Agencies and Commissions November 9, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is providing notice to its employees, former employees, and applicants for Federal employment about the rights and remedies available to them under the Federal antidiscrimination, whistleblower protection, and retaliation laws. This notice fulfills the FTC's initial notification obligation under the Notification and Federal Employees Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act (No FEAR Act), as implemented by Office of Personnel Management (OPM) regulations at 5 CFR part 724.

In a Federal Register notice published on October 4, 2006, 71 FR 58716, the FTC requested comment on two proposed amendments to the TSR. The Notice stated that comments must be submitted on or before November 6, 2006. In response to a request for an extension of the comment period received on October 30, 2006, the Commission has extended the comment period for an additional 40 days.

Notice is hereby given of the National Science Foundation's notification of employee rights and protections under Federal Antidiscrimination Laws and Whistleblower Protection Laws (No FEAR Act).

On September 29, 2006 (71 FR 57584), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) published, for public comment, a Notice of Availability of Draft Interim Staff Guidance (ISG) document HLWRS-ISG- 02, ``Preclosure Safety AnalysisLevel of Information and Reliability Estimation.'' On October 26, 2006, the U.S. Department of Energy requested a 30-day extension to the public comment period for HLWRS- ISG-02, from November 13, 2006, to December 13, 2006. In response to this request, NRC is granting a 30-day extension to the public comment period for HLWRS-ISG-02, to December 13, 2006.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) is forwarding an Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to request an extension of the following collection of information: 3220- 0193, Job Information Report, consisting of RRB Form(s) G-251a, Employer Job Information (job description) and G-251b, Employer Job Information (general). Our ICR describes the information we seek to collect from the public. Review and approval by OIRA ensures that we impose appropriate paperwork burdens. The RRB invites comments on the proposed collection of information to determine (1) The practical utility of the collection; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden of the collection; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information that is the subject of collection; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of collections on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments to RRB or OIRA must contain the OMB control number of the ICR. For proper consideration of your comments, it is best if RRB and OIRA receive them within 30 days of publication date. Previous Requests for Comments: The RRB has already published the initial 60-day notice (71 FR 44054 and 44055 on August 3, 2006) required by 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2). That request elicited no comments.

Pursuant to section 8(c)(2) and section 12(r)(3) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (Act) (45 U.S.C. 358(c)(2) and 45 U.S.C. 362(r)(3), respectively), the Board gives notice of the following: 1. The balance to the credit of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance (RUI) Account, as of June 30, 2006, is $114,826,602.43; 2. The September 30, 2006, balance of any new loans to the RUI Account, including accrued interest, is zero; 3. The system compensation base is $3,338,677,272.65 as of June 30, 2006; 4. The cumulative system unallocated charge balance is ($279,893,399.81) as of June 30, 2006; 5. The pooled credit ratio for calendar year 2007 is zero; 6. The pooled charged ratio for calendar year 2007 is zero; 7. The surcharge rate for calendar year 2007 is 1.5 percent; 8. The monthly compensation base under section 1(i) of the Act is $1,230 for months in calendar year 2007; 9. The amount described in section 1(k) of the Act as ``2.5 times the monthly compensation base'' is $3,075 for base year (calendar year) 2007; 10. The amount described in section 2(c) of the Act as ``an amount that bears the same ratio to $775 as the monthly compensation base for that year as computed under section 1(i) of this Act bears to $600'' is $1,589 for months in calendar year 2007; 11. The amount described in section 3 of the Act as ``2.5 times the monthly compensation base'' is $3,075 for base year (calendar year) 2007; 12. The amount described in section 4(a-2)(i)(A) of the Act as ``2.5 times the monthly compensation base'' is $3,075 with respect to disqualifications ending in calendar year 2007; 13. The maximum daily benefit rate under section 2(a)(3) of the Act is $59 with respect to days of unemployment and days of sickness in registration periods beginning after June 30, 2007.

This final rule revises the requirements for authority to manufacture and distribute postage evidencing systems. This final rule includes updating the regulations, removing obsolete text, and incorporating pertinent portions of the rules for postage meters (Postage Evidencing Systems) formerly contained in section P030 of the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) (Issue 58). This rule integrates the requirements that apply to the distribution and manufacture of PC Postage[supreg] products, a type of Postage Evidencing System. In addition, obsolete references to requirements for manually reset and mechanical meters are eliminated.

The consent agreement in this matter settles alleged violations of federal law prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or practices or unfair methods of competition. The attached Analysis to Aid Public Comment describes both the allegations in the draft complaint and the terms of the consent orderembodied in the consent agreementthat would settle these allegations.

The consent agreement in this matter settles alleged violations of federal law prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or practices or unfair methods of competition. The attached Analysis to Aid Public Comment describes both the allegations in the draft complaint and the terms of the consent orderembodied in the consent agreementthat would settle these allegations.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (``FDIC'') is adopting its final rule amending its regulations concerning penalties for failure to timely pay assessments. The final rule adopts changes made by the Federal Deposit Insurance Reform Act of 2005 (``Reform Act''), which amended provisions of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (``FDI Act''). The statute generally provides that an insured depository institution which fails or refuses to pay any assessment shall be subject to a penalty of not more than 1 percent of the assessment due for each day the violation continues. The statute includes an exception if the failure to pay results from a dispute with the FDIC over the amount of the assessment and the institution deposits satisfactory security with the FDIC. The statute includes a provision covering assessment amounts of less than $10,000, which authorizes penalties up to $100 per day. Finally, the statute accords the FDIC discretion to compromise, modify or remit any penalty imposed on a finding that good cause prevented timely payment. The final rule amends the FDIC's former rule concerning late assessment penalties, in conformity with these provisions of the Reform Act.