March 11, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This is a Notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of Connecticut (FEMA- 1958-DR), dated 03/03/2011. Incident: Snowstorm. Incident Period: 01/11/2011 through 01/12/2011. Effective Date: 03/03/2011. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 05/02/2011. Economic Injury (EIDL) Loan Application Deadline Date: 12/05/2011.

This Notice announces the acceptance of applications for payments to eligible biorefineries to encourage the use of renewable biomass as a replacement fuel source for fossil fuels used to provide process heat or power in the operation of these eligible biorefineries. To be eligible for payments, biorefineries must have been in existence on June 18, 2008. The Notice announces the availability of at least $25 million to make payments to eligible biorefineries in Fiscal Year 2011, in addition to any carry-over funds from Fiscal Year 2010.

The Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning proposed regulation, REG-105346-03, Partnership Equity for Services.

The Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning Revenue Procedure 2009-41, Relief for Late Initial Entity Classification Elections.

The Department of the Treasury, as part of its effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). The IRS is soliciting comments concerning a final regulation, REG-209365-89 (T.D. 9013), Limitations on Passive Activity Losses and Credits Treatment of Self-Charged Items of Income and Expense (Section 1.469- 7(f)).

The Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13(44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning an existing final regulation, TD 9328, Safe Harbor for Valuation Under Section 475.

GSA is proposing to amend the General Services Administration Acquisition Regulation (GSAR) to amend the GSAR to restore guidance on making final payments under construction and building service contracts to ensure contractors are paid in accordance with their contract requirements and not overpaid or receive improper payments for work performed. This guidance, which prescribed the use of GSA Form 1142, Release of Claims, for releases of claims under construction and building service contracts, was inadvertently deleted as part of the Rewrite of GSAR regulations on Contract Financing. GSA Contracting Officers have used this form to achieve uniformity and consistency in the release of claims process.

Under the provisions of the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) received a petition for reinstatement from O'Brien Energy Resources Corporation for competitive oil and gas lease WYW160470 for land in Niobrara County, Wyoming. The petition was filed on time and was accompanied by all the rentals due since the date the lease terminated under the law.

Notice is hereby given, in accordance with Public Laws 92-463 and 94-579, that the California Desert District Advisory Council to the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of the Interior, will meet in formal session on Saturday, March 26, 2011, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn, 12603 Mariposa Road, Victorville, CA 92395. There will be no field trip on Friday, March 25. On that date, the Council will hold an internal business meeting on administrative matters. Agenda topics for the Saturday meeting will include updates by Council members and reports from the BLM District Manager and five field office managers. In addition, the agenda may include updates on California Independent System Operator, the 29 Palms Marine Corps Air- to-Ground Combat Center proposed expansion, abandoned mine lands, special recreation permits, and renewable energy. Final agenda items will be posted on the BLM California state Web site at https:// www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/rac/dac.html.

This notice announces the intention of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to request that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approve the proposed information collection project: ``Pilot Test of the Proposed Pharmacy Survey on Patient Safety Culture.'' In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3521, A1-IRQ invites the public to comment on this proposed information collection.

In this NPRM, PHMSA is proposing to amend the Hazardous Materials Regulations to require each person (i.e., carrier or facility) who engages in cargo tank loading or unloading operations to perform a risk assessment of the loading and unloading operation and develop and implement safe operating procedures based upon the results of the risk assessment. The proposed operational procedures include requirements to address several aspects of loading and unloading, including provisions for facilities to develop maintenance testing programs for transfer equipment (i.e., hose maintenance programs) used to load or unload cargo tank motor vehicles (CTMVs). In addition, PHMSA is proposing to require each employee who engages in cargo tank loading or unloading operations to receive training and be evaluated on the employee's qualifications to perform loading or unloading functions. PHMSA is proposing these amendments to reduce the risk associated with the loading and unloading of cargo tank motor vehicles that contain hazardous materials.

The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) proposes regulations that would authorize the nonlethal, incidental, unintentional take of small numbers of polar bears and Pacific walruses during year-round oil and gas industry (Industry) exploration, development, and production operations in the Beaufort Sea and adjacent northern coast of Alaska. Industry operations for the covered period are similar to, and include all activities covered by the previous 5-year Beaufort Sea incidental take regulations that were effective from August 2, 2006, through August 2, 2011. We propose a finding that the total expected takings of polar bears and Pacific walruses during oil and gas industry exploration, development, and production activities will have a negligible impact on these species and will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on the availability of these species for subsistence use by Alaska Natives. We base this finding on the results of 17 years of data on the encounters and interactions between polar bears, Pacific walruses, and Industry; recent studies of potential effects of Industry on these species; oil spill risk assessments; potential and documented Industry impacts on these species; and current information regarding the natural history and status of polar bears and Pacific walruses. We are proposing that this rule be effective for 5 years from date of issuance.