Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 15 / Monday, January 26, 2009 / Notices 4483 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant 

to authority granted under section 9 of 

the United States-Israel Free Trade Area 

Implementation Act of 1985 (IFTA Act), 

as amended (19 U.S.C. 2112 note), 

Presidential Proclamation 6955 of 

November 13, 1996 (61 FR 58761) 

proclaimed certain tariff treatment for 

articles of the West Bank, the Gaza 

Strip, and qualifying industrial zones. In 

particular, the Presidential Proclamation 

modified general notes 3 and 8 of the 

Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the 

United States: (a) To provide duty-free 

treatment to qualifying articles that are 

the product of the West Bank, the Gaza 

Strip or a qualifying industrial zone and 

are entered in accordance with the 

provisions of section 9 of the IFTA Act; 

(b) to provide that articles of Israel may 

be treated as though they were articles 

directly shipped from Israel for the 

purposes of the United States-Israel Free 

Trade Area Agreement (‘‘the 

Agreement’’) even if shipped to the 

United States from the West Bank, the 

Gaza Strip, or a qualifying industrial 

zone, if the articles otherwise meet the 

requirements of the Agreement; and (c) 

to provide that the cost or value of 

materials produced in the West Bank, 

the Gaza Strip, or a qualifying industrial 

zone may be included in the cost or 

value of materials produced in Israel 

under section 1(c)(i) of Annex 3 of the 

Agreement and that the direct costs of 

processing operations performed in the 

West Bank, the Gaza Strip, or a 

qualifying industrial zone may be 

included in the direct costs of 

processing operations performed in 

Israel under section 1(c)(ii) of Annex 3 

of the Agreement. 

Section 9(e) of the IFTA Act defines 

a ‘‘qualifying industrial zone’’ as an area 

that ‘‘(1) encompasses portions of the 

territory of Israel and Jordan or Israel 

and Egypt; (2) has been designated by 

local authorities as an enclave where 

merchandise may enter without 

payment of duty or excise taxes; and (3) 

has been specified by the President as 

a qualifying industrial zone.’’ 

Presidential Proclamation 6955 

delegated to the United States Trade 

Representative the authority to 

designate qualifying industrial zones. 

The United States Trade 

Representative has previously 

designated qualifying industrial zones 

under Section 9 of the IFTA Act on 

March 13, 1998 (63 FR 12572), March 

19, 1999 (64 FR 13623), October 15, 

1999 (64 FR 56015), October 24, 2000 

(65 FR 64472), and December 12, 2000 

(65 FR 77688), June 15, 2001 (66 FR 

32660), January 28, 2004 (69 FR 4199) 

December 29, 2004 (69 FR 78094), and 

November 16, 2005 (70 FR 69622). 

The Government of Israel and the 

Government of the Hashemite Kingdom 

of Jordan agreed in protocols submitted 

in June 2008 to the designation of 

Shoubak, Shouneh Wistah, Madaba/ 

Dalilet, Irbid/Al-Westieyn, and AlTafileh as qualifying industrial zones. 

The Government of Israel and the 

Government of Jordan further agreed 

that merchandise may enter, without 

payment of duty or excise taxes, areas 

under their respective customs control 

in association with the Shoubak zone, 

Shouneh Wistah zone, Madaba/Dalilet 

zone, Irbid/Al-Westieyn zone, and AlTafileh zone. Accordingly, the Shoubak, 

Shouneh Wistah, Madaba/Dalilet, Irbid/ 

Al-Westieyn, and Al-Tafileh qualifying 

industrial zones meet the criteria under 

paragraphs 9(e)(1) and (2) of the IFTA 

Act. 

Therefore, pursuant to the authority 

delegated to me by Presidential 

Proclamation 6955, I hereby designate 

the Shoubak, Shouneh Wistah, Madaba/ 

Dalilet, Irbid/Al-Westieyn, and AlTafileh, as established by the 2003 

Amending Protocols to the Agreement 

Between the Government of the 

Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the 

Government of the State of Israel on 

Irbid Qualifying Industrial Zone, as 

qualifying industrial zones under 

section 9 of the IFTA Act, effective upon 

the date of publication of this notice, 

applicable to articles shipped from these 

qualifying industrial zones after such 

date. 

Susan C. Schwab, 

United States Trade Representative. 

[FR Doc. E9–1591 Filed 1–23–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3190–W9–P 

OFFICE OF PERSONNEL 

MANAGEMENT 

January 2009 Pay Adjustments 

AGENCY: U.S. Office of Personnel 

Management. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The President adjusted the 

rates of basic pay and locality payments 

for certain categories of Federal 

employees effective in January 2009. 

This notice documents those pay 

adjustments for the public record. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Tameka Gillis, Center for Pay and Leave 

Administration, Division for Strategic 

Human Resources Policy, U.S. Office of 

Personnel Management; (202) 606–2858; 

FAX (202) 606–0824; or e-mail to payperformance-policy@opm.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On 

December 18, 2008, the President signed 

Executive Order 13483 (73 FR 78587), 

which implemented the January 2009 

pay adjustments. The President made 

these adjustments consistent with 

Public Law 110–329, September 30, 

2008, which authorized an overall 

average pay increase of 3.9 percent for 

the ‘‘statutory pay systems,’’ including 

the General Schedule (GS). 

