Notices. Notice of comment period extension

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BILLING CODE 5001-06-M DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview Information; Technology and Media Services for Individuals With Disabilities—Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children With Disabilities; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year

(FY)2007 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

(CFDA)Number: 84.327A Note: This notice includes one priority with two phases, and funding information for each phase of the competition. *Dates:* Applications Available: August 8, 2006. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: See the chart in section II. Award Information in this notice (Chart). Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: See Chart. *Eligible Applicants:* State educational agencies (SEAs); local educational agencies (LEAs); public charter schools that are LEAs under State law; institutions of higher education (IHEs); other public agencies; private nonprofit organizations; outlying areas; freely associated States; Indian tribes or tribal organizations; and for-profit organizations. *Estimated Available Funds:* The Administration has requested $31,063,000 for the Technology and Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities program for FY 2007, of which we intend to use an estimated $2,670,000 for the Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children with Disabilities competition. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program. Funding information regarding each phase of the priority is listed in the Chart. *Maximum Award:* Phase 1: $200,000, per year and Phase 2: $300,000, per year. We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding the maximum award for a single budget period of 12 months. The Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the **Federal Register** . *Estimated Range of Awards:* See Chart. *Estimated Average Size of Awards:* See Chart. *Estimated Number of Awards:* See Chart. *Project Period:* See Chart. Full Text of Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description *Purpose of Program:* The purpose of the Technology and Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities program is to:

(1)Improve results for children with disabilities by promoting the development, demonstration, and use of technology,

(2)support educational media services activities designed to be of educational value in the classroom setting to children with disabilities, and

(3)provide support for captioning and video description that is appropriate for use in the classroom setting. *Priority:* In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv) and (v), this priority is from allowable activities specified in the statute, or otherwise authorized in the statute (see sections 674 and 681(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)). *Absolute Priority:* For FY 2007 this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority. This priority is: Technology and Media Services for Individuals With Disabilities—Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children With Disabilities Background The Department has made Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children with Disabilities awards for several years under the Technology and Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities program. Starting in FY 2005, awards were limited to two phases, Development and Research on Effectiveness. Abstracts of projects funded under these two phases can be found at *http://www.nichcy.org/directories/4_volume2006.pdf.* (See projects funded under CFDA 84.327A with Beginning Dates of September 1, 2005 or later.) Priority Applicants must—

(a)Describe a technology-based approach for improving the results of early intervention, response-to-intervention assessment techniques, or preschool, elementary, middle school, or high school education for children with disabilities. The technology-based approach must be an innovative combination of new technology and additional materials and methodologies that enable the technology to improve educational, assessment, or early intervention results for children with disabilities;

(b)Present a justification, based on scientifically rigorous research or theory, that supports the potential effectiveness of the technology-based approach for improving the results of early intervention, response-to-intervention assessment techniques, or preschool, elementary, middle school, or high school education for children with disabilities. Results studied under this priority must focus on child outcomes, rather than on parent or professional outcomes. Child outcomes can include improved academic or pre-academic skills, improved behavioral or social functioning, and improved functional performance, provided that valid and reliable measurement instruments are employed to assess the outcomes. Technology-based approaches intended for use by professionals or parents are not appropriate for funding under this priority unless child-level benefits are clearly demonstrated. Technology-based approaches for professional development will not be funded under this priority;

(c)Provide a detailed plan for conducting work in one of the following two phases:

(1)*Phase 1—Development:* Projects funded under Phase 1 must develop and refine a technology-based approach, and test its feasibility for use with children with disabilities. Activities under Phase I of the priority may include development, adaptation, and refinement of technology, materials, or methodologies. Activities under Phase 1 of the priority must include formative evaluation of the technology-based approach's usability and feasibility for use with children with disabilities. Each project funded under Phase 1 must be designed to develop, as its primary product, a promising technology-based approach that is suitable for field-based evaluation of effectiveness in improving results for children with disabilities.

