Department of State 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department is hereby revising its regulations regarding College and University Students. The Final Rule creates a new subcategory of the College and University Student category``Student Interns.'' Participation in this new sub-category is open to foreign students enrolled and pursuing a degree at post-secondary academic institutions outside the United States. Student interns may participate in a student internship program for up to 12 months at each degree level.

Notice is hereby given of the following determinations: Pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Act of October 19, 1965 (79 Stat. 985; 22 U.S.C. 2459), Executive Order 12047 of March 27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 (112 Stat. 2681, et seq. ; 22 U.S.C. 6501 note, et seq. ), Delegation of Authority No. 234 of October 1, 1999, Delegation of Authority No. 236 of October 19, 1999, as amended, and Delegation of Authority No. 257 of April 15, 2003 [68 FR 19875], I hereby determine that the objects to be included in the exhibition ``Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs,'' imported from abroad for temporary exhibition within the United States, are of cultural significance. The objects are imported pursuant to loan agreements with the foreign owners or custodians. This exhibit toured the United States from 2005 to 2007, left for foreign exhibition, and now returns to new venues with slightly changed objects. I also determine that the exhibition or display of the exhibit objects at the Dallas Museum of Art from on or about October 5, 2008, until on or about May 15, 2009; at the M. H. de Young Memorial Museum, San Francisco, from on or about June 20, 2009, to on or about March 15, 2010; at the Brooklyn Museum of Art, New York, from on or about April 23, 2010, to on or about January 1, 2011, and at possible additional exhibitions or venues yet to be determined, is in the national interest. Public Notice of these Determinations is ordered to be published in the Federal Register.

The Department of State is seeking Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for the information collection described below. The purpose of this notice is to allow 60 days for public comment in the Federal Register preceding submission to OMB. We are conducting this process in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Title of Information Collection: Exchange Visitor (J-1 Visa) Compliance Evaluation Program. OMB Control Number: None. Type of Request: New Collection. Originating Office: Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), Office of Exchange Coordination and Designation (ECA/ EC). Form Numbers: SV-2008-0014, SV-2008-0015, SV-2008-0016, SV-2008-0017. Respondents: Participants and hosts associated with the Exchange Visitor Program. Estimated Number of Respondents: 378. Estimated Number of Responses: 378. Average Hours Per Response: 30 minutes. Total Estimated Burden: 190 hours. Frequency: On occasion. Obligation to Respond: Voluntary.

Notice is hereby given of the following determinations: Pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Act of October 19, 1965 (79 Stat. 985; 22 U.S.C. 2459), Executive Order 12047 of March 27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 (112 Stat. 2681, et seq. ; 22 U.S.C. 6501 note, et seq. ), Delegation of Authority No. 234 of October 1, 1999, Delegation of Authority No. 236 of October 19, 1999, as amended, and Delegation of Authority No. 257 of April 15, 2003 [68 FR 19875], I hereby determine that the object to be included in the exhibition ``Roy Lichtenstein's Girl with Tear III,'' imported from abroad for temporary exhibition within the United States, is of cultural significance. The object is imported pursuant to a loan agreement with the foreign owner or custodian. I also determine that the exhibition or display of the exhibit object at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY, from on or about July 1, 2008, until on or about September 20, 2008, and at possible additional exhibitions or venues yet to be determined, is in the national interest. Public Notice of these Determinations is ordered to be published in the Federal Register.

Notice is hereby given of the following determinations: Pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Act of October 19, 1965 (79 Stat. 985; 22 U.S.C. 2459), Executive Order 12047 of March 27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 (112 Stat. 2681, et seq. ; 22 U.S.C. 6501 note, et seq. ), Delegation of Authority No. 234 of October 1, 1999, Delegation of Authority No. 236 of October 19, 1999, as amended, and Delegation of Authority No. 257 of April 15, 2003 [68 FR 19875], I hereby determine that the objects to be included in the exhibition ``Andrea Riccio: Renaissance Master of Bronze'' to be displayed at The Frick Collection, New York, New York, imported from abroad for temporary exhibition within the United States, are of cultural significance. The objects are imported pursuant to loan agreements with the foreign owners or custodians. I also determine that the exhibition or display of the exhibit objects at The Frick Collection, New York, New York, from on or about October 15, 2008, until on or about January 18, 2009, and at possible additional exhibitions or venues yet to be determined, is in the national interest. Public Notice of these Determinations is ordered to be published in the Federal Register.

