October 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 which provides opportunity for public comment on new or revised data collections, the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) will publish periodic summaries of proposed data collections. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed information collection is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information has practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the RRB's estimate of the burden of the collection of the information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden related to the collection of information on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Title and Purpose of information collection: Financial Disclosure Statement: OMB 3220-0127 Under Section 10 of the Railroad Retirement Act and Section 2(d) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, the RRB may recover overpayments of annuities, pensions, death benefits, unemployment benefits, and sickness benefits that were made erroneously. An overpayment may be waived if the beneficiary was not at fault in causing the overpayment and recovery would cause financial hardship. The regulations for the recovery and waiver of erroneous payments are contained in 20 CFR parts 255 and 340. The RRB utilizes Form DR-423, Financial Disclosure Statement, to obtain information about the overpaid beneficiary's income, debts, and expenses if that person indicates that (s)he cannot make restitution for the overpayment. The information is used to determine if the overpayment should be waived as wholly or partially uncollectible. If waiver is denied, the information is used to determine the size and frequency of installment payments. The beneficiary is made aware of the overpayment by letter and is offered a variety of methods for recovery. One response is requested of each respondent. Completion is voluntary. However, failure to provide the requested information may result in a denial of the waiver request. The RRB proposes to revise Form DR-423 to delete items requesting the railroad employee's Social Security Number and their spouses Social Security Number. Non-burden impacting formatting and editorial changes are also proposed. The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) gives notice concerning the final effect of the HHS decision to designate a class of employees at the Hanford Engineer Works, Richland, Washington, as an addition to the Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000. On September 12, 2007, as provided for under 42 U.S.C. 7384q(b), the Secretary of HHS designated the following class of employees as an addition to the SEC:

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (``FDIC'') proposes to add three new systems of records to its collection of systems of records notices published pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974. These new systems of records are entitled: Office of the Chairman Correspondence Records; Congressional Correspondence Records; and, Legislative Information Tracking System Records. The FDIC also proposes to revise twenty-three existing systems of records to update various system elements and to add routine use language recommended by the President's Task Force on Identity Theft. We hereby publish this notice for comment on the proposed actions.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) gives notice as required by 42 CFR 83.12(e) of a decision to evaluate a petition to designate a class of employees at the Westinghouse Atomic Power Development Plant, East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to be included in the Special Exposure Cohort under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000. The initial proposed definition for the class being evaluated, subject to revision as warranted by the evaluation, is as follows: Facility: Westinghouse Atomic Power Development Plant. Location: East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Job Titles and/or Job Duties: All testers and laboratory researchers (to include research group leaders who worked in the L Building (and K Building as applicable). Period of Employment: January 1, 1942 through December 31, 1944.

The public is invited to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species and/or marine mammals.

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), are sponsoring a public meeting. The meeting will be held on November 1, 2007, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. to discuss the agenda items coming before the 16th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS) and present draft positions on the agenda items. The 16th Session of the CCFICS will be held November 26-November 30, 2007, in Queensland, Australia. The Under Secretary and FDA recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to comment on the agenda items that will be debated at this forthcoming Session of the CCFICS.

In accordance with the Privacy Act of1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended by the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-503), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Guidelines on the Conduct of Matching Programs (54 FR 25818 published June 19, 1989), and OMB Circular No. A-130, revised November 28, 2000, ``Management of Federal Information Resources,'' the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is publishing notice of its new computer matching program with the Social Security Administration (SSA).

Following a review of country conditions and consultations with the Secretary of State and other appropriate Government agencies, the Secretary of Homeland Security has determined that the temporary protected status (TPS) designation for Burundi should be terminated. This termination will not take effect until May 2, 2009, to provide for an orderly transition. This Notice informs the public of the termination of the TPS designation for Burundi and sets forth procedures for nationals of Burundi (or aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in Burundi) with TPS to re-register for TPS benefits. Re-registration is limited to persons who have previously registered for TPS under the designation of Burundi and whose application has been granted or remains pending. Burundians (or aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in Burundi) who have not previously been granted TPS, or who do not already have a pending application for TPS under the designation for Burundi, may not file under Late Initial Filing (LIFs) provisions, which are only allowed during an extension of a designation of TPS. Given the timeframes involved with processing TPS re-registration applications, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recognizes the possibility that re-registrants may not receive a new Employment Authorization Document (EAD) until after their current EAD expires on November 2, 2007. Accordingly, this Notice automatically extends the validity of EADs issued under the TPS designation of Burundi for six months, through May 2, 2008, and explains how TPS beneficiaries and their employers may determine which EADs are automatically extended. New EADs with the May 1, 2009, expiration date will be issued to eligible TPS beneficiaries who timely re-register and apply for an EAD.

The Secretary amends the regulations for the Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) and National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant) programs. The Secretary is amending these regulations to reduce administrative burden for program participants and to clarify program requirements.

