This Committee meeting is available to the public through the registration link above. Any interested member of the public may attend this meeting. An open comment period will be provided to allow members of the public to make oral statements as time allows. Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, public minutes of the meeting will include a list of persons who are present at the meeting. If joining via phone, callers can expect to incur regular charges for calls they initiate over wireless lines, according to their wireless plan. The Commission will not refund any incurred charges. Callers will incur no charge for calls they initiate over land-line connections to the toll-free telephone number. Closed captioning is available by selecting “CC” in the meeting platform. To request additional accommodations, please email ebohor@usccr.gov at least 10 business days prior to the meeting.

Members of the public are entitled to submit written comments; the comments must be received in the regional office within 30 days following the scheduled meeting. Written comments may be emailed to Evelyn Bohor at ebohor@usccr.gov. Persons who desire additional information may contact the Regional Programs Coordination Unit at 1-202-809-9618.

Records generated from this meeting may be inspected and reproduced at the Regional Programs Coordination Unit Office, as they become available, both before and after the meeting. Records of the meetings will be available via www.facadatabase.gov under the Commission on Civil Rights, District of Columbia Advisory Committee link. Persons interested in the work of this Committee are directed to the Commission's website, http://www.usccr.gov, or may contact the Regional Programs Coordination Unit at ebohor@usccr.gov.

On August 1, 2023, Commerce published in the Federal Register the final results of the 2021 administrative review of the AD order on softwood lumber from Canada. 1 Commerce incorrectly stated the all-others rate established in the less than fair value investigation to be 6.58 percent. The correct all-others rate established in the less than fair value investigation is 6.04 percent.

In the Federal Register of August 1, 2023, in FR Doc 2023-16298, on page 50108, in the second column, replace the all-others rate of “6.58” percent with “6.04” percent.

This notice is issued and published in accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, and 19 CFR 351.213.

On September 10, 2007, Commerce entered into an agreement to suspend the antidumping duty investigation on lemon juice from Argentina. 1 On October 20, 2016, Commerce and producers/exporters accounting for substantially all imports of lemon juice from Argentina signed the 2016 Agreement. 2

On May 22, 2024, Commerce formally opened consultations with the signatory producers/exporters with respect to possible revisions to the 2016 Agreement. 3 On December 20, 2024, Commerce released a draft initialed agreement and invited comments from interested parties. 4 On January 2, 2025, Commerce released its draft statutory assessment memorandum pursuant to the draft amendment and invited interested party comments. 5 We received comments on the draft amendment from the following parties: Ventura Coastal, LLC (petitioner); Latin Lemon S.A. and Cooperativa de Productores Citricolas de Tafi Viejo (collectively, Latin Lemon and COTA); the Government of Argentina (GOA); and S.A. San Miguel A.G.I.C.I. y F, La Moraleja S.A., Citromax S.A.C.I., Vicente Trapani S.A., Citrusvil S.A., Pablo Padilla, Ledesma S.A.A.I., Ramón Tuma S.A., Argenti Lemon S.A., FGF Trapani S.A., Acheral, Litoral Citrus, Veracruz, Los Pempa Agroganadera S.A., and Inducítrica S.A (collectively, Argentine Exporters). In addition, Commerce received comments on the draft statutory assessment memorandum from the GOA.

On January 17, 2025, after consideration of the interested party and other comments received, Commerce and a representative of the signatory producers/exporters accounting for substantially all imports of lemon juice from Argentina signed a finalized amendment to the 2016 Agreement. 6 In accordance with section 734(c) of the Act, we have determined that extraordinary circumstances, as defined by section 734(c)(2)(A) of the Act, exist with respect to the amended 2016 Agreement. We have also determined that the amended 2016 Agreement will eliminate completely the injurious effect of exports to the United States of the subject merchandise and prevent the suppression or undercutting of price levels of domestic lemon juice by imports of that merchandise from Argentina, as required by section 734(c)(1) of the Act. We have also determined that the amended 2016 Agreement is in the public interest and can be monitored effectively, as required under section 734(d) of the Act. For these reasons, we find that the amended 2016 Agreement meets the criteria of section 734(c) and (d) of the Act. The text of the amendment to the 2016 Agreement follows in the Annex of this notice.

The product covered by this amended 2016 Agreement is lemon juice for further manufacture, with or without addition of preservatives, sugar, or other sweeteners, regardless of the GPL (grams per liter of citric acid) level of concentration, brix level, brix/acid ratio, pulp content, clarity, grade, horticulture method ( e.g., organic or not), processed form ( e.g., frozen or not-from-concentrate), FDA standard of identity, the size of the container in which packed, or the method of packing.

Excluded from the scope are: (1) Lemon juice at any level of concentration packed in retail-sized containers ready for sale to consumers, typically at a level of concentration of 48 GPL; and (2) beverage products such as lemonade that typically contain 20% or less lemon juice as an ingredient.

Lemon juice is classifiable under subheadings 2009.39.6020, 2009.31.6020, 2009.31.4000, 2009.31.6040, and 2009.39.6040 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). While HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, our written description of the scope of this 2016 Agreement is dispositive.

The administrative protective order (APO) Commerce granted in the suspension agreement segment of this proceeding remains in place and effective for the amended 2016 Agreement. All new interested parties requesting access to business proprietary information submitted during the administration of the amended 2016 Agreement, under the APO currently in effect, must submit an APO application in accordance with Commerce's regulations currently in effect. 7

We are issuing and publishing this notice in accordance with section 734(f)(1)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.208(g)(2).

The Agreement Suspending the Antidumping Duty Investigation on Lemon Juice from Argentina signed on October 20, 2016 (2016 Agreement) is amended as set forth below (2025 Amendment) (collectively, Agreement).

If a provision of the 2016 Agreement conflicts with a provision of this 2025 Amendment, the provision of the 2025 Amendment shall supersede the provision of the 2016 Agreement to the extent of the conflict. All other provisions of the 2016 Agreement and their applicability continue with full force.

The United States Department of Commerce (the Department) and the signatory producers and exporters of Lemon Juice from Argentina (individually, Signatory; collectively, Signatories) hereby agree as follows:

Section II.D is replaced with the following ( changes in italics ):

“Effective Date of the 2016 Agreement” means the date on which the Department and the signatory producers and exporters sign ed the 2016 Agreement. Additionally, the “Effective Date of the 2025 Amendment” means the date on which the Department and the Signatories sign the 2025 Amendment.

“Adjustment Mechanism” is the means by which the Reference Prices may change as described in Appendix I.

The first paragraph is replaced with the following ( changes in italics ):

Each Signatory individually agrees that, to prevent price suppression or undercutting, it will not sell for export to the United States, on or after the Effective Date of the 2025 Amendment, Lemon Juice at prices that are less than the Reference Prices established in Appendix 1 I (as amended by the 2025 Amendment), except for shipments pursuant to Section VII.C.4 which must be sold at prices that are at or above the Reference Prices established in Appendix I of the 2016 Agreement for sales from signatory producers/exporters to the 2016 Agreement.

Section VII.C—Shipping and Other Arrangements—is amended as follows by replacing Paragraphs 1 through 3 with the following ( changes in italics ) and adding new Paragraphs 4 and 5 as follows:

1. All r R eference p P rices will be expressed in U.S. $/Gallon in accordance with Appendix I of this Agreement. All r R eference p P rices are F.O.B. Buenos Aires, Argentina. The Reference Prices may be adjusted by means of the Adjustment Mechanism described in Appendix I.

2. Signatories agree not to take any action that would circumvent or otherwise evade, or defeat the purpose of, this Agreement. Signatories agree to undertake any measures that will help to prevent circumvention, including entering into consultations with the Department, as requested, under Section VII.E.1 of the Agreement.

3. Not later than thirty days after the end of each quarter, each Signatory will submit a written statement to the Department certifying that all sales during the most recently completed quarter were at net prices (after rebates, back billing, discounts for quality and other claims) at or above the Reference Prices in effect and were not part of, or related to, any act or practice which would have the effect of hiding the real price of the Lemon Juice being sold. Further, each Signatory will certify in this same statement that all sales made during the relevant quarter were not part of or related to any bundling arrangement, discounts/free goods/financing package, end-of-year rebates, swap, or other exchange where such arrangement is designed to circumvent the basis of the Agreement. Each Signatory will also include the quantity and value of sales, by product type, and, separately, of shipments, by product type, during the most recently completed quarter. Each Signatory will additionally submit a written statement to the Department certifying that neither it nor its affiliates has undertaken any exports of Lemon Juice to the United States made indirectly through third countries that are not in compliance with or are otherwise circumventing the Agreement. Each Signatory that did not export Lemon Juice to the United States during any given quarter will submit a written statement to the Department certifying that it made no sales to the United States during the most recently completed quarter. Each Signatory agrees to permit full verification of its these quarterly certification s as the Department deems necessary. Failure to provide a the relevant quarterly certification s may be considered a Violation of the Agreement.

4. For the period from the Effective Date of the 2025 Amendment through 30 days from Effective Date of the 2025 Amendment, Signatories may proceed with shipments of Lemon Juice to their first unaffiliated U.S. customers made pursuant to any and all sales agreements entered into prior to the Effective Date of the 2025 Amendment. All such shipments must have physically entered into the United States no later than 30 days from the Effective Date of the 2025 Amendment and, for signatory producers/exporters to the 2016 Agreement, must be in compliance with the terms, including the Reference Prices in Appendix I and subsequent updates, of the 2016 Agreement.

Any Signatory making shipments during the above-referenced period ( i.e., 30 days from the Effective Date of the 2025 Amendment) of subject merchandise pursuant to sales agreements entered into prior to the Effective Date of the 2025 Amendment must provide a one-time report to the Department, within 60 days of the Effective Date of the 2025 Amendment, which contains a listing of: the contract or purchase order dates; the delivery quantities; the dates of export, entry, and delivery; and the prices at which the subject merchandise was sold. This information will be subject to verification in accordance with Section VII.B.4 of the Agreement.

