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

In accordance with requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the FDIC hereby gives notice that it is submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request for OMB review and approval of the renewal or revision of the information collection systems described below. The collection would provide information on the features and effectiveness of small-dollar programs offered by FDIC-insured financial institutions.

In accordance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 which provides opportunity for public comment on new or revised data collections, the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) publishes periodic summaries of proposed data collections. The information collections numbered below are pending at RRB and will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 60 days from the publication date of this notice. Comments are Invited on: (a) Whether the proposed information collection(s) is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information has practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the RRB's estimate of the burden of the collection of the information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden related to the collection of information on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. 1. Title and Purpose of Information Collection; Railroad Service and Compensation Reports/System Access Application; OMB 3220-0008 Under Section 9 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) and Section 6 of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA) the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) maintains for each railroad employee, a record of compensation paid to that employee by all railroad employers for whom the employee worked after 1936. This record, which is used by the RRB to determine eligibility for, and amount of, benefits due under the laws it administers, is conclusive as to the amount of compensation paid to an employee during such period(s) covered by the report(s) of the compensation by the employee's railroad employer(s), except in cases when an employee files a protest pertaining to his or her reported compensation within the statue of limitations cited in Section 9 of the RRA and Section 6 of the RUIA. To enable the RRB to establish and maintain the record of compensation, employers are required to file with the RRB, in such manner and form and at such times as the RRB prescribes, reports of compensation of employees. Railroad Employers' Reports and Responsibilities are prescribed in 20 CFR 209. The RRB currently utilizes Form BA-3a, Annual Report of Compensation and Form BA-4, Report of Creditable Compensation Adjustments, to secure required information from railroad employers. Form BA-3a provides the RRB with information regarding annual creditable service and compensation for each individual who worked for a railroad employer covered by the RRA and RUIA in a given year. Form BA-4 provides for the adjustment of any previously submitted reports and also the opportunity to provide any service and compensation that had been previously omitted. Requirements specific to Forms BA-3a and BA-4 are prescribed in 20 CFR 209.8 and 209.9. Employers currently have the option of submitting the reports on the aforementioned forms, electronically via the Internet utilizing the RRB's Employer Reporting System (ERS) (for Form BA-4), or in like format on magnetic tape cartridges, CD-ROM's and PC diskettes. The RRB proposes major changes to the information collection. They are intended to streamline the employer reporting process, ensuring more accurate and timely reporting, while eliminating or reducing the employer reporting burden associated with several other RRB information collections. Form BA-3a will be significantly revised and renamed Form BA-3, Annual Report of Compensation. Revisions to proposed Form BA-3 include the expansion of existing data fields to allow for: the reporting of amounts for Tier I and Tier II compensation greater than $99,999.99 (the annual creditable maximum for Tier I will exceed that amount within the next two years), RUIA daily pay amounts of more than $99.99, 4-digit year fields and an employee's complete first and last name. New Items requesting information regarding sick pay and miscellaneous compensation, the employee's current address, maximum benefit RUIA compensation, and employment relationship status for months not worked will be added. Data fields for proposed Form BA-4 will be revised to allow for: the reporting of Tier I and Tier II compensation greater than $99,999.99 (the annual creditable maximum for Tier I will exceed that amount within the next two years), RUIA daily pay rate amounts of more than $99.99, 4-digit year fields and an employee's complete first and last name. New Items providing for the reporting of adjustments to the originally reported Tier I and Tier II amounts, sick pay, miscellaneous compensation, RUIA maximum benefit amounts, and an employee's daily pay rate will be added. The RRB proposes the implementation of two additional electronic equivalent methods of submission for Form BA-3 and Form BA-4 information: File Transfer Protocol (FTP) and secure E-mail. The information collection also includes RRB Form BA-12, Application for Employer Reporting Internet Access. Form BA-12 is completed by railroad employers to obtain system access to the RRB's Employer Reporting System (ERS). Once access is obtained, authorized employees may submit reporting forms to the RRB via the Internet. The form determines what degree of access (view/only, data entry/ modification or approval/submission) is appropriate for that employee. It is also used to terminate an employee's access to ERS. No changes are being proposed to Form BA-12. Lastly, the RRB proposes the addition of new Form G-440, Report Specifications Sheet, to the collection. Form G-440 will act as a certification document for various RRB employer reporting forms (Forms BA-3, BA-4, Form BA-6a, BA-6, Address