February 12, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of State is seeking Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for the information collection described below. The purpose of this notice is to allow 60 days for public comment in the Federal Register preceding submission to OMB. We are conducting this process in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Title of Information Collection: Department of State Application for Employment OMB Control Number: 1405-0139 Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection Originating Office: Bureau of Human Resources, Office of Recruitment, Examination, Employment (HR/REE) Form Number: DS-1950 Respondents: U.S. Citizens seeking entry into certain Department of State Foreign Service positions and individuals, sophomore through graduate level college and university students, seeking participation in the Department's student programs. Estimated Number of Respondents: 20,000 Estimated Number of Responses: 20,000 Average Hours Per Response: 1/2 hour Total Estimated Burden: 10,000 Frequency: On occasion Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain a benefit

The Media Bureau extends the reply comment deadline on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on revisions to the Commission's program access and retransmission consent rules and whether it may be appropriate to preclude the practice of programmers to tie desired programming with undesired programming. To facilitate the development of a thorough record, the deadline for filing reply comments in response to the NPRM is extended to February 12, 2008.

This document corrects the reply comment date for a proposed rule published in the Federal Register of February 6, 2008. The corrected reply comment date is April 7, 2008.

The Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARRC) plans to file a petition with the Surface Transportation Board (Board) pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 10502 for authority to construct and operate approximately 30 to 45 miles of new rail line connecting the Matanuska-Susitna Borough's Port MacKenzie (or Port) in south-central Alaska to a point on the ARRC main line between Wasilla and north of Willow, Alaska. The proposed Port MacKenzie Rail Extension (or Project) would provide freight services between the Port and Interior Alaska and would support the Port's continuing development as an intermodal and bulk material resources export and import facility. The Port is owned by the Matanuska-Susitna Borough (MSB) and MSB is a co-sponsor of the Project. Because the construction and operation of this Project has the potential to result in significant environmental impacts, the Board's Section of Environmental Analysis (SEA) has determined that the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is appropriate pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). The purpose of this Notice of Intent is to notify individuals and agencies interested in or affected by the proposed Project of the decision to prepare an EIS. SEA will hold public scoping meetings as part of the NEPA process associated with the development of the EIS. Additionally, as part of the scoping process, SEA has developed a draft Scope of Study for the EIS for review and comment. Public meeting dates and locations, along with the draft Scope of Study, are provided herein. Dates and Locations: The public scoping meetings will be held at the following locations: March 3, 2008, 5-8 p.m. at Knik Elementary School, 6350 West Hollywood, Wasilla, AK. March 4, 2008, 5-8 p.m. at Big Lake Elementary School, 3808 South Big Lake Road, Big Lake, AK. March 5, 2008, 5-8 p.m. at Willow Area Community Center, Mile 70 Parks Highway, Willow, AK. March 6, 2008, 5-8 p.m. at Houston Middle School, 12801 W. Hawk Lane, Houston, AK. March 10, 2008, 5-8 p.m., at Wasilla Multi-Use Sports Complex, 1001 S. Mack Drive, Wasilla, AK. March 11, 2008, 5-8 p.m. at Anchorage Senior Center, 1300 East 19th Avenue, Anchorage, AK. The scoping meetings will be held in an informal workshop format during which interested persons may ask questions about the proposed Project and the Board's environmental review process, and advise SEA staff about potential environmental effects of the Project. No formal presentations will be made by agency representatives. SEA staff will be available to answer questions and receive comments individually. The meeting locations comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.). Persons that need special accommodations should telephone SEA's toll-free number for the Project at 1-888-257-7560. Interested parties are invited to submit written comments on the draft Scope of Study, alternative routes for the proposed rail line, and other environmental issues and concerns by March 21, 2008, to assure full consideration during the scoping process. SEA will issue a final Scope of Study after the close of the scoping comment period. Summary of the Board's Environmental Review Process: The NEPA process is intended to assist the Board and the public in identifying and assessing the potential environmental consequences of a proposed action before a decision on the proposed action is made. SEA is responsible for ensuring that the Board complies with NEPA and related environmental statutes. The first stage of the EIS process is scoping. Scoping is an open process for determining the scope of environmental issues to be addressed in the EIS. As part of the scoping process, SEA has developed, and has made available in this notice, a draft Scope of Study for the EIS. Concurrently, scoping meetings will be held to provide further opportunities for public involvement and input during the scoping process. In addition to the Scope of Study, interested parties are also encouraged to comment on potential routes for the proposed Project. SEA is currently considering eight alternative routes that have been identified by MSB and ARRC. At the conclusion of the scoping and comment period, SEA will issue a final Scope of Study for the EIS. After issuing the final Scope of Study, SEA will prepare a Draft EIS for the Project. The Draft EIS will address the environmental issues and concerns identified during the scoping process. It will also contain SEA's preliminary recommendations for environmental mitigation measures. The Draft EIS will be made available upon its completion for review and comment by the public, government agencies, and other interested parties. SEA will prepare a Final EIS that considers comments on the Draft EIS. In reaching its decision in this case, the Board will take into account the Draft EIS, the Final EIS, and all environmental comments that are received. SEA has recently invited several agencies to participate in this EIS process as cooperating agencies on the basis of their special expertise or jurisdiction by law. These agencies include: U.S. Army Corps of EngineersAlaska District; Alaska Department of Natural Resources; and U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration. Filing Environmental Comments: Comments submitted by mail should be addressed to: David Navecky, Surface Transportation Board, 395 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20423-0001, Attention: Environmental Filing, STB Finance Docket No. 35095. Comments may also be filed electronically on the Board's Web site, https://www.stb.dot.gov, by clicking on the ``E-FILING'' link. Please refer to STB Finance Docket No. 35095 in all correspondence, including e-filings, addressed to the Board. Comments are due by March 21, 2008.