At any time, should the Department determine that the sales agreement date was not the appropriate date of sale for a Signatory making such shipments, or that such shipments for signatory producers/exporters to the 2016 Agreement did not otherwise comply with the terms of the 2016 Agreement, the Department may consider such deliveries to be a Violation of the Agreement.

5. The parties to this Agreement acknowledge that, in accordance with Argentine regulations, Argentine lemon juice producers and exporters exporting to the United States will become Signatories to the Agreement. Signatories will fully comply with all Argentine regulations and requirements related to the Government of Argentina's export authorization system covering Signatory shipments of Lemon Juice from Argentina to the United States. The Signatories acknowledge that compliance with the Argentine export authorization system supports the operation of the Agreement. Furthermore, pursuant to any data exchange program between U.S. and Government of Argentina agencies, the Department will review, as appropriate, monthly reports of such authorizations to determine whether there have been imports that are inconsistent with the provisions of the Agreement.

Section VII.E—Consultations—is amended as follows:

Section VII.E.1—Compliance Consultations—New Sub-paragraph 1.e is added as follows:

1.e If through compliance consultations under Section VII.E.1 the Department determines that a Signatory has committed acts of non-compliance not found to meet the definition of a Violation under the terms of the Agreement, the Department may temporarily suspend the Signatory's status as a signatory. The Department's actions with regard to non-compliance found to meet the definition of a Violation will be governed by Section VIII (“Violations”) of the Agreement.

Section VII.E.2—Operations Consultations—Paragraphs 2.a and b are replaced with the following ( changes in italics ):

a. The Department will consult with the Signatories regarding the operation of this Agreement. A party to the Agreement The Department or the Signatories, collectively, may request such consultations, as necessary, except for consultations to revise the Reference Prices which must be requested in accordance with the Adjustment Mechanism described in Appendix I.

b. Notwithstanding the previous paragraph, the parties may agree to revise the Reference Prices subject to consultations.

Consistent with the requirements of section 734(c) of the Act, to eliminate completely the injurious effect of exports to the United States and to prevent the suppression or undercutting of price levels of domestic lemon juice, the Reference Prices are as follows:

The Reference Prices specified above are for all sales of Lemon Juice at the specified GPL, regardless of horticultural method ( i.e., whether organic or not).

The Reference Prices include all expenses incurred prior to shipment from the port of export in Argentina. In accordance with the terms of sale, the final sales price to the first unaffiliated U.S. customer for all Lemon Juice from Argentina exported directly, or indirectly through a third country, to the United States shall include all relevant movement and handling expenses beyond the port of export in Argentina ( e.g., Buenos Aires, Argentina) and in excess of the Reference Prices, i.e., the F.O.B. Buenos Aires, Argentina, price.

Additional conversion factors and product types may be added to the Agreement. Signatories may request that the Department add a new conversion factor or product type by filing a written public request on the official record of the Agreement. Within ten days of the filing of the request, interested parties may comment on the requested additional conversion factor or product types, including the appropriate reference price that should apply to a new product type. The Department will consider such requests for new conversion factors or product types and issue a determination in a timely manner. Additional conversion factors or product types would apply to sales by all Signatories going forward.

The Reference Prices shall remain in effect through December 31, 2025.

Before January 15, 2026, and on or before January 15 of any subsequent year, the parties to the proceeding may request that the Department adjust the Reference Prices. The Department will normally issue any final revised Reference Prices within 30 days of receiving the written request. However, if needed, and with good cause, the Department may extend the deadline.

For purposes of the Adjustment Mechanism, the following definitions apply:

A. “Base Reference Prices” means the minimum prices for clear and cloudy frozen, concentrated Lemon Juice at 400 GPL.

B. “Weighted-Average Import Price” means the total value of U.S. imports of lemon juice divided by the total volume of U.S. imports of lemon juice from Argentina and, unless good cause is demonstrated, from all countries not subject to antidumping duty orders or investigations. The source of the import value and volume will be publicly available import statistics from the United States Census Bureau (Census), using the HTSUS subheading(s) applicable to clear and cloudy frozen concentrated Lemon Juice at 400GPL.

The Reference Prices may be adjusted via the following mechanism:

1. On or before January 15, a party to the proceeding may submit a written request for an adjustment to the Base Reference Prices.

2. The written request must demonstrate that the Weighted-Average Import Price has changed significantly during a period of no less than 4 months prior to the request. For the purposes of the Adjustment Mechanism, “significantly” means a change of at least 10 percentage points (higher or lower) than the starting point of the data series used for the demonstration. The data series must include at least 4 months, and must include the month for which the most recent data is available from Census.

3. If, after review of the request and consultations with the parties, the Department concludes that the Weighted-Average Import Price has changed significantly, then the Department will adjust the Base Reference Prices. Any such adjustment shall be based on a percentage change to the Base Reference Prices that is equal to half of the measured change in the Weighted-Average Import Price. For example, if the Base Reference Price is $10.50/gallon for 400 GPL cloudy Lemon Juice and

a. the Weighted-Average Import Price has fallen by 10 percent, then the Base Reference Price would be adjusted to $9.98/gallon ( i.e., $10.50−(10% * 50% * $10.50)).

b. the Weighted-Average Import Price has increased by 10 percent, then the Base Reference Price would be adjusted to $11.03/gallon ( i.e., $10.50 + (10% * 50% * $10.50)).

4. In addition to the Base Reference Prices, the Department will adjust all Reference Prices for the conversion factors in effect in the Reference Price chart, as updated, in Appendix I of the Agreement according to the Department's established methodology.

If any extenuating circumstances occur in the U.S. market for lemon juice, the Department may, at its discretion, request consultations on revisions to the Reference Prices at any time.

On December 2, 2021, Commerce published in the Federal Register the final results of the 2019 administrative review of the AD order on softwood lumber from Canada. 1 Commerce incorrectly stated the all-others rate established in the less than fair value investigation to be 6.58 percent. The correct all-others rate established in the less than fair value investigation is 6.04 percent.

In the Federal Register of December 2, 2021, in FR Doc 2021-26149, on page 68473, in the first column, replace the all-others rate of “6.58” percent with “6.04” percent.

This notice is issued and published in accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, and 19 CFR 351.213.

On January 17, 2025, the United States and the Government of Vietnam signed an agreement regarding the WTO dispute United States—Anti-Dumping Measures on Fish Fillets from Viet Nam (DS536). On January 17, 2025, the United States, through USTR, and the Government of Vietnam notified the WTO Dispute Settlement Body that they had reached a mutually agreed solution with respect to the matters raised in this WTO dispute.

In light of the agreement, Commerce is issuing this notice revoking Vinh Hoan  1 from the Order, 2 effective August 1, 2021. Therefore, merchandise produced and exported by Vinh Hoan is excluded from the Order. Accordingly, Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to liquidate unliquidated entries of certain frozen fish fillets from Vietnam produced and exported by Vinh Hoan which were entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after August 1, 2021, without regard to antidumping duties. 3 Commerce will also instruct CBP to discontinue the suspension of liquidation and the collection of cash deposits for estimated antidumping duties for entries of certain frozen fish fillets produced and exported by Vinh Hoan.

Because there is no further basis for conducting administrative reviews of the Order with respect to merchandise produced and exported by Vinh Hoan for any period of review after August 1, 2021, Commerce does not intend to further conduct the ongoing administrative reviews under section 751(a)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, for the August 1, 2022, through July 1, 2023, and August 1, 2023, through July 1, 2024, periods of review with respect to Vinh Hoan as the exporter and producer. 4

On November 12, 2024, Commerce published in the Federal Register the notice of the final results of the 2022 administrative review of the CVD order on wooden cabinets from China. 1 In this notice, Commerce did not identify Ancientree's cross-owned affiliates. 2

In the Federal Register of November 12, 2024, in FR Doc 2024-26175, on page 88963, in the table under the heading “Final Results of Administrative Review,” correct the first company name in the table ( i.e., The Ancientree Cabinet Co., Ltd.) to add a footnote after the company name which reads “Commerce finds the following companies to be cross-owned with Ancientree: Jiangsu Hongjia Wood Co., Ltd.; Jiangsu Hongjia Wood Co., Ltd. Shanghai Branch; and Jiangsu Yunru Technology Industry Co., Ltd.”

This notice is issued and published in accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, and 19 CFR 351.221(b)(5).

On August 9, 2022, Commerce published in the Federal Register the final results of the 2020 administrative review of the AD order on softwood lumber from Canada. 1 Commerce incorrectly stated the all-others rate established in the less than fair value investigation to be 6.58 percent. The correct all-others rate established in the less than fair value investigation is 6.04 percent.

In the Federal Register of August 9, 2022, in FR Doc 2022-17065, on page 48466, in the third column, replace the all-others rate of “6.58” percent with “6.04” percent.

This notice is issued and published in accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, and 19 CFR 351.213.

This is a request for extension of an approved information collection.

The Nation Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Office of Science and Technology is sponsoring the collection Economic Surveys of Specific US Commercial Fisheries.

The requested information includes different components of operating costs/expenditures, earnings, ownership, vessel characteristics, effort/gear descriptors, employment, and demographic information for the various types of fishing vessels operating in the 16 U.S. commercial fisheries or groups of fisheries listed below.

A variety of laws, Executive Orders (E.O.s), and NOAA strategies and policies include requirements for economic data and the analyses they support. When met adequately, those requirements allow better-informed conservation and management decisions on the use of living marine resources and marine habitat in federally managed fisheries. Obtaining these data improves the ability of NOAA Fisheries and the Regional Fishery Management Councils (Councils) to monitor, explain and predict changes in the economic performance and impacts of federally managed commercial fisheries. Measures of economic performance include costs, earnings, and profitability (net revenue); productivity and economic efficiency; capacity; economic stability; the level and distribution of net economic benefits to society; and market power. The economic impacts include sector, community or region-specific, and national employment, sales, value-added, and income impacts. Economic data are required to support more than a cursory effort to comply with or support the following laws, E.O.s, and NOAA strategies and policies:

Data collections will focus each year on a different set of the 16 commercial fisheries or groups of fisheries. This cycle of data collection will facilitate economic data being available and updated for all those commercial fisheries.

