2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Defense (DoD) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) published in the Federal Register of September 26, 2008 (73 FR 56344) a final rule governing the operation of the National Security Personnel System (NSPS), a human resources management system for DoD, as originally authorized by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 and amended by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008. This correction document clarifies the effective date of the final rule.

NMFS announces correction to Federal regulations for the West Coast groundfish fishery. This action corrects trip limits for vessels using multiple bottom trawl gears, which were published in a final rule. That final rule announced inseason changes to management measures in the commercial Pacific Coast groundfish fisheries. This correction is intended to eliminate any confusion for the public that may have occurred as a result of prior incorrect NMFS publications.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by non- American Fisheries Act (AFA) crab vessels that are subject to sideboard limits catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2008 Pacific cod sideboard limit established for non-AFA crab vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

The Department of Justice, through its component, EOUST, is issuing this final rule (rule) pursuant to Section 602 of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 (BAPCPA).\1\ The BAPCPA requires the Department to issue rules requiring uniform forms for final reports (Uniform Forms) by trustees in cases under chapters 7, 12, and 13 of title 11. The BAPCPA requires the rule to strike the best achievable practical balance between (1) the reasonable needs of the public for information about the operational results of the Federal bankruptcy system, (2) economy, simplicity, and lack of undue burden on persons with a duty to file these reports, and (3) appropriate privacy concerns and safeguards.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving a revision to the Texas State Implementation Plan (SIP) to meet the Reasonable Further Progress (RFP) requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA) for the Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) moderate 1997 8-hour ozone nonattainment area. EPA is also approving the RFP motor vehicle emissions budgets (MVEBs) and a revised 2002 Base Year Emissions Inventory associated with the revision. EPA is approving the SIP revision because it satisfies the RFP, RFP transportation conformity and Emissions Inventory requirements for 1997 8-hour ozone nonattainment areas classified as moderate and demonstrates further progress in reducing ozone precursors. EPA is approving the revision pursuant to section 110 and part D of the CAA and EPA's regulations.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as:

The General Services Administration (GSA) is proposing to amend the General Services Acquisition Regulation (GSAR) to revise and update the agency's implementation of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) contract financing policies. GSA has taken this opportunity to implement coverage for incremental funding of fixed-price, time-and- materials, and labor-hour contracts.

This document cancels a public hearing on proposed rulemaking by cross-reference to temporary regulations under section 179B of the Internal Revenue Code (Code) relating to the deduction of qualified capital costs paid or incurred by a small business refiner to comply with the highway diesel fuel sulfur control requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency.

This document contains corrections to final regulations (TD 9321) which were published in the Federal Register on April 17, 2007 (72 FR 19323), corrected July 31, 2007 (72 FR 41620) and September 24, 2007 (72 FR 54945). The final regulations relate to section 409A and nonqualified deferred compensation plans.

The Coast Guard is changing the operating regulations governing the Wilson Pigott Bridge, Okeechobee Waterway mile 126.3, Olga, Lee County, Florida. This action is necessary for worker safety and will assist in expediting the repairs to this bridge. During the period of this rule, the bridge will open a single-leaf on signal; a double-leaf opening is available with a three-hour advance notice to the bridge tender.

This Final Rule amends the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's reporting requirements for public utilities and licensees to file financial forms, reports, and statements, including FERC Form No. 1, FERC Form No. 1-F, and FERC Form No. 3-Q. These changes will improve the forms, reports and statements to provide, in fuller detail, the information the Commission needs to carry out its responsibilities under the Federal Power Act to ensure that rates remain just and reasonable. In addition, the changes will help provide public utility customers, state commissions, and the public information to assess the justness and reasonableness of electric rates.

This document contains a final rule that amends Interpretive Bulletin 95-1 to limit the application of the Bulletin to the selection of annuity providers for defined benefit plans. Also appearing in today's Federal Register is a final regulation, entitled ``Selection of Annuity ProvidersSafe Harbor for Individual Account Plans'', which establishes a safe harbor for the selection of annuity providers for the purpose of benefit distributions from individual account plans covered by title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). The amendment to Interpretive Bulletin 95-1, as well as the safe harbor for annuity selections, will affect plan sponsors and fiduciaries of individual account plans, and the participants and beneficiaries covered by such plans.

