September 5, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is amending its regulations concerning forfeiture of benefit payments and improved pension payments. A review of VA's adjudication regulations revealed a need for clarification and minor typographical errors. This document makes changes to provide clarification and eliminate the errors. The effect of these actions is to clarify the respective regulations.

The FHWA invites public comment about our intentions to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for a new information collection, which is summarized below under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of New York (FEMA1650DR), dated 07/03/ 2006. Incident: Severe Storms and Flooding. Incident Period: 06/26/2006 through 07/10/2006. Effective Date: 08/29/2006. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 10/02/2006. EIDL Loan Application Deadline Date: 04/03/2007.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), agencies are required to submit proposed reporting and recordkeeping requirements to OMB for review and approval, and to publish a notice in the Federal Register notifying the public that the agency has made such a submission.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), and NASA policy and procedures (14 CFR Part 1216 subpart 1216.3), NASA has prepared and issued a DEIS for the proposed MSL mission. The DEIS addresses the potential environmental impacts associated with implementing the mission. The purpose of this proposal is to explore the surface of Mars with a mobile science laboratory (rover). This environmental impact statement (EIS) is a tiered document (Tier 2 EIS) under NASA's Programmatic EIS for the Mars Exploration Program (MEP). The DEIS presents descriptions of the proposed MSL mission, spacecraft, and candidate launch vehicle; an overview of the affected environment at and near the launch site; and the potential environmental consequences associated with the Proposed Action and alternatives, including the No Action Alternative. The MSL mission is planned for launch during the September-November 2009 time period from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), Florida, on an expendable launch vehicle. The arrival date at Mars would range from mid-July 2010 to not later than mid-October 2010, depending on the exact launch date and selected landing site, yet to be determined, on the surface of Mars. Using advanced instrumentation, the MSL rover would acquire significant, detailed information regarding the habitability of Mars from a scientifically promising location on the surface. The mission would also fulfill NASA's strategic technology goals of increasing the mass of science payloads delivered to the surface of Mars, expanding access to higher and lower latitudes, increasing precision landing capability, and increasing traverse capability (mobility) to distances on the order of several kilometers. The DEIS evaluates two alternatives in addition to the No Action Alternative. Under the Proposed Action (Alternative 1), the proposed MSL rover would utilize a radioisotope power system, a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG), as its primary source of electrical power to operate and conduct science on the surface of Mars. Under Alternative 2, an MSL rover would utilize solar energy as its primary source of electrical power to operate and conduct science on the surface of Mars.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the Bureau of Land Management announces the availability of the ROD for the Cassia Resource Management Plan Amendment/Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Cotterel Wind Power Project, located in south central Idaho. The decision contained in the ROD is two-fold. It approves both the amendment to the Cassia Resource Management Plan and the issuance of a right-of-way grant pursuant to Title V of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) intends to transfer confidential business information (CBI) collected from airport deicing operations to SciMetrika. Transfer of the information will allow the contractor to support EPA in the planning, development, and review of effluent limitations guidelines and standards for the airport deicing point source category. The information being transferred was or will be collected from airports and airlines under the authority of section 308 of the Clean Water Act (CWA). Interested persons may submit comments on this intended transfer of information to the address noted below.

The Commission announces its disposition of a Petition for Rulemaking (``Petition'') filed on February 16, 2006, by the AFL-CIO, the Alliance for Justice, the Chamber of Commerce of the United States, the National Education Association, and OMB Watch. The Petition asks the Commission to revise its regulations by exempting from the definition of ``electioneering communication'' certain communications consisting of ``grassroots lobbying.'' The Commission has decided not to initiate a rulemaking in response to the Petition at this time. The Petition is available for inspection in the Commission's Public Records Office and on its Web site, https://www.fec.gov/. Further information is provided in the supplementary information that follows.

This final rule amends regulations on insurer reporting requirements. The appendices list those passenger motor vehicle insurers that are required to file reports on their motor vehicle theft loss experiences. An insurer included in any of these appendices must file three copies of its report for the 2003 calendar year before October 25, 2006. If the passenger motor vehicle insurers remain listed, they must submit reports by each subsequent October 25.

This notice advises the public that the Alameda County Resource Conservation District (Applicant) has applied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for an enhancement of survival permit pursuant to Section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The permit application includes a proposed Safe Harbor Agreement (Agreement) between the Applicant and the Service for the threatened California red-legged frog (CRLF) (Rana aurora draytonii) and the California tiger salamander (CTS) (Ambystoma californiense). The Agreement and permit application are available for public comment.

