December 18, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice announces HUD's intention to sell an unsubsidized multifamily mortgage loan, without Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insurance, in a competitive, sealed bid sale (Pool 101 of MHLS 2009-1). This notice also describes generally the bidding process for the sale and certain persons who are ineligible to bid.

The Office of Academic Exchange Programs, European and Eurasian Programs Branch (ECA/A/E/EUR) announces an open competition for three (3) Summer Institutes for European undergraduate students to take place during the summer of 2009. The Institutes vary in focus, the number of participants, length, timing, and funding. Accredited, post-secondary educational institutions in the United States may submit proposals to administer one or more of the Institute programs. Institutions must submit separate proposals for each Institute. All Institutes will be funded in FY2009 pending the availability of funds.

Notice is hereby given that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has designated, in accordance with 40 CFR Part 53, a new reference method for measuring mass concentrations of coarse particulate matter (PM10-2.5) in the ambient air.

On September 29, 2008, the Department of Commerce (the Department) published a notice of initiation and preliminary results of a changed circumstances review with intent to revoke, in part, the antidumping duty (AD) finding on polychloroprene rubber from Japan. See Polychloroprene Rubber From Japan: Initiation and Preliminary Results of Changed Circumstances Review, and Intent to Revoke Antidumping Duty Finding, in Part, 73 FR 56548 (September 29, 2008) (Initiation and Preliminary Results). On October 27, 2008, the Federal Register corrected certain errors it made in publishing the Initiation and Preliminary Results. See Polychloroprene Rubber From Japan: Initiation and Preliminary Results of Changed Circumstances Review, and Intent to Revoke Antidumping Duty Finding, in Part, 73 FR 63687 (October 27, 2008) (Initiation Correction). In the Initiation and Preliminary Results and Initiation Correction, the Department invited interested parties to comment on the Initiation and Preliminary Results and no comments were received. Accordingly, we are now revoking this AD finding, in part, with regard to certain polychloroprene rubber products from Japan, as described in the ``Scope of Changed Circumstances Review'' section of this notice, based on the fact that domestic parties have expressed no further interest in the relief provided by the AD finding with respect to the imports of such products.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 90-day finding on a petition to revise the listing of the Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), to include New Mexico. We find that the petition presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that changing the listing status of the contiguous United States Distinct Population Segment of Canada lynx to include New Mexico may be warranted. Therefore, with the publication of this notice, we are initiating a further review in response to the petition, and we will issue a 12-month finding to determine if the petitioned action is warranted. To ensure that our review is comprehensive, we are soliciting feedback from the public regarding this species.

In accordance with provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, notification is hereby given that an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to PRBO Conservation Science (PRBO) to take small numbers of marine mammals, by Level B behavioral harassment only, incidental to conducting seabird and pinniped research in central California.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management issued final regulations on pay setting rules for General Schedule employees on November 7, 2008 (73 FR 66143). This correcting amendment clarifies an instruction.

The U.S. Coast Guard, with the National Marine Sanctuary Program West Coast Region as a cooperating agency, announces the availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) to implement enhanced environmental protection measures to the Coast Guard's operations in the areas of responsibility for Coast Guard Districts 11 (California) and 13 (Oregon and Washington) for public review and comment. The DEIS analyzes the environmental impacts of routine Coast Guard vessel and air operations when engaged in the following missions and activities: Law enforcement, national security, search and rescue, aids to navigation, and oil pollution and vessel grounding response. This analysis does not include live fire exercises. Comments and suggestions are invited from all interested parties to ensure that the full range and significance of issues related to this proposed action are identified. The Coast Guard has established a Web site at the address below to provide the public with additional information. https://pacareaeis.uscg.e2m-inc.com.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) has begun its annual preseason management process for the 2009 ocean salmon fisheries. This document announces the availability of Council documents as well as the dates and locations of Council meetings and public hearings comprising the Council's complete schedule of events for determining the annual proposed and final modifications to ocean salmon fishery management measures. The agendas for the March and April 2009 Council meetings will be published in subsequent Federal Register documents prior to the actual meetings.

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and the 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.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service or we) proposes migratory bird subsistence harvest regulations in Alaska for the 2009 season. The proposed regulations would enable the continuation of customary and traditional subsistence uses of migratory birds in Alaska and prescribe regional information on when and where the harvesting of birds may occur. These proposed regulations were developed under a co- management process involving the Service, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and Alaska Native representatives. The rulemaking is necessary because the regulations governing the subsistence harvest of migratory birds in Alaska are subject to annual review. This rulemaking proposes region-specific regulations that would go into effect on April 2, 2009, and expire on August 31, 2009.

The Director, Information Collection Clearance Division, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management invites comments on the submission for OMB review as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) policies, the BLM announces the availability of the Records of Decision (RODs) for the Sage Steppe Ecosystem Restoration Strategy for the Alturas, Eagle Lake, and Surprise Field Offices. The RODs constitute the final decisions of the BLM and make the Sage Steppe Ecosystem Restoration Strategy effective immediately.

The purpose of this notice is to solicit public nominations for three members to the Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board. The Board provides advice concerning management, protection and control of wild free-roaming horses and burros on the public lands administered by the Department of the Interior, through the Bureau of Land Management, and the Department of Agriculture, through the Forest Service.

The FAA's Aviation Safety, an organization responsible for the certification, production approval, and continued airworthiness of aircraft, and certification of pilots, mechanics, and others in safety related positions, publishes proposed non-regulatory documents that are available for public comment on the Internet at https://www.faa.gov/ aircraft/draftdocs/.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a document in the Federal Register on December 8, 2008, soliciting public comments concerning its proposal to extend the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the information collection requirements specified in OSHA's Standards on Longshoring (29 CFR part 1918) and Marine Terminal Operations (29 CFR part 1917). The document contains an incorrect OMB Control Number.

This document announces the availability of the Year 2008 Form M-1, Annual Report for Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangements and Certain Entities Claiming Exception. It is substantively identical to the 2007 Form M-1. The Form M-1 may again be filed electronically over the Internet.

We are amending our rules to clarify that we apply the preponderance of the evidence standard when we make determinations and decisions at all levels of our administrative review process. These rules do not change our policy that the Appeals Council applies the substantial evidence standard when it reviews a decision by an administrative law judge (ALJ) to determine whether to grant a request for review. We are also adding definitions of the terms ``substantial evidence'' and ``preponderance of the evidence'' for use in applying these rules.

The FHWA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval to renew two information collections, which are summarized below under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. We published a Federal Register Notice with a 60-day public comment period on this information collection on October 30, 2008. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.