Report (OMB 3220-0005), BA-9, Report of Separation Allowance or Severance Pay (OMB 3220-0173) and BA- 11, Report of Gross Earnings (OMB 3220-0132)). It will also be used to record the type of medium the report was submitted on, and as a summary recapitulation sheet for reports filed on paper. The estimated completion times for Form(s) BA-3, BA-4 and G-440 vary, depending on circumstances and the method of submission. The completion time for Form BA-3 is estimated at 46 hours and 15 minutes per response for electronic submissions to 116 hours and 51 minutes for manual responses. The completion time for Form BA-4 is estimated at 20 minutes for an ERS Internet-based response, 60 minutes for an electronic submission (magnetic tape cartridge, CD-ROM, diskette, secure E-mail, FTP) and 75 minutes for a manual response. The completion time for form BA-12 is estimated at 10 minutes when used to terminate system access and 20 minutes when used to obtain system access. The completion time for proposed Form G-440 is estimated at 15 minutes when submitted with a paper form and/or used to file a ``zero'' or ``no employees'' certification, 30 minutes when used as an electronic medium reporting/certification form, and 1 hour and 15 minutes when used as a certification and recapitulation form. Submission of Form BA-3, BA-4, and G-440 is mandatory. Completion of Form BA-12 is voluntary. It is completed only if an employer wants to submit reports via the Internet. One response is requested of each respondent for all of the forms in the collection. Depending on circumstances and method of submission chosen, multiple responses will be received from a respondent for Form BA-4 and G-440. The annual respondent burden for the information collection is estimated at 7,348 responses and 43,756 hours. 2. Title and Purpose of Information Collection; Employer Reporting, 3220-0005. Under Section 9 of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), and Section 6 of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), railroad employers are required to submit reports of employee service and compensation to the RRB as needed for administering the RRA and RUIA. To pay benefits due on a deceased employee's earnings records or determine entitlement to, and amount of annuity applied for, it is necessary at times to obtain from railroad employers current (lag) service and compensation not yet reported to the RRB through the annual reporting process. The reporting requirements are specified in 20 CFR 209.6 and 209.7. The RRB currently utilizes Form G-88a.1, Notice of Retirement and Verification of Date Last Worked, Form G-88a.2, Notice of Retirement and Request for Service Needed for Eligibility, and Form AA-12, Notice of Death and Compensation, to obtain the required lag service and related information from railroad employers. Form G-88a.1 is a computer-generated listing sent by the RRB to railroad employers and used for the specific purpose of verifying information previously provided to the RRB regarding the date last worked by an employee. If the information is correct, the employer need not reply. If the information is incorrect, the employer is asked to provide corrected information. Form G-88a.2 is used by the RRB to secure lag service and compensation information when it is needed to determine benefit eligibility. Form AA-12 obtains a report of lag service and compensation from the last railroad employer of a deceased employee. This report covers the lag period between the date of the latest record of employment processed by the RRB and the date an employee last worked, the date of death or the date the employee may have been entitled to benefits under the Social Security Act. The information is used by the RRB to determine benefits due on the deceased employee's earnings record. The RRB proposes no changes to Form AA-12, Form G- 88a.1 and Form G-88a.2. In addition, 20 CFR 209.12(b) requires all railroad employers to furnish the RRB with the home addresses of all employees hired within the last year (new-hires). Form BA-6a, Form BA-6 Address Report, is used by the RRB to obtain home address information of employees from railroad employers that do not have the home address information computerized and who submit the information in a paper format. The form also serves as an instruction sheet to railroad employers who can also submit the information electronically by magnetic tape cartridge, CD- ROM, PC diskette, secure E-mail, or via the Internet utilizing the RRB's Employer Reporting System (ERS). The RRB proposes changes to Form BA-6a. An existing data field will be revised to allow for an employee's complete first and last name. A new item will be added to indicate the date an employee reported the address to his employer. Completion of the forms is mandatory. One response is requested of each respondent. The completion time for Form G-88a.1 is estimated at 5 to 20 minutes. Form G-88a.2 is estimated at 5 minutes per response. The completion time for Form AA-12 is estimated at 5 minutes per response. The completion time for Form BA-6a varies, depending on circumstances and the method of submission. An Internet-based BA-6a response utilizing the RRB's ERS system is estimated at 12 to 17 minutes. BA-6a responses submitted via magnetic tape, diskette, CD-ROM, secure E-mail and FTP are estimated at 15 minutes. BA-6a's responses submitted on manual form BA-6a are estimated at 32 minutes. The annual respondent burden for the information collection is estimated at 1,928 responses and 434 hours. 