This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules. 

# Proposed Rules Federal Register 

### 42026

Vol. 78, No. 135

Monday, July 15, 2013

**CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION** 

**16 CFR Chapter II**

**[Docket No. CPSC–2013–0028]**

**Petition for Rulemaking To Eliminate Accessible Cords on Window Covering**  **Products**

**AGENCY :**  Consumer Product Safety Commission.

**ACTION :**  Notice of petition for rulemaking.

**SUMMARY :**  The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC or Commission) received a petition requesting the Commission to: promulgate a mandatory standard that prohibits any window covering cords, when a feasible cordless alternative exists; and require that all window covering cords be made inaccessible through the use of a passive guardian device when a feasible cordless alternative does not exist. The Commission invites written comments concerning the petition.

**DATES :**  The Office of the Secretary must receive comments on the petition by September 13, 2013.

**ADDRESSES :**  You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CPSC–2013– 0028, by any of the following methods:

Electronic Submissions: Submit electronic comments to the Federal eRulemaking Portal at: http:// www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. The Commission does not accept comments submitted by electronic mail (email), except through www.regulations.gov. The Commission encourages you to submit electronic comments by using the Federal eRulemaking Portal, as described above.

Written Submissions: Submit written submissions in the following way: Mail/ Hand delivery/Courier (for paper, disk, or CD–ROM submissions), preferably in five copies, to: Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Room 820, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814; telephone (301)
504–7923.

Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name and docket number for this notice. All comments received may be posted without change, including any personal identifiers, contact information, or other personal information provided, to: http://www.regulations.gov. Do not submit confidential business information, trade secret information, or other sensitive or protected information that you do not want to be available to the public. If furnished at all, such information should be submitted in writing.

Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or comments received, go to: http:// www.regulations.gov, and insert the docket number, CPSC–2013–0028, into the ‘‘Search’’ box, and follow the prompts. A copy of the petition is available at http://www.regulations.gov under Docket No. CPSC–2013–0028, Supporting and Related Materials.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Rockelle Hammond, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Room 820, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814; telephone (301) 504–6833.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC or Commission) received a petition requesting initiation of a rulemaking to promulgate a mandatory standard to eliminate accessible cords on window covering products. The petition was filed by nine organizations representing consumer groups, safety consultants, and legal counsel: Parents for Window Blind Safety; Consumer Federation of America; Consumers Union; Kids in Danger; Public Citizen; U.S. PIRG; Independent Safety Consulting; Safety Behavior Analysis, Inc.; and Onder, Shelton, O’Leary & Peterson (collectively petitioners). CPSC has docketed the petition (CP13–2).

The petition asserts that a mandatory rule is necessary because attempts to develop a voluntary standard that adequately mitigates the risk of injury associated with window covering cords have failed. Petitioners state that, based on CPSC’s data, between 1985 and 2012, 324 children have been killed, and 122 have been injured by window covering cords. To support their request for rulemaking, petitioners detail the history of the voluntary standards process for window coverings since 1985. Petitioners argue that although the first voluntary standard, ANSI/WCMA A100.1–1996, issued in 1996, addressed some hazards associated with outer cord loops, the manner in which this hazard was addressed did not fully resolve the strangulation and asphyxiation risk. The voluntary standard was subsequently updated in 2002, 2007, 2009, and 2010, following CPSC recalls for unaddressed hazards related to rear inner cord fatalities on roman shades and lifting loops on roll-up shades. Petitioners argue that these efforts also had limited success, detailing additional fatalities and injuries. Petitioners assert that the most recent version of the ANSI standard, approved on November 28, 2012, still fails to adequately address the strangulation hazard posed by accessible cords on window coverings, despite increased international governmental and retailer pressure to address the hazard.

Petitioners assert that the voluntary standard is inadequate. They analyzed the incidents associated with window covering cords between 1996 and 2012 to determine what characteristic of the cord was involved in each incident. Of the 293 incidents that occurred during that period, enough data to determine the cord characteristic involved was available in 250 of the incidents. Petitioners conclude that 102 of these 250 incidents, or 40%, would not have been prevented by adherence to the current 2012 voluntary standard. Petitioners also detail characteristics of newer window covering designs that meet the voluntary standard but that Petitioners argue are more dangerous than traditional corded blinds.

Petitioners assert that substantial noncompliance with the voluntary standard is demonstrated by CPSC’s 16 recalls involving blinds that purportedly complied with the voluntary standard since 2007. Petitioners state that CPSC found numerous other violations of the voluntary standard when evaluating roman shades and roll-up shades, including looped pull cords, no inner cord stops, no tension devices, and failure to attach tension devices to a continuous loop cord. Petitioners assert that many of these products had been on


### 42027 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 135 / Monday, July 15, 2013 / Proposed Rules

the market for years before the defects were detected and recalled.

