September 21, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Under mandate from the Clean Air Act to review and approve alternatives to ozone-depleting substances, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposes to expand and amend the list of acceptable substitutes for ozone-depleting substances (ODS) through the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program. Substitutes addressed in this proposal are for the motor vehicle air conditioning (MVAC) end-use within the refrigeration and air-conditioning sector. The proposed substitutes are non ozone-depleting gases and consequently do not contribute to stratospheric ozone depletion.

NMFS issues this final rule to implement Amendment 13C to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery of the South Atlantic Region (FMP), as prepared and submitted by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council). Amendment 13C establishes management measures to end overfishing of snowy grouper, golden tilefish, vermilion snapper, and black sea bass and measures to allow moderate increases in recreational and commercial harvest of red porgy consistent with the rebuilding program for that stock. For the commercial fisheries, this final rule establishes restrictive quotas for snowy grouper, golden tilefish, vermilion snapper, and black sea bass and, after the quotas are met, prohibits all purchase and sale of the applicable species and restricts all harvest and possession to the applicable bag limit; establishes restrictive trip limits for snowy grouper and golden tilefish; requires at least 2-inch (5.1-cm) mesh in the back panel of black sea bass pots; requires black sea bass pots to be removed from the water after the quota is reached; changes the fishing year for black sea bass; increases the trip limit for red porgy; establishes a red porgy quota that would allow a moderate increase in harvest; and, after the red porgy quota is reached, prohibits all purchase and sale and restricts all harvest and possession to the bag limit. For the recreational fisheries, this final rule reduces the bag limits for snowy grouper, golden tilefish, and black sea bass; increases the minimum size limit for vermilion snapper and black sea bass; changes the fishing year for black sea bass; and increases the bag limit for red porgy. The intended effects of this final rule are to eliminate or phase out overfishing of snowy grouper, golden tilefish, vermilion snapper, and black sea bass; and increase red porgy harvest consistent with an updated stock assessment and rebuilding plan to achieve optimum yield. Finally, NMFS informs the public of the approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of the collection-of-information requirements contained in this final rule and publishes the OMB control numbers for those collections.

PHMSA is considering revisions to the list of hazardous materials that require development and implementation of a security plan to address security risks during transportation in commerce. This effort is being coordinated with other Department of Transportation modal administrations (Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and Federal Railroad Administration) and the Transportation Security Administration of the Department of Homeland Security. The revisions would address outstanding petitions requesting that certain materials be excepted from the security plan requirements. PHMSA will hold a public meeting on November 30, 2006 to obtain stakeholder comments on security plan requirements. This ANPRM and the public meeting provide an opportunity for the public to comment on this issue and make recommendations on the applicability of the security plan requirements.

This action finalizes Methods 203A, 203B, and 203C for determining visible emissions using data reduction procedures that are more appropriate for State Implementation Plan (SIP) rules than Method 9, the method currently used. This action was requested by the States and is needed for the special data reduction requirements in their rules. The intended effect is to provide States with an expanded array of data reduction procedures for determining compliance with their SIP opacity regulations. In addition, this action amends various testing provisions in the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) to correct inadvertent errors and amend a testing provision.

Commission rules include five sets of rules with sunset provisions. The Commission proposes to reissue four of these sets of rules with limited revisions. These include shortening and standardizing the intervention period (where applicable); eliminating the sunset provisions and, in one set, redesignating provisions to conform to Office of Federal Register style and making minor editorial revisions. Reissuance of these sets of rules, as revised, will allow the Service to have continued flexibility and will enhance administrative efficiency. The Commission seeks comments on whether the other set of rules (for certain Express Mail requests) should be reissued.

This document contains a correction to final regulations that were published in the Federal Register on August 9, 2006 (71 FR 45379) that provide guidance on certain issues under section 411(d)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code (Code), including the interaction between the anti-cutback rules of section 411(d)(6) and the nonforfeitability requirements of section 411(a).

This final rule designates areas where personal watercraft (PWC) may be used in Curecanti National Recreation Area, Colorado. This final rule implements the provisions of the National Park Service (NPS) general regulations authorizing park areas to allow the use of PWC by promulgating a special regulation. Individual parks must determine whether PWC use is appropriate for a specific park area based on an evaluation of that area's enabling legislation, resources and values, other visitor uses, and overall management objectives.