2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and the expected costs and burden; it includes the actual data collection instruments [if any].

The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) has determined that certain 100% polyester pin dot dobby fabric, as specified below, is not available in commercial quantities in a timely manner in the CAFTA-DR countries. The product will be added to the list in Annex 3.25 of the CAFTA-DR Agreement in unrestricted quantities.

This Notice is to inform the public of the Secretary's decision to increase the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Beneficiary Travel program mileage reimbursement rate under 38 U.S.C. 111 for travel of eligible beneficiaries in connection with VA health care and for other purposes. Effective November 17, 2008, the beneficiary travel mileage reimbursement rate is increased from 28.5 cents to 41.5 cents based upon mileage traveled to or from a Department facility or other place in connection with vocational rehabilitation, counseling required by the Secretary pursuant to 38 U.S.C. Chapter 34, ``Educational Assistance'' or Chapter 35, ``Survivors and Dependents' Education Assistance'' or for the purpose of examination, treatment or care. The deductible requirements for purposes of beneficiary travel of mileage reimbursement will remain at $7.77 one-way; $15.54 round trip; with a monthly cap of $46.62.

This proposed rule would adjust the North and South Atlantic swordfish quotas for the 2008 fishing year (January 1, 2008, through December 31, 2008) to account for underharvests, and to transfer 18.8 metric tons (mt) dressed weight (dw) to Canada per the 2006 International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) recommendations 06-02 and 06-03. The North Atlantic 2008 directed baseline quotas plus the 2007 underharvest would be divided equally between the semiannual periods of January through May and June through December. In addition, NMFS proposes to modify the vessel chartering regulations to potentially allow Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) limited access permit (LAP) holders to charter foreign vessels under a chartering arrangement where catches taken would count against U.S. Atlantic HMS quotas or entitlements.

NMFS issues this proposed rule to implement Amendment 30B to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP) prepared by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council). This proposed rule would establish annual catch limits (ACLs) and accountability measures (AMs) for commercial and recreational gag, red grouper, and shallow-water grouper (SWG); establish a commercial quota for gag; adjust the commercial quotas for red grouper and shallow-water grouper; establish an incidental bycatch allowance trip limit for commercial gag and red grouper; reduce the commercial minimum size limit for red grouper; reduce the gag bag limit and the aggregate grouper bag limit; increase the red grouper bag limit; extend the closed season for recreational shallow-water grouper; establish a new reef fish seasonal-area closure; eliminate the end date for the Madison-Swanson and Steamboat Lumps marine reserves; and require that federally permitted reef fish vessels comply with the more restrictive of Federal or state reef fish regulations when fishing in state waters. In addition, Amendment 30B would establish management targets and thresholds for gag consistent with the requirements of the Sustainable Fisheries Act; set the gag and red grouper total allowable catch (TAC); and establish interim allocations for the commercial and recreational gag and red grouper fisheries. This proposed rule is intended to end overfishing of gag and maintain catch levels of red grouper consistent with achieving optimum yield.

The Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Council) and its Administrative Committee will hold meetings.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and its advisory committees will hold public meetings, December 10-16, 2008, in Anchorage, AK.

NMFS is closing the commercial fishery for porbeagle sharks in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. This action is necessary because the porbeagle shark quotas for the 2008 fishing season have reached or are projected to have reached at least 80 percent of the available quota.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the U.S. Department of Transportation invites the general public, industry and other governmental parties to comment on the information collection request (ICR) OMB No. 2105-0009, Advisory Committee Candidate Biographical Information Request Form. The current information collection request approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) expires on March 31, 2009.

The Commission is adding Priority Mail Contract 3 (MC2009-4 and CP2009-5) to the Competitive Product List. It is also noticing a related contract. These actions are consistent with changes in a recent law governing postal operations and a related Postal Service request. Republication of the lists of market dominant and competitive products is also consistent with new requirements in the law.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of a draft guidance for industry entitled ``Process Validation: General Principles and Practices.'' FDA is revising its guidance for industry entitled ``Guideline on General Principles of Process Validation,'' which issued in May 1987 (the 1987 guidance). The revised draft guidance promotes a ``lifecycle'' approach to process validation that includes scientifically sound design practices, robust qualification, and process verification. When finalized, this draft guidance will replace the 1987 guidance.

