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Federal Register Summary for week of 26 September
Agriculture Regulations for Complying With the National Environmental Policy Act
AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), USDA.
ACTION: Affirmation of interim final rule as final rule.
SUMMARY: The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS or Agency)
published an Interim Final Rule on June 25, 2008, amending its National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance regulations by clarifying
the appropriate use of a program environmental assessment (EA) and by
aligning its NEPA public involvement process with that of the Council
on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) regulations that implement NEPA. Both
changes would better align the Agency regulations with the CEQ NEPA
regulations and provide for the efficient and timely environmental
review of NRCS actions, particularly those actions where Congress has
directed NRCS action within short time periods of 60-90 days. The
Council on Environmental Quality, in accordance with their regulations,
reviewed and approved the proposed changes on June 11, 2008. The
comment period on the interim final rule closed on July 25, 2008. No
comments were received on the interim final rule. Accordingly, NRCS is
issuing this final rule to indicate that no comments were received and
to announce that the interim rule is final without change.
DATES: Effective September 23, 2008, the interim final rule published
on June 25, 2008 (73 FR 35883) is confirmed as final.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matt Harrington, National
Environmental Coordinator, Ecological Sciences Division, NRCS, P.O. Box
2890, Room 6158-S, Washington, DC 20013; telephone (202) 720-4925;
submit e-mail to: matt.harrington@wdc.usda.gov, Attention: Compliance
with NEPA comments.
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-22090.htm
Commerce NOAA Community-based Restoration Program Guidelines
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
SUMMARY: On August 24, 2005 NOAA published a notice in the Federal
Register that announced revisions to guidelines for the Community-based
Restoration Program (Program). The notice requested public comment on
proposed updates to the guidelines that describe how the Program is
implemented, and notified the public about a constituent feedback
meeting that was scheduled for September 13, 2005 in Washington DC.
This notice makes minor changes to the previously published guidelines
and responds generally to the comments received, summarizes the
constituent feedback meeting in Washington, D.C., and highlights
specific authorization for the Program established in the Magnuson-
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of
2006. NOAA expects to periodically update these guidelines every 3 to 5
years to reflect the evolution of the Program. This is not a
solicitation of project proposals.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robin Bruckner, (301) 713-0174, or by
e-mail at Robin.Bruckner@noaa.gov.
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-22708.htm
Environmental Protection Agency Notice of Access to EPA Library Services
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
SUMMARY: EPA is enhancing access to library services for the public and
Agency staff. EPA will open previously closed libraries in its National
Library Network, with walk-in access for the public and EPA staff.
Other library locations will expand staffing, operating hours, or
services. This notice provides information regarding how members of the
public can access the libraries and services beginning September 30,
2008.
ADDRESSES: The locations of the opening libraries are:
- Chicago--EPA Region 5 Library, 16th Floor, Metcalf Building, 77
West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60604; Phone 312-886-6822; Fax 312-
886-1492; E-mail: library.r05@epa.gov; Hours 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday
through Thursday; Contact Jessica McIntyre-Himes 312-353-8559.
- Dallas--EPA Region 6 Library, Suite 1200, 1445 Ross Avenue,
Dallas, TX 75202; Phone 214-665-6424; Fax 214-665-8574; E-mail:
Region6.library@epa.gov; Hours 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday through Thursday;
Contact Laurie Carter 214-665-6566.
- Kansas City--EPA Region 7 Library, 901 North 5th Street, Kansas
City, KS 66101; Phone 913-551-7979; Fax 913-551-8762; E-mail: R7-
Library@epa.gov; Hours 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday through Thursday; Contact
Alice Todd 913-551-7504.
- Washington, DC--EPA Headquarters and Chemical Libraries, Room
3340, EPA West Building, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC
20004; Phone 202-566-0556; Fax 202-566-0574; E-mail:
hqchemlibraries@epa.gov; Hours 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday; Contact Carlton Burns 202-566-0673.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Deborah Balsamo, Mailcode N127-05,
Office of Environmental Information, Information Access Division,
Environmental Protection Agency, 109 Alexander Drive, Research Triangle
Park, NC 27711; Phone 919-541-9412; E-mail: Balsamo.Deborah@epa.gov.
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-22468.htm
Science Advisory Board Staff Office Notification of a Meeting of the Science Advisory Board
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
SUMMARY: The EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office announces a
public face-to-face meeting of the chartered SAB to: discuss future
environmental science issues within the context of EPA's research
directions and priorities, and conduct quality reviews of up to three
Draft SAB reports.
