Agencies and Commissions September 23, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Small Business Administration (SBA) is suspending the receipt of applications for the Government-wide small disadvantaged business (SDB) program effective September 22, 2008. SBA will continue to process all applications received before that date to completion, unless an applicant withdraws its application.

In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), the OCC, the Board, and the FDIC (the ``agencies'') may not conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC), of which the agencies are members, has approved the agencies' publication for public comment of a proposal to extend, with revision, the Consolidated Reports of Condition and Income (Call Report), which are currently approved collections of information. At the end of the comment period, the comments and recommendations received will be analyzed to determine the extent to which the FFIEC and the agencies should modify the proposed revisions prior to giving final approval. The agencies will then submit the revisions to OMB for review and approval.

This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Florida (FEMA-1785-DR), dated 08/26/ 2008. Incident: Tropical Storm Fay. Incident Period: 08/18/2008 and continuing through 09/12/2008. Effective Date: 09/12/2008. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 10/27/2008. EIDL Loan Application Deadline Date: 05/26/2009.

This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of Louisiana (FEMA-1786-DR), dated 09/02/2008. Incident: Hurricane Gustav. Incident Period: 09/01/2008 through 09/11/2008. Effective Date: 09/11/2008. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 11/03/2008.

This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of Alabama (FEMA-1789-DR), dated 09/10/2008. Incident: Hurricane Gustav. Incident Period: 08/29/2008 through 09/03/2008. Effective Date: 09/15/2008. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 11/10/2008. Economic Injury (EIDL) Loan Application Deadline Date: 06/10/2009.

This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of Florida (FEMA-1785-DR), dated 08/24/2008. Incident: Tropical Storm Fay. Incident Period: 08/18/2008 through 09/12/2008. Effective Date: 09/11/2008. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 10/23/2008.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is denying a petition for rulemaking submitted by Mr. David Lochbaum on behalf of the Project on Government Oversight (POGO) and the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) on February 23, 2007. The petitioner requested that the NRC amend its regulations governing domestic licensing of production and utilization facilities to require periodic demonstrations by applicable local, State, and Federal entities to ensure that nuclear power plants can be adequately protected against radiological sabotage by adversaries with capabilities that exceed those posed by the design basis threat (DBT).

On September 16, 2008, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Board of Directors (Board) adopted revised Guidelines for Appeals of Material Supervisory Determinations (Guidelines). The revisions to the Guidelines were adopted to better align the FDIC's Supervisory Appeals Review Committee (SARC) process with the material supervisory determinations appeals procedures at the other Federal banking agencies. The amendments modify the supervisory determinations eligible for appeal to eliminate the ability of an FDIC- supervised institution to file an appeal with the SARC with respect to determinations or the facts and circumstances underlying a recommended or pending formal enforcement-related action or decision, including the initiation of an investigation and the referral to the Attorney General or a notice to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for apparent violations of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act or the Fair Housing Act. The amendments also include limited technical amendments. The revised Guidelines are effective upon adoption.

SBA makes economic injury disaster loans to small businesses that have been adversely affected by specific events. If a small business has an essential employee or owner who is a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces, the Small Business Act authorizes SBA to provide Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loan (MREIDL) assistance in the event that the essential employee or owner is called to active duty during a period of military conflict. Recent legislation authorized changes to make the program more accessible to affected small businesses by extending the application period, increasing the unsecured loan threshold, increasing the maximum loan limit and expediting processing of the application. This Direct Final Rule will implement these legislative changes.