February 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that an Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing approved collection. The ICR which is abstracted below describes the nature of the collection and the estimated burden and cost.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that an Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing approved collection. This ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the nature of the information collection and its estimated burden and cost.

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each extension of a currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments for information to needed to assess the quality of care provided to veterans prior to his or her death.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The nature of the information collection is described as well as its expected burden. The Federal Register Notice (76 FR 67250) with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following collection of information was published on October 31, 2011, and comments were due by December 30, 2011. As such, no comments were received. The total number of response hours reported in the prior 60-day Federal Register Notice was 4,075 hours. As reflected below, this number has decreased to 606 hours due primarily to a change in the number of Listening Sessions from five (5) to one (1) and a change in the number of One-on-One Interviews from 80 to 30.

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.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) invites public comment on one currently approved Information Collection Request (ICR), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number 1652-0011, abstracted below that we will submit to OMB for renewal in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden. The collection requires interested volunteers to fill out an application to determine their suitability for participating in the Federal Flight Deck Officer (FFDO) Program, and deputized FFDOs to submit written reports of certain prescribed incidents.

In his November 23, 2009, Executive Order 13520 on Reducing Improper Payments and his February 28, 2011, Presidential Memorandum on Administrative Flexibility, Lower Costs, and Better Results for State, Local, and Tribal Governments, the President directed the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to work with Executive Branch agencies; state, local, and tribal governments; and other key stakeholders to evaluate potential reforms to Federal grants policies. Consistent with the Administration's commitment to increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of Federal programs, the reform effort seeks to strengthen the oversight of Federal grant dollars by aligning existing administrative requirements to better address ongoing and emerging risks to program outcomes and integrity. The reform effort further seeks to increase efficiency and effectiveness of grant programs by eliminating unnecessary and duplicative requirements. Through close and sustained collaboration with Federal and non-Federal partners, OMB has developed a series of reform ideas that would standardize information collections across agencies, adopt a risk-based model for Single Audits, and provide new administrative approaches for determining and monitoring the allocation of Federal funds.

The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), in cooperation with the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology), the joint lead agency, is notifying the public that they have prepared a final programmatic environmental impact statement pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act and have made it available to the public for review.

EPA is providing notice that it has responded to a petition for reconsideration and a request for an administrative stay of certain provisions of the final rule titled, ``Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Ohio; New Source Review Rules'' published February 25, 2010. The Ohio EPA sought approval to implement the New Source Review (NSR) Reform provisions that were not vacated by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (DC Circuit) in New York v. EPA. The final rule approved certain revisions to Ohio's NSR program, which Ohio submitted to EPA for review on September 14, 2004, under the Clean Air Act (CAA). Subsequently EPA received a petition dated April 26, 2010, for reconsideration from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). The petition also requested that EPA stay implementation of certain provisions of the final rule pending its reconsideration. EPA considered the petition for reconsideration and request for an administrative stay, along with information contained in the rulemaking docket, in reaching a decision on both the petition and request for a stay. EPA Administrator, Lisa P. Jackson, denied both the petition for reconsideration and request for stay in a letter to the petitioner dated January 24, 2012. The letter explains the basis for the denial and is available as set forth below.

EPA is taking final action to approve a revision to the State Implementation Plan (SIP), submitted by the State of Tennessee, through the Tennessee Department of Environmental Conservation (TDEC), Air Pollution Control Division, to EPA on August 30, 2010, for parallel processing. TDEC submitted the final version of this SIP revision on January 11, 2012. The SIP revision approved by today's action adopts into Tennessee's SIP rules impacting the regulation of greenhouse gases (GHGs) under Tennessee's New Source Review (NSR) Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) program. Specifically, the SIP revision establishes appropriate emission thresholds for determining which new stationary sources and modification projects become subject to Tennessee's PSD permitting requirements for GHG emissions. This rule incorporates state law changes into the federally approved SIP, and specifically clarifies the applicable thresholds in the Tennessee SIP for GHG PSD requirements. EPA is approving Tennessee's January 11, 2012, SIP revision because the Agency has made the determination that this SIP revision is in accordance with the Clean Air Act (CAA or Act) and EPA regulations, including regulations pertaining to PSD permitting for GHGs. Additionally, EPA is responding to adverse comments received on EPA's November 5, 2010, proposed approval of Tennessee's August 30, 2010, draft SIP revision.

This notice announces a public comment period on the information collection requests (ICRs) associated with the interpretation of statutory and regulatory provisions administered by Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC).

The Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (MERPAC) will meet on March 13, 2012, and March 14, 2012, in Burlingame, CA, to discuss various issues related to the training and fitness of merchant marine personnel. This meeting will be open to the public.

The Foreign-Trade Zones Board (the Board) hereby revises its regulations issued pursuant to the Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZ) Act of 1934, as amended (the Act), concerning the authorization and regulation of foreign-trade zones and zone activity in the United States. The rule is comprehensive and constitutes a complete revision, replacing the present version of 15 CFR part 400. The changes simplify many of the Board's procedures, including those for users to obtain authority related to manufacturing and value-added activity, and include new rules designed to address compliance with the Act's requirement for a grantee to provide uniform treatment for the users of a zone. The new rules improve flexibility for U.S.-based operations, including export- oriented activity; enhance clarity; and strengthen compliance and enforcement. The revisions also reorganize the regulations in the interest of ease-of-use and transparency.