Petitioners ask the Commission to issue a mandatory standard to eliminate the hazard posed by accessible cords in window coverings. The petition specifically requests that the Commission: (1) Promulgate a mandatory standard that prohibits any window covering cords when a feasible cordless alternative exists; and (2) require that all cords be made inaccessible through the use of a passive guardian device when a feasible cordless alternative does not exist.

By this notice, the Commission seeks comments concerning this petition. Interested parties may obtain a copy of the petition by writing or calling the Office of the Secretary, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Room 820, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814; telephone (301) 504–7923. A copy of the petition also will be made available for viewing under ‘‘Supporting and Related Materials’’ in www.regulations.gov under this docket number.

Dated: July 3, 2013. Todd A. Stevenson, Secretary, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 2013–16403 Filed 7–12–13; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 6355–01–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF LABOR**

**Employee Benefits Security Administration** 

**29 CFR Part 2520**

**RIN 1210–AB20**

**Proposed Amendment To Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for**  **Pension Benefit Statements**

**AGENCY :**  Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor.

**ACTION :**  Notice of Extension of Comment Period for Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.

**SUMMARY :**  The Department of Labor is extending until August 7, 2013, the comment period for an advance notice of proposed rulemaking focusing on lifetime income illustrations given to participants in defined contribution pension plans, such as 401(k) and 403(b) plans. The ANPRM serves as a request for comments on specific language and concepts in advance of a proposed regulation.

**DATES :**  The Department of Labor is extending the comment period of an advance proposed rule published May 8, 2013, 78 FR 26727. Written comments must be received by the Department on or before August 7, 2013.

**ADDRESSES :**  You may submit comments, identified by RIN 1210–AB20, by one of the following methods:

Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

Email: e-ORI@dol.gov. Include RIN 1210–AB20 in the subject line of the
message.

Mail: Office of Regulations and Interpretations, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Room N–5655, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210, Attention: Pension Benefit Statements Project.

Comments received will be available for public inspection in the Public Disclosure Room of the Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N–1513, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210. They also will be available online at www.regulations.gov and www.dol.gov/ ebsa, at no charge. Warning: Do not include any personally identifiable information (such as name, address, or other contact information), or confidential business information, that you do not want publicly disclosed. All comments may be posted on the Internet and can be retrieved by most Internet search engines.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Suzanne Adelman or Tom Hindmarch at (202) 693–8500. This is not a toll free number.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  On May 8, 2013, the Department of Labor (Department) published at 78 FR 26727 an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) regarding the pension benefit statement requirements under section 105 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA). The ANPRM requested comments on specific language and concepts the Department is considering as part of proposed regulations currently under development.

The ANPRM provides that the Department is considering a rule that would require a participant’s ‘‘total benefits accrued’’ to be expressed on his pension benefit statement as an estimated lifetime stream of payments, in addition to being presented as an account balance. The ANPRM also states that the Department is considering a rule that would require a participant’s account balance to be projected to his retirement date and then converted to and expressed as an estimated lifetime stream of payments.

The comment period for the ANPRM is scheduled to close on July 8, 2013. A substantial number of stakeholders are concerned that the original 60-day comment period is not sufficient to provide well thought out and useful feedback to the Department on the complex matters raised in the ANPRM. Accordingly, to ensure that all interested persons have the opportunity to prepare and submit comments, EBSA extends the comment period from July 8 to August 7, 2013.

Signed at Washington, DC, this 8th day of July, 2013. Phyllis C. Borzi, Assistant Secretary, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Department of Labor.
[FR Doc. 2013–16739 Filed 7–12–13; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 4510–29–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY** 

**Coast Guard**

**33 CFR Part 165**

**[Docket No. USCG–2013–0476]**

**RIN 1625–AA00**

**Safety Zone; San Diego Bayfair; Mission Bay, San Diego, CA** 

**AGENCY :**  Coast Guard, DHS.

**ACTION :**  Notice of proposed rulemaking.

**SUMMARY :**  The Coast Guard is proposing a temporary safety zone on the navigable waters of Mission Bay in San Diego, CA for the San Diego Bayfair power boat races from September 13, 2013, until September 15, 2013. The safety zone as proposed would be in effect from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily during this timeframe. This temporary safety zone is necessary to provide for the safety of the participants, crew, spectators, participating vessels, and other vessels and users of the waterway. Persons and vessels would be prohibited from entering into, transiting through or anchoring within this safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port or his designated representative.

**DATES :**  Comments and related material must be received by the Coast Guard on or before August 14, 2013.

Requests for public meetings must be received by the Coast Guard on or before July 29, 2013.

**ADDRESSES :**  You may submit comments identified by docket number using any one of the following methods: