2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Postal Service gives notice of filing a request with the Postal Regulatory Commission to add Global Expedited Package Services Non-Published Rates 9 (GEPSNPR 9) to the Competitive Products List.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) has determined that KYTRIL (granisetron hydrochloride) tablets, equivalent (EQ) 1 milligram (mg) and 2 mg base, were not withdrawn from sale for reasons of safety or effectiveness. This determination will allow FDA to approve abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs) for KYTRIL (granisetron hydrochloride) tablets, EQ 1 mg and 2 mg base, if all other legal and regulatory requirements are met.

The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council's (MAFMC) Ecosystem and Ocean Planning Advisory Panel (AP) will hold a public webinar meeting.

An open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel's Tax Forms and Publications Project Committee will be conducted. The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is soliciting public comments, ideas, and suggestions on improving customer service at the Internal Revenue Service.

An open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel's Toll-Free Phone Line Project Committee will be conducted. The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is soliciting public comments, ideas and suggestions on improving customer service at the Internal Revenue Service.

An open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel's Notices and Correspondence Project Committee will be conducted. The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is soliciting public comments, ideas, and suggestions on improving customer service at the Internal Revenue Service.

An open meeting of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Joint Committee will be conducted. The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is soliciting public comments, ideas, and suggestions on improving customer service at the Internal Revenue Service.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) is announcing the opportunity for externally-led patient-focused drug development meetings. The Patient-Focused Drug Development (PFDD) initiative is part of FDA's commitments under the fifth authorization of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA V). The PFDD initiative aims to more systematically obtain the patient perspective on specific diseases and their treatments. FDA recognizes that there are many more disease areas than can be addressed in the planned FDA meetings under PDUFA V. To help expand the benefits of FDA's PFDD initiative, FDA welcomes patient organizations to identify and organize patient-focused collaborations to generate public input on other disease areas, using the process established through Patient-Focused Drug Development as a model.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or we) is extending the comment period for a docket to receive information and comments on the use of the term ``natural'' in the labeling of human food products, including foods that are genetically engineered or contain ingredients produced through the use of genetic engineering. A notice requesting comments on this topic appeared in the Federal Register of November 12, 2015. We initially established February 10, 2016, as the deadline for the submission of comments. We are taking this action in response to requests for an extension to allow interested persons additional time to submit comments.

The Surface Transportation Board (Board) is issuing a proposed Policy Statement to provide guidance to the public regarding complaint proceedings under 49 U.S.C. 24308(f) and related issues under 49 U.S.C. 24308(c). The Board seeks public comment on the proposed Policy Statement, and may revise it, as appropriate, after consideration of the comments received.

The Executive Director of the Joint Board for the Enrollment of Actuaries gives notice of a teleconference meeting of the Advisory Committee on Actuarial Examinations (a portion of which will be open to the public) on January 11-12, 2016.

EPA is revising its regulations to more clearly describe the active and inert ingredients that are permitted in products eligible for the minimum risk pesticide exemption. EPA is improving the clarity and transparency of the minimum risk exemption by codifying the inert ingredients list and by adding specific chemical identifiers, where available, for all eligible active and inert ingredients. These specific identifiers will make it easier for manufacturers, the public, and Federal, state, and tribal inspectors to determine the specific chemical substances that are permitted in minimum risk pesticide products. EPA is also modifying the labeling requirements in the exemption to require products to list ingredients on the label with a designated label display name and to provide the producer's contact information on the product's label. These changes will provide more consistent information for consumers and clearer regulations for producers, and will simplify compliance determination by states, tribes, and EPA.

This notice is issued in accordance with the Federal Technology Transfer Act (FTTA), 15 U.S.C. 3710a, to enter into Cooperative Research and Development Agreements. These CRADAs will serve as a mechanism for NASA and its partners to agree to a series of mutually beneficial activities, which are expected to be consistent with NASA's 2014 Strategic Plan. There must be specific, identifiable alignment with one or more elements of Strategic Goal 2, Objective 2.3 to optimize Agency technology investments, foster open innovation, and facilitate technology infusion, ensuring the greatest national benefit. This effort also aligns with the Presidential Memorandum of October 28, 2011, on Accelerating Technology Transfer and Commercialization of Federal Research in Support of High Growth Businesses.

This regulation establishes tolerances for residues of spinosad in or on multiple commodities that are identified and discussed later in this document. In addition, this regulation removes a number of existing tolerances for residues of spinosad that are superseded by tolerances being established in this action. Interregional Research Project #4 (IR-4) requested these tolerances under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).

