March 15, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FRA is issuing this notice to advise the public that FRA and the California High Speed Rail Authority (Authority) will jointly prepare a project level Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and project level Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the section of the Authority's proposed California High-Speed Train (HST) System from the City of Los Angeles (Union Station) to Orange County (Anaheim) in compliance with relevant State and federal laws, in particular the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). FRA is issuing this notice to solicit public and agency input into the development of the scope of the EIS and to advise the public that outreach activities conducted by the Authority and its representatives will be considered in the preparation of the combined EIR/EIS. The Authority and FRA completed a Program EIR/EIS for the California HST System in 2005 as the first-phase of a tiered environmental review process for the proposed California HST System. The Authority certified the Final Program EIR and issued a decision, and FRA issued a Record of Decision in November 2005 on the Final Program EIS, selecting the HST Alternative for further project level environmental review and selecting corridor alignments and potential station locations, including a corridor between Los Angeles and Orange County. The preparation of this project level Los Angeles-Orange County HST EIR/EIS will involve development of preliminary engineering designs and assessment of environmental effects associated with the construction, operation, and maintenance of the HST system, including track, ancillary facilities and stations, along the previously selected Los Angeles-Orange County corridor.

The New England Fishery Management Council's (Council) Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS)/Enforcement Committee will meet to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

OSHA solicits public comment concerning its proposal to extend OMB approval of the information collection requirement specified in its standard on Additional Requirements for Special Dipping and Coating Operations (Dip Tanks) (29 CFR 1910.126(g)(4)). The provision is to ensure that employers make employees aware of the minimum distance between goods being electrostatically deteared.

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 take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning Notice 2006-109, Interim Guidance Regarding Supporting Organizations and Donor Advised Funds.

The Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee (ETAAC) was established to provide continued input into the development and implementation of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) strategy for electronic tax administration. The ETAAC provides an organized public forum for discussion of electronic tax administration issues in support of the overriding goal that paperless filing should be the preferred and most convenient method of filing tax and information returns. ETAAC members convey the public's perception of IRS electronic tax administration activities, offer constructive observations about current or proposed policies, programs, and procedures, and suggest improvements. This document seeks nominations of individuals to be considered for selection as Committee members. The Director, Electronic Tax Administration (ETA) will assure that the size and organizational representation of the ETAAC obtains balanced membership and includes representatives from various groups including: (1) Tax practitioners and preparers, (2) transmitters of electronic returns, (3) tax software developers, (4) large and small business, (5) employers and payroll service providers, (6) individual taxpayers, (7) financial industry (payers, payment options and best practices), (8) system integrators (technology providers), (9) academic (marketing, sales or technical perspectives), (10) trusts and estates, (11) tax exempt organizations, and (12) state and local governments. We are soliciting nominations from professional and public interest groups, IRS officials, the Department of Treasury, and Congress. Members serve a three-year term on the ETAAC to allow a change in membership. The change of members on the Committee ensures that different perspectives are represented. All travel expenses within government guidelines will be reimbursed. Potential candidates must pass an IRS tax compliance check and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) background investigation.

The Office of Personnel Management is issuing final regulations to amend a number of rules on pay and leave administration, including employment in the Senior Executive Service, use of paid leave during uniformed service, time limits for using compensatory time off earned in lieu of overtime pay, and other miscellaneous changes. The final regulations are being issued to standardize pay and leave policies in support of the consolidation of agency human resources and payroll systems.

To protect fragile, wintering mule deer, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is closing to human entry seasonally, during each of three consecutive years starting in 2007, certain public lands near the South Fork of the Snake River, east of Heise, Idaho. Also, BLM will be considering a permanent, seasonal closure to protect wintering mule deer herds.

The U.S. Department of the Air Force (USAF) has filed an application with the Bureau of Land Management that proposes to extend the duration of Public Land Order (PLO) No. 6705 for an additional 20- year period. PLO No. 6705 withdrew approximately 3,630 acres of public land from surface entry and mining, to protect the USAF Beaver Creek Research Site. The land has been and will remain closed to mineral leasing. This notice also gives an opportunity to comment on the proposed action and to request a public meeting.

As part of PHMSA's and the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) comprehensive review of design and operational factors that affect the safety of railroad tank car transportation of hazardous materials, the two agencies invite interested persons to participate in a public meeting addressing potential improvements to hazardous materials tank cars in order to improve the overall safety of hazardous materials shipments via railroad tank car.

In this document, the Bureau of Prisons (Bureau) revises its regulations on the suicide prevention program for clarity and to remove agency management procedures which do not need to be stated in regulations. We intend the revised regulations to provide for the health and safety of inmates.

