July 17, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Related Homeland Security Functions (COAC) (formerly known as the ``Commercial Operations Advisory Committee'' or ``COAC'') will meet in open session.

The Department of the Treasury, 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 proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning Revenue Procedure 2003-48, Update of Checklist Questionnaire Regarding Requests for Spin-Off Rulings.

The Department of the Treasury, 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 proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13(44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning Form 1099-PATR, Taxable Distributions Received From Cooperatives.

The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), is proposing to revise the regulations governing irrigation projects under its jurisdiction. The purpose of the revisions is to provide consistent administration; establish the process for updating practices, policies, and procedures for the administration, operation, maintenance, and rehabilitation of irrigation projects; and provide uniform accounting and recordkeeping procedures. These regulations have also been rewritten in plain English as mandated by Executive Order 12866. They also address several issues that prior regulations did not cover.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is requesting individuals who are interested in serving on the Departmental Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of Customs and Border Protection and Related Homeland Security Functions (formerly known as the ``Commercial Operations Advisory Committee'' or ``COAC'') to apply for appointment. CBP will continue to use ``COAC'' as the acronym for this Advisory Committee. COAC provides advice and makes recommendations to the Commissioner of CBP, Secretary of Homeland Security, and Secretary of the Treasury on all matters involving the commercial operations of CBP and related DHS functions.

The proposed information collection requirement described below has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal. Mortgages of HUD-insured multi-family loans may receive mortgage insurance benefits upon assignment of mortgages to HUD. In connection with the assignment, legal documents (e.g. mortgage, mortgage note, security agreement, title insurance policy) must be submitted to the Department.

On March 10, 2005, the Department of Commerce (the ``Department'') published in the Federal Register the preliminary results of the administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain preserved mushrooms from the People's Republic of China (``PRC''). See Certain Preserved Mushrooms from the People's Republic of China: Partial Rescission and Preliminary Results of the Sixth Administrative Review, 70 FR 11183 (March 6, 2006) (``Preliminary Results''). We provided interested parties an opportunity to comment on the Preliminary Results. Based upon our analysis of the comments and information received, we made changes to certain surrogate value calculation which affect the dumping margin calculation for Raoping Yucun Canned Foods Factory (``Raoping Yucun'') in these final results. We find that certain manufacturers/exporters sold subject merchandise at less than normal value during the period of review (``POR'').

The Coast Guard is establishing regulations that govern the operation of the new Great Dismal Swamp Canal Bridge, at the Alternate Route of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AICW) mile 28.0, in South Mills, NC. The final rule will maintain a level of operational capabilities that will continue to provide for the reasonable needs of the North Carolina Department of Parks and Recreation Visitor Center, at the Great Dismal Swamp, and vessel navigation.

NMFS will hold three public hearings in August 2006, to receive public comments on the North Atlantic right whale ship strike reduction strategy and draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) in Boston, MA; Baltimore, MD; and Jacksonville, FL.

NMFS received a request from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers- Jacksonville District (Corps) for an authorization to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to expanding and deepening the Port Sutton Navigation Channel in Tampa Harbor, FL (Port Sutton project). On August 18, 2005, NMFS published a Federal Register notice to solicit public comments for the Corps' proposed project and NMFS preliminary determination of issuing an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to the Corps. Subsequently, the Corps submitted additional information to NMFS on charge weight of the explosives and calculations for impact zones from a similar port construction project that the Corps completed in Miami. Due to the similarity of the geophysical structure and rock substrate between the Port of Miami and Port Sutton, the Corps proposes to modify certain aspects of the proposed project in Port Sutton with the best available scientific information obtained from the Port of Miami project. NMFS is requesting comments on the proposed modifications to the Port Sutton project and its IHA.

The Minerals Management Service hereby gives notice that it is extending the public comment period for written scoping comments on the Notice of Intent to prepare an EIS for the Proposed Cape Wind Project which was published in the Federal Register on May 30, 2006, (71 FR 30693). In response to requests for additional time, MMS will extend the comment period from July 14, 2006, to July 28, 2006. Federal, State, tribal, and local governments and other interested parties are requested to send their written comments on the scope of the EIS, significant issues that should be addressed, and potential alternatives and mitigating measures. Written comments will be accepted by mail or through the MMS Web site noted below. Comments are due no later than July 28, 2006. Mailed comments should be enclosed in an envelope labeled, ``Comments on the Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS on the Cape Wind Project.'' Mail written comments to: Minerals Management Service, 381 Elden Street, MS 4042, Herndon, Virginia 20170. The MMS will also accept written comments submitted on our electronic public commenting system. This system can be accessed at https://www.mms.gov/offshore/ RenewableEnergy/Projects.htm.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that the following Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: NSPS for Electric Utility Steam Generating Units (40 CFR part 60, subpart Da), OMB Control Number 2060-0023, EPA ICR Number 1053.08. 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. This ICR is scheduled to expire on September 30, 2006. Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB. This ICR 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. This ICR is scheduled to expire on September 30, 2006. Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB. This ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its estimated burden and cost.

This regulation establishes a temporary exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of the Bacillus Thuringiensis Cry2Ab2 protein and the genetic material necessary for its production in corn on field corn, sweet corn, and popcorn when applied/used as a plant-incorporated protectant. Monsanto Company submitted a petition to EPA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), as amended by the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA), requesting the temporary/tolerance exemption. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of Bacillus Thuringiensis Cry2Ab2 protein and the genetic material necessary for its production in corn. The temporary tolerance exemption will expire on June 30, 2009.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office announces a public teleconference of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) Lead Review Panel (CASAC Panel) to review the updated Executive Summary and Chapter 7 (Integrative Synthesis) of EPA's Air Quality Criteria for Lead (Second External Review Draft), Volumes I and II (EPA/600/R-05/144aB-bB, May 2006).

This regulation establishes a temporary exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of the Bacillus Thuringiensis Cry1A.105 protein and the genetic material necessary for its production in corn on field corn, sweet corn, and popcorn when applied/used as a plant-incorporated protectant. Monsanto Company submitted a petition to EPA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), as amended by the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (FQPA), requesting the temporary/tolerance exemption. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of Bacillus Thuringiensis Cry1A.105 protein and the genetic material necessary for its production in corn. The temporary tolerance exemption will expire on June 30, 2009.

The EPA is taking final action to amend its regulations relating to the Clean Air Act (CAA) requirement that Federal actions conform to the appropriate State, Tribal or Federal implementation plan for attaining clean air (``general conformity'') to add de minimis emissions levels for particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter equal or less than 2.5 microns (PM2.5) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and its precursors.

Under section 122(h)(1) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLS), the United States Environmental Protection Agency has entered into a proposed settlement for the reimbursement of past response costs concerning the Henry Wood Preserving Superfund Site located in Hemingway, Willamsburg County, South Carolina.

The Western Area Power Administration (Western), a Federal power marketing agency of the Department of Energy (DOE), announces the Parker-Davis Project (P-DP) Post-2008 Resource Pool Proposed Allocation of Power (Resource Pool Proposed Power Allocation), developed under the requirements of the Energy Planning and Management Program (EPAMP). EPAMP provides for establishing project-specific resource pools and power allocations from these pools to new preference customers. Western's call for applications was published in the October 1, 2004, Federal Register. Applications received by January 30, 2005, were considered for the Resource Pool Proposed Power Allocation. Western will prepare and publish the Final Allocation of Power in the Federal Register after all public comments have been considered.