March 28, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Defense revises the current rule addressing military recruiting and Reserve Officer Training Corps program access at institutions of higher education. This final rule implements 10 U.S.C. 983, as amended by the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (Pub. L. 108-375 (October 28, 2004)). As amended, 10 U.S.C. 983 clarifies access to campuses, access to students and access to directory information on students for the purposes of military recruiting, and now states that access to campuses and students on campuses shall be provided in a manner that is at least equal in quality and scope to that provided to any other employer. The prohibition against providing Federal funds when there is a violation of 10 U.S.C. 983 has an exception for any Federal funds provided to an institution of higher education, or to an individual, that are available solely for student financial assistance, related administrative costs, or costs associated with attendance. Such funds may be used for the purpose for which the funding is provided. A similar provision in section 8120 of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-79; 113 Stat. 1260) has been repealed. This rule also rescinds the previous policy that established an exception that would limit recruiting on the premises of the covered school only in response to an expression of student interest when the covered school certified that too few students had expressed interest to warrant accommodating military recruiters.

This document grants in full the Nissan North America, Inc.'s (Nissan) petition for exemption of the Rogue 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). Nissan requested confidential treatment for the information and attachments it submitted in support of its petition. In a letter dated November 6, 2007, the agency granted the petitioner's request for confidential treatment.

This notice sets forth the schedule and agenda of the meeting of the President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This notice also describes the functions of the Board. Notice of this meeting is required by section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act and is intended to notify the public of its opportunity to attend.

NMFS announces that persons who enter the purse seine fishery in the western and central Pacific Ocean (WCPO), as managed under the South Pacific Tuna Act of 1988 (SPTA), the Western and Central Pacific Convention Implementation Act (WCPFCIA) and other law, after March 28, 2008 (``control date''), are not guaranteed future participation in the fishery if NMFS decides to revise the criteria and procedures used to process license applications and/or to limit further the number of licenses available in the fishery. NMFS is considering the need to undertake such actions in order to provide greater clarity about the process used and thus help license holders and prospective license applicants in making business decisions, as well as to fulfill the obligations of the United States under international agreements to which it is party. This action does not commit NMFS to revising the criteria and procedures it uses or to establishing a new limit, and it does not prevent any other date or criteria from being selected for eligibility to participate in the fishery.

Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit public comment on proposed collections of information, including extensions and reinstatement of previously approved collections. This document describes a collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

The information collection requirements described below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'') for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (``PRA''). The FTC is seeking public comments on its proposal to extend through July 31, 2011, the current Paperwork Reduction Act clearance for information collection requirements contained in its Funeral Industry Practice Rule (``Funeral Rule'' or ``Rule''). That clearance expires on July 31, 2008.

Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 1500-1508 the U.S. Department of the Navy (Navy) has prepared and filed with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) on March 28, 2008, which evaluates the potential environmental consequences of homeporting additional surface ships at Naval Station (NAVSTA) Mayport, Florida. A Notice of Intent for this DEIS was published in the Federal Register on November 14, 2006 (FR14NO06-25). A public hearing will be held to provide information and receive oral and written comments on the DEIS. A preferred alternative has not been selected or identified in the DEIS. The Navy seeks comments from the public or interested parties regarding the sufficiency of the DEIS and the choice of a preferred alternative. Federal, state, and local agencies and interested individuals are invited to be present or represented at the hearing. Date and Address: One public hearing will be held. The hearing will be preceded by an open house session to allow interested individuals to review information presented in the DEIS DON representatives will be available during the open house session to provide clarification as necessary related to the DEIS. The open house session will occur from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. followed by the formal public hearing from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The public hearing is scheduled for the following date and location: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 at the Florida Community College, Deerwood Center, B1204 9911 Old Baymeadows Road, Jacksonville, FL 32256.

On January 31, 2008, NMFS published an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) soliciting public comments on revisions to its implementing regulations governing the taking of stranded marine mammals. Written comments were due by March 31, 2008. NMFS has decided to allow additional time for submission of public comments on this action.

On November 29, 2005, NMFS received a request from Eglin Air Force Base (Eglin AFB), for authorization to harass marine mammals, incidental to conducting surf zone testing/training and amphibious vehicle training and weapons testing off the coast of Santa Rosa Island (SRI). Following notice and comment, NMFS issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to Eglin AFB for a period of one year from December 11, 2006, to December 10, 2007, with mitigation, monitoring, and reporting requirements. On October 16, 2007, NMFS received a request from Eglin AFB to renew the IHA for a period of one year. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an authorization to Eglin AFB to incidentally take, by harassment, two species of cetaceans for a period of 1 year. NMFS is also requesting comments, information, and suggestions concerning Eglin AFB's application and the structure and content of future regulations.

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Scientific and Statistical Committee on April 14-15, 2008, to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is hereby giving notice that the National Vaccine Program Office (NVPO) will convene a meeting of the Vaccine Finance Working Group and is inviting input from stakeholders on this issue. The meeting will be open to the public.

NMFS announces the intent to issue exempted fishing permits (EFPs) to Pacific whiting shoreside vessels and first receivers that participate in a maximized retention and monitor program for the 2008 Pacific whiting shoreside fishery. EFPs are needed to allow vessels to retain catch in excess of the cumulative limits and to retain prohibited species until offloading. EFPs are also needed to allow first receivers to possess catch from a vessel that is in excess of cumulative limits and to used hopper type scales to derive accurate catch weights prior to sorting. Issuance of the EFPs would allow NMFS to collect catch data on incidentally caught species, including salmonids listed under the Endangered Species Act, and would allow new components of an overall monitoring program to be investigated before implementation of a regulatory program.

EPA expressed environmental concerns about annual monitoring, and how the proposed rule would ensure that it would be conducted. In addition, the final EIS should clarify under what circumstances the public will receive notification for changes in monitoring plans/strategy. Rating EC2.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has submitted the following information collection requirement to OMB for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. This is the second notice for public comment; the first was published in the Federal Register at 73 FR 3756, and no substantial comments were received. NSF is forwarding the proposed renewal submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance simultaneously with the publication of this second notice. Comments regarding (a) whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology should be addressed to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for National Science Foundation, 72517th Street, NW., Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, and to Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 295, Arlington, Virginia 22230 or via e-mail to: splimpto@nsf.gov. Comments regarding these information collections are best assured of having their full effect if received within 30 days of this notification. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling 703-292-7556. NSF may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information that such persons are not required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describes the nature of the information collections and their expected burden. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period was published on January 22, 2008 (73 FR. 3799).

In compliance with the requirements of Section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3507, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) has submitted the information collection described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review of this information collection requirement. Any interested person may file comments directly with OMB and should address a copy of those comments to the Commission as explained below. The Commission received no comments in response to an earlier Federal Register notice of November 15, 2007 (72 FR 64200) and has noted this fact in its submission to OMB.