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

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Secretariat has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve an extension of a currently approved information collection requirement concerning debarment and suspension. A request for public comments was published in the Federal Register at 71 FR 75236, on December 14, 2006. No comments were received. This OMB clearance expires on March 31, 2007. Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether this collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of functions of the FAR, and whether it will have practical utility; whether our estimate of the public burden of this collection of information is accurate, and based on valid assumptions and methodology; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways in which we can minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, through the use of appropriate technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

This document makes technical amendments to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to update references inadvertently omitted from the original issuance of Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-15 published in the Federal Register at 71 FR 74656 on December 12 2006.

The NRC has prepared a final Environmental Assessment (EA) of its evaluation of a request by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) for license amendments to increase the maximum thermal power at Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN) from 3458 megawatts-thermal (MWt) to 3952 MWt for Units 2 and 3 and from 3293 MWt to 3952 MWt for Unit 1. These represent power increases of approximately 15 percent for BFN Units 2 and 3 and 20 percent for BFN Unit 1. As stated in the NRC staff's position paper dated February 8, 1996, on the Boiling-Water Reactor (BWR) Extended Power Uprate (EPU) Program, the NRC staff would prepare an environmental impact statement if it believes a power uprate would have a significant impact on the human environment. The NRC staff did not identify any significant impact from the information provided in the licensee's EPU applications for BFN Units 1, 2, and 3 or from the NRC staff's independent review; therefore, as required by Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), the NRC staff is issuing this EA and Finding of No Significant Impact. The NRC published a draft EA and finding of no significant impact on the proposed action for public comment in the Federal Register on November 6, 2006 (71 FR 65009). Two sets of comments were received as discussed below. The licensee provided a comment in a letter dated December 5, 2006 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML063390663). The comment clarified that upon increasing discharge temperatures, TVA would take action to ensure that the discharge temperature would not exceed the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit effluent limitations. The language in the EA has been modified in response to this comment. The U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service provided comments in a letter dated December 13, 2006 (ADAMS Accession No. ML063610349). In the letter, a concern is expressed about any trend toward prolonged higher temperatures and poor water quality conditions in Wheeler Reservoir as a result of the proposed licensing action. The letter indicates that this concern is being addressed by the continuing monitoring programs and data collection implemented by TVA. The letter did not identify any impact on the EA conclusions based on this concern. Therefore, the EA was not modified due to this comment letter.

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Consumer Product Safety Commission requests comments on a proposed three year extension of approval of information collection requirements in the safety regulations for non-full-size cribs codified at 16 CFR 1500.18(a)(14) and Part 1509. These regulations were issued to reduce hazards of strangulation, suffocation, pinching, bruising, laceration, and other injuries associated with non-full-size cribs. (A non-full-size crib is a crib having an interior length greater than 55 inches or smaller than 49\3/4\ inches; or an interior width greater than 30 inches or smaller than 25 inches; or both.) The regulations prescribe performance, design, and labeling requirements for non-full-size cribs. They also require manufacturers and importers of those products to maintain sales records for a period of three years after the manufacture or importation of non-full-size cribs. If any non-full-size cribs subject to provisions of 16 CFR 1500.18(a)(14) and Part 1509 fail to comply in a manner severe enough to warrant a recall, the required records can be used by the manufacturer or importer and by the Commission to identify those persons and firms who should be notified of the recall. The Commission will consider all comments received in response to this notice before requesting approval of this collection of information from the Office of Management and Budget.

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Consumer Product Safety Commission requests comments on a proposed three year extension of approval of information collection requirements in regulations codified at 16 CFR part 1019, which establish procedures for export of noncomplying products. These regulations implement provisions of the Consumer Product Safety Act, the Federal Hazardous Substances Act, and the Flammable Fabrics Act that require persons and firms to notify the Commission before exporting any product that fails to comply with an applicable standard or regulation enforced under provisions of those laws. The Commission is required by law to transmit the information relating to the proposed exportation to the government of the country of intended destination. The Commission will consider all comments received in response to this notice before requesting approval of this collection of information from the Office of Management and Budget.

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.

We are proposing rule amendments to extend the current interactive data voluntary reporting program to enable mutual funds voluntarily to submit supplemental tagged information contained in the risk/return summary section of their prospectuses. A mutual fund choosing to tag its risk/return summary information also would continue to file this information in HTML or ASCII format, as currently required. This extension of the voluntary program is intended to help us evaluate the usefulness to investors, third-party analysts, registrants, the Commission, and the marketplace of data tagging and, in particular, of tagging mutual fund information.

The NCUA intends to submit the following information collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). This information collection is published to obtain comments from the public.

The Commission will hold a public hearing and accept written comment on a proposal to amend the agency's Comprehensive Plan and Water Code to establish a Flexible Flow Management Program (FFMP) for the New York City Delaware Basin Reservoirs (``City Delaware Reservoirs'') for multiple objectives, including, among others, water supply and drought mitigation; management of the reservoir tailwater fisheries and other habitat needs, and spill mitigation. The current reservoir releases program, which was established by Resolution No. 2004-3 in April of 2004, will expire on May 31, 2007. The current spill mitigation program, established by Resolution No. 2006-18, also will expire on May 31, 2007. The Commission will also accept comment on alternative reservoir management strategies that may be adopted in the event that consensus on the proposed FFMP is not reached. The alternative reservoir releases options to be considered are: extending the current reservoir releases program or reinstating a previous reservoir releases program plan. Either option would be considered in combination with a seasonal spill mitigation program or an annual spill mitigation program for the three reservoirs. The releases program adopted in the event consensus is not reached on the FFMP would continue in effect until any expiration date contained in the program adopted or unless and until replaced by another program that has been approved by the Commission following a notice and comment rulemaking process. In accordance with Section 3.3 of the Delaware River Basin Compact, any program affecting the diversions, compensating releases, rights, conditions, and obligations of the 1954 Supreme Court Decree in the matter of New Jersey v. New York, 347 U.S. 995, 74 S. Ct. 842 also requires the unanimous consent of the decree parties, which include the states of Delaware, New Jersey and New York, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the City of New York.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. International Trade Commission has determined to reverse-in-part the presiding administrative law judge's (``ALJ's'') final initial determination of October 24, 2003, in the above-captioned investigation and has determined that the patents in issue are not unenforceable for patent misuse. Having found a violation of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, 19 U.S.C. 1337, in the above-captioned investigation, the Commission has issued a general exclusion order and cease and desist orders directed to four domestic respondents, and has terminated the investigation. In its discretion, the Commission has also determined to grant Philips' motion for leave to reply and to deny respondents' request to reopen the record for further discovery.

This action from the Procurement List products and a service previously furnished by nonprofit agencies employing persons who are blind or have other severe disabilities.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is making a technical amendment to the final regulations concerning the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). This technical amendment corrects the final rule issued on November 20, 2006 by re-inserting text that was erroneously removed.