Tuesday, December 21, 2010

ATF Makes Emergency Request to White House to Report Sales of Two (2) or More Rifles!



I have said it before and I will say it again, Attorney General Eric "Stedman" Holder wants your guns. If he's not filing briefs in legal cases that are anti-2nd Amendment, Attorney General Holder is making an emergency request to the White House through his ATF organization to further his objective. The full text from the Federal Register appears after the quoted language.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has asked the White House budget office to approve an emergency request requiring border-area gun dealers to report the sales of two or more rifles to the same customer within a five-day period...

...to report multiple sales or other dispositions whenever the licensee sells or otherwise disposes of two or more rifles within any five consecutive business days with the following characteristics: (a) Semi automatic; (b) a caliber greater than .22; and (c) the ability to accept a detachable magazine.

Source: Yahoo; Federal Register

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[Federal Register: December 17, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 242)]
[Notices]
[Page 79021]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17de10-91]

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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives


[OMB Number 1140-NEW]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comments Requested

ACTION: 60-Day Emergency Notice of Information Collection Under Review: Report of Multiple Sale or Other Disposition of Certain Rifles.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------


The Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, will submit
the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with emergency review procedures of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. OMB approval has been requested by January 5, 2011. This notice requests comments from the public and affected agencies concerning the proposed information collection. If granted, the emergency approval is only valid for 180 days. Comments should be directed to OMB, Office of Information and Regulation Affairs, Attention: Department of Justice Desk Officer (202) 395-6466, Washington, DC 20503.

During the first 60 days of this same review period, a regular
review of this information collection is also being undertaken. All comments and suggestions, or questions regarding additional information, to include obtaining a copy of the proposed information collection instrument with instructions, should be directed to Barbara A. Terrell, Barbara.Terrell@atf.gov Firearms Industry Programs Branch, Fax (202) 648-9640, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, 99 New York Avenue, NE., Washington DC 20226. Written comments and suggestions from the public and affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of information. Your comments should address one or more of the following four points:

  • Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;
  • Evaluate the accuracy of the agencies estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
  • Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and
  • Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.

Summary of Collection:


(1) Type of information collection: New.

(2) The title of the form/collection: Report of Multiple Sale or Other Disposition of Certain Rifles.

(3) The agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the department sponsoring the collection: Form Number: ATF F 3310.12. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

(4) Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as well as a brief abstract: Primary: Business or For-Profit Other: None.

Need for Collection

The purpose of the information is to require Federal Firearms Licensees to report multiple sales or other dispositions whenever the licensee sells or otherwise disposes of two or more rifles within any five consecutive business days with the following characteristics: (a) Semi automatic; (b) a caliber greater than .22; and (c) the ability to accept a detachable magazine.

(5) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount
of time estimated for an average respondent to respond/reply: It is estimated that 8,479 respondents will complete a 12 minute form.

(6) An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated with the collection: The estimated total public burden associated with this information collection is 1,696 hours.

If additional information is required contact: Lynn Murray,
Department Clearance Officer, Policy and Planning Staff, Justice Management Division, United States Department of Justice, 145 N Street, NE., Two Constitution Square, Room 2E-502, Washington, DC 20530.

Dated: December 14, 2010.

Lynn Murray,
Department Clearance Officer, PRA, United States Department of Justice.
[FR Doc. 2010-31761 Filed 12-16-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-FY-P


Monday, December 20, 2010

Federal Government Releases Draft Solar Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Proposed Solar Energy Zones in Western States

While I'm all for solar energy, I need to review the Draft Solar Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement further to see what impact, if any, the projects will have on the public lands before I decide whether to support any of these projects.

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Joint Draft Environmental Study Identifies Public Lands Best Suited for Solar Development in the West

12/16/2010
Contact: Kendra Barkoff (DOI) 202 208-6416
Public Affairs (DOE) 202-586-4940
David Quick (BLM) 202 912-7413

WASHINGTON – Today Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced a comprehensive environmental analysis that has identified proposed ‘solar energy zones’ on public lands in six western states most suitable for environmentally sound, utility-scale solar energy production.

The detailed study, known as the Draft Solar Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, was compiled over the past two years as part of the Obama Administration’s efforts to create a framework for developing renewable energy in the right way and in the right places. The public is encouraged to provide comment on the draft plan during the next 90 days.

“This proposal lays out the next phase of President Obama’s strategy for rapid and responsible development of renewable energy on America’s public lands,” Secretary Salazar said. “This analysis will help renewable energy companies and federal agencies focus development on areas of our public lands that are best suited for large-scale solar development. Our early, ‘Smart from the Start,’ planning will help us site solar projects in the right places, and reduce conflicts and delays at later stages of the development process.”