There will be an effort to coordinate the data collections in order to reduce the additional burden for those who participate in multiple fisheries. To further reduce the burden, the requested information for a specific fishery will be limited to that which is not available from other sources. Participation in these data collections will be voluntary.

The information will be collected by mail, internet, phone, and in-person interviews. In general, respondents will receive a mailed copy of the survey instrument in advance of a phone or in-person interview. Where feasible, survey respondents will have the option to respond to an on-line survey. If phone and in-person interviews are not feasible or not desired by the potential respondents, the information will be collected by mail or internet.

OMB Control Number: 0648-0773.

Form Number(s): None.

Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a currently approved collection).

Affected Public: Individuals or households and business or other for-profit organizations.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,655.

Estimated Time per Response

West Coast Open Access Groundfish, Non-Tribal Salmon, Crab, and Shrimp Economic Data Collection: 3 hours.

West Coast Limited Entry Groundfish Fixed Gear Economic Data Collection: 3 hours.

American Samoa Longline Survey: 1 hour.

Hawaii Longline Survey: 1 hour.

Hawaii Small Boat Economic Survey: 45 minutes.

American Samoa Small Boat Survey: 45 minutes.

Economic Surveys of American Samoa (ESAS), Guam, and The Commonwealth of The Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Small Boat-Based Fisheries (an add-on to a creel survey): 10 minutes.

Cost Earnings Survey of Mariana Archipelago Small Boat Fleet: 45 minutes.

Economic Expenditure Survey of Golden Crab Fishermen in the U.S. South Atlantic Region: 30 minutes.

USVI Fisheries Economic Survey (Socio-Economic Profile of Small-Scale Commercial Fisheries (SSCF) in the U.S. Caribbean): 15 minutes.

Puerto Rico Fisheries Economic Survey (Socio-Economic Profile of Small-Scale Commercial Fisheries (SSCF) in the U.S. Caribbean): 1 hour.

Gulf of Mexico Inshore Shrimp Fishery Economic Survey: 28 minutes.

West Coast Swordfish Fishery Cost and Earnings Survey: 30 minutes.

West Coast Coastal Pelagic Fishery Economic Survey: 3 hours.

West Coast North Pacific Albacore Fishery Economic Survey: 1 hour.

Greater Atlantic Region Commercial Fisheries Economic Data Collection: 1 hour.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,757.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.

Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.

Legal Authority: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request to OMB to approve this information collection request. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information may be made publicly available at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

This notice is published pursuant to 41 U.S.C. 8503(a)(2) and 41 CFR 51-2.3. Its purpose is to provide interested persons an opportunity to submit comments on the proposed actions.

The following service(s) are proposed for deletion from the Procurement List:

On 1/24/2025 (89 FR 104108 and 89 FR 100984), the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled published notice of proposed deletions from the Procurement List. This notice is published pursuant to 41 U.S.C. 8503 (a)(2) and 41 CFR 51-2.3.

After consideration of the relevant matter presented, the Committee has determined that the product(s) and service(s) listed below are no longer suitable for procurement by the Federal Government under 41 U.S.C. 8501-8506 and 41 CFR 51-2.4.

I certify that the following action will not have a significant impact on a substantial number of small entities. The major factors considered for this certification were:

1. The action will not result in additional reporting, recordkeeping or other compliance requirements for small entities.

2. The action may result in authorizing small entities to furnish the product(s) and service(s) to the Government.

3. There are no known regulatory alternatives which would accomplish the objectives of the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act (41 U.S.C. 8501-8506) in connection with the product(s) and service(s) deleted from the Procurement List.

Accordingly, the following product(s) and service(s) are deleted from the Procurement List:

The Board is amending BGFRS/OIG-1 to reflect changes that have occurred since the system was last amended in 2008. These changes include the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act's (Pub. L. 111-203) creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Board (CFPB) and amendment of § 8G(c) of the Inspector General Act of 1978 to make the Inspector General responsible for oversight of the Board and the CFPB's programs and operations. Accordingly, the Board is amending the purpose of the system, the categories of individuals, and the record source categories to add the CFPB. The Board is also taking this opportunity to revise the category of individuals to clarify that the OIG collects information about the individuals to determine if they have been or are engaging in civil, criminal, or administrative wrongdoing or have information regarding such wrongdoing. In addition, the Board is adding “contractors” to the records source categories.

Further, in another change since 2008, to facilitate the OIG's voluntary compliance with certain provisions of Executive Order (E.O.) 14074, Advancing Effective, Accountable Policing and Criminal Justice Practices to Enhance Public Trust and Public Safety, issued on May 25, 2022, the Board is updating the categories of records to include video and audio recordings that may be captured by OIG criminal investigators wearing body cameras during investigative operations. The Board is also updating the system location to indicate the storage of the video and audio recordings by a vendor, updating the system manager, and amending the authority for the system to include E.O. 14074 as additional authority. Moreover, the Board is modifying the category of records to refer to “investigative case files” rather than “individual investigations” as that better reflects the OIG's investigative records.

The Board is also updating the access controls to reflect system management changes. In addition, the Board is revising the retention of the records to provide that files related to significant investigations will be retained permanently while files related to all other investigations will continue to be retained for ten years after cut-off.

Further, the Board is revising system-specific Routine Use 1, deleting the existing system-specific Routine Use 2, and renumbering system-specific Routine Use 3 to be Routine Use 2. The Board is deleting the current Routine Use 2 as disclosures contemplated under that use will now be incorporated into revised Routine Use 1. The Board is also revising system-specific Routine Use 1 regarding the audit or review of the OIG's investigatory program by outside entities or persons to permit the release of individually identifiable information. The Board is making this change because, for the audit or review to be effective, the OIG needs to be able to share identifiable information as necessary for the audit or review. In its current form, the Routine Use 1 limits disclosure to information that is not individually identifiable information; however, release of information that is not individually identifiable is not a disclosure of Privacy Act information and therefore the Board is revising Routine Use 1 to remove this language. Finally, the revision to system-specific Routine Use 1 also accounts for the technical amendments to the Inspector General Act of 1978, which replaced the Executive Council on Integrity and Efficiency and the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency with the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency.

In order to permit information sharing contemplated under E.O. 14074, the Board is amending the system to add a new routine use, which will be Routine Use 3. The new routine use will permit the OIG to disclose information to federal, state, or local agencies maintaining civil, criminal, or other relevant investigative information for purposes of data collection on OIG law enforcement activities. This proposed routine use will allow the OIG to share information with various government-wide databases, such as the FBI National Use-of-Force Data Database, to enhance public trust and public safety.

The Board is also making technical changes to BGFRS/OIG-1 consistent with the template laid out in OMB Circular No. A-108. Accordingly, the Board has made technical corrections and non-substantive language revisions to the following categories: “Policies and Practices for Storage of Records,” “Policies and Practices for Retrieval of Records,” “Policies and Practices for Retention and Disposal of Records,” “Administrative, Technical and Physical Safeguards,” “Record Access Procedures,” “Contesting Record Procedures” and “Notification Procedures.” The Board is adding the following new fields: “Security Classification” and “History.” The Board is also adding a link to its general routine uses.

The Board is amending BGFRS/OIG-2 to reflect changes that have occurred since this system of records was last amended in 2008.

The Board is updating the categories of records to include video and audio recordings and facilitate the Board OIG's voluntary compliance with certain provisions of Executive Order 14074, Advancing Effective, Accountable Policing and Criminal Justice Practices to Enhance Public Trust and Public Safety, issued May 25, 2022. Video and audio recordings of individuals may be captured by OIG criminal investigators wearing body cameras during investigative operations and may be relevant to the OIG's personnel determinations. While such video and audio recordings will generally be stored in BGFRS/OIG-1, “FRB—OIG Investigative Records,” they may be duplicated and stored in this OIG Personnel records system to the extent necessary to assist the OIG in making determinations related to hiring, retention, promotion, performance evaluations, recognition, or training of OIG personnel. Accordingly, the Board is also adding E.O. 14074 to the list of authorities for this system.

The Board is also updating the categories of records included in the system to add ethics related records. Consistent with this addition, the Board is revising the purpose of the system to reflect the OIG's use of the records to respond to ethics inquiries and provide related advice. Further, the Board is also revising the category of individuals covered by the system to include prospective employees of the OIG. The Board is also updating the location of the system, the system manager, and the access controls.

In addition, the Board is revising system-specific Routine Use 4 and deleting system-specific Routine Use 5. The Board is deleting the current Routine Use 5 as disclosures contemplated under that use will now be incorporated into revised Routine Use 4. The Board is also revising system-specific Routine Use 4 regarding the audit or review of the OIG's investigatory program by outside entities or persons to permit the release of individually identifiable information. The Board is making this change because the OIG may need to be able to share identifiable information for an audit or review to be effective. In its current form, the Routine Use 4 limits disclosure to information that is not individually identifiable information; however, release of information that is not individually identifiable is not a disclosure of Privacy Act information and therefore the Board is revising Routine Use 4 to remove this language. Finally, the revision to system-specific Routine Use 4 also accounts for the technical amendments to the Inspector General Act of 1978, which replaced the Executive Council on Integrity and Efficiency and the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency with the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency.

In order to permit information sharing contemplated under E.O. 14074, the Board is amending the system to add a new routine use, which will be Routine Use 5. The new routine use will permit the Board to disclose information to a federal, state, or local agency maintaining civil, criminal, or other relevant investigative information for purposes of data collection on OIG law enforcement activities. This routine use will allow the Board to share information with various government-wide databases, such as the FBI National Use-of-Force Data Database, to enhance public trust and public safety.

