March 18, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Commerce (the Department) publishes this action to make final a rule to extend the Steel Import Monitoring and Analysis (SIMA) system until March 21, 2013. The purpose of the SIMA system is to provide statistical data on steel imports entering the United States seven weeks earlier than it would otherwise be available to the public. Aggregate data collected from the licenses are made available to the public on a weekly basis following review by the Department.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending the Federal meat inspection regulations to require that all cattle that are non-ambulatory disabled at an official establishment, including those that become non-ambulatory disabled after passing ante-mortem inspection, be condemned and disposed of properly. In addition, this rule requires that establishments notify FSIS inspection personnel when cattle become non-ambulatory disabled after passing ante-mortem inspection. FSIS is taking this action to better ensure effective implementation of inspection and humane handling requirements at official establishments.

The FMCSA announces termination of the demonstration project that allowed up to 100 Mexico-domiciled motor carriers to operate beyond the U.S. border commercial zones, and the same number of U.S. carriers to operate in Mexico. Section 136 of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2009, of the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009, prohibits FMCSA from using appropriated funds to continue the demonstration project.

NMFS announces that the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) proposes to amend the Fishery Management Plan for Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region (FMP). If approved by the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary), Amendment 18 would remove the annual limit on the number of fishing gear deployments (sets) for the Hawaii-based pelagic longline fishery. The amendment would also revise the current maximum limit on the number of physical interactions that occur annually between loggerhead sea turtles and vessels registered for use under Hawaii longline limited access permits while shallow- setting. Other measures currently applicable to the fishery would remain unchanged. Amendment 18 is intended to increase opportunities for the shallow-set fishery to sustainably harvest swordfish and other fish species, without jeopardizing the continued existence of sea turtles and other protected resources.

The Corporation for National and Community Service (hereinafter the ``Corporation''), as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance consultation program to provide the general public and federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA95) (44 U.S.C. Sec. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This program helps to ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TTY-TDD) may call (202) 565-2799 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. eastern time, Monday through Friday. Currently, the Corporation is soliciting comments concerning its proposed renewal of its Disaster Response Database (DRD). The DRD is a data collection tool that allows the Corporation to collect information from its programs and grantees on disaster response activities across the country. This tool serves as a central repository of information on Corporation disaster response activities for reporting to the public. Copies of the information collection request can be obtained by contacting the office listed in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (``USTR'') is providing notice that on March 9, 2009, Thailand requested the establishment of a panel under the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (``WTO Agreement'') concerning certain issues relating to the imposition by the United States of antidumping measures on polyethylene retail carrier bags from Thailand. That request may be found at https://www.wto.org contained in a document designated as WT/DS383/2. USTR invites written comments from the public concerning the issues raised in this dispute.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)(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 information collection and its estimated burden and cost.

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92- 463, the Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development (ORD), gives notice of a meeting of the Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC) National Center for Environmental Research (NCER) Standing Subcommittee.

The Millennium Challenge Corporation (``MCC'') is a U.S. Government agency created in 2004 to administer the Millennium Challenge Account. Its mission is to reduce poverty through the promotion of sustainable economic growth. Since 2004, MCC has signed Compact programs with eighteen partner countries ranging from $66 million to $698 million. In December 2008, the Government of the Republic of the Philippines through ``MCA-Philippines'' presented a proposal including six projects to MCC for potential Compact funding. This Request for Information (``RFI'') aims to solicit feedback from the private sector on the five proposed projects that are entering the due diligence phase.

EPA is planning a meeting to be held on April 14 through April 15, 2009, on the topic of bed bug resurgence in the United States. The aim of the session will be to share information and knowledge on the topic of bed bugs and their newfound resurgence, provide a venue to identify ideas and opinions for their control, and develop recommendations as how affected stakeholders, communities, and local jurisdictions can begin to address the emerging nationwide bed bug problem. The agenda for this meeting is under development and will be posted on our website in advance of the meeting and also placed in the docket for this meeting.

This rule amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) by removing two persons from the Entity List (Supplement No. 4 to Part 744). These persons are being removed from the Entity List because of determinations made by the United States Government during the annual review of the Entity List conducted by the End-User Review Committee (ERC). This rule also makes a clarification for two persons that were listed on the Entity List prior to this rule being published to revise the addresses provided for these listed persons or add an address. These two listed persons were listed under addresses in more than one country. This rule removes one of the addresses for each of these entities. The Entity List provides notice to the public that certain exports and reexports to parties identified on the Entity List require a license from the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) and that availability of License Exceptions in such transactions is limited.

