2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This rule amends the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to implement additional changes to the Entity List (Supplement No. 4 to Part 744) on the basis of the annual review of the Entity List conducted by the End-User Review Committee (ERC). The changes from the annual review will be implemented in three rules. The first rule published on May 28, 2010 (75 FR 29884) implemented the results of the annual review for listed entities located in Canada, Egypt, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, South Korea, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. The second rule, published today, implements the results of the annual review for entities located in China and Russia. This rule removes five entities from the Entity List under Russia and makes twenty-one modifications to the Entity List (consisting of modifications to eighteen Chinese entries and three Russian entries currently on the Entity List) by adding additional addresses, aliases and/or clarifying the names for these twenty-one entities. The third rule, which will likely be published in early 2011, will implement the remaining results of the annual review. The Entity List provides notice to the public that certain exports, reexports, and transfers (in-country) to entities identified on the Entity List require a license from the Bureau of Industry and Security and that availability of license exceptions in such transactions is limited.

This document affirms as final, with changes, a proposed rule that updates the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical regulations concerning the payment methodology used to calculate VA payments for inpatient and outpatient health care professional services and other medical services associated with non-VA outpatient care. The rule has been designed to ensure that it will not have adverse effects on access to care.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``Commission'' or ``CFTC'') is publishing for comment an interim final rule to implement new statutory provisions introduced by Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (``Dodd-Frank Act''). Section 723 of the Dodd-Frank Act amends Section 2 of the Commodity Exchange Act (``CEA'' or the ``Act'') by adding new Section 2(h)(5)(B), which directs that rules adopted by the Commission under this section shall provide for the reporting of ``transition'' swapsthat is, swaps entered into on or after the date of enactment of the Dodd-Frank Act and prior to the effective date of swap data reporting rules to implement Section 2(h)(5)(B)to a registered swap data repository (``SDR'') or to the Commission. Each category of data is subject to a reporting timetable specified in Section 2(h)(5). The Commission intends shortly to notice for comment substantive rules implementing the swap data reporting provisions of Section 2(h)(5)(B). In order to ensure the preservation of data pending implementation of such rules, the Commission is today adopting an interim final rule directing specified counterparties to post-enactment, or transition, swap transactions entered into prior to the effective date of the swap data reporting and recordkeeping rules implementing Section 2(h)(5)(B) of the CEA to retain information pertaining to the terms of such swaps.

Treasury's retail electronic systems for holding Treasury marketable securities began with the goal of permitting investors to buy and hold marketable Treasury securities until maturity. As a cost- saving measure, Treasury is returning the Legacy Treasury Direct and TreasuryDirect systems to this initial vision by eliminating the SellDirect program that permits investors to sell their marketable securities on the open market through a Federal Reserve Bank. Investors will now need to transfer a marketable security to a broker or financial institution in order to effect a sale of the security prior to maturity.

EPA is amending specific provisions in the greenhouse gas reporting rule to clarify certain provisions, to correct technical and editorial errors, and to address certain questions and issues that have arisen since promulgation. These final changes include generally providing additional information and clarity on existing requirements, allowing greater flexibility or simplified calculation methods for certain sources, amending data reporting requirements to provide additional clarity on when different types of greenhouse gas emissions need to be calculated and reported, clarifying terms and definitions in certain equations and other technical corrections and amendments.

DoD is making technical amendments to the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to set forth references to supplementary information and procedures pertaining to specific categories of DoD acquisitions.

The Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the SR 39 (Judge Seeber/Claiborne Avenue) vertical lift bridge across the Inner Harbor Navigational Canal, mile 0.9, (Gulf Intracoastal Waterway mile 6.7 East of Harvey Lock), at New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana. This deviation is necessary to adjust the counterweight wire ropes on the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to remain closed for two (2) 72-hour time periods within a two-week period.

Comments are requested on the proposed Base (1% annual-chance) Flood Elevations (BFEs) and proposed BFE modifications for the communities listed in the table below. The purpose of this notice is to seek general information and comment regarding the proposed regulatory flood elevations for the reach described by the downstream and upstream locations in the table below. The BFEs and modified BFEs are a part of the floodplain management measures that the community is required either to adopt or to show evidence of having in effect in order to qualify or remain qualified for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). In addition, these elevations, once finalized, will be used by insurance agents and others to calculate appropriate flood insurance premium rates for new buildings and the contents in those buildings.

