2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In this order, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) revises the EQR Data Dictionary to define and rename Field 22 of the EQR to ``Commencement Date of Contract Terms'' and to clarify the information to be reported in the EQR concerning ancillary services. These revisions will make reporting this information less burdensome and more accessible.

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (``FinCEN'') is withdrawing the notice of proposed rulemaking, dated May 5, 2003, in which FinCEN proposed imposing on certain investment advisers a requirement to establish and implement an anti-money laundering program.

The original Market-Related Contract Term Addition (MRCTA) regulation was adopted in 1990 to provide financial relief to timber sale purchasers during cyclic downturns in forest products markets. However, the current drastic reduction in Forest Product markets, which began in late 2004, revealed several problems with the existing MRCTA regulation. Therefore, this final rule is needed to help ensure that the MRCTA regulation functions as originally intended. This final rule makes four changes to the MRCTA regulation. First, the regulation now allows more than 3 years to be added to a contract's term pursuant to MRCTA when there is a drastic reduction in wood product prices that lasts for more than 10 out of 12 consecutive quarters. Second, the regulation now gives contracting officers the flexibility needed to assign the most appropriate Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index (PPI) to a timber sale contract. Third, the regulation now prevents any single 3-month MRCTA from extending a contract's term by more than 1 year. Finally, the regulation now explicitly states what types of sales are ineligible for any MRCTA relief.

This interpretation by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``Commission'') is issued to clarify the appropriate treatment under the commodity broker provisions of the Bankruptcy Code and Part 190 of the Commission's Regulations of claims arising from contracts (``cleared-only contracts'') that, although not executed or traded on a Designated Contract Market or a Derivatives Transaction Execution Facility, are subsequently submitted for clearing through a Futures Commission Merchant (``FCM'') to a Derivatives Clearing Organization (``DCO''). The Commission first published this interpretation in the Federal Register of October 2, 2008 (73 FR 57235). A statement of concurrence on a different matter was printed at the end of the interpretation, in error. The Commission is republishing the interpretation to clarify that the statement of concurrence is not related to the interpretation.

Notice is hereby given that the Commission has approved the initiation of a voluntary pilot mediation program for investigations under section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended.

We are adopting several amendments to rules regarding our Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval (EDGAR) system. Specifically, we are amending our rules to make mandatory the electronic submission on EDGAR of applications for orders under any section of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (``Investment Company Act'') as well as Regulation E filings of small business investment companies and business development companies. We also are amending the electronic filing rules to make the temporary hardship exemption unavailable for submission of applications under the Investment Company Act. Finally, we are amending Rule 0-2 under the Investment Company Act, eliminating the requirement that certain documents accompanying an application be notarized and the requirement that applicants submit a draft notice as an exhibit to an application.

The SEORAC will be briefed on BLM's wild horse and burro program, BLM's sagebrush habitat treatments and the current status of the Oregon Explorer grant. Council members will also provide orientation to new members, conduct chair elections, establish their 2009 annual work plan and meeting schedule, receive information from designated federal officials, give constituent updates, implement a subgroup establishment process, present active subgroup reports and identify agenda items for the next meeting. Any other matters that may reasonably come before the SEORAC may also be addressed. The public is welcome to attend all portions of the meeting and may contribute during the public comment period at 11:30 a.m. on November 14, 2008. Those who verbally address the SEORAC during the public comment period are asked to provide a written statement of their comments or presentation. Unless otherwise approved by the SEORAC chair, the public comment period will last no longer than 30 minutes, and each speaker may address the SEORAC for a maximum of five minutes. For Further Information Contact: Program information, meeting records and a roster of council members may be obtained from Scott Stoffel, public affairs specialist, 1301 South G Street, Lakeview, OR 97630, (541) 947-6237. The meeting agenda will be posted at https://www.blm.gov/or/rac/seorrac-minutes.php when available. Should you require reasonable accommodation, please contact the Lakeview District BLM at (541) 947-2177 as soon as possible.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving an application from the Navajo Nation (``Tribe'') under Section 1425 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) for primary enforcement responsibility (or ``primacy'') for the underground injection control (UIC) program for Class II (oil and gas-related) injection wells located within the exterior boundaries of the formal Navajo Reservation, including the three satellite reservations (Alamo, Canoncito and Ramah), but excluding the former Bennett Freeze Area, the Four Corners Power Plant and the Navajo Generating Station; and on Navajo Nation tribal trust lands and trust allotments outside the exterior boundaries of the formal Navajo Reservation. (These areas are collectively referred to hereinafter as ``areas covered by the Tribe's Primacy Application.'')

The Agency is revising its existing regulation governing Rural Rental Housing loans and grants. This action is necessary to provide editorial corrections to 7 CFR Part 3560, subpart N, ``Housing Preservation.'' The intended effect is to ensure the Agency's field offices have correct guidance on processing prepayment requests.

The FAA is superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for Rolls-Royce plc (RR) RB211-535E4-37, RB211-535E4-B-37, and RB211-535E4-B-75 series turbofan engines. That AD currently requires initial and repetitive ultrasonic inspections of installed low pressure compressor (LPC) fan blade roots on-wing and during overhaul, and relubrication according to accumulated life cycles. Also, that AD introduces application of Metco 58 blade root coating as an optional terminating action. This AD requires the same actions but adds compliance paragraphs to relax the compliance schedule for repetitive inspections for fan blades operating within RB211-535E4 flight profiles A and B, if certain requirements are met. This AD also relaxes the initial compliance threshold by extending the cycles at which an initial inspection is required. This AD results from RR issuing Mandatory Service Bulletin (MSB) No. RB.211-72-C879, Revision 5 and Revision 6, that introduced a relaxed repetitive compliance schedule for fan blades operating within RB211-535E4 flight profiles A and B, if certain requirements are met, and introduced a relaxed initial compliance threshold. We are issuing this AD to detect cracks in LPC fan blade roots, which if not detected, could lead to uncontained multiple fan blade failure, and damage to the airplane.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS) is amending its exiting income limit structure for the Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program (SFHGLP). The effect of this action is to provide more efficient service to lenders, investors and Agency staff by modifying the existing Rural Development eight (8) tiered income structure into a simplified two (2) tiered structure. This modification will simplify program requirements and the qualification process.

The Department of the Interior is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on October 2, 2008 (73 FR 57259). The document issued a final rule that will regulate restoring, replacing, or acquiring the equivalent of public natural resources that are injured or destroyed as a result of releases of hazardous substances

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the Federal Communications Commission invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on the following information collection(s). 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. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB 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 that does not display a valid OMB control number.

This document amends regulations governing education programs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) administers. In accordance with statutory requirements and previously established formulas, it amends the regulations to show increases in the monthly rates of basic educational assistance payable under the Montgomery GI BillActive Duty program, an increase in the percentage payable to veterans pursuing apprenticeship or other on-job training, and a change in the formula used to calculate the entitlement charge for individuals pursuing apprenticeship or other on-job training. It also amends procedural provisions and delegations of authority regarding continuation of payments during emergency school closings. Furthermore, this document makes nonsubstantive technical changes for purposes of clarity and to remove obsolete provisions.