Schedule 1 of Executive Order 13483 

provides the rates for the 2009 General 

Schedule and reflects a 2.9 percent 

across-the-board increase. Executive 

Order 13483 also includes the 

percentage amounts of the 2009 locality 

payments. (See Section 5 and Schedule 

9 of Executive Order 13483.) 

The publication of this notice satisfies 

the requirement in section 5(b) of 

Executive Order 13483 that the U.S. 

Office of Personnel Management (OPM) 

publish appropriate notice of the 2009 

locality payments in the Federal 

Register. 

GS employees receive locality 

payments under 5 U.S.C. 5304. Locality 

payments apply in the continental 

United States (as defined in 5 CFR 

531.602 to include the several States 

and the District of Columbia, but not 

Alaska or Hawaii). In 2009, locality 

payments ranging from 13.86 percent to 

34.35 percent apply to GS employees in 

32 locality pay areas. (The 2009 locality 

pay area definitions can be found at 

http://www.opm.gov/oca/09tables/ 

locdef.asp.) These 2009 locality pay 

percentages, which replaced the 2008 

locality pay percentages, became 

effective on the first day of the first pay 

period beginning on or after January 1, 

2009 (January 4, 2009). An employee’s 

locality rate of pay is computed by 

increasing his or her scheduled annual 

rate of pay (as defined in 5 CFR 531.602) 

by the applicable locality pay 

percentage. (See 5 CFR 531.604 and 

531.609.) 

Executive Order 13483 establishes the 

new Executive Schedule, which 

incorporates a 2.8 percent increase 

required under 5 U.S.C. 5318 (rounded 

to the nearest $100). By law, Executive 

Schedule officials are not authorized to 

receive locality payments. 

Executive Order 13483 establishes the 

range of rates of basic pay for senior 

executives in the Senior Executive 

Service (SES), as established pursuant to 

5 U.S.C. 5382. The minimum rate of 

basic pay for the SES may not be less 

than the minimum rate payable under 5 

U.S.C. 5376 for senior-level positions 

($117,787 in 2009). The maximum rate 

of the SES rate range is level II of the 

Executive Schedule ($177,000 in 2009) 

for SES members covered by a certified 

SES performance appraisal system and 

level III of the Executive Schedule 

4484 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 15 / Monday, January 26, 2009 / Notices 

1The $295/hour figure for an attorney is from 

SIFMA’s Management & Professional Earnings in 

the Securities Industry 2007, modified by the 

Commission staff to account for an 1800-hour workyear and multiplied by 5.35 to account for bonuses, 

firm size, employee benefits and overhead. 

2The $40/hour figure for a general clerk is from 

SIFMA’s Office Salaries in the Securities Industry 

2007, modified by Commission staff to account for 

an 1800-hour work-year and multiplied by 2.92 to 

account for bonuses, firm size, employee benefits 

and overhead. The staff believes that the ODD 

would be mailed or electronically delivered to 

customers by a general clerk of the broker-dealer or 

some other equivalent position. 

($162,900 in 2009) for SES members 

covered by an SES performance 

appraisal system that has not been 

certified. By law, SES members are not 

authorized to receive locality payments. 

Agencies with certified performance 

appraisal systems in 2009 for senior 

executives and/or senior-level (SL) and 

scientific or professional (ST) positions 

also must apply a higher aggregate 

limitation on pay—up to the Vice 

President’s salary ($227,300 in 2009). 

The Executive order adjusted the rates 

of basic pay for administrative law 

judges (ALJs) by 2.9 percent, rounded to 

the nearest $100 (except for those at 

AL–1, which was increased by 2.8 

percent consistent with the Executive 

Schedule increase). The maximum rate 

of basic pay for ALJs is set by law at the 

rate for level IV of the Executive 

Schedule, which is now $153,200. The 

rate of basic pay for AL–2 is $149,600. 

The rates of basic pay for AL–3/A 

through 3/F range from $102,400 to 

$141,600. (See 5 U.S.C. 5372.) 

The rates of basic pay for members of 

Contract Appeals Boards are calculated 

as a percentage of the rate for level IV 

of the Executive Schedule. (See 5 U.S.C. 

5372a.) Therefore, these rates of basic 

pay were increased by approximately 

2.8 percent. 

The maximum rate of basic pay for 

SL/ST positions was increased by 

approximately 2.8 percent (to $153,200) 

because it is tied to the rate for level IV 

of the Executive Schedule. The 

minimum rate of basic pay for SL/ST 

positions is equal to 120 percent of the 

minimum rate of basic pay for GS–15 

and thus was increased by 2.9 percent 

(to $117,787). (See 5 U.S.C. 5376.) Note 

that beginning April 12, 2009, 

employees in SL/ST positions will begin 

receiving pay under the provisions of a 

new pay system established under the 

Senior Professional Performance Act of 

2008 (Pub. L. 110–372, October 8, 2008). 

