May 22, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On March 1, 2007, this grant program was made available to the State of Louisiana to fund State payments for professional healthcare workforce fulfillment in Greater New Orleans, which has continued to face unique health professional shortages as a result of Hurricane Katrina and its subsequent floods. With nearly 4,500 doctors displaced and approximately 50 percent of the physicians who worked in Region 1 before Hurricane Katrina, no longer practicing there, Greater New Orleans is experiencing a shortage of primary care doctors to see Medicaid and uninsured patients. Funding recently awarded under this grant program must be used by the State to make payments for purposes of recruitment and retention of professional healthcare staff for the impacted communities. For purposes of this grant, impacted communities are those four parishes located in the State of Louisiana that comprise Region 1, as defined by the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, namely, Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, and Plaquemines. The grant funds must be used only for purposes of recruitment or retention of healthcare workforce professionals in Greater New Orleans. The State has been given flexibility in determining the payment methodology, the scope and type of activities, criteria for awarding payment, and the amount of payments to be made to such professionals. Payment recipients are limited to licensed healthcare professionals. Activities include those that were recommended by the Louisiana Health Care Redesign Collaborative (LHCRC) in their concept paper submitted to the Secretary on October 20, 2006. These activities include but are not limited to: Income guarantees, annual medical malpractice payment relief, loan repayments, and incentive payments (relocation expenses and sign-on bonuses). Grant funds may not be distributed to staff who are no longer providing professional healthcare services in the Greater New Orleans area at the time of the disbursement of grant funds. All payments must be made under this grant program by the end of federal fiscal year 2009. Payments to physicians and other professional healthcare workforce staff under this program are not allowed to be considered payments for Medicare, Medicaid or other specific services, and are not available as the non-Federal share of expenditures or for supplemental disproportionate share hospital payments. Payments cannot be made conditional on the provision of any particular items or services by the professionals. Grant applications requesting funds to be used for the non-Federal share of Medicaid or other federal grant expenditures or for supplemental Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payments will not be considered. This award was made based on the authority granted by section 6201 of the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA). In particular, section 6201(a)(4) of the DRA provides authority to the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), to make payments to States to restore access to healthcare in communities impacted by Hurricane Katrina. Justification For Exception To Competition: The Secretary invoked his authority to restore healthcare in impacted communities affected by Hurricane Katrina by offering this unique funding opportunity which will give further incentive to the retention and recruitment of healthcare workforce professionals in Greater New Orleans. Louisiana is the only State with knowledge and ability to administer a grant designed to affect impacted Louisiana communities. For this reason, the Secretary has directed the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to issue a single-source award to the State of Louisiana to increase access to healthcare services and to relieve economic pressures suffered by healthcare providers resulting from both the hurricane and its subsequent flooding.

As required by 43 CFR 2650.7(d), notice is hereby given that an appealable decision approving the surface and subsurface estates in certain lands for conveyance pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act will be issued to Bering Straits Native Corporation. The lands are in the vicinity of Mary's Igloo, Alaska, and are located in:

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Kansas (FEMA-1699-DR), dated May 6, 2007, and related determinations.

The Coast Guard is establishing temporary special local regulations during the ``7th Annual Escape from Fort Delaware Triathlon'', an event to be held June 9, 2007 on the waters of Delaware River at Delaware City, DE. These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event. This action will temporarily restrict vessel traffic in a portion of the Delaware River during the 7th Annual Escape from Fort Delaware Triathlon.

This action proposes to revise Class E airspace at Ruby, AK. Two Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) are being amended for the Ruby Airport at Ruby, AK. Adoption of this proposal would result in revision of existing Class E airspace upward, from 700 feet (ft.) and 1,200 ft. above the surface, at the Ruby Airport, Ruby, AK.

The Department of Commerce, 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.

The Department of Commerce, 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.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (Office) issues a final rule to incorporate classification changes adopted by the Nice Agreement Concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks (Nice Agreement). These changes became effective January 1, 2007, and are listed in the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks (9th ed., 2006), which is published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). In addition, the Office is amending some punctuation and spelling in certain wording so the wording conforms to what appears in the Nice Agreement.

This action proposes to revise Class E airspace at Kotzebue, AK. Eight (8) Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) are being amended for the Ralph Wien Memorial Airport at Kotzebue, AK. A Departure Procedure (DP) is also being amended. Adoption of this proposal would result in revision of existing Class E airspace upward from the surface, from 700 feet (ft.) and 1,200 ft. above the surface, at the Ralph Wien Memorial Airport, Kotzebue, AK.

This action proposes to revise Class E airspace at Noatak, AK. One Standard Instrument Approach Procedure (SIAP) is being amended for the Noatak Airport at Noatak, AK. A Departure Procedure (DP) is also being amended. Adoption of this proposal would result in revision of existing Class E airspace upward, from 700 feet (ft.) and 1,200 ft. above the surface, at the Noatak Airport, Noatak, AK.

DoD is conducting a review of the Department's contract financing policies. As part of this review, DoD would like to hear the views of interested parties regarding the effectiveness of the financing policies presently used for DoD contracts.

In compliance with Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), DoD announces the proposed extension of a public information collection requirement and seeks public comment on the provisions thereof. DoD invites comments on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of DoD, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved this information collection requirement for use through October 31, 2007. This proposal also includes the information collection requirements presently approved under OMB Control Number 0704-0336 for use through December 31, 2007. DoD proposes that OMB extend its approval for these collections for 3 additional years.

DoD is proposing to amend the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to address statutory provisions relating to leasing. The proposed rule permits the lease of a vessel, aircraft, or combat vehicle only if the contract will be long-term or will provide for a substantial termination liability.

The Director of Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy (DPAP) recently completed an assessment of public input on systemic issues related to contract closeout that were identified in a public meeting held on September 21, 2005. This assessment has resulted in recommendations for revisions to policy, guidance, and training related to contract closeout responsibilities.

The FAA is correcting airworthiness directive (AD) 2006-24-08. That AD applies to Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) PW535A turbofan engines. We published that AD in the Federal Register on December 4, 2006 (71 FR 70284). The fuel manifold part number (P/N) 3025267-01 listed in paragraph (c) is incorrect. This document corrects that P/N. In all other respects, the original document remains the same.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Stratford Avenue Bridge across the Pequonnock River, mile 0.1, at Bridgeport, Connecticut. Under this temporary deviation, in effect from May 29, 2007 through September 17, 2007, the Stratford Avenue Bridge may remain in the closed position, except for scheduled daily bridge openings. This deviation is necessary to facilitate scheduled bridge maintenance.