This notice announces the availability of the Final Environmental Assessment and a Finding of No Significant Impact for the Proposed Enbridge Southern Lights Pipeline Project. On April 19, 2007, Enbridge Pipelines (Southern Lights) L.L.C. applied for a Presidential permit to construct, connect, operate, and maintain facilities (including a 20-inch diameter pipeline) at the U.S.-Canadian border at Neche, Pembina County, North Dakota, for the purpose of transporting liquid hydrocarbons and other petroleum products between the United States and Canada. EPSL seeks this authorization in connection with its Southern Lights Pipeline Project (``LSr Project''), which is designed to transport Canadian crude oil from the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (``WCSB'') to existing refinery markets in the Midwest region of the United States. Executive Order 13337 of April 30, 2004, as amended, delegates to the Secretary of State the President's authority to receive applications for permits for the construction, connection, operation, or maintenance of facilities, including pipelines, for the exportation or importation of petroleum, petroleum products, coal, or other fuels at the border of the United States and to issue or deny such Presidential Permits upon a national interest determination. The Executive Order directs the Secretary of State to refer the application and pertinent information to, and to request the views of, the heads of certain agencies before issuing a Permit and authorizes the Secretary to consult with other interested federal and state officials, as appropriate. The Executive Order also authorizes Federal Register notification of receipt of Presidential permit applications and for public comments on those applications. The functions assigned to the Secretary have been further delegated within the Department of State. The Department of State published in the Federal Register a Notification of Receipt and Notice of Intent to prepare an Environment Assessment (EA) regarding the EPSL Application for a permit on July 27, 2007 (72 FR 41383). That notification solicited public comment on the application for a 45-day period, and announced the Department of State would conduct public scoping meetings along the proposed route. The Department's Notice of Availability of the draft EA and request for public comment was published in the Federal Register on November 29, 2007 (72 FR 67335), seeking comments by December 28, 2007. The Department received public comments in response to its two notices and has taken them into account in preparing the Final Environmental Assessment on the EPSL Application. As required by Executive Order 13337, EPSL's pipeline application and a Draft Environmental Assessment were also transmitted to the relevant federal agencies for their review and comment on November 29, 2007. The Department of State received no objections from federal agencies regarding the issuance of a permit. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (``NEPA''), 42 U.S.C. 4321-4370f, the Council of Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA, 40 CFR Parts 1500-1508, and the Department's regulations for the implementation of NEPA, 22 CFR Part 161, EPSL has prepared a Final Environmental Assessment (FEA) under the guidance and supervision of the Department, with full public participation, including public meetings and ample opportunity for written and oral public comment on the project. Based on the FEA and the record created as part of the Department's evaluation of the EPSL application, on June 2, the Department determined that ``issuance of a Presidential Permit authorizing construction of the proposed Southern Lights Pipeline would not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment within the United States.'' Accordingly, the Department on that date adopted a ``Finding Of No Significant Impact'' (FONSI) and determined that an environmental impact statement will not be prepared on the EPSL application.

As required by the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463, the Department of State gives notice of the second meeting of the Advisory Committee on International Postal and Delivery Services. This Committee has been formed in fulfillment of the provisions of the 2006 Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (Pub. L. 109-435) and in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. Public input: Any member of the public interested in providing public input to the meeting should contact Mr. Chris Wood, whose contact information is listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice. Each individual providing oral input is requested to limit his or her comments to five minutes. Requests to be added to the speaker list must be received in writing (letter, e-mail or fax) prior to the close of business on June 13, 2008; written comments from members of the public for distribution at this meeting must reach Mr. Wood by letter, e-mail or fax by this same date. Meeting agenda: The agenda of the meeting will include information about U.S. participation in the 24th UPU Congress in Geneva, for example, the Congress calendar, U.S. proposals, major decisions expected and the views of Consultative Committee members on the issues to be considered by Congress.