(2)*Phase 2—Research on Effectiveness:* Projects funded under Phase 2 must select a promising technology-based approach that has been developed and tested in a manner consistent with the criteria for activities funded under Phase 1, and subject the approach to rigorous field-based research to determine effectiveness in educational or early intervention settings. Approaches studied through projects funded under Phase 2 may have been developed with previous funding under Phase 1 of this priority or with funding from other sources. Phase 2 of this priority is primarily intended to produce sound research-based evidence that demonstrates that the technology-based approach can improve educational or early intervention results for children with disabilities in a defined range of real world contexts. Projects funded under Phase 2 of this priority must conduct research that poses a causal question and must employ randomized assignment to treatment and comparison conditions, unless a strong justification is made for why a randomized trial is not possible. If a randomized trial is not possible, the applicant must employ alternatives that substantially minimize selection bias or allow it to be modeled. These alternatives include appropriately structured regression-discontinuity designs and natural experiments in which naturally occurring circumstances or institutions (perhaps unintentionally) divide people into treatment and comparison groups in a manner akin to purposeful random assignment. In their applications, applicants proposing to use an alternative system must

(1)make a compelling case that randomization is not possible, and

(2)describe in detail how the procedures will result in substantially minimizing the effects of selection bias on estimates of effect size. Choice of randomizing unit or units (e.g., students, classrooms, schools) must be grounded in a theoretical framework. Observational, survey, or qualitative methodologies may complement experimental methodologies to assist in the identification of factors that may explain the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the technology-based approach being evaluated. Applications must provide research designs that permit the identification and assessment of factors that may have an impact on the fidelity of implementation. Mediating and moderating variables that are both measured in the practice or model condition and are likely to affect outcomes in the comparison condition must be measured in the comparison condition (e.g., student time-on-task, teacher experience, and time in position). Projects funded under Phase 2 of this priority must conduct comprehensive research in order to provide convincing evidence of the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the technology-based approach under study, at least within a defined range of settings. Applicants must provide documentation that available sample sizes, methodologies, and treatment effects are likely to result in conclusive findings regarding the effectiveness of the technology-based approach;

(d)Provide a plan for forming collaborative relationships with vendors and/or other dissemination or marketing resources to ensure that the technology-based approach can become widely available if sufficient evidence of effectiveness has been obtained. Applicants should document the availability and/or participation of dissemination or marketing resources. Applicants are encouraged to plan these collaborative relationships early in their projects, even in Phase 1 (if applicable), but should refrain from widespread dissemination of the technology-based approach to practitioners until evidence of its effectiveness has been obtained;

(e)Budget for the project director to attend an annual two-day Project Directors' meeting in Washington, DC, and another annual two-day trip to Washington, DC to collaborate with the Federal project officer and the other projects funded under this priority to share information, and to discuss findings and methods of dissemination; and

(f)Budget five percent of the grant amount annually to support emerging needs as identified jointly through consultation with the OSEP project officer. If the project maintains a Web site, include relevant information and documents in a format that meets a government or industry-recognized standard for accessibility. If the project produces instructional materials for dissemination, it must produce them in accessible formats, including complying with the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) for textual materials. Within this absolute priority, we intend to fund at least two projects led by a project director or principal investigator who is in the initial phase of his or her career. For purposes of this priority, the initial phase of an individual's career is considered to be the first three years after the individual completes and graduates from a doctoral program (i.e., for FY 2007 awards, projects may support individuals who completed and graduated from a doctoral program no earlier than the 2003-2004 academic year). To qualify for this consideration, the applicant must explicitly state and document that the project director or principal investigator is in the initial phase of his or her career. At least 50 percent of that individual's time must be devoted to the project. Within this absolute priority, we also intend to fund at least two projects focusing on technology-based approaches for children with disabilities, ages birth to age three, and to fund at least two projects focusing on technology-based approaches to response-to-intervention assessment techniques. *Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking:* Under the Administrative Procedure Act

