February 4, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice announces an extension of the timeline for publication of the ``Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Conditions for Coverage for End Stage Renal Disease Facilities'' final rule. This notice is issued in accordance with section 1871(a)(3)(B) of the Social Security Act (the Act), which requires that a notice be published in the Federal Register if a final regulation, due to exceptional circumstances, will take longer to publish than 3 years after the publication date of the proposed rule. In this case, the complexity of the rule and scope of public comments warrants the extension of the timeline for publication.

In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), the OCC, the Board, the FDIC, and the OTS (the ``agencies'') may not conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. On September 11, 2007, the agencies, under the auspices of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC), requested public comment for 60 days on a proposal to extend, with revision, the Consolidated Reports of Condition and Income (Call Report) for banks and the Thrift Financial Report (TFR) for savings associations, which are currently approved collections of information that are collected quarterly. After considering the comments, the FFIEC and the agencies have modified some of the proposed changes, which will be implemented March 31, 2008, as proposed, but with the reporting of certain proposed new items optional for this initial report date.

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 Revenue Procedure 2001-21, Debt Roll-Ups.

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, LR-218-78 (TD 8096), Product Liability Losses and Accumulations for Product Liability Losses (Section 1.172- 13).

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, TD 9328, Safe Harbor for Valuation Under Section 475.

The Roadless Area Conservation National Advisory Committee will meet in Las Vegas, Nevada. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the proposed rule for the management of roadless areas on National Forest System lands in the State of Idaho and to discuss other related roadless area matters.

The President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC) will be meeting by teleconference: the meeting will be partially closed.

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 existing final regulations, REG-208156-91 (TD 8929), Accounting for Long-Term Contracts (Sec. 1.460-1).

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 and temporary regulations, IA-62-91 (TD 8482), Capitalization and Inclusion in Inventory of Certain Costs (Sec. Sec. 1.263A-2 and 1.263A-3).

The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on this proposed collection of information, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), Public Law 104-13. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. Subject to the PRA, no person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information that does not display a valid control number. Comments are requested concerning (a) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection(s), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not display a valid control number. Comments are requested concerning (a) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

The Hydrographic Services Review Panel (HSRP) was established by the Secretary of Commerce to advise the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere on matters related to the responsibilities and authorities set forth in section 303 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998, its amendments, and such other appropriate matters that the Under Secretary refers to the Panel for review and advice. Date and Time: The meeting will be held Friday, March 7, 2008, from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Location: The Doubletree Grand Hotel Biscayne Bay, 1717 North Bayshore Drive, Miami, Florida 33132, telephone: 305-372-0313. The times and agenda topics are subject to change. Refer to the HSRP Web site listed below for the most current meeting agenda.

The meeting of the Pulmonary-Allergy Drugs Advisory Committee scheduled for February 20, 2008, is cancelled. This meeting was announced in the Federal Register of December 21, 2007 (72 FR 72737).

The EPA's EFAB will hold an open meeting of the full board in Washington, DC on March 10-11, 2008. EFAB is an EPA advisory committee chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) to provide advice and recommendations to EPA on creative approaches to funding environmental programs, projects, and activities. The purpose of this meeting is to hear from informed speakers on environmental finance issues, proposed legislation, Agency priorities, and to discuss progress with work products under EFAB's current Strategic Action Agenda. Environmental financing topics expected to be discussed include: Financial Assurance Mechanisms (Commercial Insurance & Cost Estimation), Environmental Management Systems, Public-Private Partnerships, Sustainable Watershed Financing, Innovative Financing Tools, and Leveraging the State Revolving Loan Funds. This meeting is open to the public, however, seating is limited. All members of the public who plan to attend the meeting must register in advance, no later than Friday, February 29, 2008.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS) announces the availability of funds and the timeframe to submit applications for grants to provide emergency services to areas where the Secretary of Agriculture determines that a local, state, or national emergency or disaster has caused low-income migrant or seasonal farmworkers to lose income, be unable to work, or to stay at home or return home in anticipation of work shortages. For purposes of this NOFA, emergency services include any service that can be provided under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Pub. L. 93-288), as amended (Stafford Act), that also meets the requirements of 42 U.S.C. 5177a. For instance the Stafford Act and 41 U.S.C. 5177a would permit the following services: Activities to support state and local emergency assistance; Coordination of disaster relief provided by federal and non-federal organizations; Technical and advisory assistance to state and local governments; Emergency assistance through federal agencies; Debris removal through grants to state and local governments; Grants to individuals and households for temporary housing and uninsured personal needs; and Distribution of medicine, food and consumables. Additionally, for this NOFA, the types of services could include, but are not limited to, assistance in meeting rent or mortgage payments, utility bills, child care, transportation, school supplies, food, repair or rehabilitation of farmworker housing, facilities related to farmworker housing such as an infirmary for emergency care of a child care facility, and the rehabilitation of existing farmworker housing units. Please go to https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rd/disasters to determine if your area has been identified by the Secretary of Agriculture as a national emergency or disaster area or contact your local Rural Development office.

