June 25, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce an amended 12-month finding on a petition to list the Sierra Nevada distinct population segment (DPS) of the mountain yellow-legged frog (Rana muscosa) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We are amending our previous 12-month petition finding, which found that listing is warranted but precluded, by revising the preclusion and expeditious progress section of that finding.

On April 20, 2007, NMFS proposed the listing of the Cook Inlet beluga whale as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). As part of that proposal, NMFS announced a public comment period to end on June 19, 2007, and then extended the comment period to August 3, 2007. NMFS has received requests for public hearings on this issue. In response, NMFS announced two public hearings to be held in Alaska in a previous Federal Register notice. In addition, NMFS is announcing a separate hearing in this notice that will be held in Silver Spring, Maryland, in order to provide greater opportunity for public comment.

The Coast Guard is establishing a permanent safety zone upon certain waters of the Patapsco River, Northwest Harbor, and Inner Harbor during the movement of the historic sloop-of-war USS CONSTELLATION, annually, on the Friday following Labor Day. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the tow of the vessel from its berth at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland, to a point on the Patapsco River near the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore, Maryland, and return. This action will restrict vessel traffic in portions of the Patapsco River, Northwest Harbor, and Inner Harbor during the event.

We are amending the Mexican fruit fly regulations by removing a portion of Webb County, TX, from the list of quarantined areas and by removing restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles from this area. This action is necessary to relieve restrictions that are no longer needed to prevent the spread of the Mexican fruit fly into noninfested areas of the United States. We have determined that the Mexican fruit fly has been eradicated from this portion of Webb County, TX, and that the quarantine and restrictions are no longer necessary.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) proposes to amend the existing regulations governing grants for research projects by revising the definition of Principal Investigator to mean one or more individuals designated by the grantee in the grant application and approved by the Secretary, who is or are responsible for the scientific and technical direction of the project, rather than limiting the role of principal investigator to one single individual, and the conditions for multiple or concurrent awards permitting the Secretary to evaluate, approve and make one or more awards pursuant to one or more applications.

This rule identifies communities, where the sale of flood insurance has been authorized under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), that are scheduled for suspension on the effective dates listed within this rule because of noncompliance with the floodplain management requirements of the program. If the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) receives documentation that the community has adopted the required floodplain management measures prior to the effective suspension date given in this rule, the suspension will not occur and a notice of this will be provided by publication in the Federal Register on a subsequent date.

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board or Board) proposes to establish a Passenger Vessel Emergency Alarms Advisory Committee (Committee) to make recommendations on issues related to the effectiveness of passenger vessel emergency alarm systems for individuals with hearing loss or deafness. The Access Board invites comments on the proposal to establish the committee and the proposed committee membership.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for the Town of Lynn Fourth of July Fireworks on July 3, 2007, temporarily closing all navigable waters of Nahant Bay within a 500 yard radius of the fireworks barge located at approximate position 42[deg]27'41.2'' N, 70[deg]55'6.1'' W. The safety zone is necessary to protect the life and property of the maritime public from the potential hazards posed by a fireworks display. The safety zone temporarily prohibits entry into or movement within this portion of Nahant Bay during the closure period.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the St. Lawrence River near Alexandria Bay, NY. This zone is intended to restrict vessels from a portion of the St. Lawrence River during the Independence Day Fireworks Display on July 4, 2007. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect spectators and vessels from the hazards associated with fireworks displays.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone in the navigable waters of San Francisco Bay for the loading, transport, and launching of fireworks used during the City of Richmond Fireworks Display to be held on July 3, 2007. This safety zone is intended to prohibit vessels and people from entering into or remaining within the regulated areas in order to ensure the safety of participants and spectators.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone for the ``Boston Pops Esplanade Fireworks'' display on July 4, 2007 with a rain date of July 5, 2007 in Boston, Massachusetts, temporarily closing all navigable waters of the Charles River within a four hundred (400) yard radius of the fireworks launch barges located at approximate position 42[deg]21.28' N, 071[deg]05.00' W. The safety zone is necessary to protect the life and property of the maritime public from the potential hazards posed by a fireworks display. The safety zone temporarily prohibits entry into or movement within this portion of the Charles River during its closure period.

This document contains final and temporary regulations under section 883(a) and (c) of the Internal Revenue Code (Code), relating to the exclusion from gross income of income derived by certain foreign corporations engaged in the international operation of ships or aircraft. These regulations revise Sec. 1.883-3 of the final regulations, relating to the eligibility of controlled foreign corporations for the exclusion under section 883, following the repeal of section 954(a)(4) and (f) (foreign base company shipping provisions) by section 415 of the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004. In addition, these regulations provide certain additional guidance under section 883(a) and (c), including for foreign corporations that are organized in countries providing an exemption from taxation for certain shipping and air transport income solely through an income tax convention. The text of these temporary regulations also serves as the text of the proposed regulations (REG-138707-06) set forth in the Proposed Rules section in this issue of the Federal Register.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is issuing a final rule regarding current good manufacturing practice (CGMP) for dietary supplements. The final rule establishes the minimum CGMPs necessary for activities related to manufacturing, packaging, labeling, or holding dietary supplements to ensure the quality of the dietary supplement. The final rule is one of many actions related to dietary supplements that we are taking to promote and protect the public health.

On September 26, 2006, SBA published a proposed rule in the Federal Register addressing six changes to the SBA Surety Bond Guarantee (SBG) Program in order to improve operation of the SBG program and make it easier for sureties and small business concerns to participate in the program. Specifically, this rules makes the following amendments to the program: (1) Gives effect to the statutory reduction in the frequency of audits required of Preferred Surety Bond (PSB) Sureties; (2) obligates SBA to guarantee 90 percent of the loss incurred by a Prior Approval Surety on bonds issued on behalf of small businesses owned and controlled by veterans, and Service-disabled veterans; (3) imposes a 60-day deadline for the submission of surety fees to SBA; (4) allows PSB Sureties to charge premiums in accordance with applicable state ceilings, as presently permitted under the Prior Approval Program; (5) deletes the existing reference to the expiration of the PSB Program; and (6) allows Affiliates of a PSB Surety to participate in the Prior Approval Program.