December 22, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO or Office) is considering modifications to rules governing practice before the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences (BPAI) in ex parte patent appeals. Previously submitted comments with regard to an earlier published final rule, particularly those submitted in response to a proposed collection of information, raised some public concerns which have been reconsidered by the Office. After further consideration of these concerns, the Office is issuing this notice seeking further public comment on possible revisions to portions of the final rule. In order to facilitate a full exchange of views, the United States Patent and Trademark Office is also conducting a public session and roundtable in connection with this request for comments. Following the public comment period, if the Office determines further action is necessary, a subsequent notice of proposed rule making would be issued to solicit additional comments on specific proposals before any modified final rule would be issued.

NMFS issues final specifications for the 2010 summer flounder, scup, and black sea bass fisheries. This final rule specifies allowed harvest limits for both commercial and recreational fisheries, including commercial scup possession limits. This action prohibits Federally permitted commercial vessels from landing summer flounder in Delaware in 2010 due to continued quota repayment from previous years' overages.

The Commission is extending its comment period to receive information regarding the advance notice of proposed rulemaking concerning Recreational Off-Highway Vehicles (ROVs). The Commission received two letters requesting an extension of the comment period, one from three manufacturers and distributors of Multi-Purpose Off-Highway Utility Vehicles, and the other from a trade association. The letters each requested that the comment period be extended 60 days from the date certain information was received by the companies or became publicly available. The Commission has decided to extend the comment period 75 days after the original comment period of December 28, 2009.

This document contains corrections to final regulations (TD 9470) that were published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 (74 FR 59087) relating to the return and information statement requirements under section 6039 of the Internal Revenue Code.

The final rule entitled Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC): Vendor Cost Containment was published on October 8, 2009. The Office of Management and Budget cleared the associated information collection requirements (ICR) on November 2, 2009. This document announces approval of the ICR.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is proposing to amend the Hazardous Materials Regulations to incorporate provisions contained in certain widely used or longstanding special permits that have an established safety record. Special permits allow a company or individual to package or ship a hazardous material in a manner that varies from the regulations so long as an equivalent level of safety is maintained. The proposed revisions are intended to provide wider access to the regulatory flexibility offered in special permits and eliminate the need for numerous renewal requests, thus reducing paperwork burdens and facilitating commerce while maintaining an appropriate level of safety.

The Coast Guard is changing the regulation governing the operation of the State Route (SR) 433 Swing Span Bridge across Bonfouca Bayou, mile 7.0, at Slidell, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LDOTD) requested that the operating regulation of the SR 433 Swing Span Bridge be changed in order to allow for signaled openings to begin later in the mornings and later in the evenings during the months of daylight savings time. This change allows the bridge to open on signal, except that from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., from March 1 through October 30, the draw shall open on signal if at least two hours' notice is given. From November 1 through February 28 or 29, the bridge will revert to the two-hour notice requirement from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.