September 18, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On July 25, 2008, the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, proposed to establish a State-specific rule to provide management direction for conserving Colorado roadless areas (73 FR 43544). This proposed rule is estimated to have more than $100,000,000 of economic impact. The proposed rule would satisfy the economic impact and subject matter criteria of 7 U.S.C. 2204e and thus requires a regulatory risk assessment. The Forest Service is seeking comment on the assessment. A copy of the Regulatory Risk Assessment is available at the national roadless Web site https://www.roadless.fs.fed.us.

This proposed rule amends regulations of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Department of Commerce (BEA) to set forth the reporting requirements for a new mandatory survey entitled the BE-150, Quarterly Survey of Cross-Border Credit, Debit, and Charge Card Transactions. The proposed survey would collect from major U.S. credit card companies data on cross-border credit, debit, and charge card transactions between U.S. cardholders traveling abroad and foreign businesses and between foreign cardholders traveling in the United States and U.S. businesses. If approved, the BE-150 survey would be conducted on a quarterly basis beginning with the first quarter of 2009. The proposed BE-150 survey data will be used by BEA in estimating the travel component of the U.S. International Transactions Accounts (ITAs). In constructing the estimates, these data will be used in conjunction with data BEA will collect separately from U.S. and foreign travelers on the Survey of International Travel Expenditures on the methods these travelers used to pay for their international travel, such as credit, debit, and charge card purchases, cash withdrawals, currency brought from home, and travelers' checks.

On September 10, 2008, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) published a notice in the Federal Register, 73 Fed. Reg. 52646, reopening the deadline for applications from persons interested in serving on the Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee (CSMAC) for new two year terms to commence in December 2008. Due to an administrative error, the application due date published in that notice was incorrect. This notice corrects that error.

The Air Force issues this notice to advise the public of its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Beddown and Flight Operations of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. The EIS will assess the potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed beddown and flight operations of unmanned aerial systems (UASs) at Grand Forks Air Force Base (GFAFB). The proposal responds to the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) decision to beddown the emerging UAS mission at GFAFB and entails restructuring airspace in the vicinity of GFAFB to allow for the safe training and operations of UASs. Additional information is available at the project Web site listed below.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``Commission'' or ``CFTC'') is re-proposing a number of amendments to its rules, guidance and acceptable practices, initially proposed on July 1, 2004,\1\ concerning trading off the centralized market, including the addition of guidance on contract market block trading rules and exchanges of futures for commodities or derivatives positions. The Commission is re- proposing these amendments and requesting comment as part of its continuing efforts to update its regulations in light of the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000 (``CFMA'').

The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not display a valid control number. Comments are requested concerning (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit a request to renew an existing approved Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is scheduled to expire on January 31, 2009. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below.

OSHA is requesting data, information, and comment on tree care operations, including hazards, fatalities, and control measures, that the Agency can use in developing a proposed standard to control hazards and reduce injuries in those operations.

NMFS announces that it is considering, and is seeking public comment on proposed rulemaking to revise National Standard 2 (NS2) guidelines regarding use of best scientific information available, in light of reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). NMFS is considering modifying the language describing the content and purpose of the Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) Report or related documents, and adding language regarding peer review processes, the role of the scientific and statistical committees (SSCs) of the Regional Fishery Management Councils (Councils), and the relationship between peer reviews and SSCs.

This Notice identifies excess Federal property under the administrative jurisdiction of the United States Air Force that the Air Force intends to exchange for military construction beneficial to the Air Force.

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), are sponsoring a public meeting on September 24, 2008. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States positions that will be discussed at the 30th Session of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), which will be held in Capetown, South Africa, on November 3- November 7, 2008. In addition, a working group will meet on November 1, 2008, to discuss agenda items on the Scientific Basis of Health Claims and Nutrient Reference Values for food labeling purposes, and any other matters related to the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health which are under consideration by the CCNFSDU. The Under Secretary for Food Safety and FDA recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 30th Session of CCNFSDU and to address items on the agenda.