Notices. Notice

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BILLING CODE 6750-01-M OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT ETHICS Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Modified OGE Form 450 Executive Branch Confidential Financial Disclosure Report AGENCY: Office of Government Ethics (OGE). ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: Once this notice is published in the **Federal Register** , the Office of Government Ethics will promptly submit to the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB)a proposed modified version of the OGE Form 450 Executive Branch Confidential Financial Disclosure Report form (hereafter, OGE Form 450) for review and three-year extension of approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). After that approval, the modified form would be used by covered departments and agency employees starting January 1, 2007. In August of 2005, the Office of Government Ethics published a first round paperwork notice that it intended to modify the OGE Form 450 to improve its clarity and design and to change in part the information that it collects. Because OGE received so many helpful comments in response to that notice, it significantly redesigned the proposed new OGE Form 450 and published another first round paperwork notice on March 17, 2006, in order to provide a further comment period. OGE received a number of comments on the March 2006 notice and has made a few minor changes to the proposed modified form in response. DATES: Comments by the public and agencies on the proposal are again invited and should be received by October 13, 2006. ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Brenda Aguilar, the OMB Desk Officer for OGE, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503; Telephone: 202-395-7316; fax: 202-395-6974. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul D. Ledvina, Records Officer, Information Resources Management Division, Office of Government Ethics; telephone: 202-482-9281; TDD: 202-482-9293; fax: 202-482-9237; e-mail: *pdledvin@oge.gov.* A copy of the proposed modified OGE Form 450 may be obtained, without charge, by contacting Mr. Ledvina. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The OGE Form 450 (OMB control # 3209-0006) collects information from covered department and agency officials as required under OGE's executive branchwide regulatory provisions in subpart I of 5 CFR part 2634. The OGE Form 450 serves as the uniform report form for collection, on a confidential basis, of financial information required by the OGE regulation from certain new entrant and incumbent employees of the Federal Government executive branch departments and agencies. Agency ethics officials then use the completed OGE Form 450 reports to conduct conflict of interest reviews and to resolve any actual or potential conflicts found. The basis for the OGE regulation and the report form is two-fold. First, section 201(d) of Executive Order 12674 of April 12, 1989 (as modified by Executive Order 12731 of October 17, 1990, 3 CFR, 1990 Comp., pp. 306-311, at p. 308), made OGE responsible for establishing a system of nonpublic (confidential) financial disclosure by executive branch employees to complement the system of public financial disclosure under the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (the Ethics Act), as amended, 5 U.S.C. appendix. Second, section 107(a) of the Ethics Act, 5 U.S.C. app., sec. 107(a), further provided authority for OGE, as the supervising ethics office for the executive branch of the Federal Government, to require that appropriate executive agency employees file confidential financial disclosure reports, “in such form as the supervising ethics office may prescribe.” The OGE Form 450, and the underlying executive branchwide financial disclosure regulation (5 CFR part 2634), constitute the basic reporting system that OGE has prescribed for such confidential financial disclosure in the executive branch. The Privacy Act Statement for the OGE Form 450 references the OGE/GOVT-2 executive branchwide Privacy Act system of records. The information about this system of records is located on the OGE Web site, *http://www.usoge.gov.* The Web site user should click on the “FOIA” heading on the left side of the home page. The user should then scroll to the bottom of the page. Under the heading “Links to Other Official Documents” the user will see links to the PDF, HTML and TXT formats of the most recent Privacy Act Records Systems. OGE has promulgated a number of changes to the regulation on confidential financial disclosure, 5 CFR part 2634, subpart I. These amendments will become effective on January 1, 2007. See 71 FR 28229-28239 (May 16, 2006). The amendments change, in several ways, the body of information that filers are required to report on the OGE Form 450. For example, the new regulation eliminates the requirement to report several types of assets and liabilities, such as diversified mutual funds and mortgages on residential rental property. In August 2005, OGE published a first round paperwork notice of a significant modification to the OGE Form 450. See 70 FR 47204-47206 (August 12, 2005). Because OGE received so many helpful comments in response to that notice, it significantly redesigned the proposed report form and published, in March 2006, another first round paperwork notice announcing that it intended to amend the OGE Form 450. See 71 FR 13848-13850 (March 17, 2006). This notice discusses only those comments received in response to the March 2006 paperwork notice. Proposed Modifications to the Form OGE's goal, in addition to reflecting the regulatory amendments to 5 CFR part 2634 that will become effective on January 1, 2007, is to make the OGE Form 450 easier to complete electronically. For example, because it is much easier to fill in a form electronically when it appears in a portrait orientation, we have proposed changing the form's orientation. Additionally, the ability to save an electronic copy of the completed report permits the filer to use it in subsequent filing cycles, without retyping information that has not changed. The proposed form provides enough space for filers to type at least two lines of data in each block and provides agencies with the option to accept digital signatures. Many agency ethics officials have told us that filers make errors on the current OGE Form 450 because they do not read the attached instructions. On the proposed OGE Form 450, the instructions are integrated within the respective response areas. The proposed modifications to the OGE Form 450 reflect the changes in the confidential financial disclosure regulation. Generally, these changes to the information that will have to be reported on the OGE Form 450 include: Eliminating the reporting of diversified mutual funds, eliminating dates of honoraria, eliminating dates of agreements and arrangements (other than those for future employment), and eliminating the reporting of types of income that assets earned (i.e., dividends, capital gains, or interest), and revising reporting requirements relating to liabilities by eliminating the requirement to report student loans, mortgages on rental property, and credit card debt if the loans are granted on terms made available to the general public. Also, OGE is proposing to incorporate in the modified OGE Form 450 the new aggregation threshold of more than $305 for the reporting of gifts and travel reimbursements received from one source during the year by regular employee annual filers, with an exception for any items valued at $122 or less that are not counted toward the overall threshold. These new thresholds are based on the General Services Administration's (GSA's) increase in “minimal value” under the Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act to $305 or less for 2005-2007, to which the thresholds are linked by the Ethics Act and OGE regulation. See GSA's redefinition at 70 FR 2317-2318 (pt. V) (January 12, 2005), section 102(a)(2)(A) and

