May 7, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Boeing Model 737-100, -200, -200C, -300, -400, and -500 series airplanes. This AD requires repetitive detailed and high frequency eddy current inspections to detect cracks of the backup intercostals and the upper sill of the forward airstair doorway, and applicable corrective actions. This AD also provides for an optional terminating action, which would eliminate the need for repetitive inspections. This AD results from a report indicating that cracks were found in the backup intercostals and upper sill web of the forward airstair doorway. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct fatigue cracking of the backup intercostals and upper sill web of the forward airstair doorway, which could result in a rapid loss of cabin pressure.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Boeing Model 747 airplanes. This AD requires repetitive external surface high frequency eddy current inspections to detect cracks in the radius detail of the upper lobe doubler on both sides of the airplane, and applicable corrective action. This AD results from reports of cracks in the radius detail of the upper lobe doublers. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct cracks in the upper lobe doublers. Such cracks could result in significant degradation of the fuselage structure and reduce its ability to carry flight loads from the vertical stabilizer, which could adversely affect the controllability of the airplane.

This document contains temporary regulations that explain how to allocate prepaid qualified mortgage insurance premiums to determine the amount of the prepaid premium that is treated as qualified residence interest each taxable year under section 163(h)(4)(F) of the Internal Revenue Code (Code). The temporary regulations also provide guidance to reporting entities receiving premiums, including prepaid premiums, for mortgage insurance. The temporary regulations reflect changes to the law made by the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 and the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007. The text of the temporary regulations also serves as the text of the proposed regulations set forth in the notice of proposed rulemaking on this subject in the Proposed Rules section of this issue of the Federal Register.

The FAA is withdrawing a previously published NPRM that proposed to revise the system of ratings and require repair stations to establish a quality program. The NPRM also proposed to require each repair station to maintain a capability list, designate a chief inspector, and have permanent housing for facilities, equipment, materials, and personnel. The proposal would have specified additional instances where the FAA may deny a repair station certificate, and clarified some existing repair station regulations. We are withdrawing the NPRM because we have determined that it does not

This document amends the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) adjudication regulations concerning presumptive service connection for a certain disease based on the most recent National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Institute of Medicine committee report, ``Veterans and Agent Orange: Update 2006'' (Update 2006). This amendment is necessary to implement a decision of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs that there is a positive association between exposure to herbicides used in the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam era and the subsequent development of AL amyloidosis. The intended effect of this amendment is to establish presumptive service connection for AL amyloidosis based on herbicide exposure.

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

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Boeing Model 777-200 series airplanes. This proposed AD would require installing a new insulation blanket on the latch beam firewall of each thrust reverser (T/R) half. This proposed AD results from an in-flight shutdown due to an engine fire indication; an under-cowl engine fire was extinguished after landing. The cause of the fire was uncontained failure of the starter in the engine core compartment; the fire progressed into the latch beam cavity and was fueled by oil from a damaged integrated drive generator oil line. We are proposing this AD to prevent a fire from entering the cowl or strut area, which could weaken T/R parts and result in reduced structural integrity of the T/R, possible separation of T/R parts during flight, and consequent damage to the airplane and injury to people or damage to property on the ground.

This rule identifies communities, where the sale of flood insurance has been authorized under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), that are scheduled for suspension on the effective dates listed within this rule because of noncompliance with the floodplain management requirements of the program. If the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) receives documentation that the community has adopted the required floodplain management measures prior to the effective suspension date given in this rule, the suspension will not occur and a notice of this will be provided by publication in the Federal Register on a subsequent date.

The General Services Administration (GSA) is amending the General Services Administration Acquisition Regulation (GSAR) to revise the language that provides requirements for termination of contracts.

The Board of Governors (Board) is amending the routing number guide to next-day availability checks and local checks in Regulation CC to delete the reference to the Seattle branch office of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and to reassign the Federal Reserve routing symbols currently listed under that office to the Los Angeles branch office of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. The Board is also amending the routing number guide to delete the reference to the Denver branch office of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and to reassign the routing symbols currently listed under that office to the Los Angeles branch office of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and to the head office of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. These amendments reflect the restructuring of check-processing operations within the Federal Reserve System.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``Commission'') proposes to amend its regulations that prescribe minimum adjusted net capital (``ANC'') requirements for futures commission merchants (``FCMs'') and introducing brokers (``IBs''). The proposed amendments would increase the required minimum dollar amount of ANC, as defined in the regulations, that an FCM must maintain from $250,000 to $1,000,000. The proposed amendments also would increase the required minimum dollar amount of ANC that IBs must maintain from $30,000 to $45,000. The Commission also is proposing to amend the computation of an FCM's margin-based minimum ANC requirement to incorporate into the calculation customer and noncustomer positions in over-the-counter derivative instruments that are submitted for clearing by the FCM to derivatives clearing organizations (``DCOs'') or other clearing organizations (``cleared OTC derivative positions''). In addition, the Commission is proposing to amend the regulations to require that FCM proprietary cleared OTC derivative positions be subject to capital deductions in a manner that is consistent with the capital deductions required by the Commission's regulations for FCM proprietary positions in exchange-traded futures contracts and options contracts. Further, the Commission proposes to amend the FCM capital computation to increase the applicable percentage of the total margin-based requirement for futures, options and cleared OTC derivative positions in customer accounts from eight percent to ten percent and in noncustomer accounts from four percent to ten percent. Lastly, the Commission solicits public comments on the advisability of increasing the ANC requirement for FCMs that are also securities brokers and dealers by the amount of net capital required by the Securities and Exchange Commission (``SEC'') Rule 15c3-1(a).

This document contains regulations relating to the use of actuarial tables in valuing annuities, interests for life or terms of years, and remainder or reversionary interests. These regulations will affect the valuation of inter vivos and testamentary transfers of interests dependent on one or more measuring lives. These regulations are necessary because section 7520(c)(3) directs the Secretary to update the actuarial tables to reflect the most recent mortality experience available. The text of the temporary regulations also serves as the text of the proposed regulations set forth in the notice of proposed rulemaking on this subject elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.