2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Texas has scheduled a special runoff election on December 12, 2006, to fill the seat in the Twenty-third Congressional District. On November 7, 2006, a Special General Election was held, with no candidate achieving a majority vote. Under Texas law, a Special Runoff Election will now be held with the two top vote-getters participating. Committees participating in the Texas Special Runoff Election are required to file pre- and post-election reports.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Hawaii (FEMA-1664-DR), dated October 17, 2006, and related determinations.

The proposed information collection requirement described below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal.

The President's Health Center Initiative, which began in fiscal year (FY) 2002, was established to significantly impact 1,200 communities by creating new or expanded health center access points. Building on the successes of this Initiative, a second health center initiative has been proposed by the President for FY 2007 to continue to increase access to high quality comprehensive primary health care for the most vulnerable populations in the Nation. The goal of the President's new High Poverty Counties Health Center Initiative is to increase access to primary health care in 200 of the Nation's poorest counties that do not have a health center. This new Initiative is subject to the availability of funds in the FY 2007 Health Center Program appropriation. The President's High Poverty Counties Health Center Initiative contains two components, New Access Point and Planning grants to be funded under the Consolidated Health Center Program, as authorized by section 330 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b, as amended). New Access Point grants will be made for the provision of high quality comprehensive primary and preventive health care services through a new delivery site to a designated medically underserved area or population located in an eligible high poverty county. As part of the Initiative, it is anticipated that the New Access Points in High Poverty Counties grant opportunity will contain a funding priority. A funding priority is defined as the favorable adjustment of combined review scores of individually approved applications when applications meet specified criteria. The adjustment is typically made by a set, pre-determined number of points. For this grant opportunity, a funding priority is planned for applicants proposing to serve multiple counties (i.e., the proposed target population comes from other county(ies) in addition to the eligible high poverty county). Please note that this priority will not be given to applicants applying for the Planning opportunity of the High Poverty Counties grant opportunities as Planning grant applicants may not have a defined service area, and will not be providing health services through the grant funding. More detailed information about the funding priority will be included in the funding opportunity guidance.

The HRSA HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB) Policy Notice 99-02 entitled, The Use of Ryan White CARE Act funds for Housing Referral Services and Short-term or Emergency Housing Needs, provides grantees with guidance on the use of Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act funds for short-term and emergency housing assistance for persons living with HIV/AIDS. The current policy does not establish a time limit for such assistance under the Ryan White CARE Act. An amendment to Policy Notice 99-02 is proposed, which places a cumulative lifetime period of 24 months on short-term and emergency housing assistance under the Ryan White CARE Act. This proposed amendment results from an Office of Inspector General audit encouraging HRSA to clarify the definition of short-term housing and emergency housing assistance. This amendment will help align the HRSA definition of short-term housing with the widely accepted program standard used by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Programs and the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS program. This policy becomes effective March 1, 2007.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list the distinct vertebrate population segment (DPS) of the northern water snake (Nerodia sipedon) in the upper tidal Potomac River as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We find the petition does not provide substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that the petitioned action is warranted. Therefore, we will not initiate a further status review in response to this petition. We ask the public to submit to us any new information that becomes available concerning the status of this population of the northern water snake or threats to it.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 12-month finding on a petition to list the cerulean warbler (Dendroica cerulea) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The petition also asked that critical habitat be designated for the species. After reviewing the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that the petitioned action is not warranted. We ask the public to submit to us any new information that becomes available concerning the status of, or threats to, the species. This information will help us monitor and encourage the conservation of this species.

The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection(s), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Public Law 104-13. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not display a valid control number. Comments are requested concerning (a) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

The FAA issues these special conditions for Learjet 25, 25A, 25B, 25C, 25D, and 25F airplanes modified by Envoy Aerospace, LLC. These modified airplanes will have novel or unusual design features when compared with the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport category airplanes. The modification consists of installing Universal Avionics EFI-890 Electronic Flight Displays and Rockwell Collins AHS-1000A Attitude Heading Reference Systems. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for protecting these systems from effects of high-intensity radiated fields (HIRF). These special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.

NMFS delays the December 7, 2006, effective date of two sections of a final rule, published August 9, 2006, until March 7, 2007. The amendments to those sections will require owners/operators of vessels with Gulf reef fish commercial vessel permits to install a NMFS-approved vessel monitoring system (VMS) and will make installation of VMS a prerequisite for permit renewal or transfer. This delay of the effective date will provide additional time for affected fishers to come into compliance with the VMS requirements.

NMFS announces that the Atlantic bluefish commercial quota available to Rhode Island has been harvested. Vessels issued a commercial Federal fisheries permit for the Atlantic bluefish fishery may not land bluefish in Rhode Island for the remainder of calendar year 2006, unless additional quota becomes available through a transfer. Regulations governing the Atlantic bluefish fishery require publication of this notification to advise Rhode Island that the quota has been harvested and to advise vessel permit holders and dealer permit holders that no commercial quota is available for landing bluefish in Rhode Island.

This notice amends the announcement of the tenth meeting of the American Health Information Community in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 5 U.S.C., App.) The American Health Information Community will advise the Secretary and recommend specific actions to achieve a common interoperability framework for health information technology (IT).

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) published in the Federal Register on November 8, 2006, a document concerning quality control requirements under the California almond marketing order. Language was inadvertently omitted in the regulatory text to specify that the changes apply to all almonds received by handlers beginning August 1, 2006.

This proposed rule invites comments on adding outgoing 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). This proposed rule provides for a mandatory program under the order to reduce the potential for Salmonella bacteria in almonds. This action would help ensure that quality almonds are available for human consumption. This proposal also announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval of a new information collection issued under the order.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) addresses a number of important issues pertaining to the Aviation Radio Services, amending its frequency allocation and radio treaty matters and aviation services rules to ensure that they remain up-to-date and continue to further the Commission's goals of accommodating new technologies, facilitating the efficient and effective use of the aeronautical spectrum, avoiding unnecessary regulation, and, above all, enhancing the safety of flight. In many cases these rule amendments also promote public safety generally and improve our homeland security.

In accordance with the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (FLREA), recreation fees may be charged for standard amenity sites, expanded amenity sites or special recreation permits. The Medicine Bow- Routt National Forest proposes to charge new fees at two sites: Summit Creek Guard Station and Buffalo Pass Winter Recreation Area.

This action withdraws the direct final rule, request for comment, published in the Federal Register Thursday, October 5, 2006 (71 FR 58738). In that action, the FAA will establish Class E Airspace in Mineral Point, WI. The FAA has determined that withdrawal of the direct final rule is warranted as a result of objections raised during the comment period.