(B)of the Ethics Act, OGE's regulatory adjustment of the gifts/reimbursements thresholds for both public and confidential reports at 70 FR 12111-12112 (March 11, 2005), and OGE DAEOgram DO-05-007 of March 17, 2005, all available on OGE's Web site at *http://www.usoge.gov.* Finally, OGE is proposing to update the OGE Form 450's Privacy Act Statement summary of the sixth listed routine use (see OGE's notice of revised Privacy Act records systems as published at 68 FR 3097-3109 (January 22, 2003) and routine use “f” at p. 3102 in particular). Analysis of General Comments Received OGE received comments on the proposed revised OGE Form 450 from fourteen executive branch agencies and one Federal Government employee association. Several of the agencies provided multiple comments. Based on these comments, a few minor modifications were made to the proposed report form. Several of the comments that were received seem to concern the proposed report's application to various aspects of the regulation that will be superseded by the above-mentioned amendments on January 1, 2007. For example, some commenters noted that the revised form fails to ask for certain information such as the dates for agreements and arrangements. This is because the new regulation eliminates the requirement to report the specific date for agreements and arrangements on the confidential report form, except for future employment. Also received were a few comments that the form could not easily be completed electronically. This is because the version of the proposed modified form that was distributed to requesters during the paperwork notice process was not electronically fillable. Many agencies have asked for a “smart form” rather than simply a form that can be filled out and saved electronically. A “smart form” allows the filer to answer a series of questions, after which a computer program enters the relevant data and generates the actual form. The expectation is that a “smart form” would eliminate many of the errors that filers often make when completing the form manually. We understand that such a form would be very useful. Unfortunately, as a small agency, OGE's budget constraints do not permit it to take on this larger project. In the first round paperwork notice published on March 17, 2006, OGE indicated it intended to permit electronic filing of the new OGE Form 450. For this filing cycle, however, OGE has decided electronic filing using an Internet-based system will not be permitted. Further information about electronic filing will be forthcoming. In response to the initial first round paperwork notice issued in August 2005, and at the autumn 2005 OGE conference, many commenters criticized the form's length. In response to these comments, the form's length has been significantly reduced. Although the proposed form contains seven pages, no agency will be required to retain the first page of the form (which contains the general instructions) or the last page of the form (which contains the examples), thus reducing the form to five pages. OGE noted, however, that in order to minimize the form's length certain concessions had to be made. For example, as one agency noted, it would be more effective to place the examples with the parts of the form that they illustrate, rather than on one page at the end of the form. But placing the examples on a separate page reduces the form's storage bulk by allowing agencies to separate and discard this page. The proposed new OGE Form 450 also replaces the “none” boxes that appear in each part of the current OGE Form 450 with five “yes” or “no” boxes that all appear on the signature page. Like the “none” boxes, these “yes/no” boxes will indicate whether the filer has information to report in a particular part of the form. Although filers will still be required to check boxes to indicate whether they have information to report, these statements will be more visible to filers than the “none” boxes and will take up less space than in the previous proposal. Most significantly, placing all of the “yes/no” boxes on the signature page will allow agencies to retain only one page for each filer who checks the “no” box for all five parts, thereby vastly reducing the total number of pages that agencies will be required to store. Analysis of Specific Comments One agency commented that placing the signature lines on the form's first page may cause people to sign the form before they fill it out. We note, however, that the current version of the form also is organized in this manner. The filer provides his or her name, position, filing status, and grade, and then he or she signs the form. Parts I—V follow the signature. On the draft of the form that accompanied the first round paperwork notice published in August 2005, we placed all of the signatures at the end of the form. But many ethics officials expressed the concern that filers would forget to sign the form, or that the last page might become detached from the form and lost. As noted above, by putting the signature lines on the same page with the previously mentioned “yes/no” boxes, OGE was able to reduce the length of the proposed modified form in many cases to one page. One agency requested that supervisors and intermediate reviewers not be required to fill in their e-mail addresses. Although OGE added a block for these individuals to provide their e-mail addresses, OGE is not requiring them to do so. We believe that providing a space on the form for supervisors to include contact information, if they choose to do so, will be helpful to most ethics offices. One agency suggested that the penalty notice be placed adjacent to the filer's signature in the hope that employees will be more likely to notice it. Unfortunately, it will not fit there. As a compromise, the penalty notice has been moved to the center of page 1, its font size has been increased, it has been placed in bold print and a border is now surrounding it. These changes make it much more prominent than it was on prior versions of the form. At the suggestion of two agencies, the “Date Received by Agency” box has been enlarged. At another agency's suggestion, the definition of special Government employee

