Standards and Trade Related Notices from the U.S. Federal Register, 4.17.09

U.S. Federal Register Update April 11, 2009 – April 17, 2009

The U.S. Federal Register Update contains summaries of entries in the U.S. Federal Register that relate to the standards and conformity assessment community. Summaries are divided into items that would be of broad interest to the entire community (top section) and items that may be more targeted toward specific stakeholders (bottom section). This update is provided on a weekly basis by ANSI as a service to its members as part of the ANSI What’s New? email newsletter. To access the full Federal Register entry for any of the summaries below, please visit http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/retrieve.html, select Volume 74, and enter the first page number of the announcement you would like to view. To view more detailed instructions on accessing full entries in the Federal Register, please click here. For more information on keywords used to search FR announcements, please click here. If you would like to subscribe to the What’s New? newsletter, or to provide feedback about this Federal Register Update, please contact [email protected].

Broad Interest Items Topic Proposed Extension of Approval of Information Collection; Comment Request--Children's Sleepwear

Date-CFR-Ref.-Pages 04/16/2009 N/A EPA pp. 17559-17579 Standard Ref. GLP Summary As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Consumer Product Safety Commission (Commission) requests comments on a proposed extension of approval, for a period of three years from the date of approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), of a collection of information from manufacturers and importers of children's sleepwear. This collection of information is in the Standard for the Flammability of Children's Sleepwear: Sizes 0 through 6X and the Standard for the Flammability of Children's Sleepwear: Sizes 7 through 14 and regulations implementing those standards. See 16 CFR Parts 1615 and 1616. The children's sleepwear standards and implementing regulations establish requirements for testing and recordkeeping by manufacturers and importers of children's sleepwear. The Commission will consider all comments received in response to this notice before requesting an extension of approval of this collection of information from OMB.

Topic Issuance and Availability of Draft Regulatory Guide

Date-CFR-Ref.-Pages 04/15/2009 N/A NRC p. 17547 Standard Ref. N/A Summary The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing for public comment a draft regulatory guide in the agency's ``Regulatory Guide'' series. This series was developed to describe and make available to the public such information as methods that are acceptable to the NRC staff for implementing specific parts of the NRC's regulations, techniques that the staff uses in evaluating specific problems or postulated accidents, and data that the staff needs in its review of applications for permits and licenses.

Targeted Interest Items Topic Privacy Act of 1974; Notice of Modified System of Records

Date-CFR-Ref.-Pages 04/16/2009 N/A HHS pp. 17672-17676 Standard Ref. N/A Summary In accordance with the requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974, CMS is proposing to make minor amendments to an existing system of records (SOR) titled, ``Performance Measurement and Reporting System (PMRS),'' System No. 09-70-0584, published at 72 Federal Register 52133 (September 12, 2007), as amended by 73 Federal Register 80412 (December 31, 2008). PMRS serves as a master system of records to assist in projects that provide transparency in health care on a broad-scale enabling consumers to compare the quality and price of health care services so that they can make informed choices among individual physicians, practitioners, and other providers of services. We are making minor amendments to PMRS to include an additional legal authority: Section 109 of the Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 (TRHCA) (Pub. L. 109-432). Section 109 of the TRHCA amended Section 1833(t) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395l(t)). This section mandates the establishment of a program for quality data reporting for hospital outpatient services and allow for the establishment of a program to require quality data reporting for ambulatory surgical center services. Accordingly, CMS is adding section 109 of TRCHA (42 U.S.C. 1395l(t)) and section 1833(t) of the Act to the PMRS' legal authority section. The primary purpose of this system is explained in 72 FR 52133 (2007) and 73 FR 80412 (2008). We have provided background information about this modified system in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below.

Topic Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program; Policies and Procedures for Initial Screening; Final List of Initial Pesticide Active Ingredients and Pesticide Inert Ingredients To Be Screened Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; Notices

Date-CFR-Ref.-Pages 04/15/2009 N/A EPA pp. 17559-17579 Standard Ref. GLP Summary This document describes the policies and procedures EPA generally intends to adopt for initial screening of chemicals under the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP). The EDSP is established under section 408(p) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), which requires endocrine screening of all pesticide chemicals and was established in response to growing scientific evidence that humans, domestic animals, and fish and wildlife species have exhibited adverse health consequences from exposure to environmental chemicals that interact with their endocrine systems. In December 2007, EPA sought comment on its draft policies and procedures for initial screening under the EDSP. Following review and revision based on the public comments, EPA is now describing the specific details of the policies and procedures that EPA generally intends to adopt for initial screening under the EDSP, including the statutory requirements associated with and format of the test orders, as well as EPA's procedures for fair and equitable sharing of test costs and handling confidential data.