3. Title and Purpose of Information Collection; Railroad Separation Allowance or Severance Pay Report; OMB 3220-0173. Section 6 of the Railroad Retirement Act provides for a lump-sum payment to an employee or the employee's survivors equal to the Tier II taxes paid by the employee on a separation allowance or severance payment for which the employee did not receive credits toward retirement. The lump-sum is not payable until retirement benefits begin to accrue or the employee dies. Also, Section 4(a-1)(iii) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act provides that a railroad employee who is paid a separation allowance is disqualified for unemployment and sickness benefits for the period of time the employee would have to work to earn the amount of the allowance. The reporting requirements are specified in 20 CFR 209.14. In order to calculate and provide payments, the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) must collect and maintain records of separation allowances and severance payments which were subject to Tier II taxation from railroad employers. The RRB uses Form BA-9 to obtain information from railroad employers concerning the separation allowances and severance payments made to railroad employees and/or the survivors of railroad employees. Employers currently have the option of submitting a paper BA-9, or in like format, a magnetic tape cartridge, CD-ROM or PC diskette. Completion is mandatory. One response is requested of each respondent The RRB proposes changes to Form BA-9. Data fields for the proposed Form BA-9 will be revised to allow for: an employee's complete first and last name, 4-digit year fields, and expanded yearly compensation fields for Tier II taxed and Tier II credited amounts. The RRB also proposes the implementation of two additional electronic equivalent methods of submission for BA-9 information: File Transfer Protocol (FTP) and secure E-mail. The completion time for Form BA-9 and all electronic equivalent methods of submission is estimated at 1 hour and 16 minutes. The annual respondent burden for the information collection is estimated at 360 responses and 458 burden hours. 4. Title and Purpose of Information Collection; Gross Earnings Report; OMB 3220-0132. In order to carry out the financial interchange provisions of section 7(c)(2) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), the RRB obtains annually from railroad employer's the gross earnings for their employees on a one-percent basis, i.e., 1% of each employer's railroad employees. The gross earnings sample is based on the earnings of employees whose social security numbers end with the digits ``30.'' The gross earnings are used to compute payroll taxes under the financial interchange. The gross earnings information is essential in determining the tax amounts involved in the financial interchange with the Social Security Administration and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Besides being necessary for current financial interchange calculations, the gross earnings file tabulations are also an integral part of the data needed to estimate future tax income and corresponding financial interchange amounts. These estimates are made for internal use and to satisfy requests from other government agencies and interested groups. In addition, cash flow projections of the social security equivalent benefit account, railroad retirement account and cost estimates made for proposed amendments to laws administered by the RRB are dependent on input developed from the information collection. The RRB utilizes Form BA-11 or its electronic equivalent(s) to obtain gross earnings information from railroad employers. Employers currently have the option of preparing and submitting BA-11 reports on paper, or in like format on magnetic tape cartridges and PC diskettes. Completion is mandatory. One response is requested of each respondent. The RRB proposes changes to Form BA-11 to add an additional item for an employer's name and to expand an existing item to allow for the reporting of an employee's complete first and last name. The RRB also proposes the implementation of two additional electronic equivalent methods of submission for BA-11information: File Transfer Protocol (FTP) and secure E-mail. The RRB estimates the completion time for BA-11 information as follows: 5 hours for BA-11 responses submitted via File Transfer Protocol and magnetic tape and 30 minutes for BA-11's submitted via paper, diskette, and secure E-mail. The annual respondent burden for the information collection is estimated at 168 responses and 107 burden hours. Additional Information or Comments: To request more information regarding any of the information collections listed above or to obtain copies of the information collection justifications, forms, and/or supporting material, please call the RRB Clearance Officer at (312) 751-3363 or send an e-mail request to Charles.Mierzwa@RRB.GOV. Comments regarding the information collections should be sent to Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 North Rush Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092 or via an e-mail to Ronald.Hodapp@RRB.GOV, and to the Office of Management Budget at ATTN: Desk Officer for RRB, FAX : (202) 395-6974 or via E-mail to OIRASubmission@omb.eop.gov. Comments should be received within 60 days of this notice.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is moving its regulations on nonprocurement debarment and suspension from title 20 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), chapter III, part 436, to title 2 of the CFR, subtitle B, chapter 23, part 2336. In 2 CFR part 180, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) provides guidance for Federal agencies on the government-wide debarment and suspension system for nonprocurement programs and activities. SSA is implementing regulations covering policies and procedures for nonprocurement debarment and suspension by adopting OMB's guidance in 2 CFR part 180 and adding some provisions that are specific to SSA. The new part in 2 CFR will be substantively the same as the prior nonprocurement debarment and suspension regulations that set forth common policies and procedures that Federal Executive branch agencies use in taking suspension and debarment actions (the common rule). However, 2 CFR will consolidate all of the Executive agencies' regulations in one location so that they are easier to find. This regulatory action is an administrative simplification that makes no substantive change in SSA policies or procedures for nonprocurement debarment and suspension.

