2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In compliance with Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), DoD announces the proposed extension of a public information collection requirement and seeks public comment on the provisions thereof. DoD invites comments on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of DoD, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved this information collection for use through February 28, 2007. DoD proposes that OMB extend its approval for use for 3 additional years.

DoD has issued an interim rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to implement the United States-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement and the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement with respect to Guatemala. The Free Trade Agreements waive the applicability of the Buy American Act for some foreign supplies and construction materials and specify procurement procedures designed to ensure fairness.

This document announces the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the information collection requirement in the final rule published on August 29, 2006 (FR 71 51382). The sections of the final rule pending approval of this information collection will become effective on the date included in the published final rule; October 29, 2006.

DoD has issued a final rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to implement provisions of annual appropriations acts that authorize an exemption from the Buy American Act for the acquisition of commercial information technology.

The Rural Housing Service, an Agency under USDA Rural Development, is proposing to amend its regulations to change the due date of the annual guarantee fee. The annual fee is a non-refundable amount that the lender must pay each year that the loan guarantee remains in effect. Currently, the Finance Office in St. Louis calculates annual fees manually since the borrower submissions of December 31 year-end financial information are not loaded into their automated systems by January 1, when annual fees are due. The Finance Office has requested that the annual fee due date be changed from January 1 to February 28 to allow their automated systems to be uploaded with December 31 year-end information thus enabling them to automate the annual fee calculation process.

On September 18, 2006, the United States Court of International Trade (``the Court'') sustained the Department of Commerce's (``the Department'') final remand redetermination on its entirety. See Guangdong Chemicals Import & Export Corporation v. United States, Ct. No. 05-00023, Slip Op. 06-142 (Ct. Int'l Trade September 18, 2006) (``Guangdong II''). This case arises out of the Department's final determination of Sebacic Acid from the People's Republic of China: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 69 FR 75303 (December 16, 2004) (``Final Results''). The final judgment in this case was not in harmony with the Department's Final Results.

On November 1, 2005, the Department of Commerce (Department) initiated a sunset review of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on cut-to-length carbon steel plate (CTL plate) from the United Kingdom, pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). On the basis of a notice of intent to participate and an adequate substantive response filed on behalf of the domestic interested parties and an adequate response from respondent interested parties, the Department determined to conduct a full sunset review of this CVD order pursuant to section 751(c) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.218(e)(2). On July 19, 2006, the Department published the preliminary results of this review and invited interested parties to comment on those results. See Preliminary Results of Full Sunset Review: Cut-to-Length Carbon Steel Plate From the United Kingdom, 71 FR 40993 (Preliminary Results). Based on our analysis of the comments and the record, the Department finds that revocation of the CVD order on CTL plate from the United Kingdom would not be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of a countervailable subsidy. Therefore, the Department is revoking this CVD order in accordance with section 751(c) of the Act.

On May 31, 2006, the Department of Commerce published the preliminary results of the administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain polyester staple fiber from the Republic of Korea. We gave interested parties an opportunity to comment on the preliminary results. Based on our analysis of the comments received and an examination of our calculations, we have made certain changes for the final results. The final weighted-average dumping margin for Huvis Corporation is listed below in the ``Final Results of the Review'' section of this notice.

Pursuant to FAA's rulemaking provisions governing the application, processing, and disposition of petitions for exemption part 11 of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR), this notice contains a summary of certain petitions seeking relief from specified requirements of 14 CFR. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA's regulatory activities. Neither publication of this notice nor the inclusion or omission of information in the summary is intended to affect the legal status of any petition or its final disposition.

This final rule amends part 51 at Title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations to change a ground of denying, revoking or canceling a passport. The final rule amends the existing regulation at section 51.70(a) in Title 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations which requires the Secretary of State to deny a passport to a person who has been certified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to be in arrears of child support by an amount exceeding $5000 by changing it to $2500 in accordance with Section 7303 of Public Law 109-171, the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005.

EPA is convening a public meeting on risk management practices under a possible stewardship program for nanoscale materials under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). EPA is considering development of a stewardship program for such nanoscale materials. This program is being explored to encourage responsible commercial development of nanoscale materials. The stewardship program will also enable EPA, affected industry, and other stakeholders to build the capacity to assess potential risks to human health and the environment from nanoscale materials and to identify risk management practices available to reduce such potential risks. EPA is requesting comments at the public meeting on: Risk management practices currently used or potentially available for use for nanoscale materials, the rationale for the use of these practices and the effectiveness or efficiency of these practices, and issues to consider for including risk management practices for nanoscale materials in the stewardship program. These comments will inform EPA on risk management practices to include in the stewardship program.

The Environmental Protection Agency is issuing a final rule that will reduce reporting burdens under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, also known as Title III of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act. In this rule, EPA broadens the existing reporting exemptions for releases that are the result of combustion of less than 1,000 pounds of nitrogen oxide and less than 1,000 pounds of nitrogen dioxide to the air in 24 hours. These may also include emissions from detonation or processes that include both combustion and non-combustion operations, such as nitric acid production. This administrative reporting exemption is protective of human health and the environment and consistent with the Agency's goal to reduce unnecessary reports given that the levels for which the Clean Air Act regulates nitrogen oxides are considerably higher than 10 pounds. In addition, the Agency believes that the information gained through submission of the reports for those exempted releases would not contribute significantly to the data that are already available through the permitting process to the government and the public.

The EPA issued a final rule on November 29, 2005, which took action on elements of the program to implement the 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS or standard)Phase 2. The preamble contains a discussion of the Clean Air Act's (CAA's) reasonable further progress (RFP) requirements, and this document clarifies the correct citation in the CAA that should have been referenced. Finally, this document is modifying several incorrect citations in Appendix A of the preamble which addresses calculation of RFP targets. This action is needed so States will have the correct version of the Phase 2 rule. The intended effect is to correct the errors in the Phase 2 rule.

The State of New Hampshire has amended the regulations previously approved by EPA under Subtitle I of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). EPA has determined that these amendments satisfy all requirements needed for program approval and is approving the State's changes through this immediate final action. EPA is publishing this rule to approve the changes without a prior tentative determination because we believe this action is not controversial and do not expect comments that oppose it. Unless we get written comments which oppose this approval during the comment period, the decision to approve New Hampshire's amendments to its underground storage tank (UST) program will take effect as provided below. If we receive comments that oppose this action, we will publish a document in the Federal Register withdrawing this rule before it takes effect, and the separate document in the proposed rules section of this Federal Register will serve as the proposal to approve the amendments.

With this action, EPA is allocating essential use allowances for import and production of class I stratospheric ozone depleting substances (ODSs) for calendar year 2006. Essential use allowances enable a person to obtain controlled class I ODSs as part of an exemption from the regulatory ban on the production and import of these chemicals that became effective as of January 1, 1996. EPA allocates essential use allowances for exempted production or import of a specific quantity of class I ODSs solely for the designated essential purpose. The allocations in this action total 1,002.40 metric tons (MT) of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) for use in metered dose inhalers for 2006.