October 21, 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or the Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection. Comments are requested concerning: Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and ways to further reduce the information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees. The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the PRA that does not display a valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

On September 29, 2014, the U.S. Department of Education published a 30-day comment period notice in the Federal Register (page 58338, Column 1) seeking public comment for an information collection entitled ``Application for Grants Under the Student Support Services Program (1894-0001), '' ED-2014-ICCD-0137, OMB# 1840-0017. The comment period for this information collection request has been extended to November 20, 2014 due to the public's inability to access the application at the beginning of the comment period. This correction is to include the revised application and we extend the public comment period to offer the opportunity to comment on the application. The Acting Director, Information Collection Clearance Division, Privacy, Information and Records Management Services, Office of Management, hereby issues a correction notice as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

Below is a listing of individuals who are eligible to serve on the Performance Review Board (PRB) in accordance with the Economics and Statistics Administration's Senior Executive Service and Senior Professional Performance Management Systems:

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) issue this Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and an evaluation per 49 U.S.C. 303 and 23 CFR 774 (``Section 4(f)'') for a new Light Rail Transit (LRT) line in DeKalb and Fulton Counties, Georgia. The proposed LRT line would extend from Lindbergh MARTA station in the city of Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, southeast through the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) headquarters and Emory University and Emory Hospital campuses, to Avondale MARTA station in the City of Decatur, DeKalb County, Georgia. The EIS and Section 4(f) Evaluation will be prepared in accordance with regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Section 4(f), as well as FTA's regulations and guidance implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500 through 1508 and 23 CFR 771.105). The purpose of this NOI is to: (1) Advise the public and agencies that FTA is preparing an EIS for the proposed project; (2) provide project information including previous planning studies and decisions, the project purpose and need, and alternatives being considered; and, (3) invite public and agency participation in the EIS process, which includes a review and written comments on the scope of the EIS.

Developers and innovators have many great ideas and products that could improve the U.S. health care system and make life better for patients and care providers. However, effecting actual change is extremely difficult due to the high barriers to entry in the health IT space. Once an innovative new product has been developed, it needs to be tested in real-life care settings. But providers can be hesitant to host this testing for a myriad of reasonsthey may have had bad experiences in the past, be anxious about deploying new tools that may disrupt their workflows, or be wary of encountering more problems than the solution solves. Without this testing, it cannot be determined how well the product actually works, making it difficult for the developers to identify the changes that need to be made to the product to make it more effective. Furthermore, without evidence of the uses a product can provide it is that much harder to acquire the venture funding that can fuel further advancement and lead to successful entry in the marketplace. The Market R&D Pilot Challenge is intended to help bridge this gap by bringing together health care organizations (``Hosts'') and innovative companies (``Innovators'') through pilot funding awards and facilitated matchmaking. The Challenge seeks to award pilot proposals in three different domains: Clinical environments (e.g., hospitals, ambulatory care, surgical centers), public health and community environments (community-based personnel such as public health departments, community health workers, mobile medical trucks, school- and jail-based clinics), and consumer health (e.g., self-insured employers, pharmacies, laboratories). Hosts and Innovators will submit joint pilot proposals, with the winners, as determined by an expert panel, proceeding to implement their pilots. The Challenge's primary goals are to: Encourage early collaboration between entrepreneurs, medical and public health personnel, patients, and the research community to link innovation in health IT to innovation in care delivery; De-risk early stage health IT and digital health products for future clinical testing and investment; Encourage uptake of and ensure the market is aware of ONC standards and functions within certified electronic health record technologies; and Explore evidence collection methods and relevant metrics for early stage health IT products that may better match agile software development. The statutory authority for this challenge competition is Section 105 of the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111- 358).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking direct final action to approve two State Implementation Plan (SIP) submissions from the State of Nebraska. EPA is approving elements of a SIP submission from the State of Nebraska that addresses the applicable requirements of the Clean Air Act (CAA) section 110 for the 2008 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for Lead (Pb). Section 110(a) of the CAA requires that each state adopt and submit a SIP to support implementation, maintenance, and enforcement of each new or revised NAAQS promulgated by EPA. These SIPs are commonly referred to as ``infrastructure'' SIPs. The infrastructure requirements are designed to ensure that the structural components of each state's air quality management program are adequate to meet the state's responsibilities under the CAA. EPA is also approving an additional SIP submission from the State of Nebraska that addresses section 128 of the CAA and supports requirements associated with infrastructure SIPs.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking direct final action to approve revisions to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the State of Missouri on May 8, 2012, related to a Missouri rule titled ``Control of Emissions from Hand-Fired Equipment.'' Today's action approves a revision to the Missouri SIP that allows the burning of discarded clean wood in non-residential (commercial owned and operated) heating devices, with restrictions to ensure environmentally-sound operation, in the St. Louis metropolitan area.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving the State Implementation Plan (SIP) revisions submitted by the State of Iowa for the purpose of approving the 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2013 updates to the Linn County Air Quality Ordinance. EPA is approving Iowa's request to include revisions to the Linn County Air Quality Ordinance, Chapter 10, because the revisions improve the stringency of the Iowa SIP.

