January 6, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (MAFMC) Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will hold a public meeting.

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 South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a series of public hearings regarding its Fishery Ecosystem Plan (FEP) and Comprehensive Ecosystem-Based Amendment 1. The Council will also conduct scoping meetings regarding a Comprehensive Annual Catch Limit (ACL) Amendment, Amendment 18 to the Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for the South Atlantic, and a Comprehensive Ecosystem-Based Amendment 2. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

The White Mountain National Forest proposes to add three sites to the Recreation Fee Program. Fees are determined based on the level of amenities and services provided, cost of operation, maintenance, and market assessment. Funds from fees will be used for the continued operation and maintenance of the sites. The fees proposed are as follows: Cabot Cabin would have an overnight rental fee of $30. There would be a $10 fee for overnight camping at Sawyer Pond Tentsite; and Zealand Picnic Area would be added to the Forest-wide Recreation Pass program. National recreation passes such as the Interagency Annual Pass, Senior Pass, Access Pass, or White Mountain National Forest Annual Pass would be valid for day use fees at these sites.

The Office of Public Health and Science (OPHS), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announces the release of the HHS Action Plan To Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections (HHS Action Plan). The effort represents a culmination of several months of deliberation by subject matter experts across HHS to identify key actions in the prevention of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). The document establishes national goals for enhancing and coordinating HHS-supported efforts, including the development of (1) National benchmarks; (2) prioritized recommended clinical practices to facilitate implementation of and adherence to existing recommended practices in hospitals; (3) a coordinated research agenda to strengthen the science for infection control prevention in hospitals; (4) a plan to progress towards the standardized measures and data definitional alignment needed to more accurately measure HAIs and make the varied HHS data systems interoperable; (5) opportunities for evaluating compliance with infection control practices in hospitals through certification processes and potential options for the use of payment policies and financial incentives to motivate organizations to provide better, more efficient care; and (6) a national messaging plan to build partnerships with various stakeholder groups across the country. Background: Healthcare-associated infections exact a significant toll on human life. They are among the top ten leading causes of death in the United States, accounting for an estimated 1.7 million infections and 99,000 associated deaths. In hospitals, they are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. In addition to the substantial human suffering exacted by HAIs, the financial burden attributable to these infections is staggering. It is estimated that HAIs incur nearly $20 billion in excess healthcare costs each year. For these reasons, the reduction of HAIs is a top priority for HHS. The HHS Steering Committee to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections (Committee) was established in July 2008. The Committee was charged with developing a strategy to reduce HAIs and issuing a plan which establishes national goals for HAI prevention and outlines key actions for achieving identified short- and long-term objectives. The plan is also intended to enhance collaboration with external stakeholders to maximize coordination and impact of national efforts. Thus, the development process of the HHS Action Plan is inclusive. The goal is to effectively collaborate with multiple stakeholders to maximize reach and impact in order to effectively prevent HAIs. The process strives to maximize transparency, public input, and stakeholder dialogue to ensure that the HHS Action Plan is relevant to multiple audiences and diverse public health needs and seizes opportunities to achieve its goals. Drawing on the expertise of the HHS Steering Committee To Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections, other experts across the Federal Government, various stakeholders, and the public, the HHS Action Plan will establish a national strategy for the reduction and prevention of HAIs. The public is invited to comment through the Web site on the content of the document. The plan is intended to be updated periodically in response to public input and new recommendations for infection prevention.

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92- 463, notice is hereby given that the Good Neighbor Environmental Board (GNEB) will hold a public teleconference on January 16, 2009 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The meeting is open to the public. For further information regarding the teleconference and background materials, please contact Mark Joyce at the number listed below. Background: GNEB is a Federal advisory committee chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463. UNEB provides advice and recommendations to the President and Congress on environmental and infrastructure issues along the U.S. border with Mexico. Purpose of Meeting: The purpose of this teleconference is to discuss and approve the Good Neighbor Environmental Board's Twelfth Report: Innovative Approaches to Addressing Environmental Problems along the US/Mexico Border. Supplementary Information: If you wish to make oral comments or submit written comments to the Board, please contact Mark Joyce at least five days prior to the meeting. General Information: Additional information concerning the GNEB can be found on its Web site at https://www.epa.gov/ocem/gneb. Meeting Access: For information on access or services for individual with disabilities, please contact Mark Joyce at (202) 564- 2130 or e-mail him at joyce.mark@epa.gov. To request accommodation of a disability, please contact Mark Joyce at least 10 days prior to the meeting to give EPA as much time as possible to process your request.

The OCC, Board, FDIC, and OTS (the agencies) are adopting as final the Interagency Questions and Answers Regarding Community Reinvestment (Questions and Answers) that were proposed on July 11, 2007. In response to comments received, the agencies clarified several of the new and revised questions and answers that were proposed and are withdrawing the proposed revisions to an existing question and answer. Also, in response to comments we received, the agencies are proposing a new question and answer that would provide examples of how an institution can determine that community services it provides are targeted to low- and moderate-income individuals. The agencies are also proposing to revise two existing questions and answers to allow pro rata consideration in certain circumstances for an activity that provides affordable housing targeted to low-or moderate-income individuals. The agencies invite public comment on these proposed new and revised questions and answers.

The Natural Resource Trustees (Trustees) for this project (identified below) have written a Draft Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment (Draft DARP/EA) that describes proposed alternatives for restoring natural resource injuries and compensating for recreational losses resulting from the November 26, 2004, oil spill at a refinery in Paulsboro, New Jersey, into the Delaware River. The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of the availability of the Draft DARP/EA and to seek written comments on the proposed restoration alternatives.