July 2, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are amending the phytosanitary treatment regulations by making several changes to the requirements for cold treatment enclosures and the requirements for conducting cold treatment. The changes include: Adding more specific and stringent requirements for precooling fruit prior to cold treatment, requiring the use of temperature recording devices that are password-protected and tamperproof, adding requirements to increase the effectiveness of cold treatment conducted in vessel holds, and providing for officials authorized by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to conduct audits of the cold treatment process. We are making these changes in response to the results of external and internal reviews of the cold treatment requirements that have been in place. The changes we are making will improve the effectiveness of cold treatment and thus will help to prevent the introduction of quarantine plant pests into the United States.

DoD is proposing to amend the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to waive application of 10 U.S.C. 2533b for acquisitions of commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) items. 10 U.S.C. 2533b, established by section 842 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007, places restrictions on the acquisition of specialty metals not melted or produced in the United States.

This rulemaking changes the regulation of the listed chemical iodine under the chemical regulatory provisions of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) believes that this action is necessary to remove deficiencies in the existing regulatory controls, which have been exploited by drug traffickers who divert iodine (in the form of iodine crystals and iodine tincture) for the illicit production of methamphetamine in clandestine drug laboratories. This rulemaking moves iodine from List II to List I; reduces the iodine threshold from 0.4 kilograms to zero kilograms; adds import and export regulatory controls; and controls chemical mixtures containing greater than 2.2 percent iodine. This rulemaking establishes regulatory controls that will apply to iodine crystals and iodine chemical mixtures that contain greater than 2.2 percent iodine. This regulation therefore controls iodine crystals and strong iodine tinctures/solutions (e.g., 7 percent iodine) that do not have common household uses and instead have limited application in livestock, horses, and for disinfection of equipment. Household products such as 2 percent iodine tincture/solution and household disinfectants containing iodine complexes will not be adversely impacted by this regulation. Additionally, the final rule exempts transactions of up to one-fluid-ounce (30 ml) of Lugol's Solution. Persons handling regulated iodine materials are required to register with DEA, are subject to the import/export notification requirements of the CSA, and are required to maintain records of all regulated transactions involving iodine regardless of size.

This action revises Restricted Areas 3601A (R-3601A) and 3601B (R-3601B), at Brookville, KS, in response to a request from the United States Air Force (USAF). Specifically, this action revises R-3601A and R-3601B by combining their lateral boundaries, expanding the ceiling to flight level 230 (FL230), and re-designating the lower portion of the combined area as R-3601A and the upper portion as R-3601B. Additionally, this action changes the using agency of R-3601A and R- 3601B from ``Commander, Kansas ANG, McConnell AFB, KS'' to ``Air National Guard, 184th Air Refueling Wing, Detachment 1, Smoky Hill ANG Range, Salina, KS.'' These revisions will fulfill new USAF requirements for high altitude release bomb training for fighter aircraft and medium-to-high altitude release bomb training for bombers.

Base (1% annual chance) Flood Elevations (BFEs) and modified BFEs are made final for the communities listed below. The BFEs and modified BFEs are the basis for the floodplain management measures that each community is required either to adopt or to show evidence of being already in effect in order to qualify or remain qualified for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

This interim rule lists communities where modification of the Base (1% annual-chance) Flood Elevations (BFEs) is appropriate because of new scientific or technical data. New flood insurance premium rates will be calculated from the modified BFEs for new buildings and their contents.

Technical information or comments are requested on the proposed Base (1% annual chance) Flood Elevations (BFEs) and proposed BFEs modifications for the communities listed below. The BFEs are the basis for the floodplain management measures that the community is required either to adopt or to show evidence of being already in effect in order to qualify or remain qualified for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

In this NPRM, PHMSA proposes to amend the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) to clarify requirements governing emergency response information services provided by arrangement with hazardous materials offerors. In order to preserve the effectiveness of these arrangements for providing accurate and timely emergency response information, PHMSA proposes to require that basic identifying information (offeror name or contract number) be included in shipping papers. This information will enable the service provider to identify the shipper on whose behalf it is accepting responsibility for providing emergency response information in the event of a hazardous materials incident.

This rule makes non-substantive amendments throughout titles 33 and 46 of the Code of Federal Regulations, in order to align with changes in the Coast Guard's internal organization that resulted from the Coast Guard's recent sector realignment. The amendments typically describe the boundaries of sectors, marine inspection zones, and Captain of the Port zones; describe the reporting relationship between various field units; or reflect a change in the identity of the field unit that is responsible for a particular matter. This rule will have no substantive effect on the regulated public.