March 13, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of the Final Conservation Strategy for the Grizzly Bear in the Greater Yellowstone Area (Final Conservation Strategy). This document will guide management decisions for the Yellowstone grizzly bear population upon delisting.

EPA is proposing changes to EPA's regulations specifying the public hearing requirements for State Implementation Plan (SIP) submissions, identifying the method for submission of SIPs and preliminary review of plans; and revising the criteria for determining the completeness of plan submissions requirements to reflect the changes to the public hearing and plan submission requirements. EPA is also making administrative changes to update the addresses to several Regional offices. These proposed revisions will modify when state agencies are required to hold public hearings, modify the number of hard copies of SIP submissions required to be submitted to the Regional office and the administrative portion of the completeness criteria for plan submissions.

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (Privacy Act), 5 United States Code (U.S.C.) 552a, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education (Department) publishes this notice of a new system of records entitled ``Study of Former Vocational Rehabilitation Consumers' Post- Program Experiences'' (18-16-03). The system of records will be maintained for program research and evaluation purposes. The system will contain information on a sample of former vocational rehabilitation (VR) consumers whose cases were closed in fiscal year (FY) 2006. The system will include demographic information, including financial information and responses to a survey about post-VR experiences, particularly related to employment outcomes and post-closure services.

NMFS announces the receipt of a request for an exempted fishing permit (EFP) to collect fisheries data from approximately 13 pelagic longline (PLL) vessels fishing in the East Florida Coast and Charleston Bump closed areas. At this time, given the nearly rebuilt status of north Atlantic swordfish and numerous management measures regulating target and bycatch species in the PLL fishery, NMFS is considering issuing the proposed EFP to evaluate bycatch measures in these areas. The applicant states that these data would provide information on circle hook performance, target and bycatch species composition, and allow comparative analysis with historical pelagic longline logbook and observer program data. The applicant states that the goals of these fishing activities are to determine if implementation of new pelagic longline fishing practices justify the resumption of PLL fishing in the selected areas and to catch more of the United States swordfish quota. The proposed activities would occur in Federal waters of the Atlantic Ocean off Florida and South Carolina from the date of issuance through April 2008. NMFS invites comments from interested parties on this EFP request.

Notice is hereby given that a complaint was filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission on February 8, 2007, under section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, 19 U.S.C. 1337, on behalf of SiRF Technology, Inc. of San Jose, California. A supplemental letter was filed on February 22, 2007. The complaint, as supplemented, alleges violations of section 337 in the importation into the United States, the sale for importation, and the sale within the United States after importation of certain GPS chips, associated software and systems, and products containing same by reason of infringement of U.S. Patent Nos. 6,304,216; 7,043,363; 7,091,904; and 7,132,980. The complaint, as supplemented, further alleges that an industry in the United States exists as required by subsection (a)(2) of section 337. The complainant requests that the Commission institute an investigation and, after the investigation, issue a permanent exclusion order and a permanent cease and desist order.

The Department of State is seeking Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for the information collection described below. The purpose of this notice is to allow 60 days for public comment in the Federal Register preceding submission to OMB. We are conducting this process in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Title of Information Collection: Class A Nonimmigrant Visa Referral. OMB Control Number: None. Type of Request: New Approval Request. Originating Office: Bureau of Consular Affairs, Department of State (CA/VO). Form Number: DS-4034. Respondents: Consular officers. Estimated Number of Respondents: 20,000. Estimated Number of Responses: 20,000. Average Hours Per Response: 15 minutes. Total Estimated Burden: 5,000 hours per year. Frequency: On occasion. Obligation to Respond: Required to Obtain or Retain a Benefit.

This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Alabama (FEMA-1687-DR), dated 3/3/2007. Incident: Severe Storms and Tornadoes. Incident Period: 3/1/2007.

This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of Missouri (FEMA-1673-DR), dated 12/29/2006. Incident: Severe Winter Storms. Incident Period: 11/30/2006 through 12/2/2006.

This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of Oklahoma (FEMA-1678-DR), dated 2/1/2007. Incident: Severe Winter Storms. Incident Period: 1/12/2007 through 1/26/2007.

