Department of Homeland Security May 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Coast Guard is establishing special local regulations during the ``Ocean City Maryland Offshore Challenge'', a power boat race to be held on the waters of the Atlantic Ocean adjacent to the shoreline at Ocean City, MD. These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event. This action is intended to restrict vessel traffic in the regulated area during the power boat race.

The Coast Guard is establishing temporary, moving safety zones on the navigable waters of the San Francisco Bay and Delta Region to contribute to the safety of the boating public where whales have been sighted swimming up river from the San Francisco Bay. These safety zones are established to ensure the safety of persons and vessels from hazards, injury, and damage associated with higher-than-normal levels of recreational boating traffic on the water as individuals attempt to view the whales. Unauthorized persons or vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or remaining in the safety zones without permission of the Captain of the Port or his designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone upon certain waters of the Patuxent River during a fireworks display. This action is necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during a fireworks display launched from a barge, located near Solomons, in Calvert County, Maryland. This action will restrict vessel traffic in a portion of the Patuxent River.

The Coast Guard has established a temporary safety zone on Baileys Harbor, Baileys Harbor, WI. This zone is intended to restrict vessels from a portion of Baileys Harbor during the Baileys Harbor July 5, 2007 fireworks display. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect spectators and vessels from the hazards associated with fireworks displays.

This rule adjusts the fee schedule for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) immigration and naturalization benefit applications and petitions, including nonimmigrant applications and visa petitions. These fees fund the cost of processing applications and petitions for immigration benefits and services, and USCIS' associated operating costs. USCIS is revising these fees because the current fee schedule does not adequately reflect current USCIS processes or recover the full costs of services provided by USCIS. Without an immediate adjustment of the fee schedule, USCIS cannot provide adequate capacity to process all applications and petitions in a timely and efficient manner. In addition, the revised fees will eliminate USCIS' dependency on revenue from interim benefits, temporary programs, and premium processing fees. This rule also merges fees for certain applications and petitions so applicants and petitioners will only have to pay a single fee. In addition, the rule expands the classes of aliens that will be exempt from paying filing fees for certain immigration benefits, and modifies the criteria for waiving the filing fee due to an individual's inability to pay. Based on comments received by USCIS during the public comment period, this rule changes the fees for adjustment of status applications, and the fee waiver and exemption eligibility criteria for several immigration benefits. This final rule will provide sufficient funding for USCIS to meet national security, customer service, and processing time goals, and to sustain and improve service delivery.

The National Infrastructure Advisory Council will meet on July 10, 2007 in Washington, DC. The meeting will be open to the public.

This Notice announces that the designation of Nicaragua for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) has been extended for 18 months to January 5, 2009, from its current expiration date of July 5, 2007. This Notice also sets forth procedures necessary for nationals of Nicaragua (or aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in Nicaragua) with TPS to re-register and to apply for an extension of their Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) for the additional 18- month period. Re-registration is limited to persons who have previously registered for TPS under the designation of Nicaragua and whose application has been granted or remains pending. Certain nationals of Nicaragua (or aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in Nicaragua) who have not previously applied for TPS may be eligible to apply under the late initial registration provisions. Given the timeframes involved with processing TPS re-registrants, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recognizes that re- registrants may not receive a new EAD until after their current EAD expires on July 5, 2007. Accordingly, this Notice automatically extends the validity of EADs issued under the TPS designation of Nicaragua for six months, through January 5, 2008, and explains how TPS beneficiaries and their employers may determine which EADs are automatically extended. New EADs with the January 5, 2009 expiration date will be issued to eligible TPS beneficiaries who timely re-register and apply for an EAD.

A Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (MERPAC) working group will meet to discuss an issue relating to the fitness of merchant marine personnel. MERPAC advises the Secretary of Homeland Security on matters relating to the training, qualifications, licensing, and certification of seamen serving in the U. S. merchant marine. These meetings will be open to the public.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone around Great Lakes Naval Training Center Harbor. This zone is intended to control the movement of vessels on portions of Lake Michigan and Great Lakes Naval Training Center Harbor during the Spill of National Significance (SONS) exercise on June 19 and 20, 2007. This zone is necessary to protect the public from the hazards associated with ships and boats deploying oil containment equipment.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), US-VISIT Program, conducted a proof of concept (POC) for Increment 2C (70 FR 39300, US- VISIT Privacy Impact Assessment, July 7, 2005) to assess the capability of automatically, passively, and remotely recording the entry and exit of US-VISIT covered individuals at U.S. land border ports of entry (POEs) using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-enabled I-94 (Arrival/Departure) Forms. To support the US-VISIT Increment 2C POC, the Automated Identification Management System (AIDMS) was created to link the unique and individually-assigned RFID tag number to existing biographic information received from the Treasury Enforcement Communications System (TECS) and the entry and exit event information for each covered individual crossing the land border. The AIDMS maintained four general categories of records: traveler (i.e., covered individual) identification information, RFID tag related information, RFID tag read event information, and border crossing history information. The traveler identification information and the border crossing history information were duplicative of information stored in TECS and the Arrival/Departure Information System (ADIS). The RFID tag information was comprised of data collected about the issuance and status of the Form I-94 as well as data associated with the reading of an RFID tag. On November 7, 2006, US-VISIT concluded the Increment 2C POC. Upon completion of the estimated one year POC (as noted in the US- VISIT Notice published August 4, 2005, 70 FR 44934), AIDMS has been decommissioned because data is no longer being collected or stored in the system. All data previously stored in AIDMS will be deleted/ destroyed 30 days after publication of this notice and in accordance with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) General Records Schedule (GRS) 20, Item 1.a. The AIDMS SORN was previously published in the Federal Register on July 5, 2005, at 70 FR 38700. A Privacy Impact Assessment regarding this decommission has been published at https://www.dhs.gov/privacy. The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of the termination of AIDMS on June 25, 2007. Disposition: In accordance with NARA GRS 20, Item 1.a, the data collected and stored in AIDMS will be deleted/destroyed 30 days after publication of this notice.

