2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) Product Development Committee for Synthesis and Assessment Product 3.3 (CPDC-S&A 3.3) was established by a Decision Memorandum dated October 17, 2006. CPDC-S&A 3.3 is the Federal Advisory Committee charged with responsibility to develop a draft Synthesis and Assessment Product that addresses CCSP Topic 3.3: ``Weather and Climate Extremes in a Changing Climate''. Place: The meeting will be held at the National Climatic Data Center, 151 Patton Ave., Asheville, North Carolina, 28801. Time and Date: The meeting will convene at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, October 22, 2007 and adjourn early afternoon on October 24, 2007. Meeting information will be available online on the CPDC-S&A 3.3 Web site (https://www.climate.noaa.gov/index.jsp?pg=./ccsp/33.jsp). Please note that meeting location, times, and agenda topics described below are subject to change. Status: The meeting will be open to public participation and will include a 30-minute public comment period on October 22 from 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. (check Web site to confirm this time and the room in which the meeting will be held). The CPDCS&A 3.3 expects that public statements presented at its meetings will not be repetitive of previously submitted verbal or written statements. In general, each individual or group making a verbal presentation will be limited to a total time of five (5) minutes. Written comments (at least 35 copies) should be received by the CPDCS&A 3.3 Designated Federal Official (DFO) by October 15, 2007 to provide sufficient time for review. Written comments received after October 15 will be distributed to the CPDCS&A 3.3, but may not be reviewed prior to the meeting date. Seats will be available to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. Matters To Be Considered: The meeting will (1) formulate responses to the comments received during the official Public Comment Period on the Second Draft of Synthesis and Assessment Product 3.3 and revise the Second Draft accordingly; (2) finalize plans for completion and submission of the Third Draft of Synthesis and Assessment Product 3.3 to the Climate Change Science Program Office.

This document grants in full the Fuji Heavy Industries U.S.A., Inc.'s (FUSA) petition for exemption of the Subaru Forester vehicle line in accordance with 49 CFR Part 543, Exemption from the Theft Prevention Standard. This petition is granted because the agency has determined that the antitheft device to be placed on the line as standard equipment is likely to be as effective in reducing and deterring motor vehicle theft as compliance with the parts-marking requirements of the Theft Prevention Standard (49 CFR Part 541). FUSA requested confidential treatment for the information and attachments it submitted in support of its petition. In a letter dated July 10, 2007, the agency granted the petitioner's request for confidential treatment of the indicated areas of its petition.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announces the next meeting of the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC), a Federal Advisory Committee that develops railroad safety regulations through a consensus process. The RSAC meeting topics include opening remarks from the FRA Administrator, a presentation on the Risk Reduction Program, electronically controlled pneumatic brakes, and sight distances at highway-rail grade crossings. Status reports will be given on the locomotive safety standards, medical standards, passenger safety, railroad operating rules, and continuous welded rail-track standards working groups. The committee will be asked to vote on recommendations on passenger safety, adding and changing Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations 225 Cause Codes. This agenda is subject to change.

The Office of Minority Health (OMH), Office of Public Health and Science, announces that it will enter into a cooperative agreement with Meharry Medical College (MMC). This cooperative agreement is an umbrella cooperative agreement and will establish the programmatic framework in which specific projects can be supported by various agencies during the project period. The purpose of this cooperative agreement is to strengthen the nation's capacity to prepare health professionals from disadvantaged backgrounds to serve minority populations and to develop a national model for improving health care delivery to indigent and underserved citizens. The ultimate goal is to improve the health status of minorities and disadvantaged people and increase the diversity of the health-related workforce.

Based on concern that the agency's standard on electric- powered vehicles, as currently written, may inadvertently hinder the development of fuel cell vehicles in the United States, NHTSA is proposing to amend the electrical safety requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 305, Electric-powered vehicles: electrolyte spillage and electrical shock protection. The amendment would ensure that state-of-the-art fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) are consistent with the interests of safety and encompassed by FMVSS No. 305 so that the market may continue to develop. This NPRM also proposes to harmonize FMVSS No. 305 with the revised FMVSS No. 301, as regards rear moving barrier impact test conditions. This rulemaking commenced in response to a petition from the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 90-day finding on a petition to list the black-footed albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We find that the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that listing the black-footed albatross may be warranted. Therefore, with the publication of this notice, we are initiating a status review to determine if listing the species is warranted. To ensure that the review is comprehensive, we are soliciting data and other information regarding this species.

EPA is proposing to approve revisions to the South Carolina State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted on August 14, 2007. These revisions will incorporate provisions related to the implementation of EPA's Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR), promulgated on May 12, 2005 and subsequently revised on April 28, 2006 and December 13, 2006, and the CAIR Federal Implementation Plans (FIPs) concerning sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOX) annual, and NOX ozone season emissions for the State of South Carolina, promulgated on April 28, 2006 and subsequently revised December 13, 2006. EPA is not proposing to make any changes to the CAIR FIPs, but is amending, to the extent EPA approves South Carolina's SIP revisions, the appropriate appendices in the CAIR FIP trading rules simply to note that approval. On September 19, 2007, South Carolina requested that EPA only act on a portion of the August 14, 2007, submittal as an abbreviated SIP. Consequently, EPA is proposing to approve the abbreviated SIP revisions that address the methodology to be used to allocate annual and ozone season NOX allowances under the CAIR FIPs as well as opt-in provisions for the SO2, NOX annual, and NOX ozone season trading programs. South Carolina also requested that EPA approve compliance supplement pool provisions for the NOX annual trading program. In the Final Rules Section of this Federal Register, EPA is approving the State's SIP revision as a direct final rule without prior proposal because the Agency views this as a noncontroversial submittal and anticipates no adverse comments. A detailed rationale for the approval is set forth in the direct final rule. If no adverse comments are received in response to this rule, no further activity is contemplated. If EPA receives adverse comments, the direct final rule will be withdrawn and all public comments received will be addressed in a subsequent final rule based on this proposed rule. EPA will not institute a second comment period on this document. Any parties interested in commenting on this document should do so at this time.