The Defense Intelligence Agency is proposing to add a system of records to its existing inventory of records systems subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended.

The Caribbean Fishery Management Council's St. Croix exclusive economic zone (EEZ) Working Group will hold a meeting.

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 1138, Extension of Time for Payment of Taxes by a Corporation Expecting a New Operating Loss Carryback.

The Department of Justice (the Department) proposes to amend part 20 of its regulations appearing at title 28 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) pertaining to criminal justice information systems and the appendix to that part. The amendment will permit the retention and exchange of criminal history record information (CHRI) and fingerprint submissions relating to nonserious offenses (NSOs) in the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI's) Fingerprint Identification Records System (FIRS) and the Interstate Identification Index (III) when provided by a criminal justice agency for retention by the FBI.

Notice is hereby given that the Estuarine Reserves Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce has approved the revised management plan for the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (Reserve). The Reserve was designated in 1974 pursuant to Section 315 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended, 16 U.S.C. 1461 and has been operating under the management plan revised in 1994. Pursuant to 15 CFR Section 921.33(c), a state must revise their management plan every five years. The submission of this plan fulfills this requirement for the period from 2006-2011 and sets a course for successful implementation of the goals and objectives of the reserve. The mission of the South Slough reserve management plan is to improve the understanding and stewardship of Pacific Northwest estuaries and coastal watersheds through site-based estuarine research, stewardship and education. The management plan identifies nine priority management issues that are addressed through reserve programs. These priority issues are (1) invasive species, (2) water pollution, (3) threatened and endangered species, (4) commercial oyster cultivation, (5) vegetation and sediment management, (6) forest management and fire, (7) harvests of secondary forest products, (8) disaster prevention and response, and (9) archeological artifacts and historic structures. South Slough reserve's management plan addresses these issues with specific programs for resource management and protection, research and monitoring, education and training, public access and visitor use, program administration, and partnerships and regional coordination. The plan identifies management goals, priority resource management issues or threats that these goals must address, and specific strategies to accomplish these goals. The resource management and protection program addresses issues such as developing a systematic process to assess ecological health of the reserve, implementing resource management strategies, developing land use policies on the reserve, implementing the reserve Cooperative Plan for Watershed Conservation, assisting with the revision of the trail master plan, enhancing the application of GIS to stewardship priorities, improving restoration monitoring capacity, and enhancing community involvement in coastal stewardship. The research and monitoring program supports research focused on estuarine ecology and assessments of functional biotic diversity, investigation of links between land-margin ecosystem elements, and evaluation of the effects of human disturbance within estuaries. Staff, graduate students, and visiting researchers conduct monitoring and research within the watersheds and boundaries of the reserve and use GIS to map critical habitats and hydrology and hydrodynamic processes. The education and training program at the reserve targets audiences of all ages and backgrounds for traditional, experiential, training and outreach opportunities. The education program is also upgrading and expanding the Reserve's exhibitry to better interpret scientific data collected by the research program, enhancing methods to engage middle and high school audiences, evaluate program offerings, implement a school-to-work educational experience, update information for visitors, and enhance program participation. The coastal Training Program will focus on identifying the needs of coastal decision makers (CDM's), conducting training workshops for CDM's, testing and adapting an Inquiry-Based Information Services model to identify information gaps and develop demonstration projects, conducting evaluations to measure the effectiveness of training and outreach programs, and developing an internet-based training and information program for CDM's. The public access and facilities priorities at the reserve includes assessing opportunities to enhance access to the southern end of the reserve, establishing a visitor center/office in Charleston, revising the facilities master plan, establishing a facilities maintenance and replacement schedule, and reducing operations costs through innovative energy oriented technologies. Visitor use policies are designed to provide for compatible use and protection of valuable natural resources. The administration program ensures the staffing and budget is adequate to carry out the goals and objectives of the plan. Situated within its parent agency, Oregon Department of State Lands, the administrative staff develops stable funding and grant match opportunities and manages grants and cooperative agreements effectively and efficiently. Priorities include developing a volunteer program, a communication plan, a plan to enhance information and communication technology, evaluating the need to revise the reserve's Administrative Rules, and developing facility use policies.

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 Ruling 2000-35, Automatic Enrollment in Section 403(b) Plans.