Agencies and Commissions February 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On December 28, 2012, the Board published in the Federal Register a notice of proposed rulemaking to implement the enhanced prudential standards required to be established under section 165 of the Dodd-Frank Act and the early remediation requirements established under section 166 of the Act for foreign banking organizations and foreign nonbank financial companies supervised by the Board. Due to the range and complexity of the issues addressed in the rulemaking, the Board has determined that an extension of the public comment period until April 30, 2013, is appropriate. This action will allow interested persons additional time to analyze the proposed rules and prepare their comments.

This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Mississippi (FEMA-4101-DR), dated 02/ 13/2013. Incident: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding Incident Period: 02/10/2013 and continuing. Effective Date: 02/15/2013 Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 04/15/2013 EIDL Loan Application Deadline Date: 11/13/2013

The Federal Maritime Commission amends its rules regarding the establishment of passenger vessel financial responsibility for nonperformance of transportation. The amount of coverage required for performance is modified to increase the cap on required performance coverage to $30 million over a two year period and thereafter adjust the cap every two years using the Consumer Price Index; adjust the amount of coverage required for smaller passenger vessel operators by providing for consideration of alternative forms of protection; remove the application form for issuance of certificates of financial responsibility from the Commission's regulations and make it available at its Web site; add an expiration date to the Certificate (Performance); and make technical adjustments to the regulations.

The United States Copyright Office is requesting public comment for the third time on the topic of adjudicating small copyright claims. The Office is studying whether and, if so, how the current legal system hinders or prevents copyright owners from pursuing copyright claims that have a relatively small economic value and will discuss, with appropriate recommendations, potential changes in administrative, regulatory, and statutory authority. At this time, the Office seeks additional comments on possible alternatives to the current system to improve the adjudication of such claims.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing an endorsement letter with clarifications of Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)-1025287, ``Seismic Evaluation Guidance: Screening, Prioritization and Implementation Details (SPID) for the Resolution of Fukushima Near-Term Task Force Recommendation 2.1: Seismic,'' Revision 0, hereafter referred to as the SPID report. This SPID report provides guidance and clarification of an acceptable approach to assist nuclear power reactor licensees when responding to the NRC staff's request for information dated March 12, 2012, Enclosure 1, ``Recommendation 2.1: Seismic.'' The NRC staff's endorsement letter includes additional clarifications on the: (1) Use of the Individual Plant Examination of External Events (IPEEE) submittals for screening purposes; (2) development of foundation input response spectra (FIRS) consistent with the site response used in the development of the site-specific ground motion response spectrum (GMRS); (3) updating the seismic source models; and (4) development of the site response.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the General Services Administration will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve a previously approved information collection requirement regarding IT Dashboard Feedback Mechanism.

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.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``Commission'') is amending its Rules of Practice, Rules Relating to Reparation Proceedings, and its Rules Relating to Review of National Futures Association (``NFA'') Decisions in Disciplinary, Membership Denial, Registration and Membership Responsibility Actions, to simplify and clarify service, filing and formatting requirements, particularly those requirements applicable to electronic service and filing. The Commission is also amending its Rules Relating to Reparations Proceedings to clarify the authority of its Judgment Officers.

This document announces the effective date of rules published in the Federal Register on January 3, 2005. The final rules revised the obligation of television broadcasters to protect and serve children in their audience.

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) plans to hold its regular committee and Board meetings in Washington, DC, Monday through Wednesday, March 11-13, 2013 at the times and location listed below.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (``SBA'') has determined that changing conditions in the American economy and persistent high levels of unemployment compel the agency to seek ways to improve access to its two flagship business lending programs: the 504 Loan Program and the 7(a) Loan Program. The purpose of this proposed rulemaking is to reinvigorate these programs as vital tools for creating and preserving American jobs. SBA proposes to strip away regulatory restrictions that detract from the 504 Loan Program's core job creation mission as well as the 7(a) Loan Program's positive job creation impact on the American economy. The 504 Loan Program and 7(a) Loan Program are SBA's two primary business loan programs authorized under the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 and the Small Business Act, respectively. This proposed rule will enhance job creation through increasing eligibility for loans under SBA's business loan programs, including its Microloan Program, and by modifying certain program participant requirements applicable to the 504 Loan Program. In addition, SBA proposes to revise Certified Development Company (CDC) operational requirements to clarify certain existing regulations.

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 an exclusive license in the United States to practice the invention described and claimed in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. US 13/ 534,804, Alpha-Stream Convertor, LEW 18802-1; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. US 61/677,116, Magnetostrictive AlternatorLow Cost, No Moving Part, High Efficiency, Oscillating Acoustic Pressure Wave to Electric Power Transducer, LEW 18939-1, to Nirvana Energy Systems, having its principal place of business in Portolo Valley, California. The fields of use may be limited to power systems for residential, commercial and transportation industries. The patent rights in these inventions as applicable have been assigned to the United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The prospective exclusive license will comply with the terms and conditions of 35 U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR 404.7.

This is a notice of an Administrative declaration of a disaster for the State of North Carolina dated 02/15/2013. Incident: Severe Storms and Flooding. Incident Period: 01/30/2013. Effective Date: 02/15/2013. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 04/16/2013. Economic Injury (EIDL) Loan Application Deadline Date: 11/15/2013.

This is a Notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Mississippi (FEMA-4101-DR), dated 02/13/2013. Incident: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding. Incident Period: 02/10/2013 and continuing. Effective Date: 02/13/2013. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 04/15/2013. Economic Injury (EIDL) Loan Application Deadline Date: 11/13/2013.

In this document the Audio Division, at the request of Word Power, Inc., allots a first local service to Greenup, Illinois, and reserves Channel *230A at Greenup for noncommercial educational use. A staff engineering analysis confirms that Channel *230A at Greenup would provide a first and/or second NCE radio service to 67.5 percent (21,149 persons) of the total population of 31,338 persons. Channel *230A can be allotted to Greenup consistent with the distance separation requirements of Section 73.207 of the Commission's rules with a site restriction 4.6 kilometers (2.9 miles) southwest of the community. The reference coordinates for Channel *230A are 39-12-38 NL and 88-11-15 WL.