The Board is also making technical changes to BFRS/OIG-2 consistent with the template laid out in OMB Circular No. A-108. Accordingly, the Board is making technical corrections and non-substantive language revisions to the following categories: “Policies and Practices for Storage of Records,” “Policies and Practices for Retrieval of Records,” “Policies and Practices for Retention and Disposal of Records,” “Administrative, Technical and Physical Safeguards,” “Record Access Procedures,” “Contesting Record Procedures” and “Notification Procedures.” The Board is also adding the following new fields: “Security Classification” and “History.”

The Board is replacing its enterprise resource planning system and therefore is modifying this system of records to reflect the transition. The Board is making two principal modifications to the system—to the category of individuals and category of records sections. The Board is also making minor updates to other sections as described below.

The Board is amending the category of individuals to expressly note that the system may contain information about past and present Federal Reserve System employees rather than only Board employees. The Board is also replacing the reference to surviving spouses and children with references to a broader range of individuals affiliated with employees to include their beneficiaries, dependents, survivor annuitants, and emergency contacts. In addition, the Board is specifying that applicants and contract workers are included in the category of individuals covered by the system.

The Board is modifying the categories of records to (1) add new information that will now be collected; (2) describe the information associated with individuals newly added to the “category of individuals” section; and (3) remove references to information no longer collected and correct outdated terminology. First, the Board is amending the categories of records to include the collection of new information consisting of prior federal service information, military service and status information, information on relatives at the Board, passport and/or visa information, attendance tracking information, and gender, gender identity, and personal pronouns. Second, the system will now include associated information on beneficiaries, dependents, and survivor annuitants such as biographical information, marital or disability status information as applicable, relationship to employee, basic contact information, and benefits information. The system will also contain emergency contact information. Finally, the Board no longer retains employee records of jury duty in this system and therefore is deleting the reference to “jury duty” records from the categories of records. The Board is also updating the references to “PMP ratings,” to refer to “performance rating” or “performance evaluation”.

The Board is also modifying the system's purpose as it is designed to assist the Board in personnel management rather than only personnel actions as well as updating the system manager and the system location. The Board is also amending the record retention schedule for certain records that have a longer retention requirement, modifying the policies and practices for retrieval of records as searches can be conducted using identifiers other than name and employee identification number, and modifying the record source categories to refer to gaining information from other government agencies or Reserve Banks rather than simply the personnel files of such entities.

The Board is amending system specific Routine Use 3 to permit disclosures when necessary to adjudicate a claim under a thrift or health and welfare benefits program of the Board, a Federal Reserve Bank, or a listed federal agency. The Board is also amending the language in the routine use that permits disclosure to “an agency to conduct an analytical study or audit of benefits being paid under such programs” to instead qualify that such disclosure would be made only to “an agency with governing authority over such programs.” This change matches the Board's practice. In addition, the Board is updating the routine use section to incorporate a link to the Board's general routine uses.

The Board is also making technical changes to BGFRS-4 consistent with the template laid out in OMB Circular No. A-108. Accordingly, the Board has made technical corrections and non-substantive language revisions to the following sections: “Policies and Practices for Storage of Records,” “Policies and Practices for Retrieval of Records,” “Policies and Practices for Retention and Disposal of Records,” “Administrative, Technical and Physical Safeguards,” “Record Access Procedures,” “Contesting Record Procedures,” and “Notification Procedures.” The Board has also created and populated the following new sections: “Security Classification” and “History.”

Historically, individuals and other small businesses owned and operated single-family rental properties. However, following the 2007-2008 financial crisis, this market structure changed with the rise of large-scale investors, also known as mega SFR investors, that own large regional SFR inventories. 1 In response to regulatory incentives and other market conditions, large-scale investors—those entities that own more than 1,000 SFR properties—began channeling their investment capital into the single-family rental housing market. 2 Since this time, the volume of properties purchased by mega SFR investors has grown considerably. By 2017, the five largest entities in the SFR industry—Invitation Homes, Starwood Property Trust, Colony American Homes, Waypoint Residential Trust, and American Homes 4 Rent—had consolidated into two firms. 3 Researchers estimate that mega SFR investors collectively own and operate 446,000 homes nationwide. 4

The FTC is aware that the growth of mega SFR investors in markets may affect competition and consumers. Local, 5 State, 6 and Federal  7 policymakers have expressed concerns about the growth of mega SFR investors in local markets. In an FTC listening session for renters in Atlanta, Georgia, participants expressed concerns about the effects of mega SFR investor expansion. In response to a recent FTC and U.S. Department of Justice request for information to identify industries impacted by serial acquisitions, 8 members of the public submitted numerous comments specifically identifying SFR investors as responsible for buying up inventories of single-family residential properties in local markets across the United States. Members of the Senate and U.S. House of Representatives have also sent the FTC letters urging the Commission to use its existing authority to require reporting of residential real estate transactions under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act. 9

Responding to these concerns and recognizing its role in conducting research to support potential changes in competition policy, the Commission proposes a section 6(b) study of mega SFR investors. This study will provide a better understanding of mega SFR investors: where they do business, their business models, their strategic plans, their growth plans, and the competitive effects of the rise of mega SFR investors in local markets. The FTC proposes to send information requests to mega SFR investors in the United States, which the Commission expects to be approximately 32 mega SFR investors. 10 The Commission invites comment on market participants that may qualify as mega SFR investors.

From the information obtained, the FTC plans to publish, consistent with its obligations under section 6(f) of the FTC Act, comprehensive property lists that improve the transparency of SFR markets. The property lists will, to the maximum extent possible, match individual SFR properties to their affiliated owner entities. Although this information is already publicly available at the State and county level, its disaggregated nature and indirect ownership structures involving opaquely named shell companies complicates the ability to fully assess the scale and scope of mega SFR investors' property holdings. Numerous researchers and other policy stakeholders have called for greater transparency to better understand where, and to what extent, these SFR investors operate. 11 The FTC plans to publish this information publicly on a current and historical basis to the maximum extent possible. The Commission invites comments on the benefits and risks of making the property lists publicly available, including any privacy considerations. Separately, the FTC will collect non-public data and documents to better understand this growing industry, and it may publish studies or research papers to share insights with the public and policymakers, consistent with its obligations under section 6(f) of the FTC Act.

The information obtained in this section 6(b) study can help the FTC understand how the entry of mega investors into local markets has affected house prices and rents, as well as the effects of ongoing consolidation in the industry. This information may also inform future Commission priorities.

The proposed study will add significantly to existing literature by providing a more complete picture and better understanding of mega SFR investors' presence and behavior. There is no public repository of all the SFR properties owned in the United States by mega SFR investors. The Commission, however, has unique authority under section 6(b) to collect this information that will enhance the competition policy debate around consolidation of SFR investors and their property holdings.

Because the Commission believes this study will enhance the Commission's and the public's understanding of issues surrounding mega SFR investors, it proposes to issue information requests generally directed to the following areas of inquiry:

• What are the types of corporate structures and organizational forms held by mega SFR investors?

• What are the specific locations where mega SFR investors currently own or manage properties?

• What are the specific locations where mega SFR investors have historically owned or managed properties?

• Has the level of concentration of mega SFR investor operations in certain geographies changed over time, and if so, how?

• What are the general strategic and growth plans of mega SFR investors? How do mega SFR investors set prices? What are mega SFR investors' principal expenses?

• How has the entry into, and subsequent consolidation of, mega investors affected competitive dynamics in SFR housing? What are the effects on consumers?

The draft special order specifications and definitions contain the specific information requests contemplated by the Commission. The Commission welcomes comments on whether and how to refine these information requests to best obtain insights into these areas of inquiry.

For the purposes of this Order, the following Definitions apply:

Staff will ask respondents to submit information and documents for several written questions. Because the responses will necessarily vary depending on the respondent, we have provided a range of estimated response times from 150 to 600 hours. The total estimated burden of providing the information and documents per respondent is based on the following.

The total aggregate hours burden across all respondents to produce information and documents to prepare the response sought will be between 4,800 (150 hours × 32 entities  12 ) to 19,200 (600 hours × 32 companies). The number of hours required may be significantly lower depending on the format in which mega investors currently store the requested information.

It is not possible to calculate labor costs associated with producing the information and documents requested with precision, as each respondent will have various levels of management and/or support staff among many different companies. Individuals among some or all of those labor categories may be involved in the information collection process. Nonetheless, we have assumed that general and operations managers, data scientists, and outside legal counsel will handle the vast majority of the tasks involved in gathering and producing the responsive information. Using mean hourly wage estimates from the Bureau of Labor (BLS) statistics, we assume an hourly wage of $62.18 for the labor of general and operations managers, $57.23 for the labor of data scientists, and $84.84 for the labor of outside legal counsel. 13 To account for non-salary benefits and other indirect costs, we double BLS mean wage estimates, to arrive at fully loaded hourly wages of $124.36, $114.46, and $169.68 for general and operations managers, data scientists, and outside legal counsel, respectively. We combine these wage estimates with our estimates of how many hours each type of employee will spend on each task to arrive at total labor costs. See Table 1 below for a detailed breakdown of this calculation.

Based on our estimates, the labor costs per entity should range between $21,274 and $85,094, for a total cost of between $680,753 and $2,723,013 across all 32 respondents. Costs may be significantly lower depending on the format in which mega investors currently store the requested information. Commission staff will endeavor to work with respondents to minimize compliance costs where possible.

Staff anticipates that the capital or other non-labor costs associated with the information requests will be minimal. Although the information requests may require the respondent to store copies of the requested information provided to the Commission, industry members should already have in place the means to store information of the volume requested.

Under the PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3521, Federal agencies must obtain approval from OMB for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. “Collection of information” means agency requests or requirements that members of the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a third party. 44 U.S.C. 3502(3); 5 CFR 1320.3(c). As required by section 3506(c)(2) of the PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2), the FTC is providing this opportunity for public comment before requesting that OMB approve the study. Specifically, the FTC invites comments on: (1) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the FTC, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the FTC's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of collecting information. The FTC encourages recipients of prior compulsory process orders to offer suggestions on how the burden of the proposed collection may be reduced. All comments should be filed as prescribed below, and must be received on or before March 25, 2025.