This document contains a final rule amending regulations under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 that provide guidance and a fiduciary safe harbor for the distribution of benefits on behalf of participants or beneficiaries in terminated and abandoned individual account plans. The Department is amending these regulations to reflect changes enacted as part of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the Code), under which a distribution of a deceased plan participant's benefit from an eligible retirement plan may be directly transferred to an individual retirement plan established on behalf of the designated nonspouse beneficiary of such participant. Specifically, the amended regulations require as a condition of relief under the fiduciary safe harbor that benefits for a missing, designated nonspouse beneficiary be directly rolled over to an individual retirement plan that fully complies with Code requirements. This final rule will affect fiduciaries, plan service providers, and participants and beneficiaries of individual account pension plans.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has determined that its adoption of amended energy conservation standards for commercial standard size packaged terminal air conditioners (PTACs) and packaged terminal heat pumps (PTHPs), at efficiency levels more stringent than those in American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air- Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)/Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) Standard 90.1-1999, is supported by clear and convincing evidence that such standards would result in significant additional conservation of energy and are technologically feasible and economically justified. On this basis, DOE is today amending the existing energy conservation standards for these types of equipment. In addition, DOE has determined that its adoption of amended energy conservation standards more stringent than the efficiency levels specified by ASHRAE Standard 90.1-1999 for non-standard size PTACs and PTHPs is not supported by clear and convincing evidence, thus, DOE is adopting the efficiency levels in ASHRAE Standard 90.1-1999 for non- standard size PTACs and PTHPs in today's final rule.

This final rule sets forth the core requirements for the HOPE for Homeowners Program that have been established by the Board of Directors (Board) of the HOPE for Homeowners Program (Program). A new section 257 of the National Housing Act (NHA) provides the authority for this Program and oversight requirements to be performed by the Board. Specifically, section 257(c)(1) of the NHA requires the Board to prescribe such regulations as may be necessary or appropriate to implement the Program. The Board has determined that the regulations set forth in this rule are necessary and appropriate for the implementation and effective administration of the Program.

The Coast Guard proposes to change the drawbridge operation regulations of the Route 30 Bridge, at ICW mile 67.2, across Beach Thorofare at Atlantic City, NJ. This proposal would allow for the drawbridge to open on signal every hour during high transit periods in the summer months and to operate on an advance notice basis at all other times. The proposed changes would result in more efficient use of the bridge.

NMFS reopens the commercial fishery for deepwater grouper (misty grouper, snowy grouper, yellowedge grouper, warsaw grouper, and speckled hind) and tilefishes in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico. NMFS previously determined that the quotas for these commercial fisheries would be reached by May 10, 2008. The latest estimates for deepwater grouper and tilefish landings indicate the quotas were not reached by that date. Consequently, NMFS will reopen these fisheries for 10 days. The purpose of this action is to allow the fisheries to maximize harvest benefits and at the same time protect the deepwater grouper and tilefish resources.

The Department of State is adding Eritrea to its regulations on prohibited exports and sales to certain countries as a result of its designation as a country not cooperating fully with antiterrorism efforts.

EPA is extending the comment period for a proposed rule published September 4, 2008 (73 FR 51606). On September 4, 2008, EPA proposed to partially approve and disapprove portions of revisions to the Georgia State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the State of Georgia in three submittals dated October 31, 2006, March 5, 2007, and August 22, 2007. The proposed revisions modify Georgia's Prevention of Significant Deterioration and Nonattainment New Source Review permitting rules in the SIP to address changes to the federal New Source Review (NSR) regulations, which were promulgated by EPA on December 31, 2002, and reconsidered with minor changes on November 7, 2003 (collectively, these two final actions are referred to as the ``2002 NSR Reform Rules''). At the request of several commentors, EPA is extending the comment period through November 5, 2008.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2008 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod allocated to vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component of the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

