September 17, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This rule revises the expedited passport process and changes the definition of expedited passport processing from three business days, beginning when the application arrives at a passport agency or when the request for expedited processing is approved, to the number of business days published on the Department's Web site at https:// www.travel.state.gov. This change ensures that the Department can continue to offer this service consistent with its regulations while maintaining sufficient flexibility to adapt to fluctuations in passport demand. It also ensures that the public can easily determine the current standards for expedited passport processing.

The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by Pappas Telecasting of Opelika, L.P. (``Pappas''), licensee of station WLGA(TV), channel 47, Opelika, Alabama. Pappas requests the substitution of channel 30 for its allotted post-transition channel 47 at Opelika and to make related changes to its technical parameters.

This document proposes to revise the Federal regulations on the Procedures for Abatement of Highway Traffic Noise and Construction Noise. The FHWA seeks to clarify certain definitions, the applicability of this regulation, certain analysis requirements, and the use of Federal funds for noise abatement measures. In addition, the proposed regulation would include a screening tool and the latest state of the

This rule amends certain provisions of the early warning reporting (EWR) rule published pursuant to the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability, and Documentation (TREAD) Act and adds requirements for information identifying products involved in a recall under 49 CFR part 573 Defect and Noncompliance Responsibility and Reports. This rule modifies the threshold for submitting quarterly EWR reports for light vehicle, bus, medium-heavy vehicle (excluding emergency vehicles), motorcycle and trailer manufacturers. It further requires manufacturers submitting EWR reports to submit product names that are consistent from reporting quarter to quarter and amends the definition of ``other safety campaign.'' It also amends part 573 Defect and Noncompliance Responsibility and Reports to add requirements that tire manufacturers provide a range of tire identification numbers of recalled tires and manufacturers provide the country of origin of a component involved in a recall.

This rule finalizes, with minor non-substantive changes, the amendments to Coast Guard regulations on merchant mariner documentation which were published as an interim rule with request for comments on April 24, 2007. These amendments implement section 3509 of the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 (Warner Act), which allows for the issuance of merchant mariner's documents (MMDs), (which have since been consolidated by the Coast Guard into merchant mariner credentials (MMCs)), to certain non-resident aliens for service in the steward's departments of U.S. flag large passenger vessels endorsed for coastwise trade. Prior to publication of the interim rule, the regulations prohibited the Coast Guard from issuing MMDs, which are required for service on large passenger vessels, to non-resident aliens. Specifically, this rule finalizes the amendments to Coast Guard regulations allowing the Coast Guard to issue MMCs to qualified non-resident aliens who are authorized to be employed in the United States, the amendments setting the requirements these aliens must meet in order to qualify for MMCs, and the requirements for the large passenger vessels that may choose to hire these aliens. This rule only applies to large passenger vessels, as defined under the Warner Act.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) issued 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:

The General Services Administration (GSA) is amending the GSA Acquisition Regulation (GSAR) by revising the sections of GSAR Part 514 that provide requirements for sealed bidding. This rule is a result of the GSA Manual (GSAM) Rewrite initiative undertaken by GSA to revise the GSAM to maintain consistency with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), and to implement streamlined and innovative acquisition procedures that contractors, bidders, and GSA contracting personnel can utilize when entering into and administering contractual relationships. The GSAM incorporates the GSAR as well as internal agency acquisition policy.