(APA)(5 U.S.C. 553), the Department generally offers interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities. However, section 681(d) of the IDEA makes the public comment requirements of the APA inapplicable to the priority in this notice. Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1474 and 1481. *Applicable Regulations:* The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants except federally recognized Indian tribes. Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only. II. Award Information *Type of Award:* Discretionary grants. *Estimated Available Funds:* The Administration has requested $31,063,000 for the Technology and Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities program for FY 2007, of which we intend to use an estimated $2,670,000 for the Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children with Disabilities competition. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program. *Maximum Award:* Phase 1: $200,000, per year and Phase 2: $300,000, per year. We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding the maximum award for a single budget period of 12 months. The Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the **Federal Register** . Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children With Disabilities Application Notice for Fiscal Year 2007 CFDA number and name Deadline for transmittal of applications Deadline for intergovernmental review Estimated available funds annually Estimated range of awards annually Estimated average size of awards annually Estimated number of awards 84.327A—Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children with Disabilities: Phase 1—Development October 3, 2006 December 4, 2006 $1,200,000 $100,000-$200,000 $200,000 6 Phase 2—Research on Effectiveness October 3, 2006 December 4, 2006 $1,800,000 $200,000-$300,000 $300,000 6 *Project Period:* Projects funded under Phase 1 will be funded for up to 24 months. Projects funded under Phase 2 will be funded for up to 24 months unless a compelling rationale is provided for funding up to 36 months. Note: The Department of Education is not bound by any estimates in this notice. III. Eligibility Information 1. *Eligible Applicants:* SEAs; LEAs; public charter schools that are LEAs under State law; IHEs; other public agencies; private nonprofit organizations; outlying areas; freely associated States; Indian tribes or tribal organizations; and for-profit organizations. 2. *Cost Sharing or Matching:* This competition does not involve cost sharing or matching. 3. *Other: General Requirements* —(a) The projects funded under this competition must make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of the IDEA).

(b)Applicants and grant recipients funded under this competition must involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals with disabilities ages birth through 26 in planning, implementing, and evaluating the projects (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of the IDEA). IV. Application and Submission Information 1. *Address to Request Application Package:* Education Publications Center (ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone (toll free): 1-877-433-7827. FAX:

(301)470-1244. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call (toll free): 1-877-576-7734. You may also contact ED Pubs at its Web site: *http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html* or you may contact ED Pubs at its e-mail address: *edpubs@inet.ed.gov* . If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify this competition as follows: CFDA Number 84.327A. Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application package in an alternative format ( *e.g.* , Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the Grants and Contracts Services Team listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice. 2. *Content and Form of Application Submission:* Requirements concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you must submit, are in the application package for this competition. Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application) is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit Part III to the equivalent of no more than 50 pages, using the following standards: • A “page” is 8.5″ x 11″, on one side only, with 1″ margins at the top, bottom, and both sides. • Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs. • Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch). The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II, the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part IV, the assurances and certifications; the one-page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, the references, or the letters of support. However, you must include all of the application narrative in Part III. We will reject your application if— • You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or • You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the page limit. 3. *Submission Dates and Times:* *Applications Available:* August 8, 2006. *Deadline for Transmittal of Applications:* See Chart. Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted electronically using the *Grants.gov* Apply site (Grants.gov), or in paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or by mail or hand delivery, please refer to section IV. 6. *Other Submission Requirements* in this notice. We do not consider an application that does not comply with the deadline requirements. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: See Chart. 4. *Intergovernmental Review:* This program is subject to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this competition. 5. *Funding Restrictions:* We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the *Applicable Regulations* section of this notice. 6. *Other Submission Requirements:* Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted electronically or in paper format by mail or hand delivery. a. *Electronic Submission of Applications.* We have been accepting applications electronically through the Department's e-Application system since FY 2000. In order to expand on those efforts and comply with the President's Management Agenda, we are continuing to participate as a partner in the new government wide Grants.gov Apply site in FY 2007. Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children with Disabilities-CFDA Number 84.327A is one of the competitions included in this project. We request your participation in Grants.gov. If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must use the *Grants.gov* Apply site at *http://www.Grants.gov* Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit your application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us. You may access the electronic grant application for the Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children with Disabilities-CFDA Number 84.327A competition at: *http://www.grants.gov* You must search for the downloadable application package for this program by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search. Please note the following: • Your participation in Grants.gov is voluntary. • When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find information about submitting an application electronically through the site, as well as the hours of operation. • Applications received by Grants.gov are time and date stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted, and must be date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as otherwise noted in this section, we will not consider your application if it is date/time stamped by the *Grants.gov* system later than 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. When we retrieve your application from *Grants.gov,* we will notify you if we are rejecting your application because it was date/time stamped by the *Grants.gov* system after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. • The amount of time it can take to upload an application will vary depending on a variety of factors including the size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the application process through *Grants.gov* . • You should review and follow the Education Submission Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are included in the application package for this competition to ensure that you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures pertaining to *Grants.gov* at *http://e-Grants.ed.gov/help/GrantsgovSubmissionProcedures.pdf* • To submit your application via Grants.gov, you must complete all of the steps in the Grants.gov registration process *(http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp)* . These steps include