Base (1% annual-chance) Flood Elevations (BFEs) and modified BFEs are made final for the communities listed below. The BFEs and modified BFEs are the basis for the floodplain management measures that each community is required either to adopt or to show evidence of being already in effect in order to qualify or remain qualified for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Comments are requested on the proposed Base (1% annual-chance) Flood Elevations (BFEs) and proposed BFE modifications for the communities listed in the table below. The purpose of this notice is to seek general information and comment regarding the proposed regulatory flood elevations for the reach described by the downstream and upstream locations in the table below. The BFEs and modified BFEs are a part of the floodplain management measures that the community is required either to adopt or to show evidence of having in effect in order to qualify or remain qualified for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). In addition, these elevations, once finalized, will be used by insurance agents and others to calculate appropriate flood insurance premium rates for new buildings and the contents in those buildings.

Effective July 21, 2011, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) amends the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) by increasing the threshold for exempt consumer credit transactions from $25,000 to $50,000. In addition, the Dodd-Frank Act provides that, on or after December 31, 2011, this threshold must be adjusted annually by any annual percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers. Accordingly, the Board is proposing to make corresponding amendments to Regulation Z, which implements TILA, and to the accompanying staff commentary. Because the Dodd-Frank Act also increases the Consumer Leasing Act's threshold for exempt consumer leases from $25,000 to $50,000, the Board is proposing similar amendments to Regulation M elsewhere in today's Federal Register.

This interim rule lists communities where modification of the Base (1% annual-chance) Flood Elevations (BFEs) is appropriate because of new scientific or technical data. New flood insurance premium rates will be calculated from the modified BFEs for new buildings and their contents.

This interim rule lists communities where modification of the Base (1% annual-chance) Flood Elevations (BFEs) is appropriate because of new scientific or technical data. New flood insurance premium rates will be calculated from the modified BFEs for new buildings and their contents.

We are adopting as a final rule, with several changes, an interim rule that amended the regulations to add areas in Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Ohio, and Virginia to the list of generally infested areas based on the detection of infestations of gypsy moth in those areas. This document corrects errors in the listing of generally infested areas in Maine in the interim rule. The interim rule was necessary to prevent the artificial spread of the gypsy moth to noninfested areas of the United States.

We are superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This 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:

EPA is approving a request submitted by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) on May 7, 2010, to revise the Minnesota State Implementation Plan (SIP) for particulate matter less than 10 microns (PM10). The approval revises the Minnesota SIP by updating information for the Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES) Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Plant located in St. Paul, Minnesota. The revision reflects changes at the facility which include the decommissioning of six multiple hearth incinerators and associated equipment and the addition of three fluidized bed incinerators and associated equipment. These revisions are included in a joint Title I/Title V document for the MCES Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Plant, which replaces the document currently approved in the SIP for the facility. These revisions will result in reducing the PM10 emissions in the St. Paul area, and strengthen the existing PM10 SIP.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the products listed above. This AD requires adding two new indicator lights on a certain panel to inform the captain and first officer of a low pressure condition in the left and right override/jettison pumps of the center wing tanks. This AD also requires replacing the left and right override/jettison switches on the M154 fuel control module on the P4 panel with improved switches and doing the associated wiring changes. This AD also requires, for certain airplanes, installation of a mounting bracket for the new indicator lights. This AD also requires a revision to the maintenance program to incorporate airworthiness limitation No. 28-AWL-22. This AD also requires a revision to the airplane flight manual to advise the flightcrew what to do in the event that the pump low pressure light on the flight engineer's panel does not illuminate when the pump is selected off. This AD was prompted by fuel system reviews conducted by the manufacturer. We are issuing this AD to prevent uncommanded operation of the override/jettison pumps of the center wing tanks, and failure to manually shut off the override/ jettison pumps at the correct time, either of which could lead to an ignition source inside the center wing tank. This condition, in combination with flammable fuel vapors, could result in a center fuel tank explosion and consequent loss of the airplane.