(SGE)has been moved so that it appears near the block requiring the filer to indicate his or her SGE status. A third agency recommended the elimination of the requirement that SGEs provide their home addresses, citing privacy concerns, and noting that it is not necessary to have an SGE's address now that the form asks for the filer's e-mail address. OGE agrees that it is not necessary for an SGE to provide a home address. However, OGE thinks it is useful to require an SGE to provide a mailing address at which the agency can contact him or her. Thus, “home address” has been changed to “mailing address” so that the SGE can decide which to provide. As noted above, the first page of the proposed form includes five statements that take the place of the “none” boxes. One agency correctly noted that only annual filers must complete the gifts/travel reimbursements part of the form. Although in Part V of the form employees are instructed that only annual filers must complete this part of the form, it is agreed that this instruction also needs to be provided with these statements. Immediately above Statement V, the following language has been added: “Statement V is for annual filers only. It does not apply to new entrants and SGEs.” Three agencies recommended the addition of an instruction that the underlying holdings of variable annuities and investment life insurance must be reported in Part I. Space constraints originally precluded doing this, but this additional instruction has now been included. Three agencies also noted that the definition of “diversified mutual fund” that appeared on the proposed form was incorrect. This editing error has been corrected. The definition now reads as follows: “A mutual fund that does not have a stated policy of concentrating its investments in one industry, business, or single country other than the United States, or bonds of a single State within the United States.” One agency recommended that the addition of the following to the instructions proposed for Part I: “Designate entries for your dependent children with '(DC)' and '(J)' for joint holdings.” Because it was not the intention of OGE to signal any change in the use of these abbreviations, the instruction in Part I will now read: “You may distinguish any entry for a family member by preceding it with S for spouse, DC for dependent child, or J for jointly held.” In addition to changing the wording of this proposed instruction, it has been placed in the block labeled “Reportable Information” and removed from the instruction blocks for assets and income. At the suggestion of one agency, line numbers have been added to the Part I continuation page. The suggestion of another agency that the “Bryggadune University” example that illustrates the receipt of earned income in Part I also be used as an example for Part III in order to help illustrate that any position with a former employer should also be listed in Part III has also been accepted. One agency asked that the portions of the proposed modified form that filers have to complete be shaded, and instructions be provided to fill in the highlighted portions of the form. Although it was initially decided to accept this recommendation, when the highlighting suitable for viewing on a computer screen was made, the highlighting on the printed form was barely visible. One agency requested that the ethics official, rather than the filer, be required to check the box for the filer's status because filers often mark the wrong box, and ethics officials must correct the error. It is understood that this error occurs, but OGE disagrees that the solution is to require the ethics official to complete this portion of the form. Requiring ethics officials to fill in this information on every form rather than correcting only those forms that have errors in this block would unnecessarily increase the administrative burden on ethics officials. Filers, not ethics officials, should be responsible for providing this information. One agency asserted that two separate categories of instructions for assets and income are no longer needed because, under the current proposal, earned income, investment income, and assets would all be reported in Part I. OGE disagrees. The instructions for the reporting of assets and investment income are different from the instructions for reporting earned income. For example, a filer must report his or her assets, as well as the assets of the spouse and dependent children, but need not report the earned income of any dependent children. In addition, the reporting threshold for the earned income of the filer is different from the reporting threshold for the earned income of the filer's spouse. OGE believes that keeping the instructions in separate tables will help the filer notice these distinctions. One agency recommended the addition of a column to Part I for the filer to list the type of asset or income (e.g., stock, bond, employer) which he or she reports. However, in response to comments received when ethics officials were surveyed in 2003, OGE intentionally eliminated the column that required filers to describe the type of income (dividends, rent, salary, capital gains) that they received from the assets listed in Part I. Just as it is unnecessary to require filers to report the type of investment income earned (e.g., “interest, dividends, capital gains”), it also is unnecessary to report the type of asset reported. OGE thinks that it is less time-consuming for the reviewer to contact the filer and ask about any particular entry that is not clearly identifiable on the form. OGE also disagrees with one agency's suggestion that filers be required to provide the ticker symbols for their stocks and mutual funds. Although OGE recognizes that the inclusion of ticker symbols may be helpful to some reviewers, if the use of the