March 17, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On March 3, 2009, FMCSA published a document in the Federal Register (74 FR 9172) requesting comments on its proposal to delay the effective date of its January 16, 2009, final rule entitled ``Elimination of Route Designation Requirement for Motor Carriers Transporting Passengers over Regular Routes.'' Based on the five comments received, all supporting the proposal to delay the effective date of the final rule, FMCSA is extending the effective date by 90 days, and seeks additional public comment on the rulemaking. The final rule announced the discontinuation of the administrative requirement that applicants seeking for-hire authority to transport passengers over regular routes submit a detailed description and a map of the route(s) over which they propose to operate. In response to the Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff's memorandum of January 20, 2009, FMCSA extends the effective date to allow the Agency the opportunity for further review and consideration of the January 16, 2009, final rule and solicits public comments on the final rule. In order to afford sufficient time to consider and respond to comments, the effective date is extended for 90 days.

The Commission is adding a new product identified as Express Mail & Priority Mail Contract 5 to the Competitive Product List. This action is consistent with changes in a recent law governing postal operations and a recent Postal Service request. Republication of the lists of market dominant and competitive products is also consistent with new requirements in the law.

This rule relaxes the handling requirements prescribed under the California table grape marketing order (order) and the table grape import regulation. The order regulates the handling of table grapes grown in a designated area of southeastern California and is administered locally by the California Desert Grape Administrative Committee (committee). The import regulation is authorized under section 8e of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 and regulates the importation of table grapes into the United States. This rule relaxes the one-quarter pound minimum bunch size requirement for the 2009 season for grapes packed in containers holding 2 pounds net weight or less. Under the relaxation, up to 20 percent of the weight of such containers may consist of single, unattached stems or clusters of at least five berries each. This action provides California desert grape handlers and importers the flexibility to respond to a marketing opportunity on a test basis for one season to meet consumer needs.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 610 in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the B season allowance of the 2009 total allowable catch (TAC) of pollock for Statistical Area 610 in the GOA.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of new information relevant to our consideration of the status of Lepidium papilliferum (slickspot peppergrass), proposed for listing as endangered, under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We, therefore, announce the reopening of the comment period on the proposed listing and invite interested members of the public to submit comments on this new information as it applies to the status and proposed listing of L. papilliferum. Information previously submitted for this proposed listing need not be resubmitted, as all information already received regarding this proposed listing will be incorporated into the public record and fully considered in our evaluation.

The Commission is adding Express Mail & Priority Mail Contract 4 to the competitive product list. This action is consistent with changes in a recent law governing postal operations. Republication of the lists of market dominant and competitive products is also consistent with new requirements in the law.

This document implements the Child Safe Viewing Act of 2007, S. 602, 110th Cong., adopted December 2, 2008, which directs the Commission to initiate a proceeding to examine ``the existence and availability of advanced blocking technologies that are compatible with various communications devices or platforms'' and can be used by parents to shield their children from objectionable video or audio programming. Although the development of new media technologies and platforms offers learning opportunities for children, it also poses new dangers. This Notice of Inquiry will examine tools currently available to parents and under development to help them supervise how their children use the media and, as directed by the Child Safe Viewing Act, the Commission will submit a report to Congress detailing its findings.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), determine endangered status under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), for Phyllostegia hispida (no common name), a plant species from the island of Molokai in the Hawaiian Islands. This final rule implements the Federal protections provided by the Act for this species. We have also determined that critical habitat for P. hispida is prudent but not determinable at this time.