March 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Through this action, NMFS proposes to prohibit purse seine fishing in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), and to prohibit pelagic longline fishing within 30 nautical miles (nm) of the CNMI. The purse seine prohibition is intended to reduce the potential for localized fish depletion by purse seine fishing, limit catch competition and gear conflicts between the purse seine fishery and the Guam and CNMI pelagic longline and trolling fleets, and reduce the potential impacts of purse seine fishing on the recruitment of juvenile bigeye tuna. By establishing a longline fishing prohibited area around the CNMI, NMFS intends to reduce the potential for localized fish depletion by longline fishing, and to limit catch competition and gear conflicts between the developing CNMI longline fishery and the CNMI pelagic trolling fleet. This rule also would make several administrative clarifications to the pelagic fishing regulations.

NMFS issues final specifications for the 2011 Atlantic bluefish fishery, including total allowable landings (TAL), a commercial quota and recreational harvest limit (RHL), and a recreational possession limit. The intent of this action is to establish the allowable 2011 harvest levels and other management measures to achieve the target fishing mortality rate (F), consistent with the Atlantic Bluefish Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The final rule also amends the bluefish regulations that specify the process for setting the annual TAL and target F to more clearly reflect the intent of the FMP.

The Office of Academic Programs of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition to administer the United States Timor-Leste (USTL) Scholarship Program and the United States South Pacific (USSP) Scholarship Program. Eligible applicants may submit a proposal to administer one or both of the scholarship programs. Public and private non-profit organizations meeting the provisions described in Internal Revenue Code section 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) may submit proposals to organize and carry out academic exchange program activities for approximately ten (10) students, i.e. approximately five (5) from Timor-Leste and five (5) from the sovereign island nations of the South Pacific (eligible nations are listed below in the Overview section). The recipient(s) will be responsible for all aspects of the programs, including publicity and recruitment of applicants; merit-based competitive selection; placement of students at an accredited U.S. academic institution; student travel to the U.S.; orientation; up to four years of U.S. degree study at the bachelor's or up to three years at the master's level (including one year of preparatory study); enrichment programming; advising, monitoring and support; pre-return activities; evaluation; and follow-up with program alumni. The duration of the cooperative agreement(s) will be up to five years, beginning approximately on August 1, 2011. These programs will be implemented pending the availability of FY 2011 funds.

This proposed rule would establish procedures and timing for specifying annual catch limits (ACLs) and accountability measures (AMs) for western Pacific fisheries. The proposed rule is procedural in nature, and is intended to help NMFS end and prevent overfishing, rebuild overfish stocks, and achieve optimum yield.

The Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC) is providing notice that it is releasing the new version of the MFTURP No. 1, effective April 1, 2011.

The inventions listed below are assigned to the United States Government as represented by the Secretary of the Army. The U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center intends to license these inventions exclusively to Guild Associates, Inc., an Ohio Corporation with principal offices 5750 Shier-Rings Road Dublin, OH 43016. The inventions to be licensed are known as ``Filtration Media and process for the Removal of Hazardous Material from Air Streams,'' and ``Zirconium Hydroxide for Decontaminating Toxic Agents.'' The U.S. Patent Application serial numbers for these inventions are 12/914,334 filed on October 28, 2010 and 12/917,811 filed on November 2, 2010, respectively.

NMFS announces that the spiny dogfish commercial quota available to the coastal states from Maine through Florida for the 2010 fishing year (FY), May 1, 2010-April 30, 2011, has been harvested. Therefore, effective 0001 hours, April 1, 2011, federally permitted spiny dogfish vessels may not fish for, possess, transfer, or land spiny dogfish until May 1, 2011, when the quota for FY 2011 becomes available. Regulations governing the spiny dogfish fishery require publication of this notification to advise the coastal states from Maine through Florida that the quota has been harvested and to advise vessel permit holders and dealer permit holders that no Federal commercial quota is available for landing spiny dogfish in these states. This action is necessary to prevent the fishery from exceeding its annual quota and to allow for effective management of this stock.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for pollock in Statistical Area 610 in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the B season allowance of the 2011 total allowable catch of pollock for Statistical Area 610 in the GOA.

The Regional Administrator of EPA Region 6 is hereby granting a project waiver of the Buy American requirements of ARRA Section 1605 under the authority of Section 1605(b)(2) [manufactured goods are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities and of a satisfactory quality] to the DeSoto Parish Waterworks District 1 (``the District'') for three (3) packaged, Memcor XS 48 submerged membrane filtration Systems (MFSs), manufactured by Siemens Water Technologies Corporation, proposed for the expansion of its existing water treatment plant. The District requires a submerged membrane treatment system capable of a 4-log removal of Giardia and Cryptosporidium at a production rate of 1 million gallons per day (MGD). The packaged, Memcor XS 48 submerged MFS is manufactured by foreign manufacturers and no United States manufacturer produces an alternative that meets the District's technical specifications. This is a project specific waiver and only applies to the use of the specified product for the ARRA funded project being proposed. Any other ARRA project that may wish to use the same product must apply for a separate waiver based on the specific project circumstances. The Regional Administrator is making this determination based on the review and recommendations of the EPA Region 6, Water Quality Protection Division. The District has provided sufficient documentation to support its request. The Assistant Administrator of the EPA's Office of Administration and Resources Management has concurred on this decision to make an exception to Section 1605 of ARRA. This action permits the purchase of three packaged, Memcor XS 48 submerged MFSs not manufactured in the United States, for the proposed project being implemented by the District.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD), Office of Infrastructure Protection (IP), will submit the following Information Collection Request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD), Office of Infrastructure Protection (IP), will submit the following Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).