This is a request for proposals for guaranteed loans under the section 538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program (GRRHP) pursuant to 7 CFR 3565.4 for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 subject to the availability of funding. FY 2008 funding for the section 538 program is $129,090,000. Applicants will submit proposals in the form of ``RESPONSES.'' The commitment of program dollars will be made to applicants of selected responses that have fulfilled the necessary requirements for obligation. Expenses incurred in developing applications will be at the applicant's risk. The following paragraphs outline the timeframes, eligibility requirements, lender responsibilities, and the overall response and application processes. The GRRHP operates under 7 CFR part 3565. The GRRHP Origination and Servicing Handbook (HB-1-3565) is available to provide lenders and the general public with guidance on program administration. HB-1-3565, which contains a copy of 7 CFR part 3565 in Appendix 1, can be found at the Agency's Instructions Web site address https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/ regs/hblist.html#hbw6. Eligible lenders are invited to submit responses for the new construction of affordable rural rental housing, the acquisition with rehabilitation of affordable rural rental housing, the revitalization, repair, and transfer (as stipulated in 7 CFR 3560.406) of existing direct section 515 housing (transfer costs are subject to Agency approval and must be an eligible use of loan proceeds as listed in 7 CFR 3565.205), and properties involved in the Agency's multi-family preservation and revitalization program (MPR). Equity payments, as stipulated in 7 CFR 3560.406, in connection with the transfer of existing direct section 515 housing, are an eligible use of loan proceeds. In order to be considered, direct section 515 housing and MPR projects must need repairs and undergo revitalization of a minimum of $6,500 per unit. The Agency will review responses submitted by eligible lenders, on the lender's letterhead, and signed by both the prospective borrower and lender. Although a complete application is not required in response to this Notice of request for proposals, eligible lenders may submit a complete application concurrently with the response. However, submitting a complete application will not have an effect on the respondent's score.

Notice is hereby given that the staff of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has prepared a model safety evaluation (SE) relating to the modification of technical specification (TS) 3.6.3, Containment Isolation Valves associated with implementation of BAW- 2461-A, ``Risk-Informed Justification for Containment Isolation Valve Allowed Outage Time Change.'' The NRC staff has also prepared a model license amendment request and a model no significant hazards consideration (NSHC) determination relating to this matter. The purpose of these models are to permit the NRC to efficiently process amendments that propose to modify TS Containment Isolation Valve Completion Times. Licensees of nuclear power reactors to which the models apply could then request amendments, confirming the applicability of the SE and NSHC determination to their reactors. The NRC staff is requesting comment on the model SE and model NSHC determination prior to announcing their availability for referencing in license amendment applications.

The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, as codified at 50 U.S.C. App. Section 531, prohibits a landlord from evicting a Service member (or the Service member's family) from a residence during a period of military service except by court order. The law as originally passed by Congress applied to dwellings with monthly rents of $2400 or less. The law requires the Department of Defense to adjust this amount annually to reflect inflation, and to publish the new amount in the Federal Register. We have applied the inflation index required by the statute. The maximum monthly rental amount for 50 U.S.C. App. Section 531 (a)(1)(A)(ii) as of January 1, 2008, will be $2,831.13.