February 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This order revokes a Secretarial Order in its entirety, as it affects the remaining 160 acres of lands in Box Elder and Cache Counties, Utah, withdrawn from surface entry and mining on behalf of the Bureau of Reclamation for the Bear River Storage Project. The lands are no longer needed for reclamation purposes and this order will open the lands to surface entry and mining.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and its implementing regulations, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) hereby announces that it is seeking renewal of the following currently approved information collection activities. Before submitting these information collection requirements (ICRs) for clearance by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified below.

This solicitation is for proposals from not-for-profit entities with rural transit and technical assistance expertise for a cooperative agreement to develop and implement a National Rural Transportation Assistance Program (RTAP). The entity or entities selected will manage a National technical assistance program that improves and enhances the coordination of Federal resources for rural transportation. The major goal of the National RTAP is to assist States and local communities in the expansion and provision of rural public transportation. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will award one or more five-year agreement(s), funded annually. Year one of the cooperative agreement(s) is for $1.212 million dollars as authorized in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity ActA Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) and appropriated in FY2007. Funding for subsequent years will be based on annual appropriations, as well as annual performance reviews. However, years 2010 and 2011 are subject to the next reauthorization.

Under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C. Appendix, as amended), and the Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended), the Department of Defense gives notice that it is establishing the Department of Defense Board of Actuaries (hereafter referred to as the Board). The Board is a non-discretionary federal advisory committee established under the authority of 10 U.S.C. 183. The Board shall: (1) Review valuations of the Department of Defense Military Retirement Fund in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 1465(c) and submit to the President and Congress, not less than once every four years, a report on the status of the Fund including such recommendations for modifications to the funding or amortization of that Fund as the Board considers appropriate and necessary to maintain that Fund on a sound actuarial basis; (2) review valuations of the Department of Defense Education Benefits Fund in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2006(e), as amended, and make recommendations to the President and Congress on such modifications to the funding or amortization of that Fund as the Board considers appropriate to maintain that Fund on a sound actuarial basis; and (3) review valuations of such other funds as the Secretary of Defense shall specify for purpose of 10 U.S.C. 183 and make recommendations to the President and Congress on such modifications to the funding or amortization of such funds as the Board considers appropriate to maintain such funds on a sound actuarial basis. The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the Board has access to such records regarding the Military Retirement Fund and the Department of Defense Education Benefits Fund as the Board shall require to determine the actuarial status of such funds. The Board shall be composed of not more than three members appointed by the Secretary of Defense from among qualified professional actuaries who are members of the Society of Actuaries. Members appointed by the Secretary of Defense, who are not federal officers or employees, shall serve as Special Government Employees under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 3109. The members shall serve for a term of 15 years, except that a member of the Board appointed to fill a vacancy occurring before the end of the term for which the predecessor was appointed shall serve only until the end of such term. A member may serve after the end of the term until a successor has taken office. A member of the Board may be removed by the Secretary of Defense for misconduct or failure to perform functions vested in the Board, and for no other reason. Each member of the Department of Defense Retirement Board of Actuaries or the Department of Defense Education Benefits Board of Actuaries, as of the date of enactment of section 906 of Public Law 110-181, shall serve as an initial member of the Department of Defense Board of Actuaries from that date until the date otherwise provided for the completion of such individual's term as a member of the Department of Defense Retirement Board of Actuaries or the Department of Defense Education Benefits Board of Actuaries, as the case may be, unless earlier removed by the Secretary of Defense. A member of the Board who is not an employee of the United States is entitled to receive pay at the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay of the highest rate of basic pay then currently being paid under the General Schedule of subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code, for each day the member is engaged in the performance of the duties of the Board. In addition, each member shall receive compensation for per diem and travel for official Board travel. Members shall not be reappointed for successive terms. The Chairperson of the Board shall be designated by the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, on behalf of the Secretary of Defense, for a five-year term. The Board shall be authorized to establish subcommittees, as necessary and consistent with its mission, and these subcommittees or working groups shall operate under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976, and other appropriate federal regulations. Such subcommittees or workgroups shall not work independently of the chartered Board, and shall report all their recommendations and advice to the Board for full deliberation and discussion. Subcommittees or workgroups have no authority to make decisions on behalf of the chartered Board nor can they report directly to the Department of Defense or any federal officers or employees who are not Board members.

