June 16, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has received Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for the following public information collections pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. An agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number.

The Department of State (the Department) is proposing new regulations to implement the certification and declaration provisions of the 1993 Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (the Convention) and the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (the IAA) with respect to adoption and custody proceedings taking place in the United States. This proposed regulation would govern the application process for Hague Convention Certificates and Hague Convention Declarations in cases involving emigration of a child from the United States. It would also establish a process for seeking certification, for purposes of Article 23 of the Convention, that an adoption done in the United States following a grant of custody in a Convention country of origin was done in accordance with the Convention.

This rule provides a formula for computing liability under section 4063(b) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (``ERISA'') when there is a substantial cessation of operations by an employer as described by section 4062(e) of ERISA. That section provides, among other things, that when a section 4062(e) event occurs, liability arises under section 4063 of ERISA. However, the method described in section 4063 for determining liability is impracticable when applied to a section 4062(e) event. This rule, which is narrow in scope, provides a practicable and transparent formula for calculating employer liability when a section 4062(e) event occurs. This rulemaking is part of the PBGC's ongoing effort to streamline regulation and improve administration of the pension insurance program.

Notice is hereby given that the Maine Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) (Gail S. Wippelhauser, Principal Investigator), 21 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333 has applied in due form for a permit to take shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) for purposes of scientific research.

DoD has issued an interim rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to implement DoD policy regarding contractor personnel authorized to accompany U.S. Armed Forces deployed outside the United States. The rule addresses the status of contractor personnel as civilians accompanying the U.S. Armed Forces and the responsibilities of the combatant commander regarding the protection of contractor personnel.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a certificate under 35 U.S.C. 156(d)(5) for a one-year interim extension of the term of U.S. Patent No. 4,850,962.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a certificate under 35 U.S.C. 156(d)(5) for a fourth one-year interim extension of the term of U.S. Patent No. 4,585,597.

DoD is proposing to amend the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to update text pertaining to DoD fuel card programs. The proposed rule addresses use of the Aviation Into- plane Reimbursement card for purchases of aviation fuel and oil.

DoD has issued an interim rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to implement Section 344 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006. Section 344 extends, through September 30, 2007, the period during which contractor performance of security-guard functions at military installations or facilities is authorized to fulfill additional requirements resulting from the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001.

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 201 in the Central Gulf of Mexico (GOM) (Lease Sale 201) scheduled for March 2007. 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 201. The proposal and alternatives for Lease Sale 201 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 GOM Central Planning Area (CPA)) and its alternatives (the proposed action excluding the unleased blocks near biologically sensitive topographic features; the proposed action excluding the unleased blocks within 15 miles of the Baldwin County, Alabama, coast; 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.

As a result of the determinations by the Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission that revocation of the antidumping duty order on gray portland cement and cement clinker from Japan would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping and of material injury to an industry in the United States within a reasonably foreseeable time, the Department is publishing notice of the continuation of this antidumping duty order.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request an extension of approval of an information collection associated with regulations for a certification program for imported articles of Pelargonium spp. and Solanum spp. to prevent the introduction of potato brown rot.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that an Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing approved collection. The ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the nature of the information collection and its estimated burden and cost.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that an Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing approved collection. The ICR which is abstracted below describes the nature of the collection and the estimated burden and cost.

EPA is proposing to remove the limited status of its approval of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision that requires all major sources of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and nitrogen oxides (NOX) to implement reasonably available control technology (RACT). EPA is proposing to convert its limited approval of Pennsylvania's VOC and NOX RACT regulations to full approval because EPA has approved or is currently conducting rulemaking to approve all of the case-by-case RACT determinations submitted by Pennsylvania for the affected sources. In prior final rules, EPA has previously fully approved Pennsylvania's VOC and NOX RACT regulations for the Philadelphia-Wilmington- Trenton, and Pittsburgh-Beaver Valley areas. EPA is now proposing to convert its limited approval of Pennsylvania's VOC and NOX RACT regulations as they apply in the remainder of the Commonwealth to full approval because EPA has approved or is currently conducting rulemaking to approve all of the case-by-case RACT determinations submitted by Pennsylvania for the affected sources in the remainder of the Commonwealth. Final action converting the limited approval to full approval shall occur once EPA has completed rulemaking to approve either (1) the case-by-case RACT proposals for all sources subject to the RACT requirements currently known in the remainder of the State, outside of the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia areas; or (2) for a sufficient number of sources such that the emissions from any remaining subject sources represent a de minimis level of emissions. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act).

EPA expressed environmental concerns about impacts to riparian resources and air quality, and recommended additional protections for these resources be included in the Final EIS. Rating EC2.

The designations of the official agencies listed below will end in December 2006. Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) is asking persons interested in providing official services in the areas served by these agencies to submit an application for designation. GIPSA is also asking for comments on the quality of services provided by these currently designated agencies: California Agri Inspection Company, Ltd. (California Agri); Frankfort Grain Inspection, Inc. (Frankfort); Indianapolis Grain Inspection & Weighing Service, Inc. (Indianapolis); and Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (Virginia).

The FHWA is seeking public input on preliminary list of elements to be excluded from exemptions of the Interstate Highway System from consideration as historic property under the provisions of section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act of 1966.\1\ This list is available at https://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/histpres/index.asp. This notice contains a link to and the process for interested members of the public to comment on the preliminary list of elements to be excluded from the respective exemptions of the Interstate Highway System from consideration as historic property under the authorities cited above. Comments received from the public will be factored into development of a final list of exceptional elements of the Interstate System.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces the following Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: Yakima Basin Recreation Survey, Washington. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost burden.

This notice advises that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) intends to gather information necessary to prepare a Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) and associated environmental documents for the Laramie Plains National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) in southeast Wyoming, which include Bamforth NWR, Hutton Lake NWR, and Mortenson Lake NWR. The Service is furnishing this notice in compliance with Service CCP policy to advise other agencies and the public of its intentions, and to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to be considered in the planning process.

The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for CFM International CFM56-5 and -5B series turbofan engines. That AD currently requires exhaust gas temperature (EGT) harness replacement or the establishment of an EGT baseline and trend monitoring. That AD also requires replacement, if necessary, of certain EGT harnesses and EGT couplings as soon as a slow and continuous EGT drift downward is noticed after the effective date of that AD. This proposed AD would require the same actions but for an increased population of affected EGT harnesses. This proposed AD results from CFM International adding subsequently certified engine models to the list of engines that could have affected harnesses installed. We are proposing this AD to prevent unexpected deterioration of critical rotating engine parts due to higher than desired engine operating EGTs.