February 20, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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

This notice is issued in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 2459f-1(d). The 2009 Power Beaming and Tether Challenges are now scheduled and teams that wish to compete may now register. The NASA Centennial Challenges Program is a program of prize contests to stimulate innovation and competition in space exploration and ongoing NASA mission areas. The 2009 Power Beaming Challenge is a prize contest designed to promote the development of new power distribution technologies. The 2009 Tether Challenge is a prize contest designed to develop very strong tether material for use in various structural applications. The Spaceward Foundation is administering both Challenges for NASA.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Northwest Colorado Resource Advisory Council (NWRAC), Southwest Resource Advisory Council (SWRAC), and Front Range Resource Advisory Council (FRRAC) will meet as indicated below.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is increasing the cost-of-living allowance (COLA) rate received by certain white- collar Federal and U.S. Postal Service employees in Puerto Rico. The increase is the result of interim adjustments OPM calculated based on relative Consumer Price Index differences between Puerto Rico and the Washington, DC, area. This increase raises the COLA rate for Puerto Rico from 13 percent to 14 percent.

The Coast Guard is extending the duration of a temporary safety zone surrounding an underwater object located approximately 17 miles northeast of Scituate, Massachusetts in Massachusetts Bay. This action is necessary to ensure that vessels are not endangered by dredging, diving, salvage, anchoring, fishing or other activities in this area. This temporary rulemaking is needed to protect the environment, the commercial fishing industry, and the general public from potential hazards associated with the underwater object.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, PHMSA invites comments on certain information collections pertaining to pipeline safety for which PHMSA intends to request renewal from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announces that the following programs are soliciting applications for financial assistance for FY 2009: (1) The Electronics and Electrical Engineering Laboratory Grants Program; (2) the Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory Grants Program; (3) the Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory Grants Program; (4) the Physics Laboratory Grants Program; (5) the Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory Grants Program; (6) the Building Research Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program; (7) the Fire Research Grants Program; (8) the Information Technology Laboratory Grants Program; (9) the NIST Center for Neutron Research Grants Program; and (10) Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology Grants Program. Each program will only consider applications that are within the scientific scope of the program as described in this notice and in the detailed program descriptions found in the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) announcement for these programs. Prior to preparation of a proposal, it is strongly suggested that potential applicants contact the Program Manager for the appropriate field of research, as specified in the FFO announcement found at https://www.grants.gov, for clarification of the program objectives and to determine whether their proposal is responsive to this notice.

EPA raised environmental concerns about potential impacts to water quality, including the potential to exacerbate existing water quality impairments to water bodies within the Arkansas River Basin and the lack of mitigation for these impacts. EPA also raised concerns over the potential for increased flooding and erosion due to return flows into Fountain Creek. EPA strongly encouraged Reclamation to include mitigation commitments to offset the water quality impacts in the Final EIS and Record of Decision. Rating EC2.

EDA is soliciting competitive applications from accredited institutions of higher education and from consortia of accredited institutions of higher education for FY 2009 University Center Economic Development Program funding in the geographic areas served by its Atlanta and Seattle regional offices. EDA's mission is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting innovation and competitiveness, preparing American regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. Institutions of higher education have many assets and are able to establish and operate University Centers in partnership with EDA. These EDA-sponsored University Centers conduct research; provide technical assistance to tribal entities, local governments, and public and private sector organizations; and undertake other activities with the goal of enhancing regional economic development by promoting a favorable business environment to attract private capital investment and higher-skill, higher-wage jobs.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Western Area Power Administration (Western), announces its decision to modify three existing Western substation facilities and construct one new tap facility to accommodate interconnection requests from Minnkota Power Cooperative, Central Power Electric Cooperative, and East River Electric Power Cooperative (the Applicants). The modifications, construction, and interconnections are connected actions to the TransCanada Keystone Oil Pipeline Project, the environmental impacts of which were analyzed in the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Keystone Oil Pipeline Project issued by the Department of State (DOS) \1\ and adopted by DOE Western as DOE/EIS-0410 on January 21, 2009.

The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), as the National Environmental Policy Act Federal lead agency, and the Contra Costa Water District (CCWD), as the California Environmental Quality Act State lead agency, have made available for public review and comment the Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project Draft EIS/ EIR. The Draft EIS/EIR describes and presents the environmental effects of the No-Action Alternative and four action alternatives. Five public hearings will be held to receive comments from individuals and organizations on the Draft EIS/EIR.

This exempted fishing permit (EFP) application is a continuation of a collaborative project involving the University of New Hampshire (UNH), Durham, New Hampshire (NH); the Lobster Conservancy, Friendship, Maine; the New England Aquarium, Boston, Massachusetts; and the Atlantic Offshore Lobstermen=s Association, Candia, NH. The EFP proposes to continue monitoring legal sized egg bearing female lobsters (berried lobsters) carrying early-stage eggs. This project will allow participating Federal lobster permit holders, fishing in designated study areas, to preserve a maximum of ten eggs from each berried lobster captured in commercial lobster gear, to allow researchers to determine what percentage of eggs are fertilized, and estimate the egg developmental stage and time to maturity. The berried lobsters will then be released unharmed. This project would not involve the authorization of any additional trap gear, and all trap gear would conform to existing Federal lobster regulations. There would be no anticipated adverse effects on protected resources or habitat as a result of this research. The EFP would waive the prohibition on removal of eggs specified at 50 CFR 697.7(c)(1)(iv) for a maximum of three participating vessels. The Director, State, Federal and Constituent Programs Office, Northeast Region, NMFS (Office Director) has made a preliminary determination that the subject EFP application contains all the required information and warrants further consideration. The Office Director has also made a preliminary determination that the activities authorized under the EFPs would be consistent with the goals and objectives of Federal management of the American lobster resource. However, further review and consultation may be necessary before a final determination is made to issue EFPs. NMFS announces that the Office Director proposes to issue EFPs and, therefore, invites comments on the issuance of EFPs for this research.

This action adds to the Procurement List products to be furnished by nonprofit agencies employing persons who are blind or have other severe disabilities, and deletes from the Procurement List products previously furnished by such agencies.

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, U.S. Customs and Border (CBP) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on an information collection requirement concerning the Guam Visa Waiver Information (Form I-736). This request for comment is being made pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13; 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on an information collection requirement concerning the Guam Visa Waiver Agreement (Form I-760). This request for comment is being made pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act (Pub. L. 104-13; 44 U.S.C. 3505(c)(2)).

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is advertising for nominations for the radiation oncologist position on the Advisory Committee on the Medical Uses of Isotopes (ACMUI). Nominees should currently be practicing radiotherapy using Gamma Knife[supreg].