This notice announces the availability of EPA's final action identifying water quality limited segments and associated pollutants in New Mexico to be listed pursuant to Clean Water Act Section 303(d), and request for public comment. Section 303(d) requires that states submit and EPA approve or disapprove lists of waters for which existing technology-based pollution controls are not stringent enough to attain or maintain state water quality standards and for which total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) must be prepared. On February 6, 2009, EPA approved and disapproved New Mexico's 2008 Section 303(d) submittal. Specifically, EPA approved New Mexico's listing of 338 water body-pollutant combinations and associated priority rankings. EPA disapproved New Mexico's decisions not to list one water quality limited segments (or one water body-pollutant combination) and to list two water quality limited segments (or two water body-pollutant combinations). For the disapproval decision not to list one water quality limited segment, EPA identified this additional water body and pollutant along with priority ranking for inclusion on New Mexico's 2008 Section 303(d) List. EPA is providing the public the opportunity to review its final decisions to both list and de-list waters and pollutants to New Mexico's 2008 Section 303(d) List, as required by EPA's Public Participation regulations (40 CFR part 25). EPA will consider public comments and if necessary amend its final action on the listing and de- listing of water bodies and pollutants identified on New Mexico's Final 2008 Section 303(d) List.

On or about February 27, 2009, the Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) of EPA is making available for public review and comment two planning documents titled: Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards: Scope and Methods Plan for Health Risk and Exposure Assessment; and Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards: Scope and Methods Plan for Urban Visibility Impact Assessment. These documents describe EPA's planned approach for developing quantitative analyses as part of the review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter (PM). EPA is releasing these planning documents to seek consultation with the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) and to solicit public comments.

The IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management, invites comments on the proposed information collection requests as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

This notice announces EPA's order for the cancellation of some registrations and termination of certain uses, voluntarily requested by the registrant and accepted by the Agency, of products containing the pesticide carbofuran, pursuant to section 6(f)(1) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), as amended. This cancellation order follows a December 19, 2008 (73 FR 77690; FRL-8389- 4) Federal Register Notice of Receipt of Request from the carbofuran registrant to voluntarily cancel some registrations and terminate uses of certain end-use products containing the pesticide carbofuran. These are not the last carbofuran products registered for use in the United States. In the December 19, 2008 notice, EPA indicated that it would issue an order implementing the cancellations and amendments to terminate uses, unless the Agency received substantive comments within the 30-day comment period that would merit its further review of these requests, or unless the registrant withdrew their request within this period. The Agency received two anonymous comments on the notice, but neither merited further review of the requests. Further, the registrant did not withdraw their request, but submitted a letter clarifying the product registrations that they intended to cancel. Accordingly, EPA hereby issues in this notice a cancellation order granting the requested cancellations and use terminations. Any distribution, sale, or use of the carbofuran products subject to this cancellation order is permitted only in accordance with the terms of this order, including any existing stocks provisions.

This regulation establishes time-limited tolerances for combined residues of pendimethalin, [N-(1-ethylpropyl)-3,4-dimethyl- 2,6-dinitrobenzenamine] and its metabolite 4-[(1-ethylpropyl)amino]-2- methyl-3,5-dinitrobenzyl alcohol, in or on Bermuda grass forage and hay. This action is in response to crisis exemptions issued by the Texas Department of Agriculture and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture under section 18 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) authorizing use of the pesticide on Bermuda grass pastures and hay fields. This regulation establishes a maximum permissible level for residues of pendimethalin in these feed commodities. The time-limited tolerances expire and are revoked on December 31, 2009.

This notice announces the availability of EPA's final registration review decision for the pesticide sodium hydroxide (mineral bases, strong), case 4065. Registration review is EPA's periodic review of pesticide registrations to ensure that each pesticide continues to satisfy the statutory standard for registration, that is, that the pesticide can perform its intended function without causing unreasonable adverse effects on human health or the environment. Through this program, EPA is ensuring that each pesticide's registration is based on current scientific and other knowledge, including its effects on human health and the environment.