August 2, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of the Treasury, 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, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning Form 5330, Return of Excise Taxes Related to Employee Benefit Plans.

The Department of the Treasury, 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, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning Form 8809, Application for Extension of Time To File Information Returns.

The Department of the Treasury, 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, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning Forms 943, Employer's Annual Tax Return for Agricultural Employees, 943-PR, Planilla Para La Declarcion Anual De La Contribucion Federal Del Patrono De Empleados Agricolas, 943-A, Agricultural Employer's Record of Federal Tax Liability, and 943A-PR, Registro De La Obligacion Contributiva Del Patrono Agricola.

The Department of the Treasury, 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, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning procedure for monitoring compliance with low-income housing credit requirements; rules to carry out the purposes of section 42 and for correcting administrative errors and omissions; and compliance monitoring and miscellaneous issues relating to the low-income housing credit.

This document proposes revisions to examples that illustrate the controlled group rules related to regulated investment companies (RICs). These proposed revisions resolve an issue with how the controlled group rules should be applied in connection with the RIC ``asset diversification'' test. This document also provides notice of a public hearing on the proposed regulations.

In the Rules and Regulations section of this issue of the Federal Register the Treasury Department and the IRS are issuing temporary regulations that explain how to account for unrealized gain or loss on a position held by a taxpayer prior to the time the taxpayer establishes a mixed straddle using straddle-by-straddle identification. The text of the temporary regulations also serves as the text of these proposed regulations. This document also provides notice of a public hearing on these proposed regulations.

On September 7, 2011, DOE issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) to propose the first comprehensive updating of regulations concerning Assistance to Foreign Atomic Energy Activities since 1986. The NOPR reflected a need to make the regulations consistent with current global civil nuclear trade practices and nonproliferation norms, and to update the activities and technologies subject to the Secretary of Energy's specific authorization and DOE reporting requirements. It also identified destinations with respect to which most assistance would be generally authorized and destinations that would require a specific authorization by the Secretary of Energy. After careful consideration of all comments received, DOE today is issuing this supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNOPR) to respond to those comments, propose new or revised rule changes, and afford interested parties a second opportunity to comment.

The Department of the Treasury, 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, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning certain elections under the technical and miscellaneous revenue act of 1988 and the redesignation of certain other temporary elections regulations.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing a revised regulatory guide (RG), revision 1 of RG 1.171, ``Software Unit Testing for Digital Computer Software Used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants.'' This RG endorses American National Standards Institute/ Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (ANSI/IEEE) Standard (Std.) 1008-1987, ``IEEE Standard for Software Unit Testing'' with the clarifications and exceptions stated in Section C, ``Staff Regulatory Position'' in the RG. ANSI/IEEE Std. 1008-1987, which was reaffirmed in 2002, describes a method acceptable to the NRC staff for complying with NRC regulations for promoting high functional reliability and design quality in the software used in safety systems of nuclear power plants.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing a revised regulatory guide (RG), revision 1 of RG 1.172, ``Software Requirement Specifications for Digital Computer Software used in Safety Systems of Nuclear Power Plants.'' This RG endorses the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Standard (Std.) 830-1998, ``IEEE Recommended Practice for Software Requirements Specifications,'' issued in 1998 and reaffirmed in 2009 with the exceptions and clarifications stated in Section C, ``Staff Regulatory Guidance'' of RG 1.172. IEEE Std. 830-1998 describes methods that the NRC staff considers acceptable to demonstrate compliance with NRC regulations for achieving high functional reliability and design quality in software used in safety systems in nuclear power plants.

NMFS, Southeast Region, in collaboration with the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council), is publishing this supplemental NOI to provide notice to the public of the broadened scope of Amendment 22 to the Fishery Management Plan for the Snapper-Grouper Fishery in the South Atlantic Region (Amendment 22) and to solicit public comments on the scope of issues to be addressed in the DEIS. The Council modified Amendment 22 to include all snapper-grouper species with low annual catch limits (ACLs), not just red snapper, in a harvest tag program. The intent of Amendment 22 is to closely control recreational harvest of snapper-grouper species with low ACLs.

NMFS issues this final rule to implement management measures described in a framework action to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP), as prepared by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council). This final rule revises the vermilion snapper recreational bag limit, revises the yellowtail snapper stock annual catch limit (ACL), and removes the requirement for reef fish vessels to have onboard and use a venting tool when releasing reef fish. The purpose of this rule is to help achieve optimum yield (OY) and prevent overfishing of vermilion and yellowtail snapper, reduce the unnecessary burden to fishers associated with venting reef fish, and minimize bycatch and bycatch mortality.

This notice provides information about the final quarterly assessments for the Tobacco Transition Program (TTP). Through the Tobacco Transition Payment Program (TTPP), which is part of the TTP, eligible former tobacco quota holders and tobacco producers receive payments in 10 annual installments in fiscal years (FY) 2005 through 2014. To fund TTPP, the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) collects quarterly assessments from domestic manufacturers and importers of tobacco products. As specified in the Fair and Equitable Tobacco Reform Act of 2004 (FETRA), the Secretary must ensure the final assessment is collected no later than September 30, 2014. Also, as specified in the TTP regulations, the final two calendar quarterly payments are both due to CCC on September 30, 2014. This notice provides information about the final monthly reporting date by domestic manufacturers and importers, the final date for revisions of volume or tax data by domestic manufacturers and importers of tobacco products, and other information about how the assessment part of TTP will be operated in the final months. TTP will continue to operate as specified in existing regulations, which are not changing with this notice.

This notice is issued in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 209(e), and 37 CFR 404.7(a)(1)(i). NASA hereby gives notice of its intent to grant an exclusive license in the United States to practice the invention described and claimed in NASA Case Number LAR-16324-1 entitled ``Self- Activating System and Method for Alerting When an Object or a Person is Left Unattended,'' U.S. Patent Number 6,714,132; and LAR-16324-2 entitled ``Self-Activating System and Method for Alerting When an Object or a Person is Left Unattended,'' U.S. Patent Number 7,106,203, to RF Solutions, LLC having its principal place of business in Williamsburg, Virginia. The patent rights have been assigned to the United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The prospective exclusive license will comply with the terms and conditions of 35 U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR 404.7.

The Department invites the public, including NGOs, educational institutions, private sector enterprises and other interested persons, to submit written comments or suggestions regarding items for inclusion in the first Work Program for implementing the United StatesColombia Environmental Cooperation Agreement, which entered into force on June 28, 2013. We encourage submitters to refer to: (1) The U.S.Colombia Environmental Cooperation Agreement; (2) Chapter 18 (Environment) of the U.S.Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement; and (3) the Environmental Review of the U.S.Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement. These documents are available at: https://www.state.gov/e/oes/eqt/trade/c51527.htm.