“Our country has incredible renewable resources, innovative entrepreneurs, a skilled workforce, and manufacturing know-how,” said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “It’s time to harness these resources and lead in the global clean energy economy. Today’s announcement is part of an integrated strategy to cultivate the entire innovation chain to create the jobs of the 21st century economy and to put America on a sustainable energy path.”

The Draft Solar Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) assessed the environmental, social, and economic impacts associated with solar energy development on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) administered areas in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The Notice of Availability for the Draft Solar PEIS will be published in the Federal Register on Friday, December 17, 2010 and is available today in the Reading Room. The 90-day public comment period will include 14 open meetings, beginning in Washington, D.C. on February 2, 2011.

“Public involvement has been a vital component in every step of the BLM’s solar energy program,” said BLM Director Bob Abbey. “The lessons learned from what we have done so far, plus the public input obtained during this current comment period, will help make all solar development resulting from this process ‘Smart from the Start.’”

Under the study’s Preferred Alternative, the BLM would establish a new Solar Energy Program that would standardize and streamline the authorization process and establish mandatory design features for solar energy development on BLM lands.

Under this proposal, the BLM would establish Solar Energy Zones (SEZ’s) within the lands available for solar development right of way applications. These are areas that have been identified as most appropriate for development, containing the highest solar energy potential and fewest environmental and resource conflicts. The Solar Energy Zones would provide directed, landscape-scale planning for future solar projects and allow for a more efficient permitting and siting process.

The initiative stems from Salazar’s June 2009 announcement that tracts of BLM land in the six western states, known as Solar Energy Study Areas, would be fully evaluated for their environmental and resource suitability for large-scale solar energy production.

The BLM manages about 120 million acres of public land in the six western states covered by the Draft Solar PEIS. BLM lands that would be excluded from solar energy production include areas currently off-limits to this type of energy development; those prohibited by law, regulation, Presidential proclamation, or executive order; lands with slopes of 5 percent or greater and/or sunlight levels below 6.5 kilowatt-hours per square meter per day; and areas with known resources, resource uses, or special designations identified in local land use plans that are incompatible with solar energy development.

On the basis of these exclusions, about 22 million acres of BLM-administered lands would be available for right of way applications for solar development under the Preferred Alternative. That includes about 677,400 acres identified as proposed Solar Energy Zones. However, reasonably foreseeable solar energy development is anticipated ononly about 214,000 acres of the suitable and appropriate BLM lands.

As it completes the Solar PEIS, the BLM continues to process existing solar energy applications. Eight utility-scale solar projects have been approved in the last three months through the Department’s ‘fast-track initiative’ for BLM lands in California and Nevada that, combined, will generate 3,572 megawatts of electricity. The BLM’s current solar energy caseload includes 104 active solar applications covering 1 million acres that developers estimate could generate 60,000 megawatts of electricity.

The Department of Energy (DOE) is working to advance technological development and encourage the full-scale commercialization of clean energy technologies. Through the Loan Guarantee Program, DOE has made significant investments in utility-scale solar generation that will help to scale these technologies in the marketplace. Meanwhile, DOE's solar research and development efforts focus on significant improvements to the cost, reliability, and performance of devices, components, and systems. By working with DOI to accelerate solar energy generation on public lands, DOE is working to create a clean energy future while significantly reducing green house gases

The preferred method of commenting on the Draft Solar PEIS is by written submissions using the online form available at http://solareis.anl.gov. Comments can also be mailed to: Solar Energy Draft Programmatic EIS, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Avenue - EVS/240, Argonne, Illinois 60439. Comments may also be submitted at public meetings scheduled for California: Barstow, El Centro, Ontario, and Palm Springs; Colorado: Alamosa; Nevada: Caliente, Goldfield, Las Vegas; Utah: Cedar City and Salt Lake City; New Mexico: Las Cruces; Arizona: Phoenix and Tucson; and Washington, D.C. in February and March 2011.

The Draft Solar Energy PEIS document is available online at the project website: http://solareis.anl.gov. A Question & Answer document is available online at http://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/loader.cfm?csModule=security/getfile&PageID=112683. Maps are available at http://blm.gov/td5c.

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Apple Introduces PatriotApp™ "Snitch" Program for the iPhone

Wasn't there a movement to "Stop Snitchin" a few years ago? I guess Apple didn't get the memo, because it has released a program in iTunes for the iPhone that allows users to snitch on fellow Americans or otherwise in real time? I claim no copyright in the above image but I post it to demonstrate the levels of complexity that one can snitch on others. Per the application's description:

PatriotApp™ deputizes your iPhone or iPad! It is the world’s first app that allows citizens to assist government agencies in creating safer, cleaner, and more efficient communities. The easy to use graphical interface allows you to report pertinent information to government agencies and share with others via social networking and blogs, all at your fingertips.…

Source: Apple