Topic Final Test Guidelines; Notice of Availability of Several Revised Test Guidelines Date-CFR-Ref.-Pages 04/15/2009 N/A EPA pp. 17559-17579 Standard Ref. GLP Summary With this notice, EPA is announcing the availability of several revised or updated test guidelines for the unified library of harmonized test guidelines issued by the Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances (OPPTS). The OPPTS Harmonized Test Guidelines are for use in the testing of chemical substances or pesticides where appropriate to develop data for submission to EPA under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), or the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Specifically, EPA is announcing the availability of revised test guidelines under Series 830- Product Performance Test Guidelines, Series 835-Fate, Transport and Transformation Test Guidelines, and Series 860-Residue Chemistry Test Guidelines.

Topic Ocean Acidification and Marine pH Water Quality Criteria

Date-CFR-Ref.-Pages 04/15/2009 N/A EPA pp. 17484-17487 Standard Ref. N/A Summary This NODA provides interested parties with information submitted to EPA on ocean acidification and solicits additional pertinent data or information that may be useful in addressing this issue. In addition, EPA is notifying the public of its intent to review the current aquatic life criterion for marine pH to determine if a revision is warranted to protect the marine designated uses of States and Territories pursuant to Section 304(a)(1) of the Clean Water Act. The NODA also solicits additional scientific information and data, as well as ideas for effective strategies for Federal, State, and local officials to address the impacts of ocean acidification. This information can then be used as the basis for a broader discussion of ocean acidification and marine impacts. EPA also requests information pertaining to monitoring marine pH and implementation of pH water quality standards.

Topic Review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Carbon Monoxide

Date-CFR-Ref.-Pages 04/15/2009 N/A EPA pp. 17490-17491 Standard Ref. NAAQS Summary On or about April 15, 2009, the Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards (OAQPS) of EPA is making available for public review and comment a planning document titled Carbon Monoxide National Ambient Air Quality Standards: Scope and Methods Plan for Health Risk and Exposure Assessment. This document describes EPA's planned approach for developing analyses as part of the review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for carbon monoxide (CO). The EPA is releasing this planning document to seek consultation with the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) and to solicit public comments.

Topic Pipeline Safety: Incorporation by Reference Update: American Petroleum Institute (API) Standards 5L and 1104

Date-CFR-Ref.-Pages 04/14/2009 49 CFR Parts 192 and 195 PHMSA pp. 17099-17102 Standard Ref. API, ISO Summary This direct final rule incorporates by reference the most recent editions of API Specification 5L ``Specification for Line Pipe'' and API 1104 ``Welding of Pipelines and Related Facilities.'' The purpose of this update is to enable pipeline operators to utilize current technology, materials, and practices to help maintain a high level of safety relative to their pipeline operations. PHMSA is not eliminating the use of the current referenced standards but simply allowing the additional use of these new standards. PHMSA may in the future propose to eliminate the incorporation of the existing referenced standards.

Topic Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for General Service Fluorescent Lamps and Incandescent Reflector Lamps; Proposed Rule

Date-CFR-Ref.-Pages 04/13/2009 10 CFR Part 430 DOE pp. 16919-16968 Standard Ref. ANSI, NEMA Summary The Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and commercial and industrial equipment, including general service fluorescent lamps (GSFL) and incandescent reflector lamps (IRL), and the statute also requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to subsequently determine whether more stringent, amended standards for GSFL and IRL would be technologically feasible and economically justified, and would save a significant amount of energy. In addition, EPCA directs DOE to consider adoption of standards for additional GSFL not already covered by EPCA- prescribed standards. In this notice, DOE proposes amended energy conservation standards for certain GSFL and IRL and new energy conservation standards for certain additional GSFL not currently covered by standards.