This is a Notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of Kansas (FEMA-1741- DR), dated 02/01/2008. Incident: Severe Winter Storms. Incident Period: 12/06/2007 through 12/19/2007.

Pursuant to Section 102 (2) (C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Price Field Office, and the Manti-La Sal and Fishlake National Forests announce their intent to prepare an EIS and are soliciting public comments regarding issues and resource information on the potential impacts of a proposal to mine Federal coal, using underground methods with limited surface facilities, in the vicinity of Greens Hollow, Utah as requested by Ark Land Company in LBA case number UTU-84102 and in conformance with the provisions of 43 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 3425.1.

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, the Department of Labor (Department) conducts a preclearance consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to ensure that the requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the office listed below in the addresses section of this notice or by accessing: https://www.doleta.gov/OMBCN/ OMBControlNumber.cfm.

EPA is proposing to approve three State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the Commonwealth of Virginia. These revisions pertain to the Commonwealth's motor vehicle inspection and maintenance (I/M) program for the Northern Virginia area, which had previously been SIP-approved by EPA. These revisions incorporate several changes made by the Commonwealth since EPA last approved the I/ M program as part of the SIP in 2002. The most significant change to the program is the incorporation of on-board diagnostic computer checks of 1996 and newer model year vehicles as an element of the emission inspection process for the Northern Virginia program area. In addition, Virginia has also made numerous minor changes to the program, including several changes to test procedures and standards, as well as changes to its roadside testing regimen. The I/M program helps to ensure that highway motor vehicles operate as cleanly as possible, by requiring vehicles to be periodically tested and by identifying vehicles having high emissions due to malfunctioning emission control systems. Such vehicles must then be repaired and retested by their owners, to the standards set by the Commonwealth's program. Vehicle I/M programs address nitrogen oxide and volatile organic compound emissions, both of which are precursors to formation of ground level ozone pollution, as well as the pollutant carbon monoxide. This action is being taken under the Clean Air Act (CAA).

The following applicants have applied for scientific research permits to conduct certain activities with endangered species pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit a continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This is a request to renew an existing approved collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on May 31, 2008. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS) hereby amends the regulation utilized to service the Community Facilities loan and grant programs and the Business Programs direct loan program by revising the form number for reamortization requests. The form was mistakenly made obsolete during the implementation of regulations changes for the Multi-Family Housing program. This final rule will correct the form reference.

This notice publishes the Pit River Tribe Liquor Control Ordinance. The Ordinance regulates and controls the possession, sale and consumption of liquor within the Pit River tribal land. The tribal land is located on trust land and this Ordinance allows for the possession and sale of alcoholic beverages. This Ordinance will increase the ability of the tribal government to control the distribution and possession of liquor within their tribal land, and at the same time will provide an important source of revenue and strengthening of the tribal government and the delivery of tribal services.

In a Federal Register notice published on November 6, 2006 (71 FR 64982-64983), and pursuant to section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and 40 CFR 1508.22, the Department of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), provided notice of its intent to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) and conduct public scoping meetings for the adoption of a Long-Term Experimental Plan for the operation of Glen Canyon Dam and other associated management activities. This Federal Register notice provides updated information and additional background on the status and development of the Long- Term Experimental Plan, as well as information regarding shorter term proposed flow experiments related to the operation of Glen Canyon Dam.

The IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management, invites comments on the proposed information collection requests as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announces a meeting of the Planetary Science Subcommittee of the NASA Advisory Council (NAC). This Subcommittee reports to the Science Committee of the NAC. The Meeting will be held for the purpose of soliciting from the scientific community and other persons scientific and technical information relevant to program planning.