[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 235 (Thursday, December 7, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 62702]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-29884]



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APPALACHIAN REGIONAL COMMISSION

5 CFR Part 1900


Repeal of Employee Responsibilities and Conduct Regulations for 
Appalachian Regional Commission Federal Employees (Federal Staff)

AGENCY: Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC or Agency).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Appalachian Regional Commission is issuing as a final rule 
regulations for the officers and employees of the Agency's Federal 
staff which repeal its superseded employee standards of conduct and 
cross-reference the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the 
Executive Branch (Standards) and Executive Branch Financial Disclosure, 
Qualified Trusts, and Certificates of Divestiture Regulations 
(Regulations) issued by the Office of Government Ethics (OGE).

EFFECTIVE DATE: December 7, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Guy Paul Land, Counsel to the Federal Co-Chairman, Appalachian Regional 
Commission, 1666 Connecticut Avenue NW., Washington DC 20235, 202-884-
7660.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 7, 1992, OGE published Standards 
of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch. The 
Standards, which are codified at 5 CFR part 2635, became effective on 
February 3, 1993. They established uniform ethical conduct standards 
applicable to all executive branch personnel and hence are applicable 
to ARC Federal employees. On April 7, 1993, OGE also published the 
Executive Branch Financial Disclosure, Qualified Trusts, and 
Certificates of Divestiture Regulations which are applicable to all 
executive branch employees. The Financial Disclosure Regulations, which 
are codified at 5 CFR part 2634, took effect upon publication except 
for the rules on confidential disclosure which became effective on 
October 5, 1992. These Regulations are also applicable to ARC Federal 
employees. As a result of the implementation by OGE of the Standards of 
Conduct and Financial Disclosure Regulations for executive branch 
personnel, on the effective date of this final rule, the Agency's 
regulations on employee Responsibilities and Conduct, 5 CFR part 1900, 
will be amended to remove sections 1900.735-101 through 1900.735-108 
and add a new section 1900.100 to provide a cross-reference to the 
Executive Branch Standards and Financial Disclosure Regulations.

Administrative Procedure Act

    Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b), the Appalachian Regional Commission 
finds good cause exists for waiving the general notice of proposed 
rulemaking as to this final rule. The notice is being waived because 
this rulemaking relating to ARC Federal employees concerns matters of 
agency organization, practice and procedure. Further, it is in the 
public interest that the final rule, which repeals superseded ARC 
regulations and promulgates a cross-reference to the currently 
effective branch-wide Standards and Financial Disclosure Regulations, 
become effective upon publication in the Federal Register.

Executive Order 12866

    In promulgating this final regulation, the Appalachian Regional 
Commission adhered to the regulatory philosophy and the applicable 
principles of regulation set forth in section 1 of Executive Order 
12866, Regulatory Planning and Review. This final rule has not been 
reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget under that Executive 
order, since it deals with agency organization, management, and 
personnel matters and is not in any event deemed ``significant'' 
thereunder.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Appalachian Regional Commission has determined under the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 6) that this regulation 
will not have a significant impact on small business entities because 
it affects only ARC Federal employees.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Appalachian Regional Commission has determined that the 
Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35) does not apply because 
this regulation does not contain any information collection 
requirements that require the approval of the Office of Management and 
Budget.

List of Subjects in 5 CFR Part 1900

    Conflict of interests, Government employees.

    Approved: November 30, 1995.
Jesse L. White, Jr.,
Federal Co-Chairman, Appalachian Regional Commission.

    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, the Appalachian Regional 
Commission is revising part 1900 of title 5 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations to read as follows:

PART 1900--EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 7301, 40 U.S.C. App. 106.

    Section 1900.100 Cross-references to employee ethical conduct 
standards and financial disclosure regulations.
    Officers and employees of the Appalachian Regional Commission 
Federal Staff are subject to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for 
Employees of the Executive Branch at 5 CFR part 3635 and the executive 
branch-wide financial disclosure regulations at 5 CFR part 2634.

[FR Doc. 95-29884 Filed 12-6-95; 8:45 am]
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