ticker symbols were mandatory, ethics officials would then be required to obtain this information from filers who fail to provide it. OGE also has not accepted a similar recommendation that it allow filers to use the ticker symbol as an alternative to the full name of the reportable asset. Filers sometimes report the wrong ticker symbols and such mistakes make the conflict of interest analysis more difficult. OGE believes that it is best to continue to require that the filer report the full name of the company or fund, and make the use of ticker symbols optional. On the proposed report that accompanied the first round paperwork notice published in August 2005, OGE had included a column for the filer to indicate whether a particular asset was worth over $15,000 or $50,000. Two agencies recommended that this column be reinstated. OGE had proposed this column so that filers could indicate which of their stocks and sector mutual funds are valued above these regulatory exemption amounts. On further reflection, however, OGE decided that the benefit of receiving this information would not justify the additional filing burden. The regulatory exemption amounts refer to the total value of the filer's financial interest in a particular matter, not just the value of a particular asset. In addition, security values fluctuate. Two agencies asked that more blocks be added for the reporting of liabilities in Part II. OGE included only two lines in order to shorten the form. In addition, because the underlying confidential financial disclosure regulation amendments that will become effective on January 1, 2007 include a significant expansion of the exceptions for reporting liabilities, most filers will now have few, if any, liabilities to report. One agency noted that the most common error that employees make in Part III on outside positions is to report, unnecessarily, their official duty activities. This agency recommended that OGE add official duty activities to the “Do Not Report” column in the instructions for Part III. The “Do Not Report” column in Part III already includes the instruction that a filer does not need to report “any position that you hold as part of your official duties.” Another agency recommended that, in Part III, OGE change the proposed column heading “organization” because it does not adequately convey to filers that they must report their outside activities and employment. Because the heading “organization” is used on the current version of the form, and we have received no indication that it has caused confusion, OGE has not accepted this recommendation. One agency recommended the removal of the instruction in Part V that filers need not report bequests and other forms of inheritance that they receive. This agency's concern is that including this instruction may lead filers to believe that they also are not required to report their inherited assets in Part I. OGE does not believe it is necessary to change this instruction as proposed. Two agencies suggested that the proposed example illustrating the requirement that a filer report his or her spouse's earned income on Part I should include the employer's city and State. We have not accepted this recommendation because this information is not required by the regulation either in its current version or as amended effective January 1, 2007. Although the city and State of the spouse's employer appear in the example on the current version of the form, neither the regulation nor the instructions on that form require that this information be reported. Availability and Timing After it is finally updated and authorized for use next year, OGE will make the modified OGE Form 450 available to departments and agencies, and their reporting employees, through the Forms, Publications & Other Ethics Documents section of OGE's Web site ( *http://www.usoge.gov* ). We will maintain the current version of the form on the OGE Web site for the remainder of 2006. As noted above, OGE does not intend that the modified OGE Form 450 (once finalized) be utilized until 2007. OGE received from OMB an extension of paperwork clearance for the current version of the report form to allow its continued use for the remainder of 2006. Thus, agencies should continue to have their new entrant confidential report filers, including special Government employees filing such reports upon their reappointment/redesignation or appointment anniversary dates, use the current version of the form throughout 2006. After the forthcoming final clearance of the new modified version of the OGE Form 450, agencies should require both new entrant and annual incumbent confidential report filers to use the new version of the form starting in 2007. Because of the introduction of the new form, filers will not be required to file their annual incumbent reports by October 31, 2006. Instead, OGE will require annual confidential filers to file the new modified form with their agencies by the new filing deadline of February 15, 2007. This first new report will incorporate a 15-month reporting period (from October 2005 through December 2006) in order to avoid any gap in reporting due to the transition from a fiscal year to a calendar year basis for annual reporting. Thereafter, the new annual confidential reports due each February will just cover the prior calendar year. The electronically fillable form will be provided in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. It is specially encoded to allow the filer to save the completed form on his or her computer just by using the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software, available from Adobe via a link from the OGE Web site. Effect on Use of Alternative Reports and OGE Optional Form 450-A Since 1992, various departments and agencies have developed, with OGE review/approval, alternative reporting