April 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``CFTC'' or the ``Commission'') is proposing to exempt the trading and clearing of products called options on streetTRACKS[supreg] Gold Trust Shares (``ST Gold Options''), proposed to be traded on a national securities exchange, and cleared through the Options Clearing Corporation (``OCC''), from the provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act (``CEA'') \1\ and the regulations thereunder to the extent necessary to permit them to be so traded and cleared. Authority for this exemption is found in Section 4(c) of the CEA.\2\

In this notice, EPA is notifying the public that we have found that the motor vehicle emissions budgets (MVEBs) for volatile organic compounds (VOC) and oxides of nitrogen (NOX) in the Indiana and Ohio portions of the Cincinnati-Hamilton, Ohio/Kentucky/Indiana area are adequate for use in transportation conformity determinations. Indiana submitted the Cincinnati-Hamilton budgets with an 8-hour ozone attainment demonstration on June 13, 2007. As a result of our finding, the Indiana and Ohio portions of the Cincinnati-Hamilton, Ohio/ Kentucky/Indiana area must use the MVEBs from the submitted 8-hour ozone attainment demonstration for future transportation conformity determinations.

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 Form 5309, Application for Determination of Employee Stock Ownership Plan.

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 notice of proposed rulemaking, REG-107644-98 (Final), Dollar- Value LIFO Regulations; Inventory Price Index Computation Method.

HUD proposes to establish a new Privacy Act record system to add to its inventory of systems of records subject to the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended. The proposed new system of records is the TAAG case management system. This record system will be used for program implementation activities related to the Disaster Housing Assistance Program (DHAP) case management services. DHAP is a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) pilot grant program to provide temporary rental subsidies and case management for non-HUD assisted individuals and families displaced by Hurricanes Katrina or Rita. HUD is the servicing agency that administers the DHAP program for FEMA.

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 notice of proposed rulemaking, EE-14-81, Deductions and Reductions In Earnings and Profits (or Accumulated Profits) With Respect to Certain Foreign Deferred Compensation Plans Maintained by Certain Foreign Corporations or by Foreign Branches of Domestic Corporations (Sec. Sec. 1.404A-5, 1.404A-6 and 1.404A-7).

We are approving an amendment to the Virginia regulatory program under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). The revisions concern Virginia's standards for revegetation success for certain postmining land uses, distribution of topsoil and subsoil materials, and allow approval of natural stream restoration channel design, as developed in consultation with the Army Corps of Engineers. The amendment is intended to render the State's regulations no less effective than the Secretary's regulations in meeting the requirements of the Act.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (the Department) preliminarily determines that sodium nitrite from the Federal Republic of Germany (Germany) is being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV), as provided in section 733(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). The estimated margins of sales at LTFV are listed in the ``Preliminary Determination'' section of this notice. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination. We will make our final determination not later than 75 days after the date of the preliminary determination.

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 9087, Exclusions From Gross Income of Foreign Corporations (Sec. 883(a) and (c)).

The Department of Commerce (the Department) preliminarily determines that sodium nitrite from the People's Republic of China (PRC) is being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV), as provided in section 733 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). The estimated dumping margin is shown in the ``Preliminary Determination'' section of this notice.

The proposed information collection requirement described below has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal. The Mortgagor's Certificate of Actual Cost is submitted by the mortgagor to certify actual costs of development in order to make an informed determination of mortgage insurance acceptability and to prevent windfall profits. Its use provides a base for evaluating housing programs, labor costs, and physical improvements in connection with the construction of multifamily housing.

This notice announces the date, time, location and agenda for the next meeting of the National Advisory Council (NAC). At the meeting, the newly formed subcommittees will be reporting back regarding their work since the meeting in February, 2008. The meeting will be open to the public.

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 Form 1099-A, Acquisition or Abandonment of Secured Property.

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 Form 9620, Race and National Origin Identification.

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 Form 1041-N U.S. Income Tax Return for Electing Alaska Native Settlement Trusts.

