May 8, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS issues this advance notice of proposed rulemaking to announce that it is revising procedures to file import and export documentation for certain fishery products to meet requirements of the SAFE Port Act of 2006, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, other applicable statutes, and obligations that arise from U.S. participation in regional fishery management organizations. Specifically, NMFS intends to integrate the collection of trade documentation within the government-wide International Trade Data System and require electronic information collection through the automated internet portal maintained by the United States Customs and Border Protection. NMFS is seeking advance public comment on the feasibility of electronic reporting by parties involved in an import or export transaction for applicable seafood products.

This special federal aviation regulation (SFAR) amends the airworthiness standards for transport category airplanes by adding new cabin interior criteria for operators of private use, not for hire, not for common carriage airplanes. These standards may be used instead of the specific requirements that affect transport category airplanes operated by air carriers. These standards supplement the requirements for operation under the air traffic and general operating rules. This SFAR provides alternative criteria for transport category airplanes that are operated for private use while continuing to provide an acceptable level of safety for those operations.

The Coast Guard will enforce the Navy Pier East Safety Zone in Chicago Harbor from 9 p.m. until 9:40 p.m. on May 22, 2009. This action is necessary to protect vessels and people from the hazards associated with fireworks displays. All vessels must obtain permission from the Captain of the Port or his on-scene representative to enter, move within or exit the safety zone.

The Coast Guard is establishing temporary special local regulations for ``U.S. Naval Air Station Patuxent River Air Expo 2009'', an aerial demonstration to be held over the waters of the Patuxent River adjacent to Patuxent River, Maryland. These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event. This action will restrict vessel traffic in portions of the Patuxent River during the aerial demonstration.

We are withdrawing the proposed rules entitled ``Age as a Factor in Evaluating Disability'' that we published in the Federal Register on November 4, 2005.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the reopening of the public comment period on our proposal to designate critical habitat for the southwest Alaska Distinct Population Segment (DPS) of the northern sea otter (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This action will provide all interested parties with an additional opportunity to submit written comments on our December 16, 2008, proposed rule to designate approximately 15,225 square kilometers (km\2\) (5,879 square miles (mi\2\)) as critical habitat.

EPA is taking a final action finding that North Carolina and South Carolina have failed to submit state implementation plan (SIP) revisions to satisfy certain requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA) for the 1997 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). The submissions at issue were due because the Charlotte bi- state area (Charlotte Area), which includes areas in both North and South Carolina, is a moderate nonattainment area for the 1997 8-hour ozone standard. Under the CAA and EPA's implementing regulations, states with nonattainment areas classified as moderate, serious, severe or extreme were required to submit by June 15, 2007, SIPs: demonstrating how each nonattainment area would attain the 1997 8-hour ozone standard as expeditiously as practicable but no later than the applicable dates established in the implementing regulations and demonstrating reasonable further progress (RFP). Additionally, states were required by September 15, 2006, to submit for these same areas, SIPs demonstrating that sources specified under the CAA were subject to reasonably available control technology requirements (RACT). North Carolina and South Carolina made these required submissions but later withdrew the attainment demonstration submissions for the Charlotte Area. As a result, EPA is making a finding of failure to submit for both North Carolina and South Carolina of the attainment demonstrations for the Charlotte Area.

EPA is proposing to disapprove the ozone attainment demonstration portion of a comprehensive State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the State of Delaware to meet the Clean Air Act (CAA) requirements for attaining the 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) for the Delaware portion of the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City moderate nonattainment area (Philadelphia Area). EPA is proposing to disapprove Delaware's attainment demonstration of the 8-hour ozone NAAQS for the Philadelphia Area because EPA has determined that the photochemical modeling does not demonstrate attainment, and the weight of evidence analysis that Delaware uses to support the attainment demonstration does not provide the sufficient evidence that the Delaware portion of the Philadelphia nonattainment area will attain the NAAQS by the June 2010 deadline.

EPA is proposing to disapprove the ozone attainment demonstration portion of a comprehensive State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) to meet the Clean Air Act (CAA) requirements for attaining the 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) for the five-county Pennsylvania portion of the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City moderate nonattainment area (Philadelphia Area). The five-county Pennsylvania portion of the Philadelphia Area comprises Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties. EPA is proposing to disapprove Pennsylvania's 8- hour ozone attainment demonstration plan for its portion of the Philadelphia Area because EPA has determined that the photochemical modeling does not demonstrate attainment, and the weight of evidence analysis that Pennsylvania uses to support the attainment demonstration, does not provide the sufficient evidence that the Philadelphia Area, will attain the NAAQS by the June 2010 deadline.

On behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Public Health Service (PHS), a component of the HHS, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) seeks comments from the public on whether the HHS should amend its regulations on the responsibility of applicants for promoting objectivity in research for which phs funding is sought and on responsible prospective. We are interested particularly in receiving comments on the issues presented below from the general public, individual Investigators, scientific societies and associations, Members of Congress, other Federal agencies that support or conduct research, and institutions that receive PHS funds to conduct or support biomedical or behavioral research.

The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing action on the ozone attainment demonstration portion of a comprehensive State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision submitted by Connecticut to meet Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) requirements for attaining the 8-hour ozone national ambient air quality standard. EPA is proposing to disapprove Connecticut's demonstration of attainment of the 1997 8-hour ozone standard for the Connecticut portion of the New York-N. New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT 8-hour ozone nonattainment area (New York City ozone nonattainment area).