November 20, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing final regulations concerning the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). These final regulations are being issued as part of OPM's effort to modernize the CFC and to realize administrative efficiencies. They were designed to address the current and future environment of the CFC where the electronic transmission of information will be more routine. As such, these regulations update the criteria for CFC eligibility, streamline the charity application process, ease the administrative burden on the local campaigns, promote the use of electronic technology in the administration of the CFC, and expand opportunities during disasters and emergencies for Federal donors to contribute to all charities participating in the CFC regardless of location.

Notice is hereby given that persons convicted of violating or conspiring to violate Section 38 of the Arms Export Control Act, as amended, (``AECA'') (22 U.S.C. 2778) are statutorily debarred pursuant to Section 38(g)(4) of the AECA and Section 127.7(c) of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (``ITAR'') (22 CFR parts 120 to 130).

In accordance with section the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Commission announces that it intends to submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request for an extension without change of the existing recordkeeping requirements under 29 CFR part 1602 et seq., Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements under Title VII and the ADA. The Commission is seeking public comments on the proposed extension.

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; it includes the actual data collection instrument.

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on an information collection requirement concerning the Visa Waiver Program Carrier Agreement (Form I-775). This request for comment is being made pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13; 44 U.S.C. 3505(c)(2)).

Pursuant to the requirements of 5 CFR 724.202, (``Notice obligations''), the U.S. Department of State hereby publishes this No FEAR Act Notice. The purpose of the Notice is to inform Department employees, former employees, and applicants for employment of the rights and protections available under Federal antidiscrimination and whistleblower protection laws. This Notice follows the model language provided by the Office of Personnel Management in the Final Rule, Implementation of Title II of the Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002Notification & Training (71 FR 41095). Any questions regarding this notice should be directed to Janice F. Caramanica, Senior Attorney-Advisor, U.S. Department of State, Office of Civil Rights (S/OCR), 2201 C Street, NW., Room 7428, Washington, DC 20520-7428, phone (202) 647-9295, fax (202) 647-4969, e- mail caramanicajf@state.gov. On May 15, 2002, Congress enacted the ``Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002,'' which is now known as the No FEAR Act. One purpose of the Act is to ``require that Federal agencies be accountable for violations of antidiscrimination and whistleblower protection laws.'' Public Law 107-174, Summary. In support of this purpose, Congress found that ``agencies cannot be run effectively if those agencies practice or tolerate discrimination.'' Public Law 107-174, Title I, General Provisions, section 101(1). The Act also requires this agency to provide this notice to Federal employees, former Federal employees and applicants for Federal employment to inform you of the rights and protections available to you under Federal antidiscrimination and whistleblower protection laws.

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 new 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 eligibility for disability insurance benefits.

On October 19, 2006, NNSA published a Notice of Intent (NOI) to Prepare a Supplement to the Stockpile Stewardship and Management Programmatic Environmental Impact StatementComplex 2030 (Complex 2030 Supplemental PEIS; DOE/EIS-0236-S4; 71 FR 61731). NNSA has changed the location of the public scoping meeting scheduled for Los Alamos, New Mexico, and has extended the time for the public scoping meeting scheduled for Livermore, California.

This is to advise Customs brokers that the annual fee of $125 that is assessed for each permit held by a broker whether it may be an individual, partnership, association or corporation, is due by January 19, 2007. This announcement is being published to comply with the Tax Reform Act of 1986.

NMFS is announcing that the quotas for the Atlantic surfclam and ocean quahog fisheries for 2007 remain status quo. Regulations governing these fisheries require NMFS to notify the public of the allowable harvest levels for Atlantic surfclams and ocean quahogs from the Exclusive Economic Zone in the Federal Register if the previous year's quota specifications remain unchanged.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is providing notice to all of its employees, former employees, and applicants for employment about the rights and remedies that are available to them under Federal antidiscrimination and whistleblower protection laws. This notice fulfills DOL's notification obligations under the Notification and Federal Employees Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act (NO FEAR Act), as implemented by Office of Personnel Management (OPM) regulations.

The IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management invites comments on the submission for OMB review as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

