February 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice is hereby given that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has designated, in accordance with 40 CFR Part 53, a new equivalent method for measuring concentrations of ozone (O3) in the ambient air.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit a request to renew an existing approved Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is scheduled to expire on April 30, 2007. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below.

Notice is hereby given that Eye of the Whale (Olga von Ziegesar, Principal Investigator), P.O. Box 15191, Fitz Creek, AK 99603, has applied in due form for a permit to conduct research on humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae).

This notice announces a meeting of the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB), Paducah. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. No. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that public notice of this meeting be announced in the Federal Register.

This notice announces a meeting of the DOE/NSF Nuclear Science Advisory Committee (NSAC). Federal Advisory Committee Act (Public Law 92-463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that public notice of these meetings be announced in the Federal Register.

This notice announces the cancellation of the March 5, 2007, meeting of the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB), Northern New Mexico. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. No. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that public notice of this meeting cancellation be announced in the Federal Register. This meeting is being rescheduled to March 12, 2007.

This notice announces that the Information Collection Request for Documented Petitions for Federal Acknowledgment as an Indian Tribe is submitted to Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget for extension.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is submitting this information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and renewal. The collection is: 25 CFR 151 Land Acquisitions, OMB Control Number 1076-0100.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment for confined field plantings of rice plants genetically engineered to express the human proteins lactoferrin, lysozyme, or serum albumin. This environmental assessment is available for public review and comment.

This document provides notice that the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a final determination concerning the country of origin of certain digital color multifunctional systems to be offered to the United States Government under an undesignated government procurement contract. Based on the facts presented, the final determination found that Japan is the country of origin of the subject digital color multifunctional systems for purposes of U.S. government procurement.

The Fish and Wildlife Service announces that a Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (Draft CCP/EIS) for the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge is available for review and comment. This Draft CCP/EIS was prepared pursuant to the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. The Draft CCP/EIS describes how the Service intends to manage the refuge over the next 15 years.

On October 26, 2006 (71 FR 62664), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) published for public comment a proposed rule that would amend its current security regulations and would add new security requirements pertaining to nuclear power reactors. Additionally, this rulemaking includes new proposed security requirements for Category I strategic special nuclear material (SSNM) facilities for access to enhanced weapons and firearms background checks. A 75-day comment period was provided for the proposed rule that expired on January 9, 2007. The comment period for the information collection aspects of the proposed rule expired on November 27, 2006. The comment period for this rulemaking was extended on January 5, 2007 (72 FR 480) to close on February 23, 2007. In the same notice, the comment period for the information collection aspects of the rulemaking was extended to January 11, 2007. The comment period for the proposed rule has been reopened and now expires on March 26, 2007. This includes an extension to the comment period on the information collection aspects of the rulemaking to have both comment periods close on the same day.

Under 49 U.S.C. 10502, the Board is granting a petition for exemption from the prior approval requirements of 49 U.S.C. 11323 et seq., for BNSF Railway Company, a Class I rail carrier, to lease and operate an interlocker plant and underlying land owned by the Illinois Central Railroad Company (CN), a Class I rail carrier. The interlocker plant, which is situated at or near BNSF's Corwith Yard in the City of Chicago, Cook County, IL, includes all signal appliances and structures thereon and the tower facility, but excludes the tracks, track appurtenances, turnouts and derails of CN and BNSF. The interlocker plant is bounded by: (i) The opposing home signals on the BNSF Joliet, IL-Chicago main line; (ii) the opposing home signals on the CN Joliet- Chicago main line; and (iii) the opposing home signals on the BNSF Joliet-Chicago main line and the BNSF Wye.

The USDA Forest Service published a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register of September 29, 2006, in FR Volume 71, No. 189, on pages 57460-57461, concerning request for comments on a Supplement to the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the 2002 Nebraska National Forest Revised Land and Resource Management Plan for black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) management on the Nebraska National Forest and associated units. Instead of supplementing the Final Enviromental Impact Statement for the 2002 Nebraska National Forest Revised Land and Resource Management Plan, the Agency will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) management on the Nebraska National Forest and associated units. This EIS will tier to and not supplement the Final EIS for the 2002 Revised Nebraska National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. The proposed action is to amend current management direction in the Nebraska National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan to meet various multiple use objectives by: (1) Specifing the desired range of acres of prairie dog colonies that would be provided on the Nebraska National Forest and associated units; and (2) to be able to use toxicants if the acreage exceeds the desired range and for multiple use objectives. The proposed action would amend Chapter 1, Section H, Standard 1 in the Nebraska National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan, which allows for limited use of rodenticdes in the interior of the Forest. The proposed action would also authorize the site-specific control of prairie dogs forest-wide, including the use of rodenticides, when management thresholds are exceeded for geographic areas. Future prairie dog control would occur based on management thresholds without further NEPA analysis.

On February 13, 2007, the United States Air Force signed the ROD for the New Mexico Training Range Initiative, Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. The ROD states the Air Force decision to implement Alternative A (Preferred Alternative) that will expand the size, operational altitudes and usefulness of the Pecos Military Operations Area and Associated Air Traffic Controlled Assigned Airspace. The decision was based on matters discussed in the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), inputs from the public and regulatory agencies, and other relevant factors. The Final EIS was made available on October 20, 2006 in the Federal Register (Volume 71, Number 203, Pages 61967-61968) with a wait period ending November 20, 2006. The ROD documents only the decision of the Air Force with respect to the proposed Air Force actions analyzed in the Final EIS.

Notice is hereby given that after consultation with the General Services Administration, it has been determined that the renewal of a national advisory committee on apprenticeship is necessary and in the public interest. Accordingly, the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration has renewed the Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship (ACA) Charter with several minor revisions. The revisions are not intended to change the purpose or the Committee's original intent. The revisions are intended as a routine updating to align with the Department's strategic goals and existing procedures.