(1)registering your organization,

(2)registering yourself as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR), and

(3)getting authorized as an AOR by your organization. Details on these steps are outlined in the Grants.gov 3-Step Registration Guide (see *http://www.grants.gov/section910/Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf)* . You also must provide on your application the same D-U-N-S Number used with this registration. Please note that the registration process may take five or more business days to complete, and you must have completed all registration steps to allow you to successfully submit an application via *Grants.gov.* • You will not receive additional point value because you submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you if you submit your application in paper format. • You may submit all documents electronically, including all information typically included on the Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424), Budget Information—Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must attach any narrative sections of your application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text) or .PDF (Portable Document) format. If you upload a file type other than the three file types specified above or submit a password protected file, we will not review that material. • Your electronic application must comply with any page limit requirements described in this notice. • After you electronically submit your application, you will receive an automatic acknowledgment from *Grants.gov* that contains a *Grants.gov* tracking number. The Department will retrieve your application from *Grants.gov* and send you a second confirmation by e-mail that will include a PR/Award number (an ED-specified identifying number unique to your application). • We may request that you provide us original signatures on forms at a later date. Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System Unavailability If you are prevented from electronically submitting your application on the application deadline date because of technical problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension until 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to enable you to transmit your application electronically, or by hand delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing instructions as described elsewhere in this notice. If you submit an application after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the deadline date, please contact the person listed elsewhere in this notice under *For Further Information Contact* , and provide an explanation of the technical problem you experienced with *Grants.gov,* along with the *Grants.gov* Support Desk Case Number (if available). We will accept your application if we can confirm that a technical problem occurred with the *Grants.gov* system and that that problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. The Department will contact you after a determination is made on whether your application will be accepted. Note: Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the unavailability of or technical problems with the *Grants.gov* system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before the deadline date and time or if the technical problem you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system. b. *Submission of Paper Applications by Mail* . If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), you must mail the original and two copies of your application, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the applicable following address: *By mail through the U.S. Postal Service:* U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.327A), 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260. or *By mail through a commercial carrier:* U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center—Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.327A), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506. Regardless of which address you use, you must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:

(1)A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark,

(2)A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the U.S. Postal Service,

(3)A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial carrier, or

(4)Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:

(1)A private metered postmark, or

(2)A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service. If your application is postmarked after the application deadline date, we will not consider your application. Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your local post office. c. * Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.* If you submit your application in paper format by hand delivery, you (or a courier service) must deliver the original and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.327A), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260. The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, Sundays and Federal holidays. Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper **Applications:** If you mail or hand deliver your application to the Department:

(1)You must indicate on the envelope and—if not provided by the Department—in Item 4 of ED 424 the CFDA number—and suffix letter, if any—of the competition under which you are submitting your application.

(2)The Application Control Center will mail a grant application receipt acknowledgment to you. If you do not receive the grant application receipt acknowledgment within 15 business days from the application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center at

