Department of Defense September 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321-4370, as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) plans to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) to evaluate environmental impacts from reasonable project alternatives and to determine the potential for significant impacts related to improvements to the Elizabeth River and Southern Branch Channels. If the USACE determines that there is a potential for a significant environmental impact, the USACE will issue a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement in the Federal Register. Federal, state, and local agencies, Indian tribes, and the public are invited to provide scoping comments to identify issues, alternatives, and potentially significant effects to be considered in the analysis.

Pursuant to the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321-4370, as implemented by the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) plans to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) to evaluate environmental impacts from reasonable project alternatives and to determine the potential for significant impacts related to improvements to the Norfolk Harbor Channels. If the USACE determines that there is a potential for a significant environmental impact, the USACE will issue a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement in the Federal Register. Federal, state, and local agencies, Indian tribes, and the public are invited to provide scoping comments to identify issues, alternatives, and potentially significant effects to be considered in the analysis.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and Air Force policy and procedures (32 CFR part 989), the Air Force is issuing this notice to advise the public of the intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for proposed F-22 operational efficiency improvements at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER). The proposed action is to improve F-22 operational efficiency; there is no proposed change in the number of aircraft at JBER nor in the ongoing military training in existing Alaska training airspace. Six alternatives that have been initially identified include changes in runway use and/or airfield infrastructure and maintenance. The EIS will address potential impacts resulting from implementation of the alternatives. The No Action Alternative is the runway use conditions from the F-22 Plus-Up Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impacts (FONSI) published, June 2011. Scoping: In order to define the full range of issues to be evaluated in the EIS, the Air Force will determine the scope of the analysis by soliciting comments from interested local, state and federal elected officials and agencies, as well as interested members of the public. This NOI also serves to provide early notice of compliance with Executive Order (EO) 11990, ``Protection of Wetlands'' and EO 11988, ``Floodplain Management.'' State and federal regulatory agencies with special expertise in wetlands and floodplains have been contacted to request comment. The Air Force plans to use the NEPA scoping process to also fulfill the requirements of the NHPA Section 106 implementing regulations by seeking public input on historic preservation issues and concerns. The scoping meeting will be held Wednesday, October 14, 2015, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ADT, at Tyson Elementary School, 2801 Richmond Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska. Public scoping comments will be accepted in writing at the scoping meetings. Additional scoping comments will be accepted at any time during the EIS process. However, in order to ensure the Air Force has sufficient time to consider public input, scoping comments should arrive at the address below by October 27, 2015.

The Department of the Army announces the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the proposed update of the Real Property Master Plan (RPMP) for Fort Belvoir, VA, which includes proposed short-term projects and long-term development. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the FEIS analyzes the environmental impacts associated with the proposed short- term projects, long-term development, and anticipated land use changes designated in an updated RPMP. The short-term projects are proposed for implementation through 2017. The long-term development projects, which currently are not fully defined, are proposed for implementation between 2018 and 2030. The FEIS assesses potential environmental impacts associated with future development and management of land, facilities, resources and infrastructure based on the population capacity identified in the updated RPMP. The only area for which significant adverse impacts are identified is traffic and transportation. The updated RPMP incorporates adjustments to the land use plan in the RPMP that were made in the Final EIS for the Implementation of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Recommendations and Related Army Actions at Fort Belvoir, VA (2007) and BRAC-related changes made since 2007.

The Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics) is waiving the statutory limitation of 10 U.S.C. 2534 for certain defense items produced in the United Kingdom (UK). United States Code, Title 10, section 2534, limits DoD procurement of certain items to sources in the national technology and industrial base. The waiver will permit procurement of enumerated items from sources in the UK, unless otherwise restricted by statute.

DoD is making technical amendments to the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to provide needed editorial changes.

This rule establishes and updates policy, assigns responsibilities, and provides procedures to conduct criminal history checks on individuals involved in the provision of child care services for children under the age of 18 in DoD programs. The Crime Control Act of 1990 (Act) requires all individuals involved with the provision of child care services to children under the age of 18 undergo a criminal background check. ``Child care services'' include, but are not limited to, social services, health and mental health care, child (day) care, education (whether or not directly involved in teaching), and rehabilitative programs. Any conviction for a sex crime, an offense involving a child victim, or a drug felony, may be grounds for denying employment or for dismissal of an employee providing any of the services discussed above.

The Department of Defense has submitted to OMB for clearance, the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act.

TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) is a premium-based TRICARE health plan available for purchase worldwide by qualified members of the Ready Reserve and by qualified survivors of TRS members. TRICARE Dental Program (TDP) is a premium-based TRICARE dental plan available for purchase worldwide by qualified Service members. This final rule revises requirements and procedures for the TRS program to specify the appropriate actuarial basis for calculating premiums in addition to making other minor clarifying administrative changes. For a member who is involuntarily separated from the Selected Reserve under other than adverse conditions this final rule provides a time-limited exception that allows TRS coverage in effect to continue for up to 180 days after the date on which the member is separated from the Selected Reserve and TDP coverage in effect to continue for no less than 180 days after the separation date. It also expands early TRICARE eligibility for certain Reserve Component members from a maximum of 90 days to a maximum of 180 days prior to activation in support of a contingency operation for more than 30 days.

The National Wetland Plant List (NWPL) is used to delineate wetlands for purposes of the Clean Water Act and the Wetland Conservation Provisions of the Food Security Act. Other applications of the list include wetland restoration, establishment, and enhancement projects. To update the NWPL, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), as part of an interagency effort with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), is announcing the availability of the draft National Wetland Plant List (NWPL) 2015 and its Web address to solicit public comments. The public will now be provided the opportunity to comment and vote on the proposed update of wetland indicator status ratings for 186 plants species in select Corps wetland regions.

The DoD is publishing this notice to announce an open meeting of the National Commission on the Future of the Army (``the Commission'').

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection requirements associated with the Commission's Report and Order, MB Docket No. 15-53, FCC 15-62. This document is consistent with the Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of the requirements.

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collections. Comments are requested concerning: 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; the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; 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 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 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 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 OMB control number.

The Federal Communications Commission (the Commission) acts to improve the Commission's efficiency, effectively manage Commission resources, and align the Commission's field enforcement activities with contemporary needs for a field enforcement presence. The Commission, the Office of Managing Director and the Enforcement Bureau will take several actions to realign the mission and resources of its 24 field offices. The Bureau's field offices will primarily support the enforcement of the Commission's radio frequency spectrum rules and other key regulations in a manner likely to have the greatest impact, in the most cost effective way possible.

Petitions for Reconsideration (Petitions) have been filed in the Commission's Rulemaking proceeding by Thomas C. Power, on behalf of CTIATHE WIRELESS ASSOCIATION; John J. Heitmann on behalf of The Wireless ETC Petitioners.

In this document, the Commission proposes to designate a second available vacant channel in the UHF television band for use by white space devices and wireless microphones in those areas where the duplex gap of the 600 MHz Band is subject to impairment by a television station.