Agencies and Commissions 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 ahve 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 Postal Regulatory Commission published a final rule in the Federal Register of November 9, 2007 implementing certain provisions in the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act. The effective date should have read December 10, 2007, rather than November 9, 2007.

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, 2007, is $119,250,233.05; 2. The September 30, 2007, balance of any new loans to the RUI Account, including accrued interest, is zero; 3. The system compensation base is $3,522,368,374.78 as of June 30, 2007; 4. The cumulative system unallocated charge balance is ($292,991,595.22) as of June 30, 2007; 5. The pooled credit ratio for calendar year 2008 is zero; 6. The pooled charged ratio for calendar year 2008 is zero; 7. The surcharge rate for calendar year 2008 is 1.5 percent; 8. The monthly compensation base under section 1(i) of the Act is $1,280 for months in calendar year 2008; 9. The amount described in section 1(k) of the Act as ``2.5 times the monthly compensation base'' is $3,200 for base year (calendar year) 2008; 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 $1,653 for months in calendar year 2008; 11. The amount described in section 3 of the Act as ``2.5 times the monthly compensation base'' is $3,200 for base year (calendar year) 2008; 12. The amount described in section 4(a-2)(i)(A) of the Act as ``2.5 times the monthly compensation base'' is $3,200 with respect to disqualifications ending in calendar year 2008; 13. The maximum daily benefit rate under section 2(a)(3) of the Act is $61 with respect to days of unemployment and days of sickness in registration periods beginning after June 30, 2008.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management is issuing an interim rule to define the municipality of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, as an area of application to the Guaynabo-San Juan, PR, nonappropriated fund (NAF) Federal Wage System (FWS) wage area. This change is necessary because there are NAF FWS employees working in the municipality of Bayamon and the municipality is not currently defined to an NAF wage area.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) is amending its employee protection regulations to clarify the Commission's authority to impose a civil penalty upon a non-licensee contractor or subcontractor of a Commission licensee, or applicant for a Commission license who violates the NRC's regulations by discriminating against employees for engaging in protected activity. The NRC is also amending its employee protection regulations related to the operation of Gaseous Diffusion Plants to conform with the NRC's other employee protection regulations and to allow the NRC to impose a civil penalty on the United States Enrichment Corporation (USEC or Corporation), as well as a contractor or subcontractor of USEC.

The Committee is extending through December 19, 2007 the period for making a determination on whether to request consultations with Honduras regarding imports of cotton, wool and man-made fiber socks (merged Category 332/432 and 632 part).

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``Commission'') has amended Commission Regulation 3.10 concerning the registration of firms located outside the U.S. that are engaged in intermediating commodity interest transactions on U.S. designated contract markets (``DCMs'') and U.S. derivative transaction execution facilities (``DTEFs'').\1\ The amended regulation codifies past actions of the Commission or its staff to permit certain foreign firms that limit their customers to foreign customers, and submit U.S. DCM and DTEF business on behalf of those customers for clearing on an omnibus basis through a registered futures commission merchant (``FCM''), to be exempt from registration as an FCM pursuant to section 4d of the Commodity Exchange Act (``Act''). The amended regulation similarly extends the relief from registration to those foreign persons acting in the capacity of an introducing broker (``IB''), commodity trading advisor (``CTA'') and commodity pool operator (``CPO'') solely on behalf of foreign customers.

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) are proposing to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), at the request of the Department of Justice (DoJ), in order to require contractors to have a code of ethics and business conduct, establish and maintain specific internal controls to detect and prevent improper conduct in connection with the award or performance of Government contracts or subcontracts, and to notify contracting officers without delay whenever they become aware of violations of Federal criminal law with regard to such contracts or subcontracts.

Notice is hereby given that the staff of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has prepared a model safety evaluation (SE) relating to the revision of Standard Technical Specifications (STS), NUREG-1430 (B&W), NUREG-1431 (Westinghouse), NUREG-1432 (CE), NUREG- 1433 (BWR/4) and NUREG-1434 (BWR/6). Specifically the SE addresses: (1) The revision of the technical specification (TS) surveillance requirement (SR) 3.1.3.2 frequency in STS 3.1.3, ``Control Rod OPERABILITY,'' (NUREG-1433 and NUREG-1434), (2) a clarification to the requirement to fully insert all insertable control rods for the limiting condition for operation (LCO) in STS 3.3.1.2, Required Action E.2, ``Source Range Monitor Instrumentation'' (NUREG-1434 only), and (3) the revision of Example 1.4-3 in STS Section 1.4 ``Frequency'' to clarify the applicability of the 1.25 surveillance test interval extension (NUREG-1430 through NUREG-1434). The NRC staff has also prepared a model license amendment request and a model no significant hazards consideration (NSHC) determination relating to this matter. The purpose of these models is to permit the NRC to efficiently process amendments that propose to modify TS control rod SR testing frequency, clarify TS control insertion requirements, and clarify SR frequency discussions. Licensees of nuclear power reactors to which the models apply can request amendments, confirming the applicability of the SE and NSHC determination to their plant licensing basis.

This document seeks comment on post-reconfiguration 800 MHz band plans for the U.S.-Canada border regions. The Bureau, by this action, affords interested parties an opportunity to submit comments and reply comments on proposals for establishing a reconfigured 800 MHz band plan in the U.S.-Canada border region in order to accomplish the Commission's goals for band reconfiguration.

This document requests comments on a petition for rulemaking filed by North Texas Radio Group, L.P., requesting the substitution of Channel 262A for vacant Channel 241A at Clayton, Oklahoma. The reference coordinates for Channel 262A at Clayton, Oklahoma, are 34-32- 48 NL and 95-29-45 WL. There is a site restriction 14 kilometers (8.7 miles) west of the community.

This document requests comments on a Petition for Rule Making filed by Shamrock Communications, Inc. (``Petitioner'') proposing the allotment of new Channel 288A at Tecopa, California. The instant Petition for Rule Making was filed concurrently with and contingent upon the grant of an FCC Form 301 Auction 68 long form application for a new FM station on Channel 291A at Tecopa, which seeks a one-step upgrade from Channel 291A to Channel 290C1 and a change in the community of license from Tecopa, California, to Amargosa Valley, Nevada. Action on the foregoing application will be taken separately from action on the instant Petition for Rule Making.

This document sets forth a proposal to amend the FM Table of Allotments, Section 73.202(b) of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR 73.202(b). The Commission requests comment on a petition filed by Sierra H Broadcasting, Inc. (``Petitioner''). Petitioner proposes channel substitutions for two vacant allotments contained in the FM Table of Allotments, in order to accommodate the allotment of Channel 266C at Cordes Lakes, Arizona. Petitioner proposes the substitution of Channel 259A for vacant FM Channel 267A at Ash Fork, Arizona, and the substitution of Channel 228C3 for vacant FM Channel 263C3 at Paulden, Arizona. Channel 259A can be allotted at Ash Fork in compliance with the Commission's minimum distance separation requirements with a site restriction of 7.4 km (4.6 miles) northwest of Ash Fork. The proposed coordinates for Channel 259A at Ash Fork are 35-16-13 North Latitude and 112-32-31 West Longitude. Channel 228C3 can be allotted at Paulden in compliance with the Commission's minimum distance separation requirements with a site restriction of 7.7 km (4.8 miles) west of Paulden. The proposed coordinates for Channel 228C3 at Paulden are 34- 52-16 North Latitude and 112-33-00 West Longitude. See Supplementary Information infra.