October 3, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, NMFS announces availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for amending the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (ALWTRP). NMFS approves Alternative 6 Final Preferred, which includes broad-based, coast-wide gear modifications and seasonal restrictions.

This proposed rule would require, consistent with international law, certain ships to report identifying and position data electronically. This proposed rule is intended to implement an amendment to chapter V of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), regulation 19-1, and would better enable the Coast Guard to correlate Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) data with data from other sources, detect anomalies, and heighten our overall Maritime Domain Awareness. This proposed rule is consistent with the Coast Guard's strategic goals of maritime security and maritime safety, and the Department's strategic goals of awareness, prevention, protection, and response.

The Coast Guard proposes to create a security zone in the waters of Nawiliwili Harbor, Kaui, and on the land of the jetty south of Nawiliwili Park, including the jetty access road commonly known as Jetty Road. This zone is intended to enable the Coast Guard and its law enforcement partners to better protect people, vessels, and facilities in and around Nawiliwili Harbor in the face of non-compliant obstructers who have impeded, and threaten to continue impeding, the safe passage of the Hawaii Superferry in Nawiliwili Harbor. This rule would complement, but not replace or supersede, existing regulations that establish a moving 100-yard security zone around large passenger vessels like the Hawaii Superferry.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is proposing to amend its regulations to require applicants for new standard design certifications that do not reference a standard design approval; new standard design approvals; combined licenses that do not reference a standard design certification, standard design approval, or manufactured reactor; and new manufacturing licenses that do not reference a standard design certification or standard design approval to assess the effects of the impact of a large, commercial aircraft on the nuclear power plant. Based on the insights gained from this assessment, the applicant shall include in its application a description and evaluation of design features, functional capabilities, and strategies to avoid or mitigate, to the extent practicable, the effects of the aircraft impact with reduced reliance on operator actions. The impact of a large, commercial aircraft is a beyond-design- basis event, and the NRC's requirements applicable to the design, construction, testing, operation, and maintenance of design features, functional capabilities, and strategies for design basis events would not be applicable to design features, functional capabilities, or strategies selected by the applicant solely to meet the requirements of this rule. The objective of this rule is to require nuclear power plant designers to perform a rigorous assessment of design features that could provide additional inherent protection to avoid or mitigate, to the extent practicable, the effects of an aircraft impact, with reduced reliance on operator actions.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the opportunity for patient and consumer advocacy groups, professional scientific and medical societies, and industry trade organizations to nominate candidates to serve on the Board of Directors (the Board) of a new non-profit foundation, the Reagan-Udall Foundation for the Food and Drug Administration (the Foundation). The Foundation will be dedicated to modernizing medical, veterinary, food, food ingredient, and cosmetic product development, accelerating innovation, and enhancing product safety.

In compliance with Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, And Logistics, announces the proposed extension of a currently approved collection and seeks public comment on the provisions thereof. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

This notice announces the appointment of the members of the Senior Executive Service (SES) Performance Review Board (PRB) for the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DoD OIG), as required by 5 U.S.C. 4314(c)(4). The PRB provides fair and impartial review of SES performance appraisals and makes recommendations regarding performance ratings and performance awards to the Inspector General.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Secretariat will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve an extension of a currently approved information collection requirement concerning the Buy American Act certificate. The clearance currently expires on February 29, 2008. Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether this collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of functions of the FAR, and whether it will have practical utility; whether our estimate of the public burden of this collection of information is accurate, and based on valid assumptions and methodology; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways in which we can minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, through the use of appropriate technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Secretariat will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve an extension of a currently approved information collection requirement concerning statement and acknowledgment (Standard Form 1413). The clearance currently expires on January 31, 2008. Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether this collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of functions of the FAR, and whether it will have practical utility; whether our estimate of the public burden of this collection of information is accurate, and based on valid assumptions and methodology; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways in which we can minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, through the use of appropriate technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

This proposed rulemaking completely revises the MMS Outer Continental Shelf pipeline and pipeline Rights-of-Way (ROW) regulations, and brings them up to date with current industry practices and technology. The proposed rule incorporates parts of several new and revised industry standards into the regulations. It also incorporates several conditions of approval for pipelines, plus guidance from various Notices to Lessees and Operators (NTLs) and one Letter to Lessees and Operators (LTL) into one set of comprehensive pipeline regulations. The proposed regulations would eliminate several NTLs and the LTL, and have been rewritten in plain language.