Agencies and Commissions June 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Committee is proposing to add to the Procurement List a service to be furnished by the nonprofit agency employing persons who are blind or have other severe disabilities.

The Agency announces its ongoing Priority Grant Competition. The Priority Grant Competition focuses on seven countries as they relate to USIP's mandate. The Priority Grant Competition is restricted to projects that fit specific themes or topics identified for each country.

The Agency announces its Annual Grant Competition, which offers support for research, education and training, and the dissemination of information on international peace and conflict resolution. The Annual Grant Competition is open to any project that falls within the Institute's broad mandate of international conflict resolution.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is amending its regulations to require applicants for new nuclear power reactors to perform a design-specific assessment of the effects of the impact of a large, commercial aircraft. The applicant is required to use realistic analyses to identify and incorporate design features and functional capabilities to show, with reduced use of operator actions, that either the reactor core remains cooled or the containment remains intact, and either spent fuel cooling or spent fuel pool integrity is maintained. These requirements apply to applicants for new construction permits; new operating licenses that reference a new construction permit; new standard design certifications; renewal of any of the four existing design certifications if the design has not previously been amended to comply with the rule; new standard design approvals; manufacturing licenses that don't reference a standard design certification or standard design approval, or that reference a standard design certification issued before the effective date of the rule which has not been amended to comply with the rule; and combined licenses that don't reference a standard design certification, standard design approval, or manufactured reactor, or that reference a standard design certification issued before the effective date of the rule which has not been amended to comply with the rule. In addition, these amendments contain requirements for control of changes to any design features or functional capabilities credited to show that the facility can withstand the effects of an aircraft impact.

The FDIC is amending its regulations relating to the interest rate restrictions that apply to insured depository institutions that are not well capitalized. Under the amended regulations, such insured depository institutions generally will be permitted to offer the ``national rate'' plus 75 basis points. The ``national rate'' will be defined, for deposits of similar size and maturity, as a simple average of rates paid by all insured depository institutions and branches for which data are available. For those cases in which the FDIC determines that the national rate as published on the FDIC's Web site does not represent the prevailing rate in a particular market, as indicated by available evidence, the depository institution will be permitted to offer the prevailing rate in that market plus 75 basis points. The purpose of this final rule is to clarify the interest rate restrictions for certain insured depository institutions and examiners.

The Commission is conducting a review of the Postal Service's planned price adjustment for Standard Mail High Density flat pieces. This document invites public comment.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Federal Acquisition Regulation, Regulatory Secretariat (VPR) will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to reinstate a previously approved information collection requirement concerning Bankruptcy.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Regulatory Secretariat will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve an extension of a currently approved information collection requirement concerning Small Disadvantaged Business Procurement Credit Programs.

On May 18, 2009 (74 FR 23254), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) published for public comment a proposed rule that would amend certain emergency preparedness (EP) requirements in its regulations that govern domestic licensing of production and utilization facilities. A conforming provision would also be added in the regulations that govern licenses, certifications, and approvals for new nuclear power plants. The proposed amendments would codify certain voluntary protective measures contained in NRC Bulletin 2005-02, ``Emergency Preparedness and Response Actions for Security-Based Events,'' and other generically applicable requirements similar to those previously imposed by Commission orders. They would also amend other licensee emergency plan requirements based on a comprehensive review of the NRC's EP regulations and guidance. The proposed requirements would enhance the ability of licensees in preparing to take and taking certain emergency preparedness and protective measures

The Commission hereby gives notice of the institution of investigations and commencement of preliminary phase antidumping and countervailing duty investigations Nos. 701-TA-466 and 731-TA-1162 (Preliminary) under sections 703(a) and 733(a) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1671b(a) and 1673b(a)) (the Act) to determine whether there is a reasonable indication that an industry in the United States is materially injured or threatened with material injury, or the establishment of an industry in the United States is materially retarded, by reason of imports from China of wire decking, provided for in subheading 9403.90.8040 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, that are alleged to be sold in the United States at less than fair value and alleged to be subsidized by the Government of China. Unless the Department of Commerce extends the time for initiation pursuant to sections 702(c)(1)(B) or 732(c)(1)(B) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1671a(c)(1)(B) or 1673a(c)(1)(B)), the Commission must reach a preliminary determination in antidumping and countervailing duty investigations in 45 days, or in this case by July 20, 2009. The Commission's views are due at Commerce within five business days thereafter, or by July 27, 2009.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, as amended), notice is hereby given that the following meetings of Humanities Panels will be held at the Old Post Office, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20506.

The FTC intends to conduct two exploratory studies on consumer susceptibility to fraudulent and deceptive marketing. This research will be conducted to further the FTC's mission of protecting consumers from unfair and deceptive marketing. Before gathering this information, the FTC is seeking public comments on its proposed research. This notice seeks comments on the Fraud Susceptibility Experiment Study, one of the two studies. The Commission is also seeking comments on the other study in a separate Federal Register notice. Comments will be considered before the FTC submits a request for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) review under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA).

We propose to revise our rules to clarify that, for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) purposes, we do not consider any combat-related military pay as income when we determine whether spouses and children of members of the uniformed services are eligible for SSI. The proposed rules also would clarify that we do not consider combat- related military pay as income when we determine the spouse's or child's proper payment amount. These proposed rules also would provide that, when we determine whether spouses and children are eligible for SSI, we do not consider retroactive payments of certain military pay as resources for 9 months following receipt. These proposed rules would protect spouses and children of members of the uniformed services from a reduction in, or loss of, benefits because their spouse or parent serves in a combat zone.