Agencies and Commissions January 10, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Mississippi (FEMA-1604-DR), dated 08/ 29/2005. Incident: Hurricane Katrina. Incident Period: 08/29/2005 through 10/14/2005. Effective Date: 12/28/2005. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 03/11/2006. EIDL Loan Application Deadline Date: 05/29/2006.

This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Louisiana (FEMA-1603-DR), dated August 29, 2005. Incident: Hurricane Katrina. Incident Period: August 29, 2005 through November 1, 2005. Effective Date: December 28, 2005. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: March 11, 2006. EIDL Loan Application Deadline Date: May 29, 2006.

This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Texas (FEMA-1606-DR), dated September 24, 2005. Incident: Hurricane Rita. Incident Period: September 23, 2005 through October 14, 2005. Effective Date: December 28, 2005. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: March 11, 2006. EIDL Loan Application Deadline Date: June 26, 2006.

The Board is amending Regulation E, which implements the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, and the official staff commentary to the regulation. The commentary interprets the requirements of Regulation E to facilitate compliance primarily by financial institutions that offer electronic fund transfer services to consumers. The interim final rule provides that payroll card accounts established directly or indirectly by an employer on behalf of a consumer to which electronic fund transfers of the consumer's salary, wages, or other employee compensation are made on a recurring basis are accounts covered by Regulation E.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) announces its intent to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the potential environmental impacts associated with the NSF funding of the United States Implementing Organization's (USIO) participation in the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP). This EIS is being prepared and considered in accordance with requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, regulations of the President's Council on Environmental Quality (40 CFR parts 1500 through 1508), and NSF's National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures (45 CFR 640.1-640.5). The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is being invited to be a cooperating agency in the preparation of the Programmatic EIS. Publication of this notice begins the official scoping process that will help identify alternatives and determine the scope of environmental issues to be addressed in the Programmatic EIS/OEIS. This notice requests public participation in the scoping process and provides information on how to participate.

The Board is amending Regulation E, which implements the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, and the official staff commentary to the regulation codified in Supplement I to Part 205. The commentary interprets the requirements of Regulation E to facilitate compliance primarily by financial institutions that offer electronic fund transfer services to consumers. The revisions address the regulation's coverage of electronic check conversion services. Under the final rule, merchants and other payees that initiate electronic check conversion transactions must obtain a consumer's authorization for each transaction. In addition, commentary revisions address preauthorized transfers, error resolution, and other matters.