December 27, 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board (``FRTIB'') is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on December 19, 2017. The document issued final regulations implementing the new Blended Retirement System. The correction is a technical amendment to a cross-reference.

The NCUA is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on December 20, 2017. The document implemented certain features of the NCUA reorganization that the NCUA Board announced earlier this year. This correction amends one reference within the document.

This notice allocates $57,800,000 of Community Development Block Grant disaster recovery (CDBG-DR) funds to the State of Texas in response to Hurricane Harvey. This allocation is made pursuant to the requirements of Public Law 115-31. This notice also makes a technical correction to the previously established alternative requirement on the low- and moderate- income national objective criteria for grantees undertaking CDBG-DR buyouts and housing incentives.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) intends to submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request for review of a currently approved collection, Organizational Assessment Surveys. OPM is requesting approval of Organizational Assessment Surveys, Federal Employee Viewpoint Surveys, Exit Surveys, New Leaders Onboarding Assessments, New Employee Surveys, Training Needs Assessment Surveys, and custom Program Evaluation surveys as a part of this collection. Approval of the Organizational Assessment Surveys is necessary to collect information on Federal agency and program performance, climate, engagement, and leadership effectiveness.

The Retirement Services, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) offers the general public and other Federal agencies the opportunity to comment on a revised information collection, It's Time to Sign Up for Direct Deposit or Direct Express, RI 38-128.

The Retirement Services, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) offers the general public and other federal agencies the opportunity to comment on the revision of a currently approved information collection request (ICR), Alternative Annuity Election, RI 20-80.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of the Science Advisor announces two separate public meetings of the Human Studies Review Board (HSRB) to advise the Agency on the ethical and scientific review of research involving human subjects.

This document corrects technical errors that appeared in the final rule with comment period published in the Federal Register on December 14, 2017 entitled ``Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems and Quality Reporting Programs.''

In this proposed rule, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is providing an opportunity to comment on an analysis of the lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with certain biofuels that are produced from grain sorghum oil extracted at dry mill ethanol plants at any point downstream from sorghum grinding, also known as distiller sorghum oil. EPA seeks comment on its proposed assessment that using distillers sorghum oil as feedstock results in no significant agricultural sector GHG emissions; and that biodiesel and heating oil produced from distillers sorghum oil via a transesterification process, and renewable diesel, jet fuel, heating oil, naphtha, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) produced from distillers sorghum oil via a hydrotreating process, would meet the lifecycle GHG emissions reduction threshold of 50 percent required for advanced biofuels, and biomass-based diesel under the Renewable Fuel Standard program. Based on these analyses, EPA is proposing to amend the RFS program regulations to define the term ``distillers sorghum oil''. We also propose to add to the regulations approved pathways from the production of biodiesel and heating oil from distillers sorghum oil via a transesterification process, and renewable diesel, jet fuel, heating oil, naphtha, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) produced from distillers sorghum oil via a hydrotreating process.

In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Board, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) (collectively, the ``agencies'') may not conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC), of which the agencies are members, has approved the Board's publication for public comment of a proposal to extend, with revision, the Report of Assets and Liabilities of U.S. Branches and Agencies of Foreign Banks (FFIEC 002) and the Report of Assets and Liabilities of a Non-U.S. Branch that is Managed or Controlled by a U.S. Branch or Agency of a Foreign (Non-U.S.) Bank (FFIEC 002S), which are currently approved collections of information. The Board is publishing this proposal on behalf of the agencies. The proposed revisions to these reports would align with corresponding changes made to the Consolidated Reports of Condition and Income (FFIEC 031, FFIEC 041, and FFIEC 051). The Consolidated Reports of Condition and Income are commonly referred to as the Call Report. The proposed revisions to the FFIEC 002 and the FFIEC 002S would delete or consolidate certain items, establish certain reporting thresholds, account for changes in the accounting for equity investments, and make instructional clarifications consistent with those previously made to or currently proposed for the Call Report instructions. The proposed revisions would result in an overall reduction in burden and would take effect as of the June 30, 2018, report date. In determining whether to approve the proposed collection of information, the agencies will consider all comments received. As required by the PRA, the Board would then publish a second Federal Register notice for a 30-day comment period and submit the final FFIEC 002 and FFIEC 002S to OMB for review and approval.

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to the provisions of the rules and regulations of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (Commission), and the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), that planning meetings of the South Dakota Advisory Committee to the Commission will convene at 2:00 p.m. (CST) on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 and Wednesday, January 24, 2018, via teleconference. The purpose of the meeting on Jan 10 is review an advisory memorandum culminating from the subtle racism briefing in March 2017. The purpose of the meeting on January 24 is to vote on aforementioned advisory memorandum.

NMFS proposes regulations to modify specific provisions of the North Pacific Observer Program. The first two elements of this proposed rule would modify the requirements for an observer to obtain a nontrawl lead level 2 (LL2) deployment endorsement and implement a pre-cruise meeting requirement for vessels required to carry an observer with a nontrawl LL2 deployment endorsement. These elements are intended to increase the number of observers that qualify for a nontrawl LL2 deployment endorsement and maintain observer safety and data quality. The third element of this proposed rule would make editorial changes, and modify observer coverage and reporting requirements for vessels when participating in the Western Alaska Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program. This element is intended to promote operational efficiency, and remove unnecessary requirements for specific vessels participating in the CDQ Program. This action is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska, and the FMP for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area, and other applicable law.

The United States Copyright Office is extending the deadlines for the submission of written comments in response to its December 1, 2017 notice of proposed rulemaking concerning the royalty reporting practices of cable operators under section 111 and proposed revisions to the Statement of Account forms, and on proposed amendments to the Statement of Account filing requirements.

The Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Currently the Bureau of the Fiscal Service within the Department of the Treasury is soliciting comments concerning the Subscription for Purchase and Issue of U.S. Treasury Securities, State and Local Government Series.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway Bridge across the Columbia River, mile 105.6, at Vancouver, WA. The deviation is necessary to accommodate replacement gears, shafts and bearings. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed-to- navigation position during maintenance activities.

Notice is hereby given of the following determinations: I hereby determine that two objects to be included in the exhibition ``Jasper Johns: `Something Resembling Truth,' '' 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 Broad, Los Angeles, California, from on or about February 10, 2018, until on or about May 13, 2018, and at possible additional exhibitions or venues yet to be determined, is in the national interest.