NMFS has received an application from Northeast Gateway Energy Bridge\TM\ L.L.C. (Northeast Gateway) and Algonquin Gas Transmission, L.L.C. (Algonquin) for an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to take small numbers of marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to construction and operation of an offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility. Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an authorization to Northeast Gateway/Algonquin to incidentally take, by harassment, small numbers of several species of marine mammals for a period of 1 year.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This proposed 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 explosion risks. Chafing of the fuel pump cables could result in short circuits leading to fuel pump failure, intermittent operation, arcing, and possible fuel tank explosion. The proposed AD would require actions that are intended to address the unsafe condition described in the MCAI.

The EPA's Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office is announcing three public teleconferences of the SAB Hypoxia Advisory Panel and its subgroups to discuss its draft advisory working report concerning the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, notice is hereby given of a meeting of the FDIC Advisory Committee on Economic Inclusion, which will be held in Washington, DC. The Advisory Committee will provide advice and recommendations on initiatives to expand access to banking services by underserved populations.

This action proposes to revise the current bonding requirements imposed against participating retailers and wholesalers who have violated the Food Stamp Program rules and regulations. Currently, all violating retailers and wholesalers that are disqualified for a specified period of time or have a civil money penalty imposed in lieu of a disqualification for a specified period of time are required to submit a valid collateral bond usually on an annual basis if they wish to continue to participate in the Food Stamp Program. Over the years, securing a collateral bond has become increasingly more difficult for retailers and wholesalers to obtain. Thus, the intent of this proposed rule is to revise the current requirement in order to help alleviate the financial burden to those retailers and wholesalers who are required to submit such a bond and also to reduce the recordkeeping burden with respect to the FNS field offices which have to keep track of the expirations and renewals of these bonds. This proposed rule would also place in the Food Stamp Program regulations the longstanding policy FNS has adopted to accept irrevocable letters of credit in lieu of collateral bonds. Lastly, this rule would establish a specified period of time for retailers and wholesalers to be removed from the program for accepting food stamp benefits in payment for eligible food on credit, a violation of the Food Stamp Program regulations.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This proposed 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:

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Mississippi Valley Division, New Orleans District (CEMVN) is implementing Alternative Arrangements under the provisions of the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (40 CFR 1506.11) in order to expeditiously complete environmental analysis of major portions of a new 100-year level of Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction effort authorized and funded by the Administration and the Congress. The proposed actions are located primarily in southern Louisiana and relate to the Federal effort to rebuild the Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction system following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The USACE consultation with the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), as required under 40 CFR 1506.11 and the USACE Environmental Quality Procedures for Implementing the NEPA (33 CFR 230), concluded on February 23, 2007 with the CEQ approving the Alternative Arrangements. The Alternative Arrangements request was also coordinated with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, Environmental Protection Agency, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, Department of Homeland Security-Federal Emergency Management Agency, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and the Louisiana State Historic Preservation Officer. During the consultation, the USACE and CEQ hosted four public meetings in New Orleans metropolitan area to assess the request and gather input on the proposed Alternative Arrangements. The input received during the course of the discussions and meetings provided strong support for Alternative Arrangements that allow for expedited decisions on actions to lower the risk of floods and that restore public confidence in the hurricane storm reduction system so that the physical and economic recovery of the area can proceed as citizens return and rebuild. It was also made clear that the Alternative Arrangements should provide the USACE a way to proceed that complements other ongoing and proposed hurricane protection and coastal restoration efforts. These Alternative Arrangements apply to certain proposed actions included in the 100-year Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction measures authorized under Public Law 109-234, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006 (4th Supplemental). The Alternative Arrangements will allow decisions on smaller groups of proposed actions to move forward sooner than under the traditional NEPA process. An in-depth analysis and consideration of potential environmental impacts will be completed and negative environmental impacts will be addressed. Detailed information on the Alternative Arrangements can be downloaded from the USACE New Orleans District Web site at: https://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/ pd/EnvirProcessesNEPA/Index.htm.

The Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed and continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3507. The Office of Thrift Supervision within the Department of the Treasury will submit the proposed information collection requirement described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. Today, OTS is soliciting public comments on its proposal to extend this information collection.

The proposed information collection requirement described below has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. OTS is soliciting public comments on the proposal.