December 16, 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice provides NHTSA's finding with respect to a request from the Texas Department of Transpiration, Traffic Safety Section (TxDOT) to waive the requirements of Buy America. NHTSA finds that a cost waiver of the Buy America requirements is appropriate for TxDOT to purchase Light-Up Magnifier Loupes using Federal highway safety grant funds because the cost of domestically produced products is twenty-five percent more than the cost of the foreign-made products.

This Notice provides NHTSA's finding with respect to a request from the Hawaii Department of Transportation's Motor Vehicle Safety Office, Highway Safety Section (MVSO) to waive the requirements of Buy America. NHTSA finds that a cost waiver is appropriate for MVSO to purchase eight foreign-made training motorcycles using Federal grant funds because the cost of domestically produced products is twenty-five percent more than the cost of the foreign-made products.

The Commission is noticing a recent Postal Service filing concerning the addition of Priority Mail Contract 103 negotiated service agreement to the competitive product list. This notice informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, and takes other administrative steps.

The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) allows for persons to employ measures to deter marine mammals from damaging fishing gear and catch, damaging personal or public property, or endangering personal safety, as long as these measures do not result in death or serious injury of marine mammals. The MMPA also allows the Secretary of Commerce, through NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), to develop national guidelines on safely deterring marine mammals under NOAA's jurisdiction (e.g., whales, dolphins, seals, and sea lions). To inform development of these national guidelines, NMFS requests input on which deterrents the public would like NMFS to evaluate and consider for approval. Any subsequent national guidelines for safely deterring marine mammals would then be released for public notice and comment as required by the MMPA. Such national guidelines would likely be tailored to each species group (pinnipeds, large cetaceans, and small cetaceans) as differences in physiology and behavior would affect whether a deterrent is appropriate for one or more species group. National guidelines would also address relevant implementation considerations. Deterrents could be considered ``passive'' or ``active'' in nature. Deterrents may include physical barriers, acoustic deterrent and harassment devices, visual repellents, boat hazing, noisemakers, and physical contact. For each deterrent device or technique submitted to NMFS for consideration and evaluation, NMFS requests information on the specifications (e.g., source and frequency levels, pulse rate, type of fencing, size of flags, etc.) for each deterrent or technique, which marine mammal species or species group (large cetaceans, small cetaceans, pinnipeds) would be deterred, how a deterrent would be employed (e.g., attached to fishing gear, launched some distance from a marine mammal), any evidence that the deterrent will not result in mortality or serious injury, and any other implementation considerations. This information will help NMFS determine which devices or techniques are appropriate for the development of guidelines and specific measures for safely deterring both non-ESA listed and ESA listed marine mammals.

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.

On March 21, 2014, the United States Trade Representative notified Congress of the Administration's intention to enter into negotiations for a World Trade Organization (WTO) Environmental Goods Agreement (EGA) with an initial group of 13 trading partners. The United States Trade Representative has since notified Congress of the Administration's intent to join a consensus among EGA participants to invite the Governments of Israel and Turkey to join the EGA negotiations. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, on behalf of the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC), is seeking public comment regarding U.S. interests and priorities with respect to this initiative to invite Israel and Turkey to join the EGA negotiations.

We are approving an amendment to the North Dakota regulatory program (the ``North Dakota program'') under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (``SMCRA'' or ``the Act''). North Dakota intends to revise its program to be consistent with the corresponding Federal regulations. North Dakota submitted the amendment to address required rule changes OSMRE identified by letter to North Dakota dated October 2, 2009, under 30 CFR 732.17(c). These include changes to North Dakota's rules regarding use of the Applicant Violator System (AVS) and ownership and control. North Dakota has met all of the conditions outlined in the 732 letter and has included all applicable revisions and/or additions to their rules. North Dakota is also proposing to add a new subsection to an existing rule with general requirements relating to the format of electronic applications. They are also making a minor correction to another rule pertaining to the term of permits to make it consistent with a separate rule which was previously amended to no longer require renewal of a permit once lands in that permit are no longer being mined or used in the support of surface coal mining.

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, the Department of Homeland Security proposes to update and reissue a current Department of Homeland Security system of records titled, ``Department of Homeland Security/United States Coast Guard Adjudication and Settlement of Claims System of Records.'' This system of records allows the Department of Homeland Security/United States Coast Guard to collect and preserve the records associated with military personnel salary claims. As a result of the biennial review of this system, the system manager and address and record source categories have been updated. Additionally, this notice includes non-substantive changes to simplify the formatting and text of the previously published notice. This updated system will be included in the Department of Homeland Security's inventory of record systems.

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, the Department of Homeland Security proposes to update and reissue a current Department of Homeland Security system of records titled, ``Department of Homeland Security/United States Coast Guard Employee Assistance Program Records System of Records.'' This system of records allows the Department of Homeland Security/United States Coast Guard to administer the United States Coast Guard Employee Assistance Program for military personnel. As a result of the biennial review of this system, the system manager and address category has been updated. Additionally, this notice includes non-substantive changes to simplify the formatting and text of the previously published notice. This updated system will be included in the Department of Homeland Security's inventory of record systems.

