November 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, Business Operations, Office of Regulatory and Management Services (ORMS) is preparing to revise a portion of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) governing public participation requirements and procedures related to the issuance or revision of internal Agency directives. The Forest Service is committed to ensuring that a broad and representative cross- section of the interested public is provided advance notice and a full and fair opportunity to comment upon the formulation of standards, criteria, and guidelines applicable to Forest Service programs. In keeping with this commitment, the Agency is interested in enhancing its public engagement and expanding its approach for public notice and comment beyond just formal rulemaking. The Agency has identified a need to update the relevant regulations to reflect the varied media consumption patterns of key Forest Service stakeholders and the public at large. These potential regulatory revisions are also necessary to ensure that written policies align with the Agency's current practices, which have changed to ensure compliance with recent court orders. The Agency is hosting a webinar for all interested members of the general public to inform the public of these changes to the Forest Service's public participation procedures. This session will include additional information on the need for these changes and the outcomes the Agency is seeking to achieve. It will also include an outline of a potential path forward and provide attendees an opportunity to ask questions, provide input, and suggest ideas.

The Department of Commerce (the Department) is rescinding its administrative review in part on certain oil country tubular goods from Taiwan for the period of review (POR) July 18, 2014, through August 31, 2015.

On October 23, 2015, the Department of Commerce (``the Department'') published the affirmative preliminary determination of circumvention of the antidumping duty order on uncovered innerspring units (``innerspring units'') from the People's Republic of China (``PRC'').\1\ The Department invited interested parties to comment on the Preliminary Determination. No parties commented. Accordingly, our Preliminary Determination remains unchanged in this final determination.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request for approval for the collection of information for Leases and Permits. The information collection is currently authorized by OMB Control Number 1076-0155, which expires November 30, 2015.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), International Trade Administration (ITA) announces that it will begin accepting applications for the International Buyer Program (IBP) Select service for calendar year 2017 (January 1, 2017, through December 31, 2017). This announcement sets out the objectives, procedures and application review criteria for IBP Select. Under IBP Select, ITA recruits international buyers to U.S. trade shows to meet with U.S suppliers exhibiting at those shows. The main difference between IBP and IBP Select is that IBP offers worldwide promotion, whereas IBP Select focuses on promotion and recruitment in up to five international markets. Specifically, through the IBP Select, the DOC selects domestic trade shows that will receive DOC assistance in the form of targeted promotion and recruitment in up to five foreign markets, export counseling to exhibitors, and export counseling and matchmaking services at the trade show. This notice covers selection for IBP Select participation during calendar year 2017.

Notice is hereby given of the following determinations: Pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Act of October 19, 1965 (79 Stat. 985; 22 U.S.C. 2459), Executive Order 12047 of March 27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 (112 Stat. 2681, et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 6501 note, et seq.), Delegation of Authority No. 234 of October 1, 1999, Delegation of Authority No. 236-3 of August 28, 2000 (and, as appropriate, Delegation of Authority No. 257 of April 15, 2003), I hereby determine that the objects to be included in the exhibition ``Everywhen: The Eternal Present in Indigenous Art from Australia,'' imported from abroad for temporary exhibition within the United States, are of cultural significance. The objects are imported pursuant to loan agreements with the foreign owners or custodians. I also determine that the exhibition or display of the exhibit objects at the Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, Massachusetts, from on about February 5, 2016, until on or about September 18, 2016, and at possible additional exhibitions or venues yet to be determined, is in the national interest. I have ordered that Public Notice of these Determinations be published in the Federal Register.

The Secretary of State determined on November 10, 2015, pursuant to Section 1245(d)(4)(D) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (NDAA), (Pub. L. 112-81), as amended, that as of November 10, 2015, the following countries, Malaysia and Singapore, have maintained their crude oil purchases from Iran at zero over the preceding 180-day period.

This document contains corrections to final regulations (TD 9741) that were published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, October 27, 2015 (80 FR 65637). The final regulations on allocation and accounting, and certain remedial actions, for purposes of the private activity bond restrictions under section 141of the Internal Revenue Code that apply to tax-exempt bonds issued by State and local governments.

The Commission is noticing a recent filing requesting that the Commission initiate an informal rulemaking proceeding to consider changes to analytical principles relating to periodic reports (Proposal Twelve). This notice informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, and takes other administrative steps.

Through this notice, HUD is extending the public comment period on its proposed rule pertaining to Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects, published in the Federal Register on October 1, 2015.

