Agencies and Commissions August 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), and implementing regulations at 5 CFR part 1320, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC), plans to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for use of a previously approved information collection consisting of a customer survey form. OSC is required by law to conduct an annual survey of those who seek its assistance. The information collection is used to carry out that mandate. The current OMB approval for this collection of information expired on July 31, 2005. Current and former Federal employees, employee representatives, other Federal agencies, state and local government employees, and the general public are invited to comment on this information collection for a second time. The first notification, sent out on April 28, 2005, received no replies. Comments are invited on: (a) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of OSC functions, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of OSC's estimate of the burden of the proposed collections of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is required to publish notice of permits issued under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978. This is the required notice.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has received and requests public comment on a petition for rulemaking filed by the State of Nevada (petitioner). The petition has been docketed by the NRC and has been assigned Docket No. PRM-51-9. The petitioner is requesting that the NRC amend the regulation that governs adoption of an environmental impact statement prepared by the Secretary of Energy in proceedings for issuance of a construction authorization or materials license with respect to a geological repository. The petitioner believes that the current regulation, as written, violates the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, as amended (NWPA), and a recent court of appeals decision.

The consent agreement in this matter settles alleged violations of Federal law prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or practices or unfair methods of competition. The attached Analysis to Aid Public Comment describes both the allegations in the draft complaint and the terms of the consent orderembodied in the consent agreementthat would settle these allegations.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission amends its Regulations designating certain state and local fair employment Practices agencies (706 Agencies) so that they may handle employment discrimination charges within their jurisdictions. Publication of this amendment effectuates the designation of the City of Springfield (IL) Department of Community Relations and Reading (PA) Human Relations Commission.

In accordance with requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the FDIC hereby gives notice that it is submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request for OMB review and approval of the information collection systems described below.

The Office of Government Ethics intends to modify the Executive Branch Confidential Financial Disclosure Report form (hereafter, OGE Form 450), to improve its clarity and design and change to some extent the information that it collects. After this first round notice and public comment period, OGE plans to submit a modified OGE Form 450 to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and three-year extension of approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act. The modified OGE Form 450 would be used for confidential financial disclosure reporting under OGE's proposed amended executive branch regulations, once those regulatory revisions are finalized.

The subject five-year review was initiated in May 2005 to determine whether revocation of the antidumping duty order on mechanical transfer presses from Japan would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping and of material injury to a domestic industry. On August 1, 2005, the Department of Commerce published notice that it was revoking the order effective June 21, 2005 because ``the domestic interested parties did not participate in this sunset review. * * *'' (70 FR 44089). Accordingly, pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1675(c)), the subject review is terminated.

The Copyright Office of the Library of Congress is announcing the termination of two proceedings under the Copyright Arbitration Royalty Panel system to distribute royalty fees paid by importers and manufacturers of digital audio recording devices and media who distributed these products in the United States during the period beginning January 1, 2002, and ending on December 31, 2003. The Office is also providing notice that the authority to make determinations regarding the distribution of the 2004 Digital Audio Recording Royalty Funds passed to the Copyright Royalty Board on May 31, 2005.

Notice is hereby given that the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission will hold an open meeting on August 20, 2005 from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Senate Hart Hearing Room 216, Constitution Avenue, Washington DC 20510. The delay of this notice resulted from the short time-frame established by statute for the operations of the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission and the necessity of coordinating this meeting with a variety of Federal government officials. The Commission requests that the public consult the 2005 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission Web site, https://www.brac.gov, for updates. The Commission will meet to receive Department of Defense comment on various recommendations for closure or realignment of installations. This meeting will be open to the public, subject to the availability of space.

We are planning to update and revise the rules we use to evaluate endocrine disorders of adults and children who apply for, or receive, disability benefits under title II and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments based on disability under title XVI of the Social Security Act (the Act). The rules we plan on revising are sections 9.00 and 109.00 in the Listing of Impairments in appendix 1 to subpart P of part 404 of our regulations (the listings). We invite you to send us comments and suggestions for updating and revising these rules. After we have considered your comments and suggestions, as well as information about advances in medical knowledge, treatment, and methods of evaluating endocrine disorders, and our program experience, we intend to publish for public comment a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that will propose specific revisions to the rules. As part of our long-term planning for the disability programs, we are also interested in your ideas about how we may be able to improve our programs for people who have endocrine disorders, especially those who would like to work.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration announces a forthcoming meeting of the NASA Aeronautics Research Advisory Committee (ARAC), Vehicle Systems Program Subcommittee (VSPS).