August 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has submitted the following information collection requests (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995: 1620-0001. The information collections were previously published in the Federal Register on June 15, 2006, at Vol. 71, No. 115, pages 34635 and 34636, allowing for OMB review and a 60-day public comment period. Comments received by DHS are being reviewed as applicable. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments.

In accordance with regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, notification is hereby given that an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to conducting marine geophysical seismic surveys, on oil and gas lease blocks located on Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) waters in the Chukchi Sea. has been issued to GX Technology of Houston, Texas (GXT).

Below is a listing of individuals who are eligible to serve on the Performance Review Board in accordance with the Economics and Statistics Administration's Senior Executive Service and Senior Professional Performance Management Systems: Herman Habermann, Shirin A. Ahmed, Teresa Angueira, William G. Bostic, Jr., Stephanie Brown, Howard Hogan, Nancy M. Gordon, Arnold A. Jackson, Theodore A. Johnson, Ruth Ann Killion, Robert LaMacchia, Michael J. Longini, Thomas L. Mesenbourg, Jr; C. Harvey Monk, Andrew H. Moxam, Walter C. Odom, Jr., Marvin D. Raines, Brian Monaghan, Richard W. Swartz, Alan R. Tupek, Preston J. Waite, Mark E. Wallace, Daniel H. Weinberg, Ewen M. Wilson; Tommy Wright, Robert Fay III, William Bell, Elizabeth Martin, Paul Friday, David Findley, J. Steven Landefeld, Dennis J. Fixler, Ralph H. Kozlow, Alan C. Lorish, Rosemary D. Marcuss, Brent R. Moulton; Sumiye O. Okubo, John W. Ruser, James K. White, Katherine Wallman, and Dr. Jennifer Madans.

The purpose of this notice is to alert the public to two items. First, pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C), the National Park Service (NPS) announces the availability of the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the disposition of the former Bureau of Mines Twin Cities Research Center (Center), located within the boundary of Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA), a unit of the NPS, in Hennepin County, Minnesota. The draft EIS is now available for public review and comment, and everyone is invited to comment on the document. Secondly, the notice is intended to alert any prospective Government or university entities that the NPS is soliciting proposals for use of the Center. In accordance with the legislation addressing the Center (Pub. L. 104-134), only Government and university entities qualify as possible recipients of the property. Additionally, Public Law 106-113 allows the Secretary to accept financial remuneration for the Center and distribute the funds to MNRRA and the national wildlife refuge system for the benefit of their respective activities in Minnesota. The Center is Federal land located within the boundary of the MNRRA. Accordingly, through today's notice, the NPS invites written proposals from Government and university entities who may be interested in acquiring the former Bureau of Mines property. Verbal proposals will not be considered.

This proposed rule would revise the Medicare hospital outpatient prospective payment system to implement applicable statutory requirements and changes arising from our continuing experience with this system, and to implement certain related provisions of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003, and the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) of 2005. The proposed rule describes proposed changes to the amounts and factors used to determine the payment rates for Medicare hospital outpatient services paid under the prospective payment system. These changes would be applicable to services furnished on or after January 1, 2007. In addition, this proposed rule would revise the current list of procedures that are approved when furnished in a Medicare-approved ambulatory surgical center (ASC), which would be applicable to services furnished on or after January 1, 2007. Further, this proposed rule would revise the ASC facility payment system to implement provisions of the MMA and other applicable statutory requirements, and update the ASC payment rates. Changes to the ASC facility payment system and the payment rates would be applicable to services furnished on or after January 1, 2008. This proposed rule would revise the emergency medical screening requirements for critical access hospitals (CAHs). In addition, this proposed rule would support implementation of a restructuring of the contracting entities responsibilities and functions that support the adjudication of Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) claims. This restructuring is directed by section 1874A of the Act, as added by section 911 of the MMA. The prior separate Medicare intermediary and Medicare carrier contracting authorities under Title XVIII of the Act have been replaced with the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) authority. This proposed rule would also continue to implement the requirements of the DRA that require that we expand the ``starter set'' of 10 quality measures that we used in FY 2005 and FY 2006 for the hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Reporting Hospital Quality Data for the Annual Payment Update (RHQDAPU) program. We began to adopt expanded measures effective for payments beginning in FY 2007. We are proposing to add additional quality measures to the expanded set of measures for FY 2008 payment purposes. These measures include the HCAHPS[supreg] survey, as well as Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP, formerly Surgical Infection Prevention (SIP)), and Mortality quality measures.

The Department of State has submitted the following new information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the emergency review procedures of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Type of Request: Emergency Review. Originating Office: Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, Office of Cuban Affairs (WHA/CCA) Title of Information Collection: Human Rights Violators List. Frequency: On occasion. Form Number: DS-5090e. Respondents: Victims of human rights violations. Estimated Number of Respondents: 7,300. Average Hours per Response: 15 minutes per response. Total Estimated Burden: 1,825 hours. The proposed information collection is published to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. Emergency review and approval of this collection has been requested from OMB by August 18, 2006. If granted, the emergency approval is only valid for 180 days. During this 180-day period, we will publish a separate Federal Register Notice announcing the initiation of an extensive 60-day agency review and public comment period on this collection. We will submit the collection to OMB and seek an extension of this emergency approval. Comments should be directed to Katherine Astrich, State Department Desk Officer, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Washington, DC 20530, who may be reached on 202-395-4718. For Additional Information: Requests for additional information, regarding the collection listed in this notice should be directed to Tim Zuniga-Brown, Office of Cuban Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC 20520, who may be reached on 202-647-7481.

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.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-21), this notice announces that the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), 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.

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of 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 on information needed to determine the monetary allowance for children of a Vietnam and Korea service veteran born with spina bifida or birth defects.

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. Application for funding of Indian and Alaska Native Community Development Block Grants for the development of decent housing, environment, and economic opportunities for low and moderate-income persons.

The Coast Guard announces the availability of a policy letter detailing the Coast Guard's determination that ``head and gut fleet'' vessels constitute fish processing vessels for regulatory purposes. For vessels that, because of their age, cannot comply with certain regulatory requirements, an exemption from those requirements will be granted if the vessel owner proposes an acceptable alternative that provides a level of safety that is equivalent to the current regulations.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden. The Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on June 16, 2006 (71 FR 34990).

The Board accepts the application of PYCO Industries, Inc. (PYCO) to purchase the entirety of the rail lines of South Plains Switching, Ltd. Co. (SAW) in Lubbock, TX, as complete under 49 U.S.C. 10907 and 49 CFR 1151. The Board also sets a procedural schedule, including the date for the filing of competing feeder line applications to purchase the entirety of SAW's rail lines.