Notices. Announcement of funding opportunity for financial assistance for project grants

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BILLING CODE 3510-22-S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [Docket No. [051121306-5306-01]] Announcement of Funding Opportunity for the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program AGENCY: Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM), the National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Announcement of funding opportunity for financial assistance for project grants. SUMMARY:

NOS/OCRM is soliciting coastal and estuarine land conservation acquisition projects from eligible coastal states. The Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP) was established “for the purpose of protecting important coastal and estuarine areas that have significant conservation, recreation, ecological, historical, or aesthetic values, or that are threatened by conversion from their natural or recreational state to other uses.” This announcement solicits proposals for land acquisition projects, up to 3 years in duration, with the purpose of protecting important coastal and estuarine areas.

Project proposals should reflect priorities identified in an approved state CELC plan or, if a state plan has not been completed, by the state's approved coastal management program. This solicitation will result in a prioritized list of projects that will be submitted to Congress in March 2006 for consideration in the FY 2007 appropriations process. Proposals should be prepared assuming a cost of no more than $3,000,000 per project and three projects per eligible applicant. DATES:

Proposals must be received by the NOS/OCRM no later than 5 p.m. e.s.t., December 30, 2005. ADDRESSES: It is strongly preferred that you submit your application through Grants.gov at the Internet site: *http://www.grants.gov* . You may access, download, and submit an electronic grant application through Grants.gov. The full funding announcement is available via the grants.gov Web site: *http://www.grants.gov* . The announcement will also be available at the NOAA Web site *http://www.ago.noaa.gov/ad/solindex.shtml* or by contacting the program officials identified below.

Applicants must comply with all requirements contained in the full funding opportunity announcement. NOAA strongly recommends that you do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the application process through Grants.gov. Paper applications, a signed original and 4 copies, may be submitted to Attn: Elaine Vaudreuil, NOAA, Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Policy and Evaluation Division (N/ORM7), 1305 East-West Highway, SSMC4, 10th Floor Station 10657, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

The closing deadline for applying through grants.gov is the same as for the paper submission noted in this announcement. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: CELCP Program Managers: Elaine Vaudreuil, OCRM, 301-713-3155 ext 103; via Internet: *Elaine.Vaudreuil@noaa.gov* or Elisabeth Morgan, OCRM, 301-713-3155 ext 166; via Internet at *Elisabeth.Morgan@noaa.gov* . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Summary Description The Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP) was established “for the purpose of protecting important coastal and estuarine areas that have significant conservation, recreation, ecological, historical, or aesthetic values, or that are threatened by conversion from their natural or recreational state to other uses.

” This announcement solicits proposals for land acquisition projects up to 3 years in duration with the purpose of protecting important coastal and estuarine areas. Project proposals should be based upon a state's coastal and estuarine land acquisition priorities as outlined in approved state CELC plans or as part of an approved state coastal management program. The state's designated lead agency for implementing the CELCP may solicit, and include in their application, project proposals from additional state agencies, or local governments as defined at 15 CFR 24.3, or entities eligible for assistance under Section 306A(e) of the CZMA (16 U.S.C. 1455a(e)), provided that each has the authority to acquire and manage land for conservation purposes.

For this solicitation, the requirement that states must have an approved CELC plan will be waived. Coastal states may select and submit up to three projects. Grants will be given for up to $3,000,000 for each project. Project proposals should identify and discuss the project's primary focus and in addition describe all other relevant conservation, recreation, ecological, historical, and aesthetic values, and discuss threats of conversion of the project from its natural or recreational state to other uses.

The proposals should also detail how the project will be completed in a timely manner, existing and proposed uses of the property, and how the project site will be managed in the future for long-term qualifications. The CELCP Guidelines, published in the **Federal Register** on June 17, 2003, establish the eligibility, procedural and programmatic requirements for participation in the CELCP, including the criteria for financial assistance awards under the program. The guidelines outline the criteria and process for eligible coastal states to develop a state coastal and estuarine land conservation plan, nominate land conservation projects to a national competitive process, and for NOAA to select projects at the national level for funding.

