Executive Office of the President 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO), on behalf of the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET) Subcommittee of the Committee on Technology, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), will hold a workshop on March 30-31, 2010, to provide an open forum to discuss the state-of-the-art of the science related to environmental, health, and safety aspects of nanomaterials in two areas: Risk Management Methods and Ethical, Legal, and Societal Implications (ELSI) of Nanotechnology. Risk Management Methods is one of the five environmental, health, and safety research categories identified in the NSET Subcommittee document Strategy for Nanotechnology-Related Environmental, Health, and Safety Research (https://www.nano.gov/NNI_EHS_Research_Strategy.pdf), which was released February 14, 2008.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (``USTR'') is providing notice that on February 1, 2010, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (``Vietnam'') requested consultations with the United States under the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (``WTO Agreement'') concerning a number of antidumping administrative reviews and new shipper reviews conducted by the Department of Commerce on imports of certain frozen warmwater shrimp from Vietnam (Investigation A-552-801), and various U.S. laws, regulations, administrative procedures, practices, and methodologies. That request may be found at https://www.wto.org contained in a document designated as WT/DS404/1. USTR invites written comments from the public concerning the issues raised in this dispute.

On February 18, 2010, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) announced four steps to modernize, reinvigorate, and ease the use and increase the transparency of implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Enacted in 1970, NEPA is a fundamental tool used to harmonize our economic, environmental, and social aspirations and is a cornerstone of our Nation's efforts to protect the environment. NEPA recognizes that many Federal activities affect the environment and mandates that Federal agencies consider the environmental impacts of their proposed actions before acting. Additionally, NEPA emphasizes public involvement in government actions affecting the environment by requiring that the benefits and the risks associated with proposed actions be assessed and publicly disclosed.

On February 18, 2010, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) announced four steps to modernize, reinvigorate, and ease the use and increase the transparency of implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Enacted in 1970, NEPA is a fundamental tool used to harmonize our economic, environmental, and social aspirations and is a cornerstone of our Nation's efforts to protect the environment. NEPA recognizes that many Federal activities affect the environment and mandates that Federal agencies consider the environmental impacts of their proposed actions before acting. Additionally, NEPA emphasizes public involvement in government actions affecting the environment by requiring that the benefits and the risks associated with proposed actions be assessed and publicly disclosed.

With this notice, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) within the Executive Office of the President requests input from the public regarding the consumer interface with the Smart Grid. This Request for Information (RFI) will be active from February 23, 2010 to March 12, 2010. Respondents are invited to respond online via the Smart Grid Forum at https://www.nist.gov/smartgrid/, or may submit responses via electronic mail. Electronic mail responses will be re-posted on the online forum.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is proposing guidance to Federal agencies to implement Section 872 of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Pub. L. 110-417) (hereafter referred to as ``section 872''), as it relates to grants. Section 872 requires: establishment of a Governmentwide data system to contain specified information related to the integrity and performance of certain entities awarded Federal grants and contracts; and use of the information by Federal officials making awards. The proposed implementing guidance for grants also would apply to cooperative agreements, as a matter of Governmentwide policy.

On September 21, 2009, President Barack Obama released his ``Strategy for American Innovation.'' The strategy outlines the Administration's plans to foster innovation for sustainable growth and the creation of high-quality jobs.

A number of trade agreements to which the United States is a party call for the parties to establish rosters of persons available to serve on dispute settlement panels to hear disputes under those agreements. These agreements include the United States-Chile Free Trade Agreement, the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (``CAFTA-DR''), the North American Free Trade Agreement (``NAFTA''), and the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement. In some instances, an agreement will call for the establishment of more than one roster. For example, the CAFTA-DR requires the establishment of four rosters of individuals who would be available to serve as panelists in dispute settlement proceedings arising under that agreement: a general roster and rosters for disputes concerning financial services, labor, and environment matters. USTR is inviting interested persons to apply to be on one or more of these several rosters under the various agreements.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has accepted for review a petition to remove certain sleeping bags (HTS9404.30.80) from the list of products eligible for duty-free treatment under the GSP program. This notice sets forth the schedule for submitting comments and review of the petition.

Section 182 of the Trade Act of 1974 (Trade Act) (19 U.S.C. 2242) requires the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to identify countries that deny adequate and effective protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) or deny fair and equitable market access to U.S. persons who rely on intellectual property protection. (The provisions of Section 182 are commonly referred to as the ``Special 301'' provisions of the Trade Act.). The USTR is required to determine which, if any, of these countries should be identified as Priority Foreign Countries. Acts, policies, or practices that are the basis of a country's identification as a Priority Foreign Country can be subject to the procedures set out in sections 301-305 of the Trade Act.