January 12, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE or the Department) prepared an environmental impact statement (EIS) (DOE/EIS-0407) to assess the potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed action of providing Federal financial assistance to Abengoa Bioenergy Biomass of Kansas, LLC (Abengoa Bioenergy) to support the design, construction, and startup of a commercial-scale integrated biorefinery to be located near the city of Hugoton in Stevens County, southwestern Kansas (the Project). The integrated biorefinery would use a combination of biomass feedstocks, such as corn stover and wheat straw, to produce ethanol and to generate sufficient electricity to power the facility and supply excess electricity to the regional power grid. The Project site comprises approximately 810 acres of row-cropped agricultural land. The biorefinery facilities would be developed on 385 acres of the Project site, and the remaining 425 acres would remain agricultural and act as a buffer between the biorefinery and the city of Hugoton. After careful consideration of the potential environmental impacts and other factors such as program goals and objectives, DOE has decided that it will provide Federal funding under Section 932 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005) of up to $71 million (2009 dollars), subject to annual appropriations, to Abengoa Bioenergy for the Project. A separate decision will be made regarding a potential loan guarantee; and if DOE decides to proceed to consider the loan guarantee, DOE would consider using the Final Abengoa Biorefinery EIS to comply with NEPA review requirements for the loan guarantee. If DOE determines that the Final Biorefinery EIS sufficiently addresses all activities covered by the loan guarantee, DOE could either issue a Record of Decision (ROD) deciding to issue a loan guarantee, or amend this ROD.

Notice is hereby given that the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission (the Commission) plans to meet to on Wednesday, February 16, 2011, at 11 a.m., to consult with the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission on design concepts for the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the reopening of the comment period on June 23, 2010, proposed designation of critical habitat for the Tumbling Creek cavesnail (Antrobia culveri) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). We also announce the availability of a draft economic analysis (DEA) of the proposed designation of critical habitat for the Tumbling Creek cavesnail and an amended required determinations section of the proposal. We are reopening the comment period for an additional 30 days to allow all interested parties an opportunity to comment on the items listed above. Comments previously submitted need not be resubmitted and will be fully considered in preparation of the final rule.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the Agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (the PRA), Federal Agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on the information collection provisions of the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will file the plat of survey of the lands described below in the BLM-Eastern States office in Springfield, Virginia, 30 calendar days from the date of publication in the Federal Register.

This notice advises the public that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) intends to gather information necessary to prepare a land protection plan (LPP) and associated National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents pursuant to NEPA and its implementing regulations to establish the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and the Everglades Headwaters Conservation Area. The Service is furnishing this notice in compliance with the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as amended, to achieve the following: advise other agencies, Tribal governments, and the public of our intentions and obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to include in the environmental documents. Special mailings, newspaper articles, and other media announcements will inform people of the opportunities for input throughout the planning process.

The Department of the Navy hereby gives notice of its intent to grant to IRFlex Corporation a revocable, nonassignable, exclusive license to practice the field of use of nonlinear, mid-infrared fiber and fiber devices to generate and/or guide mid-infrared sources over long distances (1-500 meters) in the United States, the Government- owned inventions described in U.S. Patent No. 5,949,935: Infrared Optical Fiber Couple, Navy Case No. 78,344.//U.S. Patent No. 6,928,227: Amplification with Chalcogenide Glass Fiber, Navy Case No. 82,848.// U.S. Patent No. 7,133,590: IR Supercontinuum Source, Navy Case No. 96,194.//U.S. Patent No. 7,809,030: OPO Mid-IR Wavelength Converter, Navy Case No. 98,538.//U.S. Patent Application No. 12/179,797: Manufacturing Process for Chalcogenide Glasses, Navy Case No. 96,838.// U.S. Patent Application No. 12/851,377: Microstructured Fiber End, Navy Case No. 98,546.//U.S. Patent Application No. 12/645,315: Fiber-Based Mid-IR Signal Combiner and Method of Making Same, Navy Case No. 99,613 and any continuations, divisionals or re- issues thereof.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463, as amended, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration announces a meeting of the Education and Public Outreach Committee of the NASA Advisory Council (NAC).

An open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Notice Improvement Project Committee will be conducted. The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is soliciting public comments, ideas and suggestions on improving customer service at the Internal Revenue Service.