Agencies and Commissions November 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Commission announces the third meeting of the Chronic Hazard Advisory Panel (CHAP) on phthalates and phthalate substitutes. The Commission appointed this CHAP to study the effects on children's health of all phthalates and phthalate alternatives as used in children's toys and child care articles, pursuant to section 108 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) (Pub. L. 110- 314).

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (``CPSC'' or ``Commission'') is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (``the PRA''), Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on the proposed collection of information for CPSC-sponsored prize competitions or contests.

This notice sets forth changes in rates of general applicability for competitive products.

NCUA is issuing proposed amendments to its rule governing corporate credit unions (corporates). The amendments include internal control and reporting requirements for corporates similar to those required for banks under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The amendments require each corporate to establish an enterprise-wide risk management committee staffed with at least one risk management expert. The amendments provide for the equitable sharing of Temporary Corporate Credit Union Stabilization Fund (TCCUSF) expenses among all members of corporates, including both credit union and noncredit union members. The amendments increase the transparency of decision-making by requiring that corporates conduct all board of director votes as recorded votes and include the votes of individual directors in the meeting minutes. The amendments permit corporates to charge their members reasonable one-time or periodic membership fees as necessary to facilitate retained earnings growth. For senior corporate executives who are dual employees of corporate credit union service organizations (CUSOs), the amendments require disclosure of certain compensation received from the corporate CUSO. In addition, this proposal would amend our regulations to limit natural person credit unions (NPCUs) to membership in one corporate credit union at any particular time and provide that a natural person credit union may not make any investment in a corporate credit union of which the natural person credit union is not also a member. These proposed amendments will further strengthen individual corporates and the corporate system as a whole.

Section 750 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the ``Dodd-Frank Act'' or ``Act'') establishes an interagency working group (``interagency group''), headed by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the ``CFTC''), to conduct a study on the oversight of existing and prospective carbon markets to ensure an efficient, secure, and transparent carbon market, including oversight of spot markets and derivative markets. The members of the interagency group are the Chairman of the CFTC, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission and the Administrator of the Energy Information Administration, or their designees. In conducting the study, the Dodd-Frank Act directs the interagency group to consult, as appropriate, with representatives of exchanges, clearing houses, self-regulatory bodies, major carbon market participants, consumers, and the general public. To assist the interagency group in conducting the study and formulating recommendations for the oversight of existing and prospective carbon markets, the CFTC is issuing this request for information through public comment.

The NRC is announcing the completion and availability of NUREG-1307, Revision 14, ``Report on Waste Burial Charges,'' dated November 2010, which updates the cost factor for disposal (Bx) that a licensee uses when calculating the minimum amount of decommissioning funding assurance required, based on changes in waste disposal charges since the previous revision.

On January 3, 2010, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) published in the Federal Register a final rule (75 FR 13) that amends the NRC's regulations in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) part 50, section 61a to provide alternate fracture toughness requirements for protection against pressurized thermal shock (PTS) events for pressurized water reactor (PWR) pressure vessels. On February 3, 2010, the NRC published in the Federal Register a correction to the final rule (75 FR 5495) to correct formatting and typographical errors. This document is necessary to further correct a typographical error that appears in the correction document.

This action adds services to the Procurement List that will be provided by nonprofit agencies employing persons who are blind or have other severe disabilities.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proposing to issue a regulatory issue summary (RIS) to clarify for licensees and external stakeholders the information that they should use and present to the NRC in the Decommissioning Funding Status (DFS) reports to ensure that the NRC staff, licensees, and stakeholders are using the same, correct figures and to prevent potential issues resulting from shortfalls in the licensee's decommissioning fund.

The Commission is noticing a recently-filed Postal Service request to add five Global Expedited Package Services 3 contracts to the competitive product list. This notice addresses procedural steps associated with the filing.

Applicant, a closed-end investment company, seeks an order declaring that it has ceased to be an investment company. On October 19, 2009, applicant transferred its assets to Nuveen Insured Municipal Opportunity Fund, Inc., based on net asset value. Shareholders of applicant's municipal auction rate cumulative preferred shares (``preferred shares'') received one share of the acquiring fund's preferred shares for each preferred share of applicant. Expenses of approximately $364,782 incurred in connection with the reorganization were paid by applicant and the acquiring fund. Filing Dates: The application was filed on November 4, 2009, and amended on November 12, 2010. Applicant's Address: 333 West Wacker Dr., Chicago, IL 60606.

The Board is requesting comment on a proposed rule that would implement the conformance period during which banking entities and nonbank financial companies supervised by the Board must bring their activities and investments into compliance with the prohibitions and restrictions on proprietary trading and relationships with hedge funds and private equity funds imposed by section 619 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (``Dodd-Frank Act''). Section 619 is commonly referred to as the ``Volcker Rule.''