2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a meeting of its Golden Crab AP in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

We are adopting amendments to our rules to implement Section 1503 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Section 1503(a) of the Act requires issuers that are operators, or that have a subsidiary that is an operator, of a coal or other mine to disclose in their periodic reports filed with the Commission information regarding specified health and safety violations, orders and citations, related assessments and legal actions, and mining- related fatalities. Section 1503(b) of the Act mandates the filing of a Form 8-K disclosing the receipt of certain orders and notices from the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announces that it is holding a series of public Webinars regarding its proposed Early Stage Small Business Investment Companies (Early Stage SBIC) rule. The proposed Early Stage SBIC rule defines a new sub-category of small business investment companies (SBICs) that will focus on making equity investments in early stage small businesses. The Webinars will provide a basic overview of and respond to questions regarding the proposed rule. The Webinars will be transcribed or summarized and become part of the administrative record.

This document seeks comment on the Commission's preliminary plan for retrospective analysis of existing rules. The Commission prepared this preliminary plan consistent with the President's Executive Order 13579 encouraging independent agencies to engage in such retrospective review in order to identify unnecessary or unduly burdensome regulations that may be hindering job creation and economic development. The Commission seeks input from the public on all aspects of its preliminary plan.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service or USFWS) are revising the 1978 listing of the Minnesota population of gray wolves (Canis lupus) to conform to current statutory and policy requirements. We rename what was previously listed as the Minnesota population of the gray wolf as the Western Great Lakes (WGL) Distinct Population Segment (DPS), and delineate the boundaries of the expanded Minnesota population segment to include all of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan and portions of the adjacent states. We are removing the WGL DPS from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. We are taking this action because the best available scientific and commercial information indicates that the WGL DPS does not meet the definitions of threatened or endangered under the Act. This final rule also removes the designated critical habitat for the wolf in Minnesota and Michigan and the special regulations under section 4(d) of the Act for wolves in Minnesota. We are separating our determination on the delisting of the Western Great Lakes DPS from the determination on our proposal regarding all or portions of the 29 eastern States we considered to be outside the historical range of the gray wolf. This rule finalizes our determination for the WGL DPS. A subsequent decision will be made for the rest of the eastern United States.

In a rule published November 29, 2011, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) comprehensively reformed and modernized the universal service and intercarrier compensation systems to ensure that robust, affordable voice and broadband service, both fixed and mobile, are available to Americans throughout the nation. The Commission adopted fiscally responsible, accountable, incentive-based policies to transition these outdated systems to the Connect America Fund, ensuring fairness for consumers and addressing the communications infrastructure challenges of today and tomorrow. The Commission uses measured but firm glide paths to provide industry with certainty and sufficient time to adapt to a changed regulatory landscape, and establish a framework to distribute universal service funding in the most efficient and technologically neutral manner possible, through market-based mechanisms such as competitive bidding. This document provides additional information to the final rule document published on November 29, 2011.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq., 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 rule requiring notification of pending legal proceedings pursuant to 17 CFR 1.60.

This notice announces receipt of and publishes a petition for waiver from Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (Samsung). The petition for waiver (hereafter ``petition'') requests a waiver from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) test procedure applicable to commercial package air-source central air conditioners and heat pumps. The petition is specific to the variable capacity Digital Variable Multi (DVM) (commercial) multi-split heat pump models specified in Samsung's petition. Through this document, DOE: (1) Solicits comments, data, and information with respect to the Samsung petition; and (2) announces the grant of an interim waiver to Samsung from the existing DOE test procedure for the subject commercial multi-split air conditioners and heat pumps.

NMFS proposes 2012 and 2013 harvest specifications, apportionments, and prohibited species catch (PSC) allowances for the groundfish fisheries of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) management area. This action is necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the 2012 and 2013 fishing years, and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area. The intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the groundfish resources in the BSAI in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to Cape Wind Associates (CWA) to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to pre-construction high resolution survey activities in Nantucket Sound.

Distribution pipeline operators were required to have prepared and implemented distribution integrity management plans (DIMP) by August 2, 2011. Federal and state regulators have begun inspecting those plans and their implementation. This webinar will be the first opportunity for the regulators to share their findings broadly with the regulated community. The webinar will also include discussion of analyses of the initial submissions of data concerning mechanical fitting failures in distribution pipelines.