We propose to include in parts 404 and 416 of our rules many of the hearing level procedures now in place for disability cases in the Boston region. This change will expand those rules nationwide and apply them to hearings on both disability and non-disability matters. We expect these rules will make the hearings process more efficient and help us reduce the hearings backlog, which has reached historic proportions, thereby benefiting all individuals requesting a hearing. We also propose to amend our rules governing the final level of the administrative review process to make proceedings at that level more like those used by a Federal appellate court when it reviews the decision of a district court, to establish procedures for appeals to that level, and to change the name of the body that will hear such appeals from the ``Appeals Council,'' or the ``Decision Review Board'' in the Boston region, to the ``Review Board.'' Consistent with the change to a more truly appellate process, we suggest limiting the circumstances in which new evidence may be added to the record during the appeals process. We also propose circumscribing the time period covered in any subsequent administrative hearing on remand from the Review Board or a Federal court to the time period covered by the first administrative law judge's (ALJ) hearing decision in the case.

The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking concerning appropriate changes, if any, to its implementation of section 224 of the Act, governing access to pole attachments. 2 Wireline Competition. Title: IP-Enabled Services (WC Docket No. 04-36); Telephone Number Portability (CC Docket No. 95-116); Numbering Resource Optimization (CC Docket No. 99-200); Telephone Number Requirements for IP- Enabled Services Providers; Local Number Portability Porting Interval and Validation Requirements. Summary: The Commission will consider a Report and Order, Declaratory Ruling, Order on Remand, and a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking addressing a number of local number portability (LNP) and certain other numbering requirements. 3 Media................ Title: Exclusive Service Contracts for Provision of Video Services in Multiple Dwelling Units and Other Real Estate Developments (MD Docket No. 07-51). Summary: The Commission will consider a Report and Order concerning the use of exclusive contracts for the provision of video services to multiple dwelling units (``MDUs'') and other real estate developments. 4 Media................ Title: Implementation of section 621(a)(1) of the Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984 as amended by the Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992 (MB Docket No. 05-311). Summary: The Commission will consider a Second Report and Order concerning Section 621(a)(1)'s directive that local franchising authorities not unreasonably refuse to award competitive franchises and the application of the Commission's findings in the First Report and Order to existing franchises. 5 Media................ Title: Localism Hearing. Summary: Along with competition and diversity, promoting localism is a key goal of the Commission's media ownership rules. The purpose of the hearing is to gather information from consumers, industry, civic organizations, and others on broadcasters' role in their local communities and proposed changes to our rules.

Pursuant to section 11 of the Debt Collection Act of 1982, as amended, (31 U.S.C. 3717), the Secretary of the Treasury is responsible for computing and publishing the percentage rate to be used in assessing interest charges for outstanding debts owed to the Government. Treasury's Cash Management Requirements (TFM Volume I, Part 6, Chapter 8000) prescribe use of this rate by agencies as a comparison point in evaluating the cost-effectiveness of a cash discount. In addition, 5 CFR 1315.8 of the Prompt Payment rule on ``Rebates'' requires that this rate be used in determining when agencies should pay purchase card invoices when the card issuer offers a rebate. Notice is hereby given that the applicable rate is 5.00 percent for calendar year 2008.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 5 CFR part 1320, Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements, the Appraisal Subcommittee of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (``ASC'') is soliciting comments on the need for the collection of information contained in 12 CFR part 1102, Subpart C, Rules Pertaining to the Privacy of Individuals and Systems of Records Maintained by the Appraisal Subcommittee. The ASC also requests comments on the practical utility of the collection of information; the accuracy of the burden hour estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize the burden to respondents, including use of automated information collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 5 CFR Part 1320, Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements, the Appraisal Subcommittee of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (``ASC'') is soliciting comments on the need for the collection of information contained in 12 CFR Part 1102, Subpart D, Description of Office, Procedures, Public Information. The ASC also requests comments on the practical utility of the collection of information; the accuracy of the burden hour estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize the burden to respondents, including use of automated information collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

The FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of a new information collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on July 3, 2007, vol. 72, no. 127, page 36542-36543. The FAA issues Special Airworthiness Information Bulletins (SAIBs to alert, educate, and make recommendations to the aviation community and individual aircraft owners and operators about ways to improve the safety of a product.

The FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve a current information collection. An Advisory Circular (AC) establishes criteria for Qualified Internet Communications Providers (QICP), who provide access to aviation weather, Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), and aeronautical data via the Public Internet.

The FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve a current information collection. The FAA will use the information collected to ensure compliance and adherence to FAR Part 135 and 121 regulations.

The FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve a current information collection. The information collected is needed to determine applicant eligibility and compliance for certification of civil aviation mechanic and operation of aviation mechanic school.

The FAA publishes a monthly notice, as appropriate, of PFC approvals and disapprovals under the provisions of the Aviation Safety and Capacity Expansion Act of 1990 (Title IX of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990) (Pub. L. 101-508) and Part 158 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR Part 158). This notice is published pursuant to paragraph d of Sec. 158.29.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces that the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) intends to request an extension for a currently approved information collection procedure for entry of specialty sugars into the United States as described in 15 CFR part 2011.