Agencies and Commissions November 14, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Background. Notice is hereby given of the final approval of proposed information collection by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) under OMB delegated authority, as per 5 CFR 1320.16 (OMB Regulations on Controlling Paperwork Burdens on the Public). Board-approved collections of information are incorporated into the official OMB inventory of currently approved collections of information. Copies of the OMB 83-I and supporting statements and approved collection of information instrument(s) are placed into OMB's public docket files. The Federal Reserve may not conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection that has been extended, revised, or implemented on or after October 1, 1995, unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is amending the size eligibility criteria for its Surety Bond Guarantee (SBG) Program for construction (general or special trades) or service concerns performing contracts in the Presidentially-declared disaster areas resulting from the 2005 Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, or Wilma. This rule amends the SBG size standard for some concerns by requiring them to meet either the size standard for the primary industry in which it, together with its affiliates, is engaged, or the current $6 million standard for the SBG Program, whichever is higher. The amended size standard applies only to construction and service concerns seeking SBA- guaranteed surety bonds for contracts or subcontracts, public or private, that are performed in the Presidentially-declared disaster areas resulting from the 2005 Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, or Wilma. Surety companies with whom SBA has executed a Preferred Surety Bond (PSB) Agreement under 13 CFR part 115 will be responsible for determining eligibility in compliance with this regulation. SBA surety bond personnel will be responsible for determining eligibility in compliance with this regulation for those surety guarantees that require SBA's prior approval. SBA prepared this rule as an interim final rule because its immediate implementation will make available needed SBG Program assistance to otherwise eligible small businesses and facilitate reconstruction and recovery of the Gulf Coast and Florida.

The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) has extended until December 2, 2005 the public comment period on the Working Principles for revising the ACHP's ``Policy Statement Regarding Treatment of Human Remains and Grave Goods.'' Those Working Principles were published in the Federal Register on September 1, 2005. The extended comment period will afford greater opportunity to all interested parties to review and submit comments on the principles.

This notice announces the availability, and opportunity for public review and comment, of the environmental assessment (EA) that supports the National Science Foundation (NSF) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) proposal to authorize the continued expenditure of grant funds totaling $12.3 million by the Smithsonian Institution to construct a four-telescope array near Tucson, Arizona. The draft EA is available at https://veritas.sao.arizona.edu/.

This is a notice of an Administrative declaration of a disaster for the State of North Carolina dated 11/04/2005. Incident: Hurricane Ophelia. Incident Period: 09/14/2005 through 09/23/5005. Effective Date: 11/04/2005. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 01/03/2006. EIDL Loan Application Deadline Date: 08/04/2006.

This is a notice of an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) declaration for the State of California, dated 10/27/2005. Incident: Lake Tahoe Sewage Spill. Incident Period: 07/19/2005. Effective Date: 10/27/2005. EIDL Loan Application Deadline Date: 07/27/2006.

This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Louisiana (FEMA-1607-DR), dated 09/24/ 2005. Incident: Hurricane Rita. Incident Period: 09/23/2005 and continuing through 11/01/2005. Effective Date: 11/01/2005. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 01/11/2006. EIDL Loan Application Deadline Date: 06/26/2006.

The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) has adopted final amendments to its Regulation A to reflect the Board's approval of an increase in the primary credit rate at each Federal Reserve Bank. The secondary credit rate at each Reserve Bank automatically increased by formula as a result of the Board's primary credit rate action.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the General Services Administration will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve a renewal of a currently approved information collection requirement regarding Market Research for the Office of Citizen Services and Communications. The clearance currently expires on April 30, 2006. This information collection will be used to determine the utility and ease of use of GSA's Web site, https://www.gsa.gov. The respondents include individuals and representatives from businesses currently holding GSA contracts. Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether this collection of information is necessary 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; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected.