2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

As authorized by 46 U.S.C. 12121, the Secretary of Transportation, as represented by the Maritime Administration (MARAD), is authorized to grant waivers of the U.S.-build requirement of the coastwise laws under certain circumstances. A request for such a waiver has been received by MARAD. The vessel, and a brief description of the proposed service, is listed below.

The Maritime Administration (MARAD) is issuing this request for applications for eligible vessels to potentially enroll in one or more MSP Operating Agreements in accordance with the provisions of the Maritime Security Act of 2003, Public Law 108-136, div. C, title XXXV, as amended by Section 3508 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year (FY) 2013, Public Law 112-239, (NDAA 2013). The Maritime Security Program (MSP) maintains a fleet of active, commercially-viable, privately-owned vessels to meet national defense and other security requirements and to maintain a United States presence in international commercial shipping. This request for applications provides, among other things, application criteria and a deadline for submitting applications for potential vessel enrollment in the MSP.

The Department of the Treasury will submit the following information collection requests to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13, on or after the date of publication of this notice.

NMFS issues regulations to implement management measures described in a framework action 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 withholds 4.9 percent of the 2016 red snapper commercial quota prior to the annual distribution of red snapper allocation to the Individual Fishing Quota (IFQ) program shareholders on January 1, 2016. This final rule allows the allocations being established through Amendment 28 to the FMP (Amendment 28) to be effective for the 2016 fishing year should Amendment 28 be approved by the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) in 2016. This final rule also makes a technical correction to re-insert regulatory text that a previous rulemaking inadvertently omitted, which specifies that the recreational annual catch limit (ACL) for red snapper is equal to the total recreational quota.

NMFS implements an accountability measure (AM) for commercial king mackerel in the Florida west coast northern subzone of the eastern zone of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) exclusive economic zone (EEZ) through this temporary final rule. NMFS has determined that the commercial quota for king mackerel in the eastern zone, Florida west coast northern subzone of the Gulf EEZ will be reached by November 28, 2015. Therefore, NMFS closes the Florida west coast northern subzone to commercial king mackerel fishing on November 28, 2015, to protect the Gulf king mackerel resource.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a public meeting of its Law Enforcement Advisory Panel (LEAP) via webinar.

Sections 3302(c)(2)(A) and 3302(d)(3) of the FUTA provide that employers in a State that has an outstanding balance of advances under Title XII of the Social Security Act at the beginning of January 1 of two or more consecutive years are subject to a reduction in credits otherwise available against the FUTA tax for the calendar year in which the most recent such January 1 occurs, if a balance of advances remains at the beginning of November 10 of that year. Further, section 3302(c)(2)(C) of FUTA provides for an additional credit reduction for a year if a State has outstanding advances on five or more consecutive January firsts and has a balance at the beginning of November 10 for such years. Section 3302(c)(2)(C) also provides for waiver of this additional credit reduction and substitution of the credit reduction provided in section 3302(c)(2)(B) if a state meets certain conditions. The States of California, Connecticut, Indiana, Kentucky, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, and the Virgin Islands passed January 1, 2015, with outstanding Title XII advances and were potentially subject to FUTA credit reductions. California, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and the Virgin Islands applied for a waiver of the 2015 additional credit reduction under section 3302(c)(2)(C) of FUTA and it has been determined that each of these States met all of the criteria of that section necessary to qualify for the waiver of the additional credit reduction. Further, the additional credit reduction of section 3302(c)(2)(B) is zero for these States for 2015. Therefore, employers in these States will have no additional credit reduction applied for calendar year 2015. Also, Section 3302(f) of FUTA provides that a State may apply for a cap in the reduction in credit for a year by meeting certain criteria. Kentucky applied for the cap of the 2015 credit reduction under this section. It has been determined that Kentucky met all of the criteria of section 3302(f) and thus qualifies for a cap on the credit reduction. Therefore, Kentucky employers would not be subject to an increase in FUTA credit reductions for calendar year 2015. The States of Indiana, Kentucky, New York, North Carolina, and South Carolina repaid all of their outstanding advance balances before the beginning of November 10, 2015. Therefore, employers in those States will have no reduction in FUTA offset credit for calendar year 2015. California, Ohio, and the Virgin Islands will have a credit reduction of 1.5%, and Connecticut will have a credit reduction of 2.1%, which is the 1.5% plus a 0.6% fifth year add-on amount for calendar year 2015.

