April 2, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The proposed information collection requirement described below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. HUD is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal. Developers of new projects describe their intent (marketing efforts) to assure that they meet the Fair Housing guidelines in how the project is marketed to the public.

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 Visa Waiver Program Carrier Agreement (CBP Form I-775). This request for comment is being made pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Public Law 104-13; 44 U.S.C. 3505(c)(2)).

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) amends its regulations to establish a new program to provide grants to eligible entities to assist veterans in highly rural areas through innovative transportation services to travel to VA medical centers, and to otherwise assist in providing transportation services in connection with the provision of VA medical care to these veterans, in compliance with section 307 of title III of the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010. This final rule establishes procedures for evaluating grant applications under the new grant program, and otherwise administering the new grant program.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``CFTC'' or ``Commission'') is issuing a final order (``Final Order'') in response to a consolidated petition (``Petition'') \1\ from certain regional transmission organizations (``RTOs'') and independent system operators (``ISOs'') (collectively, ``Requesting Parties'') to exempt specified transactions (``Covered Transactions'') from the provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act (``CEA'' or ``Act''),\2\ and Commission regulations. The Final Order exempts contracts, agreements, and transactions for the purchase or sale of the limited electric energy- related products that are specifically described within the Final Order from the provisions of the CEA and Commission regulations, with the exception of the Commission's general anti-fraud and anti-manipulation authority, and scienter-based prohibitions, under CEA sections 2(a)(1)(B), 4(d), 4b, 4c(b), 4o, 4s(h)(1)(A), 4s(h)(4)(A), 6(c), 6(d), 6(e), 6c, 6d, 8, 9, and 13 of the Act and any implementing regulations promulgated under these sections including, but not limited to Commission regulations 23.410(a) and (b), 32.4, and part 180. To be eligible for the exemption contained in the Final Order, the contract, agreement, or transaction must be offered or entered into in a market administered by a Requesting Party pursuant to that Requesting Party's tariff, rate schedule, or protocol (collectively, ``Tariff''), and the relevant Tariff must have been approved or permitted to have taken effect by either the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (``FERC'') or the Public Utility Commission of Texas (``PUCT''), as applicable. In addition, the contract, agreement, or transaction must be entered into by persons who are ``appropriate persons,'' as defined in sections 4(c)(3)(A) through (J) of the Act,\3\ ``eligible contract participants,'' as defined in section 1a(18) of the Act and Commission regulations,\4\ or persons who are in the business of: (i) Generating, transmitting, or distributing electric energy, or (ii) providing electric energy services that are necessary to support the reliable operation of the transmission system. The Final Order also extends to any person or class of persons offering, entering into, rendering advice, or rendering other services with respect to the Covered Transactions. Finally, the Final Order is subject to other conditions set forth therein. Authority for issuing the exemption is found in section 4(c)(6) of the Act.\5\

Announcement regarding a change in eligibility for Unemployment Insurance (UI) claimants in Alaska, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas in the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (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 EUC08 and EB trigger status: Maryland and Texas have triggered ``off'' in Tier 3 of EUC08 Maryland and Texas began a 13-week mandatory ``on'' period in Tier 3 of EUC08 on October 7, 2012. Based on data released from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, these states are below the 7.0 percent threshold rate necessary to remain ``on'' in Tier 3 of EUC08. As a result, they have concluded a payable period in Tier 3 and the week ending January 5, 2013, was the last week in which EUC08 claimants in these states could exhaust Tier 2, and establish Tier 3 eligibility. Under the phase-out provisions, claimants could receive any remaining entitlement they had in Tier 3 after January 5, 2013. Georgia, Mississippi and South Carolina have triggered ``off'' in Tier 4 of EUC08. The three month average, seasonally adjusted total unemployment rate in these states fell below the 9.0 percent threshold rate to remain ``on'' in Tier 4 of EUC08. This triggered these states ``off'' of Tier 4 and the week ending January 12, 2013, was the last week in which EUC08 claimants in these states could exhaust Tier 3, and establish Tier 4 eligibility. Under the phase-out provisions, claimants could receive any remaining entitlement they had in Tier 4 after January 12, 2013. Louisiana, Missouri, and Ohio have triggered ``off'' in Tier 3 of EUC08. The three month average, seasonally adjusted total unemployment rate in Louisiana, Missouri, and Ohio fell below the 7.0 percent threshold rate to remain ``on'' in Tier 3 of EUC08. This triggered these states ``off'' of Tier 3 and the week ending January 12, 2013, was the last week in which EUC08 claimants in these states could exhaust Tier 2, and establish Tier 3 eligibility. Under the phase-out provisions, claimants could receive any remaining entitlement they had in Tier 3 after January 12, 2013. Montana has triggered ``off'' in Tier 2 of EUC08. The three month average, seasonally adjusted total unemployment rate in Montana fell below the 6.0 percent threshold rate to remain ``on'' in Tier 2 of EUC08. This triggered Montana ``off'' of Tier 2 and the week ending January 12, 2013, was the last week in which EUC08 claimants in Montana could have exhausted Tier 1, and establish Tier 2 eligibility. Under the phase-out provisions, claimants could receive any remaining entitlement they had in Tier 2 after January 12, 2013. Alaska has triggered ``on'' Tier 4 of EUC08. Alaska's 13-week insured unemployment rate for the week ending January 19, 2013, rose to meet the 6 percent threshold to trigger ``on'' to Tier 4 of EUC08. The payable period for Alaska in Tier Four of EUC08 began February 3, 2013. As a result, the current maximum potential entitlement for claimants in Alaska in EUC08 has increased from 37 weeks to 47 weeks. Alaska triggers ``on'' to EB. Alaska's 13-week insured unemployment rate for the week ending January 19, 2013, rose to meet the 6 percent threshold to trigger ``on'' to EB. Alaska's payable period in EB began February 3, 2013.