DATES: The meeting dates are Monday, October 27, 2008, from 8:30 a.m.
to 5 p.m. through Tuesday, October 28, 2008, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30
p.m. (Eastern Time).
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Mayflower Hotel, 1127
Connecticut Avenue, NW., Washington, DC; phone (202) 347-4430.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Members of the public who wish to
obtain further information about this meeting may contact Mr. Thomas O.
Miller, Designated Federal Officer (DFO), by mail at EPA SAB Staff
Office, (1400F), U.S. EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington,
DC 20460; by telephone at (202) 343-9982; by fax at (202) 233-0643; or
by e-mail at miller.tom@epa.gov. The SAB mailing address is U.S. EPA,
Science Advisory Board (1400F), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.,
Washington, DC 20460. General information about the SAB, as well as any
updates concerning the meeting announced in this notice, may be found
on the SAB Web site at http://www.epa.gov/sab.
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-22539.htm
Executive Office of the President Draft 2008 Report to Congress on the Benefits and Costs of Federal Regulations
AGENCY: Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President.
ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.
SUMMARY: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requests comments on
its Draft 2008 Report to Congress on the Benefits and Costs of Federal
Regulation. The full Draft Report is available at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/inforeg/regpol-reports_congress.html, and is
divided into four chapters. Chapter I examines the benefits and costs
of major Federal regulations issued in fiscal year 2007 and summarizes
the benefits and costs of major regulations issued between September
1997 and 2007. It also discusses regulatory impacts on State, local,
and tribal governments, small business, wages, and economic growth.
Chapter II examines trends in regulation since OMB began to compile
benefit and cost estimates records in 1981. Chapter III provides an
update on implementation of the Information Quality Act, and Chapter IV
summarizes agency compliance with the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.
DATES: To ensure consideration of comments as OMB prepares this Draft
Report for submission to Congress, comments must be in writing and
received by 45 days after publication.
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-22324.htm
Interior North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) Grant Programs
Information Collection Sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Approval; OMB Control Number 1018-0100; North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) Grant Programs
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
SUMMARY: We (Fish and Wildlife Service) have sent an Information
Collection Request (ICR) to OMB for review and approval. The ICR, which
is summarized below, describes the nature of the collection and the
estimated burden and cost. This ICR is scheduled to expire on September
30, 2008. We may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to
respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently
valid OMB control number. However, under OMB regulations, we may
continue to conduct or sponsor this information collection while it is
pending at OMB.
DATES: You must submit comments on or before October 27, 2008.
ADDRESSES: Send your comments and suggestions on this ICR to the Desk
Officer for the Department of the Interior at OMB-OIRA at (202) 395-
6566 (fax) or OIRADOCKET@OMB.eop.gov (e-mail). Please provide a copy
of your comments to Hope Grey, Information Collection Clearance
Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service, MS 222-ARLSQ, 4401 North Fairfax
Drive, Arlington, VA 22203 (mail), or hopegrey@fws.gov (e-mail).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information
about this ICR, contact Hope Grey by mail or e-mail (see ADDRESSES) or
by telephone at (703) 358-2482.
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-22470.htm
Health and Human Services Notice of a Meeting of an NIH Blue Ribbon Panel
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
National Institutes of Health
Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health; Office of Biotechnology Activity; Recombinant DNA Research; Notice of a Meeting of an NIH Blue Ribbon Panel
There will be a meeting of the NIH Blue Ribbon Panel to advise on
the Risk Assessment of the National Emerging Infectious Diseases
Laboratories (NEIDL). The meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 14,
2008, at the Roxbury Center for the Arts, Hibernian Hall, 184 Dudley
Street, Roxbury, MA 02119 from approximately 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Discussions will focus on principles and strategies for effective
community engagement. There will also be time allotted on the agenda
for public comment.
Sign up for public comment will begin at approximately 5:30 p.m. on
October 14, 2008. In the event that time does not allow for all those
interested to present oral comments, anyone may file written comments
using the address below.
For further information concerning this meeting contact Ms. Laurie
Lewallen, Advisory Committee Coordinator, Office of Biotechnology
Activities, Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health, Mail
Stop Code 7985, Bethesda, MD 20892-7985, telephone 301-496-9838, e-mail
lewallla@od.nih.gov. Background information may be obtained by
contacting NIH OBA by e-mail oba@od.nih.gov.
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-22313.htm
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