Department of Defense March 16, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (as amended), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District (Corps) Regulatory Branch, in coordination with the County of San Bernardino and in cooperation with U.S. Forest Service, has completed a Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Third Main Track Summit to Keenbrook Project. The proposed BNSF project requires authorization pursuant to section 404 of the Clean Water Act for approximately 2.95 acres of fill placement in jurisdictional waters of the United States, including wetlands, to construct 15.9 miles of a new main track through the Cajon Pass in San Bernardino County, California. Three alternatives were co- equally analyzed in the EIS/EIR, including Alternative 1 (Reduced Footprint), Alternative 2 (Standard Engineering Design) and the No Action Alternative, as required by NEPA. As the project proponent and applicant, the BNSF Railway Co. selected Alternative 1 as its preferred alternative. The Corps determined Alternative 1 is the environmentally preferred alternative and the least environmentally damaging practicable alternative pursuant to the 404(b)(1) Guidelines (40 CFR 230.12).

In accordance with 37 CFR part 404.6, announcement is made of the availability for licensing of U.S. Patent No. US 7,186,791 B2 entitled ``Methods for Polymerization of Electronic and Photonic Polymers'' issued March 6, 2007. This patent has been assigned to the United States Government as represented by the Secretary of the Army.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Jacksonville District intends to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Port Canaveral Improvements Section 203 Feasibility Study. The study is being conducted by the Canaveral Port Authority under authority granted by section 203 of Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) 1986.

In accordance with 37 CFR 404.6 and 404.7, announcement is made of the availability for licensing of the invention set forth in U.S. Patent No. 7,095,555 entitled ``Multiple Pass Faraday Rotation Amplifier,'' issued on August 22, 2006. The United States Government, as represented by the Secretary of the Army, has rights in this invention.