On August 6, 2008 (73 FR 45635), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) published for public comment a proposed rule that would amend its regulations in 10 CFR Part 35, ``Medical Use of Byproduct Material'' to change medical event definitions. The public comment period for this proposed rule was to have expired on October 20, 2008. By letter dated September 16, 2008, the NRC's Advisory Committee on the Medical Use of Isotopes (ACMUI) requested an extension to November 7, 2008. As explained in the letter, the fall meeting of the ACMUI is scheduled for October 27 and 28, 2008, and the subject matter in the proposed rule is on the agenda for discussion at this public meeting. ACMUI believes that it will be able to provide better comment on the proposed rule following this discussion. Due to the complex nature of the proposed medical rule and the high public interest of the medical community, the NRC has decided to extend the comment period until November 7, 2008.

EPA is proposing to amend the Exceptional Events Rule to provide a revised exceptional event data flagging and documentation schedule for ozone data that may be used for designations under the 2008 ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). The Exceptional Events Rule states that when EPA sets a NAAQS for a new pollutant or revises the NAAQS for an existing pollutant, EPA may revise or set a new schedule for flagging data for those NAAQS. EPA recently revised the primary and secondary ozone NAAQS to protect public health and welfare; the revised standards became effective May 27, 2008. Consistent with the process envisioned in the Exceptional Events Rule, this proposal revises the dates for flagging data and submitting documentation regarding exceptional events under the revised ozone NAAQS. This revised schedule allows EPA to fully consider state requests for exceptional event concurrence prior to EPA making final designations. In the ``Rules'' section of this Federal Register, we are issuing this action as a direct final rule without a prior proposed rule. If we receive no adverse comment, we will not take further action on this proposed rule.

The FAA is correcting airworthiness directive (AD) 2008-16-05. That AD applies to RRD Dart 528, 529, 532, 535, 542, and 552 Series turboprop engines. We published that AD in the Federal Register on July 31, 2008 (73 FR 44630). The superseded AD number in paragraph (b) in the regulatory section is incorrect. This document corrects that superseded AD number. In all other respects, the original document remains the same.

The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) proposes this rule establishing eligibility criteria and program requirements for loan guarantees authorized by the Twenty-first Century Water Works Act (Title II of Pub. L. 109-451; 43 U.S.C. 2421-2434) (Act). This rule is intended to define for potential participants how the loan guarantees authorized by the Act will be administered. The Act authorizes the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to make loan guarantees for three categories of projects: Category (A) projects are rural water supply projects as defined in section 102(9) of the Reclamation Rural Water Supply Act of 2006 (Title I of Pub. L. 109-451; 43 U.S.C.2401-2409) (Rural Water Supply Act of 2006); A category (B) project is an extraordinary operation and maintenance activity for, or the rehabilitation or replacement of, a facility that is authorized by Federal reclamation laws and constructed by the United States under such law; or in connection with which there is a repayment or water service contract executed by the United States under Federal reclamation law; or A category (C) project is an improvement to water infrastructure directly associated with a reclamation project that, based on a determination of the Secretary improves water management; and fulfills other Federal goals. For purposes of this rule, these will be referred to as category (A), (B), or (C) projects. The Act provides that, subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary of the Interior may provide loan guarantees for eligible projects. The Act requires the Secretary to develop criteria for determining the eligibility of a project for financial assistance, and to publish them in the Federal Register. The intent of this rulemaking is to meet this requirement, as well as to define for potential participants how the loan guarantee will be administered. Reclamation will administer the program. Reclamation will take into account the comments on this rule in developing final regulations. Reclamation recognizes that the rule will be modified in the future to more specifically address category (A) projects and to address modifications in administration as a result of experience gained through the first requests.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is amending its regulations to provide, on a limited and categorical basis, a more streamlined process for nonimmigrant aliens infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to enter the United States as visitors on temporary visas (for business or pleasure) for up to 30 days. Nonimmigrant aliens who do not meet the specific requirements of the rule or who do not wish to consent to the conditions imposed by this rule may elect to seek admission under current procedures and obtain a case-by-case determination of their eligibility for a waiver of the nonimmigrant visa requirements concerning inadmissibility for aliens who are infected with HIV.