Agencies and Commissions September 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This release provides notice of the effective date of the amendment to Exchange Act Rule 14a-8, the shareholder proposal rule, which will require companies to include in their proxy materials, under certain circumstances, shareholder proposals that seek to establish a procedure in the company's governing documents for the inclusion of one or more shareholder director nominees in the company's proxy materials. This release also provides notice of the effective date of related rule changes adopted concurrently with the amendment to Rule 14a-8.

This is a Notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (FEMA-4030-DR), dated 09/ 12/2011. Incident: Tropical Storm Lee. Incident Period: 09/03/2011 and continuing. Effective Date: 09/12/2011. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 11/14/2011. Economic Injury (EIDL) Loan Application Deadline Date: 06/12/2012.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) has received six petitions for rulemaking (PRM), dated July 26, 2011, from the Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. (NRDC or the petitioner). The petitioner requests that the NRC amend its regulations to require emergency preparedness (EP) enhancements for prolonged station blackouts; EP enhancements for multiunit events; licensees to confirm seismic hazards and flooding hazards every 10 years and address any new and significant information; licensees to improve spent nuclear fuel pool safety; each operating and new reactor licensee to establish station blackout mitigation strategies and resources; and more realistic, hands-on training and exercises on Severe Accident Mitigation [sic] Guidelines and Extreme Damage Mitigation Guidelines for specified licensee staff. The NRC is not instituting a public comment period for these PRMs at this time.

This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of New York (FEMA-4020-DR), dated 08/31/ 2011. Incident: Hurricane Irene. Incident Period: 08/26/2011 through 09/05/2011. Effective Date: 09/08/2011. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 10/31/2011. EIDL Loan Application Deadline Date: 05/31/2012.

This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Connecticut (FEMA-4023-DR), dated 09/ 02/2011. Incident: Tropical Storm Irene. Incident Period: 08/27/2011 through 09/01/2011. Effective Date: 09/12/2011. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 11/03/2011. EIDL Loan Application Deadline Date: 06/04/2012.

On August 24, 2011, in the Federal Register (76 FR 52995), the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requested public comments on Draft License Renewal Interim Staff Guidance (LR-ISG), LR-ISG-2011-05, ``Ongoing Review of Operating Experience.'' This LR-ISG provides guidance and clarification concerning ongoing review of plant-specific and industry-wide operating experience as an attribute of aging management programs used at nuclear power plants. In response to a request from the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), the NRC is extending the public comment period until October 23, 2011, and holding a public meeting on October 12, 2011, to discuss the draft LR-ISG.

The purpose of this notice is to meet the requirement of the Privacy Act of 1974 regarding the publication of the agency's notice of systems of records. The complete text of all Selective Service System notices appears below.

This document informs the public that an appeal of the closing of the Board Camp, Arkansas post office has been filed. It identifies preliminary steps and provides a procedural schedule. Publication of this document will allow the Postal Service, petitioners, and others to take appropriate action.

This document informs the public that an appeal of the closing of the Old Chatham, New York post office has been filed. It identifies preliminary steps and provides a procedural schedule. Publication of this document will allow the Postal Service, petitioners, and others to take appropriate action.

The Federal Maritime Commission proposes to amend its rules regarding the establishment of passenger vessel financial responsibility for nonperformance of transportation. Currently the amount of coverage required for performance shall not exceed $15 million. The amendments would modify the current cap on required performance coverage from $15 million to $30 million over a two year period; adjust the amount of coverage required for smaller passenger vessel operators by providing for consideration of alternative forms of protection; revise the application form; add an expiration date to the Certificate (Performance); and make some technical adjustments to the regulations. Comments and suggestions are particularly sought regarding consideration of duplicative forms of protection without creating gaps that could leave consumers vulnerable.

This document announces the next meeting of the Video Programming Accessibility Advisory Committee (``Committee'' or ``VPAAC''). The November meeting will continue to develop recommendations to the Commission regarding video description, and the delivery of video description, access to emergency programming, and the interoperability and user interface of the equipment used to deliver video programming, as required in the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA).

This document informs the public that an appeal of the closing of the Meridian, New York post office has been filed. It identifies preliminary steps and provides a procedural schedule. Publication of this document will allow the Postal Service, petitioners, and others to take appropriate action.

This document informs the public that an appeal of the closing of the Burnt Prairie, Illinois post office has been filed. It identifies preliminary steps and provides a procedural schedule. Publication of this document will allow the Postal Service, petitioners, and others to take appropriate action.

On June 15, 1984, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) delegated to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) its approval authority under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.16, to approve of and assign OMB control numbers to collection of information requests and requirements conducted or sponsored by the Board under conditions set forth in 5 CFR Part 1320 Appendix A.1. Board-approved collections of information are incorporated into the official OMB inventory of currently approved collections of information. Copies of the Paperwork Reduction Act Submission, supporting statements and approved collection of information instruments are placed into OMB's public docket files. The Federal Reserve may not conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection that has been extended, revised, or implemented on or after October 1, 1995, unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

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 (PRA) of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520. 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 have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; (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, and (e) ways to further reduce the information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees. The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB 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 currently valid OMB control number.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995. 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 have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; (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; and (e) ways to further reduce the information collection burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees. The FCC 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 PRA that does not display a valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

Pursuant to subsection (e)(4) of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (``Privacy Act''), 5 U.S.C. 552a, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) proposes to add one new, consolidated system of records, FCC/PSHSB-1, ``FCC Emergency and Continuity Contacts System (ECCS).'' FCC/PSHSB-1, ``FCC Emergency and Continuity Contacts System (ECCS)'' will incorporate the information, e.g., personally identifiable information (PII), presently covered by two FCC systems of records, FCC/EB-4, ``Crisis Management Contacts,'' and FCC/OMD-11, ``Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP),'' and also add new and/or updated information that pertains to the mission and activities of the FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB). Upon approval of FCC/PSHSB-1, ``FCC Emergency and Continuity Contacts System (ECCS),'' the Commission will cancel FCC/EB-4 and FCC/OMD-11. The purposes for adding this new system of records, FCC/PSHSB-1, ``FCC Emergency and Continuity Contacts System (ECCS),'' are for PSHSB to use the records in this system of records to allow the FCC to use: The information in the Emergency Contacts database to coordinate crisis response activities, etc.; The information in the Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) Contacts database to contact FCC employees and contractors regarding COOP matters, etc.; and An automated telephone and e-mail system to contact its Emergency Contacts and COOP Contacts, etc. The new system of records will consolidate the systems of records in these two separate internal databases that the Bureau currently uses so that all the PII are now housed in a single PSHSB database for the PSHSB's emergency operations and related activities.

This notice is issued in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 209(e) and 37 CFR 404.7(a)(1)(i). NASA hereby gives notice of its intent to grant a partially exclusive license in the United States to practice the inventions described and claimed in US Patent Application Serial Number 12/757,657, Method and Apparatus for Microwave Tissue Welding For Wound Closure, NASA Case No. MSC-24238-1 to Meridian Health Systems, P.C., having its principal place of business in Los Angeles, California. The patent rights in this invention have been assigned to the United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The prospective partially exclusive license will comply with the terms and conditions of 35 U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR 404.7.