You can file a comment online or on paper. For the Commission to consider your comment, we must receive it on or before March 25, 2025. Write “SFR Housing Study, P251200” on your comment. Your comment—including your name and State—will be placed on the public record of this proceeding, including, to the extent practicable, on the https://www.regulations.gov/ website.

Because of the agency's security screening, postal mail addressed to the Commission will be subject to delay. We strongly encourage you to submit your comment online through https://www.regulations/gov/. To ensure the Commission considers your online comment, please follow the instructions on the web-based form.

If you file your comment on paper, write “SFR Housing Study, P251200” on your comment and on the envelope, and mail your comment to the following address: Federal Trade Commission, Office of the Secretary, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite CC-5610, (Annex H), Washington, DC 20580. If possible, please submit your paper comment to the Commission by overnight service.

Because your comment will be placed on the publicly accessible website, https://www.regulations.gov/, you are solely responsible for making sure that your comment does not include any sensitive or confidential information. In particular, your comment should not contain sensitive personal information, such as your or anyone else's Social Security number; date of birth; driver's license number or other State identification number or foreign country equivalent; passport number; financial account number; or credit or debit card number. You are also responsible for making sure your comment does not include any sensitive health information, such as medical records or other individually identifiable health information. In addition, your comment should not include any “trade secret or any commercial or financial information which . . . is privileged or confidential”—as provided in section 6(f) of the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. 46(f), and FTC Rule 4.10(a)(2), 16 CFR 4.10(a)(2)—including, in particular, competitively sensitive information such as costs, sales statistics, inventories, formulas, patterns, devices, manufacturing processes, or customer names.

Comments containing material for which confidential treatment is requested must be filed in paper form, must be clearly labeled “Confidential,” and must comply with FTC Rule 4.9(c), 16 CFR 4.9(c). The written request for confidential treatment that accompanies the comment must include the factual and legal bases for the request and must identify the specific portions of the comment to be withheld from the public record. See FTC Rule 4.9(b). Your comment will be kept confidential only if the General Counsel grants your request in accordance with the law and public interest. Once your comment has been posted publicly at https://www.regulations.gov/ —as legally required by FTC Rule 4.9(b), 16 CFR 4.9(b)—we cannot redact or remove your comment, unless you submit a confidentiality request that meets the requirements for such treatment under FTC Rule 4.9(c), 16 CFR 4.9(c), and the General Counsel grants that request.

Visit the Commission's website, www.ftc.gov, to read this document and the news release describing it. The FTC Act and other laws that the Commission administers permit the collection of public comments to consider and use in this proceeding as appropriate. The Commission will consider all timely and responsive comments. For information on the Commission's privacy policy, including routine uses permitted by the Privacy Act, see https://www.ftc.gov/site-information/privacy-policy.

This Notice rescinds the March 21, 2022 Notice, Rescission of the Notice of July 23, 2019, Designating Aliens for Expedited Removal, 1 which limited the application of expedited removal procedures to certain aliens under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), to the extent the March 21, 2022 Notice is inconsistent with this Notice. This Notice enables the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to exercise the full scope of its statutory authority to place in expedited removal, with limited exceptions, aliens  2 determined to be inadmissible under sections 212(a)(6)(C) or (a)(7) of the INA who have not been admitted or paroled into the United States and who have not affirmatively shown, to the satisfaction of an immigration officer, that they have been physically present in the United States continuously for the two-year period immediately preceding the date of the determination of inadmissibility. Presently, immigration officers may apply expedited removal to aliens apprehended anywhere in the United States for up to two years after the alien arrived in the United States, provided that the alien arrived by sea and the other conditions for expedited removal were satisfied. For aliens who entered the United States by crossing a land border other than at a port of entry, with the March 21, 2022 Notice, the Secretary of DHS effectively exercised his discretion under the INA to limit the use of expedited removal to aliens apprehended by an immigration officer within 100 air miles of the United States international land border and who were continuously present in the United States for less than 14 days immediately prior to the date of encounter.

The INA grants the Secretary of Homeland Security the “sole and unreviewable discretion” to modify at any time the discretionary limits on the scope of the expedited removal designation. The Secretary is exercising his statutory authority through this Notice to designate for expedited removal the following categories of aliens not currently designated: (1) Aliens who did not arrive by sea, who are encountered anywhere in the United States more than 100 air miles from a U.S. international land border, and who have been continuously present in the United States for less than two years; and (2) aliens who did not arrive by sea, who are encountered within 100 air miles from a U.S. international land border, and who have been continuously present in the United States for at least 14 days but for less than two years. Therefore, the designation in this Notice restores the scope of expedited removal to the fullest extent authorized by Congress, as was previously established in the July 23, 2019 Notice, Designating Aliens for Expedited Removal. To the extent there is an ambiguity in this Notice, the intended effect of this notice is to apply expedited removal to the fullest extent authorized by statute.

The effect of this change will be to enhance national security and public safety—while reducing government costs—by facilitating prompt immigration determinations. In particular, the full application of expedited removal authority will enable DHS to address more effectively and efficiently the large volume of aliens who are present in the United States unlawfully, without having been admitted or paroled into the United States, and ensure the prompt removal from the United States of those not entitled to enter, remain, or be provided relief or protection from removal.

In keeping with the practice followed in announcing the previous designations, and consistent with implementing regulations at 8 CFR 235.3(b)(1)(ii), 3 this designation is effective without prior notice and comment or a delayed effective date. See, e.g., 67 FR 68923, 68925 (2002 Notice); 69 FR 48877, 48880 (2004 Notice); 82 FR 4769, 4769 (2017 elimination of exception for Cuban nationals arriving by air); 82 FR. 4902, 4902 (2017 elimination of exception for Cuban nationals encountered in the United States or arriving by sea); 84 FR 35409, 35413 (2019 Notice); 87 FR 16022, 16024 (2022 Notice).

Congress explicitly authorized the Secretary to designate categories of aliens to whom expedited removal procedures may be applied. It also made clear that “[s]uch designation shall be in the sole and unreviewable discretion of the [Secretary] and may be modified at any time.” See INA 235(b)(1)(A)(iii)(I), 8 U.S.C. 1225(b)(1)(A)(iii)(I)(emphasis added). Therefore, the Secretary's designation, within statutory bounds, is “committed to agency discretion by law and . . . there is no cause of action to evaluate the merits of the Secretary's judgment under APA standards.” Make the Road N.Y. v. Wolf, 962 F.3d 612, 633-634 (D.C. Cir. 2020). Furthermore, as the D.C. Circuit held, based on the statutory language allowing for modification of the designation “at any time” and in his “sole and unreviewable discretion,” the Department does not have to undertake the notice-and-comment rulemaking process. Id. at 635. As discussed above, the rulemaking procedures of the APA do not apply to this Notice and the expansion or contraction of a designation may be made “at any time.” Id. at 634-635 (internal quotation marks omitted).

Pursuant to INA 235(b)(1)(A)(iii), 8 U.S.C. 1225(b)(1)(A)(iii), and 8 CFR 253.3(b)(1)(ii), I order, in my sole and unreviewable discretion, as follows:

(A) The Notice titled Designating for Expedited Removal, 87 FR 16022 (March 21, 2022), is hereby rescinded, effective immediately.

(B) I designate for expedited removal the following categories of aliens not currently designated: (1) Aliens who did not arrive by sea, who are apprehended anywhere in the United States more than 100 air miles from a U.S. international land border, and who have been continuously present in the United States for less than two years; and (2) aliens who did not arrive by sea, who are apprehended within 100 air miles from a U.S. international land border, and who have been continuously present in the United States for at least 14 days but for less than two years. Each alien placed in expedited removal under this designation bears the affirmative burden to show to the satisfaction of an immigration officer that the alien has been present in the United States continuously for the relevant period. This designation does not apply to aliens who arrive at U.S. ports of entry, because those aliens are already subject to expedited removal. Nor does this designation apply to or otherwise affect aliens who satisfy the expedited removal criteria set forth in any of the previous designations. See 82 FR 4902, 69 FR 48877; 67 FR 68923.

(C) With the exception of the March 21, 2022 Notice rescinded above, this Notice does not supersede, abrogate, or amend or modify any of the Pre-2019 Designations, 4 which shall remain in full force and effect in accordance with their respective terms.

Authority: The authority for institution of this investigation is contained in section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, 19 U.S.C. 1337, and in section 210.10 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR 210.10 (2024).

Scope of Investigation: Having considered the complaint, the U.S. International Trade Commission, on January 17, 2025, ordered that —

(1) Pursuant to subsection (b) of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, an investigation be instituted to determine:

(a) whether there is a violation of subsection (a)(1)(B) of section 337 in the importation into the United States, the sale for importation, or the sale within the United States after importation of certain products identified in paragraph (2) by reason of infringement of one or more of claims 1, 5, 6, and 8-10 of '394 patent; claims 1, 2, 4, 7, and 10-12 of the '684 patent; and claims 15-20 of the '025 patent, and whether an industry in the United States exists as required by subsection (a)(2) of section 337;

(b) whether there is a violation of subsection (a)(1)(A) of section 337 in the importation into the United States of certain products identified in paragraph (2), or in the sale of such products identified in paragraph (2) by the owner, importer, or consignee, by reason of misappropriation of trade secrets the threat or effect of which is to destroy or substantially injure an industry in the United States;

(2) Pursuant to section 210.10(b)(1) of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR 210.10(b)(1), the plain language description of the accused products or category of accused products, which defines the scope of the investigation, is “glass substrates for LCDs, display panels containing the same, and electronic devices containing the same, which are TVs, monitors, notebook and laptop computers, and tablets”;

(3) For the purpose of the investigation so instituted, the following are hereby named as parties upon which this notice of investigation shall be served:

(a) The complainant is:

(b) The respondents are the following entities alleged to be in violation of section 337, and are the parties upon which the complaint and supplement is to be served:

(c) The Office of Unfair Import Investigations, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Suite 401, Washington, DC 20436; and

(4) For the investigation so instituted, the Chief Administrative Law Judge, U.S. International Trade Commission, shall designate the presiding Administrative Law Judge.

