications (small to medium and large) as well as an addition of a button and jumbo size for the closed veil types of mushrooms; and eliminate the unclassified category. AMS is seeking comments regarding these changes as well as any other revisions that may be necessary to better serve the industry.

This interim final rule amends the regulations for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) to implement provisions of the Department of Defense, Emergency Supplemental Appropriation to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, and Pandemic Influenza Act, 2006 (Pub. L. 109-149) (2006 Act) providing assistance to nursery, oyster, and poultry producers and non-industrial private forest landowners to rehabilitate public or private oyster reefs or farmland damaged by hurricanes during calendar year 2005.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is amending its regulations to extend from three to five years the record retention requirement applicable to transactions pursuant to blanket certificates for unbundled natural gas sales services held by interstate natural gas pipelines, blanket marketing certificates held by persons making sales for resale of natural gas at negotiated rates in interstate commerce, and market-based rate authorizations held by certain sellers of electricity and related products.

This notice terminates a non-suitable Desert Land Entry classification on 3.09 acres, so the land can be patented under sections 203 and 209 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended.

This final rule amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to clarify that certain personal articles are exempt from the 44- pound weight limit on personal baggage authorized for export to Cuba under License Exception Baggage (BAG).

Pursuant to the Mineral Leasing Act of February 25, 1920, as amended by section 4 of the Federal Coal Leasing Amendments Act of 1976, 90 Stat. 1083, 30 U.S.C. 201(b), and to Title 43, Code of Federal Regulations, subpart 3410, all interested qualified parties, as provided in 43 CFR 3472.1 are hereby invited to participate with Juniper Coal Company on a pro rata cost sharing basis in a program for the exploration of coal deposits owned by the United States of America containing the following described lands in Routt County, Colorado.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Field Office, Taos, New Mexico, intends to prepare a Resource Management Plan Revision with an associated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Taos Field Office and by this notice is announcing public scoping meetings. The RMPR will revise the existing Taos Resource Management Plan.

Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the implementing regulations, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the Maysdorf Coal DEIS and announces a public hearing pursuant to 43 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 3425.4.

The Office of Public Health and Science (OPHS) announces the availability of Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 funds to support a total of three to four new cooperative agreement grant projects, with the goal of increasing public awareness of embryo donation and/or adoption. Approximately $1,000,000 in funding is available on a competitive basis for cooperative agreements each in the range of $250,000 to $350,000 per year. Projects will be funded in annual increments (budget periods) and for a project period of two years. Funding for all budget periods beyond the first year of the cooperative agreement is contingent upon the availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the project, and adequate stewardship of Federal funds. The OPHS intends to fund at least one project in each of three distinct categories (professional meeting(s); training for professionals to equip them with the skills necessary to provide information and education; and an evidence-based assessment of the emerging field of embryo donation and/or adoption) with the goal of increasing public awareness regarding embryo donation and/or adoption. Entities may apply for more than one category; however, a separate application is required for each category identified in this announcement. Applicants must demonstrate experience with embryo donation and/or adoption programs that conform with professionally recognized standards governing embryo donation and/or adoption and other applicable Federal or State requirements. For the purposes of this announcement, embryo donation and/or adoption is defined as the donation of frozen embryo(s) from one party to a recipient who wishes to bear and raise a child or children.

This notice announces receipt of an application 524-EUP-OT from Monsanto Company requesting an experimental use permit (EUP) for the plant-incorporated protectants Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1A.105 protein and the genetic material necessary (vector PV-ZMIR245) for its production in MON 89034 corn, Bacillus thuringiensis Cry2Ab2 protein and the genetic material necessary (vector PV-ZMIR245) for its production in MON 89034 corn, and Bacillus thuringiensis Cry3Bb1 protein and the genetic material necessary (vector PV-ZMIR39) for its production in MON 88017 corn. The Agency has determined that the application may be of regional and national significance. Therefore, in accordance with 40 CFR 172.11(a), the Agency is soliciting comments on this application.

This notice announces the initial filing of a pesticide petition proposing the establishment of a temporary exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for the residues of the plant-incorporated protectants Bacillus thuringiensis Cry2Ab2 and the genetic material necessary for its production in corn in or on all corn commodities.

We are proposing to set forth changes to the fee schedule for payment of ambulance services by adopting revised geographic designations for urban and rural areas as set forth in Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Core-Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) standard. We propose to remove the definition of Goldsmith modification and reference the most recent version of Goldsmith modification in the definition of rural area. In addition, we propose to add the definition of urban area as defined by OMB and revise our definitions of emergency response, rural area, and specialty care transport (SCT). We also propose to discontinue the annual review of the conversion factor (CF) and of air ambulance rates. We would continue to monitor payment and billing data on an ongoing basis and make adjustments to the CF and to air ambulance rates as appropriate to reflect any significant changes in these data.

This Notice identifies unutilized, underutilized, excess, and surplus Federal property reviewed by HUD for suitability for possible use to assist the homeless.