September 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 and invites public comment. The FMCSA requests approval to revise and renew an ICR entitled, ``Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program'' (MCSAP). The information required consists of grant application preparation, quarterly reports and electronic data documenting the results of driver/vehicle inspections performed by the States.

The purpose of the meeting is to give the board an opportunity to review Air University educational programs and to present a report of their findings and recommendations concerning these programs.

The Committee is proposing to add to the Procurement List services to be furnished by nonprofit agencies employing persons who are blind or have other severe disabilities, and to delete a product and a service previously furnished by such agencies. Comments Must be Received on or Before: October 21, 2007.

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) publishes notice at least once monthly of certain Federal agency requests for records disposition authority (records schedules). Once approved by NARA, records schedules provide mandatory instructions on what happens to records when no longer needed for current Government business. They authorize the preservation of records of continuing value in the National Archives of the United States and the destruction, after a specified period, of records lacking administrative, legal, research, or other value. Notice is published for records schedules in which agencies propose to destroy records not previously authorized for disposal or reduce the retention period of records already authorized for disposal. NARA invites public comments on such records schedules, as required by 44 U.S.C. 3303a(a).

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of North Dakota (FEMA-1726-DR), dated September 7, 2007, and related determinations.

Background On June 15, 1984, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) delegated to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) its approval authority under the Paperwork Reduction Act, as per 5 CFR 1320.16, to approve of and assign OMB control numbers to collection of information requests and requirements conducted or sponsored by the Board under conditions set forth in 5 CFR 1320 Appendix A.1. Board-approved collections of information are incorporated into the official OMB inventory of currently approved collections of information. Copies of the Paperwork Reduction Act Submission, supporting statements and approved collection of information instruments are placed into OMB's public docket files. The Federal Reserve may not conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection that has been extended, revised, or implemented on or after October 1, 1995, unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

This document contains a correction to a notice of proposed rulemaking (REG-142695-05) that was published in the Federal Register on Monday, August 6, 2007 (72 FR 43938) providing guidance on cafeteria plans.

This document provides a change of location for a public hearing on proposed regulations providing guidance on cafeteria plans.

An open meeting of the Joint Committee of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel will be conducted. The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is reviewing public comment, ideas, and suggestions on improving customer service at the Internal Revenue Service brought forward by the Area and Issue Committees.

The Department of the Treasury, 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, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning final and temporary regulations, REG-125628-01, (TD 9243) Revision of Income Tax Regulations Under Sections 358, 367, 884, and 6038B Dealing with Statutory Mergers or Consolidations Under Section 368(a)(1)(A) Involving One or More Foreign Corporations.

The Department of the Treasury, 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, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning an existing final regulation, REG-148867-03, (TD 9327) Disclosure of Returns and Return Information in Connection with Written Contracts or Agreements for the Acquisition of Property or Services for Tax Administration Purposes.

On September 12, 2007, the Department of Education published a notice in the Federal Register (Page 52090, Column 2) for the information collection, ``Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Birth Cohort, Kindergarten Year Delayed Entry and Repeaters.'' This notice hereby corrects the burden hours to 2,408 and the annual responses to 8,787. The IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management, hereby issues a correction notice as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

This proposed rule would amend regulations concerning the reporting requirements for the BE-12, Benchmark Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in the United States. The BE-12 survey is conducted once every 5 years and covers virtually the entire universe of foreign direct investment in the United States in terms of value. The benchmark survey will be conducted for 2007. To address the current needs of data users while at the same time keeping the respondent burden as low as possible, BEA proposes modification, addition, or deletion of several items on the survey forms and changes in the reporting criteria. Changes proposed by BEA in the reporting requirements in this proposed rule are: (a) Increasing the exemption level for reporting on the BE-12(LF) long form from $125 million to $175 million; (b) increasing the exemption level for reporting on the BE-12(SF) short form from $10 million to $40 million; and (c) increasing the exemption level for reporting on the BE-12 Bank form from $10 million to $15 million. In addition, BEA proposes to amend Form BE-12(X) by: (1) re- naming it the Form BE-12 Claim for Not Filing and (2) deleting several questions, which will be moved to a new Form BE-12 Mini. The Claim for Not Filing would be completed only by persons that are not subject to the reporting requirements of the BE-12 survey but have been contacted by BEA concerning their reporting status. The BE-12 Mini is an abbreviated form for reporting U.S. affiliates with total assets, sales or gross operating revenues, and net income (loss) less than or equal to $40 million.

NMFS announces that it is considering and seeking public comment on the potential implementation of management measures in the Federal American lobster (Homarus americanus) fishery compatible with recommendations for Federal action as specified in the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's (Commission) Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster (ISFMP). These management measures may include: 100 percent mandatory dealer reporting requirements for Federal American lobster dealers; implementation of an American lobster maximum size limit (maximum carapace length restriction) in several Lobster Management Areas (LMA); and, revision to the definition of a V- notch for protection of egg-bearing female American lobsters in several LMAs in the Federal American lobster fishery. NMFS is considering implementation of these management measures based on ISFMP actions taken by the Commission in response to recommendations provided in the most recent peer-reviewed lobster stock assessment, completed by the Commission in December 2005.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is initiating 5- year reviews of the Carolina northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus coloratus), Cahow (Pterodroma cahow), boulder darter (Etheostoma wapiti), relict darter (Etheostoma chienense), Cumberland pigtoe (Pleurobema gibberum), rough pigtoe (Pleurobema plenum), orangefoot pimpleback (pearlymussel) (Plethobasus cooperianus), tan riffleshell (Epioblasma florentina walkeri), white wartyback (pearlymussel) (Plethobasus cicatricosus), noonday snail (Mesodon clarki nantahala), Nashville crayfish (Orconectes shoupi), Kentucky cave shrimp (Palaemonias ganteri), Cumberland sandwort (Arenaria cumberlandensis), Tennessee purple coneflower (Echinacea tennesseensis), large-flowered skullcap (Scutellaria montana), and rock gnome lichen (Gymnoderma lineare) under section 4(c)(2) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The purpose of reviews conducted under this section of the Act is to ensure that the classification of species as threatened or endangered on the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants (50 CFR 17.11 and 17.12) is accurate. A 5-year review is an assessment of the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review.