The Department of Labor (Department), as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance consultation program to provide the public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)] (PRA). The PRA helps ensure that respondents can provide requested data in the desired format with minimal reporting burden (time and financial resources), collection instruments are clearly understood and the impact of collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. Currently, ETA is soliciting comments concerning the information collection request (ICR) to collect data about The National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP), which provides employment and training services as well as housing assistance to disadvantaged migrant and seasonal farmworkers (MSFWs) and their dependents. Interested parties are encouraged to provide comments to the contact shown in the ADDRESS section. Comments must be written to receive consideration, and they will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval of the final ICR. In order to help ensure appropriate consideration, comments should mention OMB Control No. 1205-0425.

The SEDAR 46 assessment of the Caribbean Data-limited Species will consist of one in-person workshop and a series of webinars. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

In this notice, OSHA announces the application of QPS Evaluation Services, Inc. (QPS), for renewal of recognition as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL). Additionally, this notice announces QPS's applications for expansion of its recognition as an NRTL and presents the Agency's preliminary finding to grant the application.

The DoD is publishing this notice to announce two days of meetings of the National Commission on the Future of the Army (``the Commission''). The meetings will be partially closed to the public.

Pursuant to section 14(a)(2)(A) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463) and in accordance with Title 41 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 102-3.65, and following consultation with the Committee Management Secretariat of the General Services Administration, notice is hereby given that the National Coal Council has been renewed for a two-year period. The Council will continue to provide advice, information, and recommendations to the Secretary of Energy on a continuing basis regarding general policy matters relating to coal issues.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to seek approval to conduct a new information collection to gather data related to the production and marketing of foods directly from farm producers to consumers or retailers. In addition NASS will collect some whole-farm data to be used to classify and group operations for summarizing and publication of results.

FMCSA announces receipt of 7 applications for exemptions from the cardiovascular standard [49 CFR 391.41(b)(4)]. These 7 individuals are requesting an exemption due to the presence of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) as a result of their underlying cardiac condition. If granted, the exemptions would enable these individuals with ICDs to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce for up to 2 years.

FMCSA announces receipt of applications from 44 individuals for exemption from the prohibition against persons with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce. If granted, the exemptions would enable these individuals with ITDM to operate CMVs in interstate commerce.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is required to publish a notice of requests to modify permits issued to conduct activities regulated and permits issued under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. NSF has published regulations under the Antarctic Conservation Act at title 45 part 670 of the Code of Federal Regulations. This is the required notice of a requested permit modification and permit issued.

This action adds services to the Procurement List that will be provided by nonprofit agencies employing persons who are blind or have other severe disabilities.

FMCSA announces that it has received an application from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) for a limited exemption from the Agency's commercial learner's permit (CLP) requirement in 49 CFR 383.25(c). The regulation provides that the CLP be valid for no more than 180 days from the date of issuance. The State of issuance may renew the CLP for an additional 180 days without requiring the CLP holder to retake the general and endorsement knowledge tests. ODOT proposes that it be allowed to extend the 180-day timeline to one year for CLPs issued to its drivers for multiple reasons. ODOT believes that there would be no impact on safety if the exemption is granted. FMCSA requests public comment on ODOT's application for exemption. In addition, because the issues concerning ODOT's request could be applicable to each State, FMCSA requests public comments whether the exemption, if granted, should apply to all State Driver's Licensing Agencies (SDLAs).

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Regulatory Secretariat Division will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve an extension of a previously approved information collection requirement concerning freight classification description.

In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) is soliciting public comment on the requirements and burden \1\ of the information collections described below.