November 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The agencies have adopted a final rule to allow banks, savings associations, and bank holding companies (collectively, banking organizations) to risk weight for purposes of the agencies' capital guidelines mortgage loans modified pursuant to the Home Affordable Mortgage Program (Program) implemented by the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) with the same risk weight assigned to the loan prior to the modification so long as the loan continues to meet other applicable prudential criteria.

The Coast Guard is establishing two temporary safety zones on the Columbia River to help ensure the safety of the maritime public during blasting and dredging operations taking place near St. Helens, Oregon as well as the movement of explosives for those operations from Portland, Oregon to the work site. The first temporary safety zone is a fixed zone around the area where the blasting and dredging operations will be taking place near St. Helens, Oregon. The second temporary safety zone is a moving zone around the barge KRS 200-6 at any time that it has explosives onboard.

By Resolution No. 2009-01 on March 11, 2009, the Delaware River Basin Commission (``Commission'' or ``DRBC'') approved amendments to its Water Code and Comprehensive Plan to implement an updated water audit approach to identify and control water loss in the Basin.

DoD is making a technical amendment to the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to correct a cross-reference within the DFARS text.

DoD has adopted as final, without change, an interim rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to implement section 827 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008. Section 827 requires the use of competitive procedures in the acquisition of items for which Federal Prison Industries has a significant market share.

DoD has adopted as final, without change, an interim rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to implement section 108 of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2009. Section 108 requires that American steel producers, fabricators, and manufacturers be given the opportunity to compete for contracts and subcontracts for the acquisition of steel for use in military construction projects or activities.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by catcher processors using hook-and-line gear in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2009 Pacific cod total allowable catch (TAC) allocated to catcher processors using hook-and-line gear in the BSAI.

On February 26, 2009, the State of Tennessee, through the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), Air Pollution Control Division, submitted a request to redesignate the Tennessee portion of the bi-State Memphis, Tennessee-Arkansas 8-hour ozone nonattainment area (the ``bi-State Memphis Area'') to attainment for the 1997 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS); and to approve the State Implementation Plan (SIP) revision containing a maintenance plan for the Tennessee portion of the bi-State Memphis Area. The bi-State Memphis 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS nonattainment area is composed of Shelby County, Tennessee and Crittenden County, Arkansas. In this action, EPA is proposing to approve the February 26, 2009 redesignation request for Shelby County, Tennessee as part of the Memphis Area. Additionally, EPA is proposing to approve the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS maintenance plan for Shelby County, including the emissions inventory and the State motor vehicle emission budgets (MVEBs) for nitrogen oxides (NOX) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) for the years 2006, 2009, 2017, and 2021. This proposed approval of Tennessee's redesignation request is based on EPA's determination that Tennessee has demonstrated that Shelby County has met the criteria for redesignation to attainment specified in the Clean Air Act (CAA), including the determination that the entire bi-State Memphis ozone nonattainment area has attained the 1997 8-hour ozone standard. The State of Arkansas has submitted a similar redesignation request and maintenance plan for the Arkansas portion of this 8-hour ozone area. EPA is taking action on Arkansas' redesignation request and maintenance plan through a separate rulemaking action. In this action, EPA is also describing the status and proposing approval of its transportation conformity adequacy determination for the new 2006, 2009, 2017 and 2021 MVEBs that are contained in the 1997 8-hour ozone NAAQS maintenance plan for Shelby County, Tennessee. MVEBs for Crittenden County, Arkansas are included

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:

This document provides notice of public hearing on a notice of proposed rulemaking amending the questions and answers relating to church tax inquiries and examinations. These proposed regulations replace references to positions that were abolished by the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 with references that are consistent both with the statute and the IRS's current organizational structure.

This interim final rule implements certain provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (``Recovery Act''). This interim final rule implements Section 509 of the Recovery Act which establishes the Secondary Market Lending Authority within SBA to make loans to systemically important SBA Secondary Market broker-dealers to finance the purchase of the government guaranteed portion of loans originated, underwritten and closed under the Small Business Act and the purchase of pools of guaranteed portions of such loans.

The Audio Division, at the request of Chochise Broadcasting LLC, substitutes Channel 293C2 for vacant FM Channel 255C2 at Leupp, Arizona. Channel 293C2 can be allotted at Leupp, Arizona. Channel 293C2 can be allotted at Leupp, Arizona, in compliance with the Commission's minimum distance separation requirements without site restriction at the following reference coordinates: 35-17-02 North Latitude and 110- 57-52 West Longitude.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) proposes to amend the regulations governing the United States (U.S.) Standards for Condition of Food Containers. AMS regularly reviews standards to determine if they meet current industry practices. Based on our most recent review, we believe that the U.S. Standards for Condition of Food Containers needs to be revised. The revisions are necessary in order to provide standards that reflect current industry practices. Revisions to the U.S. Standards for Condition of Food Containers include simplifying Tables I, I-A, II, II-A, III, III-A, and III-B for sampling plans for normal, tightened, and reduced condition of container inspection to reflect the type of sampling plan used (single or double). It also includes updating the Acceptable Quality Levels (AQLs), Tables IV Metal Containers, VGlass Containers, VIRigid and Semirigid Containers, VIIFlexible Containers (Plastic, Cello, Paper, Textile, etc.), and XDefects of Label, Marking, or Code (currently Table VIII) to incorporate new defects and updating current defects to include defects that would correspond to new packaging technologies such as aseptic packaging, metal cans with easy open lids, and plastic rings that hold several containers together. This revision also proposes adding new defect tables entitled Table VIIIUnitizing (Plastic or other type of casing/unitizing) and Table IXInterior Can Defects. Finally, removing the Operating Characteristic (OC) curves for on-line sampling and inspection. Other minor non-substantive changes are also proposed.