OPM will issue additional information 

on the new SL/ST pay system before 

April 12, 2009. 

On October 27, 2008, the President’s 

Pay Agent extended the 2009 localitybased comparability payments to certain 

categories of non-GS employees. The 

Governmentwide categories include 

ALJs and Contract Appeals Board 

members. The maximum locality rate of 

pay for these employees is the rate for 

level III of the Executive Schedule 

($162,900 in 2009). 

On December 18, 2008, OPM issued a 

memorandum (CPM 2008–22) on the 

January 2009 pay adjustments. (See 

http://www.opm.gov/oca/compmemo/ 

index.asp.) The memorandum 

transmitted Executive Order 13483 and 

provided the 2009 salary tables, locality 

pay areas and percentages, and 

information on general pay 

administration matters and other related 

information. The ‘‘2009 Salary Tables’’ 

posted on OPM’s Web site at http:// 

www.opm.gov/oca/09tables/index.asp 

are the official rates of pay for affected 

employees and are hereby incorporated 

as part of this notice. 

Office of Personnel Management. 

Michael W. Hager, 

Acting Director. 

[FR Doc. E9–1643 Filed 1–23–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6325–39–P 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE 

COMMISSION 

Submission for OMB Review; 

Comment Request 

Upon Written Request, Copies Available 

From: U.S. Securities and Exchange 

Commission, Office of Investor 

Education and Advocacy, 

Washington, DC 20549–0213. 

Extension: 

Rule 9b–1; OMB Control No. 3235–0480 ; 

SEC File No. 270–429. 

Notice is hereby given that pursuant 

to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) the Securities 

and Exchange Commission 

(‘‘Commission’’) has submitted to the 

Office of Management and Budget 

(‘‘OMB’’) a request for extension of the 

existing collection of information 

provided for in the following rule: Rule 

9b–1 (17 CFR 240.9b–1) under the 

Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 

U.S.C. 78a et seq.). 

Rule 9b–1 (17 CFR 240.9b–1) sets 

forth the categories of information 

required to be disclosed in an options 

disclosure document (‘‘ODD’’) and 

requires the options markets to file an 

ODD with the Commission 60 days prior 

to the date it is distributed to investors. 

In addition, Rule 9b–1 provides that the 

ODD must be amended if the 

information in the document becomes 

materially inaccurate or incomplete and 

that amendments must be filed with the 

Commission 30 days prior to the 

distribution to customers. Finally, Rule 

9b–1 requires a broker-dealer to furnish 

to each customer an ODD and any 

amendments, prior to accepting an order 

to purchase or sell an option on behalf 

of that customer. 

There are six options markets that 

must comply with Rule 9b–1. These six 

respondents work together to prepare a 

single ODD covering options traded on 

each market, as well as amendments to 

the ODD. These respondents file 

approximately three amendments per 

year. The staff calculates that the 

preparation and filing of amendments 

should take no more than eight hours 

per options market. Thus, the total 

compliance burden for options markets 

per year is 144 hours (6 options markets 

× 8 hours per amendment × 3 

amendments). The estimated cost for an 

in-house attorney is $295 per hour,1

resulting in a total cost of compliance 

for these respondents of $42,480 per 

year (144 hours @ $295). 

In addition, approximately 1,500 

broker-dealers must comply with Rule 

9b–1. Each of these respondents will 

process an average of three new 

customers for options each week and, 

therefore, will have to furnish 

approximately 156 ODDs per year. The 

postal mailing or electronic delivery of 

the ODD takes respondents no more 

than 30 seconds to complete for an 

annual compliance burden for each of 

these respondents of 78 minutes, or 1.3 

hours. Thus, the total compliance 

burden per year is 1,950 hours (1,500 

broker-dealers × 1.3 hours). The 

estimated cost for a general clerk of a 

broker-dealer is $40 per hour,2 resulting 

in a total cost of compliance for these 

respondents of $78,000 per year (1,950 

hours @ $40). 

The total compliance burden for all 

respondents under this rule (both 

options markets and broker-dealers) is 

2,094 hours per year (144 + 1,950), and 

total compliance costs of $120,480 

($42,480 + $78,000). 

An agency may not conduct or 

sponsor, and a person is not required to 

respond to, a collection of information 

unless it displays a currently valid 

control number. 

Comments should be directed to: (i) 

Desk Officer for the Securities and 

Exchange Commission, Office of 

Information and Regulatory Affairs, 

Office of Management and Budget, 

Room 10102, New Executive Office 

Building, Washington, DC 20503 or by 

sending an e-mail to: 

Shagufta_Ahmed@omb.eop.gov; and (ii) 

Charles Boucher, Director/Chief 

Information Officer, Securities and 

Exchange Commission, c/o Shirley