formats such as certificates of no conflict for certain classes of employees. Other agencies provide for additional disclosures pursuant to independent organic statutes and in certain other circumstances when authorized by OGE. In 1997, OGE itself developed the OGE Optional Form 450-A (Confidential Certificate of No New Interests (Executive Branch)) for possible agency and employee use in certain years, if applicable. That optional form continues in use at various agencies. However, the OGE Form 450 remains the uniform executive branch report form for most of those executive branch employees required by their agencies to report confidentially on their financial interests. Agencies may allow annual filers who meet the requirements to file the OGE Form 450-A rather than the new OGE Form 450 for this 15-month filing cycle. Reporting Individuals The OGE Form 450 is to be filed by each reporting individual with the designated agency ethics official at the executive department or agency where he or she is or will be employed. Reporting individuals are regular employees whose positions have been designated by their agency under 5 CFR 2634.904 (both the current regulation as codified and the rule that will become effective in January 2007) as requiring confidential financial disclosure in order to help avoid conflicts with their assigned responsibilities. Under that section, all special Government employees are also generally required to file. Agencies may, if appropriate under the OGE regulation, exclude certain regular employees or SGEs as provided in 5 CFR 2634.905 (§ 2634.904(b) of the rule that will become effective in January 2007). Reports normally are required to be filed within 30 days of entering a covered position (or earlier if required by the agency concerned), and again annually if the employee serves for more than 60 days in the position. Most of the persons who file this report are current executive branch Government employees at the time they complete their report. However, some filers are private citizens who are asked by their prospective agencies to file new entrant reports prior to entering Government service in order to permit advance identification of any potential conflicts of interest and resolution thereof by recusal, divestiture, waiver, etc. Reporting Burden In the two first round paperwork notices for the proposed modified form, the statistics OGE used to compute the reporting burden mistakenly included filers of the OGE Form 450-A and of alternative forms approved by OGE. Because the statistics should reflect the work involved in completing the OGE Form 450 and not any variations of the form, OGE is refining the statistics to reflect the reporting burden pertaining to the OGE Form 450 only. Additionally, the prior first round paperwork notices used statistics from calendar years 2002, 2003, and 2004. This paperwork notice uses the figures from calendar years 2003, 2004, and 2005. Based on OGE's annual agency ethics program questionnaire responses for 2003 through 2005, OGE estimates that an average of approximately 246,131 OGE Form 450 reports will be filed each year for the next three years throughout the executive branch. This estimate is based on the number of OGE Form 450 reports filed branchwide for 2003 through 2005 (218,130 in 2003, 280,152 in 2004, and 240,111 in 2005) for a total of 738,393, with that number then divided by three and rounded, to give the projected annual average of 246,131 OGE Form 450 reports. Of these reports, OGE estimates that 7.65 percent, or some 18,829 per year, will be filed by private citizens with departments and agencies throughout the executive branch. Private citizen filers are those potential (incoming) regular employees whose positions are designated for confidential disclosure filing as well as potential special Government employees whose agencies require that they file their new entrant reports prior to assuming Government responsibilities. No termination reports are required for the OGE Form 450. Because the amount of information that must be reported on the proposed modified form has been reduced, each filing is now estimated to take an average of one hour to complete. This yields an annual reporting burden of 18,829 hours. Consideration of Comments In this second round notice, public comment is again invited, this time on the proposed further modified OGE Form 450 summarized in this notice and available without charge from OGE upon request (see the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section above). In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), public comments are invited specifically on the need for and practical utility of this proposed modified collection of information, the accuracy of OGE's burden estimate, the enhancement of quality, utility and clarity of the information collected, and the minimization of burden (including the use of information technology). The Office of Government Ethics, in consultation with OMB, will consider all comments received, which will become a matter of public record. Approved: September 6, 2006. Robert I. Cusick, Director, Office of Government Ethics. [FR Doc. E6-15129 Filed 9-12-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6345-02-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [60Day-06-0641] Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on proposed data collection projects, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC)will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects. To request more information on the proposed projects or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and instruments, call 404-639-5960 and send comments to Seleda Perryman, CDC Assistant Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D74, Atlanta, GA 30333 or send an e-mail to *omb@cdc.gov.* Comments are invited on:

(a)Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility;

(b)the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information;

(c)ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(d)ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Written comments should be received within 60 days of this notice. Proposed Project Descriptive Epidemiology of Missed or Delayed Diagnoses for Conditions Detected by Newborn Screening—(OMB No. 0920-0641)—Extension-National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Background and Brief Description Every State in the United States and Washington, DC, has a public health program to test newborn babies for congenital metabolic and other disorders through laboratory testing of dried blood spots. These programs screen for between 4 and 36 different conditions including phenylketonuria

(PKU)and congenital hypothroidism, with testing performed in both state laboratories and private laboratories contracted by state health departments. The screening process or system is broader than the state public health newborn screening program, which is composed only of the laboratory and follow-up personnel. It involves the collection of blood from a newborn, analysis of the sample in a screening laboratory, follow-up of abnormal results, confirmatory testing and diagnostic work-up. Parents, hospitals, medical providers including primary care providers and specialists, state laboratory and follow-up personnel, advocates, as well as other partners such as local health departments, police, child protection workers, and courts play important roles in this process. Most children born with metabolic disease are identified in a timely manner and within the parameters defined by the newborn screening system of each State. These children are referred for diagnosis and treatment. However, some cases are not detected at all or the detection comes too late to prevent harm. These “missed cases” often result in severe morbidity such as mental retardation or death. In this project, we will update and expand a previous epidemiological study of missed cases of two disorders published in 1986. We will assess the number of cases of each disorder missed, the reasons for the miss and legal outcomes, if any. The reasons for the miss will be tabulated according to which step or steps of the screening process it occurred. Data will be collected by asking state public health laboratory directors, newborn screening laboratory managers, follow-up coordinators, specialists at metabolic clinics and parent groups with an interest in newborn screening for information regarding missed cases. An estimated 100 subjects will be requested to complete a short questionnaire that asks for information regarding the details of any missed cases of which they are aware. The survey will highlight procedures and actions taken by States and other participants in newborn screening systems to identify causes of missed cases and to modify policies and procedures to prevent or minimize recurrences. The information gleaned from this study may be used to help craft changes in the screening protocols that will make the process more organized and efficient and less likely to fail an affected child. Further, it is not clear that there is a systematic assessment of missed cases on a population basis; this project will seek to identify procedures for routine surveillance of missed cases. There are no costs to respondents except their time to participate in the survey. Estimated Annualized Burden Hours Respondents Number of respondents Number of responses per respondent Average burden per response (in hours) Total burden (hours) State laboratory directors, screening laboratory managers, follow-up coordinators, metabolic clinic specialists, and parent groups 100 1 10/60 17 Dated: September 7, 2006. Joan F. Karr, Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [FR Doc. E6-15151 Filed 9-12-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4163-18-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [60Day-06-0128] Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on proposed data collection projects, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(a)Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility;

(b)the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information;

(c)ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(CS)Case Investigation and Report Form (CDC73.126)—OMB No. 0920-0128—Extension—National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP), Coordinating Center for Infectious Diseases (CCID), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Background and Brief Description CDC proposes to continue data collection for congenital syphilis case investigations under the “Congenital Syphilis

(CS)Case Investigation and Report Form” (CDC73.126, REV 11-98); this form is currently approved under OMB No. 0920-0128, and is due to expire on 9/30/2006. This request is for a 3-year extension of OMB approval. Reducing congenital syphilis is a national objective in the DHHS Report entitled Healthy People 2010 (Vol. I and II). Objective 25-9 of this document states the goal: “Reduce congenital syphilis to 1 new case per 100,000 live births”. In order to meet this national objective, an effective surveillance system for congenital syphilis must be continued to monitor current levels of disease and progress towards the year 2010 objective. This data will also be used to develop intervention strategies and to evaluate ongoing control efforts. Respondent burden is approximately 15 minutes per reported case. The estimated annual number of cases expected to be reported using the current case definition is 500 or less. Therefore, the total number of hours for congenital syphilis reporting required will be approximately 130 hours per year. There are no costs to the respondents other than their time. Estimated Annualized Burden Hours Respondents Number of respondents Average number of responses per respondent Average burden per response (in hours) Total burden (hours) Clerical and Hospital staff of state and local health department STD project areas 65 8 15/60 130 Total 130 Dated: September 6, 2006. Joan F. Karr, Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [FR Doc. E6-15184 Filed 9-12-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4163-18-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration Cooperative Agreement to Support the Shellfish and Seafood Safety Assistance Project; Announcement Type: Single Source Application; Agency Funding Opportunity Number: RFA-FDA-CFSAN-2006-1 AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notice. I. Funding Opportunity Description The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), Office of Seafood is announcing its intent to award, noncompetitively, a cooperative agreement to the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference

