October 27, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Civil Monetary Penalty Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 requires all federal agencies with statutory authority to impose civil money penalties (CMPs) to evaluate and adjust those CMPs every four years. OTS last adjusted its CMP statutes in 2004. Consequently, OTS is issuing this final rule to implement the required adjustments to OTS's CMP statutes.

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain GE CT58 series turboshaft engines. This AD requires recalculating the lives of certain part numbered compressor spools using a new repetitive heavy lift (RHL) multiplying factor. This AD results from reports of cracks originating from the inner faces of the locking screw holes in the compressor spool. We are issuing this AD to prevent cracks due to RHL missions. Cracks could result in an uncontained rotor burst and damage to, or loss of, the helicopter and serious injuries to any person onboard.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a temporary security zone encompassing certain waters of the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers in order to safeguard high-ranking government officials and the public-at- large before, during, and after scheduled activities associated with the 2009 Presidential Inauguration. This security zone will be in effect between January 14, 2009 and January 25, 2009.

Notice of MeetingUnder the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92463, EPA gives notice of a meeting of the National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology (NACEPT). NACEPT provides advice to the EPA Administrator on a broad range of environmental policy, technology, and management issues. NACEPT is a committee of individuals who represent diverse interests from academia, industry, non-governmental organizations, and local, state, and tribal governments. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the draft findings from NACEPT's 20th anniversary report, sustainable water infrastructure, biofuels, EPA's 2009-2014 Strategic Plan Change Document, and EPA's Draft Information Access Strategy. A copy of the agenda for the meeting will be posted at https://www.epa.gov/ocem/nacept/cal-nacept.htm. Request for CommentsIn recognition of its 20th anniversary in 2008, NACEPT is preparing two reports that seek to: (1) Identify the issues and challenges EPA will face and should focus on over the next 5-10 years (``prospective report''), and (2) review NACEPT's activities and accomplishments during its 20-year history (``retrospective report''). For the prospective report (1 above), EPA has begun gathering input on the following ten questions about future environmental issues and trends and EPA's role in addressing them. 1. What do you consider to be the most influential long-term trends or forces (whether social, economic, technological, or otherwise) that are most likely to impact the environment over the next ten years? 2. What is your opinion on whether EPA is adequately addressing these trends or developments? 3. What steps could EPA take to improve its ability to anticipate and address these trends and related issues? 4. What do you consider to be the top environmental issues or challenges that the EPA must address in the next 10 years? 5. What might limit the Agency's ability to respond to the identified issues? 6. What are some specific steps that the Agency could take to respond to the issues and overcome the constraints? 7. What might the Agency look like ten years from now and what major changes in the way the Agency currently operates should be implemented now to achieve this ten year vision? 8. Over the next ten years, how would you define success for the EPA? 9. What measures would indicate success or failure for the Agency in the next ten years? 10. Is there anything else that you would like to add? The initial findings that have emerged from the input received thus far include the following: Climate change presents a challenge that will require substantial EPA involvement over the next ten years and beyond. EPA does or should play a pivotal role as the nation's leading source of environmental science and technology and should foster collaborative and cooperative relationships with all public and private sector interests. Some factors that will influence the degree to which EPA is successful over the next ten years remain largely beyond the Agency's control. The draft prospective report will be posted at https://epa.gov/ocem/ nacept/reports/. You may send your comments to Sonia Altieri at the contact information listed below. EPA will review the comments received, but will not respond to individual comments.

This is Supplement No. 3 to the Treasury Department Circular 570, 2008 Revision, published July 1, 2008, at 73 FR 37644.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is amending its Debt Collection regulations by clarifying terminology within the regulation and streamlining administrative wage garnishment hearing procedures. These modifications are few in number and result in revisions to the definition of terms and the process by which a debtor requests a hearing regarding administrative wage garnishment. SBA believes that this rule is routine and noncontroversial, and the Agency anticipates no significant adverse comment. If SBA receives a significant adverse comment, it will withdraw the rule.

Base (1% annual chance) Flood Elevations (BFEs) and modified BFEs are made final for the communities listed below. The BFEs and modified BFEs are the basis for the floodplain management measures that each community is required either to adopt or to show evidence of being already in effect in order to qualify or remain qualified for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is amending its regulations adopted on an interim basis in Order No. 690, in order to make them clearer and to refocus the rules on the areas where there is the greatest potential for abuse. The Final Rule is designed to foster compliance, facilitate Commission enforcement, and conform the Standards of Conduct to the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit in National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation v. FERC, 468 F. 3d 831 (DC Cir. 2006). Specifically, the Final Rule eliminates the concept of energy affiliates and eliminates the corporate separation approach in favor of the employee functional approach used in Order Nos. 497 and 889.