April 9, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with Title IV of the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act of 1982, Belle Exploration, Inc. filed a petition for reinstatement of oil and gas leases numbered LAES 052403 and LAES 052404 for lands in Concordia Parish, Louisiana. Petitioner has paid all required rentals and royalties accruing from December 1, 2011, the date of termination.

Section 608(d) of the Millennium Challenge Act of 2003 (the ``Act'') requires the Millennium Challenge Corporation to publish a report that identifies countries that are ``candidate countries'' for Millennium Challenge Account assistance during FY 2012. In December 2011, Congress enacted changes in MCC's FY 2012 appropriation that redefined candidate countries for FY 2012 as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (Pub. L. 112-74) (the ``Appropriations Act'').\1\ While this does not affect the compact or threshold program eligibility decisions made at the December 2011 MCC Board meeting, it does alter the income classification of some candidate countries. As such, it is necessary for MCC to revise its FY 2012 Candidate Country Report. This revised report incorporates the new definitions and the subsequent reclassification of countries. The report is set forth in full below and updates the report published November 8, 2011 (76 FR 69291).

This Federal Register Notice announces an opportunity for public review and comment on the Draft Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Directive 0005 on Scientific Integrity. The Draft Directive incorporates the principles of scientific integrity contained in the Presidential Memorandum of March 9, 2009, and the Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy's Memorandum of December 17, 2010, on scientific integrity. It addresses how VA ensures quality science in its methods, review, policy application, and information dissemination.

The Upward Bound Math and Science (UBMS) program provides grants to institutions of higher education, public and private agencies and organizations, and community-based organizations with experience in serving disadvantaged youth, combinations of such institutions, agencies and organizations, and secondary schools and provides grants for projects designed to provide the skills and motivation necessary for success in a program of postsecondary education that lead to careers in math and science.

An open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Tax Forms and Publications Project Committee will be conducted. The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is soliciting public comments, ideas and suggestions on improving customer service at the Internal Revenue Service.

An open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Taxpayer Burden Reduction Project Committee will be conducted. The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is soliciting public comments, ideas, and suggestions on improving customer service at the Internal Revenue Service.

An open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Face-to-Face Service Methods Project Committee will be conducted. The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is soliciting public comments, ideas, and suggestions on improving customer service at the Internal Revenue Service.

An open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Small Business/ Self-Employed Decreasing Non-Filers Project Committee will be conducted. The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is soliciting public comments, ideas, and suggestions on improving customer service at the Internal Revenue Service.

An open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Refund Processing Communications Project Committee will be conducted. The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is soliciting public comments, ideas, and suggestions on improving customer service at the Internal Revenue Service.

The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), operating through the Risk Management Agency (RMA), announces its intent to award approximately $3,000,000 (subject to availability of funds) to fund the Risk Management Education and Outreach Partnerships Program. Purpose: The purpose of this competitive cooperative partnership agreement program is to deliver crop insurance education and risk management training to U.S. agricultural producers to assist them in identifying and managing production, marketing, legal, financial and human risk. The program gives priority to: (1) Educating producers of crops currently not insured under Federal crop insurance, specialty crops, and underserved commodities, including livestock and forage; and (2) providing collaborative outreach and assistance programs for limited resource, socially disadvantaged and other traditionally under-served farmers and ranchers. Education activities developed under the Risk Management Education and Outreach Partnerships Program shall provide U.S. farmers and ranchers with training and information opportunities to be able to understand: 1. The kinds of risks addressed by existing and emerging risk management tools; 2. The features and appropriate use of existing and emerging risk management tools; and 3. How to make sound risk management decisions.

This interim rule lists communities where modification of the Base (1% annual-chance) Flood Elevations (BFEs) is appropriate because of new scientific or technical data. New flood insurance premium rates will be calculated from the modified BFEs for new buildings and their contents.

Modified Base (1% annual-chance) Flood Elevations (BFEs) are finalized for the communities listed below. These modified BFEs will be used to calculate flood insurance premium rates for new buildings and their contents.

This notice lists communities where the addition or modification of Base Flood Elevations (BFEs), base flood depths, Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) boundaries or zone designations, or the regulatory floodway (hereinafter referred to as flood hazard determinations), as shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), and where applicable, in the supporting Flood Insurance Study (FIS) reports, prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for each community, is appropriate because of new scientific or technical data. The FIRM, and where applicable, portions of the FIS report, have been revised to reflect these flood hazard determinations through issuance of a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR), in accordance with Title 44, Part 65 of the Code of Federal Regulations (44 CFR part 65). The LOMR will be used by insurance agents and others to calculate appropriate flood insurance premium rates for new buildings and the contents of those buildings. For rating purposes, the currently effective community number is shown in the table below and must be used for all new policies and renewals.

On April 14, 2011, the FAA issued a Notice in the Federal Register (76 FR 21,420, April 15, 2011) seeking comment on a petition submitted by Clark County Department of Aviation (CCDOA), owner and operator of Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (Airport). The petition requested a determination by the Federal Aviation Administration (``FAA'') that its proposed air service incentives program (``Incentives Program''), intended to induce increases in landed weight by air carriers at McCarran International Airport (the ``Airport'' or ``LAS'') in Las Vegas, is consistent with Federal law and policies on the use of airport revenue and on airport rates and charges. In its petition, CCDOA proposed the FAA amend its interpretation of ``new air service'' to include ``increases in landed weight.'' The FAA has interpreted these policies, and the underlying Federal statutes, to permit a temporary waiver of standard airport fees for carriers that provide new air service at an airport, as an incentive to begin or expand air service. In September 2010, the agency issued the Air Carrier Incentive Program Guidebook to provide specific guidance to airport operators on the use of air service incentive programs. That guidance restates FAA's previously issued opinions regarding what constitutes new service as characterized in the FAA's Policy and Procedures Concerning the Use of Airport Revenue (Revenue Use Policy) (64 FR 7,696 (Feb. 16, 1999)). Since the inception of the Revenue Use Policy in 1999, the FAA has defined new air service as: (a) Service to an airport destination not currently served, (b) nonstop service where no nonstop service is currently offered, (c) new entrant carrier, and/ or (d) increased frequency of flights to a specific destination. The FAA's interpretation has not permitted an airport operator to offer an incentive program that provides discounts based on increased aircraft weight or an increased number of seats on existing flights. CCDOA proposes an incentive program that would reward air carriers for an increase in landed weight. An increase in landed weight could result from an increase in the size of aircraft used, or ``upgauging,'' on existing flights, consolidation of existing flights, and/or added flights. CCDOA requests that the FAA amend existing guidance to make clear that its proposed incentive plan is consistent with Federal law and existing agency policies on the use of airport revenue and on airport rates and charges. This notice responds to the comments received and grants a portion of the petition as written.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is announcing a forthcoming meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). Written public comments are invited in advance of the meeting, and the meeting will include scheduled time for oral comments from the public.