Agencies and Commissions January 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In support of its mission to ensure the Federal Government has an effective civilian workforce, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is proposing to amend its regulations governing Federal employment suitability. The proposed regulations would: authorize agencies to debar from employment for up to three years those found unsuitable, extend the suitability process to those applying for or who are in positions that can be non-competitively converted to the competitive service, provide additional procedural protections for those found unsuitable for Federal employment, and clarify the scope of authority for the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB or Board) to review actions taken under the regulations. OPM is also proposing changes to make the regulations more readable.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is proposing to amend 16 CFR part 1211, Safety Standard for Automatic Residential Garage Door Operators, to reflect changes made by Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. in its standard UL 325.

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 (the ``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. On July 18, 2006, the Commission published an interim rule to implement the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 (the ``MINER Act''), which amended the Mine Act to improve the safety of miners, particularly in underground coal mines. The MINER Act provides for Commission review of disputes arising over emergency response plans for underground coal mines. The interim rule established procedures for the submission and consideration of such disputes. The Commission invited public comment on the interim rule. The Commission has reviewed the comments on the interim rule and has decided to make certain changes in the rule. This publication makes final changes to Rule 24, the rule designed to implement the MINER Act. In connection with revising Rule 24, the Commission is also amending four of its other procedural rules to make them consistent with Rule 24.

The Federal Trade Commission (``FTC'' or ``Commission'') requests public comment on the overall costs, benefits, and regulatory and economic impact of its Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (``the Guides''), as part of the Commission's systematic review of all current regulations and guides. The Commission is also releasing consumer research it commissioned regarding the messages conveyed by consumer endorsements. The Commission is seeking comment on this research and upon several other specific endorsement-related issues.

The Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee was established by Public Law 105-121, November 26, 1997, to advise the Board of Directors on the development and implementation of policies and programs designed to support the expansion of the Bank's financial commitments in Sub- Saharan Africa under the loan, guarantee and insurance programs of the Bank. Further, the committee shall make recommendations on how the Bank can facilitate greater support by U.S. commercial banks for trade with Sub-Saharan Africa. Time and Place: February 7, 2007 at 9:30 to 12 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Export-Import Bank in Room 1143, 811 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20571. Agenda: The meeting will include updates on Africa outreach specifically including Ex-Im Bank Chairman James Lambright's February 1st and 2nd participation in the GTR/Standard Chartered ``Africa Trade & Investment 2007'' conference in Cape Town; a general discussion on the restrictions within which Ex-Im Bank must operate in any given country; the Bank's specialized U.S. outreach initiative relative to Nigeria; a presentation of the Bank's on-line Business Application Project; the Africa focus at Ex-Im Bank's April 12th and 13th annual meeting; and an ethics presentation for the new sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee members. Public Participation: The meeting will be open to public participation, and the last 10 minutes will be set aside for oral questions or comments. Members of the public may also file written statement(s) before or after the meeting. If any person wishes auxiliary aids (such as a sign language interpreter) or other special accommodations, please contact, prior to February 7, 2007, Barbara Ransom, Room 1241, 811 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20571, Voice: (202) 565-3525 or TDD (202) 565-3377. Further Information: For further information, contact Barbara Ransom, Room 707, 811 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20571, (202) 565-3525.

Notice is hereby given of the following hearing of the U.S.- China Economic and Security Review Commission. Name: Carolyn Bartholomew, Chairman of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. The Commission is mandated by Congress to investigate, assess, evaluate and report to Congress annually on ``the national security implications and impact of the bilateral trade and economic relationship between the United States and the People's Republic of China.'' Pursuant to this mandate, the Commission will hold a public hearing in Washington, DC on February 1-2, 2007 to address ``The U.S.-China Relationship: Economics and Security in Perspective.''

Notice is hereby given that the staff of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has prepared and is making available a model safety evaluation (SE) and a model no-significant-hazards- consideration (NSHC) determination relating to the modification of technical specification (TS) requirements regarding the habitability of the control room envelope (CRE) for referencing in license amendment requests (LARs). The NRC staff is also making available an associated model LAR for use by licensees to prepare such LARs. The TS modification is based on NRC staff approved changes to the improved standard technical specifications (STS) (NUREGs 1430-1434) that were proposed by the pressurized and boiling water reactor owners groups' Technical Specifications Task Force (TSTF) on behalf of the commercial nuclear electrical power generation industry, in STS change traveler TSTF-448, Revision 3 (Rev 3). Previously, on October 17, 2006, drafts of the model SE, model NSHC determination, and model LAR were published in the Federal Register for public comment (71 FR 61075). Based on its evaluation of the public comments received in response to that notice, the NRC staff made appropriate changes to the models, and is including the final versions of the models in this notice. This notice also contains a description of each public comment and its disposition by the NRC staff. Based on its evaluation of the public comments, the NRC staff has decided to announce the availability of the model SE and model NSHC determination to licensees for referencing in LARs to adopt TSTF-448, Rev 3, using the consolidated line item improvement process (CLIIP). An LAR that references the model SE and model NSHC determination will permit the NRC to efficiently process a license amendment that proposes to adopt the changes in TSTF-448, Rev 3. Licensees of nuclear power reactors proposing to adopt these changes should follow the guidance in the model LAR and confirm the applicability of the model SE and model NSHC determination to their reactors.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Small Business Administration's intentions to request approval on a new and/or currently approved information collection.

This is a Notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of Oregon (FEMA-1672- DR), dated 12/29/2006. Incident: Severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides. Incident Period: 11/05/2006 through 11/08/2006. Effective Date: 12/29/2006. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 02/27/2007.

This is a Notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of Missouri (FEMA- 1673-DR), dated 12/29/2006. Incident: Severe Winter Storms. Incident Period: 11/30/2006 through 12/02/2006 Effective Date: 12/29/2006. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 02/27/2007.

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 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.

On September 27, 2006, the Postal Service published a proposal in the Federal Register (71 FR 56587) providing new mailing standards to accompany the R2006-1 price change proposal currently before the Postal Rate Commission. In this revised proposal we respond to the comments we received, summarize our changes, and further revise the mailing standards. Our pricing proposal reflects changes in operations and the marketplace and will enhance efficiency, offer more choices, and ensure that all types of mail cover their costs. We include incentives to create mailpieces compatible with our processing systems and to deposit flats and parcels closer to where they are delivered. Our proposal includes a new ``forever stamp'' to make future price changes more convenient for consumers. The forever stamp will always equal the First-Class Mail single piece 1-ounce letter price, without the addition of extra postage. We also propose new shape-based prices for First-Class Mail, with lower rates for many letter-size pieces over 1 ounce. Our proposal will make the Priority Mail flat-rate boxes a permanent product offering, and we will add a new 1-pound pricing option for Express Mail. For commercial mailers we propose new sorting options to reduce the number of trays in a mailing and new scheme preparations to give mailers access to lower rates and to better align flat-size mail preparation with mail processing. We also add a new automated Address Change Service to reduce the costs associated with undeliverable-as- addressed mail. First-Class Mail parcel mailers will have new barcode options, and we propose new opportunities for mailers to combine Standard Mail and Package Services parcels in the same mailing. Periodicals mailers will have new incentives to use efficient containers, and we revise the copalletization standards as a permanent offering to encourage more publishers to combine mailings. We also add new prices for the editorial portion of a mailing to give mailers of high-editorial-content publications access to lower, destination entry rates.