As part of a Federal Government-wide effort to streamline the process to seek feedback from the public on service delivery, the Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration will submit a Generic Information Collection Request (Generic ICR): ``Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery'' to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

Notice is hereby given of the following determinations: Pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Act of October 19, 1965 (79 Stat. 985; 22 U.S.C. 2459), Executive Order 12047 of March 27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 (112 Stat. 2681, et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 6501 note, et seq.), Delegation of Authority No. 234 of October 1, 1999, and Delegation of Authority No. 236-3 of August 28, 2000 (and, as appropriate, Delegation of Authority No. 257 of April 15, 2003), I hereby determine that the object ``Woman in Blue, Against Blue Water'' by Edvard Munch, imported from abroad for temporary exhibition within the United States, is of cultural significance. The object is imported pursuant to a loan agreement with the foreign owners or custodians. I also determine that the exhibition or display of the exhibit object at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, N.Y., from on or about January 9, 2012, until on or about January 9, 2014, and at possible additional exhibitions or venues yet to be determined, is in the national interest. I have ordered that Public Notice of these Determinations be published in the Federal Register.

The EPA Environmental Laboratory Advisory Board, as previously announced, holds teleconference meetings on the third Wednesday of each month at 1 p.m. Eastern Time, and two face-to-face meetings each calendar year. For 2012, teleconference only meetings will be February 15, 2012 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time; March 21, 2012 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time; April 18, 2012 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time; May 16, 2012 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time; June 20, 2012 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time; July 18, 2012 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time; September 19, 2012 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time; October 17, 2012 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time; November 21, 2012 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time; and December 19, 2012 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss the ideas and views presented at the previous ELAB meetings, as well as new business. Items to be discussed by ELAB over these coming meetings include: (1) Issues in continuing the expansion of national environmental accreditation; (2) ELAB support to the Agency on issues relating to measurement and monitoring for all programs; and (3) follow-up on some of ELAB's past recommendations and issues. In addition to these teleconferences, ELAB will be hosting its two face-to-face meetings on January 30, 2012 at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota in Sarasota, FL at 8 a.m. Eastern Time and on August 6, 2012 at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill in Washington, DC at 9 a.m. Eastern Time. Teleconference lines will also be available for these meetings. Written comments on laboratory accreditation issues and/or environmental monitoring, or measurement issues are encouraged. These comments and should be sent to Ms. Lara P. Autry, Designated Federal Officer, US EPA, Mail Code E243-05, 109 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, or email her at autry.lara@epa.gov. Members of the public are invited to listen to the teleconference calls, and time permitting, will be allowed to comment on issues discussed during the ELAB meetings. Those persons interested in attending should call Lara P. Autry on (919) 541-5544 to obtain teleconference information. For information on access or services for individuals with disabilities or to request accommodation of a disability, please contact Lara P. Autry on the number above, preferably at least 10 days prior to the meeting, to give the Agency as much time as possible to process your request.

On October 26, 2011, EPA published its final 2010 Effluent Guidelines Program Plan (``final 2010 Plan'') and announced its 2011 Effluent Guidelines Reviews, as required under the Clean Water Act (CWA). Since publication, the Agency has received several requests for additional time to submit comments. EPA is therefore re-opening the comment period and will accept public comments on both actions for an additional 60 days.

EPA is approving the Clean Air Act (CAA) section 111(d)/129 state plan (the Plan) submitted by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) for the State of Florida on December 21, 2010, for implementing and enforcing the Emissions Guidelines (EGs) applicable to existing Hospital/Medical/Infectious Waste Incinerators (HMIWIs). These EGs apply to devices that combust any amount of hospital waste and/or medical/infectious waste.

The Department of Commerce (United States Patent and Trademark Office) is requesting nominations of individuals to serve on the National Medal of Technology and Innovation Nomination Evaluation Committee. The United States Patent and Trademark Office will consider all timely nominations received in response to this notice as well as from other sources.

A determination has been made that a number of foreign entities and one foreign person have engaged in activities that warrant the imposition of measures pursuant to Section 3 of the Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Act. The Act provides for penalties on entities and individuals for the transfer to or acquisition from Iran since January 1, 1999, the transfer to or acquisition from Syria since January 1, 2005, or the transfer to or acquisition from North Korea since January 1, 2006, of goods, services, or technology controlled under multilateral control lists (Missile Technology Control Regime, Australia Group, Chemical Weapons Convention, Nuclear Suppliers Group, Wassenaar Arrangement) or otherwise having the potential to make a material contribution to the development of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) or cruise or ballistic missile systems. The latter category includes (a) items of the same kind as those on multilateral lists but falling below the control list parameters, when it is determined that such items have the potential of making a material contribution to WMD or cruise or ballistic missile systems, (b) other items with the potential of making such a material contribution, when added through case-by-case decisions, and (c) items on U.S. national control lists for WMD/missile reasons that are not on multilateral lists.