EPA is taking final action to approve a revision to the Georgia State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted on March 28, 2007. This revision addresses the requirements of EPA's Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) promulgated on May 12, 2005, and subsequently revised on April 28, 2006, and December 13, 2006. EPA has determined that the SIP revision fully implements the CAIR requirements for Georgia. As a result of this action, EPA will also withdraw, through a separate rulemaking, the CAIR Federal Implementation Plans (FIPs) concerning sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen oxides (NOX annual) season emissions for Georgia. The CAIR FIPs for all States in the CAIR region were promulgated on April 28, 2006, and subsequently revised on December 13, 2006. CAIR requires States to reduce emissions of SO2 and NOX that significantly contribute to, and interfere with maintenance of, the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for fine particulates (PM2.5) and/or ozone in any downwind state. CAIR establishes State budgets for SO2 and NOX and requires States to submit SIP revisions that implement these budgets in States that EPA concluded did contribute to nonattainment in downwind states. States have the flexibility to choose which control measures to adopt to achieve the budgets, including participating in the EPA-administered cap-and-trade programs. In the SIP revision that EPA is approving today, Georgia has met the CAIR requirements by electing to participate in the EPA-administered cap-and-trade programs addressing SO2 and NOX annual emissions.

EPA is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) is requesting that the Erie 8-hour ozone nonattainment area (``Erie Area'' or ``Area'') be redesignated as attainment for the 8-hour ozone ambient air quality standard (NAAQS). The Area is comprised of Erie County, Pennsylvania. EPA is approving the ozone redesignation request for the Erie Area. In conjunction with its redesignation request, PADEP submitted a SIP revision consisting of a maintenance plan for Erie Area that provides for continued attainment of the 8-hour ozone NAAQS for at least 10 years after redesignation. EPA is approving the 8-hour maintenance plan. PADEP also submitted a 2002 base year inventory for the Erie Area which EPA is approving. In addition, EPA is approving the adequacy determination for the motor vehicle emission budgets (MVEBs) that are identified in the Erie Area maintenance plan for purposes of transportation conformity, and is approving those MVEBs. EPA is approving the redesignation request, and the maintenance plan and the 2002 base year emissions inventory as revisions to the Pennsylvania SIP in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announce the reopening of the public comment period and the scheduling of one public hearing on the proposed critical habitat designation for the Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis californiana) and proposed taxonomic revision under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This action will provide all interested parties with an additional opportunity to submit written comments on the proposed designation and taxonomic revision. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted as they have already been incorporated into the public record and will be fully considered in any final decision.

This document, together with a companion notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) published in today's edition of the Federal Register, responds to petitions for reconsideration of a December 2004 final rule that updated the Federal motor vehicle safety standard on brake hoses, and to a related petition for rulemaking. In that rule, we incorporated updated versions of substantive specifications of several Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Recommended Practices relating to hydraulic brake hoses, vacuum brake hoses, air brake hoses, plastic air brake tubing, and end fittings. In this document, we deny several of the petitions and explain why. We also correct typographical errors in, and inadvertent omissions from, the December 20, 2004 final rule. In the companion NPRM, we respond to additional issues raised in the petitions, and propose a number of amendments to the brake hose rule in response to the petitions.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is amending its regulations applicable to limited work authorizations (LWAs), which allow certain construction activities on production and utilization facilities to commence before a construction permit or combined license is issued. This final rule modifies the scope of activities that are considered construction for which a construction permit, combined license, or LWA is necessary, specifies the scope of construction activities that may be performed under an LWA, and changes the review and approval process for LWA requests. The NRC is adopting these changes to enhance the efficiency of its licensing and approval process for production and utilization facilities, including new nuclear power reactors.

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to the Government in the Sunshine Act (5 U.S.C. 552b(e)(3)), of the regular meeting of the Farm Credit Administration Board (Board).

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issues this notice of the dates for the beginning of the initial enrollment for the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) for the Port of Wilmington, in Wilmington, DE.

This notice is announcing that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FDA CFSAN), and the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will co-sponsor a public meeting on October 17, 2007. The purpose of the meeting is to consider the public health significance of non-Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 Shiga toxin- producing E. coli.

NMFS is prohibiting retention of Pacific ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). NMFS is requiring that Pacific ocean perch caught in this area be treated in the same manner as prohibited species and discarded at sea with a minimum of injury. This action is necessary because the 2007 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific ocean perch in this area has been reached.

The Daniel Boone National Forest will begin charging a $25 group day use rental fee for the Alpine Picnic Area picnic shelter, the Natural Arch Scenic Area picnic shelter and the Natural Arch Scenic Area amphitheater. These facilities are currently only available on a first come first serve basis. Rentals of other picnic shelters on the Daniel Boone National Forest have shown that groups would like an option to reserve the shelters for their use. Shelter rentals allow public groups to plan activities in advance with the guarantee the shelter will be available for their use. The facilities will continue to be available on a first come first serve basis if not reserved. Fee revenue will be used to help cover the administrative cost of reserving and preparing the facilities for group rentals.