June 19, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Commission is noticing a recently-filed Postal Service notice of rate and changes affecting Inbound Air Parcel Post at Universal Postal Union (UPU) rates. This notice informs the public of the filing, addresses preliminary procedural matters, and invites public comment.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is seeking public comment on the proposed draft NRC Form 5, ``Occupational Dose Record for a Monitoring Period.'' The current NRC Form 5 is being revised to align with current regulations. We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35).

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE or the Department) is publishing this Amended Notice of Intent to inform the public of changes in the scope of an ongoing environmental impact statement (EIS). In this EIS, DOE will assess the potential environmental impacts of a project proposed by Hydrogen Energy California, LLC, (HECA) pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality's NEPA regulations (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), and DOE's NEPA regulations (10 CFR Part 1021). DOE's proposed action is to provide financial assistance for the construction and operation of HECA's project, which would produce and sell electricity, carbon dioxide and fertilizer. DOE selected this project for an award of financial assistance through a competitive process under the Clean Coal Power Initiative (CCPI) program. This Amended Notice of Intent provides information about changes to the project's design, HECA's ownership, and DOE's plans for completing the NEPA process that occurred after publication of the original Notice of Intent (NOI) in the Federal Register on April 6, 2010 (75 FR 17397-401). HECA's project would demonstrate integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) technology with carbon capture in a new electricity generating plant in Kern County, California. The plant would use a blend of 75 percent coal and 25 percent petroleum coke (petcoke) and would capture, sell and sequester carbon dioxide on a commercial scale. It would also produce and sell fertilizer and other nitrogenous compounds. The project would gasify the coal and petcoke to produce synthesis gas (syngas), which would then be purified to produce a hydrogen-rich fuel for a combustion turbine that would generate electricity while minimizing emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury, and particulates compared to conventional coal-fired power plants. In addition, the project would achieve a carbon dioxide (CO2) capture efficiency of approximately 90 percent at steady-state operation. The captured CO2 would be compressed and transported via pipeline to the adjacent Elk Hills Oil Field (owned and operated by Occidental of Elk Hills, Inc. (OEHI)) for injection into deep underground oil reservoirs for enhanced oil recovery (EOR), resulting in geologic sequestration. The EIS will inform DOE's decision on whether to provide financial assistance under its CCPI Program to HECA's project, which has an estimated capital cost of $4 billion. DOE's financial assistance (or ``cost share'') would be limited to $408 million, about 10 percent of the project's total cost. DOE's financial assistance is also limited to certain aspects of the power and manufacturing plants, carbon capture, and sequestration. The EIS will evaluate the potential impacts of DOE's proposed action, the project proposed by HECA and any connected actions, and reasonable alternatives to DOE's proposed action. The purposes of this Amended Notice of Intent are to: (1) Inform the public about DOE's proposed action and HECA's proposed project, including information on features of the project that have changed since publication of the first NOI; (2) describe how DOE intends to coordinate its NEPA review with the California Energy Commission's process for deciding whether to certify the project; (3) solicit comments for DOE's consideration regarding the scope and content of the EIS; (4) invite those agencies with jurisdiction by law or special expertise to be cooperating agencies in preparation of the EIS; and (5) provide notice that the proposed project may involve potential impacts to floodplains and wetlands. DOE does not have regulatory jurisdiction over the HECA project. Its decisions are limited to whether and under what circumstances it would provide financial assistance to the project. There are a number of state and federal agencies that do have regulatory authority over the project; one of them is the California Energy Commission (CEC), which is responsible for power plant licensing under the Warren-Alquist Act (Cal. Pub. Res. Code Sec. 25500 et seq.). This licensing process (referred to as ``certification'') is established by California law and will consider all relevant environmental aspects of HECA's proposed project. Under state law, the certification process fulfills the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA; Cal. Pub. Res. Code Sec. 21000 et seq.). CEC will hold public meetings, issue a final staff assessment, conduct evidentiary hearings, and issue a decision based on the hearing record, which will include the CEC's and other parties' assessments. The CEC conducts an independent analysis of the proposed project and prepares an assessment of its potential environmental impacts, potential conditions of certification (e.g. mitigation measures), and reasonable alternatives. The CEC also consults with interested Native American tribes and local, regional, state, and federal agencies, and will coordinate its environmental review with other agencies, including the California Department of Conservation, Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR). Pursuant to California law and a grant of primacy from the United States Environmental Protection Agency regarding Class II wells under section 1425 of the Safe Drinking Water Act, DOGGR has responsibility for permitting EOR injection and extraction wells and will separately permit the OEHI EOR project. DOGGR will coordinate with the CEC.\1\

