Agencies and Commissions November 7, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) proposes to amend its regulations to permit current power reactor licensees to implement a voluntary, risk-informed alternative to the current requirements for analyzing the performance of emergency core cooling systems (ECCS) during loss-of-coolant accidents (LOCAs). In addition, the proposed rule would establish procedures and criteria for requesting changes in plant design and procedures based upon the results of the new analyses of ECCS performance during LOCAs.

On October 11, 2005, the Committee received a request from the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, the National Council of Textile Organizations, the National Textile Association, and UNITE HERE requesting that the Committee limit imports from China of cotton terry and other pile towels (Category 363). They request that a textile and apparel safeguard action, as provided for in the Report of the Working Party on the Accession of China to the World Trade Organization (the Accession Agreement) be applied on imports of such towels. The Committee hereby solicits public comments on this request, in particular with regard to whether imports from China of such towels are, due to market disruption, threatening to impede the orderly development of trade in this product. Comments must be submitted by December 7, 2005 to the Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, Room 3001A, United States Department of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20230.

The Committee is extending through November 8, 2005, the period for making a determination on whether to request consultations with China regarding imports of cotton and man-made fiber nightwear (Category 351/651).

The Committee is extending through November 8, 2005, the period for making a determination on whether to request consultations with China regarding imports of women's and girls' cotton and man-made fiber shirts and blouses, not-knit (Category 341/641).

The Commission will consider a First Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking concerning the Emergency Alert System rules.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing a final regulation for the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). This regulation requires that each federation and unaffiliated organization applying to participate in the CFC must, as a condition of participation, certify that it is in compliance with all statutes, Executive orders, and regulations restricting or prohibiting U.S. persons from engaging in transactions and dealings with countries, entities, and individuals subject to economic sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

The Postal Service is proposing to require the use of the Electronic Verification System (e-VS) which is an electronic manifest system, for postage manifesting and payment of all Parcel Select mailings. This includes all Standard Mail machinable parcels or other Package Services Parcels (Bound Printed Matter, Library Mail, or Media Mail) authorized for commingling with Parcel Select Mailings. This requirement would contribute to reduced costs and greater efficiencies. The Postal Service is also exploring expanding the program to all parcel mailings in the future. The proposed rule is being published with an intended implementation date of no sooner than 1 year from the date of publication of the Federal Register final rule. The proposed rule would apply as follows: Parcel shippers/consolidators and mailers claiming Parcel Select rates would be required to use e-VS for postage manifesting and payment. Parcel shippers/consolidators and mailers who commingle Standard Mail machinable parcels or other Package Services parcels with Parcel Select as authorized by Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]), 705.6.0 and 705.7.0, would be required to use e-VS for postage manifesting and payment.

The NCUA is submitting the following information collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). This information collection is published to obtain comments from the public.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, May 22, 1995), this notice announces that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) intends to submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request for clearance of a revised information collection. OPM Online Form 1417, the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) Information System form, collects information from the 302 local CFC campaigns to verify campaign results and collect contact information. Revisions to the form clarify OPM's request for campaign costs, solicitation data, prior-year receipts, and the inclusion of electronic fund information (EFT). Campaign EFT information is released only to Federal payroll providers for the proper and timely disbursement of aggregated donor pledges. OPM has routinely collected EFT information through e-mail. We estimate 302 Online OPM Forms 1417 are completed annually. Each form takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. The annual estimated burden is 101 hours. Comments are particularly invited on: Whether this information is necessary for the proper performance of functions of the Office of Personnel Management, and whether it will have practical utility; whether our estimate of the public burden of this collection of information is accurate, and based on valid assumptions and methodology; and ways in which we can minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, through the appropriate use of technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology. For copies of this proposal, contact Mary Beth Smith-Toomey on (202) 606-8358, FAX (202) 418-3251 or E-mail to mbtoomey@opm.gov. Please be sure to include a mailing address with your request.