2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This action extends the comment period for an October 5, 2006, proposed rule regarding the first 2007 fishing season for Atlantic sharks to November 17, 2006. This extension is due to late dealer reports that significantly changed landings estimates of large and small coastal sharks during the first trimester of 2006. This action releases the revised landings estimates.

We are reopening the comment period for our proposed rule that would remove several restrictions regarding the identification of animals and the processing of ruminant materials from BSE minimal-risk regions, as well as BSE-based restrictions on gelatin derived from bovine hides. This action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.

DoD is proposing to amend the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to add an exception to the requirement for a written determination before using a fixed-price type contract for a development program effort. The exception would apply to contracts for systems integration of commercial off-the-shelf information technology products under the DoD Enterprise Software Initiative.

In a Federal Register notice published on October 4, 2006, 71 FR 58716, the FTC requested comment on two proposed amendments to the TSR. The Notice stated that comments must be submitted on or before November 6, 2006. In response to a request for an extension of the comment period received on October 30, 2006, the Commission has extended the comment period for an additional 40 days.

This document contains final regulations relating to the computation and allocation of the credit for increasing research activities for members of a controlled group of corporations or a group of trades or businesses under common control. These final regulations reflect changes made to section 41 by the Revenue Reconciliation Act of 1989, which introduced the current computational regime for the credit, and the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996, which introduced the alternative incremental research credit.

EPA is proposing to approve revisions to the Lake County Air Quality Management District (LCAQMD), Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District (MBUAPCD), San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District (SJVUAPCD), and Ventura County Air Pollution Control District (VCAPCD) portions of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). Under authority of the Clean Air Act as amended in 1990 (CAA or the Act), we are proposing to approve local rules that address particulate matter (PM-10) emissions from open burning, general area sources, cotton gins, incinerators, and fuel burning equipment.

In accordance with the requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, the Department of the Treasury gives notice of a proposed amendment to this part to exempt a new Internal Revenue Service (IRS) system of records entitled ``IRS 42.002, Excise Tax Compliance Programs'' from certain provisions of the Privacy Act.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as:

This document corrects a change made by a final rule published October 31, 2006 amending the regulations for the 2005 Dairy Disaster Assistance Payment Program (DDAP-II). A correction is needed because the final rule of October 31 incorrectly numbered the sections of the new subpart E that was added to 7 CFR part 1430.

On October 31, 2006, SBA published in the Federal Register a direct final rule to amend SBA regulations to reflect the new structure of the Office of Disaster Assistance following an office reorganization (71 FR 63674). In the preamble to the regulation, SBA stated in the DATES section that this rule is effective November 30, 2006 without further action, unless adverse comment is received on or before the effective date. If adverse comment is received, SBA will publish a timely withdrawal of the rule in the Federal Register. SBA is correcting the DATES caption for this direct final rule to clarify the timeframe for public comment, and to allow sufficient time for SBA to withdraw the rule if any significant adverse comments are received.

This action proposes national emission standards for hazardous air pollutants for certain area source facilities. Specifically, this proposal sets forth two regulatory alternatives. The first alternative (Regulatory Alternative 1) proposes emission standards for bulk gasoline terminals, pipeline facilities, and bulk gasoline plants. The second alternative (Regulatory Alternative 2) is identical to the first alternative, except that it also proposes emission standards for gasoline dispensing facilities. We are proposing these emission standards for hazardous air pollutants pursuant to Clean Air Act section 112(c)(3) and 112(d)(5). This action also announces that we are not regulating the above-noted facilities under Clean Air Act section 112(c)(6). We estimate that the proposed standards would result in an annual reduction of about 3,300 and 3,400 tons of hazardous air pollutant emissions (including about 120 and 125 tons of benzene), and about 45,000 and 46,200 tons of volatile organic compound emissions for the proposed Regulatory Alternatives 1 and 2, respectively. This represents about a 9 and 10 percent reduction of emissions from area sources in the gasoline distribution source category for the proposed Regulatory Alternatives 1 and 2, respectively.

This proposed rule reflects amendments made by section 102 of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 to the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act regarding substitutes for fluid milk in the National School Lunch Program. This rule would implement a legislative provision on milk substitutes that follows current regulations on menu exceptions for students with disabilities and would add new requirements for substitutions for fluid milk for children with medical or other special dietary needs. Specifically, this proposed rule would establish nutritional standards for nondairy beverage alternatives to fluid milk, as well as requirements for substitutions for fluid milk for non-disabled students with medical or special dietary needs. It would allow the parent or legal guardian of a child with medical or special dietary needs to request a fluid milk substitute. In addition, it would allow schools to select acceptable fluid milk substitutes that meet the nutritional standards established in this proposed rule, and would continue to make school food authorities responsible for substitution expenses that exceed the Federal reimbursement. This rule, as proposed, would ensure consistency among milk substitutes offered in the school lunch and breakfast programs, and would make certain that students who consume nondairy beverage alternates receive important nutrients found in fluid milk.

This final rule sets forth an update to the 60-day national episode rates and the national per-visit amounts under the Medicare prospective payment system for home health services. In addition, this final rule sets forth policy changes related to Medicare payment for certain durable medical equipment for the purpose of implementing sections 1834(a)(5) and 1834(a)(7) of the Social Security Act, as amended by section 5101 of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. This final rule also responds to public comments on the August 3, 2006, proposed rule that pertain to a number of issues including the requirement that home health payments are based on the reporting of specific quality data by home health agencies.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau proposes to establish the 1,888 square mile Lehigh Valley viticultural area in southeastern Pennsylvania in portions of Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Schuylkill, Carbon, and Monroe Counties. We designate viticultural areas to allow vintners to better describe the origin of their wines and to allow consumers to better identify wines they may purchase. We invite comments on this proposed addition to our regulations.

