April 18, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Farm Credit Administration (FCA, we or us) adopts a final rule that amends its liquidity regulation. The purpose of the final rule is to strengthen liquidity risk management at Farm Credit System (FCS, Farm Credit, or System) banks, improve the quality of assets in their liquidity reserves, and bolster the ability of System banks to fund their obligations and continue operations during times of economic, financial, or market adversity.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Assistant SecretaryIndian Affairs is seeking comments on the renewal of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for the collection of information for grants under the Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development, Energy and Mineral Development Program, authorized by OMB Control Number 1076-0174. This information collection expires April 30, 2013.

The Department of Commerce (``the Department'') is rescinding the administrative review of the countervailing duty order on lightweight thermal paper from the People's Republic of China (``PRC'') for the period January 1, 2011, through December 31, 2011.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Environmental Financial Advisory Board (EFAB) will hold a public meeting on May 15-16, 2013. EFAB is an EPA advisory committee chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) to provide advice and recommendations to EPA on creative approaches to funding environmental programs, projects, and activities. The purpose of this meeting is to hear from informed speakers on environmental finance issues, proposed legislation, and EPA priorities; to discuss activities and progress with regard to current EFAB work projects; and to consider recent requests for assistance from EPA offices. Environmental finance discussions are expected on the following topics: clean air technology; tribal environmental programs; transit- oriented development in sustainable communities, energy efficiency/ green house gas emissions reduction; drinking water pricing and infrastructure investment; and green infrastructure. The meeting is open to the public; however, seating is limited. All members of the public who wish to attend the meeting must register in advance, no later than Friday, May 3, 2013.

EPA is proposing significant new use rules (SNURs) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for eight chemical substances which were the subject of premanufacture notices (PMNs) P-11-327, P-11-328, P-11-329, P-11-330, P-11-331, P-11-332, P-12-298, and P-12-299. This action would require persons who intend to manufacture, import, or process any of the chemical substances for an activity that is designated as a significant new use by this proposed rule to notify EPA at least 90 days before commencing that activity. The required notification would provide EPA with the opportunity to evaluate the intended use and, if necessary, to prohibit or limit the activity before it occurs.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 3501 et seq.), ED is proposing a revision of an existing information collection.

This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of a forthcoming meeting of the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee (MAFAC). The members will discuss and provide advice on issues outlined under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION below.

We are advising the public that we have prepared a pest list associated with oranges and tangerines from Egypt that identifies pests of concern. Subsequently, we prepared a commodity import evaluation document to determine the risk posed by peach fruit fly in oranges and tangerines from Egypt. Based on that evaluation, we have concluded that the application of one or more designated phytosanitary measures will be sufficient to mitigate the pest risk. In addition, we are advising the public that we have prepared a treatment evaluation document that describes a new treatment schedule that can be used to neutralize peach fruit fly and Mediterranean fruit fly in oranges and tangerines. We are making the pest list, commodity import evaluation document, and treatment evaluation document available to the public for review and comment.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment concerning authorization to ship for the purpose of field testing, and then to field test, an unlicensed Yersinia Pestis Vaccine, Live Raccoon Poxvirus Vector. The environmental assessment, which is based on a risk analysis prepared to assess the risks associated with the field testing of this vaccine and related information, examines the potential effects that field testing this veterinary vaccine could have on the quality of the human environment. Based on the risk analysis and other relevant data, we have reached a preliminary determination that field testing this veterinary vaccine will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment, and that an environmental impact statement need not be prepared. We intend to authorize shipment of this vaccine for field testing following the close of the comment period for this notice unless new substantial issues bearing on the effects of this action are brought to our attention. We also intend to issue a U.S. Veterinary Biological Product license for this vaccine, provided the field test data support the conclusions of the environmental assessment and the issuance of a finding of no significant impact and the product meets all other requirements for licensing.

Notice is hereby given that the North Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695 [Joseph Hightower: Responsible Party], has applied in due form for permit modifications to take shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) and Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus) for purposes of scientific research.

Before a Federal agency can collect certain information from the public, the agency must receive approval from the Office of Management and Budget (``OMB''). Under procedures established by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), before seeking OMB approval, Federal agencies must solicit public comment on proposed collections of information, including extensions and reinstatements of previously approved collections. In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice describes one collection of information for which NHTSA intends to seek OMB approval.

The Department of State issued a Presidential Permit to the State of Michigan on April 11, 2013, authorizing the permitee to construct, connect, operate and maintain at the border of the United States a bridge linking Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario. In making this determination, the Department provided public notice of the proposed amendment (77 FR 7951, July 11, 2012), offered the opportunity for comment and consulted with other federal agencies, as required by Executive Order 11423, as amended.

