August 15, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold its 134th meeting to consider and take action on pending recommendations regarding fishing in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) commensurate with the provisions of Proclamation 8031 which established the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument. The Council will also hold a public hearing during this 134th Council meeting.

Notice is hereby given of the following hearing of the U.S.- China Economic and Security Review Commission. Name: Larry M. Wortzel, Chairman of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. The Commission is mandated by Congress to investigate, assess, evaluate and report to Congress annually on the U.S.-China economic and security relationship. The mandate specifically charges the Commission to investigate ``the extent of Chinese access to, and use of United States capital markets, and whether the existing disclosure and transparency rules are adequate to identify Chinese companies which are active in United States markets and are also engaged in proliferation activities or other activities harmful to United States security interests.'' Pursuant to this mandate, the Commission will hold a public hearing in Washington, DC on August 22, 2006, to assess the nature and consequences of interaction between the Chinese and U.S. capital markets. China agreed to open its financial system to foreign participation when it joined the World Trade Organization. This process is already underway and accelerating, and the Commission, therefore, believes it is important and timely to assess the nature and consequences of interaction between the Chinese and U.S. capital markets.

This Notice identifies the port of entry of Fresno, California, the sea port of entry of New Orleans, Louisiana, and the pre-flight inspection location of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, as locations at which the Department of Homeland Security will begin biometric screening of arriving aliens using the United States Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology Program.

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of a currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments for information needed to identify and track veterans diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of a currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments for information needed to determine a claimant's entitlement to income- dependent benefits.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-21), this notice announces that the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs, has submitted the collection of information abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The PRA submission describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and burden and includes the actual data collection instrument.

We are proposing to further extend for smaller public companies the dates that were published in the Federal Register on September 29, 2005, in Release No. 33-8618 [70 FR 56825] for their compliance with the internal control requirements mandated by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Pursuant to the proposal, a non- accelerated filer would not be required to provide management's report on internal control over financial reporting until it files an annual report for a fiscal year ending on or after December 15, 2007. If we have not issued additional guidance for management on how to complete its assessment of internal control over financial reporting in time to be of assistance in connection with annual reports filed for fiscal years ending on or after December 15, 2007, this deadline could be further postponed. Under the proposal, the auditor's attestation report on internal control over financial reporting would not be required until a non-accelerated filer files an annual report for a fiscal year ending on or after December 15, 2008. If revisions to Auditing Standard No. 2 have not been finalized in time to be of assistance in connection with annual reports filed for fiscal years ending on or after December 15, 2008, this deadline could also be further postponed. We also are proposing to provide a transition period for newly public companies before they become subject to compliance with the internal control over financial reporting requirements. Under the proposal, a company would not become subject to these requirements until it previously has been required to file one annual report with the Commission.

USDA Rural Development administers rural utilities programs through the Rural Utilities Service (Agency). In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35, as amended), the Agency invites comments on the following information collections for which Agency intends to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

The Bureau of Reclamation is holding a meeting to inform the public about the Managing for Excellence project. This meeting is the second of three meetings that will be held in 2006 to inform the public about the action items, progress, and results of the Managing for Excellence project and to seek broad feedback. A subsequent meeting will likely be held November 2006 in Sacramento, California.

The NOAA National Ocean Service (NOS) is publishing its updated contracting policy for hydrographic services per NOAA's 2005 plans to review and update the subject policy.

This notice announces the eighth meeting of the American Health Information Community Biosurveillance Workgroup in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 5 U.S.C., App.)

This notice announces the rescheduled date of the first meeting of the American Health Information Community Confidentiality and Security Workgroup in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 5 U.S.C., App.). The Confidentiality and Security Workgroup was created by the American Health Information Community as a cross-cutting Workgroup comprised of privacy, security, clinical, and technical experts, as well as representation from the consumer perspective. New Date Time: August 21, 2006, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. This meeting was previously scheduled to be held on August 4, 2006.

The Office of the Secretary of Defense is altering a system of records to its existing inventory of record systems subject to the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended.

The Department of the Navy proposed to alter a system of records notice in its existing inventory of record systems subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended.

This notice announces the availability of funds for grants and cooperative agreements under EPA's Targeted Watersheds Grant Program. The Targeted Watersheds Grant Program is a competitive grant program designed to support the protection and restoration of the country's water resources through a holistic watershed approach to water quality management. In fiscal year (FY) 2006 Congress appropriated over $16 million for the program. The Agency is soliciting proposals under this announcement for implementation projects, and under a separate announcement for capacity building projects. The Agency anticipates additional funding for the Targeted Watersheds Grant Program in FY 2007. Under this announcement, EPA will award approximately 9 to 20 grants or cooperative agreements for restoration and/or protection efforts. Anticipated awards will range from approximately $600,000 to $900,000 each and have a project period of three to five years. The total amount anticipated to be awarded under this announcement will range from $7.1 million to about $16 million (these totals represent combining a portion of both 2006 and anticipated 2007 Targeted Watersheds Grant funds)the total amount to be awarded under this announcement will depend upon the FY 2007 funds and the quality of proposals received. Under this announcement, EPA is providing applicants the option of submitting their proposals either directly to EPA in hard copy or electronically via Grants.gov. (See Section IV for additional submission information and requirements.)

This proposed rule is intended to clarify and explain the various types of requests for HUD documents and testimony by HUD employees that are intended to be covered by the Department's document production and testimony approval regulations. This proposed rule describes the procedures to be followed by a party in making a demand for HUD documents and HUD testimony. The proposed rule also explains the standards that are to be followed by HUD in determining whether production of documents or testimony should be permitted and, if so, any conditions or restrictions imposed.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to designate critical habitat for 11 species of Hawaiian picture-wing flies (Drosophila aglaia, D. differens, D. hemipeza, D. heteroneura, D. montgomeryi, D. mulli, D. musaphilia, D. obatai, D. substenoptera, and D. tarphytrichia) pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). In total, approximately 18 acres (ac) (7.3 hectares (ha)) fall within the boundaries of the proposed critical habitat designation. The proposed critical habitat is located in four counties (City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai) in Hawaii. Critical habitat has not been proposed for D. neoclavisetae, a species for which we determined critical habitat to be prudent, because the specific areas and physical and biological features essential to its conservation in the Puu Kukui Watershed Management Area are not in need of special management considerations or protection. Therefore, we are not proposing critical habitat for D. neoclavisetae because these specific areas and features do not meet the definition of critical habitat in the Act.