April 22, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Secretary amends the regulations that govern the Professional Development program and the Demonstration Grants for Indian Children program (Demonstration Grants program), authorized under title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). The regulations govern the grant application process for new awards for each program for the next fiscal year in which competitions are conducted for that program and subsequent years. For the Professional Development program, the regulations enhance the project design and quality of services to meet the objectives of the program; establish post-award requirements; and govern the payback process for grants in existence on the date these regulations become effective. For the Demonstration Grants program, the regulations add new priorities, including a priority for native youth community projects (NYCPs), and new application requirements.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is issuing this Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) to solicit comments on issues involving the Women's Business Center (WBC) Program. SBA is evaluating the policies and procedures governing the management and oversight of the program and believes that public input could enhance its efforts to provide clear comprehensive and consistent guidance to the WBC grantees. Among other things, the ANPRM seeks public feedback on: (1) The standards and procedures for evaluating applications for new or renewal application for WBC grant; (2) procedures and requirements for resolving findings and disputes resulting from financial exams, programmatic reviews, accreditation reviews, and other SBA oversight activities; and (3) the form and function of the required WBC information clearinghouse. SBA expects this effort will remove any ambiguity and uncertainty in the program and result in improved delivery of services to the small business clients WBCs serve throughout the country.

This document contains proposed regulations under section 5000C of the Internal Revenue Code relating to the 2 percent tax on payments made by the U.S. government to foreign persons pursuant to certain contracts. The proposed regulations affect U.S. government acquiring agencies and foreign persons providing certain goods or services to the U.S. government pursuant to a contract. This document also contains proposed regulations under section 6114, with respect to foreign persons claiming an exemption from the tax under an income tax treaty.

NMFS implements management measures described in Amendment 40 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 contains measures to establish two components within the recreational sector for Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) red snapper (a Federal charter vessel/headboat (for-hire) component and private angling component) with a 3-year sunset provision; allocate the red snapper recreational quota and annual catch target (ACT) between the components; and establish separate red snapper season closure provisions for the two components. The purpose of Amendment 40 and this rule is to provide a basis for increased flexibility in future management of the recreational sector, and reduce the likelihood of recreational quota overruns, which could negatively impact the rebuilding of the red snapper stock.

This rule amends the Honey Packers and Importers Research, Promotion, Consumer Education and Information Order (Order) to increase the assessment rate from $0.01 per pound to $0.015 per pound on honey and honey products, over a two-year period. The Order limits an increase in the assessment rate to no more than one-quarter cent per pound per year. Thus, the rate will increase to $0.0125 per pound for the period January 1 through December 31, 2015, and to $0.015 per pound on and after January 1, 2016. This increase was unanimously recommended by the Honey Packers and Importers Board (Board) which administers the Order with oversight by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Under the program, assessments are collected from first handlers (packers) and importers and used for research and promotion projects designed to maintain and expand the market for honey and honey products in the United States and abroad. Additional funds will allow the Board to expand its production research activities and promotional efforts. The Board's production research focuses on maintaining the health of honey bee colonies. Increasing demand for honey and honey products will benefit the honey industry as a whole. This action also makes three additional changes to: Clarify that the assessment rate applies not only to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule numbers but to any other numbers used to identify honey; change the length of time that books and records are to be held; and change the exemption requirements.

This rule revises the minimum quantity exception for potatoes handled under the Colorado potato marketing order, Area No. 2 (order). The order regulates the handling of Irish potatoes grown in Colorado and is administered locally by the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee, Area No. 2 (Committee). This action increases the quantity of potatoes that may be handled under the order without regard to the order's handling regulation requirements from 1,000 to 2,000 pounds. The change in the import regulation is required under section 8e of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937. This action allows for the importation which, in the aggregate, does not exceed 2,000 pounds for all other round type potatoes, except red skinned, round type or long type potatoes that continue to remain at a 500 pound limit, to be imported without regard to the import regulations. This action is expected to benefit producers, handlers, and importers.

The Copyright Royalty Judges announce a cost of living adjustment (COLA) of 1.7% in the royalty rates satellite carriers pay for a compulsory license under the Copyright Act. The COLA is based on the change in the Consumer Price Index from October 2013 to October 2014.

This document directs that a referendum be conducted among eligible producers of cranberries grown in the states of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, and Long Island in the State of New York, to determine whether they favor continuance of the marketing order regulating the handling of cranberries grown in the production area.

In response to requests from interested parties, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is extending the comment period on the Agency's Request for Information To Improve the Health and Safety of Miners and To Prevent Accidents in Underground Coal Mines. This extension gives interested parties additional time to submit information to the Agency.

Pursuant to the Federal Power Act, the Commission proposes to approve a revised Reliability Standard, PRC-005-4 (Protection System, Automatic Reclosing and Sudden Pressure Relaying Maintenance), developed and submitted by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). In addition, the Commission proposes to approve one new definition and four revised definitions referenced in the proposed Reliability Standard, as well as NERC's proposed violation risk factors, violation severity levels, and implementation plan. Consistent with Order No. 758, the proposed Reliability Standard requires applicable entities to test and maintain certain sudden pressure relays as part of a protection system maintenance program.

In this Policy Statement, the Commission provides greater certainty regarding the ability of interstate natural gas pipelines to recover the costs of modernizing their facilities and infrastructure to enhance the efficient and safe operation of their systems. The Policy Statement explains the standards the Commission will require interstate natural gas pipelines to satisfy in order to establish simplified mechanisms, such as trackers or surcharges, to recover certain costs associated with replacing old and inefficient compressors and leak- prone pipes and performing other infrastructure improvements and upgrades to enhance the efficient and safe operation of their pipelines.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission proposes to approve Reliability Standard PRC-002-2 (Disturbance Monitoring and Reporting Requirements) submitted by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation. The purpose of proposed Reliability Standard PRC-002-2 is to have adequate data available to facilitate analysis of bulk electric system disturbances.

We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain Zodiac Aerotechnics (formerly Intertechnique Aircraft Systems) flightcrew oxygen mask regulators as installed on, but not limited to, various transport and small airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by a report that improper maintenance on oxygen mask regulators was found. This proposed AD would require the identification and replacement of all potentially affected units. This proposed AD also would require installation of a placard and revision of the airplane flight manual to include an operational procedure for use in case of depressurization. We are proposing this AD to detect and correct affected oxygen mask regulators, which could lead to inadequate protection to the affected flightcrew against hypoxia. Hypoxia can start from a headache and drowsiness and lead eventually to unconsciousness with severe consequence in terms of airplane controllability.