October 19, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Fish and Wildlife Service announces that the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council (Council) will meet November 8-9, 2006.

In the Rules and Regulations section of this issue of the Federal Register, the IRS is issuing temporary regulations concerning the application of section 199 of the Internal Revenue Code, which provides a deduction for income attributable to domestic production activities. The text of those regulations also serves as the text of these proposed regulations. This document also provides notice of a public hearing on these proposed regulations.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the extension of a currently approved information collection for Operating Plans.

This notice announces the availability of the draft ``National Management and Control Plan for the New Zealand Mudsnail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum).'' The draft was prepared by the New Zealand Mudsnail Working Group of the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force. We are seeking public comments on this draft document. Comments received will be considered during the preparation of the final national management and control plan, which will guide cooperative and integrated management of Zealand mudsnails in the United States.

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 an existing final regulation, T.D. 8418, Arbitrage Restrictions on Tax- exempt Bonds (Sec. Sec. 1.148-1, 1.148-2, 1.148-3, 1.148-4, 1.148-5, 1.148-6, 1.148-7, 1.148-8, and 1.148-11).

A 16.06 acre parcel of public land located near Dyer, Esmeralda County, Nevada, has been examined and found suitable for sale utilizing direct sale procedures. The authority for the sale is found under sections 203 and 209 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA) [Pub. L. 94-579].

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 an existing final regulation, FI-59-91 (TD 8674), Debt Instructions With Original Issue Discount; Contingent Payment; Anti-Abuse Rule (Sec. Sec. 1.1275-2, 1.1275-3, 1.1275-4, and 1.275-6).

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 an existing final regulation, REG-120882-97 (TD 8898), Continuity of Interest (Sec. Sec. 1.368-1(e)(1)(ii) and 1.368-1(e)(2)(ii)).

The Office of Personnel Management is issuing final regulations to provide a higher annual leave accrual rate of 1 day (8 hours) per biweekly pay period for members of the Senior Executive Service, employees in senior-level and scientific or professional positions, and other employees covered by equivalent pay systems.

On September 12, 2006, U.S. Trade Representative Susan C. Schwab and Canada's Minister for International Trade, David Emerson, signed the Softwood Lumber Agreement (SLA 2006). On October 12, 2006, the SLA 2006 entered into effect. Pursuant to the settlement of litigation which is a precondition for the entry into force of the SLA 2006, the Department of Commerce (the Department) is revoking the countervailing duty order on certain softwood lumber products from Canada and rescinding all ongoing proceedings related to that order.

On September 12, 2006, U.S. Trade Representative Susan C. Schwab and Canada's Minister for International Trade, David Emerson, signed the Softwood Lumber Agreement (SLA 2006). On October 12, 2006 the SLA 2006 entered into effect. Pursuant to the the settlement of litigation which is a precondition for the entry into force of the SLA 2006, the Department of Commerce (the Department) is revoking the antidumping duty order on certain softwood lumber products from Canada and rescinding all ongoing proceedings related to that order.

Pursuant to the negotiated settlement between the United States and Canadian Governments, the panel review of the above noted case is terminated as of October 12, 2006. A panel has been appointed to this panel review and has been dismissed in accordance with the Rules of Procedure for Article 1904 Binational Panel Review, effective October 12, 2006.

We (OSM) are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Ohio regulatory program (the ``Ohio program'') under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). The proposed amendment consists of a request from Ohio to withdraw portions of a prior amendment to the Ohio program that OSM approved. The prior amendment pertained to clarification of certain Conflict of Interest provisions. Although OSM approved the amendment in 1995, Ohio has not promulgated the approved regulations through their rule-making process and has now decided the approved changes are not necessary. This document gives the times and locations that the Ohio program and proposed amendment to that program are available for your inspection, the comment period during which you may submit written comments on the amendment, and the procedures that we will follow for the public hearing, if one is requested.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Turbomeca Turmo IV A and IV C series turboshaft engines. This AD requires identifying, inspecting and replacing flexible lubrication pipes manufactured after April 1, 2003. If both engines on the same helicopter each have an affected pipe, then this AD requires replacing one of the affected pipes before further flight. This AD also requires initial and repetitive borescope inspections of affected pipes, visual inspections for oil leakage, and visual inspections of the oil filter, on engines that are not required to have an affected pipe replaced before further flight by this AD. This AD results from 7 reports of oil leakage due to the deterioration of flexible lubrication pipes manufactured after April 1, 2003. We are issuing this AD to prevent dual-engine failure on a twin-engine helicopter.

This document contains final regulations regarding the allocation of creditable foreign tax expenditures by partnerships. The regulations are necessary to clarify the application of section 704(b) to allocations of creditable foreign tax expenditures. The final regulations affect partnerships and their partners.

This rule adopts the proposed rule published in the Federal Register on September 30, 2005 as final with minor, non-substantive editorial changes. The final rule amends the NASA FAR Supplement (NFS) to include a requirement for NASA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program contractors to complete a recertification of program compliance prior to final payment. This requirement is being established to facilitate the Government's ability to hold contractors accountable for compliance with Federal statute, regulation, and requirements associated with the SBIR and STTR programs. In addition, the final rule corrects the following in the proposed rule: Revises the section numbering of the prescription identified in NFS 1832.12 of the proposed rule from NFS 1832.1200 to NFS 1819.7302(f); revises the numbering of the clause from NFS 1852.232-83 in the proposed rule to NFS 1852.219-85 in the final rule; makes minor revisions to conform clause titles with those in the clause prescriptions; revises the Supplementary Information, Paragraph B. Regulatory Flexibility Act to expand the justification that the rule does not have a significant economic impact on small entities; and makes other minor editorial corrections.

The Coast Guard proposes to temporarily change the drawbridge operating regulations governing the operation of the Amtrak Bridge across the Thames River, mile 0.8, at New London, Connecticut. This notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) would allow the bridge owner to open the bridge on a temporary opening schedule from November 15, 2006 through May 15, 2007. This proposed rule is necessary to facilitate bridge pier repairs.