The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) has submitted a modification to a currently approved public information collection request (ICR) entitled Senior Corps Grant Application for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13, (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). Copies of this ICR, with applicable supporting documentation, may be obtained by calling the Corporation for National and Community Service, Wanda Carney, at (202) 606-6934 or email to wcarney@cns.gov. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TTY-TDD) may call 1-800-833- 3722 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

Notice is hereby given that effective on March 14, 2013, a Settlement Agreement was made and entered into by and between Dr. Philippe Bois and the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Kathleen Sebelius, Howard K. Koh, Nancy Gunderson, and Donald Wright (collectively HHS) by and through the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia in Bois v. HHS, et al., Civil Action no. 11-cv-1563, which was pending before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. In the Settlement Agreement, HHS and Dr. Bois agreed to settle the proceedings before the District Court of the District of Columbia as well as to resolve all administrative matters pending at HHS. ORI found that Philippe Bois, Ph.D., former postdoctoral fellow, Department of Biochemistry, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, engaged in research misconduct in research funded by National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), grant R01 GM071596, and National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH, grants P30 CA021765, P01 CA071907, R01 CA072996, and R01 CA100603. In the Settlement Agreement, the parties agreed that ORI found by a preponderance of the evidence that the Respondent committed misconduct in science and research misconduct by: 1. Knowingly and intentionally falsely reporting that FOXO1a was not expressed in cell lysates from alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS) tumor biopsies, by selecting a specific FOX01a immunoblot to show the desired result, in Figure 1A of the following paper: Bois, P.R., Izeradjene, K., Houghton, P.J., Cleveland, J.L., Houghton, J.A., & Grosveld, C.G. ``FOXO1a acts as a selective tumor suppressor in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma.'' J. Cell. Biol. 170:903-912, September 2005 (``JCB 2005'') 2. Falsifying data showing SDS-PAGE for papain digestion of VBS3 and [alpha]VBS, by falsely labeling lane 1 to represent papain only digestion, by falsely labeling lane 5 to represent papain digestion of the [alpha]VBS peptide, and by falsely inserting a band in lane 3 to represent the [alpha]VBS peptide, in Figure 4B of the following paper: Bois, P.R., Borgon, R.A., Vornhein, C., & Izard, T. ``Structural dynamics of [alpha]-actinin-vinculin interactions.'' Mol. Cell. Biol. 25:6112-6122, July 2005 (``MCB 2005''). The parties further agreed that Dr. Bois denied committing research misconduct and, pursuant to 42 CFR part 93, filed a timely request for a hearing at which to contest ORI's findings. An HHS Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) denied Dr. Bois' request for a hearing. HHS subsequently entered a debarment order against Dr. Bois. Dr. Bois filed the above referenced lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia asking the Court to vacate the debarment order and remand the matter for further proceedings before HHS, including but not limited to granting Dr. Bois' request for a hearing. On March 2, 2012, Judge Berman Jackson of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia issued an order vacating HHS' debarment order, affirming Finding 1, and remanding the matter to HHS for further proceedings regarding Finding 2. On March 30, 2012, HHS filed a Motion for Reconsideration before Judge Berman Jackson. On March 14, 2013, Dr. Bois and HHS entered into a Settlement Agreement (Agreement) to settle and dismiss the pending civil action. The terms of the Settlement Agreement include that Dr. Bois denied that he committed research misconduct but he agreed not to further appeal ORI's findings of research misconduct set-forth above. Dr. Bois and HHS further agreed to the following administrative actions beginning on March 14, 2013: (1) To have his research supervised for a period of three (3) years beginning on the effective date of the Agreement; he agreed that prior to the submission of an application for U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) support for a research project on which his participation is proposed and prior to his participation in any capacity on PHS- supported research, he shall ensure that a plan for supervision of his duties is submitted to ORI for approval; the supervision plan must be designed to ensure the scientific integrity of his research contribution; he agreed that he shall not participate in any PHS- supported research until such a supervision plan is submitted to and approved by ORI, with such review and approval to be conducted promptly by ORI and not unreasonably withheld; he agreed to maintain responsibility for compliance with the agreed upon supervision plan; (2) that for three (3) years beginning with the effective date of the Agreement, any institution employing him shall submit, in conjunction with each application for PHS funds, or report, manuscript, or abstract involving PHS-supported research in which Dr. Bois is involved, a certification to ORI that the data provided by him are based on actual experiments or are otherwise legitimately derived and that the data, procedures, and methodology are accurately reported in the application, report, manuscript, or abstract; and (3) to exclude himself voluntarily from serving in any advisory capacity to PHS, including, but not limited to, service on any PHS advisory committee, board, and/or peer review committee, or as a consultant for a period of three years (3) beginning with the effective date of the Agreement. Dr. Bois further agreed to dismiss his lawsuit with prejudice and to withdraw further proceedings before HHS. Dr. Bois and HHS both agreed to waive or abandon all other claims. This notice supercedes the notice regarding this matter that was previously published in: Federal Register 76:111, June 9, 2011.

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. HUD is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal.

This notice announces a meeting of the Environmental Management Site-Specific Advisory Board (EM SSAB), Oak Ridge Reservation. The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 86 Stat. 770) requires that public notice of this meeting be announced in the Federal Register.

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 United States-Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA). This request for comment is being made pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13).

This notice sets forth the schedule and summary agenda for a partially closed meeting of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), and describes the functions of the Council. Notice of this meeting is required under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C., App. 2.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Department of Transportation (DOT) is updating its regulations. These regulations govern the organization of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and delegations of authority from the Administrator to Agency officers including the Deputy Administrator, Chief Counsel, and Senior Associate Administrators. This rule is a publication of delegations made by the Administrator to other Agency officials.

The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (``OFAC'') is publishing supplemental information for the names of two (2) individuals whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to Executive Order 13224 of September 23, 2001, ``Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions With Persons Who Commit, Threaten To Commit, or Support Terrorism.''