April 25, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of Healthcare Quality is soliciting public comment on the revised draft National Action Plan to Prevent Healthcare- Associated Infections: Roadmap to Elimination.

On February 28, 2012, the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (the Bureau) published in the Federal Register a notice and request for information regarding the impacts of overdraft programs on consumers (the Overdraft Notice). The Overdraft Notice allowed a 60-day comment period, closing on April 30, 2012. To allow parties more time to consider and craft their responses, the Bureau has determined that an extension of the comment period until June 29, 2012, is appropriate.

The Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (Council) announces its next meeting.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is announcing that the information collection request for its maintenance of state programs and procedures for substituting Federal enforcement of state programs and withdrawing approval of state programs, has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The information collection request describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden and cost.

EPA is proposing to partially approve and partially disapprove the revision to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) addressing regional haze submitted by the State of New York on March 15, 2010, and supplemented on August 2, 2010. New York's revised SIP reduces regional haze during the first planning period from 2008 through 2018. This revision addresses the requirements of the Clean Air Act and EPA's rules that require states to prevent any future, and remedy any existing, man-made impairment of visibility in mandatory Class I areas caused by emissions of air pollutants located over a wide geographic area (also referred to as the ``regional haze program''). EPA is proposing a Federal Implementation Plan (FIP) to address the deficiencies identified in our proposed partial disapproval of New York's regional haze SIP. In lieu of this proposed FIP, or a portion thereof, we are proposing approval of a SIP revision if the State submits such a revision in a timely way, and the revision matches the terms of our proposed FIP. EPA is also proposing approval of New York's Best Available Retrofit Technology regulation, Part 249.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is confirming the effective date of May 2, 2012, for the direct final rule that was published in the Federal Register on February 17, 2012. This direct final rule amends the NRC's spent fuel storage regulations by revising the Holtec International HI-STORM 100 System listing within the ``List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks'' to include Amendment No. 8 to Certificate of Compliance (CoC) Number 1014.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Regulatory Secretariat will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve an extension of a previously approved information collection requirement concerning Transportation Requirements. Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether this collection of information is necessary; whether it will have practical utility; whether our estimate of the public burden of this collection of information is accurate, and based on valid assumptions and methodology; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways in which we can minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, through the use of appropriate technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is seeking scientific information submissions from manufacturers of chronic venous ulcer treatment medical devices. Scientific information is being solicited to inform our Chronic Venous Ulcers: A Comparative Effectiveness Review of Treatment Modalities report, which is currently being conducted by the Evidence-based Practice Centers for the AHRQ Effective Health Care Program. Access to published and unpublished pertinent scientific information on this device will improve the quality of this comparative effectiveness review. AHRQ is requesting this scientific information and conducting this comparative effectiveness review pursuant to Section 1013 of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, Public Law 108-173.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is seeking scientific information submissions from manufacturers of Conventional Two-Dimensional External Beam Radiotherapy (2D-EBRT), 3- dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT), Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), Proton beam radiotherapy (PBR), Brachytherapy, Radiofrequency ablation, Endobronchial debridement and stents, and Nd-YAG Laser Therapy medical devices. Scientific information is being solicited to inform our Comparative Effectiveness Review of Local Therapies for the Treatment of Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Endobronchial Obstruction Due to Advanced Lung Tumors, which is currently being conducted by the Evidence-based Practice Centers for the AHRQ Effective Health Care Program. Access to published and unpublished pertinent scientific information on this device will improve the quality of this comparative effectiveness review. AHRQ is requesting this scientific information and conducting this comparative effectiveness review pursuant to Section 1013 of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, Public Law 108-173.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing the availability of a compliance guide for the prevention of violative residues in livestock slaughter establishments. FSIS has posted this compliance guide on its Web page and it may be used immediately. FSIS also welcomes comments on this compliance guide, which will be revised as needed. This notice also discusses changes to the FSIS Residue Repeat Violator List and announces the Agency's intention to subject to increased testing animals from producers who are under an injunction obtained by the Food and Drug Administration because of drug use practices that have led to residue violations.

EPA has authorized its contractor, CGI Federal Inc. (CGI) of Fairfax, VA and Its Identified Subcontractor, to access information which has been submitted to EPA under all sections of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Some of the information may be claimed or determined to be Confidential Business Information (CBI).

The Office of Family Assistance (OFA) is interested in learning about how States deliver Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) assistance to beneficiaries, whether States have implemented policies and practices to prevent electronic benefit transfer transactions involving TANF assistance in liquor stores, casinos, gambling casinos, or other gaming establishments, and retail establishments which provide adult-oriented entertainment in which performers disrobe or perform in an unclothed state for entertainment; what the States' experiences have been in implementing such policies and practices; and whether States place other similar types of restrictions on assistance usage. OFA also is interested in learning about States' current approaches to ensuring that recipients have adequate access to their cash assistance, including policies that provide access to assistance with no fees or charges or current approaches to imposing fees or charges in connection with receipt of assistance, along with other information relevant to considering what might be minimal fees or charges. Additionally, OFA is interested in hearing the perspectives of vendors, consumer advocates, and any other individuals or entities that have information that could be relevant to the development and implementation of policies and procedures to prevent electronic benefit transfer transactions in certain establishments, and to ensuring access to cash assistance with minimal fees or charges, including opportunities to access assistance without fees or charges. The information provided will be used to inform OFA as it develops regulations to implement Section 4004 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (Pub. L. 112-96), which, among other things, requires States to prevent the use of TANF assistance in electronic benefit transfer transactions at specified locations.

The Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement proposes definitions, requirements, and selection criteria for the Exemplary Charter School Collaboration Awards (Collaboration Awards) and may use these definitions, requirements, and selection criteria for a competition in fiscal year (FY) 2012 and later years. The Assistant Deputy Secretary is taking this action to create incentives for charter schools (as defined in section 5210(1) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA)) to (a) collaborate with non- chartered public schools (as defined in this notice) and non-chartered local educational agencies (LEAs) to share and transfer best educational and operational practices at the elementary and secondary school levels; and (b) disseminate information about these collaborations across the Nation. The Collaboration Awards competition would be designed to encourage charter schools and non-chartered public schools or non-chartered LEAs to share resources and responsibilities, build trust and teamwork, boost academic excellence in charter schools and non-chartered public schools alike, and provide students and their parents with a range of effective educational options.