July 27, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) affirms, with certain clarifications, its determinations in Order Nos. 669 and 669-A. Order Nos. 669 and 669-A revised 18 CFR 2.26 and 18 CFR part 33 to implement amended section 203 of the Federal Power Act.

The Department of Homeland Security is giving concurrent notice of a revised and updated system of records pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974 for the Automated Biometric Identification System. In this proposed rulemaking, the Department proposes to exempt portions of this system of records from one or more provisions of the Privacy Act because of criminal, civil, and administrative enforcement requirements.

In this rule the Commission establishes procedures with regard to filing and other requirements if the Commission is required to implement its Continuity of Operations Plan in response to an emergency situation that disrupts communications to or from the Commission's headquarters or which otherwise impairs headquarters operations. The rule temporarily suspends filing requirements and ensures that deadlines for Commission actions that fall during the period the plan is in operation are met, thereby providing continuity in the conduct of the Commission's business and certainty to parties with business before the Commission.

This document corrects the telephone number for the facsimile machine (``fax'') for submission of public comments on the proposed rule entitled Guaranteed Loan Fees published May 15, 2006 (71 FR 27978- 27980) and extends the comment period. The original comment period for the proposed rule closed on July 14, 2006, and FSA is extending it until August 4, 2006. Respondents who sent comments to the earlier fax number are encouraged to contact the person named below to find out if their comments were received and re-submit them to fax number below if necessary.

On behalf of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), hereafter referred to as the Agency, is amending the Interim Final Rule implementing the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) at 7 CFR part 1491 to clarify certain program policies and legal requirements. Specifically, the Agency is addressing policy and legal requirements in eight areas: Fair market value definition; program eligibility as to forest lands; the nature of the real property rights the United States is acquiring and how it will exercise those rights; compliance with Department of Justice (DOJ) Title Standards; exercising United States' rights; the implementation of Federal appraisal requirements required by the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisitions Policies Act of 1970; impervious surface limitations on the easement area; and indemnification requirements. NRCS requests comments on this amendment. Cooperative agreements signed on or after the publication of this Interim Final Rule will be administered. This rule is being published as an Interim Final Rule, with request for comments under the authority of section 2702 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, Pub. L. 107-17, which allows the promulgation of an Interim Final Rule effective upon publication. The Agency made a determination that publishing this Interim Final Rule is appropriate and necessary given the fact that this rule is making program changes to address and clarify existing Federal law and policy requirements.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a notice of intent to delete the Arctic Surplus Superfund Site (Site) located in Fairbanks, Alaska, from the National Priorities List (NPL) and requests public comments on this notice of intent. The NPL, promulgated pursuant to section 105 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) OF 1980, as amended, is found at Appendix B of 40 CFR part 300 of the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP). The EPA and the State of Alaska, through the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, have determined that all appropriate response actions under CERCLA, other than operation and maintenance and five-year reviews, have been completed. However, this deletion does not preclude future actions under Superfund.

This amendment adopts miscellaneous amendments to the required IFR (instrument flight rules) altitudes and changeover points for certain Federal airways, jet routes, or direct routes for which a minimum or maximum en route authorized IFR altitude is prescribed. This regulatory action is needed because of changes occurring in the National Airspace System. These changes are designed to provide for the safe and efficient use of the navigable airspace under instrument conditions in the affected areas.

EPA is promulgating revised standards to limit emissions of perchloroethylene (PCE) from existing and new dry cleaning facilities. On September 22, 1993, EPA promulgated technology-based emission standards to control emissions of PCE from dry cleaning facilities. EPA has reviewed these standards and is promulgating revisions to take into account new developments in production practices, processes, and control technologies. In addition, EPA has evaluated the remaining risk to public health and the environment following implementation of the technology-based rule and is promulgating more stringent standards for major sources in order to protect public health with an ample margin of safety. The final standards are expected to provide further reductions of PCE beyond the 1993 national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP), based on application of equipment and work practice standards and, in certain situations, disallowing the use of PCE at dry cleaning facilities. In addition, EPA is taking this opportunity to make some technical corrections to the 1993 Dry Cleaning NESHAP.