This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Texas (FEMA-1709-DR), dated 06/29/2007. Incident: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding. Incident Period: 06/16/2007 through 08/03/2007.

The Board of Governors is amending appendix A of Regulation CC to delete the reference to the Helena branch office of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis and reassign the Federal Reserve routing symbols currently listed under that office to the Denver branch office of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. These amendments will ensure that the information in appendix A accurately describes the actual structure of check processing operations within the Federal Reserve System.

Representatives from Time Inc. will present a briefing on Monday, August 20, 2007, beginning at 3 p.m., in the Postal Regulatory Commission's main conference room. The briefing will address delivery service measurement for certain Periodicals mailings. The briefing is open to the public.

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) have agreed to adopt as a final rule with changes the interim rule published in the Federal Register at 71 FR 57375, September 28, 2006. This final rule implements 41 U.S.C. 10a, Buy American Act, as amended by Section 8306 of Public Law 110-28.

This document summarizes the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) rules agreed to by the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council in this Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-19. A companion document, the Small Entity Compliance Guide (SECG), follows this FAC. The FAC, including the SECG, is available via the Internet at https://regulations.gov.

This document makes amendments to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) in order to make editorial changes.

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) have agreed to adopt the interim rule published in the Federal Register at 71 FR 67776, November 22, 2006, as a final rule without change. This final rule amends the Federal Acquisition regulation (FAR) to implement the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement with respect to Guatemala and the United States-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement.

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) have agreed on an interim rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to revise the prescription for use of clauses for the use of EPA-designated products and toxic chemical release reporting.