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission will hold a public hearing as part of its regular business meeting beginning at 8:30 a.m. on December 4, 2008, in Bel Air, Maryland. At the public hearing, the Commission will consider: (1) Approval of certain water resources projects; (2) a request for extension of an emergency certificate issued on October 30, 2008; and (3) adjustments to the SRBC Project Fee Schedule. Details concerning the matters to be addressed at the public hearing and business meeting are contained in the Supplementary Information section of this notice.

In accordance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 which provides opportunity for public comment on new or revised data collections, the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) will publish periodic summaries of proposed data collections. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed information collections are necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information has practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the RRB's estimate of the burden of the collection of the information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden related to the collection of information on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will file the plat of survey of the lands described below in the BLM-Eastern States, Springfield, Virginia, 30 calender days from the date of publication in the Federal Register.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that an Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing approved collection. The ICR which is abstracted below describes the nature of the collection and the estimated burden and cost.

The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) is announcing the Promoting Student Achievement at Schools Impacted by Military Force Structure Changes grant competition and requesting letters of intent and concept papers. Approximately $30 million is expected to be awarded, depending on availability of funding. The period of performance is expected to be 39 months (01 Jul 2009-30 Sept 2012). Awards will be based on military student enrollment and will range in size from $300,000 to $2,000,000, depending on the number of military students at the target schools. The Department's aim is to enhance the education of military students, but funds may be used to raise student achievement for all students at the target school(s). Projects will enhance student learning opportunities, student achievement, and educator professional development at military- connected schools that are experiencing significant military growth between 2007 and 2009 due to force structure changes based on the Report to Congress (March 2008). The Department has a priority of awarding grants to schools with low student achievement. This solicitation is open only to school districts serving 22 military installations, as shown in the list of eligible school districts below. Concept papers are expected to be reviewed in March, 2009; full proposals, in June, 2009. Awards are expected to be made on or about July 1, 2009. The Department will take into account geographic distribution and Military Service representation when making grant awards.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is correcting a document that appeared in the Federal Register on November 6, 2008 (73 FR 66000). The NRC is considering the issues raised in a petition for rulemaking submitted by Anthony R. Pietrangelo, on behalf of the Nuclear Energy Institute, in the ongoing ``Risk-Informed Redefinition of Large Break Loss-of-Coolant Accident (LOCA) Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS) Requirements'' rulemaking. This document corrects an erroneous NRC docket number and date.

EPA is proposing a disapproval of revisions to the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District (GBUAPCD) portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP), and limited approval and limited disapproval of revisions to the Kern County Air Pollution Control District (KCAPCD) and Mohave Desert Air Quality Management District (MDAQMD) portions of the SIP. These revisions concern particulate matter (PM) emissions from fugitive dust sources. We are proposing action on local rules that regulate these emission sources under the Clean Air Act as amended in 1990 (CAA or the Act). We are taking comments on this proposal and plan to follow with a final action.

The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (``OFAC'') is publishing the names of three newly-designated individuals whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to Executive Order 13224 of September 23, 2001, ``Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions With Persons Who Commit, Threaten To Commit, or Support Terrorism.''

On January 31, 1989, HUD published a notice of delegation of authority that became effective January 19, 1989. That delegation, from the Secretary of HUD to the General Counsel, consolidated and updated past delegations. Since the January 31, 1989, publication, additional delegations and updates have been issued and published independently. In order to provide greater guidance to the public concerning Secretarial delegations of authority to the General Counsel, this delegation of authority consolidates all delegations to the General Counsel within and since the January 31, 1989, Federal Register notice.