December 17, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Illinois has scheduled elections on February 5, 2008, and March 8, 2008, to fill the U.S. House of Representatives seat in the Fourteenth Congressional District vacated by Representative J. Dennis Hastert. Committees required to file reports in connection with the Special Primary Election on February 5, 2008, shall file a 12-day Pre-Primary Report. Committees required to file reports in connection with both the Special Primary and Special General Election on March 8, 2008, shall file a 12-day Pre-Primary Report, a 12-day Pre-General Report, and a 30-day Post-General Report.

This document corrects an Environmental Assessment appearing in the Federal Register on December 5, 2007 (72 FR 68598). This action is necessary to correctly declare the Environmental Assessment as a final document (in lieu of a draft) with no action for noticing for public comment. The corrected Environmental Assessment is provided as follows: The NRC has prepared a final Environmental Assessment as part of its evaluation of a request by PPL Susquehanna, LLC for a license amendment to increase the maximum thermal power at Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2 (SSES 1 and 2), from 3,489 megawatts- thermal (MWt) to 3,952 MWt at each unit. This represents a power increase of approximately 13 percent thermal power. As stated in the NRC staff's position paper dated February 8, 1996, on the Boiling-Water Reactor Extended Power Uprate (EPU) Program, the NRC staff (the staff) will prepare an environmental impact statement if it believes a power uprate would have a significant impact on the human environment. The staff did not identify any significant impact from the information provided in the licensee's EPU application for Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2, or the staff's independent review; therefore, the staff is documenting its environmental review in an Environmental Assessment. Also, in accordance with the position paper, the final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact is being published in the Federal Register. The NRC published a draft Environmental Assessment and finding of no significant impact on the proposed action for public comment in the Federal Register on August 21, 2007 (72 FR 46670). One set of comments were received on the draft Environmental Assessment from PPL Susquehanna, LLC by letter dated September 19, 2007 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML072820283). These comments were clarifications and editorial corrections to the draft Environmental Assessment. Based on these comments, the NRC staff revised the appropriate sections of the final Environmental Assessment.

The IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management invites comments on the submission for OMB review as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration announces ACCSH membership, including representation categories and terms; work group meetings January 23, 2008; and a full committee meeting on January 24-25, 2008. ACCSH is meeting to address construction safety and health issues.

FMCSA amends the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations effective December 27 to allow commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers up to 11 hours of driving time within a 14-hour, non-extendable window from the start of the workday, following 10 consecutive hours off duty (11-hour limit). This interim rule also allows motor carriers and drivers to restart calculations of the weekly on-duty time limits after the driver has at least 34 consecutive hours off duty (34-hour restart). An IFR is necessary to prevent disruption to enforcement and compliance with the hours-of-service (HOS) rules when the stay expires, as well as possible effects on the timely delivery of essential goods and services. This IFR will ensure that a familiar and uniform set of national rules governs motor carrier transportation, while FMCSA gathers public comments on all aspects of this interim final rule, conducts peer review of our analysis, and considers the appropriate final rule that addresses the issues identified by the Court. FMCSA is fully committed to issuing a final rule in 2008.

EPA is revising the Nebraska State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the purpose of approving the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality's (NDEQ) actions to address the ``good neighbor'' provisions of the Clean Air Act Section 110(a)(2)(D)(i). These provisions require each state to submit a SIP that prohibits emissions that adversely affect another State's air quality through interstate transport. NDEQ has adequately addressed the four distinct elements related to the impact of interstate transport of air pollutants. These include prohibiting significant contribution to downwind nonattainment of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), interference with maintenance of the NAAQS, interference with plans in another state to prevent significant deterioration of air quality, and efforts of other states to protect visibility. The requirements for public notification were also met by NDEQ.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain McDonnell Douglas Model DC-10-10, DC-10-10F, DC-10-15, DC-10-30 and DC-10-30F (KC-10A and KDC-10) airplanes; Model DC-10-40 and DC-10- 40F airplanes; and Model MD-11 and MD-11F airplanes. This AD requires, for certain airplanes, modifying the thrust reverser command wiring of the number 2 engine. For certain other airplanes, this AD requires modifying the thrust reverser system wiring from the flight compartment to engines 1, 2, and 3 thrust reversers. This AD also requires installing thrust reverser locking systems on certain airplanes. This AD results from a determination that the thrust reverser systems on these McDonnell Douglas airplanes do not adequately preclude unwanted deployment of a thrust reverser. We are issuing this AD to prevent an unwanted deployment of a thrust reverser during flight, which could result in reduced controllability of the airplane.

In anticipation of congress enacting an extension of the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) the FAA is publishing this annual notice. This notice announces the criteria, application procedures, and schedule to be applied by the Secretary of Transportation in designating or redesignating, and funding capital development annually for up to 15 current (joint-use) or former military airports seeking designation or redesignation to participate in the MAP. While FAA currently has continuing authority to designate or redesignate airports, FAA does not have authority to issue grants for fiscal year 2008 MAP, and will not have authority until Congress enacts legislation enabling FAA to issue grants. The MAP allows the Secretary to designate current (joint-use) or former military airports to receive grants from the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). The Secretary is authorized to designate an airport (other than an airport designated before August 24, 1994) only if: (1) The airport is a former military installation closed or realigned under the Title 10 U.S.C. Sec. 2687 (announcement of closures of large Department of Defense installations after September 30, 1977), or under Section 201 or 2905 of the Defense Authorization Amendments and Base Closure and Realignment Acts; or (2) The airport is a military installation with both military and civil aircraft operations. The Secretary shall consider for designation only those current or former military airports, at least partly converted to civilian airports as part of the national air transportation system, that will reduce delays at airports with more than 20,000 hours of annual delays in commercial passenger aircraft takeoffs and landings, or will enhance airport and air traffic control system capacity in metropolitan areas, or reduce current and projected flight delays (49 U.S.C. 47118(c)).

This notice announces the date and location of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (HHS/ASPE) Expert Meeting on Disease Management Outcomes Measurement. The objective of the meeting is to convene a panel of experts from government, academia, and private industry to discuss measurement of the impact of disease management on health outcomes and costs of care, with a focus on potential for public sector programs.

Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933 creates a safe harbor for the sale of securities under the exemption set forth in Section 4(1) of the Securities Act. We are shortening the holding period requirement under Rule 144 for ``restricted securities'' of issuers that are subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to six months. Restricted securities of issuers that are not subject to the Exchange Act reporting requirements will continue to be subject to a one-year holding period prior to any public resale. The amendments also substantially reduce the restrictions applicable to the resale of securities by non-affiliates. In addition, the amendments simplify the Preliminary Note to Rule 144, amend the manner of sale requirements and eliminate them with respect to debt securities, amend the volume limitations for debt securities, increase the Form 144 filing thresholds, and codify several staff interpretive positions that relate to Rule 144. Finally, we are eliminating the presumptive underwriter provision in Securities Act Rule 145, except for transactions involving a shell company, and revising the resale requirements in Rule 145(d). We believe that the amendments will increase the liquidity of privately sold securities and decrease the cost of capital for all issuers without compromising investor protection.