Responses to the complaint and the notice of investigation must be submitted by the named respondents in accordance with section 210.13 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR 210.13. Pursuant to 19 CFR 201.16(e) and 210.13(a), as amended in 85 FR 15798 (March 19, 2020), such responses will be considered by the Commission if received not later than 20 days after the date of service by the complainant of the complaint and the notice of investigation. Extensions of time for submitting responses to the complaint and the notice of investigation will not be granted unless good cause therefor is shown.

Failure of a respondent to file a timely response to each allegation in the complaint, as supplemented, and in this notice may be deemed to constitute a waiver of the right to appear and contest the allegations of the complaint and this notice, and to authorize the administrative law judge and the Commission, without further notice to the respondent, to find the facts to be as alleged in the complaint and this notice and to enter an initial determination and a final determination containing such findings, and may result in the issuance of an exclusion order or a cease and desist order or both directed against the respondent.

Background. —On January 6, 2025, the Commission determined that the domestic interested party group response to its notice of institution (89 FR 79947, October 1, 2024) of the subject five-year reviews was adequate and that the respondent interested party group responses were inadequate. The Commission did not find any other circumstances that would warrant conducting full reviews. 1 Accordingly, the Commission determined that it would conduct expedited reviews pursuant to section 751(c)(3) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1675(c)(3)).

For further information concerning the conduct of these reviews and rules of general application, consult the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, part 201, subparts A and B (19 CFR part 201), and part 207, subparts A, D, E, and F (19 CFR part 207).

Staff report. —A staff report containing information concerning the subject matter of the reviews has been placed in the nonpublic record, and will be made available to persons on the Administrative Protective Order service list for these reviews on March 5, 2025. A public version will be issued thereafter, pursuant to § 207.62(d)(4) of the Commission's rules.

Written submissions. —As provided in § 207.62(d) of the Commission's rules, interested parties that are parties to the reviews and that have provided individually adequate responses to the notice of institution, 2 and any party other than an interested party to the reviews may file written comments with the Secretary on what determinations the Commission should reach in the reviews. Comments are due on or before 5:15 p.m. on March 13, 2025, and may not contain new factual information. Any person that is neither a party to the five-year reviews nor an interested party may submit a brief written statement (which shall not contain any new factual information) pertinent to the reviews by March 13, 2025. However, should the Department of Commerce (“Commerce”) extend the time limit for its completion of the final results of its reviews, the deadline for comments (which may not contain new factual information) on Commerce's final results is three business days after the issuance of Commerce's results. If comments contain business proprietary information (BPI), they must conform with the requirements of §§ 201.6, 207.3, and 207.7 of the Commission's rules. The Commission's Handbook on Filing Procedures, available on the Commission's website at https://www.usitc.gov/documents/handbook_on_filing_procedures.pdf, elaborates upon the Commission's procedures with respect to filings.

In accordance with §§ 201.16(c) and 207.3 of the rules, each document filed by a party to the reviews must be served on all other parties to the reviews (as identified by either the public or BPI service list), and a certificate of service must be timely filed. The Secretary will not accept a document for filing without a certificate of service.

Determination. —The Commission has determined these reviews are extraordinarily complicated and therefore has determined to exercise its authority to extend the review period by up to 90 days pursuant to 19 U.S.C. 1675(c)(5)(B).

Authority: These reviews are being conducted under authority of title VII of the Act; this notice is published pursuant to § 207.62 of the Commission's rules.

Effective September 5, 2024, the Commission established a schedule for the final phase of these investigations (89 FR 76508, September 18, 2024). On January 16, 2025, counsel for the American Paper Plate Coalition filed its request to appear at the hearing. No other parties submitted a request to appear at the hearing. On January 17, 2025, counsel withdrew their request to appear at the hearing. Counsel indicated a willingness to submit written responses to any Commission questions in lieu of an actual hearing. Consequently, the public hearing in connection with these investigations, scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 23, 2025, is cancelled. Parties to these investigations should respond to any written questions posed by the Commission in their posthearing briefs, which are due to be filed on January 30, 2025.

For further information concerning these investigations see the Commission's notice cited above and the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, part 201, subparts A through E (19 CFR part 201), and part 207, subparts A and C (19 CFR part 207).

Authority: These investigations are being conducted under authority of title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930; this notice is published pursuant to section 207.21 of the Commission's rules.

To observe the meeting in person, individuals must contact the office listed above by 5 p.m. (eastern time) on March 25, 2025. After this deadline, only remote observation is permitted. Remote registration is available until the meeting date, provided it is completed before the projected end time.

To observe the meeting in person, individuals must contact the office listed above by 5 p.m. (eastern time) on March 27, 2025. After this deadline, only remote observation is permitted. Remote registration is available until the meeting date, provided it is completed before the projected end time.

To observe the meeting in person, individuals must contact the office listed above by 5 p.m. (eastern time) on March 26, 2025. After this deadline, only remote observation is permitted. Remote registration is available until the meeting date, provided it is completed before the projected end time.

In accordance with 21 CFR 1301.33(a), this is notice that on October 8, 2024, Noramco, 500 Swedes Landing Road, Wilmington, Delaware 19801-4417, applied to be registered as a bulk manufacturer of the following basic class(es) of controlled substance(s):

The company plans to bulk manufacture the listed controlled substances as an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient for supply to its customers. In reference to drug codes 7360 (Marihuana), and 7370 (Tetrahydrocannabinols), the company plans to bulk manufacture these drugs as synthetic. No other activities for these drug codes are authorized for this registration.

In accordance with 21 CFR 1301.34(a), this is notice that on November 1, 2024, VHG Labs dba LGC Standards, 3 Perimeter Road, Manchester, New Hampshire 03103-3341, applied to be registered as an importer of the following basic class(es) of controlled substance(s):

The company plans to import the listed controlled substances for distribution for analytical testing purposes. No other activities for these drug codes are authorized for this registration.

Approval of permit applications will occur only when the registrant's business activity is consistent with what is authorized under 21 U.S.C. 952(a)(2). Authorization will not extend to the import of Food and Drug Administration-approved or non-approved finished dosage forms for commercial sale.

In accordance with 21 CFR 1301.33(a), this is notice that on November 25, 2024, Veranova, L.P., 25 Patton Road, Pharmaceutical Service, Devens, Massachusetts 01434-3803, applied to be registered as a bulk manufacturer of the following basic class(es) of controlled substance(s):

The company plans to bulk manufacture the listed controlled substances in order to support the manufacturing and analytical testing activities at its other Drug Enforcement Administration-registered manufacturing facility. No other activities for these drug codes are authorized for this registration.

Under Section 101(a) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (the Mine Act), the Secretary may by rule in accordance with procedures set forth in this section and in accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States Code (without regard to any reference in such section to sections 556 and 557 of such title), develop, promulgate, and revise as may be appropriate, improved mandatory health or safety standards for the protection of life and prevention of injuries in coal or other mines. In addition, section 303 requires that all coal mines be ventilated by mechanical ventilation equipment installed and operated in a manner approved by an authorized representative of the Secretary and such equipment be examined daily and a record be kept of such examination.

Underground coal mines usually present harsh and hostile working environments. The ventilation system is the most vital life support system in underground mining and a properly operating ventilation system is essential for maintaining a safe and healthful working environment. Lack of adequate ventilation in underground mines has resulted in fatalities from asphyxiation and explosions.

An underground mine is a maze of tunnels that must be adequately ventilated with fresh air to provide a safe environment for miners. Methane is liberated from the strata, and noxious gases and dusts from blasting and other mining activities may be present. The explosive and noxious gases and dusts must be diluted, rendered harmless, and carried to the surface by the ventilating currents. Sufficient air must be provided to maintain the level of respirable dust at or below 2 milligrams per cubic meter of air and air quality must be maintained in accordance with MSHA standards. Mechanical ventilation equipment of sufficient capacity must operate at all times while miners are in the mine. Ground conditions are subject to frequent changes, thus sufficient tests and examinations are necessary to ensure the integrity of the ventilation system and to detect any changes that may require adjustments in the system. Records of tests and examinations are necessary to ensure that the ventilation system is being maintained and that changes which could adversely affect the integrity of the system, or the safety of the miners are not occurring. These examination, reporting and recordkeeping requirements of §§ 75.310, 75.312, 75.342, 75.351, 75.360 through 75.364, 75.370, 75.371, and 75.382 also incorporate examinations of other critical aspects of the underground work environment such as roof conditions and electrical equipment which have historically caused numerous fatalities if not properly maintained and operated. For additional substantive information about this ICR, see the related notice published in the Federal Register on October 9, 2024 (89 FR 81942).

Comments are invited on: (1) whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Department, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimates of the burden and cost of the collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and the public is generally not required to respond to an information collection, unless the OMB approves it and displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information that does not display a valid OMB Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 1320.6.

Agency: DOL-MSHA.

Title of Collection: Ventilation Plans, Tests, and Examinations in Underground Coal Mines.

OMB Control Number: 1219-0088.

Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profits.

Number of Respondents: 225.

Frequency: On occasion.

Number of Responses: 1,910,978.

Annual Burden Hours: 150,674 hours.

Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $69,865.

Section 101(c) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 and Title 30 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 44 govern the application, processing, and disposition of petitions for modification.

Section 101(c) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (Mine Act) allows the mine operator or representative of miners to file a petition to modify the application of any mandatory safety standard to a coal or other mine if the Secretary of Labor determines that:

1. An alternative method of achieving the result of such standard exists which will at all times guarantee no less than the same measure of protection afforded the miners of such mine by such standard; or

2. The application of such standard to such mine will result in a diminution of safety to the miners in such mine.

In addition, sections 44.10 and 44.11 of 30 CFR establish the requirements for filing petitions for modification.

