Agencies and Commissions August 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The United States International Trade Commission (Commission) hereby gives notice of the court-ordered remand of its reconsideration proceedings pertaining to countervailing duty Investigation No. 303-TA- 23 (Final) concerning ferrosilicon from Venezuela, and antidumping Investigations Nos. 731-TA-566-570 and 731-TA-641 (Final) concerning ferrosilicon from Brazil, China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine, and Venezuela.

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) has submitted a request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for reinstatement of an expired information collection with change. The Optional Form (OF) 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, is completed by applicants who are under consideration for Federal or Federal contract employment. The OF 306 requests that the applicant provide personal identifying data, including, for example, general background information, information on Selective Service registration, military service and information concerning retirement pay received or requested. The change is to make needed administrative updates and delete life insurance questions. It is estimated that 474,000 individuals will respond annually. Each form takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. The annual estimated burden is 118,500 hours. No comments were received on this proposal. For copies of this proposal, contact Mary Beth Smith-Toomey on (202) 606-8358, FAX (202) 418-3251 or via E-mail to mbtoomey@opm.gov. Please include a mailing address with your request.

In this document, the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service seeks comment on the use of reverse auctions (competitive bidding) to determine high cost universal service funding to eligible telecommunications carriers pursuant to section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing final regulations implementing mandatory employee surveys as required by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004. The regulations add a new subpart which requires agencies to conduct an annual survey of their employees. In addition, the final regulations provide a list of questions that must appear in each agency's employee survey.

The Audio Division grants a Petition for Rule Making filed by American Family Association, requesting the reservation of vacant Channel 278C2 at Huntsville, Missouri for noncommercial educational use. A staff engineering analysis determines that Channel *278C2 can be allotted at Huntsville in compliance with the Commission's minimum distance spacing requirements at reference coordinates 39-29-45 NL and 92-25-05 WL.

In this document the Consumer Product Safety Commission (Commission or CPSC) proposes to require manufacturers to label portable generators with performance and technical data related to performance and safety. The warning label would inform purchasers that: ``Using a generator indoors will kill you in minutes;'' ``Exhaust contains carbon monoxide, a poison gas you cannot see or smell;'' ``Never use in the home or in partly enclosed areas such as garages;'' ``Only use outdoors and far from open windows, doors, and vents.'' The warning label will also include pictograms. The Commission believes that providing this labeling information will help reduce risks to consumers. The Commission invites public comment on this proposal.\1\

The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection(s), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Public Law No. 104-13. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act that does not display a valid control number. Comments are requested concerning (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection(s), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not display a valid control number. Comments are requested concerning (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

This document responds to the petitions for reconsideration of the Commission's rules for Access Broadband over Power Line (Access BPL) devices adopted in the Report and Order in this proceeding. The Commission is affirming the technical rules for BPL, and denying petitions for reconsideration that request delay, further study, or the exclusion of particular additional frequencies. The Commission is amending the rules to change the exclusion zone requirement for the ten listed radio astronomy facilities to a consultation requirement, and to add a new exclusion zone for one Very Large Array (VLA) radio astronomy observatory site at 73.0-74.6 MHz. In addition, it is also amending the rules to add prospective protection for relocated aeronautical facilities and to correct the coordinates and email contact for the aeronautical facilities subject to BPL consultation. The Commission affirms the deadline for requiring certification for any equipment manufactured, imported or installed on BPL systems, with the proviso that uncertified equipment already in inventory can be used for replacing defective units or to supplement equipment on existing systems for one year within areas already in operation. The Commission believes these changes will further the development and growth of BPL devices. It is denying the petitions for reconsideration in all other respects.

The Federal Communications Commissions, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not display a valid control number. Comments are requested concerning (a) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (Commission or CFTC) is proposing to amend Regulation 4.41, which governs advertising by commodity pool operators (CPOs), commodity trading advisors (CTAs) and the principals thereof, (1) To restrict the use of testimonials, (2) to clarify the required placement of the prescribed simulated or hypothetical performance disclaimer, and (3) to include within the regulation's coverage advertisement through electronic media (Proposal). This action is in furtherance of the Commission's longstanding position that CPOs, CTAs, and their principals may not advertise in a false, deceptive or misleading manner.