National Institute of Standards and Technology February 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. app. 2, notice is hereby given that the Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology (VCAT), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), will meet Tuesday, March 15, 2005, from 8:20 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology is composed of fifteen members appointed by the Director of NIST; who are eminent in such fields as business, research, new product development, engineering, labor, education, management consulting, environment, and international relations. The purpose of this meeting is to review and make recommendations regarding general policy for the Institute, its organization, its budget, and its programs within the framework of applicable national policies as set forth by the President and the Congress. The agenda will include updates on NIST's activities and facilities, a review of findings from NIST's investigation of the World Trade Center disaster, and two laboratory tours. Discussions scheduled to begin at 8:20 a.m. and to end at 9:20 a.m. and to begin at 2:30 p.m. and to end at 5 p.m. on March 15, on the NIST budget, planning information and feedback sessions will be closed. Agenda may change to accommodate Committee business. The final agenda will be posted on the NIST Web site. All visitors to the National Institute of Standards and Technology site will have to pre-register to be admitted. Please submit your name, time of arrival, email address and phone number to Carolyn Peters no later than Thursday, March 10, and she will provide you with instructions for admittance. Mrs. Peter's email address is carolyn.peters@nist.gov and her phone number is (301) 975-5607.

The International Code Council (ICC), under whose auspices the International Codes (``I-Codes'') are developed, maintains a process for updating these model codes based on receipt of proposals from interested individuals and organizations. The ICC's 14 separately published codes are comprehensively updated and re-published every three years with a Supplement published between each edition. The most current versions of the I-Codes are the 2003 Editions and 2004 Supplements. Each structured 18-month code development cycle includes two separate public sessions, both open to public participation and observation. The first of the two sessions is the Code Development Hearing during which balanced committees initially review, discuss and vote on an opinion on each proposal for change to the model codes. Attendees to this hearing are eligible to raise objection to and call for a vote of the ICC members assembled regarding the committee's opinion. The results of the Code Development Hearing are made available for public review and comment prior to the second public session. Public comments received by the ICC are published and distributed for public review. At the second session, entitled the Final Action Hearing, public comments are reviewed and discussed and final voting is conducted to determine which proposals are adopted into the I-Codes. The purpose of this notice is to invite the public participation in the Code Development Hearing. The publication of this notice by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) on behalf of ICC is being undertaken as a public service; NIST does not necessarily endorse, approve, or recommend any of the codes or standards referenced in the notice. Session Dates: The Code Development Hearings of the 2004/2005 Code Development Cycle will occur on February 22-March 4, 2005, at the Millennium Hotel, Cincinnati, Ohio. This will be followed by the Final Action Hearings scheduled for September-October 1, 2005, at the COBO Center in Detroit, Michigan. Proposed changes approved during this cycle, in addition to changes published in the 2004 Supplement, will constitute the 2006 Edition of the International Codes. The agenda for the hearing as well as updates to the schedule are also posted on the ICC Web site at: https://www.iccsafe.org.

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. app. 2, notice is hereby given that the Manufacturing Extension Partnership National Advisory Board (MEPNAB), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), will meet Thursday, February 17, 2005, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The MEPNAB is composed of eleven members appointed by the Director of NIST who were selected for their expertise in the area of industrial extension and their work on behalf of smaller manufacturers. The Board was established to fill a need for outside input on MEP. MEP is a unique program consisting of centers in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. The centers have been created by state, federal, and local partnerships. The Board works closely with MEP to provide input and advice on MEP's programs, plans, and policies. The purpose of this meeting is to update the board on the latest program developments including a NIST Update, a MEP Policy Overview, and a MEP Program Operations Update. Discussions scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. and to end at 3:30 p.m. on February 17, 2005, on MEP budget issues will be closed. All visitors to the National Institute of Standards and Technology site will have to pre-register to be admitted. Anyone wishing to attend this meeting must register 48 hours in advance in order to be admitted. Please submit your name, time of arrival, email address and phone number to Lillian Ware no later than Tuesday, February 15 and she will provide you with instructions for admittance. Ms. Ware's email address is lillian.ware@nist.gov and her phone number is 301/975-5454.