December 8, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

EPA Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 are publishing for comment a draft NPDES Vessel General Permit (VGP) that would authorize discharges incidental to the normal operation of non-military and non-recreational vessels greater than or equal to 79 feet in length. If finalized, this draft VGP would replace the current VGP, which was issued in December 2008 and expires on December 19, 2013. EPA is also proposing a draft NPDES Small Vessel General Permit (sVGP) to authorize discharges incidental to the normal operation of non-military and non-recreational vessels less than 79 feet in length. EPA is proposing the sVGP to authorize discharges from vessels less than 79 feet in length, because the P.L. 110-299 moratorium (subsequently extended by P.L. 111-215) expires on December 18, 2013. These laws generally provide that no NPDES permits shall be required for incidental discharges (except discharges of ballast water) from vessels less than 79 feet and commercial fishing vessels. EPA is soliciting comment on today's draft VGP and draft sVGP. Comments on any aspect of the permit, including the fact sheet discussions and economic analyses supporting the Agency's tentative decisions, are welcome. Note that in many places, EPA requests comments on specific aspects of today's draft permits; these specific solicitations are meant to highlight for commenters areas on which they may wish to focus, most often because these areas involve provisions not contained in the 2008 VGP. The requests for comment on specific aspects of the permit should not be interpreted as discouraging comment on other provisions or aspects of the draft permits.

Based on affirmative final determinations by the Department of Commerce (the ``Department'') and the International Trade Commission (``ITC''), the Department is issuing an antidumping duty order on multilayered wood flooring (``wood flooring'') from the People's Republic of China (``PRC''). In addition, the Department is amending its final determination to correct certain ministerial errors.

The proposed action is to approve two Plans of Operations for exploratory uranium drilling on the Cibola National Forest, Mount Taylor Ranger District. There are two areas identified for exploration; the Bajillos project area is approximately 2,894 acres and is located in T. 12 N, R. 8 W, Sections 6, 7, & 8 and T. 12 N, R. 9 W, Sections 1, 12, & . The Endy project area is approximately 3,740 acres and is located in T. 13 N, R. 7 W, Sections 7 &8, T. 13 N, R. 8 W, Secions 2, 3, 4, 5, 11, & 12 and T. 14 N, R. 8 W, Sections 31 & 32. Both project areas are located north-northeast of Grants in the vicinity of the town of San Mateo. In total, there are up to 279 drill holes that would be drilled over a period not to exceed 6 years from initiation of the project. A total of 21 drill holes are proposed within the Bajillos project area. A total of up to 258 holes are proposed for drilling within the Endy project area. The exploratory drilling in this area would be phased over the course of six years; 51 holes would be drilled during the first phase of exploration. Secondary- and later phase- drilling would consist of in-fill drilling and moving outward into newer areas.

On January 31, 2011, the Department published a notice of intent to establish an Indian Oil Valuation Negotiated Rulemaking Committee. In that notice, we requested interested parties to nominate representatives for membership on the Committee and addressed many of the requirements of Section 564 of the Negotiated Rulemaking Act. On August 22, 2011, the Department published a second notice of intent to establish an Indian Oil Valuation Negotiated Rulemaking Committee to address the remaining requirements of Section 564 of the Negotiated Rulemaking Act and to inquire if all interests were represented by the proposed members. This notice establishes the Committee.

