January 19, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In this document, we propose revising the Federal Communications Commission's (Commission) rules regarding the schools and libraries universal service support mechanism, also known as the E- rate program, to comply with the requirements of the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act. Among other things, the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act, titled Promoting Online Safety in Schools, revised the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (the Act), by adding a new certification requirement for elementary and secondary schools that have computers with Internet access and receive discounts under the E-rate program. We also propose to revise related Commission rules to reflect existing statutory language more accurately.

The Securities and Exchange Commission is issuing a policy statement announcing the analytical framework it uses to evaluate cooperation by individuals.

NMFS announces that the State of North Carolina is transferring a portion of its 2009 commercial summer flounder quota to the Commonwealth of Virginia. By this action, NMFS adjusts the quotas and announces the revised commercial quota for each state involved.

On July 27, 2009 (74 FR 36926), the National Indian Gaming Commission (``NIGC'') published a final rule updating various NIGC regulations and streamlining procedures. On August 25, 2009 (74 FR 42275), NIGC extended the effective date of the changes made by the final rule to December 31, 2009. This publication corrects inadvertent errors left in Sec. 514.1 of the final rule so that fees and fee statements are due on June 30th and December 31st of each calendar year, not on March 1st and August 1st as originally published.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish permanent safety zones for Hydroplane Races to take place on various dates on the waters of Dyes Inlet, Port Angeles and Lake Washington, WA. When these safety zones are activated, and thus subject to enforcement, this rule would limit the movement of non-participating vessels within the established race areas while hydroplane races are taking place. This proposed rule is needed to ensure the safety of the maritime public from inherent dangers associated with high-speed watercraft races on navigable waterways during these events.

The Commission is adopting amendments to the proxy rules under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to set forth certain requirements for U.S. registrants subject to Section 111(e) of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. Section 111(e) of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 requires companies that have received financial assistance under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (``TARP'') to permit a separate shareholder advisory vote to approve the compensation of executives, as disclosed pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules of the Commission, during the period in which any obligation arising from financial assistance provided under the TARP remains outstanding. The amendments are intended to help implement this requirement by specifying and clarifying it in the context of the Federal proxy rules.

The FDIC is seeking comment on ways that the FDIC's risk-based deposit insurance assessment system (risk-based assessment system) could be changed to account for the risks posed by certain employee compensation programs. Section 7 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (FDI Act) sets forth the risk-based assessment authorities underlying the FDIC's deposit insurance system. The FDIC seeks comment on all aspects of this ANPR.

The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Saab AB, Saab Aerosystems Model SAAB 340A (SAAB/SF340A) and SAAB 340B airplanes. This proposed AD would require inspecting the fuselage surface for corrosion and cracking behind the external adapter plate of the antennae installation, and repair if necessary. This proposed AD results from a report of a crack found behind the external adapter plate of the antennae during inspection. Similar cracking was found on two additional airplanes, and extensive corrosion was found on one airplane. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct corrosion and cracking behind the external adapter plate of the antennae of certain safe-life structure, which could result in reduced structural integrity and consequent rapid depressurization of the airplane.

This rule amends the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations by implementing a statutory amendment reducing from three years to one year the length of time a member of the United States Armed Forces has to serve to qualify for naturalization through service in the Armed Forces. In addition, this rule amends DHS regulations by implementing a statutory amendment to include as eligible for naturalization individuals who served or are serving as members of the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve of the U.S. Armed Forces during specified periods of hostility. This rule also amends the regulations to remove the requirement to submit Form G-325B, Biographic Information, with Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, for applicants applying for naturalization through service in the U.S. Armed Forces. By eliminating the Form G-325B requirement, the rule will reduce the response burden and amount of time it takes U.S. Armed Forces members to complete the paperwork required with a naturalization application.

Based on its reconsideration of the primary and secondary national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for ozone (O3) set in March 2008, EPA proposes to set different primary and secondary standards than those set in 2008 to provide requisite protection of public health and welfare, respectively. With regard to the primary standard for O3, EPA proposes that the level of the 8-hour primary standard, which was set at 0.075 ppm in the 2008 final rule, should instead be set at a lower level within the range of 0.060 to 0.070 parts per million (ppm), to provide increased protection for children and other ``at risk'' populations against an array of O3-related adverse health effects that range from decreased lung function and increased respiratory symptoms to serious indicators of respiratory morbidity including emergency department visits and hospital admissions for respiratory causes, and possibly cardiovascular-related morbidity as well as total non-accidental and cardiopulmonary mortality. With regard to the secondary standard for O3, EPA proposes that the secondary O3 standard, which was set identical to the revised primary standard in the 2008 final rule, should instead be a new cumulative, seasonal standard expressed as an annual index of the sum of weighted hourly concentrations, cumulated over 12 hours per day (8 am to 8 pm) during the consecutive 3-month period within the O3 season with the maximum index value, set at a level within the range of 7 to 15 ppm- hours, to provide increased protection against O3-related adverse impacts on vegetation and forested ecosystems.