In this final rule, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is revising the regulations for the Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program concerning investments in passive businesses. SBICs are generally prohibited from investing in passive businesses under the Small Business Investment Act of 1958, as amended, as well as under SBIC program regulations. This final rule modifies an exception that allows an SBIC to make an investment in a passive small business that passes through the investment proceeds to one or more subsidiaries, each of which must be a non-passive small business. This modification allows an SBIC to structure an investment utilizing two levels of passive small businesses as pass-through entities under specific circumstances. The purpose of the modification is to place SBICs on a more equal footing with their non-SBIC counterparts in the venture capital and private equity sectors, in which investments structured with two passive levels are not uncommon. This final rule also includes several technical corrections. Specifically, the final rule updates the regulations by replacing obsolete Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes with their equivalents under the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS); corrects erroneous paragraph cross-references; and modernizes the options for meeting the record preservation requirements by removing the reference to ``microfilm.''

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking direct final action to approve revisions to the applicable state implementation plan for the State of Nevada submitted by the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection. The revisions include amended State rules related to applications for, and issuance of, permits for stationary sources, but not including review and permitting of major sources and major modifications under parts C and D of title I of the Clean Air Act. EPA is taking action under the Clean Air Act obligation to take action on State submittals of revisions to state implementation plans. The intended effect of the approval is to fix deficiencies in the previously-approved version of the permitting rules and to ensure that new or modified stationary sources do not interfere with attainment or maintenance of the national ambient air quality standards.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking direct final action to approve revisions to the State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by the State of Missouri on May 8, 2012, and October 17, 2013, related to a Missouri rule titled ``Restriction of Emission of Particulate Matter from Industrial Processes.'' This action amends the SIP in four ways. The first is it updates an outdated reference in the current SIP approved rule. Second, it provides a hierarchy of compliance measurement approaches for Particulate Matter (PM) emissions from industrial processes. Third, it provides a clarification on applicability of the provisions. And fourth, it deletes redundant definitions.

The Federal Election Commission is revising its rules regarding corporate and labor organization funding of expenditures, independent expenditures, and electioneering communications. The Commission is issuing these rules in response to a Petition for Rulemaking filed by the James Madison Center for Free Speech petitioning the Commission to amend its regulations in response to the decision of the Supreme Court in Citizens United v. FEC.

In this document, the Commission eliminates certain waivers of the telecommunications relay service (TRS) requirements that are no longer necessary, given advances in communications technology. At the same time, it extends certain existing waivers of mandatory minimum standards for specific providers for which the provision of certain TRS features is technologically infeasible at this time. The Commission also eliminates certain TRS requirements that are either not applicable or technically not feasible, while ensuring that TRS consumers continue to have access to communications services that are functionally equivalent to voice telephone services. Lastly, the Commission eliminates an annual reporting requirement for TRS providers. These actions provide regulatory clarity and reduce administrative burdens on both TRS providers and the Commission and ensure that the TRS mandatory minimum standards are applicable and technologically appropriate for each type of TRS.

On September 22, 2014, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) published a direct final rule which rearranged existing drug-free workplace requirements for financial assistance in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The action was consistent with the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) guidance on drug-free workplace requirements for financial assistance. This rule makes amendments for editorial purposes.