This is a notice, in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 209(c)(1) and 37 CFR 404.7(a)(1)(i), that the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is contemplating the grant of a worldwide exclusive license, to practice the inventions embodied in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/850,132, filed October 6, 2006, now abandoned (HHS Ref. No. E-227-2006/0-US-01); U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/864,153, filed November 02, 2006, now abandoned (HHS Ref. No. E-227-2006/1-US-01); U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/888,754, filed February 07, 2007, now abandoned (HHS Ref. No. E-227-2006/2-US-01); U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/910,549, filed April 06, 2007, now abandoned (HHS Ref. No. E-227-2006/3-US-01); U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/956,375, filed August 16, 2007, now abandoned (HHS Ref. No. E-227- 2006/4-US-01); PCT Patent Application No. PCT/2007/080647, filed October 5, 2007, now abandoned (HHS Ref. No. E-227-2006/5-PCT-01); U.S. Patent Application No. 12/444,364, filed April 3, 2009 (HHS Ref. No. E- 227-2006/5-US-02); Canadian Patent Application No. 2,665,287, filed October 5, 2007 (HHS Ref. No. E-227-2006/5-CA-03); Australian Patent Application No. 2007319576, filed October 5, 2007 (HHS Ref. No. E-227- 2006/5-AU-04); European Patent Application No. 07868382.8, filed October 5, 2007 (HHS Ref. No. E-227-2006/5-EP-05); U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/086,991, filed August 7, 2008, now abandoned (HHS Ref. No. E-153-2008/0-US-01); PCT Patent Application No. PCT/2009/ 052902, filed August 5, 2009, now abandoned (HHS Ref. No. E-153-2008/0- PCT-02); U.S. Patent Application No. 13/057,447, filed February 3, 2011 (HHS Ref. No. E-153-2008/0-US-06); Canadian Patent Application No. 2732102 filed August 5, 2009 (HHS Ref. No. E-153-2008/0-CA-043); Australian Patent Application No. 2009279676, filed August 5, 2009 (HHS Ref. No. E-153-2008/0-AU-03); and European Patent Application No. 09791202.6, filed August 5, 2009 (HHS Ref. No. E-153-2008/0-EP-08), entitled ``Prevention of Tissue Ischemia, Related Methods and Compositions,'' and ``Radioprotectants Targeting Thrombospondin-1 and CD47,'' to Radiation Control Technologies, Inc., a company incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware having its headquarters in Rockville, Maryland. The United States of America is the assignee of the rights of the above inventions. The prospective exclusive license territory may be ``worldwide,'' and the field of use may be limited to: (1) The use of morpholino oligonucleotides that reduce expression of CD47 in combination with radiotherapy, to treat or prevent cancers in humans; and (2) the use of morpholino oligonucleotides that reduce expression of CD47 to treat or prevent radiation exposure damage in humans.

The inventions listed below are owned by an agency of the U.S. Government and are available for licensing in the U.S. in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 207 to achieve expeditious commercialization of results of federally-funded research and development. Foreign patent applications are filed on selected inventions to extend market coverage for companies and may also be available for licensing.

This is a Notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of New Jersey (FEMA- 4048-DR), dated 11/30/2011. Incident: Severe Storm. Incident Period: 10/29/2011. Effective Date: 11/30/2011. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 01/30/2012. Economic Injury (EIDL) Loan Application Deadline Date: 08/30/2012.

This is a Notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of New Mexico (FEMA- 4047-DR), dated 11/23/2011. Incident: Flooding. Incident Period: 08/19/2011 through 08/24/2011. Effective Date: 11/23/2011. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 01/23/2012. Economic Injury (EIDL) Loan Application Deadline Date: 08/23/2012.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. International Trade Commission has received a complaint entitled In Re Certain Portable Communication Devices, DN 2861; the Commission is soliciting comments on any public interest issues raised by the complaint.

The Department of Education (the Department), in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and continuing collections of information. This helps the Department assess the impact of its information collection requirements and minimize the reporting burden on the public and helps the public understand the Department's information collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired format. The Director, Information Collection Clearance Division, Privacy, Information and Records Management Services, Office of Management, Office of Management, invites comments on the proposed information collection requests as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

This document informs the public that an appeal of the closing of the Spring Lake, Minnesota post office has been filed. It identifies preliminary steps and provides a procedural schedule. Publication of this document will allow the Postal Service, petitioners, and others to take appropriate action.

The Office of Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) is seeking nominations of qualified individuals to be considered for appointment as members of the Advisory Committee on Blood Safety and Availability (ACBSA). ACBSA is a Federal advisory committee in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Management support for the activities of this Committee is the responsibility of the OASH. The qualified individuals will be nominated to the Secretary of HHS for consideration of appointment as members of the ACBSA. Members of the Committee, including the Chair, are appointed by the Secretary. Members are invited to serve on the Committee for up to four-year terms.

The State of Idaho has applied for final approval of its Underground Storage Tank (UST) Program under Subtitle I of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). EPA has reviewed Idaho's application and made the tentative decision that the State's UST program satisfies all requirements necessary to qualify for final approval.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit a request to renew an existing approved Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is scheduled to expire on April 30, 2012. Before submitting this ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below.

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3502-3520), the Federal Communications Commission invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection(s). Comments are requested concerning: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimates; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and (e) ways to further reduce the information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees. The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not display a valid OMB control number.

In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection associated with the Commission's Connect America Fund, Report and Order (Order)'s access stimulation rules. This notice is consistent with the Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of those rules. The Commission received OMB pre-approval for the proposed requirements on April 19, 2011 and final approval for the final requirements on December 1, 2011. Therefore, the information collection requirements were adopted as proposed.