May 20, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is amending its regulations to implement the vessel security officer training and certification amendments to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, as amended, and the Seafarers' Training, Certification and Watchkeeping Code. These amendments incorporate the training and qualification requirements for vessel security officers into the requirements for the credentialing of United States merchant mariners. The vessel security officer requirements would apply to all vessels subject to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, as amended, under current regulations. This includes all seagoing vessels, as defined in 46 CFR 15.1101, to mean self-propelled vessels engaged in commercial service that operate beyond the Boundary Line established by 46 CFR Part 7, except those vessels which have been determined to be otherwise exempt from STCW as per 46 CFR 15.103(e) and (f).

Per 30 U.S.C. 188(d), LoneTree Energy & Associates, LLC timely filed a petition for reinstatement of oil and gas lease NDM 95197, Divide County, North Dakota. The lessee paid the required rental accruing from the date of termination. No leases were issued that affect these lands. The lessee agrees to new lease terms for rentals and royalties of $10 per acre and 16\2/3\ percent or 4 percentages above the existing competitive royalty rate. The lessee paid the $500 administration fee for the reinstatement of the lease and $163 cost for publishing this Notice. The lessee met the requirements for reinstatement of the lease per Sec. 31 (d) and (e) of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920 (30 U.S.C. 188). We are proposing to reinstate the lease, effective the date of termination subject to: The original terms and conditions of the lease; The increased rental of $10 per acre; The increased royalty of 16\2/3\ percent or 4 percentages above the existing competitive royalty rate; and The $163 cost of publishing this Notice.

This notice announces actions taken by the FHWA and other Federal agencies that are final within the meaning of 23 U.S.C. 139(l)(1). These actions relate to a proposed highway project to add a standard northbound HOV Lane and standardized Northbound Mixed-Flow Lanes, Median and Shoulder Alternative.

The NTP announces the availability of the draft background document for styrene on May 22, 2008, on the RoC Web site (https:// ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/29679) or in printed text from the RoC (see ADDRESSES below). The NTP invites the submission of public comments on the draft background document for styrene. The expert panel will meet on July 21-22, 2008, at the Radisson Hotel Research Triangle Park, 150 Park Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 to peer review the draft background document for styrene and, once completed, make a recommendation regarding the listing status for styrene (i.e., known to be a human carcinogen, reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen, or not to list) in the 12th Edition of the RoC (12th RoC). The RoC expert panel meeting is open to the public with time scheduled for oral public comments. Attendance is limited only by the available meeting room space. Following the expert panel meeting and completion of the expert panel report, the NTP will post the final version of the background document and the expert-panel peer review report on the RoC Web site.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. International Trade Commission has issued a general exclusion order and cease and desist orders directed to two defaulting domestic respondents in the above- identified investigation. The investigation is terminated.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announces a meeting of the Heliophysics 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.

This notice lists the location and time of the twelfth and thirteenth meetings of the National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission.

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 8804-C, Certificate of Partner-Level Items to Reduce Section 1446 Withholding and TD 9394, Special Rules to Reduce Section 1446 Withholding.

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 existing proposed and final regulations; Financial Asset Securitization Investment Trust; Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits [REG-100276- 97; REG-122450-98]; Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits (TD 9004 (final)) Sections 1.860E-1(c)(4)-(10).

The Department of Defense is publishing the unclassified text of a section 36(b)(1) arms sales notification. This is published to fulfill the requirements of section 155 of Public Law 104-164 dated 21 July 1996.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is publishing regulations implementing section 2719 of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). IGRA allows Indian tribes to conduct class II and class III gaming activities on land acquired after October 17, 1988, only if the land meets certain exceptions. This rule articulates standards that the BIA will follow in interpreting the various exceptions to the gaming prohibitions contained in section 2719 of IGRA. It also establishes a process for submitting and considering applications from Indian tribes seeking to conduct class II or class III gaming activities on lands acquired in trust after October 17, 1988.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the initiation of a status review for the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) in the Sonoran Desert area of central Arizona and northwestern Mexico, hereafter referred to as the ``Sonoran Desert area bald eagle.'' Through this action, we encourage all interested parties to provide us with information regarding the status of, and any potential threats to, the Sonoran Desert area bald eagle.

We are revising our regulations for the Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program (Ticket to Work program), which was authorized by the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999. The Ticket to Work program provides Social Security Disability Insurance and disabled Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries expanded options for access to employment services, vocational rehabilitation services, and other support services. We are revising our prior rules to improve the overall effectiveness of the program to maximize the economic self-sufficiency of beneficiaries through work opportunities. We have based these revisions on our projections of the future direction of the Ticket to Work program, our experience using the prior rules, and recommendations made by commenters on the program.

Based on its review of the air quality criteria and national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for lead (Pb), EPA proposes to make revisions to the primary and secondary NAAQS for Pb to provide requisite protection of public health and welfare, respectively. EPA proposes to revise various elements of the primary standard to provide increased protection for children and other at-risk populations against an array of adverse health effects, most notably including neurological effects, particularly neurocognitive and neurobehavioral effects, in children. With regard to the level and indicator of the standard, EPA proposes to revise the level to within the range of 0.10 to 0.30 [mu]g/ m\3\ in conjunction with retaining the current indicator of Pb in total suspended particles (Pb-TSP) but with allowance for the use of Pb- PM10 data, and solicits comment on alternative levels up to 0.50 [mu]g/m\3\ and down below 0.10 [mu]g/m\3\. With regard to the averaging time and form of the standard, EPA proposes two options: To retain the current averaging time of a calendar quarter and the current not-to-be-exceeded form, revised to apply across a 3-year span; and to revise the averaging time to a calendar month and the form to the second-highest monthly average across a 3-year span. EPA also solicits comment on revising the indicator to Pb-PM10 and on the same broad range of levels on which EPA is soliciting comment for the Pb-TSP indicator (up to 0.50 [mu]g/m\3\). EPA also invites comment on when, if ever, it would be appropriate to set a NAAQS for Pb at a level of zero. EPA proposes to make the secondary standard identical in all respects to the proposed primary standard. EPA is also proposing corresponding changes to data handling procedures, including the treatment of exceptional events, and to ambient air monitoring and reporting requirements for Pb including those related to sampling and analysis methods, network design, sampling schedule, and data reporting. Finally, EPA is providing guidance on its proposed approach for implementing the proposed revised primary and secondary standards for Pb. Consistent with the terms of a court order, by September 15, 2008 the Administrator will sign a notice of final rulemaking for publication in the Federal Register.