February 13, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is revising the duration vessels are authorized to anchor in specific anchorage grounds within the Port of New York and New Jersey (PONYNJ). This action is necessary to facilitate safe navigation and provide for the overall safe and efficient flow of waterborne commerce. This action is intended to better facilitate the efficient use of the limited deep water anchorage grounds available in PONYNJ.

This document proposes to amend the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical regulations concerning ``reasonable charges'' for medical care or services provided or furnished by VA to certain veterans for nonservice-connected disabilities. We propose to change the process for determining interim billing charges when a new Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) code or Current Procedure Terminology/ Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (CPT/HCPCS) code identifier is assigned to a particular type or item of medical care or service and VA has not yet established a charge for the new identifier. This process is designed to provide interim billing charges that are very close to what the new billing charges would be when the charges for the new identifiers are established in accordance with the regulations. We also propose to change the regulations by removing all of the provisions for discounts of billed charges. This is expected to reduce or eliminate duplicate discounting and thereby prevent unintended underpayments to the government.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is proposing to consolidate its regulations on USAID Direct Contracts for all types of Personal Services into one Appendix. This will clarify and consolidate all regulations for personal services contracts and will eliminate the need for having to refer to multiple sources. This new Appendix A will replace Appendix DDirect USAID Contracts with a U.S. Citizen or a U.S. Resident Alien for Personal Services Abroad, and Appendix JDirect USAID Contracts with a Cooperative Country National and with a Third Country National for Personal Services Abroad. Appendix A will also incorporate all the regulations and policies currently contained in Contract Information Bulletins (CIBs) and Acquisition and Assistance Directives (AAPDs). This will eliminate the need to refer to two different appendices and other sources for regulations and policies on personal services contracting. This Appendix will be divided into four partsone part containing provisions for all types of Personal Services Contracts (PSCs), the second part for U.S. PSCs only, the third part for Third-Country National (TCN) PSCs only, and the fourth part for Cooperating Country National (CCN) PSCs, also known as Foreign Service National (FSN) PSCs only. The USPSC part will identify the provisions for U.S. nationals working in AID/W and those posted overseas. In addition, all non- regulatory information such as procedures and guidance currently contained in Appendices D and J will be removed and incorporated into USAID's internal policy manualthe automated directives system (ADS). We believe this separation of regulations and policies from the procedures and guidance on personal services contracting will clarify and consolidate the regulatory requirements.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list the Jollyville Plateau salamander (Eurycea tonkawae) as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We find that the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing the Jollyville Plateau salamander may be warranted. Therefore, with the publication of this notice, we are initiating a status review to determine if listing the species is warranted. To ensure that the status review of the Jollyville Plateau salamander is comprehensive, we are soliciting information and data regarding this species.

This document makes technical amendments to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to update references inadvertently omitted from the original issuance of Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-15 published in the Federal Register at 71 FR 74656 on December 12 2006.

This final rule sets safety and oversight rules for a broad variety of sightseeing and commercial air tour flights. The rule responds to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendations, Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports, and Department of Transportation Inspector General Reports that recommend better oversight of the sightseeing and commercial air tour industry. The intended effect of this final rule is to standardize requirements for air tour operators and consolidate air tour safety standards within part 136.