June 7, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of an upcoming meeting of the National Board for Education Sciences. The notice also describes the functions of the Committee. Notice of this meeting is required by Section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act and is intended to notify the public of their opportunity to attend the meeting.

The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services announces a priority for the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program administered by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). Specifically, this notice announces a priority for a National Data and Statistical Center for the Burn Model Systems (National BMS Data Center). The Assistant Secretary may use this priority for a competition in fiscal year (FY) 2012 and later years. We take this action to focus research attention on areas of national need.

Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received a scientific research permit application request relating to salmonids listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The proposed research is intended to increase knowledge of the species and to help guide management and conservation efforts. The application and related documents may be viewed online at: https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/preview/previewopen forcomment.cfm. These documents are also available upon written request or by appointment by contacting NMFS by phone (707) 575-6097 or fax (707) 578-3435).

NMFS has received an application from the U.S. Navy (Navy) for a Letter of Authorization (LOA) to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to conducting training exercises within the Navy's Mariana Islands Range Complex (MIRC) in the Pacific Ocean between August 12, 2012 and August 3, 2015. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS requests comments on its proposal to issue an LOA to the Navy that includes the use of time delayed firing devices (TDFDs), which have not been explicitly addressed previously, to incidentally take marine mammals by harassment during the specified activity.

This action proposes to establish Class E Airspace at Arcadia, FL, to accommodate the Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard Instrument Approach Procedures at Arcadia Municipal Airport. This action would enhance the safety and airspace management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations at the airport.

Announcement regarding states triggering ``on'' or ``off'' in the Emergency Unemployment Compensation 2008 (EUC08) program and the Federal-State Extended Benefits (EB) Program. The U.S. Department of Labor (Department) produces trigger notices indicating which states qualify for both EB and EUC08 benefits, and provides the beginning and ending dates of payable periods for each qualifying state. The trigger notices covering state eligibility for these programs can be found at: https://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/claims arch.asp. The following changes have occurred since the publication of the last notice regarding states' EB and EUC08 trigger status: Based on data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on May 18, 2012, the District of Columbia, New York, and West Virginia no longer meet one of the criteria to remain ``on'' in EB, i.e., having their current three month average, seasonally adjusted total unemployment rate be at least 110% of one of the rates from a comparable prior period in one of the three prior years. This triggers these states ``off'' EB and the end of the payable period for these states in the EB program will be the week ending June 9, 2012. Based on data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on May 18, 2012, the three month average, seasonally adjusted total unemployment rate in Idaho fell below the 8.0% trigger threshold required to remain ``on'' in a high unemployment period (HUP) within the EB program. Claimants in this state will remain eligible for up to 20 weeks of benefits through June 9, 2012, but starting June 10, 2012, the maximum potential entitlement in the EB program for this state will decrease from 20 weeks to 13 weeks. Based on data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on May 18, 2012, the estimated three month average, seasonally adjusted total unemployment rate for New York rose to meet the 8.5% trigger threshold to trigger ``on'' in Tier 4 of the EUC 2008 program. The 13 week mandatory ``on'' period in New York for Tier 4 of the EUC program will begin June 4, 2012. As a result, the current maximum potential entitlement in the EUC program will increase from 47 weeks to 53 weeks. States that are triggered ``on'' to Tier 4 of the EUC08 program, but not triggered ``on'' to EB, may be eligible to augment the entitlement for new Tier 4 claimants with a maximum potential duration of 16 weeks. This ability to augment the entitlement of new Tier 4 claimants concluded with the week ending May 26, 2012. Starting May 27, 2012, all claimants exhausting Tier 3 who establish entitlement in Tier 4 will only be eligible for up to 6 weeks of benefits. Claimants who had previously been augmented with 16 weeks of benefits can continue to draw those benefits. States currently affected by this provision are Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oregon, Puerto Rico, and South Carolina. Under Public Law 112-96, the current total unemployment rate trigger thresholds used to establish state eligibility for the tiers of EUC are scheduled to change. Currently, and through the week ending May 26, 2012, Tiers 1 and 2 do not require any specific TUR trigger rate, Tier 3 requires a 6% TUR trigger rate and Tier 4 requires an 8.5% TUR trigger rate. The current trigger notices reflect state eligibility under these TUR trigger rate thresholds. With the week beginning May 27, the following changes will take effect: Tier 1 will continue to be open to all claimants with EUC eligibility, with no changes. Tier 2 will require states to have at least a 6% TUR trigger rate. Tier 3 will require states to have at least a 7% TUR trigger rate. Tier 4 will require states to have at least a 9% TUR trigger rate. Because new unemployment rates will not be released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics before May 27, when Public Law 112-96 causes changes in the rates necessary to be ``on'' in certain Tiers of EUC, states can now know with certainty if they will have an ``off'' indicator in a Tier of EUC with the week ending June 2. States that will be below the rate necessary to remain on in Tier 2 under the new 6% trigger threshold are: IA, MN, NE., NH, ND, OK, SD, UT, VT, VA, and WY. These states will have an ``off'' indicator in EUC Tier 2 with the week ending June 2, 2012. The week ending June 23, 2012 will be the last week in which EUC claimants in those states could exhaust Tier 1 and establish eligibility in Tier 2. Under the phase-out provisions, claimants could receive any remaining entitlement they have in Tier 2 after June 23, 2012. States that will be below the rate necessary to remain on in Tier 3 under the new 7% trigger threshold are: DE, HI, KS, MD, MA, MT, WV, and WI. These states will have an ``off'' indicator in EUC Tier 3 with the week ending June 2, 2012. The week ending June 23, 2012 will be the last week in which EUC claimants in those states could exhaust Tier 2 and establish eligibility in Tier 3. Under the phase-out provisions, claimants could receive any remaining entitlement they have in Tier 3 after June 23, 2012. States that will be below the rate necessary to remain on in Tier 4 under the new 9% trigger threshold are: AZ, IL, KY, MI, and OR. These states will have an ``off'' indicator in EUC Tier 4 with the week ending June 2, 2012. The week ending June 23, 2012 will be the last week in which EUC claimants in those states could exhaust Tier 3 and establish eligibility in Tier 4. Under the phase-out provisions, claimants could receive any remaining entitlement they have in Tier 4 after June 23, 2012.

