March 20, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 17 individuals for exemption from the vision requirement in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. If granted, the exemptions would enable these individuals to qualify as drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce without meeting the Federal vision standard.

This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of Missouri (FEMA-1822-DR)), dated 02/17/2009. Incident: Severe Winter Storm. Incident Period: 01/26/2009 through 01/28/2009. Effective Date: 02/24/2009. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 04/20/2009. Economic Injury (EIDL) Loan Application Deadline Date: 11/17/2009.

This notice summarizes the results of an Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) review of the Regulations (Other than Rules of Practice) under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act, 1930, as amended, under the criteria contained in section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA). Based upon its review, AMS has determined that the Regulations (Other than Rules of Practice) under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act, 1930, as amended, should be continued without change.

The Postal Service published in the Federal Register of February 25, 2009, a document concerning international product and price changes for implementation in May 2009. Inadvertently, Exhibit 293.452 included in that document, did not include all destination countries. This document corrects the table.

Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the public, it must receive approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit public comment on proposed collections of information, including extensions and reinstatement of previously approved collections. This document describes one collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

The information collection requirements described below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'') for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (``PRA''). The FTC is seeking public comments on its proposal to extend through May 31, 2012, the current PRA clearance for information collection requirements contained in its Telemarketing Sales Rule (``TSR'' or ``Rule''). On November 26, 2008, OMB granted the FTC's request for a short-term extension of this clearance to May 31, 2009, which focused on recent amendments to the Rule.

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 requires the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (``Commission'') to establish by rule guidelines and requirements for recall notices ordered by the Commission or by a United States District Court under the Consumer Product Safety Act. This proposal would establish the guidelines and requirements to satisfy that requirement.

This document contains corrections to a notice of proposed rulemaking and notice of public hearing that was published in the Federal Register on Monday, December 29, 2008 (73 FR 79421), relating to foreign base company sales income.

EPA is proposing to approve portions of three revisions to the Texas State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the State of Texas on July 22, 1998, October 4, 2002, and September 25, 2003; these revisions amend existing sections and create new sections in Title 30 of the Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Chapter 106Permits by Rule and Chapter 116Control of Air Pollution by Permits for New Construction or Modification. The July 22, 1998, revision repeals and replaces the Renewal Application Fees section with a new section. The October 4, 2002, revision increases the determination of fees for NSR permits, corrects addresses, and makes other administrative changes. The September 25, 2003, revision clarifies that an emission reduction credit must be certified and banked to be creditable as an offset in the NSR permitting program, repeals and replaces the section that addresses the use of emission reductions as offsets for NSR permitting and the definition of ``offset ratio,'' and makes administrative changes. EPA has determined that these SIP revisions comply with the Clean Air Act and EPA regulations, are consistent with EPA policies, and will improve air quality. This action is being taken under section 110 and parts C and D of the Federal Clean Air Act (the Act or CAA).

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended, directs the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to establish energy conservation standards for certain commercial and industrial equipment, including commercial heating, air-conditioning, and water- heating equipment. Of particular relevance here, the statute also requires that each time the corresponding industry standardthe American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc. (ASHRAE)/Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) Standard 90.1is amended, DOE must assess whether there is a need to update the uniform national energy conservation standards for the same equipment covered under EPCA. ASHRAE officially released an amended version of this industry standard (ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007) on January 10, 2008, thereby triggering DOE's related obligations under EPCA. Specifically, pursuant to EPCA, DOE assessed whether the revised ASHRAE efficiency levels are more stringent than the existing Federal energy conservation standards; and for those equipment classes for which ASHRAE set more-stringent efficiency levels (i.e., commercial packaged boilers), analyzed the economic and energy savings potential of amended national energy conservation standards (at both the new ASHRAE Standard 90.1 levels and more-stringent efficiency levels). DOE has tentatively concluded that the statutory criteria have been met for commercial packaged boilers and water-cooled and evaporatively- cooled commercial package air conditioners and heat pumps with a cooling capacity at or above 240,000 Btu/h and less than 760,000 Btu/h, thereby justifying consideration of national energy conservation standards set at the revised levels in ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007. Furthermore, DOE has tentatively concluded that clear and convincing evidence does not exist, as would justify more-stringent standard levels than the efficiency levels in ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007 for commercial packaged boilers. DOE has also tentatively concluded that there are no water-cooled and evaporatively-cooled commercial package air conditioners and heat pumps with a cooling capacity at or above 240,000 Btu/h and less than 760,000 Btu/h being currently manufactured, and therefore, it is not possible to assess the economic and energy savings potential for adopting efficiency levels at or above the ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007 efficiency levels for such equipment. Accordingly, in this notice, DOE is proposing to amend the energy conservation standards for commercial packaged boilers and to adopt a new energy conservation standard for water-cooled and evaporatively- cooled commercial package air conditioners and heat pumps with a cooling capacity at or above 240,000 Btu/h and less than 760,000 Btu/h at the efficiency levels specified by ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007. DOE is also proposing related amendments to its test procedures for commercial packaged boilers. In addition, DOE is announcing a public meeting to receive comment on its proposal and related issues.