(202)245-6288. V. Application Review Information 1. *Selection Criteria:* The selection criteria for this competition are from 34 CFR 75.210 and are listed in the application package. 2. *Treating a Priority as Two Separate Competitions:* In the past, there have been problems in finding peer reviewers without conflicts of interest for competitions in which many entities throughout the country submit applications. The Standing Panel requirements under IDEA also have placed additional constraints on the availability of reviewers. Therefore, the Department has determined that, for some discretionary competitions, applications may be separated into two or more groups and ranked and selected for funding within the specific group. This procedure will ensure the availability of a much larger group of reviewers without conflicts of interest. It also will increase the quality, independence, and fairness of the review process and permit panel members to review applications under discretionary competitions for which they have also submitted applications. However, if the Department decides to select for funding an equal number of applications in each group, this may result in different cut-off points for fundable applications in each group. VI. Award Administration Information 1. *Award Notices:* If your application is successful, we notify your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award Notification (GAN). We may also notify you informally. If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, we notify you. 2. *Administrative and National Policy Requirements:* We identify administrative and national policy requirements in the application package and reference these and other requirements in the *Applicable Regulations* section of this notice. We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of an award in the *Applicable Regulations* section of this notice and include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also incorporates your approved application as part of your binding commitments under the grant. 3. *Reporting:* At the end of your project period, you must submit a final performance report, including financial information, as directed by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an annual performance report that provides the most current performance and financial expenditure information as specified by the Secretary in 34 CFR 75.118. 4. *Performance Measures:* Under the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), the Department has developed measures that will yield information on various aspects of the quality of the Technology and Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities program. These measures focus on the extent to which projects are of high quality, are relevant to the needs of children with disabilities, and contribute to improving the results for children with disabilities. Data on these measures will be collected from the projects funded under this competition. Grantees also will be required to report information on their projects' performance in annual reports to the Department (34 CFR 75.590). VII. Agency Contact *For Further Information Contact:* Tom V. Hanley, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4066, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone:

(202)245-7369. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call the Federal Relay Service

(FRS)at 1-800-877-8339. Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an alternative format ( *e.g.* , Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on request by contacting the following office: The Grants and Contracts Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone:

(202)245-7363. VIII. Other Information *Electronic Access to This Document:* You may view this document, as well as all other documents of this Department published in the **Federal Register** , in text or Adobe Portable Document Format

(PDF)on the Internet at the following site: *http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister* To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in the Washington, DC, area at

(202)512-1530. Note: The official version of this document is the document published in the **Federal Register** . Free Internet access to the official edition of the **Federal Register** and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: *http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html* . Dated: July 31, 2006. John H. Hager, Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. 1 [FR Doc. E6-12652 Filed 8-3-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Extension of Comment Period on the Draft Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Infrastructure Improvements for the Yucca Mountain Project, NV AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice of comment period extension. SUMMARY: On July 6, 2006, the U.S. Department of Energy

(DOE)published a Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Infrastructure Improvements for the Yucca Mountain Project, Nevada, (71 FR 38391) and announced a 30-day public comment period ending August 7, 2006. Subsequently, the DOE has taken note that the distribution letter attached to copies of the draft Environmental Assessment

(EA)identified a different end date for the public comment period. Consequently, DOE is extending the public comment period until August 31, 2006. DATES: Comments should be submitted to DOE no later than August 31, 2006. DOE will consider comments submitted after this date to the extent practicable. ADDRESSES: Comments, or requests for copies of the draft EA, should be sent to Dr. Jane Summerson, EA Document Manager, United States Department of Energy, 1551 Hillshire Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89134. Requests for copies of the draft EA may also be made by calling 1-800-225-6972. The draft EA and electronic comment forms are available at *http://www.ocrwm.doe.gov.* Comments may also be faxed to 1-800-967-0739. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Jane Summerson, EA Document Manager, at the above address or at 1-800-225-6972. Issued in Washington, DC, on August 1, 2006. Paul M. Golan, Principal Deputy Director, Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management. [FR Doc. E6-12644 Filed 8-3-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Notice of Public Scoping Meetings for the FutureGen Project Environmental Impact Statement AGENCY: National Energy Technology Laboratory, Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice of public scoping meetings and opportunity for comment. SUMMARY: On Friday, July 28, 2006, the U.S. Department of Energy

(DOE)issued a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed action of providing up to $700 million of Federal funding for the FutureGen Project (71 FR 42840). The FutureGen Project would comprise the planning, design, construction and operation by a private sector organization of a coal-fired electric power and hydrogen gas production plant integrated with carbon dioxide capture and geologic sequestration of the captured gas. DOE's National Energy Technology Laboratory