This notice announces a Town Hall meeting in accordance with section 1886(d)(5)(K)(viii) of the Social Security Act (the Act) to discuss fiscal year (FY) 2017 applications for add-on payments for new medical services and technologies under the hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS). Interested parties are invited to this meeting to present their comments, recommendations, and data regarding whether the FY 2017 new medical services and technologies applications meet the substantial clinical improvement criterion.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has updated its Waiver Policy on the official OPM Web site \1\ to post the additional criteria OPM will consider when reviewing certain requests for waiver of the Federal Employees Health Benefit (FEHB) Program enrollment eligibility requirements. The updates to the Waiver Policy detail the criteria OPM will consider when reviewing waiver requests from individuals who are receiving a monthly survivor annuity as the surviving same-sex spouse of a Federal employee or annuitant who died on or before June 26, 2013. After an individual who is receiving a monthly annuity as the surviving same-sex spouse of a deceased Federal employee or annuitant is granted a waiver pursuant to section 8905(b) of title 5, U.S. Code, and the applicable procedures, the FEHB enrollment will be effective the first day of the first pay period that begins after the date on which that OPM granted the waiver. The individual may not be enrolled in FEHB retroactively, unless there is clear administrative error.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a proposed rule that would abolish the Newburgh, New York, appropriated fund Federal Wage System (FWS) wage area and redefine Orange County, NY, to the New York, NY, survey area; Dutchess County, NY, to the New York area of application; Delaware and Ulster Counties, NY, to the Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY, area of application; and Sullivan County, NY, to the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, area of application. These changes are based on a recent consensus recommendation of the Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee (FPRAC) to best match the counties proposed for redefinition to nearby FWS survey areas.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a final rule that would redefine the geographic boundaries of the Harrisburg, PA, and Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA, appropriated fund Federal Wage System (FWS) wage areas. The final rule will redefine Montour County, PA, from the Harrisburg wage area to the Scranton- Wilkes-Barre wage area. This change is based on a consensus recommendation of the Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee (FPRAC) to best match the county proposed for redefinition to a nearby FWS survey area.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the DoD Consolidated Adjudications Facility Privacy Act Office announces a proposed public information collection and seeks public comment on the provisions thereof. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed 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 burden of the proposed information collection; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

At the request of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council), this document announces a control date of December 31, 2015, that may be used as a reference date for a future management action to limit future access to the offshore sector of the trawl groundfish fisheries in the Aleutian Islands. This date corresponds to the end of the 2015 fishing season in these fisheries. In October 2015, the Council announced its intent to evaluate participation and effort in the offshore sector of the trawl groundfish fisheries in the Aleutian Islands fisheries in response to a public request to consider further limits on access to the fisheries. This document is intended to promote awareness of possible rulemaking and provide notice to the public that any participation in the offshore sector of the trawl groundfish fisheries in the Aleutian Islands after the control date may not ensure continued access to those fisheries under a future management action. This document is also intended to discourage speculative entry into the fisheries while the Council considers whether and how access to the fisheries may be further limited under a future management action.

The Department of the Interior has decided to cancel Beaufort Sea Lease Sale 242, which was scheduled to occur in 2017 under the 2012-2017 OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program. Sale 242 is being canceled due to current market conditions (e.g., low oil prices) and minimal competitive interest from industry.

Notice is hereby given that Coonamessett Farm Foundation, Inc., 277 Hatchville Road, East Falmouth, MA 02536 [Responsible Party: Ronald Smolowitz], has been issued a permit to take sea turtles for purposes of scientific research.

On November 10, 2014, the Department of Justice, through its component, the EOUST, published its notice of proposed rulemaking (``NPRM''), Procedures for Completing Uniform Periodic Reports in Non- Small Business Cases Filed under Chapter 11 of Title 11 (``Periodic Reports''). In order to accommodate requests by certain commenters to meet with representatives of the EOUST to discuss the NPRM, and to provide an opportunity for interested persons to express their views directly to EOUST officials, the EOUST will hold a public hearing on the NPRM. In conjunction with the public hearing, the EOUST has reopened the comment period and will accept supplemental comments from those who submitted comments during the initial comment period and new comments from those who did not.

The U.S. Global Change Research Program is three years into the implementation of its National Global Change Research Plan 2012- 2021 (https://www.globalchange.gov/strategic-plan) hereafter called the Strategic Plan. That decadal Strategic Plan remains the continuing blueprint for USGCRP, with its strategic directions guiding the Program. There are areas, however, where the landscape has changed by virtue of significant progress, changing scientific or societal urgencies, or challenges. This Triennial Update to the Strategic Plan (hereafter simply ``Update'') addresses these areas and their implications for USGCRP. In accordance with the Global Change Research Act of 1990 (Sec 104, P.L. 101-606), this public comment period invites the public to provide comments and feedback on the Update.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council's Pacific Northwest Crab Industry Advisory Committee (PNCIAC) will meet December 17, 2015.

The Department of Veterans AffairsFinancial Services Center (VA-FSC) is announcing an opportunity for the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on a continuing information collection as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Public Law 104- 13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A). Under the PRA, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. Currently the Nationwide Vendor File Division within VA-FSC is soliciting comments concerning VA Form 10091, which will replace the Automated Clearing House ``ACH Vendor/ Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form'' (SF3881/OMB 1510-0056) for all vendors who need to establish or update their Financial Management System (FMS) Vendor Record in order to receive VA payments that comply with the1996 Debt Collection Improvement Act (DCIA). The DCIA mandated the use of electronic funds transfer (EFT) for federal payments.