EPA is requesting comment on the implementation of the pilot phase of the Voluntary Children's Chemical Evaluation Program (VCCEP). VCCEP was designed to collect health effects, exposure, and risk information on chemicals to which children are likely to be exposed, and to make that information available to the public so the public may better understand the potential health risks to children associated with certain chemical exposures. EPA announced the program in December 2000 and the pilot began in 2001 when companies volunteered to sponsor their chemicals under VCCEP. At what is approximately the midpoint in the implementation of the pilot phase of VCCEP, EPA is preparing to evaluate how well it is meeting its objectives for VCCEP. To this end, EPA is seeking comments from participants and observers about the operations and experience under the VCCEP pilot to this point. If requested, EPA will hold a public meeting to take comment on the implementation of the pilot phase of VCCEP.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the reopening of the comment period on the proposed designation of critical habitat for two tidal marsh plants: Cirsium hydrophilum var. hydrophilum (Suisun thistle) and Cordylanthus mollis ssp. mollis (soft bird's-beak). We also announce the availability of the draft economic analysis for the proposed critical habitat designation and an amended Required Determinations section of the proposal. The draft economic analysis identifies potential costs will be $1.6 million in undiscounted dollars over a 20-year period as a result of the proposed designation of critical habitat, including those costs coextensive with listing and recovery. Discounted future costs are estimated to be $1.4 million over 20 years ($95,002 annually) at a 3 percent discount rate, or $1.2 million over 20 years ($116,722 annually) at a 7 percent discount rate. The amended Required Determinations section provides our determination concerning compliance with applicable statutes and Executive Orders that we have deferred until the information from the draft economic analysis of this proposal was available. We are reopening the comment period to allow all interested parties to comment simultaneously on the proposed rule, the associated draft economic analysis, and the amended Required Determinations section.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will file the plat of survey of the lands described below in the BLM-Eastern States, Springfield, Virginia, 30 calendar days from the date of publication in the Federal Register.

This proposed rule amends regulations of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Department of Commerce (BEA) to set forth the reporting requirements for the BE-125, Quarterly Survey of Transactions in Selected Services and Intangible Assets with Foreign Persons. This rule would replace the rule for a similar but more limited survey, the BE-25, Quarterly Survey of Transactions with Unaffiliated Foreign Persons in Selected Services and in Intangible Assets. A new agency form number and survey title are being introduced because the survey program is being reconfigured to begin collection of data on transactions with affiliated foreigners using the same survey instruments as are used to collect information on transactions with unaffiliated foreigners and because services once collected on an annual basis would now be collected quarterly. This change will allow respondents to report transactions in services and intangible assets with foreign persons on one quarterly survey, rather than on as many as three different quarterly surveys and one annual survey. If adopted the BE-125 survey would be conducted quarterly beginning with the first quarter of 2007. The proposed BE-125 survey data are used to update universe estimates from similar data reported on the BE-120, Benchmark Survey of Transactions in Selected Services and Intangible Assets with Foreign Persons and on the benchmark and quarterly direct investment surveys that were administered to collect data on transactions with affiliated foreign persons.

FMCSA announces its decision to exempt forty-five individuals from its rule prohibiting persons with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) from operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. The exemptions will enable these individuals to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone around a blasting project between the Upper and Lower Narrows of the Cocheco River near Dover, NH. This safety zone is necessary to provide for the safety of persons and vessels in the maritime community from the hazards associated with a blasting project. Entry into this zone by any vessel is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port, Northern New England.

This action withdraws a proposed rule published in the Federal Register on January 12, 2005, (70 FR 2034), to amend the Cotton Board Rules and Regulations by adjusting the total rate of assessment per kilogram for imported cotton for use by the Cotton Research and Promotion Program. Based on a stakeholder comment, the Agricultural Marketing Service believes that the proposed rule may not achieve its intended objectives of effectiveness and efficiency.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone in Kealakekua Bay on the Island of Hawaii. This zone is established at the request of the Hawaii County Civil Defense due to mudslides and falling rocks. These falling rocks present a hazard to users of Kealakekua Bay. Entry of persons or vessels into this temporary safety zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP).

EPA issued a notice of deficiency on May 17, 2005, in which EPA identified problems with Maricopa County's Clean Air Act title V operating permits program and a timeframe for the County to correct these deficiencies. The Maricopa County Air Quality Department submitted corrections to its permit program in quarterly updates beginning in February 2006 and in a final submittal dated October 20, 2006. This notice announces that, based on information provided by Maricopa County Air Quality Department, EPA concludes that Maricopa County has resolved all of the issues identified in the May 17, 2005 Notice of Deficiency. As a result, EPA will not impose sanctions set forth under the mandatory sanctions provisions of the Clean Air Act. In addition, EPA will not promulgate, administer, and enforce a whole or partial operating permit program pursuant to the title V regulations of the Clean Air Act within two years after the date of the finding of deficiency.

This notice is to advise interested parties of a Military Health System (MHS) demonstration project entitled TRICARE Provider Reimbursement Demonstration Project for the State of Alaska. The delivery of health care services in the State of Alaska represents a unique situation that cannot be addressed fully by strictly applying the same reimbursement rules that apply to TRICARE programs in the other 49 states without some modification. Typically, provider payments are the same as under Medicare, unless the Department has taken specific action to increase payment rates in response to a particular, severe access problem in a location. Under this demonstration, payment rates for physicians and other non-institutional individual professional providers in the State of Alaska will be set at a rate higher than the Medicare rate. The demonstration project will test the effect of this change on provider participation in TRICARE, beneficiary access to care, cost of health care services, military medical readiness, morale and welfare. In particular, the demonstration will test whether the increased costs of provider payments are offset in whole or part by savings in travel costs, lost duty time, and other factors. This demonstration will be conducted under statutory authority provided in 10 U.S.C. 1092.