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau proposes to establish the 11,200-acre Tulocay viticultural area in Napa County, California. The proposed viticultural area lies totally within the Napa Valley viticultural area and the larger, multi-county North Coast viticultural area. We designate viticultural areas to allow vintners to better describe the origin of their wines and to allow consumers to better identify wines they may purchase. We invite comments on this proposed addition to our regulations.

EPA is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the state of Iowa. This revision will update Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) amendment dates, make a clarification to the state air quality rules for laundry activities listed under construction permit exemptions, and adopt the American Meteorological Society/Environmental Protection Agency Regulatory Model (AERMOD). The SIP revisions are necessary for consistency with Federal regulations.

This final rule is intended to reduce regulatory burden on the Farm Credit System (FCS or System) by repealing or revising five regulations. The final rule also corrects eight outdated and erroneous cross-references in five regulation sections. These revisions provide System banks and associations with greater flexibility concerning stock ownership of service corporations, employee reporting under standards of conduct rules, domestic lending to cooperatives, and real property evaluations for certain business loans.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing to amend the regulations under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) to ensure that the status of sellers of perishable agricultural commodities as trust creditors is protected when electronic data interchange (EDI) or other forms of electronic commerce are used to invoice buyers. Specifically, the proposed amendments would require a buyer licensed under the PACA or his third party representative to accept the PACA trust notice submitted to it by a seller on a paper, electronic invoice, or other billing statement. In addition, the buyer must allow sufficient data space for the required trust language regardless of the billing medium. Finally, any failure, act or omission inconsistent with this responsibility is unlawful and a violation of the PACA. Comments are being sought from the public, but in particular, from buyers and sellers of fruit and vegetables and vendors/software developers of electronic billing systems.

The Coast Guard is changing the operating regulation governing the operation of the SE. Third Avenue, Andrews Avenue and Marshal (Seventh Avenue) bridges across the New River, miles 1.4, 2.3, and 2.7 and the regulations governing the operation of the Davie Boulevard (SW. Twelfth Street) bridge across the New River, South Fork, mile 0.9, Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, Florida.

EPA is taking final action on a variety of revisions to particulate matter regulations submitted by Ohio on July 18, 2000. EPA is approving revisions to the form of opacity limits for utility and steel mill storage piles and roadways. EPA is approving a modest realignment of emission limits in the Cleveland area within the constraints of a revised modeled attainment demonstration. EPA is approving formalization of existing requirements for continuous emission monitoring for certain types of facilities, criteria for the state to issue equivalent visible emission limits, and revised limits for stationary internal combustion engines. However, EPA is disapproving authority for revising emission limits for Ford Motor's Cleveland Casting Plant via Title V permit modifications. Also, EPA is deferring action on equivalent visible emission limit rules to solicit comment on certain ramifications of its proposed approval.

In this document the Commission concludes that Mid-Rivers Telephone Cooperative, Inc. (Mid-Rivers) should be treated as an incumbent local exchange carrier (LEC) in the Terry, Montana local exchange (Terry exchange). The Commission also concludes that Mid- Rivers' operations in the Terry exchange should remain subject to existing competitive LEC regulation for interstate purposes pending further Commission action. In addition, the Commission concludes that Qwest, the legacy incumbent LEC in the Terry exchange, should be subject to non-dominant regulation for its interstate telecommunications services in that exchange pending further action.

The FAA adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. (Pilatus) Model PC-7 airplanes. This AD requires you to do repetitive eddy-current, non-destructive inspections of the nose skin and adjacent structure above the left and right main landing gear bay and repetitive visual inspections of the forward support structure of the floor panel for crack damage. If you find any crack damage, this AD requires you to contact Pilatus to obtain a repair solution and incorporate the repair. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued by the airworthiness authority for Switzerland. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracks in the nose skin and adjacent structure above the left and right main landing gear bay and in the forward support structure of the floor panel. Crack propagation in certain areas could lead to failure of the main wing torsion box, which could result in loss of control.

The FAA adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Raytheon Aircraft Company (RAC) (formerly Beech) Models C90A, B200, B200C, B300, and B300C airplanes. This AD requires you to inspect the flight controls for improper assembly or damage, and if any improperly assembled or damaged flight controls are found, take corrective action. This AD results from a report of inspections of several affected airplanes with improperly assembled or damaged flight controls. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct improperly assembled or damaged flight controls, which could result in an unsafe condition by reducing capabilities of the flight controls and lead to loss of control of the airplane.

We dismiss the petition for rule making filed by 105 Mountain Air, Inc., proposing the allotment of Channel 264A at Groveland, California, for failure to file a continuing expression of interest. It is the Commission's policy to refrain from making an allotment to a community absent an expression of interest.

This rule changes the incoming quality control requirements under the administrative rules and regulations of the California almond marketing order (order). The order regulates the handling of almonds grown in California and is administered locally by the Almond Board of California (Board). These changes will help minimize the risk of aflatoxin in almonds by removing inedible kernels from human consumption. Inedible almonds are poor quality kernels or pieces of defective kernels that may be contaminated with aflatoxin. This action is intended to improve the overall quality of almonds placed into consumer channels.