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 2002-32, Waiver of 60-month Bar on Reconsolidation after Disaffiliation and Revenue Procedure 2006-21, Revenue Procedure to eliminate impediments to e-filing consolidated returns and reduce reporting requirements.

This document provides notice of public hearing on a notice of proposed rulemaking preparing guidance on the determination of plan assets and benefit liabilities for purposes of the funding requirements that apply to single employer defined benefit plans. These regulations affect sponsors, administrators, participants, and beneficiaries of single employer defined benefit plans.

EPA is proposing to amend the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Organic Liquids Distribution (non-gasoline) under section 112 of the Clean Air Act to clarify combustion control device compliance requirements, certain storage tank control compliance dates, and vapor balance system monitoring requirements. In addition, EPA is correcting typographical errors found in the July 28, 2006, final rule amendments notice.

On January 28, 2008, the Department of Commerce (the ``Department'') published in the Federal Register the preliminary results of the new shipper review of the antidumping duty order on certain preserved mushrooms from the People's Republic of China (``the PRC'') for Ayecue International SLU and its affiliated producer, Ayecue (Liaocheng) Foodstuff Co., Ltd. (collectively, ``Ayecue''). See Certain Preserved Mushrooms From the People's Republic of China: Preliminary Results of the Antidumping Duty New Shipper Review, 73 FR 4822 (January 28, 2008) (``Preliminary Results''). We gave interested parties an opportunity to comment on the Preliminary Results.

Under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C., Appendix, as amended) and the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended) the Department of Defense announces the following Federal advisory committee meeting of the Threat Reduction Advisory Committee (hereafter referred to as the Committee).

In response to pharmaceutical industry interest in the TRICARE VARRs Program, Department of Defense will host a meeting to discuss policies and procedures for VARRs.

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is issuing this Record of Decision (ROD) to develop, test, deploy, and plan for decommissioning of the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS). This decision includes the development, testing, deployment, and planning for decommissioning of land-, sea- and air-based platforms for BMDS weapons components and space-based sensors. This action will enable MDA to develop and field an integrated, layered, BMDS to defend the United States (U.S.), its deployed forces, allies, and friends against all ranges of enemy ballistic missiles in all phases of flight. The BMDS is a key component of U.S. policy for addressing ballistic missile threats worldwide.

EPA is announcing that Versar, Inc., an EPA contractor for external scientific peer review, will convene an independent panel of experts and organize and conduct an external peer-review meeting to review the external review draft document titled, ``Toxicological Review of 2-Hexanone: In Support of Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)'' (NCEA-S-2764). EPA previously announced the 60-day public comment period (ending April 28, 2008) for the draft document in the Federal Register on March 4, 2008 (73 FR 11408). EPA will consider public comments and recommendations from the expert panel meeting as EPA finalizes the draft document. The public comment period and the external peer-review meeting are separate processes that provide opportunities for all interested parties to comment on the document. EPA intends to forward public comments submitted in accordance with Federal Register (73 FR 11408) to Versar, Inc., for consideration by the external peer-review panel prior to the meeting. EPA is releasing this draft document solely for the purpose of pre- dissemination peer review under applicable information quality guidelines. This document has not been formally disseminated by EPA. It does not represent and should not be construed to represent any Agency policy or determination. Versar, Inc., invites the public to register to attend this meeting as observers. In addition, Versar, Inc., invites the public to give brief oral comments at the meeting regarding the draft document under review. The draft document and EPA's peer-review charge are available via the Internet on the National Center for Environmental Assessment's (NCEA) home page under the Recent Additions and the Data and Publications menus at https://www.epa.gov/ncea. When finalizing the draft document, EPA intends to consider Versar's report of the comments and recommendations from the external peer-review meeting and any public comments that EPA receives in accordance with 73 FR 11408, March 4, 2008. Public comments that were submitted during the 60-day public comment period ending April 28, 2008 may be observed at https:// www.regulations.gov under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-ORD-2008-0048.