All applications submitted pursuant to this notice must be consistent with the requirements and guidelines implementing the CELCP published in the **Federal Register** (68 FR 35860-35869), on June 17, 2003, except that for this solicitation NOS waives the requirement for states to have an approved CELC plan. The Coastal and Estuarine Land Program Final Guidelines, June 2003 can be found at *http://coastalmanagement.noaa.gov/pdf/CELCPfinal02Guidelines.pdf* . Funding Availability Funding is dependent upon 2007 appropriations.

It is anticipated that up to $60,000,000 in projects will be recommended to Congress for funding in FY 2007. This solicitation announces that award amounts to be determined by the proposals and available funds not to exceed $3,000,000 per project with a project duration from 1-3 years. It is anticipated that approximately 20-60 projects will be recommended for funding in FY 2007. *Statutory Authority:* 16 U.S.C. 1456d. *CFDA:* 11.419, Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program.

Eligibility Coastal states with Coastal Zone Management Programs or National Estuarine Research Reserves approved under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 are eligible to participate. Each state's CELCP lead agency will be responsible for: soliciting projects that are consistent with priorities outlined in the state's approved CELC plan or if a CELC plan has not yet been approved, a state's coastal management program. A list of state lead agency contacts for the CELCP can be found at: *http://coastalmanagement.noaa.gov/landconservation.html* .

The state's lead agency may solicit, and include in their application, project proposals from additional state agencies, or local governments as defined at 15 CFR 24.3, or entities eligible for assistance under section 306A(e) of the CZMA (16 U.S.C. 1455a(e)), provided that each has the authority to acquire and manage land for conservation purposes. Up to three project proposals may be submitted. The state will be responsible for ensuring that allocated funds are used for the purposes of and in a manner consistent with this program.

Cost Sharing Requirements All funds under this program are to be matched with non-federal funds at a ratio of 1:1. Intergovernmental Review Applications under this program are subject to Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.” Proposal Review and Selection Process for Projects NOAA published its agency-wide solicitation entitled “Omnibus Notice Announcing the Availability of Grant Funds for Fiscal Year 2006” for projects for Fiscal Year 2006 in the **Federal Register** on June 30, 2005 (70 FR 37766).

The evaluation and selection criteria and procedures for projects contained in that omnibus notice are applicable to this notice. Copies of this notice are available on the Internet at *http://www.ofa.noaa.gov/%7Eamd/SOLINDEX.HTML* . Further details on evaluation and selection criteria and procedures applicable to this notice can be found in the full funding opportunity announcement. National Environmental Policy Act

(NEPA)NOAA must analyze the potential environmental impacts, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), for applicant projects or proposals which are seeking NOAA federal funding opportunities. Detailed information on NOAA compliance with NEPA can be found at the following NOAA NEPA Web site: *http://www.nepa.noaa.gov/* , including our NOAA Administrative Order 216-6 for NEPA, *http://www.nepa.noaa.gov/NAO216—6—TOC.pdf* , and the Council on Environmental Quality implementation regulations, *http://ceq.eh.doe.gov/nepa/regs/ceq/toc_ceq.htm* . Consequently, as part of an applicant's package, and under their description of their program activities, applicants are required to provide detailed information on the activities to be conducted, locations, sites, species and habitat to be affected, possible construction activities, and any environmental concerns that may exist (e.g., the use and disposal of hazardous or toxic chemicals, introduction of non-indigenous species, impacts to endangered and threatened species, aquaculture projects, and impacts to coral reef systems). In addition to providing specific information that will serve as the basis for any required impact analyses, applicants may also be requested to assist NOAA in drafting of an environmental assessment, if NOAA determines an assessment is required. Applicants will also be required to cooperate with NOAA in identifying feasible measures to reduce or avoid any identified adverse environmental impacts of their proposal. The failure to do so shall be grounds for not selecting an application. In some cases if additional information is required after an application is selected, funds can be withheld by the Grants Officer under a special award condition requiring the recipient to submit additional environmental compliance information sufficient to enable NOAA to make an assessment on any impacts that a project may have on the environment. Pre-Award Notification Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements contained in the **Federal Register** notice of December 30, 2004 (69 FR 78389) are applicable to this solicitation. Limitation of Liability Funding for the program listed in this notice is contingent upon the availability of Fiscal Year 2007 appropriations. In no event will NOAA be responsible for proposal preparation costs if this program fails to receive funding or is cancelled because of other agency priorities. Publication of this announcement does not oblige NOAA to award any specific project or to obligate any available funds. Paperwork Reduction Act Applications involve collection-of-information requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the requirement of the Paperwork Reduction Act, unless that collection displays a currently valid OMB control number. The following requirements have been approved by OMB under control number 0648-0459: a Project Proposal and Project Application Checklist (up to five copies per project), including project budget and justification or proposed costs, site maps, and supporting information such as appraisal, title opinion, documentation of compliance with Federal laws, regulations, policies etc.; and documentation of landowner's willingness to sell. Executive Order 12866 This notice has been determined to be not significant for purposes of Executive Order 12866. Executive Order 13132 (Federalism) It has been determined that this notice does not contain policies with Federalism implications as that term is defined in Executive Order 13132. Administrative Procedure Act/Regulatory Flexibility Act Prior notice and opportunity for public comment are not required by the Administrative Procedure Act or any other law for rules concerning public property, loans, grants, benefits, and contracts (5 U.S.C. 553(a)(2)). Because notice and opportunity for comments are not required pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 or any other law, the analytical requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 *et seq.* ) are inapplicable. Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis has not been prepared. Dated: November 22, 2005. Charles Challstrom, Acting Assistant Administrator, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. [FR Doc. E5-6660 Filed 11-28-05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-NK-P COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS Termination of Further Consideration of Requests for Textile and Apparel Safeguard Action on Imports from China November 23, 2005. AGENCY: The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (the Committee). ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Committee is terminating further consideration of requests for safeguard action on imports from China of twenty-four textile and apparel product categories. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jay Dowling, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce,

