September 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of the draft guidance document entitled ``Guidance for Industry: Microbiological Considerations for Antimicrobial Food Additive Submissions.'' The draft guidance explains, using a question and answer format, FDA's current thinking on a number of microbiological issues unique to the preparation of premarket submissions for antimicrobial food additives.

Notice is hereby given of meetings of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. Name: Carolyn Bartholomew, Chairwoman of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. The Commission is mandated by Congress to investigate, assess, evaluate, and report to Congress annually on the U.S.-China economic and security relationship. The mandate specifically charges the Commission to prepare a report to the Congress ``regarding the national security implications and impact of the bilateral trade and economic relationship between the United States and the People's Republic of China * * * [that] shall include a full analysis, along with conclusions and recommendations for legislative and administrative actions * * *'' Purpose of Meeting: Pursuant to this mandate, the Commission will meet in Washington, DC on October 11-12, and October 22-26, 2007, to consider the second and final rounds of drafts of material for its 2007 End-of-Year Report to Congress that have been prepared for its consideration by the Commission staff, and to make modifications to those drafts that Commission members believe are needed. Topics To Be Discussed: The Commissioners will be considering draft Report sections addressing the following topics: The United States-China trade and economic relationship, including the relationship's current status, significant changes during 2007, the control of China's economy by its government, and the effect of that control on the United States, China's Military Modernization, China's Energy and Environmental Policies and Activities, including the strategic Impact of these policies and activities on the United States and the world and prospects for addressing the effects of China's energy consumption. Dates and Times: Thursday, October 11, 2007 (9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.) and Friday, October 12, 2007 (9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.), Eastern Daylight Time; and Monday through Friday, October 22 to 26, 2007 (9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) Eastern Daylight Time. Place of Meeting: Meetings on October 11, 12, and 24 will be held in Conference Room 333 (3rd floor), meetings held on October 22, 23, 25, and 26 will be held in Conference Room 231 (2nd floor) of The Hall of the States located at 444 North Capitol Street, NW., Washington, DC 20001. Public seating is limited, and will be available on a ``first- come, first-served'' basis. Advance reservations are not required. All participants must register at the front desk of the lobby. Required Accessibility Statement: The entirety of these Commission editorial and drafting meetings will be open to the public. The Commission may recess the public editorial/drafting meetings to address administrative issues in closed session.

This document contains corrections to final regulations (TD 9340) that were published in the Federal Register on Thursday, July 26, 2007 (72 FR 41128) providing updated guidance on section 403(b) contracts of public schools and tax-exempt organizations described in section 501(c)(3). These regulations will affect sponsors of section 403(b) contracts, administrators, participants, and beneficiaries.

This document contains a correction to final regulations (TD 9347) that were published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, August 7, 2007 (72 FR 44338) providing guidance to corporations with respect to estimated tax requirements.

An open meeting of the Small Business/Self EmployedTaxpayer Burden Reduction Committee of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel will be conducted (via teleconference). The TAP will be discussing issues pertaining to increasing compliance and lessening the burden for Small Business/Self Employed individuals.

An open meeting of the Area 2 Taxpayer Advocacy Panel will be conducted (via teleconference).The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is soliciting public comments, ideas, and suggestions on improving customer service at the Internal Revenue Service.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adopting, as a final rule, without change, an interim final rule changing the requirements for interhandler transfers of raisins under the administrative rules and regulations of the California raisin marketing order (order). The order regulates the handling of raisins produced from grapes grown in California and is administered locally by the Raisin Administrative California (Committee or RAC). This rule continues in effect the action that requires handlers who transfer raisins to other handlers within the State of California to certify to the Committee that only acquired, free-tonnage raisins that meet all applicable order requirements are being transferred to receiving handlers. This action helps maintain the integrity of the order by ensuring that handlers only transfer acquired, free-tonnage raisins that meet applicable order requirements.

In this Report and Order, the Federal Communications Commission amends its rules governing the provision of international telecommunications service. The Commission amends the rule regarding the discontinuance of international services to reduce the notice period to 30 days. The Commission also clarifies its rules governing the provision of international roaming service by U.S. Commercial Mobile Radio Service (CMRS) carriers, changes in de jure control of an international section 214 authorization holder, and the treatment of asset acquisitions. The Commission declines, however, to modify its rule governing the provision of services by a subsidiary of an international section 214 authorization holder. The Commission also declines to adopt changes to its rules governing a CMRS carrier's 214 authorization process. However, the Commission does amend its cable landing license application rules and application procedures to require applicants to certify their compliance with the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA).

Notice is hereby given of the names of members of the Performance Review Board for the National Endowment for the Arts. This notice supersedes all previous notices of the PRB membership of the Agency.