(ISSC)in the amount of $320,500 for fiscal year 2006, for direct and indirect costs combined. Subject to the availability of Federal funds and successful performance, 4 additional years of support will be available. FDA will support the research covered by this notice under the authority of section 301 of the Public Health Service Act (the PHS act) (42 U.S.C. 241). FDA's research program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 93.103. Before entering into cooperative agreements, FDA carefully considers the benefits such agreements will provide to the public. This effort will enhance FDA's molluscan shellfish sanitation program and provide the public greater assurance of the quality and safety of these products. II. Eligibility Information Competition is limited to ISSC because ISSC is the only organization that has the established formal structure, procedures, and expertise to direct all components (public health, environmental, resource management, and enforcement) of an effective shellfish sanitation program. ISSC is a partnership of State shellfish control officials representing both environmental and public health agencies; Federal agencies including FDA, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Marine Fisheries Service of the Department of Commerce; and representatives from industry, academia, and foreign governments. ISSC will continue to improve information exchange and transfer among States, Federal agencies, industry, and consumers. ISSC will strengthen State activities by providing them with procedural and policy guidance, technical training, research, and consumer education, and ISSC will enhance research efforts and projects which will contribute significantly to the ISSC/FDA ability to identify scientifically defensible controls which reduce the incidence of *Vibrio vulnificus* and *Vibrio parahaemolyticus* illness. III. Application and Submission For further information or a copy of the complete Request for Application (RFA), contact Gladys M. Bohler, Division of Contracts and Grants Management (HFA-500), Food and Drug Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, 301-827-7168, e-mail: *gladys.melendez-bohler@fda.hhs.gov* . This RFA can be viewed on Grants.gov ( *http://www.grants.gov* ) under “Find Grant Opportunities.” (FDA has verified the Web site and its address but we are not responsible for subsequent changes to the Web site or its address after this document publishes in the **Federal Register** .) A copy of the complete RFA can be viewed also on CFSAN's Web site at *http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/list.html* . For issues regarding the programmatic and scientific aspects of this notice, contact Paul Distefano, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (HFS-417), Food and Drug Administration, 5100 Paint Branch Pkwy., College Park, MD 20740, 301-436-1410, e-mail: *paul.distefano@fda.hhs.gov* . Dated: September 7, 2006. Jeffrey Shuren, Assistant Commissioner for Policy. [FR Doc. E6-15102 Filed 9-12-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4160-01-S DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR-5037-N-63] Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB; Neighborhood Networks Management and Tracking Data Collection Instruments AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information Officer, HUD. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The proposed information collection requirement described below has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB)for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal. The Neighborhood Networks Centers submit business plans, operating procedures, and demographic data to HUD. HUD uses the information to assist center directors in the development and operation of the centers and to track and evaluate the development and implementation of center programs. DATES: *Comments Due Date:* October 13, 2006. ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name and/or OMB approval Number (2502-0553) and should be sent to: HUD Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503; fax: 202-395-6974. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lillian Deitzer, Reports Management Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20410; e-mail *Lillian_L._Deitzer@HUD.gov* or telephone

(202)708-2374. This is not a toll-free number. Copies of available documents submitted to OMB may be obtained from Ms. Deitzer or from HUD's Web site at *http://hlannwp031.hud.gov/po/i/icbts/collectionsearch.cfm.* SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice informs the public that the Department of Housing and Urban Development has submitted to OMB a request for approval of the information collection described below. This notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and affecting agencies concerning the proposed collection of information to:

(1)Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(2)Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information;

(3)Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(4)Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond; including through the use of appropriate automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology, *e.g.* , permitting electronic submission of responses. *This notice also lists the following information:* *Title of Proposal:* Neighborhood Networks Management and Tracking Data Collection Instruments. *OMB Approval Number:* 2502-0553. *Form Numbers:* None. *Description of the Need for the Information and Its Proposed Use:* The Neighborhood Networks Centers submit business plans, operating procedures, and demographic data to HUD. HUD uses the information to assist center directors in the development and operation of the centers and to track and evaluate the development and implementation of center programs. *Frequency of Submission:* On Occasion, Quarterly and Annually. Number of respondents Annual responses × Hours per response = Burden hours Reporting Burden: 1,200 3,754 0.77 2,905 *Total Estimated Burden Hours:* 2,905. *Status:* Revision of a currently approved collection. Authority: Section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 35, as amended. Dated: September 6, 2006. Lillian L. Deitzer, Department Paperwork Reduction Act Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer. [FR Doc. E6-15104 Filed 9-12-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4210-67-P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service Long Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability: Final comprehensive conservation plan and finding of no significant impact. SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces the availability of the final Comprehensive Conservation Plan

(CCP)and Finding of No Significant Impact for Long Island National Wildlife Refuge