(202)482-4058. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Authority: Section 204 of the Agriculture Act of 1956, as amended; Executive Order 11651, as amended. Background: Requests for China textile safeguard action based on the existence and/or threat of market disruption, on twenty-four textile and apparel product categories, were filed between November 12, 2004 and October 11, 2005, by a coalition of textile and apparel industry associations and a union representing textile and apparel industry workers. CITA accepted each of these requests for consideration and published notices in the **Federal Register** establishing a 30-day public comment period. The twenty-four product categories are: Category Description 222 Knit fabric 226 Cheesecloth, batistes, lawns/voiles 301 Combed cotton yarn 332/432 & 632pt. Cotton, wool & man-made fiber socks 338/339 Cotton knit shirts & blouses 340/640 Men's & boys' cotton & man-made fiber shirts, not knit 341/641 Women's & girls' cotton & man-made fiber shirts & blouses, not knit 342/642 Cotton & man-made fiber skirts 345/645/646 Cotton & man-made fiber sweaters 347/348 Cotton trousers 349/649 Cotton & man-made fiber brassieres & other body supporting garments 350/650 Cotton & man-made fiber dressing gowns & robes 351/651 Cotton & man-made fiber nightwear & pajamas 352/652 Cotton & man-made fiber underwear 359-S/659-S Cotton & man-made fiber swimwear 363 Cotton terry & other pile towels 369pt./666pt. Curtains & drapery 443 Men's & boys' wool suits 447 Men's & boys' wool trousers 619 Polyester filament fabric 620 Other synthetic filament fabric 634/635 Other men's & boys' man-made fiber coats & women's & girls' man-made fiber coats 638/639 Man-made fiber knit shirts & blouses 647/648 Man-made fiber trousers The Committee's procedures state that it will make a determination within 60 calendar days of the close of the public comment period as to whether the United States will request consultations with China. The deadlines for determination on these cases range from November 30, 2005, through February 5, 2006. On November 8, 2005, the Governments of the United States and the People's Republic of China signed a broad agreement concerning textile and apparel products. This Memorandum of Understanding was reached with a view to further developing the bilateral economic and trade relationship between the United States and China, providing the textile and apparel industries in the United States and China with a stable and predictable trading environment, and resolving trade concerns through consultations under Paragraph 242 of the Report of the Working Party for the Accession of China to the World Trade Organization. In light of the Memorandum of Understanding, and consistent with its objectives, the Committee has terminated further consideration of all textile safeguard requests that were pending on the date the Memorandum of Understanding was signed, November 8, 2005. James C. Leonard III, Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements. [FR Doc. 05-23460 Filed 11-28-05; 8:45 am]

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