November 29, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management is issuing proposed regulations to change its procedures for determining whether an individual's failure to register with the Selective Service System was knowing and willful. These changes are intended to ensure that individuals in these circumstances have an opportunity to fully explain their failure to register and that the determination is based on a more complete record. In addition, the proposed regulations delegate authority to Federal agencies to make initial determinations as to whether an individual's failure to register with the Selective Service System was knowing and willful. This delegation will facilitate more efficient decisions and reduce paperwork.

The Department of Labor (Department) recently delayed the effective date of the Wage Methodology for Temporary Non-agricultural Employment H-2B Program Final Rule, 76 FR 3452, Jan. 19, 2011 (the Wage Rule) to January 1, 2012. This notice provides guidance to those employers who have received from the Department either a supplemental or dual prevailing wage determinations based on a previous effective date of the new prevailing wage methodology. This guidance is intended to clarify the wage payment requirements for employers participating in the H-2B Temporary Non-agricultural program.

NMFS issues regulations to limit access of Federally permitted pot and hook-and-line catcher/processors (C/Ps) to the Pacific cod fishery in Alaska State waters within 3 nautical miles of shore adjacent to the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). The affected fishery is commonly known as the ``parallel'' fishery. The parallel fishery is managed by the State of Alaska concurrent with the Federal pot and hook-and-line fishery for Pacific cod in the BSAI. This rule limits access by Federally permitted vessels to the parallel fishery for Pacific cod in three ways. First, it requires an owner of a Federally permitted pot or hook-and-line C/P vessel used to catch Pacific cod in the State of Alaska parallel fishery to be issued the same endorsements on his or her Federal fisheries permit (FFP) or license limitation program (LLP) license as currently are required for catching Pacific cod in the Federal waters of the BSAI. Second, it provides that the owner of a pot or hook-and-line C/P vessel who surrenders an FFP will not be reissued a new FFP for that vessel within the 3-year term of the permit. Third, it requires an operator of any Federally permitted pot or hook-and-line C/P vessel used to catch Pacific cod in the parallel fishery to comply with the same seasonal closures of Pacific cod that apply in the Federal fishery. These three measures are necessary to limit some C/Ps from catching a greater amount of Pacific cod in the parallel fishery than has been allocated to their sector from the BSAI total allowable catch. Maintaining Pacific cod catch amounts within BSAI sector allocations also will reduce the potential for shortened Pacific cod seasons for C/Ps in the Federal fishery. These three measures will improve the effectiveness of NMFS' catch accounting and monitoring requirements on vessels participating in the parallel fishery. This action is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, and other applicable laws.

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 proposed rule 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.

The U.S. Coast Guard is extending the enforcement period of a safety zone established on the waters of the Columbia River surrounding the remaining cofferdam at the M/V DAVY CROCKETT removal sight at approximate river mile 117. The original safety zone was established on January 28, 2011. The safety zone continues to be necessary to help ensure the safety of the response workers and maritime public while they conduct the removal of the cofferdam. All persons and vessels are prohibited from entering or remaining in the safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, Columbia River or his designated representative.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are proposing to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to limit the use of generic substitutes instead of Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) numbers, and update the policies and procedures associated with reporting in the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS). Additionally, changes are proposed for the clauses requiring contractor registration in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database and DUNS number reporting.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) is adopting revisions to the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval System (EDGAR) Filer Manual to reflect updates to the EDGAR system. The revisions are being made primarily to support the updates to submission form types ABS-15G and ABS-15G/A; to support changes in XBRL validations for filings containing Exhibit 101 documents; to update the OMB information on EDGARLite Form TA-W; and to add a new applicant type to the Form ID. The EDGAR system is scheduled to be upgraded to support this functionality on November 21, 2011. The filer manual is also being revised to address changes previously made in EDGAR.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Honeywell International Inc. ALF502L-2C, ALF502R-3, ALF502R-3A, ALF502R-5, LF507-1F, and LF507-IH turbofan engines. This AD requires removing from service certain second stage high pressure compressor (HPC2) discs. This AD was prompted by a report of cracks found in an HPC2 disc during routine inspection. We are issuing this AD to prevent the affected discs from fracturing before reaching the currently published life limit. A disc fracture could result in an uncontained failure of the disc and damage to the airplane.

This action establishes Class E airspace for Nashville, AR, to accommodate new Area Navigation (RNAV) Standard Instrument Approach Procedures at Howard County Airport. The FAA is taking this action to enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) operations at the airport.

This action amends Class E airspace for Winters, TX. Decommissioning of the Winters non-directional beacon (NDB) and cancellation of the NDB Standard Instrument Approach Procedure (SIAP) at Winters Municipal Airport, Winters, TX, as well as the addition of new area navigation (RNAV) SIAPs, has made this action necessary to enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) operations at the airport.

This action amends Class E airspace for Ardmore, OK. Decommissioning of the Arbuckle non-directional beacon (NDB) and cancellation of the NDB Standard Instrument Approach Procedure (SIAP) at Ardmore Municipal Airport, Ardmore, OK, as well as the addition of new area navigation (RNAV) SIAPs, has made this action necessary to enhance the safety and management of Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) operations at the airport. This action also updates the geographic coordinates of the airport.

Section 939A of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) contains two directives to Federal agencies including the OCC. First, section 939A directs all Federal agencies to review, no later than one year after enactment, any regulation that requires the use of an assessment of creditworthiness of a security or money market instrument and any references to, or requirements in, such regulations regarding credit ratings. Second, the agencies are required to remove any references to, or requirements of reliance on, credit ratings and substitute such standard of credit- worthiness as each agency determines is appropriate. The statute further provides that the agencies shall seek to establish, to the extent feasible, uniform standards of creditworthiness, taking into account the entities the agencies regulate and the purposes for which those entities would rely on such standards. Through this notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), the OCC seeks comment on a proposal to revise its regulations pertaining to investment securities, securities offerings, and foreign bank capital equivalency deposits to replace references to credit ratings with alternative standards of creditworthiness. The OCC also is proposing to amend its regulations pertaining to financial subsidiaries of national banks to better reflect the language of the underlying statute, as amended by section 939(d) of the Dodd- Frank Act.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Airbus Model A340-200 and -300 series airplanes. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated 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:

PHMSA is proposing to make miscellaneous changes to the pipeline safety regulations. The proposed changes would correct errors, address inconsistencies, and respond to rulemaking petitions. The requirements in several subject matter areas would be affected, including the performance of post-construction inspections; leak surveys of Type B onshore gas gathering lines; the requirements for qualifying plastic pipe joiners; the regulation of ethanol; the transportation of pipe; the filing of offshore pipeline condition reports; the calculation of pressure reductions for hazardous liquid pipeline anomalies; and the odorization of gas transmission lateral lines. The proposed changes are addressed on an individual basis and, where appropriate, would be made applicable to the safety standards for both gas and hazardous liquid pipelines. Editorial changes are also included.

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Bombardier, Inc. Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated 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:

We are superseding an existing airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain Airbus Model A330-201, -202, -203, -223, -243, -301, -302, -303, -321, -322, -323, -341, -342, and -343 airplanes; and Model A340-200 and -300 series airplanes. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated 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:

The EPA is amending specific provisions in the Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Rule to correct certain technical and editorial errors that have been identified since promulgation and to clarify certain provisions that have been the subject of questions from reporters. These final changes include additional information to clarify compliance obligations, correct data reporting elements so they more closely conform to the information used to perform calculations, and make other corrections and amendments. In addition, these final amendments allow a limited, one-time six month extension of the 2012 reporting deadline for facilities and suppliers that contain one or more source categories for which data collection began in 2011.