(NETL)is hosting public scoping meetings near each of the four proposed FutureGen Project sites. Dates, locations, and information about the public scoping meetings are contained under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION , below. DATES: DOE invites comments on the proposed scope and content of the EIS from all interested parties. Comments must be received by September 13, 2006, to ensure consideration. Late comments will be considered to the extent practicable. DOE also invites members of the public to participate in public scoping meetings (see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION ) to learn more about the proposed FutureGen Project and provide oral comments on the alternatives and environmental issues to be considered. ADDRESSES: Comments on the proposed scope of the EIS and requests for copies of the Draft EIS may be submitted by fax (304-285-4403), e-mail ( *FutureGen.EIS@netl.doe.gov* ), or a letter addressed to the NEPA Document Manager for the FutureGen Project: Mr. Mark L. McKoy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, P.O. Box 880, Morgantown, WV 26507-0880, Attn: FutureGen Project EIS. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Comments or requests to participate in the public scoping process also can be submitted by contacting Mr. Mark L. McKoy directly at telephone 304-285-4426; toll free number 1-800-432-8330 (extension 4426); fax 304-285-4403; or e-mail *FutureGen.EIS@netl.doe.gov.* SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NETL is hosting four public scoping meetings to present an overview of the proposed project and to provide the public with an opportunity to comment and ask questions. An informal session of the public scoping meetings will begin at approximately 4 p.m., followed by a formal session beginning at approximately 7 p.m. Members of the public who wish to speak at a public scoping meeting should contact Mr. Mark L. McKoy, either by phone, fax, e-mail, or in writing (see ADDRESSES in this Notice). Those who do not arrange in advance to speak may register at a meeting (preferably at the beginning of the meeting) and may speak after previously scheduled speakers. Speakers will be given approximately five minutes to present their comments. Those speakers who want more than five minutes should indicate the length of time desired in their request. Depending on the number of speakers, DOE may need to limit all speakers to five minutes initially and provide second opportunities as time permits. Speakers may also provide written materials to supplement their presentations. Oral and written comments will be given equal consideration. State and local elected officials and tribal leaders may be given priority in the order of those making oral comments. DOE will begin each meeting with an overview of the proposed FutureGen Project. The meeting will not be conducted as an evidentiary hearing, and speakers will not be cross-examined. However, speakers may be asked questions to help ensure that DOE fully understands the comments or suggestions. A presiding officer will establish the order of speakers and provide any additional procedures necessary to conduct the meeting. Meeting Schedule Texas—Jewett *Date:* Tuesday, August 22, 2006. *Time:* 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. *Place:* City of Fairfield's Green Barn (Fairgrounds Exhibits Bldg.) 839 E. Commerce, Fairfield, Texas 75840. This site is 2.5 miles East of I-45 on Hwy 84 (aka Commerce Street). Texas—Odessa *Date:* Thursday, August 24, 2006. *Time:* 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. *Place:* The CEED (Center for Energy and Economic Diversification) Building is located at 1400 North FM 1788 in Midland, Texas 79707. Illinois—Tuscola *Date:* Thursday, August 29, 2006. *Time:* 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. *Place:* Tuscola Community Building, 122 W. Central Avenue, Tuscola, IL 61953. (From Interstate 57, take exit 212 to U.S. Highway 36. The Tuscola Community Building is at the intersection of North Central Avenue and South Main Street.) Illinois—Mattoon *Date:* Thursday, August 31, 2006. *Time:* 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. *Place:* Riddle Elementary School, 4201 Western Avenue, Mattoon, IL. (Located at the corner of Western Avenue and 43rd Street (CR 300E).) All meetings are accessible to people with disabilities. Any individual with a disability who requires special assistance, such as a sign language interpreter, or a translator, please contact Mr. Mark McKoy, U.S. DOE-NETL, toll free

