August 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice contains a summary of a petition seeking relief from specified requirements of 14 CFR. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, this aspect of FAA's regulatory activities. Neither publication of this notice nor the inclusion or omission of information in the summary is intended to affect the legal status of any petition or its final disposition.

This notice announces the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the information collection requirement in the final rule published April 6, 2007 (72 FR 17001). The sections of the final rule pending approval of this information collection request are effective on publication of this notice.

Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and Executive Order 12114 (Environmental Effects Abroad of Major Federal Actions), the Department of the Navy (Navy) announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (EIS/OEIS) to evaluate the potential environmental effects associated with naval training in the Gulf of Mexico (GOMEX) Range Complex. The Navy proposes to support current and emerging training operations and Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation (RDT&E) activities at the GOMEX Range Complex by: (1) Maintaining baseline training and RDT&E operations at current levels; (2) increasing training and RDT&E operations from current levels as necessary to support the Fleet Readiness Training Plan (FRTP); (3) accommodating mission requirements associated with force structure changes, including those resulting from the introduction of new platforms (vessels, aircraft and weapons systems); and (4) implementing enhanced range complex capabilities. The EIS/OEIS study area is the GOMEX Range Complex, which encompasses portions of the Gulf, as well as portions of the southeastern states of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. The GOMEX Range Complex consists of targets and instrumented areas, airspace, surface and subsurface operations areas (OPAREAs), and land range facilities. Together the GOMEX Range Complex encompasses: 15 square nautical miles (nm\2\) of land area; 43,390 nm\2\ of special use airspace (SUA); 17,520 nm\2\ of off-shore surface and subsurface OPAREA; and 12,072 nm\2\ of shallow ocean area less than 100 fathoms (600 feet). The scope of actions to be analyzed in this EIS/OEIS includes current and proposed future Navy training and RDT&E activities within Navy-controlled operating areas, airspace, and ranges. It also includes proposed Navy-funded range capabilities enhancements, including infrastructure improvements supporting range complex training and RDT&E activities. Training activities involving use of active sonar are conducted in the GOMEX Range Complex; however, those potential effects are being analyzed in detail in a separate document, the Atlantic Fleet Active Sonar Training (AFAST) EIS/OEIS. This separate sonar EIS/OEIS addresses active sonar use as a whole by the Atlantic Fleet in the western Atlantic Ocean and in the Gulf of Mexico. The analysis of the AFAST EIS/OEIS will be incorporated into the GOMEX Range Complex EIS/ OEIS to account for active sonar effects that could occur within the geographic area of the GOMEX Range Complex.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is providing notice that on July 12, 2007, in accordance with the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO Agreement), the United States requested the establishment of a dispute settlement panel regarding certain Chinese measures granting refunds, reductions or exemptions to enterprises from taxes otherwise due the government. That request may be found at www.wto.org contained in a document designated as WT/DS358/13. USTR invites written comments from the public concerning the issues raised in this dispute.

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).

Permits1564, 1565, 1566, and 1567 were issued on November 29, 2006; all other permits in this notice were issued on June 30, 2007. All the research actions and the species they affect are listed in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 18 individuals for exemptions from the prohibition against persons with insulin- treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. If granted, the exemptions would enable these individuals with ITDM to operate commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce.

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).

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.

The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for renewal and change of title of an existing information collection that is summarized below under Supplementary Information. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. As part of FHWA's ongoing effort to reduce the overall burden on the public, four currently approved information collections associated with the accommodation or relocation of utility facilities in the right-of-way of highway facilities are being combined into a single collection (2125-0519) with a new title of Utility Adjustments, Agreements, Eligibility Statements, and Accommodation Policies. Since each collection involves information regarding Federal regulations on utilities, this request will allow FHWA to streamline the collection process for the respondents with the ultimate goal of lowering the overall information collection burden. In addition to the proposed burden-hour reductions, by combining these collections, FHWA will be in a position to communicate collection activity from the respondents in one process, thus allowing for greater efficiency for both FHWA and the public. These four current information collections include:

The Coast Guard is establishing temporary special local regulations during the ``Cambridge Offshore Challenge,'' a marine event to be held on the waters of the Choptank River at Cambridge, Maryland. These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event. This action is intended to restrict vessel traffic in the Choptank River during the event.

This action serves as a notice that NMFS, on behalf of the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary), has determined that South Atlantic gag is undergoing overfishing and is approaching an overfished condition and that South Atlantic vermilion snapper is also experiencing overfishing. NMFS notified the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) of its determination by letter. The Council is required to take action within 1 year following notification by NMFS that overfishing is occurring, a stock is approaching overfishing, a stock is overfished, a stock is approaching an overfished condition, or existing remedial action taken to end overfishing or rebuild an overfished stock has not resulted in adequate progress.

The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection(s), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Public Law 104-13. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not display a valid control number. Comments are requested concerning (a) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection(s), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not display a valid control number. Comments are requested concerning (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FMCSA announces its plan to submit the Information Collection Request (ICR) described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The FMCSA requests approval to revise and extend an information collection (IC) entitled, ``Training Certification for Entry-Level Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Operators,'' that relates to the prerequisite training requirements for drivers of vehicles for which a commercial driver's license (CDL) is required. On May 23, 2007, FMCSA published a Federal Register notice allowing for a 60-day comment period on the ICR. No comments were received.

The Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, in accordance with the procedures published on December 1, 2006 (71 FR 69535-69538), has updated the scope of the Program's procurement preference requirements for the products listed below between and among the Committee's A-list, B-list and C-list. A- list products are suitable for the Total Government Requirement as aggregated by the General Services Administration, the B-list are those products suitable for the Broad Government Requirement as aggregated by the General Services Administration, and C-list products are suitable for the requirements of one or more specified agency(ies). The lists below track changes to A-, B-, C-designations that occurred between June 1, 2007 and August 31, 2007. If not currently available, the products listed below as being included on the A-list will be available for purchase through the GSA Global Supply system and JWOD-authorized commercial distributors on or about October 1, 2007.