This document adopts as a final rule, with some changes, interim amendments to title 19 of the Code of Federal Regulations (``CFR'') which were published in the Federal Register on March 7, 2006, as CBP Dec. 06-06 to set forth the conditions and requirements that apply for purposes of submitting requests to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for refunds of any excess customs duties paid with respect to entries of textile or apparel goods entitled to retroactive application of preferential tariff treatment under the Dominican RepublicCentral AmericaUnited States Free Trade Agreement.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish a general anchorage area in Edgecomb, Maine, on the Sheepscot River. This action is necessary to facilitate safe navigation in that area and to provide safe and secure anchorages for transient vessels visiting the area. This proposal is intended to increase the safety for life and property on the Sheepscot River, improve the safety of anchored vessels, provide for ample anchorages for transient vessels, and provide for the overall safe and efficient flow of recreational vessels and commerce.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish special local regulations for the ``Hampton Cup Regatta'', a power boat race to be held on the waters of Mill Creek, near Fort Monroe, Hampton, Virginia. These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event. This action is intended to restrict vessel traffic in portions of Mill Creek adjacent to Fort Monroe during the power boat race.

The Coast Guard proposes to establish special local regulations during the ``East Coast Boat Racing Club power boat race'', a marine event to be held over the waters of the Chesapeake Bay adjacent to Cape Charles, Virginia. These special local regulations are necessary to provide for the safety of life on navigable waters during the event. This action is intended to restrict vessel traffic on the Chesapeake Bay in the vicinity of Cape Charles Beach, Cape Charles, Virginia during the event.

Base (1% annual chance) Flood Elevations (BFEs) and modified BFEs are made final for the communities listed below. The BFEs and modified BFEs are the basis for the floodplain management measures that each community is required either to adopt or to show evidence of being already in effect in order to qualify or remain qualified for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

This is a notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Connecticut (FEMA-1700-DR), dated May 11, 2007, and related determinations.

The Commander, First Coast Guard District, has issued a temporary deviation from the regulation governing the operation of the Stratford Avenue Bridge across the Pequonnock River, mile 0.1, at Bridgeport, Connecticut. Under this temporary deviation, in effect from May 29, 2007 through September 17, 2007, the Stratford Avenue Bridge may remain in the closed position, except for scheduled daily bridge openings. This deviation is necessary to facilitate scheduled bridge maintenance.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of New Hampshire (FEMA-1695-DR), dated April 27, 2007, and related determinations.

This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of New York (FEMA-1692-DR), dated April 24, 2007, and related determinations.

This is a notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Kansas (FEMA-1699-DR), dated May 6, 2007, and related determinations.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has submitted the following information collection to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The submission describes the nature of the information collection, the categories of respondents, the estimated burden (i.e., the time, effort and resources used by respondents to respond) and cost, and includes the actual data collection instruments FEMA will use. Title: Federal Emergency Management Agency Housing Inspection Services Customer Satisfaction Survey. OMB Number: 1660-NW31. Abstract: FEMA Housing Inspection Services contracts inspectors to assess dwelling damage and verify personal information of applicants for FEMA disaster assistance in federally declared disasters areas. Because FEMA needs to evaluate the inspectors' performance, FEMA conducts surveys to measure the satisfaction level of the applicants with their inspection experience. FEMA Inspection Services Managers and Task Monitors generally use the survey results to gauge and make improvements to disaster services that increase customer satisfaction and program effectiveness. The information is shared with Regional staff specific to the federal declaration for which the survey is conducted. Affected Public: Individuals and households. Number of Respondents: 10,608. Estimated Time per Respondent: 0.25 hours. Estimated Total Annual Time Burden: 2,652 hours. Annual Frequency of Response: 1. Comments: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments on the proposed information collection to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management Budget, Attention: Nathan Lesser, Desk Officer, Department of Homeland Security/FEMA, and sent via electronic mail to oirasubmission@omb.eop.gov or faxed to (202) 395-6974. Comments must be submitted on or before June 18, 2007.

The Coast Guard is amending its regulations pertaining to the Atchafalaya River, Berwick Bay, Berwick Bay, LA, navigation area. Coast Guard Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) Berwick Bay determined that the Southern Pacific Railroad (SPRR) Bridge visual displays were no longer necessary due to updated VTS technologies and procedures that actively inform towing vessels that the rules of 33 CFR 165.811 are in effect at the time of entry into the VTS. This action relieves both the owner of the SPRR Bridge and the Coast Guard from maintaining antiquated visual displays and related equipment.

The Coast Guard announces the relocation and service disruption of the Coast Guard's electronic public dockets. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Docket Operations facility, which manages the Document Management System (DMS) containing the electronic public dockets for the U.S. Coast Guard, is relocating to a new building. This notice also provides the information related to two open Coast Guard rulemaking dockets impacted by this relocation.