(NWR)Complex. Prepared in conformance with the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, as amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the plan describes how we intend to manage the complex over the next 15 years. ADDRESSES: You may obtain copies of this CCP on compact disk or in print by writing to Long Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex, P.O. Box 21, 360 Smith Road, Shirley, NY 11967, or by calling 631-286-0485. You may also access and download a copy from the Web sites *http://library.fws.gov/ccps.htm* or *http://longislandrefuges.fws.gov.* FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Deb Long, Refuge Manager, Long Island NWR Complex, at 631-286-0485, or by e-mail at *Deb_Long@fws.gov.* SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act, as amended by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 668 dd *et seq.* ) requires CCPs for all refuges to provide refuge managers with 15-year strategies for achieving refuge purposes and furthering the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Developing CCPs is done according to the sound principles of fish and wildlife science and laws, while adhering to Service planning and related policies. In addition to outlining broad management direction on conserving refuge wildlife and habitat, CCPs identify wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities available to the public, including opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography, and environmental education and interpretation. We will review and update this CCP at least once every 15 years. Long Island NWR Complex includes Amagansett, Conscience Point, Elizabeth A. Morton, Oyster Bay, Seatuck, Target Rock, and Wertheim NWRs, along with Lido Beach Wildlife Management Area and the Sayville Unit. The complex spans over 6,200 acres in Suffolk and Nassau Counties of New York State. Management focuses on migratory birds, threatened and endangered species, and their habitats. The Service acquired most of the refuges in the complex under authority of the Migratory Bird Conservation Act of 1929 (16 U.S.C. 715-715r) for “use as an inviolate sanctuary, or for any other management purposes, for migratory birds.” Three of the units were established under authority of the Transfer of Certain Real Property for Wildlife Conservation Purposes Act (16 U.S.C. 667b-667d) for “particular value in carrying out the national migratory bird management program.” We distributed a draft CCP/EA for public review and comment for 30 days between June 19 and July 19, 2006. Its distribution was announced in the **Federal Register** on June 19, 2006 (71 FR 35283). That draft analyzed three alternatives for managing the complex. We also held three public meetings, on June 26, 27, and 28, 2006, to obtain public comments. We received 29 comments. Appendix I of the final CCP includes a summary of those comments and our responses to them. We selected Alternative B (the Service-proposed action) from the draft CCP/EA as the alternative for implementation. Our final CCP fully describes its details. Staff from Wertheim NWR headquarters office in Shirley, New York, will continue to administer all units of the complex. Highlights of the final CCP include:

(1)Increasing existing programs to protect habitats and manage for the threatened piping plover, the endangered Sandplain gerardia, American eel, mud and box turtles, wintering waterfowl, and neotropical migratory songbirds;

(2)Intensifying efforts to control non-native invasive species such as phragmites, and evaluating and implementing new management practices to decrease insecticide use in marsh communities;

(3)Constructing a new headquarters and visitor facility at Wertheim NWR that will also serve as an office for Region 5's Long Island Field Office, part of the Ecological Services program;

(4)Strengthening interpretive and environmental education programs throughout the refuges; and

(5)Expanding outreach efforts, such as public relations and volunteer programs;

(6)Initiating a regulated early-season (September) hunt and other population control measures to manage overabundant populations of resident Canada geese at Wertheim NWR. The Service will actively pursue land acquisition opportunities within the refuges' approved boundaries, as well as other land protection opportunities. However, the CCP does not propose Service acquisition of additional lands at this time. Dated: August 30, 2006. Richard O. Bennett, Acting Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hadley, Massachusetts. [FR Doc. E6-15150 Filed 9-12-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-55-P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [WO-350-1430-EU-24 1A; OMB Control Number 1004-0029] Information Collection Submitted to the Office of Management and Budget Under the Paperwork Reduction Act The Bureau of Land Management

(BLM)will send a request to extend the current information collection to the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB)under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 *et seq.* ). On April 21, 2005, the BLM published a notice in the **Federal Register** (70 FR 20765) requesting comment on this information collection. The comment period ended on June 20, 2005. The BLM did not receive any comments. You may obtain copies of the collection of information and related forms and explanatory material by contacting the BLM Information Collection Clearance Officer at the telephone number listed below. The OMB must respond to this request within 60 days but may respond after 30 days. For maximum consideration you comments and suggestions on the requirement should be directed within 30 days to the Office of Management and Budget, Interior Department Desk Officer (1004-0029), at OMB-OIRA via facsimile to

(202)395-6566 or e-mail to *OIRA_DOCKET@omb.eop.gov.* Please provide a copy of your comments to the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Mail Stop 401LS, 1849 C Street, NW., Attention: Bureau of Information Collection Clearance Officer (WO-630), Washington, DC 20240. *Nature of Comments:* We specifically request your comments on the following: 1. Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper functioning of the BLM, including whether the information will have practical utility; 2. The accuracy of our estimates of the information collection burden, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions we use; 3. Ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information we collected; and 4. Ways to minimize the information collection burden on those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other forms of information technology. *Title:* Color-of-Title: Conveyances Affecting Color or Claim of Title (43 CFR part 2540). *OMB Control Number:* 1004-0029. *Bureau Form Number:* 2540-1, 2540-2, and 2540-3. *Abstract:* The BLM collects and uses the information to determine if an applicant meets the statutory requirements of the Color-of-Title Act and regulations 43 CFR part 2540. *Frequency:* One. *Description of Respondents:* Individuals, groups, or corporations. *Estimated Completion Time:* 3 hours. *Annual Responses:* 7. *Average Application Processing Fee Per Response:* $10. *Annual Burden Hours:* 21. *Bureau Clearance Officer:* Ted Hudson,

(202)452-5033. Dated: September 7, 2006. Ted R. Hudson, Bureau of Land Management, Information Collection Clearance Officer. [FR Doc. 06-7608 Filed 9-12-06; 8:45 am]

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