Agencies and Commissions 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing Supplement 3, ``Guidance for Protective Action Strategies,'' to NUREG- 0654/FEMA-REP-1, Revision 1, ``Criteria for Preparation and Evaluation of Radiological Emergency Response Plans and Preparedness in Support of Nuclear Power Plants;'' NSIR/DPR-ISG-01, ``Interim Staff Guidance Emergency Planning for Nuclear Power Plants;'' and NUREG/CR-7002, ``Criteria for Development of Evacuation Time Estimate Studies;'' all dated November, 2011. These documents update implementation guidance regarding, and support recent changes to, the NRC's emergency preparedness regulations.

This document informs the public that an appeal of the closing of the Prescott, Iowa 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 New Cambria, Kansas 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 notice announces a change in the membership of the Senior Executive Service Performance Review Board for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (``CPSC'' or ``Commission'' or ``we'') is considering whether a new performance safety standard is needed to address an unreasonable risk of injury associated with table saws. We are conducting this proceeding under the authority of the Consumer Product Safety Act (``CPSA''), 15 U.S.C. 2051-2084. In the Federal Register of October 11, 2011 (76 FR 62678), we published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (``ANPR''), inviting written comments concerning the risk of injury associated with table saw blade contact, regulatory alternatives, other possible means to address this risk, and other topics or issues. In response to a request from the Power Tool Institute, Inc., we are announcing an extension of the comment period for 60 days.

The Postal Service is revising Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) throughout various sections to modify the policy for filing claims for domestic Express Mail[supreg] postage refunds from 90 days to 30 days after the date of mailing, and to change the Express Mail ``waiver of signature'' standard for domestic items by obtaining an addressee's signature only when the mailer selects the ``signature required'' option on the Express Mail label.

This is a notice of an Administrative declaration of a disaster for the State of North Carolina dated 11/21/2011. Incident: Storms and tornadoes. Incident Period: 11/16/2011. Effective Date: 11/21/2011. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 01/20/2012. Economic Injury (EIDL) Loan Application Deadline Date: 08/21/2012.

This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Puerto Rico (FEMA-4017-DR), dated 08/ 27/2011. Incident: Hurricane Irene. Incident Period: 08/21/2011 through 08/24/2011. Effective Date: 11/18/2011. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 12/02/2011. EIDL Loan Application Deadline Date: 05/28/2012.

SBA is reopening the comment period for the proposed rule published in the Federal Register on October 5, 2011 at 76 FR 61626. In that rule SBA proposed to amend its regulations to implement provisions of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 (Jobs Act) pertaining to small business subcontracting. SBA proposed to amend its program regulations to provide for a ``covered contract'' (a contract for which a small business subcontracting plan is required, currently valued above $1.5 million for construction and $650,000 for all other contracts), a prime contractor must notify the contracting officer in writing whenever the prime contractor does not utilize a subcontractor used in preparing its bid or proposal during contract performance. SBA also proposed to amend its regulations to require a prime contractor to notify a contracting officer in writing whenever the prime contractor reduces payments to a subcontractor or when payments to a subcontractor are 90 days or more past due. In addition, SBA proposed to clarify that the contracting officer is responsible for monitoring and evaluating small business subcontracting plan performance. SBA also proposed to clarify which subcontracts must be included in subcontracting data reporting, which subcontracts should be excluded, and the way subcontracting data is reported. SBA also proposed to make other changes to update its subcontracting regulations, including changing subcontracting plan thresholds and referencing the electronic subcontracting reporting system (eSRS). Some of the SBA's proposed changes would require the contracting officer to review subcontracting plan reports within 60 days of the report ending date. Finally, SBA also proposed to address how subcontracting plan requirements and credit towards subcontracting goals can be implemented in connection with Multi-agency, Federal Supply Schedule, Multiple Award Schedule and Government-wide Acquisition indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity, (IDIQ) contracts. SBA is reopening the comment period in response to the significant level of interest generated by the proposed rule among small businesses. Given the scope of the proposed rule and the nature of the issues raised by the comments received to date, SBA believes that affected businesses need more time to review the proposal and prepare their comments.

On November 8, 2011 (76 FR 69292) the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) published in the Federal Register a request for public comment on Draft License Renewal Interim Staff Guidance (LR-ISG), LR- ISG-2011-01, ``Aging Management of Stainless Steel Structures and Components in Treated Borated Water.'' This LR-ISG revises the guidance in the Standard Review Plan for Review of License Renewal Applications for Nuclear Power Plants (SRP-LR) and Generic Aging Lessons Learned (GALL) Report for the aging management of stainless steel structures and components exposed to treated borated water. In response to a request from the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), the NRC is extending the public comment period until December 17, 2011.