April 15, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard announces its intent to withdraw a 1993 advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM). Because of the length of time since the ANPRM was published, the Coast Guard requests additional public comment before proceeding with withdrawal. The rulemaking deals with supplementing a statutory requirement that single-hulled oil tankers in Prince William Sound, Alaska, and Puget Sound, Washington, be accompanied through those waters by escort vessels. It would extend those requirements to other U.S. waters, and possibly to vessels other than single-hulled oil tankers. Subject to reconsideration in light of public comment, the Coast Guard believes that this rulemaking is inappropriate and inefficient and therefore not the best way to consider such extensions.

The Commander, Fifth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Cape Fear River Memorial Bridge, mile 26.8 at Wilmington, NC. Under this deviation, a one-hour advance notice is required for bridge openings, to allow bridge inspectors time to remove test equipment connected to operating components used in bridge openings.

In compliance with the requirements of section 3506(c)(2)(a) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) is soliciting public comment on the specific aspects of the information collection described below.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) rescinds provisions of its Adjudication Procedures Manual, M21-1 (Manual M21-1) that were found by the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (Veterans Court) not to have been properly rescinded.

Pursuant to section 10 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463; 5 U.S.C. APP. 1), notice is hereby given of an open meeting of the Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship (ACA).

EPA is approving a State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Commonwealth of Virginia. This revision pertains to a federally enforceable State operating permit containing terms and conditions for the control of emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the Kraft Foods Global, Inc.Richmond Bakery located in Henrico County, Virginia. The submittal is for the purpose of meeting the requirements for reasonably available control technology (RACT) in order to implement the maintenance plan for the Richmond 8-hour ozone maintenance area. EPA is approving the revision to the Virginia SIP in accordance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA).

Pursuant to Public Law 92-463, notice is hereby given of a meeting of the NTP Board of Scientific Counselors (NTP BSC). The NTP BSC is composed of scientists from the public and private sectors and provides primary scientific oversight to the NTP Director and evaluates the scientific merit of the NTP's intramural and collaborative programs.

The direct final rule will incorporate by reference three American Petroleum Institute hurricane bulletins into MMS's regulations. The three bulletins supplement the American Petroleum Institute's Recommended Practice 2A-WSD, Recommended Practice for Planning, Designing, and Constructing Fixed Offshore PlatformsWorking Stress Design, which contains engineering design principles and good practices for new platforms and assessments of existing platforms. These bulletins are needed to increase survivability during hurricane events by imposing more stringent design and assessment criteria for both new and existing structures located within particular Gulf of Mexico areas. By increasing survivability during hurricane conditions, fewer platforms will be damaged, thereby, protecting critical oil and gas resources and making those resources available after hurricane events.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the reopening of the comment period on the proposed revised designation of critical habitat for the Bay checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha bayensis) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We also announce the availability of the draft economic analysis (DEA) of the proposed revised critical habitat designation and an amended required determinations section of the proposal. We are reopening the comment period to allow all interested parties an opportunity to comment simultaneously on the proposed rule, the associated DEA, and the amended required determinations section. You do not have to resend comments sent earlier. We will incorporate them into the public record as part of this comment period, and we will fully consider them when preparing our final determination.

This action amends the Class D airspace and establishes Class E airspace at Jacksonville Cecil Field, FL. An evaluation determined the Class D airspace should be modified and a required Class E surface airspace extension be established. This rule increases the safety and efficiency of the National Airspace System enhancing operations with adjacent Jacksonville Whitehouse Naval Out Lying Field (NOLF), Jacksonville Naval Air Station (NAS) and the Jacksonville Herlong Airport. This action additionally supports the Standard Instrument Approach Procedures at Cecil Field by the establishment of a Class E4 airspace extension to the Class D.