This final rule clarifies and explains the procedures to be followed by requesters seeking a waiver or a reduction of fees under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This final rule describes the information that must be included in a FOIA request and the demonstrations that must be made in order for a waiver or reduction of fees to be granted. This final rule also revises the FOIA fee schedule, clarifies the time at which HUD will begin processing a FOIA request, and modifies HUD's policy on the use of outside contractors to fulfill FOIA requests. HUD undertook this effort in order to make the regulations governing fee waivers more informative and helpful in accordance with the President's recently issued Executive Order 13392, ``Improving Agency Disclosure of Information.'' This final rule also makes technical and conforming changes to reflect the realignment of FOIA correspondence processing functions within HUD, to correct HUD's definition of ``representative of the news media requester'' to ensure conformance with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Fee Guidelines, and to update a cross-reference to time limits applicable to HUD for responding to a FOIA request. This final rule follows publication of an October 5, 2006, proposed rule on which HUD received one public comment.

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation's regulations on Benefits Payable in Terminated Single-Employer Plans and Allocation of Assets in Single-Employer Plans prescribe interest assumptions for valuing and paying benefits under terminating single-employer plans. This final rule amends the regulations to adopt interest assumptions for plans with valuation dates in April 2007. Interest assumptions are also published on the PBGC's Web site (https://www.pbgc.gov).

The FDIC, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35). Currently, the FDIC is soliciting comments concerning the following collections of information titled: Application For Consent to Exercise Trust Powers (3064-0025); Asset Securitization (3064-0137); and Insurance Sales Consumer Protections (3064-0140).

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the Department of the Interior, BLM John Day Snake RAC will meet as indicated below: The John Day/Snake RAC is scheduled to meet on April 3, 2007, at the Oxford Suites at 2400 S.W. Court Place, Pendleton, OR 97801. The meeting time will be from approximately 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. A public comment period will begin at 1 p.m., and end at 1:15 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time). The meeting may include such topics as off-highway vehicle and travel management, noxious weeds, planning, Sage grouse, and other matters as may reasonably come before the council. Meeting Procedures: The meeting is open to the public. The public may present written comments to the RAC. Depending on the number of persons wishing to provide oral comments and agenda topics to be covered, the time to do so may be limited. Individuals who plan to attend and need special assistance such as sign language interpretation, tour transportation or other reasonable accommodations, should contact the BLM representative indicated below. For a copy of the information to be distributed to the RAC members, please submit a written request to the BLM Prineville District Office 10 days prior to the meeting.

This action announces the availability of EPA decisions identifying water quality limited segments and associated pollutants in California to be listed pursuant to Clean Water Act section 303(d)(2), and requests public comment. Section 303(d)(2) requires that states submit and EPA approve or disapprove lists of waters for which existing technology-based pollution controls are not stringent enough to attain or maintain state water quality standards and for which total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) must be prepared. On November 30, 2006, EPA partially approved California's 2004-2006 303(d) submittal. Specifically, EPA approved California's proposal to list impaired waters and associated pollutants. On March 8, 2007, EPA partially disapproved California's decisions not to list 64 water quality limited segments and associated pollutants, and additional pollutants for 37 water bodies already listed by the State. EPA identified these additional water bodies and pollutants for inclusion on the State's 2004-2006 section 303(d) list. EPA is providing the public the opportunity to review its decisions to add waters and pollutants to California 2004-2006 section 303(d) list, as required by EPA's Public Participation regulations. EPA will consider public comments in reaching its final decisions on the additional water bodies and pollutants identified for inclusion on California's final lists.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is making minor technical changes to update references to various types of commercial operators within the drug and alcohol testing regulations. In the final rule, ``National Air Tour Safety Standards'' (Air Tours) published on February 13, 2007, we changed the regulatory sections that referred to sightseeing operators that did not hold a certificate but that continued to be subject to drug and alcohol testing requirements. In addition, this technical amendment updates other references in the drug and alcohol testing regulations including addresses. The intent of this amendment is to avoid confusion created by inconsistent terms and references within the FAA's regulations.

The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD), which applies to certain Boeing Model 737-600, -700, -700C, and - 800 series airplanes. That AD currently requires replacing the point ``D'' splice fitting between windows number 1 and 2 with a new splice fitting; performing an eddy current inspection for cracking of the holes in the structure common to the new splice fitting, including doing any related investigative actions; and performing corrective actions if necessary. This new AD adds repetitive inspections for cracking of the skin just below each splice fitting, and related corrective actions if necessary. This AD results from full-scale fuselage fatigue testing on the splice fitting that failed prior to the design objective on Boeing Model 737-800 series airplanes, and a report of a cracked splice fitting on an operational airplane. We are issuing this AD to prevent cracking of the existing fitting, which may result in cracking through the skin and consequent decompression of the flight deck.