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is considering a proposal to change a portion of the airport from aeronautical use to nonaeronautical use and to authorize the conversion of the airport property. The proposal consists of one parcel of land containing a total of approximately 3.19 acres located on the west side of the airport at the corner of Hazel Street and 4th Street. The parcel was originally acquired as part of a donation to the County of Saline in 1999. The land comprising this parcel is outside the forecasted need for aviation development and, thus, is no longer needed for indirect or direct aeronautical use. The airport wishes to develop this land for compatible commercial, nonaeronautical use. The income from the conversion of this parcel will benefit the aviation community by reinvestment in the airport. Approval does not constitute a commitment by the FAA to financially assist in the conversion of the subject airport property nor a determination of eligibility for grant-in-aid funding from the FAA. The disposition of proceeds from the conversion of the airport property will be in accordance with FAA's Policy and Procedures Concerning the Use of Airport Revenue, published in the Federal Register on February 16, 1999. In accordance with Section 47107(h) of Title 49, United States Code, this notice is required to be published in the Federal Register 30 days before modifying the land-use assurance that requires the property to be used for an aeronautical purpose.

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, CBP invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on an information collection requirement concerning the: Application and Approval to Manipulate, Examine, Sample, or Transfer Goods. This request for comment is being made pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13).

The Securities and Exchange Commission published a document in the Federal Register on June 13, 2012, concerning a Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change to Amend Schedule 502 of the ICE Clear Credit LLC Rules to Amend the Reference Entity Name for Three Credit Default Swap Contracts and the Reference Obligation International Securities Identification Number Associated with One Credit Default Swap Contract. The document contained a typographical error in one section designation.

Section 1013(g)(1) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (``Dodd-Frank Act'') requires the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (``Bureau'' or ``CFPB'') to facilitate the financial literacy of individuals aged 62 or older (``seniors''), on protection from unfair, deceptive, and abusive practices and on current and future financial choices, including through dissemination of materials on such topics. In furtherance of this mandate, the CFPB's Office for the Financial Protection of Older Americans (``Office for Older Americans'') seeks information on consumer financial products and services, financial literacy efforts, and fraudulent or deceptive practices impacting the lives of older Americans and their families.

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the Agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (the PRA), Federal Agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on a survey entitled ``Occurrence of Foodborne Illness Risk Factors in Selected Retail and Foodservice Facility Types (2013-2022).''

The Coast Guard is establishing fourteen safety zones for fireworks displays within the Captain of the Port (COTP) Long Island Sound Zone. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during these events. Entry into, transit through, mooring or anchoring within these zones is prohibited unless authorized by the COTP Sector Long Island Sound.

The Coast Guard is proposing a temporary safety zone on the navigable waters of the Colorado River in Bullhead City, Arizona for the Bullhead City Regatta on August 11, 2012. This temporary safety zone is necessary to provide for the safety of the participants, crew, spectators, participating vessels, and other vessels and users of the waterway. Persons and vessels would be prohibited from entering into, transiting through or anchoring within this safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port or his designated representative.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the General Services Administration 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 regarding Environmental Conservation, Occupational Safety, and Drug- Free Workplace. Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether this collection of information is necessary and 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; and ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected.