September 18, 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 12-month finding on a petition to list the Symphyotrichum georgianum (Georgia aster) as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). After review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing the S. georgianum is not warranted at this time. However, we ask the public to submit to us any new information that becomes available concerning the threats to the S. georgianum or its habitat at any time.

Agencies of the Federal Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD) Program are planning to develop a joint National Privacy Research Strategy. On behalf of the agencies, the Cyber Security and Information Assurance Research and Development Senior Steering Group seeks public input on the vital privacy objectives that should be considered for the goals of the strategy. The National Privacy Research Strategy will be used to guide federally- funded privacy research and provide a framework for coordinating research and development in privacy-enhancing technologies.

This action modifies VOR Federal airway V-298 in the vicinity of Pasco, WA. The FAA is taking this action due to the Pasco, WA (PSC), VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR)/Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) facility that provides navigation aid (NAVAID) guidance for a portion of V-298, being relocated. This action will ensure the safety and efficient management of aircraft operating within the National Airspace System.

The United States Copyright Office is issuing a final rule to implement section 115 of the Copyright Act of 1976. Section 115 establishes a compulsory license for the making and distribution of phonorecords of nondramatic musical works. Section 115, in turn, requires the Register of Copyrights to prescribe by regulation the procedures for the monthly payment of royalties and preparation and service of monthly and annual statements of account by licensees. This final rule updates the existing payment and statement-of-account regulations in response to legal and marketplace developments, including the Copyright Royalty Board's adoption of newer percentage- of-revenue royalty rate structures for certain digital music services, and changes in accounting and industry practice in the years since the rules were last substantially amended.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce a 12-month finding on a petition to list Eriogonum kelloggii (Red Mountain buckwheat) and Sedum eastwoodiae (Red Mountain stonecrop) as endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). After a review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing Eriogonum kelloggii and Sedum eastwoodiae is not warranted at this time. However, we ask the public to submit to us any new information that becomes available concerning threats to the two species or their habitat at any time.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is seeking input on certain matters relating to the international harmonization of substantive patent law. In view of the importance of harmonization of substantive patent law to the successful reutilization of the examination work of one intellectual property office by another, or work sharing, the USPTO is particularly interested in stakeholder comments on the following key patent examination-related issues: The definition and scope of prior art; the grace period; and standards for assessing novelty and obviousness/inventive step. To assist in gathering this information, the USPTO is holding a public roundtable which interested members of the public are invited to attend.

This notice announces a public meeting of the Gas Pipeline Advisory Committee (GPAC), also known as the Technical Pipeline Safety Standards Committee, and the Liquid Pipeline Advisory Committee (LPAC), also known as the Technical Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Standards Committee. The committees will meet in joint session to discuss a variety of topics to keep committee members up-to-date on DOT's pipeline safety program.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (Council) will conduct a question and answer session via webinar with NMFS's Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP).

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the U.S. Coast Guard intends to submit an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), requesting approval of a revision to the following collection of information: 1625-0022, Application for Tonnage Measurement of Vessels. Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Before submitting this ICR to OIRA, the Coast Guard is inviting comments as described below.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on the navigable waters of Oceanside Harbor in Oceanside, CA for the 2014 Life Time Triathlon on October 26, 2014. This temporary safety zone is necessary to provide safety for the swimmers, crew, rescue personnel, and other users of the waterway. Persons and vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or anchoring within this safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port or his designated representative.

Notice is hereby given that the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) has taken final action in the following case: Takao Takahashi, M.D., Ph.D., University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center: Based on the report of an investigation conducted by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern) and analysis conducted by ORI in its oversight review, ORI found that Dr. Takao Takahashi, currently a faculty member in the Department of Surgical Oncology, Gifu University, Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan, and formerly a Visiting Scientist in the Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern, engaged in research misconduct in research supported by National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), grant U01 CA084971. ORI found that Respondent knowingly, intentionally, and recklessly falsified data reported in four (4) publications:

The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued its 2014 revision to the Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government, known as the ``Green Book,'' under the authority provided in 31 U.S.C. 3512 (c), (d), commonly known as the Federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA). To help ensure that the standards continue to meet the needs of government managers and the audit community it serves, the Comptroller General of the United States established the Green Book Advisory Council to provide input on revisions to the ``Green Book.'' This 2014 revision of the standards includes the Advisory Council's input regarding the changes. It also includes input from public comments received on the proposed revisions in the 2013 exposure draft. The changes contained in the 2014 revision to the Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government reflect major developments in the accountability and financial management profession and emphasize specific considerations applicable to the government environment. The 2014 revision to Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government is available in electronic format for download from GAO's Web page at www.gao.gov using GAO-14-704G as a report number. It will also be available for sale in hardcopy from the Government Printing Office in the near future at https://bookstore.gpo.gov or other GPO locations listed there. GAO-14-704G may be used to find its GPO stock number and ISBN.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 6 individuals for an exemption from the prohibition against persons with a clinical diagnosis of epilepsy or any other condition which is likely to cause a loss of consciousness or any loss of ability to operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) from operating CMVs in interstate commerce. The regulation and the associated advisory criteria published in the Code of Federal Regulations as the ``Instructions for Performing and Recording Physical Examinations'' have resulted in numerous drivers being prohibited from operating CMVs in interstate commerce based on the fact that they have had one or more seizures and are taking anti- seizure medication, rather than an individual analysis of their circumstances by a qualified medical examiner. If granted, the exemptions would enable these individuals who have had one or more seizures and are taking anti-seizure medication to operate CMVs for 2 years in interstate commerce.

Rural Development (RD) is amending the regulations so that an obligation date for all guaranteed loans, direct loans, and grants will no longer be 6 working days from the date of request for reservation of authority. This action is necessary as the 6-day reservation period will be permanently removed from the Commercial Loan Servicing System (CLSS), Guaranteed Loan System (GLS), and Program Loan Accounting System (PLAS). The effect of this action will reduce system or manual intervention when legislative mandates direct cutoff for obligations and/or funding; eliminate program waivers on obligation date; increase consistency with other RD programs; reduce risks with new system implementations, such as the Financial Modernization Management Initiative; and eliminate numerous reconciliation issues between processed obligations and actual obligations for internal RD reports and USDA reporting requirements.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of our comprehensive conservation plan (CCP) and finding of no significant impact (FONSI) for the environmental assessment (EA) for the Rose Atoll National Wildlife Refuge (NWR or Refuge). In this CCP, we describe how we will manage the Refuge for the next 15 years.

The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is amending subpart B of Regulation E, which implements the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, and the official interpretation to the regulation (Remittance Rule). This final rule extends a temporary provision that permits insured institutions to estimate certain pricing disclosures pursuant to section 1073 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Absent further action by the Bureau, that exception would have expired on July 21, 2015. Based on a determination that the termination of the exception would negatively affect the ability of insured institutions to send remittance transfers, the Bureau is extending the temporary exception by five years from July 21, 2015, to July 21, 2020. The Bureau is also making several clarifications and technical corrections to the regulation and commentary.