(800)432-8330 ext. 4426, fax

(304)285-4403, or via e-mail at *FutureGen.EIS@netl.doe.gov* at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting so that arrangements can be made. Additional information about FutureGen can be found at these Web sites: *http://www.doe.gov; http://fossil.energy.gov/programs/powersystems/futuregen/; http://www.futuregenalliance.org.* Dated: August 1, 2006. Mark J. Matarrese, Director, Office of Environment, Security, Safety and Health. [FR Doc. E6-12742 Filed 8-3-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy State Energy Advisory Board AGENCY: Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice of open teleconference. SUMMARY: This notice announces a teleconference of the State Energy Advisory Board (STEAB). The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463; 86 Stat. 770) requires that public notice of these teleconferences be announced in the **Federal Register** . DATES: August 17, 2006, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. EDT. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary Burch, STEAB Designated Federal Officer, Assistant Manager, Intergovernmental Projects & Outreach, Golden Field Office, U.S. Department of Energy, 1617 Cole Boulevard, Golden, CO 80401, Telephone 303/275-4801. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: *Purpose of the Board:* To make recommendations to the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy regarding goals and objectives, programmatic and administrative policies, and to otherwise carry out the Board's responsibilities as designated in the State Energy Efficiency Programs Improvement Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101-440). *Tentative Agenda:* Update members on routine business matters, discuss and finalize a resolution that will update and elaborate on the continued STEAB support for DOE's maintaining funding and oversight of the Weatherization Assistance Program, and adopt the resolution. *Public Participation:* The teleconference is open to the public. Written statements may be filed with the Board either before or after the meeting. Members of the public who wish to make oral statements pertaining to agenda items should contact Gary Burch at the address or telephone number listed above. Requests to make oral comments must be received five days prior to the conference call; reasonable provision will be made to include requested topic(s) on the agenda. The Chair of the Board is empowered to conduct the call in a fashion that will facilitate the orderly conduct of business. This notice is being published less than 15 days before the date of the meeting due to programmatic issues. Notes: The notes of the teleconference will be available for public review and copying within 60 days at the Freedom of Information Public Reading Room, 1E-190, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. Issued at Washington, DC, on August 1, 2006. Rachel Samuel, Deputy Advisory Committee Management Officer. [FR Doc. E6-12629 Filed 8-3-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy State Energy Advisory Board AGENCY: Department of Energy; Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. ACTION: Notice of open teleconference. SUMMARY: This notice announces a teleconference of the State Energy Advisory Board (STEAB). The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463; 86 Stat. 770) requires that public notice of these teleconferences be announced in the **Federal Register** . DATES: August 31, 2006, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. EDT FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary Burch, STEAB Designated Federal Officer, Assistant Manager, Intergovernmental Projects & Outreach, Golden Field Office, U.S. Department of Energy, 1617 Cole Boulevard, Golden, CO 80401, Telephone 303/275-4801. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: *Purpose of the Board:* To make recommendations to the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy regarding goals and objectives, programmatic and administrative policies, and to otherwise carry out the Board's responsibilities as designated in the State Energy Efficiency Programs Improvement Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101-440). *Tentative Agenda:* Update members on routine business matters, discuss and finalize several Board resolutions, and adopt the same resolutions. *Public Participation:* The teleconference is open to the public. Written statements may be filed with the Board either before or after the meeting. Members of the public who wish to make oral statements pertaining to agenda items should contact Gary Burch at the address or telephone number listed above. Requests to make oral comments must be received five days prior to the conference call; reasonable provision will be made to include requested topic(s) on the agenda. The Chair of the Board is empowered to conduct the call in a fashion that will facilitate the orderly conduct of business. Notes: The notes of the teleconference will be available for public review and copying within 60 days at the Freedom of Information Public Reading Room, 1E-190, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. Issued at Washington, DC, on August 1, 2006. Rachel Samuel, Deputy Advisory Committee Management Officer. [FR Doc. E6-12631 Filed 8-3-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Western Area Power Administration Consideration of Certain Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act Standards Set Forth in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE. ACTION: Notice of Public Hearing. SUMMARY: As a nonregulated electric utility, the Western Area Power Administration (Western) must consider and determine whether to implement certain standards under the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which amended the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA). Standards that Western intends to consider include net metering, fuel source diversity, fossil fuel generation efficiency, smart metering, and consumer interconnections. A brochure entitled “Preconsideration of Sections 1251, 1252, and 1254 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005” will be prepared and will be available for public review by September 25, 2006. DATES: A public hearing will be held on October 26, 2006, beginning at 10 a.m., at Western's Corporate Service Office. Written comments on whether Western should adopt the standards must be received by November 10, 2006, to be assured of consideration. ADDRESSES: The public hearing location is at 12155 West Alameda Parkway, Lakewood, CO. Western will post information about this process, including an electronic copy of the preconsideration brochure, at *http://www.wapa.gov/dsw/pwrmkt/PURPA/* . For further information concerning the public hearing or to request a hard copy of the brochure, contact Ms. Sylvia Macfarlane, Desert Southwest Region, Western Area Power Administration, P.O. Box 6457, Phoenix, AZ 85005-6457;