On December 20, 2007 (72 FR 72522), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) published for public comment a proposed rule on Geologic Repository Operations Area Security and Material Control and Accounting Requirements. The public comment period for this proposed rule was to have expired on March 4, 2008. The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) has requested an extension to May 5, 2008. Due to the complex nature of the proposed rule, the NRC has decided to extend the comment period until May 5, 2008. In a letter dated January 22, 2008, NEI requested the additional time to fully capture the relevant industry experience with the type of post September 11, 2001 security enhancements discussed in the proposal.

The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee.

This action amends certain regulations governing U.S. registered aircraft operating beyond the territorial airspace of the United States. This action is necessary to correct an error in the recodification of the regulations concerning general operating and flight rules. The intended effect of this action is to correct an inadvertent error in the regulations.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above that would supersede an existing AD. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as:

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and an associated National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) document for Erie National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). We provide this notice in compliance with our planning policy to advise other agencies, Tribes, and the public of our intentions, and to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to consider. We are also requesting public comments.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), intend to prepare a comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and an associated National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) document for Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). We provide this notice in compliance with our planning policy to advise other agencies, Tribes, and the public of our intentions, and to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to consider. We are also requesting public comments.

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) of the Department of Labor (Department or DOL) is issuing this Notice to announce: The 2008 Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWRs) for employers seeking to employ temporary or seasonal nonimmigrant foreign workers to perform agricultural labor or services (H-2A workers) or logging (H-2B logging workers); the allowable charges for 2008 that employers seeking H-2A workers and H-2B logging workers may levy upon their workers when three meals a day are provided by the employer; and the maximum travel subsistence reimbursement which a worker with receipts may claim in 2008. AEWRs are the minimum wage rates the Department has determined must be offered and paid by employers of H-2A workers or H-2B logging workers to U.S. and foreign workers for a particular occupation and/or area so that the wages of similarly employed U.S. workers will not be adversely affected (20 CFR 655.100(b) and 655.200(b)). In this Notice the Department announces the AEWRs for 2008. The Department also announces the new rates for 2008 which agricultural and logging employers may charge their workers for three daily meals, and the minimum and maximum charge of travel subsistence expenses a worker may claim in 2008.

In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, for the opportunity for public comment on proposed data collection projects, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects to be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. Proposed Collection: Title: Brain Power! The NIDA Junior Scientist Program, for grades K-5, and the companion program for Middle School, the Brain Power! Challenge. Type of Information Collection Request: This information collection request is for an EXTENSION of 0925-0542 that was obtained in 2005, and is requested for two additional years to meet scheduling availability for participating school districts. Need and Use of Information Collection: This is a request to evaluate the effectiveness of the Brain Power! Program's ability to (1) increase children's knowledge about the biology of the brain and the neurobiology of drug addiction, (2) increase positive attitudes toward science, careers in science, science as an enjoyable endeavor, and the use of animals in research; and stimulate interest in scientific careers; and (3) engender more realistic perceptions of scientists as being from many races, ages, and genders. The secondary goals of the evaluation are to determine the Program's impact on attitudes and intentions toward drug use. The findings will provide valuable information concerning the goals of NIDA's Science Education Program of increasing scientific literacy and stimulating interest in scientific careers. In order to test the effectiveness of the evaluation, information will be collected from students before and after exposure to the curriculum with pre- and post-test self-report measures. Surveys will also be administered to teachers after the completion of the program to examine ease and fidelity of implementation, as well as impact in knowledge and understanding of the neurobiology of addiction. Surveys will be administered to parents to obtain parental reaction and opinion on the materials and the degree to which parents find the curriculum informative and appropriate. Frequency of Response: On occasion. Affected Public: Elementary and middle school students, teachers, and parents. Type of Respondents: Students, Teachers, and Parents. The reporting burden is as follows: Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,337; Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 2; Average Burden Hours Per Response: .25; Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours Requested: 640.5. There are no Capital Costs to report. There are no Operating or Maintenance Costs to report. The estimated annualized burden is summarized below.

In accordance with 7 CFR 1610.10, the Rural Telephone Bank (Bank) cost of money rate has been established as 5.84% for all advances made during fiscal year 2007 (the period beginning October 1, 2006 and ending September 30, 2007). All advances made during fiscal year 2007 were under Bank loans approved on or after October 1, 1992. These loans are sometimes referred to as financing account loans. The methodology required to calculate the cost of money rate is established in 7 CFR 1610.10(c). Because of the dissolution of the Bank, the only remaining component of the calculation of the Bank's cost of money rate for fiscal year 2007 is the rate paid by the Bank to the Treasury to borrower the funds advanced under financing account loans. Since the rate paid to the Treasury is greater than or equal to the minimum rate (5.00%) allowed under 7 U.S.C. 948(b)(3)(A), the cost of money rate is set at 5.84%.