Agencies and Commissions June 19, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Background. Notice is hereby given of the final approval of proposed information collections 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-Is 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 Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is confirming the effective date of July 3, 2006, for the direct final rule that was published in the Federal Register on April 18, 2006 (71 FR 19806). This direct final rule amended the NRC's regulations to revise the BNG Fuel Solutions Corporation (FuelSolutionsTM) cask system listing to include Amendment No. 4 to Certificate of Compliance (CoC) No. 1026.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has submitted the following information collection requirement to OMB for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. This is the second notice for public comment; the first was published in the Federal Register at 71 FR 4382, and no comments were received. NSF is forwarding the proposed renewal submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance simultaneously with the publication of this second notice. Comments regarding (a) whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; or (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology should be addressed to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for National Science Foundation, 725-17th Street, NW., Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, and to Catherine Hines, Acting Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 295, Arlington, Virginia 22230 or send e-mail to chines@nsf.gov. Comments regarding these information collections are best assured of having their full effect if received within 30 days of this notification. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling 703-292-4414.

On April 7, 2006, a Federal appeals court invalidated certain amendments adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') to rules under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (``Act''). The Court found that the Commission had failed to seek comment on the data used to estimate the costs of the amendments, but suspended issuing its mandate in order to give the Commission an opportunity to request further comment. Because the Court's decision called into question the regularity of our proceedings, the Commission now invites further comment on the amendments, including particularly their costs. The amendments, first proposed on January 15, 2004, would impose two conditions on investment companies (``funds'') relying on certain exemptive rules. First, fund boards would have to be comprised of at least 75 percent independent directors. Second, the boards would have to be chaired by an independent director. In addition to the costs of the two conditions, commenters may address any issue related to the underlying purpose of the two conditions, which is the protection of funds and fund shareholders. As required by section 2(c) of the Investment Company Act, the Commission specifically seeks comment on whether the proposed rule amendments will promote efficiency, competition, and capital formation.

This notice provides in one issue of the Federal Register an accurate and complete text of the Office of Personnel Management's eight Governmentwide systems of records notices most widely used by individuals and Privacy Act officers. This notice proposes to add a new Category of Records and a new Routine Use to one system of records and amends a Category of Records in the same system. This notice will also make administrative changes to reflect changes in the name and location of system managers for all Governmentwide systems of records. We are amending a Category of Records, adding a new Category of Records and adding a new Routine Use in OPM's Governmentwide-1 system of records. In addition, we are making needed administrative changes necessitated by changes in office titles of system managers for all eight systems of records that have occurred in the OPM's reorganization since the last publication of these notices on April 27, 2000.