Docket Number: M-2025-010-C.

Petitioner: Canyon Fuel Company, LLC, 597 South SR 24, Salina, Utah 84654.

Mine: Sufco Mine, MSHA ID No. 42-00089, located in Sevier County, Utah.

Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.500(d), Permissible electric equipment.

Modification Request: The petitioner requests a modification of 30 CFR 75.500(d) to permit an alternate method of compliance for respiratory protection. Specifically, the petitioner proposes to use the Drager X-plore 8000 powered air purifying respirator (PAPR) to protect miners from potential exposure to respirable dust during normal mining conditions, in or inby the last open crosscut.

The petitioner states that:

(a) Sufco Mine is proposing to use the Drager X-plore 8000 PAPR in conjunction with the 3M Versa Flo units that have been approved for use. The 3M Versa Flo unit is highly used in the medical field which causes shortage and backorders of filters and other parts of the unit. Sufco feels that the Drager PAPR would help relieve the issues of storages and backorders for the 3M Versa Flo unit filters and other parts, and so that miners will still be provided a method that provides a direct reduction of miners' exposure to respirable dust, thus reducing their health risks.

(b) The Drager X-plore 8000 PAPR provides a constant flow of filtered air to the miners, which provides a direct reduction of miners' exposure to respirable dust, thus reducing their health risks. There are no other MSHA-approved units.

(c) The Drager X-plore 8000 PAPRs are ergonomically designed for greater movement in tight workspaces. This respirator has the following features: helps protect against certain airborne contaminates; is easy to use and maintain; has interchangeable components, which will enable Sufco to customize the PAPR system to help meet the needs of our specific application; is intrinsically safe; has audible and visual alarms; has a multi-speed blower; and the battery offers long run time and charges quickly.

(d) The Drager X-plore 8000 is intrinsically safe and certified by UL under the ANSI/UL 60079-11:13 standard to be used in hazardous locations.

(e) The alternative method will provide no less than the same measure of protection afforded the miners under the existing standard.

The petitioner proposes the following alternative method:

(a) The batteries for the PAPRs shall be charged outby the last open crosscut when not in operation.

(b) The batteries shall be charged by the following products: Drager battery Charger for the X-plore 8000 standard charger.

(c) The Drager X-plore 8000 PAPR shall only use the Drager X-plore 8700 battery.

(d) Affected miners shall be trained in the proper use and care of the PAPR units in accordance with manufacturers' instructions.

(e) The instrument shall be checked for physical damage and the integrity of the case.

(f) If methane is detected in concentrations of 1.0 percent or more, procedures in accordance with 30 CFR 75.323 shall be followed.

(g) There are no representatives of miners at Canyon Fuel Company, LLC, Sufco Mine. A copy of this petition has been posted on the bulletin board on December 29, 2024.

In support of the proposed alternative method, the petitioner has also submitted manufacturer spec sheets for the Drager X-plore PAPR and certificates of compliance from CSAGroup.

The petitioner asserts that the alternative method will guarantee no less than the same measure of protection afforded the miners under the mandatory standard.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) seeks public comments to inform the proposed implementation of new intellectual property (IP) provision options for use in NSF public-private partnerships, particularly those advancing research and development, that include co-funding of awards by private partners. NSF is committed to fostering innovation and promoting the translation of research into practical applications. To enhance the effectiveness of public-private partnerships, NSF seeks to implement a set of options for IP provisions that provide greater flexibility and balance the interests of both academia and industry.

Please note that the intellectual property options discussed herein apply only to NSF awards that stem from direct partnerships between NSF and industry partners prior to issuance of the grant. These types of awards currently represent a small percentage of NSF's overall funding portfolio. NSF defines a direct partnership as an explicit agreement between NSF and one or more other organizations to jointly resource ( i.e., via dollars and/or in-kind offerings) a funding opportunity.

These IP options do not apply to the rest of the NSF award portfolio. NSF maintains a consistent policy of not claiming or retaining any intellectual property rights resulting from its awards, including those made through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) awards. NSF shall neither enforce nor participate in any such negotiations between awardees and industry partners. These IP options also do not apply to downstream partnerships, such as those developed by NSF awardees for additional non-NSF resources (financial and/or in-kind), thereby enhancing the activities of the original award.

Recent engagements, including the 2023 NSF-Industry Partnership Summit and subsequent listening sessions, have highlighted the need for optional IP strategies that can adapt to the unique requirements of various funded projects. NSF intends to incorporate these IP options into partnership agreements involving industry and/or non-profit organizations for funding opportunities whose funded awards may result in the generation of IP.

Through this Request for Comments (RFC), NSF invites input from a wide range of stakeholders, including industry, academia, non-profit organizations, other government agencies, and other interested parties.

The 2023 NSF-Industry Partnership Summit and subsequent engagements revealed differing viewpoints in stakeholders' perspectives regarding NSF's existing IP terms. In response, the Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP) has developed a series of IP grant-of-rights options to address these concerns. These options are informed by the Bayh-Dole Act and aim to promote the practical application and commercialization of federally funded research while preserving potential access to the IP for the U.S. Government.

Below is the language for each of the three IP grant-of-rights options to be used in partnership agreements. These IP options can be tailored according to the particular research area and the specific terms and conditions agreed upon between NSF and the partner(s) in a particular public-private partnership.

The disposition of rights to inventions or works of authorship made during NSF-funded research is governed by federal law, regulation, and policy, including but not limited to, 35 U.S.C. 200-212 and 37 CFR 401. Pursuant to applicable laws, regulations, and policies, the entire right, title, and interest of Intellectual Property (IP) that directly results from activities funded by NSF (“Project IP”) is retained by the entity that created it. While recipients are permitted to temporarily withhold the publication of data and software related to inventions to facilitate patent application filings, NSF terms and conditions require the subsequent prompt publication of all research outputs—including results, data, and software—generated in the performance of the research.

All partners are entitled to a non-exclusive, royalty-free license for use of Project IP for research purposes for a period of 18 months from the date of disclosure of the Project IP. This license shall not extend to any IP other than Project IP. This 18-month period is structured as follows:

1. Notice Period: For the first 12 months after disclosure of the Project IP, any partner shall have a right to indicate in writing that they are exercising their Right of First Negotiation (“ROFN”) for an opportunity to secure an exclusive commercial license during the Negotiation/Option Period.

2. Negotiation/Option Period: Following the 12-month Notice Period, there shall be a 6-month period during which partners so exercising their ROFN may negotiate for an exclusive commercial license.

If an exclusive commercial license is secured by one partner during the Negotiation/Option Period, all other partners' rights shall automatically become a perpetual, non-exclusive, royalty-free license for research purposes only.

If no exclusive commercial license is secured by the end of the Negotiation/Option Period, the non-exclusive license granted herein shall, for all partners, automatically convert into a perpetual non-exclusive, royalty-free license for research purposes only.

Pursuant to the Bayh-Dole Act, NSF is entitled to a non-exclusive, irrevocable, paid-up license throughout the world for use of Project IP that directly results from activities funded by NSF.

The disposition of rights to inventions or works of authorship made during NSF-funded research is governed by federal law, regulation, and policy, including but not limited to, 35 U.S.C. 200-212 and 37 CFR 401. Pursuant to applicable laws, regulations, and policies, the entire right, title, and interest of Intellectual Property (IP) that directly results from activities funded by NSF (“Project IP”) is retained by the entity that created it. While recipients are permitted to temporarily withhold the publication of data and software related to inventions to facilitate patent application filings, NSF terms and conditions require the subsequent prompt publication of all research outputs—including results, data, and software—generated in the performance of the research.

All partners are entitled to a non-exclusive, royalty-free license for use of Project IP for both research and commercial purposes for a period of 18 months from the date of disclosure of the Project IP. This license shall not extend to any IP other than Project IP. This 18-month period is structured as follows:

1. Notice Period: For the first 12 months after disclosure of the Project IP, any partner shall have the have a right to indicate in writing that they are exercising their Right of First Negotiation (“ROFN”) for an opportunity to secure an exclusive commercial license during the Negotiation/Option Period.

2. Negotiation/Option Period: Following the 12-month Notice Period, there shall be a 6-month period during which partners so exercising their ROFN may negotiate for an exclusive commercial license.

If an exclusive commercial license is secured by one partner during the Negotiation/Option Period, all other partners' rights shall automatically convert into a perpetual non-exclusive, royalty-free license for research purposes only.

If no exclusive commercial license is secured by the end of the Negotiation/Option Period, the non-exclusive license granted herein shall, for all partners, automatically convert into a perpetual non-exclusive, royalty-free license for research purposes only.

Pursuant to the Bayh-Dole Act, NSF is entitled to a non-exclusive, irrevocable, paid-up license throughout the world for use of Project IP that directly results from activities funded by NSF.

The disposition of rights to inventions or works of authorship made during NSF-funded research is governed by federal law, regulation, and policy, including but not limited to, 35 U.S.C. 200-212 and 37 CFR 401. Pursuant to applicable laws, regulations, and policies, the entire right, title, and interest of Intellectual Property (IP) that directly results from activities funded by NSF (“Project IP”) is retained by the entity that created it, following applicable federal law. While recipients are permitted to temporarily withhold the publication of data and software related to inventions to facilitate patent application filings, NSF terms and conditions require the subsequent prompt publication of all research outputs—including results, data, and software—generated in the performance of the research.

All partners are entitled to a non-exclusive, royalty-free license for use of Project IP for research purposes. This license shall not extend to any intellectual property other than Project IP.

Pursuant to the Bayh-Dole Act, NSF is entitled to a non-exclusive, irrevocable, paid-up license throughout the world for use of Project IP that directly results from activities funded by NSF.

NSF welcomes comments from the public on any issues that are relevant to this topic, and is particularly interested in answers to the following questions:

Overall Impact: How do you believe these proposed IP options will impact innovation, technology transfer, and economic growth?