On May 27, 2010, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) to amend the test procedures for refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers. That proposed rulemaking serves as the basis for today's action. DOE is issuing a final rule regarding Appendix A1 and Appendix B1, and an interim final rule for Appendix A and Appendix B. The final rule amends the current procedures, incorporating changes that will take effect 30 days after the final rule publication date. These changes will be mandatory for product testing to demonstrate compliance with the current energy standards and for representations starting 180 days after publication. These changes, which will not affect measured energy use, include test procedures to account for refrigerator-freezers equipped with variable anti-sweat heater controls, establishing test procedures for refrigerator-freezers equipped with more than two compartments, making minor adjustments to eliminate any potential ambiguity regarding how to conduct tests, and clarifying certain reporting requirements. The interim final rule establishes amended test procedures for refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers that would be required for measuring energy consumption once DOE promulgates new energy conservation standards for these products. These new standards are currently under development in a separate rulemaking activity and will apply to newly manufactured products starting in 2014. Today's action also discusses the treatment of combination wine storage-freezer products that were the subject of a recent test procedure waiver, energy use measurement round-off, and additional topics raised by stakeholders during the rulemaking's comment period. While the amended test procedures will be based largely on the test methodology used in the existing test procedures, they also include significant revisions with respect to the measurement of compartment temperatures and compartment volumes. These measurements will provide a more comprehensive accounting of energy usage by these products. The amended test procedure will modify the long-time automatic defrost test procedure to capture all energy use associated with the defrost cycle, establish a test procedure for products with a single compressor and multiple evaporators with active defrost cycles, incorporate into the energy use metric the energy use associated with icemaking for products with automatic icemakers, and clarify requirements on temperature control settings during testing.

This document contains final regulations allowing the IRS to require corporations to file a schedule disclosing uncertain tax positions related to the tax return as required by the IRS.

This document contains final regulations relating to the averaging of farm and fishing income in computing income tax liability. The regulations reflect changes made by the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004 and the Tax Extenders and Alternative Minimum Tax Relief Act of 2008. The regulations provide guidance to individuals engaged in a farming or fishing business who elect to reduce their tax liability by treating all or a portion of the current taxable year's farm or fishing income as if one-third of it had been earned in each of the prior three taxable years.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipient claims are established and collected against households that receive more benefits than they are entitled to receive. This rulemaking corrects and clarifies provisions of the final rule on recipient claims published at 65 FR 41752 on July 6, 2000. The purposes of this final rulemaking are to remove a definition and several provisions that were made obsolete by the final rule; correct the typographical errors; correct the omission of the requirement that a copy of the claims management plan be submitted to the FNS Regional Office for informational purposes; reinforce current practices and requirements in the areas of fair hearings, fees, due dates, delinquent claims, retention, claim referrals, negligence and fraud; make conforming changes needed as a result of a subsequent rulemaking pertaining to a sponsor's responsibility for overissuances of an alien household; and to remove an overpayment exception that is no longer applicable to the Program.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Route 1 Bridge across the Mystic River, mile 2.8, at Mystic, CT. The deviation is necessary to facilitate painting operations at the bridge. Under this deviation the bridge may remain in the closed position during the winter months December through April.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Bridge at mile 0.7 across the Annisquam River and Blynman Canal. The deviation is necessary to facilitate emergency structural repair. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position during the deviation period.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is establishing January 1, 2014, as the uniform compliance date for food labeling regulations that are issued between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2012. FDA periodically announces uniform compliance dates for new food labeling requirements to minimize the economic impact of label changes. On December 8, 2008, FDA established January 2, 2012, as the uniform compliance date for food labeling regulations issued between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2010 (January 1, 2012 fell on a Sunday; therefore the uniform compliance date was January 2, 2012).

EPA is proposing to determine under the Clean Air Act (CAA) that the Milwaukee-Racine and Sheboygan, Wisconsin areas have attained the 1997 8-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS). The Milwaukee-Racine area includes Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Washington, Waukesha, and Kenosha Counties. The Sheboygan area includes Sheboygan County. The proposed determinations are based on complete, quality-assured and certified ambient air monitoring data that show that the areas have monitored attainment of the 1997 8-hour ozone standard for the 2006-2008 and 2007-2009 monitoring periods. Preliminary data available for 2010 indicate that the areas continue to monitor attainment. If EPA finalizes this action, as a result of these determinations, the requirements for these areas to submit attainment demonstrations and associated reasonably available control measures (RACM), reasonable further progress plans (RFP), contingency measures, and other State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions related to attainment of the standard would be suspended for as long as the areas continue to attain the 1997 8-hour ozone standard. These determinations would also suspend the requirement for EPA to promulgate attainment demonstration, RFP, and any other attainment-related Federal Implementation Plans (FIPs) for these areas.