NASA is amending its regulations by removing a subpart concerning authority and delegations to take certain actions relating to patents and other intellectual property rights. The NASA General Counsel establishes Agency-wide legal policies and procedures in conjunction and coordination with the various Center Chief Counsels and determines best methods and practices for providing legal advice, assistance, and functional guidance inherent in rendering legal services.

The EPA is providing notice that it has placed in the docket for the proposed rulemaking concerning California's June 5, 2009 Motor Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) program submittal additional modeling data relevant to the proposed rulemaking, published on August 19, 2009. The August 19, 2009 notice established a 30-day comment period on EPA's proposal, which ended on September 18, 2009. EPA is reopening the comment period to end on December 2, 2009. The purpose of this notice is to provide the public an opportunity to review and comment on the additional modeling data, which were described in the proposed rulemaking notice and are further described below.

This action proposes to establish Class E airspace at Bryce Canyon Airport, Bryce Canyon, UT. Controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate aircraft using a new Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard Instrument Approach Procedure (SIAP) at Bryce Canyon Airport, Bryce Canyon, UT. The FAA is proposing this action to enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) aircraft operations at Bryce Canyon Airport.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is amending its Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI) regulations in order to implement sec. 402 of the Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2008. Section 402 of the Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 2008 extended SGLI dependent coverage to an insured member's stillborn child. This final rule defines the term ``member's stillborn child.''

The Commander, Eleventh Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the California Route 160 Drawbridge across Three Mile Slough, mile 0.1, near Rio Vista, CA. The deviation is necessary to allow Caltrans to conduct drawbridge maintenance. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to-navigation position during the maintenance period.

The FAA proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain Boeing Model 747 series airplanes. The existing AD currently requires repetitive inspections to detect cracking in certain fuselage skin lap joints, and repair if necessary. This proposed AD would expand the inspection area in the existing AD, add a modification of certain lap joints, and add certain post-repair inspections of the lap joints. Accomplishing the modification would end the repetitive inspections required by the existing AD for the length of lap joint that is modified. This proposed AD results from a structural review of affected skin lap joints for widespread fatigue damage. We are proposing this AD to prevent fatigue cracking in certain lap joints, which could result in rapid depressurization of the airplane.

The Postal Service is revising the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]), to implement revenue assurance procedures for information-based indicia (IBI) postage generated from postage evidencing systems. An automated process will be implemented to detect mailpieces with unpaid or shortpaid IBI postage. This automated process will supplement and enhance current procedures.

TSA is proposing to issue regulations to improve the security of domestic and foreign aircraft repair stations as required by the Vision 100-Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act. The proposed regulations establish requirements for repair stations that are certificated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under 14 CFR part 145 to adopt and implement a standard security program and to comply with security directives issued by TSA. This rule proposes to codify the scope of TSA's existing inspection program and to require regulated parties to allow TSA and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials to enter, inspect, and test property, facilities, and records relevant to repair stations. The proposed regulations also provide procedures for TSA to notify repair stations of any deficiencies in their security programs, and to determine whether a particular repair station presents an immediate risk to security. The proposal includes a process whereby a repair station may seek review of

This action corrects the geographic coordinates of a final rule that was published in the Federal Register October 16, 2009, amending Class D and Class E airspace at New Orleans NAS, Alvin Callender Field, LA.

The Secretary of Education (Secretary) announces priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria for the Race to the Top Fund. The Secretary may use these priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria in any year in which this program is in effect.

In this order, EPA denies objections to, and requests for hearing on, a final rule revoking all pesticide tolerances for carbofuran under section 408(d) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA). The objections and hearing requests were filed on June 30, 2009, by the National Corn Growers Association, National Sunflower Association, National Potato Council, and FMC Corporation (``Petitioners'').

The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation is reopening and extending the comment period for the proposed rule published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, September 8, 2009. The proposed rule amends the Common Crop Insurance Regulations, Apple Crop Insurance Provisions to provide policy changes, to clarify existing policy provisions to better meet the needs of insured producers, and to reduce vulnerability to program fraud, waste, and abuse. During the comment period, FCIC received comments that due to the public comment period overlapping with the apple harvest in some areas, sixty days was not adequate to properly review the proposed changes. FCIC agrees additional time is appropriate to ensure all interested persons have time to fully review the proposed rule and provide meaningful comments.