Environmental and public health are closely related and complementary fieldsand their future depends on a closer understanding of those connections. New portable sensors have the potential to transform the way we measure and interpret the influence of pollution on health. These technologies can provide a picture that is more detailed and more personal, with dramatic implications for health care, air quality oversight, and individuals' control over their own environments and health. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Service (HHS) [National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC)] envision a future in which powerful, affordable, and portable sensors provide a rich awareness of environmental quality, moment-to-moment physiological changes, and long-term health outcomes. Health care will be connected to the whole environment, improving diagnosis, treatment, and prevention at all levels. Many of the first steps toward this future have already been taken. Prototype projects have developed portable air quality and physiologic sensors, and experimental analysis tools for handling data that is higher quantity, but often lower quality, than more traditional monitoring techniques. The ``My Air, My Health Challenge'' aims to build on this foundation. We are seeking solutions that integrate data from portable physiological and air quality monitors, producing a combined picture that is meaningful and usable. The statutory authority for this challenge competition is Section 105 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-358) and section 103 of the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. 7403. This challenge addresses the mission of the NIEHS to conduct and support programs with respect to factors in the environment that affect human health, directly or indirectly. 42 U.S.C. 285.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing that a proposed collection of information has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

As part of the HHS Open Government Plan, the HealthData.gov Platform (HDP) is a flagship initiative and focal point helping to establish learning communities that collaboratively evolve and mature the utility and usability of a broad range of health and human service data. HDP will deliver greater potential for new data driven insights into complex interactions of health and health care services. To augment the HDP effort, seven complementary challenges will encourage innovation around initial platform- and domain-specific priority areas, fostering opportunities to tap the creativity of entrepreneurs and productivity of developers. The ``Health Data Platform Simple Sign-On Challenge'' will improve community engagement by providing simplified sign on (SSO) for external users interacting across multiple HDP technology components, making it easier for community collaborators to contribute, leveraging new approaches to decentralized authentication. The statutory authority for this challenge competition is Section 105 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111- 358).

The Environmental Protection Agency has reconsidered a portion of a fuel waiver that was granted to the Texas Methanol Corporation (Texas Methanol) under the Clean Air Act on February 8, 1988. This waiver was previously reconsidered and modified on October 28, 1988, in a Federal Register publication titled ``Fuel and Fuel Additives; Modification of a Fuel Waiver Granted to the Texas Methanol Corporation.'' Today's notice approves the use of an alternative corrosion inhibitor, TXCeed, in Texas Methanol's gasoline-alcohol fuel, OCTAMIX.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is announcing plans to establish this collection. In accordance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we are providing opportunity for public comment on this action. After obtaining and considering public comment, NSF will prepare the submission requesting Office of Management and Budget (OMB) clearance of this collection for no longer than 3 years. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.