The Department of Energy (DOE), pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, intends to extend for three years an information collection request with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the extended 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, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; 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.

This meeting notice is an update to the previous notice (Wednesday, February 13, 2013) and sets forth the time and location for the June 6-7, 2013, meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI). Meeting Date and Place: The NACIQI meeting will be held on June 6, 2013, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and on June 7, 2013, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Arlington, 1325 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22209. Reasonable Accommodations: The meeting site is accessible to individuals with disabilities. If you will need an auxiliary aid or service to participate in the meeting (e.g., interpreting service, assistive listening device, or materials in an alternate format), notify the contact person listed in this notice at least two weeks before the scheduled meeting date. Although we will attempt to meet a request received after that date, we may not be able to make available the requested auxiliary aid or service because of insufficient time to arrange it.

The United States Mint announces the opening of a national kids' baseball coin design challenge on April 11, 2013, that seeks design entries from contestants age 13 years or younger on the theme, ``What's Great about Baseball.'' As part of the United States Mint's education initiative, this challenge is designed to provide learning materials for children, teachers, and parents on the United States Mint and its coins and medals, to build awareness of the bureau's operations and programs, and to complement the United States Mint National Baseball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Program Design Competition, which is a national competition for individuals 14 or older to create the design for the common obverse (front) of coins to be issued under the 2014 National Baseball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Program. In creating their design entries, contestants are allowed to use any mediumacrylics, watercolor, pencil, charcoal, marker, spray paint, crayon, pastels, or digital software. All contestants will receive a letter of acknowledgement. Eligible entries will be posted on Challenge.gov, and the design with the most public votes in each age bracket (0-5 years, 6-10 years, and 11-13 years) will be considered the overall winner for that age bracket. Each of these grand prize winners will receive a National Baseball Hall of Fame $1 Silver Commemorative Coin. Each of the four runners up in each age bracket will receive a National Baseball Hall of Fame Half-Dollar Clad Commemorative Coin. On behalf of each contestant, a parent or guardian must submit a completed application on Challenge.gov, including uploading the design entry and agreeing to the Parent/Legal Guardian Consent Form and Rights Transfer Agreement. Entries must be submitted no later than May 23, 2013, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Official rules, guidelines, and entry instructions for the United States Mint Kids' Baseball Coin Design Challenge can be found at www.usmint.gov/kids and at www.challenge.gov.

The New England Fishery Management Council's (Council) Groundfish Oversight Committee will meet to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The Deputy Secretary of Energy confirmed and approved Rate Order No. WAPA-157 and Rate Schedules INT-FT5 and INT-NFT4, placing firm and nonfirm transmission service rates for the Pacific Northwest- Pacific Southwest Intertie Project (Intertie) of the Western Area Power Administration (Western) into effect on an interim basis. The provisional rates will be in effect until the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) confirms, approves, and places them into effect on a final basis, or until they are replaced by other rates. The provisional rates will provide sufficient revenue to pay all annual costs, including interest expense, and repay required investment within the allowable periods.

As stipulated by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service (DHHS) is hereby giving notice that the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) will hold a meeting to discuss implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The meeting will be open to the public.

We (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) have sent an Information Collection Request (ICR) to OMB for review and approval. We summarize the ICR below and describe the nature of the collection and the estimated burden and cost. This information collection is scheduled to expire on April 30, 2013. We may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. However, under OMB regulations, we may continue to conduct or sponsor this information collection while it is pending at OMB.

Patent applications on the inventions listed below assigned to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, have been filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and are available for licensing.

Patent applications on the inventions listed below assigned to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, have been filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and are available for licensing.

NMFS has received an application from the U.S. Navy's Office of Naval Research (ONR) for an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to conducting Acoustic Technology Experiments (ATE) in the western North Pacific Ocean. The Navy's activities are considered military readiness activities pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as amended by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (NDAA). Pursuant to the MMPA, NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an IHA to ONR to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, 34 species of marine mammals during the specified activity.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Twin Falls District Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species, marine mammals, or both. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) prohibits activities with listed species unless Federal authorization is acquired that allows such activities.

The public is invited to comment on the following application for approval to conduct certain activities with birds that are protected in accordance with the Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992.

In compliance with Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 which requires 60 days for public comment on proposed information collection projects, the Indian Health Service (IHS) is publishing for comment a summary of a proposed information collection to be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review.

The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH or Center) is announcing an invitation for participation in its Experiential Learning Program (ELP). The ELP provides a formal training mechanism for regulatory review staff to visit research, clinical, manufacturing, and health care facilities to observe firsthand how medical devices are designed, developed, and utilized. This training is intended to provide CDRH staff with an opportunity to observe the device development life cycle and provide a better understanding of the medical devices they review, and the challenges faced throughout development, testing, manufacturing, and clinical use. The purpose of this document is to invite medical device and health care facilities to participate in this formal training program for FDA's medical device review staff, or to contact CDRH for more information regarding the program.

Each Federal agency is required by the Privacy Act of 1974 to publish a description of a system of records containing personal information it establishes and maintains. This notice provides notification that NASA has established an internal system pertaining to its Guest Operations that maintains a listing of individuals invited to view one of NASA's satellite launches, Expendable Launch Vehicle (ELV) launches, or other significant events.