(602)605-2575, e-mail *macfarl@wapa.gov* . Written comments may be submitted to this address, submitted electronically to *DSW_PURPA@wapa.gov* or faxed to

(602)605-2828, attention: Deborah Emler, Project Manager. As access to Western facilities is controlled, any U.S. citizen wishing to attend any meeting held at Western must present an official form of picture identification, such as a U.S. driver's license, U.S. passport, U.S. Government ID, or U.S. Military ID, at the time of the meeting. Foreign nationals should contact Western at least 45 days in advance of the meeting to obtain the necessary form to be admitted to Western's offices. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Western, as a non-regulated electric utility, is subject to Title XII, Subtitle E of the Energy Policy Act of 2005—Amendments to PURPA and is required to consider the implementation of certain standards. Western was established on December 21, 1977, under the Department of Energy Organization Act of 1977 (DOE Act). The DOE Act transferred to the Secretary of Energy all functions of the Secretary of the Interior with respect to, among other things, the power marketing functions of the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), including the construction, operation, and maintenance of transmission lines and attendant activities. Western was established to administer those functions transferred from Reclamation. Western sells power to approximately 680 customers consisting of cooperatives, municipalities, public utility districts, private utilities, Federal and State Agencies, Indian tribes, water systems and irrigation districts. Electric power marketed by Western is generated by the hydroelectric resources of Reclamation, the Corps of Engineers, and the International Boundary and Water Commission. Additionally, Western markets the United States' entitlement from the large Navajo coal-fired plant near Page, Arizona. Western's transmission system, totaling approximately 17,000 line miles with over 258 substations, includes several project-specific systems, some of which are interconnected with one another. There are also numerous interconnections between Western's systems and other systems. Geographically, Western's transmission systems operate in 15 States that are generally west of the Mississippi River. Western's obligations to its customers are contractually established. Western neither claims nor accepts any utility responsibility. Customer requirements in excess of the power and energy available to that customer from Western must be obtained by the customer from other sources. The major projects from which Western markets power include the Boulder Canyon Project, Central Arizona Project, Central Valley Project, Colorado River Storage Project, Colorado River Basin Project, Falcon-Amistad Project, Parker-Davis Project, and the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program. Each of these projects is a separate entity with its own geographic area, power marketing criteria, revenue requirements, and power and energy rates. Consideration of the PURPA standards will be on a Western-wide basis, as opposed to a project-by-project or system-by-system basis. A brochure entitled “Preconsideration of Sections 1251, 1252, and 1254 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005” will be prepared and will be made available on-line from Western at *http://www.wapa.gov/dws/permkt/PURPA/* on September 25, 2006, and will be available at the public hearing. After analyzing all comments received, Western will complete its consideration and will make a determination of the actions to be taken regarding the amended PURPA sections. Notice of Western's final action will be published in the **Federal Register** and will be made available to the public at *http://www.wapa.gov/dsw/pwrmkt/PURPA/.* Regulatory Procedure Requirements Regulatory Flexibility Analysis The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (5 U.S.C. 601, *et seq.* ) requires Federal agencies to perform a regulatory flexibility analysis if a final rule is likely to have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities and there is a legal requirement to issue a general notice of proposed rulemaking. This action does not require a regulatory flexibility analysis since it is a rulemaking of particular applicability involving rates or services applicable to public property. Environmental Compliance In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969

(NEPA)(42 U.S.C. 4321, *et seq.* ); the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for implementing NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508); and DOE NEPA Implementing Procedures and Guidelines (10 CFR part 1021), Western has determined this action is categorically excluded from preparing an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement. Determination Under Executive Order 12866 Western has an exemption from centralized regulatory review under Executive Order 128656; accordingly, no clearance of this notice by the Office of Management and Budget is required. Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act Western has determined that this rule is exempt from congressional notification requirements under 5 U.S.C. 801 because the action is a rulemaking of particular applicability relating to rates or services and involves matters of procedures. Michael S. Hacskaylo, Administrator. [FR Doc. 06-6693 Filed 8-3-06; 8:45 am]

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