During a review of Texas' regulations, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identified a variety of State-initiated changes to its hazardous waste program under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). We have determined that these changes are minor and satisfy all requirements needed to qualify for Final authorization and are authorizing the State-initiated changes through this direct Final action. In addition, this document corrects technical errors made in the September 3, 2014, Federal Register authorization document for Texas. The Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended, commonly referred to as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), allows the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to authorize States to operate their hazardous waste management programs in lieu of the Federal program. The EPA uses the regulations entitled ``Approved State Hazardous Waste Management Programs'' to provide notice of the authorization status of State programs and to incorporate by reference those provisions of the State statutes and regulations that will be subject to the EPA's inspection and enforcement. The rule codifies in the regulations the prior approval of Texas' hazardous waste management program and incorporates by reference authorized provisions of the State's statutes and regulations.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (the ``Commission'' or ``SEC'') is proposing rule 18f-4, a new exemptive rule under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the ``Investment Company Act'' or ``Act'') designed to address the investor protection purposes and concerns underlying section 18 of the Act and to provide an updated and more comprehensive approach to the regulation of funds' use of derivatives. The proposed rule would permit mutual funds, exchange- traded funds (``ETFs''), closed-end funds, and companies that have elected to be treated as business development companies (``BDCs'') under the Act (collectively, ``funds'') to enter into derivatives transactions and financial commitment transactions (as those terms are defined in the proposed rule) notwithstanding the prohibitions and restrictions on the issuance of senior securities under section 18 of the Act, provided that the funds comply with the conditions of the proposed rule. A fund that relies on the proposed rule in order to enter into derivatives transactions would be required to: comply with one of two alternative portfolio limitations designed to impose a limit on the amount of leverage the fund may obtain through derivatives transactions and other senior securities transactions; manage the risks associated with the fund's derivatives transactions by maintaining an amount of certain assets, defined in the proposed rule as ``qualifying coverage assets,'' designed to enable the fund to meet its obligations under its derivatives transactions; and, depending on the extent of its derivatives usage, establish a formalized derivatives risk management program. A fund that relies on the proposed rule in order to enter into financial commitment transactions would be required to maintain qualifying coverage assets equal in value to the fund's full obligations under those transactions. The Commission also is proposing amendments to proposed Form N-PORT and proposed Form N-CEN that would require reporting and disclosure of certain information regarding a fund's derivatives usage.

The Securities and Exchange Commission is proposing to amend the regulatory requirements in Regulation ATS under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (``Exchange Act'') applicable to alternative trading systems (``ATSs'') that transact in National Market System (``NMS'') stocks (hereinafter referred to as (``NMS Stock ATSs''), including so called ``dark pools.'' First, the Commission is proposing to amend Regulation ATS to adopt Form ATS-N to provide information about the broker-dealer that operates the NMS Stock ATS (``broker- dealer operator'') and the activities of the broker-dealer operator and its affiliates in connection with the NMS Stock ATS, and to provide detailed information about the manner of operations of the ATS. Second, the Commission is proposing to make filings on Form ATS-N public by posting certain Form ATS-N filings on the Commission's internet Web site and requiring each NMS Stock ATS that has a Web site to post on the NMS Stock ATS's Web site a direct URL hyperlink to the Commission's Web site that contains the required documents. Third, the Commission is proposing to amend Regulation ATS to provide a process for the Commission to determine whether an entity qualifies for the exemption from the definition of ``exchange'' under Exchange Act Rule 3a1-1(a)(2) with regard to NMS stocks and declare an NMS Stock ATS's Form ATS-N either effective or, after notice and opportunity for hearing, ineffective. Fourth, under the proposal, the Commission could suspend, limit, or revoke the exemption from the definition of ``exchange'' after providing notice and opportunity for hearing. Fifth, the Commission is proposing to require that an ATS's safeguards and procedures to protect subscribers' confidential trading information be written. The Commission is also proposing to make conforming changes to Regulation ATS and Exchange Act Rule 3a1-1(a). Additionally, the Commission is requesting comment about, among other things, changing the requirements of the exemption from the definition of ``exchange'' pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 3a1-1(a) for ATSs that facilitate transactions in securities other than NMS stocks. Lastly, the Commission is also requesting comment regarding its consideration to amend Exchange Act Rules 600 and 606 to improve transparency around the handling and routing of institutional customer orders by broker- dealers.

Pursuant to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014, the Department of the Navy has submitted a Notice of Intention to Relinquish 1,958.49 acres of lands in Riverside County, California, withdrawn from the public domain by the California Desert Protection Act of 1994. The lands were withdrawn for military purposes on behalf of the Department of the Navy for the Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range.

Notice is hereby given that identified public lands administered by the Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), are temporarily closed to all public entry.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The ICR, entitled: ``Submission of Protocols and Study Reports for Environmental Research Involving Human Subjects''; identified by EPA ICR No. 2195.05 and OMB Control No. 2070-0169, represents the renewal of an existing ICR that is scheduled to expire on August 31, 2016. Before submitting the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection that is summarized in this document. The ICR and accompanying material are available in the docket for public review and comment.