NHTSA is proposing to amend Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208, ``Occupant crash protection,'' to update the child restraint systems (CRSs) listed in Appendix A of the standard. The CRSs in Appendix A are used by NHTSA to test advanced air bag suppression or low risk deployment systems, to ensure that the air bag systems pose no reasonable safety risk to infants and small children in the real world. The amendments proposed today would replace some CRSs listed in Appendix A with CRSs that are more representative of the CRS fleet currently on the market. The agency proposes to delete six existing CRSs and to add five new CRSs. Since the appendix has not been revised since 2003, NHTSA also seeks comment on whether seven other CRSs in the appendix should be replaced with CRSs with essentially the same features but more recently produced.

The Postal Service\TM\ is revising its standards for mailing medical waste so that medical professionals as well as individuals can use a larger container to mail medical waste to disposal sites. The new standards allow a maximum mailpiece weight limit of 35 pounds for packages approved as ``Medical Professional Packaging.''

DOT is relocating the time zone boundary in Indiana to move Knox, Daviess, Martin, Pike, and Dubois Counties from the Central Time Zone to the Eastern Time Zone. This action is taken at the request of the Boards of Commissioners of each of the Counties and this change serves the convenience of commerce, the statutory standard for a time zone change. DOT is denying a petition from Perry County to change its time zone boundary. Perry County will remain in the Central Time Zone.

The OCC, Board, FDIC, and OTS (collectively, the Agencies) are jointly adopting as final the interim rules issued on April 10, 2007, that implemented section 605 of the Financial Services Regulatory Relief Act of 2006 (FSRRA) and related legislation (collectively the Examination Amendments). The Examination Amendments permit insured depository institutions (institutions) that have up to $500 million in total assets, and that meet certain other criteria, to qualify for an 18-month (rather than 12-month) on-site examination cycle. Prior to enactment of FSRRA, only institutions with less than $250 million in total assets were eligible for an 18-month on-site examination cycle. The interim rules made parallel changes to the Agencies' regulations governing the on-site examination cycle for U.S. branches and agencies of foreign banks (foreign bank offices), consistent with the International Banking Act of 1978 (IBA). In addition to implementing the changes in the Examination Amendments, the interim rules clarified when a small insured depository institution is considered ``well managed'' for purposes of qualifying for an 18-month examination cycle.

This final rule implements section 702 of the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007, Public Law 109-364. The rule provides coverage of contracted medical care with respect to dental care beyond that care required as a necessary adjunct to medical or surgical treatment. The entitlement of institutional and anesthesia services is authorized in conjunction with non-covered dental treatment for patients with developmental, mental, or physical disabilities or for pediatric patients age 5 or under. This final rule does not eliminate any contracted medical care that is currently covered for spouses and children. The entitlement of anesthesia services includes general anesthesia services only. Institutional services include institutional benefits associated with both hospital and in-out surgery settings. Patients with developmental, mental, or physical disabilities are those patients with conditions that prohibit dental treatment in a safe and effective manner. Therefore, it is medically or psychologically necessary for these patients to require general anesthesia for dental treatment.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. (NEPA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to identify and assess the potential impacts associated with a proposal to construct and operate approximately four miles of tactical infrastructure and supporting patrol roads along the U.S./Mexico international border south of and adjacent to Otay Mountain Wilderness area in San Diego County, California (the Proposed Action). The purpose of the Proposed Action is to further CBP's ability to gain effective control of the border by denying pedestrian and other access in this high priority section of the Office of Border Patrol's (OBP's) San Diego Sector. CBP is the decision-making agency for this Proposed Action. Notice is hereby given that the public scoping process has been initiated to prepare an EIS that will address the impacts and alternatives of the Proposed Action. The purpose of the scoping process is to solicit public comment regarding the range of issues, including potential impacts and alternatives that should be addressed in the EIS.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration publish this notice to announce the availability of the draft Prospectus for one of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) Synthesis and Assessment Products for public comment. This draft Prospectus addresses the following CCSP Topic:Product 2.3 ``Aerosol properties and their impacts on climate.''After consideration of comments received on the draft Prospectus, the final Prospectus along with the comments received will be published on the CCSP web site.

The Food and Drug Administration is correcting a proposed rule that appeared in the Federal Register of August 16, 2007 (72 FR 45993). That document proposed to amend the biologics regulations by removing, revising, or updating specific regulations applicable to blood, blood components, and Source Plasma to be more consistent with current practices in the blood industry and to remove unnecessary or outdated requirements. The proposal published as a companion document to the direct final rule that published in the same issue of the Federal Register (August 16, 2007, 72 FR 45883). Both documents published with a typographical error in the codified section. This document corrects the error in the proposed rule. Elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register we are correcting the error in the direct final rule.

The inventions listed below are owned by an agency of the U.S. Government and are available for licensing in the U.S. in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 207 to achieve expeditious commercialization of results of federally-funded research and development. Foreign patent applications are filed on selected inventions to extend market coverage for companies and may also be available for licensing.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), have replaced maps of eight John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System units in North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Texas, as directed by Congress. We are using this notice to inform the public about the distribution and availability of the replacement maps.