2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Navy (Navy) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to training activities conducted in the Gulf of Alaska (GoA) Temporary Maritime Activities Area (TMAA) for the period December 2010 through December 2015. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS proposes regulations to govern that take and requests information, suggestions, and comments on these proposed regulations. Specifically, we encourage the public to recommend effective, regionally specific methods for augmenting existing marine mammal density, distribution, and abundance information in the GoA TMAA and to prioritize the specific density and distribution data needs in the area (species, time of year, etc.). This information will ensure the design of the most effective Monitoring Plan with the resources available.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the ``Commission'') hereby proposes rules to implement new statutory provisions enacted by Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the ``Dodd-Frank Act''). Specifically, the proposed rules contained herein impose new requirements on derivatives clearing organizations (``DCOs''), designated contract markets (``DCMs''), and swap execution facilities (``SEFs'') with respect to mitigation of conflicts of interest.

HUD announces the availability on its Web site of the applicant information, submission deadlines, funding criteria, and other requirements for the FY2010 Capital Fund Education and Training Community Facilities (CFCF) Program. Approximately $35 million is made available through the CFCF NOFA, by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 (Pub. L. 111-117, approved December 16, 2009). The CFCF NOFA provides capital funding to Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) for the construction, rehabilitation, or purchase of facilities to provide early childhood education, adult education, and job training programs for public housing residents based on an identified need. PHAs may use CFCF program funding to rehabilitate existing community facilities that will offer comprehensive, integrated services. These facilities will offer services to help public housing residents achieve better educational and economic outcomes resulting in long-term economic self- sufficiency. The notice providing information regarding the application process, funding criteria and eligibility requirements can be found using the Department of Housing and Urban Development agency link on the Grants.gov/Find Web site at https://www.grants.gov/search/agency.do. A link to Grants.gov is also available on the HUD Web site at https:// www.hud.gov/offices/adm/grants/fundsavail.cfm. The Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number for the Capital Fund Education and Training Community Facilities (CFCF) Program is 14-890. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov.

NMFS issues this proposed rule that would implement actions identified in a regulatory amendment to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP) prepared by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council). This proposed rule would reduce the commercial quota for red grouper and, thus, the combined commercial quota for shallow water grouper (SWG) species, and require vessels with valid commercial Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) reef fish permits to mark their buoy gear with the official vessel number. This rule also proposes minor revisions to codified text, including a revised definition of buoy gear, re-codification of the commercial and recreational quotas for greater amberjack, revision of the recreational accountability measure for greater amberjack, and removal of outdated language for the red snapper individual fishing quota (IFQ) program. The intended effect of this proposed rule is to help prevent overfishing of red grouper while achieving optimum yield (OY) by reducing red grouper harvest consistent with the findings of the recent stock assessment for this species, and to implement technical corrections to the regulations.

NMFS proposes regulations to implement measures in Amendment 4 to the Atlantic Herring (Herring) Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Amendment 4 was developed by the New England Fishery Management Council (Council) to bring the FMP into compliance with new Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) requirements by: Revising definitions and the specifications-setting process, consistent with annual catch limit (ACL) requirements; and establishing fishery closure thresholds, a haddock incidental catch cap, and overage paybacks as accountability measures (AMs). In addition, the amendment designates herring as a ``stock in the fishery''; establishes an interim acceptable biological catch (ABC) control rule; and makes adjustments to the specification process by eliminating consideration of total foreign processing (JVPt), including joint venture processing (JVP) and internal waters processing (IWP), and reserve from the specification process, and eliminates the Council's consideration of total allowable level of foreign fishing (TALFF).

Under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C., Appendix, as amended), the Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended), and 41 CFR 102-3.150, the Department of Defense announces that the Defense Advisory Committee on Military Personnel Testing will meet November 18-19, 2010, in Carmel, CA.

In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, for opportunity for public comment on proposed data collection projects, the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects to be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval.

The Commission announces the next meeting date and agenda of its Consumer Advisory Committee (``Committee''). The purpose of the Committee is to make recommendations to the Commission regarding consumer issues within the jurisdiction of the Commission and to facilitate the participation of all consumers in proceedings before the Commission.

This order further extends the duration of the withdrawal created by Public Land Order No. 7464 for an additional 5-year period. This extension is necessary to continue protection of the Bureau of Land Management's Zortman-Landusky mining area which would otherwise expire on October 4, 2010.

In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 4314(c)(4), the Bureau Industry Security (BIS), Department of Commerce (DOC), announce the appointment of those individuals who have been selected to serve as members of BIS's Performance Review Board. The Performance Review Board is responsible for (1) reviewing performance appraisals and rating of Senior Executive Service (SES) members and (2) making recommendations to the appointing authority on other performance management issues, such as pay adjustments, bonuses and Presidential Rank Awards for SES members. The appointment of these members to the Performance Review Board will be for a period of twenty-four (24) months.

Pursuant to Public Law 96-472, the National Earthquake Prediction Evaluation Council (NEPEC) will hold a 2-day meeting on November 3 and 4, 2010. The meeting will be held on the campus of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91106. The Council is comprised of members from academia and the Federal Government. The Council shall advise the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on proposed earthquake predictions, on the completeness and scientific validity of the available data related to earthquake predictions, and on related matters as assigned by the Director. Additional information about the Council may be found at: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/aboutus/nepec/. At the meeting, the Council will review plans and progress related to understanding, forecasting and communicating about earthquake occurrence in California, the Pacific Northwest, and the Central United States. The Council will ratify the charges to NEPEC subcommittees that will focus on: (1) Methods for rapidly estimating the probability of a large earthquake following a possible foreshock or during a swarm of seismicity, procedures by which Council findings are to be transmitted to the USGS, and the format and content of earthquake advisory statements that may be composed and delivered at times of heightened concern; (2) earthquake occurrence and forecasting in the Pacific Northwest; (3) earthquake occurrence and forecasting in the Central and Eastern U.S.; and (4) review procedures for the project intended to deliver an updated Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast (UCERF3) in summer 2012. Workshops and meetings of the National Earthquake Prediction Evaluation Council are open to the public. A draft workshop agenda is available on request (contact information below). In order to ensure sufficient seating and hand-outs, it is requested that visitors pre- register by November 1. Members of the public wishing to make a statement to the Committee should provide notice of that intention by November 1 so that time may be allotted in the agenda.

Notice is hereby given that the Administrative Conference of the United States will host a public meeting of the Committee on Administration of the Assembly of the Conference on Wednesday, November 3, 2010 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. to consider a report examining the application of ethics rules to employees of government contractors. To facilitate public participation, the Administrative Conference is inviting public comment on the report to be considered at the meeting, to be submitted in writing no later than October 29, 2010.

The inventions listed below are owned by an agency of the U.S. Government and are available for licensing in the U.S. in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 207 to achieve expeditious commercialization of results of Federally-funded research and development. Foreign patent applications are filed on selected inventions to extend market coverage for companies and may also be available for licensing.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and its implementing regulations, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) hereby announces that it is seeking approval of the following information collection activities. Before submitting these information collection requirements for clearance by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified below.