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) have agreed on a final rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement section 702 of the Emergency Supplemental Act, 2002, as amended by section 3003 of the 2002 Supplemental Appropriations Act for Further Recovery From and Response to Terrorist Attacks on the United States. The law permits subcontracts awarded to Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs) and Indian tribes to be counted towards a contractor's goals for subcontracting with small business (SB) and small disadvantaged business (SDB) concerns.

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) have agreed on an interim rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement 22 U.S.C. 7104(g). This statute requires that contracts must include a provision that authorizes the department or agency to terminate the contract, if the contractor or any subcontractor engages in trafficking in persons. This interim rule contains a clause to be used in all contracts.

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) have agreed to adopt the interim rule published in the Federal Register at 71 FR 57362, September 28, 2006, as a final rule without change. This final rule amends the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to address the record retention policy where the Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA) is used to submit an offeror's representations and certification.

In this document, the Commission is seeking comment on a petition for declaratory ruling filed by five Video Relay Service (VRS) providers (Petitioners) that Sorenson Communications, Inc.'s (Sorenson) alleged practice of using clauses in their employment contracts that forbid VRS Communications Assistants from working with other VRS providers for a period of one year after ending their employment with Sorenson is contrary to the public interest and therefore should be prohibited.

The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) has determined that certain additional textile and apparel goods from Mali 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 Mali with an appropriate visa will qualify for duty-free treatment.

This document proposes to require broadcasters, multichannel video programming distributors, retailers, and manufacturers to take steps to publicize the DTV transition. These would include public service announcements by broadcasters, including notices in cable, satellite, and other MVPD bills, notices from consumer electronics manufacturers, employee training by retailers, and adjustments to the DTV.gov Partners program. Because of the importance of making the benefits of the Digital Television transition understandable and available to the public, the Commission seeks comment generally on the best means of creating a coordinated, national DTV consumer education campaign.

The current regulation at 20 CFR 422.527 requires a person, institution, or organization (person) to obtain approval from the Social Security Administration (SSA) prior to reproducing, duplicating, or privately printing any application or other form prescribed by the Administration. Such approval has been required whether or not the person intended to charge a fee for SSA's application(s) or other form(s). Section 1140(a)(2)(A) of the Social Security Act (the Act) prohibits a person from charging a fee to reproduce, reprint, or distribute any SSA application, form, or publication unless he/she obtains the authorization of the Commissioner of Social Security in accordance with such regulations as he may prescribe. (42 U.S.C. 1320b- 10(a)(2)(A)). This proposed rule would implement section 1140(a)(2)(A) of the Act by adding SSA's publications to the pre-authorization requirement identified in 20 CFR 422.527 and by establishing that SSA's authorization is required only when the person intends to charge a fee. The proposed rule also would prescribe the procedures a person who intends to charge a fee must follow to obtain SSA's written authorization prior to reproducing, reprinting, and/or distributing SSA's applications, forms, or publications.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to amend its spent fuel storage cask regulations by revising the Transnuclear, Inc. TN-68 dry storage cask system listing within the ``List of Approved Spent Fuel Storage Casks'' to include Amendment No. 1 to Certificate of Compliance (CoC) Number 1027. Amendment No. 1 would modify the CoC by revising several fuel parameters that include increasing fuel burnup to 60 gigawatts-day/metric ton of uranium, increasing total cask decay heat to 30 kilowatts, increasing maximum average fuel enrichment to 4.7 weight percent uranium-235, and decreasing minimum fuel assembly cooling time to 7 years. Amendment No. 1 would also add up to eight damaged fuel assemblies as authorized contents of the cask and reduce the cask spacing on the storage pad.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff is revising, withdrawing portions of, and describing the process for updating guidance in ``Consolidated Decommissioning Guidance: Characterization, Survey, and Determination of Radiological Criteria'' (NUREG-1757, Vol. 2, Rev. 1), Appendix N, ``ALARA Analyses.'' This notice also describes the staff's process for developing interim guidance and future revisions to the three volumes of its ``Consolidated Decommissioning Guidance'' (NUREG-1757).