2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

EPA is proposing to approve revisions to the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) portion of the California State Implementation Plan (SIP). These revisions concern lead emissions from large lead-acid battery recycling facilities. We are approving a local rule that regulates these emission sources under the Clean Air Act (CAA or the Act). We are taking comments on this proposal and plan to follow with a final action.

NMFS is reopening the comment period on the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) published on May 3, 2012, on potential adjustments to the National Standard 1 Guidelines, one of 10 national standards for fishery conservation and management contained in Section 301 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The current comment period is scheduled to end on September 15, 2012. Because of the importance of NS1 to U.S. fishery management and the complexity of the issues, NMFS feels reopening the comment period will provide for a fuller range of public input on the NS1 Guideline issues. The comment period will close on October 12, 2012.

The African Growth and Opportunity Act Implementation Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff Committee (the ``Subcommittee'') is requesting written public comments for the annual review of the eligibility of sub-Saharan African countries to receive the benefits of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (the AGOA). The Subcommittee will consider these comments in developing recommendations on AGOA country eligibility for calendar year 2013 for the President. Comments received related to the child labor criteria may also be considered by the Secretary of Labor in the preparation of the Department of Labor's report on child labor as required under section 412(c) of the Trade and Development Act of 2000. This notice identifies the eligibility criteria that must be considered under the AGOA, and lists those sub- Saharan African countries that are currently eligible for the benefits of the AGOA and those that were ineligible for such benefits in 2012.

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 corporate aircraft costs. A notice was published in the Federal Register at 77 FR 20012, on April 3, 2012. One respondent submitted comments. Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether this collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of functions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), 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; 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 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to list three substitutes for ozone-depleting substances in the fire suppression and explosion protection sector as acceptable subject to use restrictions under the EPA's Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program. This program implements section 612 of the Clean Air Act, as amended in 1990, which requires EPA to evaluate substitutes for ozone-depleting substances and find them acceptable where they pose comparable or lower overall risk to human health and the environment than other available substitutes. In the ``Rules and Regulations'' section of this Federal Register, we are listing three fire suppression substitutes as acceptable subject to use restrictions as a direct final rule without a prior proposed rule. If we receive no adverse comment, we will not take further action on this proposed rule; in such case, the final rule will become effective as provided in the accompanying direct final rule.

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. A notice was published in the Federal Register at 77 FR 24713, on April 25, 2012. One respondent submitted comments. 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.

EPA is proposing to approve Texas' request to revise its Beaumont/Port Arthur (BPA) 1997 8-hour ozone maintenance air quality State Implementation Plan (SIP) by replacing the previously approved motor vehicle emissions budgets (budgets) with budgets developed using EPA's Motor Vehicle Emissions Simulator (MOVES) 2010a emissions model. The BPA 1997 8-hour ozone maintenance area consists of Hardin, Jefferson, and Orange Counties in Texas. Texas submitted this request to EPA for parallel processing on June 28, 2012.

The Commission has prepared and published annual reports in this series under investigation No. 332-345 since 1996. The 2013 report, which the Commission plans to publish in July 2013, will provide aggregate data on cross-border trade in services and more specific data and information on cross-border trade in professional services (education, health, and legal services) for the period ending in 2011, and transactions by affiliates based outside the country of their parent firm for the period ending in 2010. The Commission is inviting interested members of the public to furnish information in connection with the 2013 report.

The Commission is noticing a recently-filed Postal Service request to add a Global Expedited Package Services contract to the competitive product list. This notice addresses procedural steps associated with the filing.

As authorized by 46 U.S.C. 12121, the Secretary of Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), is authorized to grant waivers of the U.S.-build requirement of the coastwise laws under certain circumstances. A request for such a waiver has been received by MARAD. The vessel, and a brief description of the proposed service, is listed below.

The Federal Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health (FACOSH) will meet October 18, 2012, in Washington, DC.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) NEPA implementing regulations, DOE is announcing its intention to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA; DOE/EA-1915) to assess the potential environmental effects of conveying approximately 1,641 acres of Hanford Site land to a local economic development organization. Conveyance of the land could include title transfer, lease, easement, license, or a combination of these realty actions. The Tri-City Development Council (TRIDEC), a DOE designated Community Reuse Organization (CRO) and 501(c)(6) nonprofit corporation, submitted a proposal to DOE in May 2011 (amended October 2011) requesting the transfer of approximately 1,641 acres of land located in the southeastern corner of the Hanford Site near the City of Richland in Benton County, Washington for economic development purposes. DOE anticipates that there may be continuing mission needs, such as security and safety buffer zones on some of the requested lands, making them less suitable for conveyance. Therefore, the lands that will be addressed in the EA analysis will include the acreage requested by TRIDEC and approximately 2,772 additional acres adjacent to the requested lands. The EA will evaluate the potential environmental impacts of conveying approximately 1,641 acres of the total 4,413 acres included in the analysis area. The acreage being considered in the EA analysis is part of approximately 59 square miles of Hanford Site lands previously designated by DOE for industrial uses under the Hanford Comprehensive Land-Use Plan (CLUP), based on analyses presented in the Hanford Comprehensive Land-Use Plan Environmental Impact Statement (HCP-EIS) [DOE/EIS-0222; September 1999; Record of Decision (ROD) (64 FR 61615; November 12, 1999)]. The HCP-EIS recognized the potential for future conveyance of some industrial-designated lands to the local community for economic development. The CLUP was reaffirmed in a Supplement Analysis to the HCP-EIS (DOE/EIS-0222-SA-01; June 2008) and amended ROD (73 FR 55824; September 26, 2008). The EA will analyze the reasonably foreseeable environmental effects associated with the probable future uses of lands in the analysis area, based upon industry targets described in the TRIDEC proposal, including warehousing and distribution; research and development; technology manufacturing; food processing and agriculture; and ``back office'' (i.e., business services). The proposed action may affect floodplains and wetlands, so this Notice of Intent also serves as a notice of proposed floodplain or wetland action in accordance with DOE floodplain and wetland environmental review requirements.

The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) calls for annual reports from states and institutions of higher education (IHEs) on the quality of teacher preparation and state teacher certification and licensure (Pub. L. 110-315, sections 205-208). The purpose of the reports is to provide greater accountability in the preparation of the nation's teaching forces and to provide information and incentives for its improvement.

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) at the U.S. Department of Education (ED) is conducting a rigorous study of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Completion Project. The project will provide 80 Local Educational Agencies or school districts with access to data on whether specific students have completed the FAFSA.

In accordance with the provisions of Section 1413 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), 42 U.S.C. 300g-2, public notice is hereby given that the state of Utah has revised its Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) Program by adopting regulations for the Lead and Copper Short Term Revisions, Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule, the Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule and the Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule that correspond to the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWR). The EPA has completed its review of these revisions in accordance with the SDWA and proposes to approve them. Today's approval action does not extend to public water systems in Indian country as defined in 18 U.S.C. 1151. Please see Supplementary Information, Item B.

EPA has entered into a Consent Agreement with New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC to resolve violations of the Clean Water Act (CWA), the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), and the Clean Air Act (CAA) and their implementing regulations. The Administrator is hereby providing public notice of this Consent Agreement and proposed Final Order (CAFO), and providing an opportunity for interested persons to comment on the CWA, EPCRA, and CAA portions of this Consent Agreement, pursuant to CWA section 311(b)(6)(C), 33 U.S.C. 1321(b)(6)(C).