Balance: Do these options ensure a balanced distribution of IP rights between academia and industry partners? How can the proposed IP options be further refined to ensure maximum balance in IP arrangements?

Flexibility: What additional flexibility should be incorporated into the IP options to accommodate and incentivize a range of research initiatives?

Adoption: What strategies could NSF employ to encourage widespread adoption of these IP options among potential partners?

Barriers: What potential barriers exist to implementing these IP options, and how might they be overcome?

Translation and Incentives: Do the proposed IP options effectively promote the translation of research into practice while incentivizing industry participation and ensuring benefits for universities and researchers? What improvements could be made to enhance these aspects?

Additional Options: Are there other IP grant-of-rights options or frameworks that NSF should consider to better support collaborative research initiatives and facilitate research impact?

NSF, at its discretion, will use the information submitted in response to this RFC to help inform future program directions, new initiatives, and potential funding opportunities. The information provided will be analyzed, may appear in reports, and may be shared publicly on agency websites. Respondents are advised that the government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response submission. The government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitations, policies, or procedures.

The United States Postal Service® hereby gives notice that, pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3642 and 3632(b)(3), on January 16, 2025, it filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission a USPS Request to Add Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail & USPS Ground Advantage® Contract 1317 to Competitive Product List . Documents are available at www.prc.gov, Docket Nos. MC2025-1144, K2025-1144.

The United States Postal Service® hereby gives notice that, pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3642 and 3632(b)(3), on January 13, 2025, it filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission a USPS Request to Add Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail & USPS Ground Advantage® Contract 1298 to Competitive Product List . Documents are available at www.prc.gov, Docket Nos. MC2025-1123, K2025-1122.

The United States Postal Service® hereby gives notice that, pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3642 and 3632(b)(3), on January 13, 2025, it filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission a USPS Request to Add Priority Mail & USPS Ground Advantage® Contract 597 to Competitive Product List . Documents are available at www.prc.gov, Docket Nos. MC2025-1137, K2025-1137.

The United States Postal Service® hereby gives notice that, pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3642 and 3632(b)(3), on January 14, 2025, it filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission a USPS Request to Add Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail & USPS Ground Advantage® Contract 1305 to Competitive Product List . Documents are available at www.prc.gov, Docket Nos. MC2025-1130, K2025-1130.

The United States Postal Service® hereby gives notice that, pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 3642 and 3632(b)(3), on January 13, 2025, it filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission a USPS Request to Add Priority Mail & USPS Ground Advantage® Contract 596 to Competitive Product List . Documents are available at www.prc.gov, Docket Nos. MC2025-1113, K2025-1112.

SBA is updating its information collection titled “Information on Small Business Size Determination.”

SBA is requesting comments on (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the agency to properly perform its functions; (b) whether the burden estimates are accurate; (c) whether there are ways to minimize the burden, including through the use of automated techniques or other forms of information technology; and (d) whether there are ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information.

PRA Number: 3245-0101.

Title: Information for Small Business Size Determination.

Description of Respondents: Respondents are businesses claiming to be small for purposes of government contracting and business development programs. SBA uses this form for size protests, size determinations, to assist program offices in determining eligibility for small business programs, and to determine a firm is small to issue a Certificate of Competency.

Form Number: SBA Form 355.

Total Estimated Annual Responses: 450.

Total Estimated Annual Hour Burden: 1,800.

Notice is hereby given that as a result of the President's major disaster declaration on January 15, 2025, Private Non-Profit organizations that provide essential services of a governmental nature may file disaster loan applications online using the MySBA Loan Portal https://lending.sba.gov or other locally announced locations. Please contact the SBA disaster assistance customer service center by email at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or by phone at 1-800-659-2955 for further assistance.

The following areas have been determined to be adversely affected by the disaster:

The Interest Rates are:

The number assigned to this disaster for physical damage is 209625 and for economic injury is 209630.

Title: Special Rules for Single-Employer Defined Benefit Pension Plans (TD 9467) and Election of Alternative Minimum Funding Standards for Community Newspaper Plans (Notice 2020-60).

OMB Number: 1545-2095.

Regulation and Notice Number: REG-139236-07 (TD 9467) and Notice 2020-60.

Abstract: REG-139236-07 (TD 9467): The information required under section 1.430(f)-1(f) is required in order for plan sponsors to make elections regarding a plan's credit balances upon occasion. The information required under section 1.430(h)(2)-1(e) is required in order for a plan sponsor to make an election to use an alternative interest rate for purposes of determining a plan's funding obligations under section 1.430(h)(2)-1. The information required under sections 1.436-1(f) and 1.436-1(h) is required in order for a qualified defined benefit plan's enrolled actuary to provide a timely certification of the plan's adjusted funding target attainment percentage (AFTAP) for each plan year to avoid certain benefit restrictions.

Notice 2020-60 (Election of Alternative Minimum Funding Standards for Community Newspaper Plans): Section 115(a) of the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 (SECURE Act), Division O of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020, Pub. L. 116-94, under section 430(m) to the Code permit the plan sponsor of a community newspaper plan under which no participant has had an increase in accrued benefit after December 31, 2017 to elect to have alternative minimum funding standards apply to the plan in lieu of the minimum funding requirements that would otherwise apply under section 430. Pursuant to section 430(m)(2), any election under section 430(m) will be made at such time and in such manner as prescribed by the Secretary, and once an election is made with respect to a plan year, it will apply to all subsequent plan years unless revoked with the consent of the Secretary. Notice 2020-60 provides guidance regarding this election.

Current Actions: There are changes to the collection and paperwork burden previously approved by OMB. The election under Internal Revenue Code section 3608(b) of the CARES Act (Notice 2020-61) is no longer relevant. It is an election to treat a DB plan's adjusted funding target attainment percentage (AFTAP) for the last plan year ending before January 1, 2020 as the AFTAP for plan years that include calendar year 2020. The election under Notice 2021-48 was for extended amortization bases to apply the extended amortization period for shortfall amortization bases for plan years beginning after December 31, 2018, December 31, 2019, or December 31, 2020. This extended period now applies for all DB plans. The election was available on a temporary basis and is no longer available. The agency has changed the estimated number of respondents from 20 to 2 as it is expected that any community newspaper plan sponsor that wanted to make this election have made it already, and the plan sponsors that are eligible for this election would be very small. REG-139236-07 (TD 9467), remains the same with the same estimates as previously approved by OMB.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Affected Public: Individuals or households, and businesses or other for-profit organizations, not-for-profit, institutions, farms, and Federal, State, local or Tribal governments.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 80,000.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 1.5 hrs.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 120,000.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 2.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 4 hr.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 80.

The following paragraph applies to all the collections of information covered by this notice.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless the collection of information displays a valid OMB control number. Books or records relating to a collection of information must be retained if their contents may become material in the administration of any internal revenue law. Generally, tax returns and tax return information are confidential, as required by 26 U.S.C. 6103.

Request for Comments: Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public record. Comments are invited on: (a) whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and (e) estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation, maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information.

The IRS is currently seeking comments concerning the following information collection tools, reporting, and record-keeping requirements:

Title: Notice of Expatriation and Waiver of Treaty Benefits.

OMB Number: 1545-2138.

Form Number: Form W-8CE.

Abstract: Information used by taxpayers to notify payer of expatriation so that payer applies proper tax treatments. The taxpayer is required to provide this form to the payer to obtain any benefit accorded by the status.

Current Actions: There is no change to the existing collection.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Affected Public: Individuals and households.

Estimated Number of Responses: 500.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 5 hours, 41 minutes.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,840.

The following paragraph applies to all of the collections of information covered by this notice:

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless the collection of information displays a valid OMB control number. Books or records relating to a collection of information must be retained as long as their contents may become material in the administration of any internal revenue law. Generally, tax returns and tax return information are confidential, as required by 26 U.S.C. 6103.

Request for Comments: Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public record. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and (e) estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation, maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information.

Tax compliance burden is defined as the time and money taxpayers spend to comply with their tax filing responsibilities. Time-related activities include recordkeeping, tax planning, gathering tax materials, learning about the law and what you need to do, and completing and submitting the return. Out-of-pocket costs include expenses such as purchasing tax software, paying a third-party preparer, and printing and postage. Tax compliance burden does not include a taxpayer's tax liability, economic inefficiencies caused by sub-optimal choices related to tax deductions or credits, or psychological costs.

Title: U.S. Employment Tax Returns and related Forms.

OMB Number: 1545-0029.

Form Numbers: CT-1, CT-1X, CT-2, SS-8, SS-8 (PR), W-2, W-2 AS, W-2 C, W-2 GU, W-2 VI, W-3, W-3 (PR), W-3 C, W-3 C (PR), W-3 SS, 940, 940 (PR), 940 SCH A, 940 SCH A (PR), 940 SCH R, 941, 941 (PR), 941 SCH B, 941 SCH B (PR), 941 SCH D, 941 SCH R, 941 SS, 941 X, 941 X (PR), 943, 943 (PR), 943 A, 943 A (PR), 943 SCH R, 943 X, 943 X (PR), 944, 944 X, 945, 945 A, 945 X, 2032, 2678, 8027, 8027 T, 8453 EMP, 8850, 8879 EMP, 8922, 8952, and 8974.

Abstract: These forms are used by employers to report their employment tax-related activity. The data is used to verify that the items reported on the forms are correct.

Current Actions: There have been changes in regulatory guidance related to various forms approved under this approval package during the past year. There have been additions and removals of forms included in this approval package. This approval package is being submitted for renewal purposes.

Type of Review: Revision of currently approved collection.

Affected Public: Employers.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 7,408,820.

Estimated Time per Respondent (Hours): 63 hours, 26 minutes.

Estimated Total Annual Time (Hours): 470,000,000.

Estimated Total Annual Monetized Time ($): 15,420,000,000.

Estimated Total Out-of-Pocket Costs ($): 19,870,000,000.

Estimated Total Monetized Burden ($): 35,290,000,000.