The Defense Trade Advisory Group (DTAG) will meet in open session from 9 a.m. to 12 noon on Thursday, June 19, 2008, in the East Auditorium at the U.S. Department of State, Harry S. Truman Building, Washington, DC. Entry and registration will begin at 8:15 a.m. Please use the building entrance located at 21st Street, NW., Washington, DC between C & D Streets. The membership of this advisory committee consists of private sector defense trade representatives, appointed by the Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs, who advise the Department on policies, regulations, and technical issues affecting defense trade. The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss current defense trade issues and topics for further study. Members of the public may attend this open session and will be permitted to participate in the discussion in accordance with the Chair's instructions. Members of the public may, if they wish, submit a brief statement to the committee in writing. As access to the Department of State facilities is controlled, persons wishing to attend the meeting must notify the DTAG Executive Secretariat by COB Thursday, June 12, 2008. If notified after this date, the DTAG Secretariat cannot guarantee that the Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security can complete the necessary processing required to attend the June 19 plenary. Each non-member observer or DTAG member needing building access that wishes to attend this plenary session should provide: his/her name; company or organizational affiliation; phone number; date of birth; and identifying data such as driver's license number, U.S. Government ID, or U.S. Military ID, to the DTAG Secretariat contact person, Allie Frantz, via e-mail at FrantzA@state.gov. DTAG members planning to attend the plenary session should notify the DTAG Secretariat contact person, Allie Frantz, at the e-mail provided above. A RSVP list will be provided to Diplomatic Security. One of the following forms of valid photo identification will be required for admission to the Department of State building: U.S. driver's license, passport, U.S. Government ID or other valid photo ID. For additional information, contact Allie Frantz, PM/DDTC, SA-1, 12th Floor, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, Bureau of Political- Military Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC 20522-0112; telephone (202) 736-9220; FAX (202) 261-8199; or e-mail FrantzA@state.gov.

Notice is hereby given of the following determinations: Pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Act of October 19, 1965 (79 Stat. 985; 22 U.S.C. 2459), Executive Order 12047 of March 27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 (112 Stat. 2681, et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 6501 note, et seq.), Delegation of Authority No. 234 of October 1, 1999, Delegation of Authority No. 236 of October 19, 1999, as amended, and Delegation of Authority No. 257 of April 15, 2003 [68 FR 19875], I hereby determine that the objects to be included in the exhibition ``The Tsar and the President: Alexander II and Abraham Lincoln,'' imported from abroad for temporary exhibition within the United States, are of cultural significance. The objects are imported pursuant to loan agreements with the foreign owners or custodians. I also determine that the exhibition or display of the exhibit objects at the Oshkosh Public Museum, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, from on or about July 12, 2008, until on or about October 12, 2008, and at the Union Station Kansas City Museum, Kansas City, Missouri, from on or about November 1, 2008, until on or about April 19, 2009, and at possible additional exhibitions or venues yet to be determined, is in the national interest. Public Notice of these Determinations is ordered to be published in the Federal Register. This notice supersedes the notice that was published on pages 28544-28545 of the Federal Register (Volume 73, Number 96), Friday, May 16, 2008, of determinations made by the Department of State pertaining to the exhibit, ``The Tsar and the President: Alexander II and Abraham Lincoln.''

Notice is hereby given of the following determinations: Pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Act of October 19, 1965 (79 Stat. 985; 22 U.S.C. 2459), Executive Order 12047 of March 27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 (112 Stat. 2681, et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 6501 note, et seq.), Delegation of Authority No. 234 of October 1, 1999, Delegation of Authority No. 236 of October 19, 1999, as amended, and Delegation of Authority No. 257 of April 15, 2003 [68 FR 19875], I hereby determine that the objects to be included in the exhibition ``Power and Glory: Court Arts of China's Ming Dynasty'', imported from abroad for temporary exhibition within the United States, are of cultural significance. The objects are imported pursuant to loan agreements with the foreign owners or custodians. I also determine that the exhibition or display of the exhibit objects at the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, CA, from on or about June 27, 2008, until on or about September 21, 2008; the Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, IN, beginning on or about October 26, 2008, until on or about January 11, 2009, the St. Louis Museum of Art, St. Louis, MO, from on or about February 21, 2009, until on or about May 17, 2009, and at possible additional exhibitions or venues yet to be determined, is in the national interest. Public Notice of these Determinations is ordered to be published in the Federal Register.

