Agencies and Commissions July 18, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) publishes notice at least once monthly of certain Federal agency requests for records disposition authority (records schedules). Once approved by NARA, records schedules provide mandatory instructions on what happens to records when no longer needed for current Government business. They authorize the preservation of records of continuing value in the National Archives of the United States and the destruction, after a specified period, of records lacking administrative, legal, research, or other value. Notice is published for records schedules in which agencies propose to destroy records not previously authorized for disposal or reduce the retention period of records already authorized for disposal. NARA invites public comments on such records schedules, as required by 44 U.S.C. 3303a(a).

This is a notice of an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) declaration for the State of California Disaster CA-00034 dated July 6, 2006. Incident: Fishery Resource Disaster. Incident Period: January 1, 2001 through December 31, 2005. Effective Date: July 6, 2006. EIDL Loan Application Deadline Date: April 6, 2007.

The Federal Housing Finance Board (Finance Board) is amending its rules relating to the election of Federal Home Loan Bank (Bank) directors to allow each Bank greater latitude in providing members information about the range of skills and experience among board members the Bank believes is best suited to administer its affairs. The final rule is intended to enhance the corporate governance of each Bank by allowing a Bank to provide to its members, during the election process, information about the expertise the Bank has identified as appropriate to enhance the board of directors in providing overall board management of the Bank. The final rule also revises and reorganizes the prohibitions on actions during the election process.

The Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission (the ``Commission'') is an independent adjudicatory agency that provides hearings and appellate review of cases arising under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, or Mine Act. Hearings are held before the Commission's Administrative Law Judges, and appellate review is provided by a five-member Review Commission appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The Commission is adopting an interim rule to implement the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006, or MINER Act, which amended the Mine Act to improve the safety of miners and mining. The MINER Act provides for Commission review of disputes arising over the accident response plans of underground coal mine operators. The interim rule establishes procedures for the submission and consideration of such disputes. The Commission invites public comments on the interim rule.

The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) has determined that certain textile and apparel goods from Madagascar shall be treated as ``handloomed, handmade, folklore articles, or ethnic printed fabrics'' and qualify for preferential treatment under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. Imports of eligible products from Madagascar with an appropriate visa will qualify for duty-free treatment.

The National Science Foundation gives notice of the availability of a Finding of No Significant Impact for proposed activities in the Arctic Ocean. The Office of Polar Programs (OPP) has prepared an Environmental Assessment of a marine geophysical study by the Coast Guard cutter Healy in the western Canada Basin, Chukchi Borderland and Mendeleev Ridge, July-August-September 2006. Given the United States Arctic Program's mission to support polar research, the proposed action is expected to result in substantial benefits to science.

The OCC, Board, FDIC, OTS, NCUA and FTC (the Agencies) request comment on a proposal that would implement sections 114 and 315 of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACT Act). As required by section 114, the Agencies are jointly proposing guidelines for financial institutions and creditors identifying patterns, practices, and specific forms of activity, that indicate the possible existence of identity theft. The Agencies also are proposing joint regulations requiring each financial institution and creditor to establish reasonable policies and procedures for implementing the guidelines, including a provision requiring credit and debit card issuers to assess the validity of a request for a change of address under certain circumstances. In addition, the Agencies are proposing joint regulations under section 315 that provide guidance regarding reasonable policies and procedures that a user of consumer reports must employ when such a user receives a notice of address discrepancy from a consumer reporting agency.