The Postal Service gives notice of filing a request with the Postal Regulatory Commission to add a domestic shipping services contract to the list of Negotiated Service Agreements in the Mail Classification Schedule's Competitive Products List.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The information collection notice was previously published in the Federal Register on September 22, 2014, at 79 FR 56595, allowing for a 60-day public comment period. USCIS received one comment in connection with the 60-day notice.

The NRC has recently submitted to OMB for review the following proposal for the collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). The NRC hereby informs potential respondents that an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and that a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The NRC published a Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period on this information collection on September 17, 2014. 1. Type of submission, new, revision, or extension: New. 2. The title of the information collection: Voluntary Reporting of Planned New Reactor Applications. 3. Current OMB approval number: 3150-XXXX. 4. The form number if applicable: N/A. 5. How often the collection is required: Annually. 6. Who will be required or asked to report: Applicants, licensees, and potential applicants report this information on a strictly voluntary basis. 7. An estimate of the number of annual responses: 5. 8. The estimated number of annual respondents: 5. 9. An estimate of the total number of hours needed annually to complete the requirement or request: 300. 10. Abstract: This voluntary information collection assists the NRC in determining resource and budget needs as well as aligning the proper allocation and utilization of resources to support applicant submittals, future construction-related activities, and other anticipated Part 50 and/or Part 52 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) licensing and design certification rulemaking actions. In addition, information provided to the NRC staff is intended to promote early communications between the NRC and the respective addressees about potential 10 CFR Part 50 and/or Part 52 licensing actions and related activities, submission dates, and plans for construction and inspection activities. The overarching goal of this information collection is to assist the NRC staff more effectively and efficiently plan, schedule, and implement activities and reviews in a timely manner. The public may examine and have copied, for a fee, publicly available documents, including the final supporting statement, at the NRC's Public Document Room, Room O-1F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland. OMB clearance requests are available at the NRC worldwide Web site: https://www.nrc.gov/public- involve/doc-comment/omb/. The document will be available on the NRC home page site for 30 days after the signature date of this notice. Comments and questions should be directed to the OMB reviewer listed below by January 15, 2015. Comments received after this date will be considered if it is practical to do so, but assurance of consideration cannot be given to comments received after this date. Vlad Dorjets, Desk Officer, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (3150-XXXX), NEOB-10202, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC 20503.

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, the Department of Homeland Security proposes to update and reissue a current Department of Homeland Security system of records titled, ``Department of Homeland Security/United States Coast Guard Homeport System of Records.'' This system of records allows the Department of Homeland Security/United States Coast Guard to validate the suitability and identify the eligibility of those who request permission and/or have access to the system. As a result of the biennial review of this system, the system manager and address category has been updated. Additionally, this notice includes non-substantive changes to simplify the formatting and text of the previously published notice. This updated system will be included in the Department of Homeland Security's inventory of record systems.

Pursuant to Section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463), as amended, notice is hereby given that six meetings of the Arts Advisory Panel to the National Council on the Arts will be held by teleconference (unless otherwise specified) from the National Endowment for the Arts, Constitution Center, 400 7th St. SW., Washington, DC, 20506 as follows (all meetings are Eastern time and ending times are approximate): State & Regional (review of Partnership Agreements): This meeting will be by videoconference and will be open. Information for connecting to the meeting will be available under the ``Webinar'' tab on the Arts Endowment's Web site: https://arts.gov. Dates: January 13, 20153:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; January 14, 2015 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; and January 15, 20153:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Partnerships/Folk & Traditional Arts (application review): This meeting will be closed. Dates: January 16, 2014. 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Literature (application review): This meeting will be closed. Dates: January 23, 2015. 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.. Research (application review): This meeting will be closed. Dates: January 27, 2015. 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.. Research (application review): This meeting will be closed. Dates: January 28, 2015. 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Music (application review): This meeting will be closed. Dates: January 29, 2015. 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m..

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, the Department of Homeland Security proposes to update and reissue a current Department of Homeland Security system of records titled, ``Department of Homeland Security/United States Coast Guard Federal Medical Care Recovery Act System of Records.'' This system of records allows the Department of Homeland Security/United States Coast Guard to collect and maintain Federal Medical Care Recovery Act claims (FMCRA). As a result of the biennial review of this system, the system manager and address category has been updated. Additionally, this notice includes non-substantive changes to simplify the formatting and text of the previously published notice. This updated system will be included in the Department of Homeland Security's inventory of record systems.

Notice is hereby given that Larry Wood, LDWood BioConsulting, Inc., 425 Kennedy Street, Jupiter, FL 33468 has been issued a permit to take hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) for purposes of scientific research.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is issuing an interim final rule setting forth requirements related to allocations by the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) (together, the Enterprises) to the Housing Trust and Capital Magnet Funds created by the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. The rule implements a statutory prohibition against the Enterprises passing the cost of such allocations through to the originators of loans they purchase or securitize.

The Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure will hold a two-day meeting. The meeting will be open to public observation but not participation.