Notice is hereby given of the following determinations: Pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Act of October 19, 1965 (79 Stat. 985; 22 U.S.C. 2459), Executive Order 12047 of March 27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 (112 Stat. 2681, et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 6501 note, et seq.), Delegation of Authority No. 234 of October 1, 1999, Delegation of Authority No. 236 of October 19, 1999, as amended, and Delegation of Authority No. 257 of April 15, 2003 [68 FR 19875], I hereby determine that the objects to be included in the exhibition ``Marlene Dumas: Measuring Your Own Grave'', imported from abroad for temporary exhibition within the United States, are of cultural significance. The objects are imported pursuant to loan agreements with the foreign owners or custodians. I also determine that the exhibition or display of the exhibit objects at The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA, from on or about June 22, 2008, until on or about September 22, 2008; The Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY, beginning on or about December 14, 2008, until on or about February 16, 2009, The Menil Collection, Houston, TX, from on or about March 26, 2009, until on or about June 21, 2009, and at possible additional exhibitions or venues yet to be determined, is in the national interest. Public Notice of these Determinations is ordered to be published in the Federal Register.

Notice is hereby given of the following determinations: Pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Act of October 19, 1965 (79 Stat. 985; 22 U.S.C. 2459), Executive Order 12047 of March 27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 (112 Stat. 2681, et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 6501 note, et seq.), Delegation of Authority No. 234 of October 1, 1999, Delegation of Authority No. 236 of October 19, 1999, as amended, and Delegation of Authority No. 257 of April 15, 2003 [68 FR 19875], I hereby determine that the objects to be included in the exhibition ``Sur Le Motif: Painting in Nature Around 1800'' to be displayed at The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, and additional objects to be displayed in the Museum's permanent collection, imported from abroad for temporary exhibition within the United States, are of cultural significance. The objects are imported pursuant to loan agreements with the foreign owners or custodians. I also determine that the exhibition or display of the exhibit and additional objects at The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, California, from on or about June 16, 2008, until on or about May 31, 2009, and at possible additional exhibitions or venues yet to be determined, is in the national interest. Public Notice of these Determinations is ordered to be published in the Federal Register.

The Department of State has renewed the Charter of the Advisory Committee on International Law. Through this Committee, the Department of State will continue to obtain the views and advice of a cross-section of the country's outstanding members of the legal profession on significant issues of international law. The Committee's consideration of these legal issues in the conduct of our foreign affairs provides a unique contribution to the creation and promotion of U.S. foreign policy. The Under Secretary for Management has determined the Committee is necessary and in the public interest. The Committee is comprised of all former Legal Advisers of the Department of State and up to 20 individuals appointed by the current Legal Adviser. The Committee follows the procedures prescribed by the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). Meetings will be open to the public unless a determination is made in accordance with section 10(d) of the FACA and 5 U.S.C. 552b(c) that a meeting or portion of the meeting should be closed to the public. Notice of each meeting will be published in the Federal Register at least 15 days prior to the meeting, unless there are extraordinary circumstances that require shorter notice. For further information, please contact Sharla Draemel, Executive Director, Advisory Committee on International Law, Department of State, at 202-776-8436 or draemels@state.gov.

On May 1, 2008, the Department of State certified, pursuant to Section 609 of Public Law 101-162 (``Section 609''), that 16 nations have adopted programs to reduce the incidental capture of sea turtles in their shrimp fisheries comparable to the program in effect in the United States. The Department also certified that the fishing environments in 24 other countries and one economy, Hong Kong, do not pose a threat of the incidental taking of sea turtles protected under Section 609. Shrimp imports from any nation not certified were prohibited effective May 1, 2008 pursuant to Section 609.