August 15, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On June 14, 2013, NOAA published a proposed rule in the Federal Register to revise the regulations for the boundary of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary (78 FR 35776). This notice reopens the public comment period stated in that proposed rule until October 18, 2013.

In the Rules and Regulations section of this issue of the Federal Register, the IRS is issuing regulations requiring hospital organizations liable for the excise tax for failure to meet the community health needs assessment requirements for any taxable year to file Form 4720, ``Return of Certain Excise Taxes Under Chapters 41 and 42 of the Internal Revenue Code.'' The regulations also specify the due date for such returns. The text of those temporary regulations also serves as the text of these proposed regulations.

There will be a 1-day meeting of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act Scientific Advisory Panel (FIFRA SAP) to consider and review RNAi Technology as a Pesticide: Problem Formulation for Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing this notice for use of, and to solicit public comment on the draft Interim Staff Guidance (ISG) COL-ISG-025 ``Interim Staff Guidance on Changes During Construction.'' This ISG provides guidance to the NRC staff on the Preliminary Amendment Request (PAR) review process available to the initial combined license (COL) licensees through a license condition for use as an elective precursor to the license amendment process.

The interagency Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) will convene a public hearing and seek public comment to assist the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) in the preparation of its annual report to Congress on Russia's implementation of its obligations as a Member of the WTO.

On June 20, 2013, HUD published a final rule that amended regulations for the purpose of streamlining the requirements applicable to mixed finance developments in the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly (Section 202) and the Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities (Section 811) programs and amending certain regulations governing all Section 202 and Section 811 developments. This publication corrects an error in the final rule regarding the duration of the fund reservations for capital advances.

A natural re-emergence of smallpox is not deemed possible, but if it were to occur as a result of a terrorist or deliberate event, it would be a potentially devastating threat to public health worldwide and would constitute a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) under the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005). A case of smallpox detected by a member state requires notification to World Health Organization (WHO) as soon as possible, and any confirmed smallpox case would generate an immediate global public health response. WHO must rely on fast and reliable laboratory diagnostic capacity worldwide to be able to identify a re-emergence of smallpox, particularly in countries where systemic orthopoxvirus infections such as monkeypox, vaccinia virus infection or cowpox, and other non-pox viral rash illnesses, such as chicken pox, may cause clinical diagnostic confusion. Over the past 10 years, clinical virology laboratory diagnostics has been evolving and increasingly relies on molecular techniques. This is also true with laboratory diagnoses of poxvirus infections. Precise and consistent identification of orthopoxviruses, in particular variola viruses, is now achievable using such molecular techniques as real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), unlike earlier techniques that may have relied on direct virus isolation and identification. WHO must be alerted when there is a potential or actual smallpox infection. Early detection and confirmation of smallpox cannot rely solely on the two WHO Collaborating Centres for smallpox and other poxvirus infections. In order to facilitate and support a prompt and effective response to mitigate the spread of the disease, these two Centres should be supported by a worldwide network of reliable laboratories able to perform PCR and real-time PCR diagnostics enabling initial detection and identification of smallpox events. Additionally, the U.S. Government supports the development of other medical products, including vaccines and drugs, for use within the U.S. upon verification of a smallpox case. The U.S. Government, through the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), has successfully developed vaccine products, and is actively engaged in the development of several drug candidates for smallpox therapies, which require access to the Variola virus to satisfy regulatory requirements for product approvals. Justification: WHO is the only eligible applicant; it is the only organization that is allowed by international agreements to address the issues outlined in this proposal. WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations (U.N.) system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries, and monitoring and assessing health trends. In the 21st century, health is a shared responsibility, involving equitable access to essential care and collective defense against transnational threats. States Parties to the U.N. have agreed to international standards on reporting public health incidents of concern under IHR (2005). Additionally, a majority of States Parties have also agreed to specific work-frames for pathogens such as smallpox under the Biological Weapons Convention. Since May 1999, when the 52nd World Health Assembly (WHA) resolved to postpone the destruction of the Variola virus to allow for essential research (WHA 52.10), WHO has been charged with convening a group of experts to advise on the need for continuing such research, to review proposals for research involving viable Variola virus, to review the progress of such research, and to report to the WHA each year. The need to support the activities described in this project has not changed. In fact, WHO Member States continue to exert pressure for the WHO Secretariat to carry out this work. The WHO Advisory Committee on Variola Virus Research (ACVVR) was established in 1999 to determine what essential research, if any, must be carried out with live Variola virus. The ACVVR monitored the research progress in order to reach global consensus on the timing for the destruction of existing Variola virus stocks. In 2007, the WHA requested the ACVVR undertake a thorough review of the approved research program with a report presented in 2010. The results were presented at the 64th WHA meeting in May of 2011. The ACVVR continues to serve a critically important function for global public health, and to oversee research requested specifically by the U.S. to complete its national strategic goals. This includes convening a group of experts, the Advisory Committee on Variola Virus Research (ACVVR), to advise on the need for continuing such research, to review proposals for research involving viable Variola virus, and to review the progress of such research. Additional Information: The agency program contact is George Korch, who can be contacted by phone at (202) 690-5760 or via email at George.Korch@hhs.gov.

Pursuant to Section 10 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (5 U.S.C. App. 2 Sec. 10), notice is hereby given to announce a public meeting of the Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship (ACA) on Tuesday, September 17, 2013 and Thursday, September 19, 2013. The ACA is a discretionary committee established by the Secretary of Labor, in accordance with FACA, as amended in 5 U.S.C. App. 2, and its implementing regulations (41 CFR parts 101-6 and 102-3). All meetings of the ACA are open to the public.

The FAA proposes to rule and invites public comment on the release of land, Lot 2, at the Ottumwa Regional Airport, Ottumwa, Iowa, under the provisions of 49 U.S.C. 47107(h)(2).

This final rule amends the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation's regulation on Benefits Payable in Terminated Single- Employer Plans to prescribe interest assumptions under the regulation for valuation dates in September 2013. The interest assumptions are used for paying benefits under terminating single-employer plans covered by the pension insurance system administered by PBGC.

A 60-day notice and request for comments was published in the Federal Register on July 6, 2013 (78 FR 34089). No comments were received in response to this Notice. This subsequent 30-day notice allows public comment on the final version of the information collection request. The Department of Energy (DOE) invites public comment on a revision of a currently approved collection of information that DOE is developing for submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the revision of the currently approved 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 reduced burden pertaining to the approved collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to further enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information being collected; and (d) ways to further minimize the burden regarding the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

The Surface Transportation Board (the Board) will hold a public hearing to explore further the issues surrounding the petition by The National Industrial Transportation League (NITL) and the related comments filed in this proceeding.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. International Trade Commission has determined not to review an initial determination (``ID'') (Order No. 5) of the presiding administrative law judge (``ALJ'') granting Google, Inc.'s unopposed motion to intervene.

We are rescinding an airworthiness directive (AD) for PIAGGIO AERO INDUSTRIES S.p.A. Model P-180 airplanes. The rescinded AD resulted from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as partial detachment of the inner protective film of the composite nacelles. Since issuance of the rescinded AD, we have determined that the unsafe condition does not exist or is not likely to develop on affected type design airplanes.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following application for a recovery permit to conduct activities with the purpose of enhancing the survival of an endangered species. The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), prohibits certain activities with endangered species unless a Federal permit allows such activity. The Act also requires that we invite public comment before issuing such permits.