Notices. Notice

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A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

BILLING CODE 3710-61-M DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Navy Notice of Availability of Government-Owned Inventions; Available for Licensing AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The inventions listed below are assigned to the U.S. Government as represented by the Secretary of the Navy and are available for domestic and foreign licensing by the Department of the Navy. U.S. Patent No. 6,865,455: MAGNETIC ANOMALY GUIDANCE SYSTEM AND METHOD.//U.S. Patent No. 6,868,360:

SMALL HEAD-MOUNTED COMPASS SYSTEM WITH OPTICAL DISPLAY.//U.S. Patent No. 6,868,197: CONNECTOR-LESS HIGH SPEED UNDERWATER DATA INTERFACE.//U.S. Patent No. 6,870,534: METHOD OF SIMULATING EXPLOSIVE PERFORMANCE.//U.S. Patent No. 6,879,544: MANATEE VOCALIZATION DETECTION METHOD AND SYSTEM.//U.S. Patent No. 6,879,397: LIGHT SCATTERING DETECTOR.//U.S. Patent No. 6,879,547: COMBINED STABILIZATION BRACKET AND MINE SYSTEM FOR GATHERING UNDERSEA DATA.//U.S. Patent No.6,883,390: INSTRUMENT FOR MEASURING WATER-SPRAY BLAST FORCE.//U.S.

Patent No. 6,888,353: MAGNETIC ANOMALY HOMING SYSTEM AND METHOD USING MAGNETIC TOTAL FIELD SCALARS.//U.S. Patent No. 6,893,540: HIGH TEMPERATURE PELTIER EFFECT WATER DISTILLER.//U.S. Patent No. 6,907,326: AUTONOMOUS SURF ZONE LINE CHARGE DEPLOYMENT SYSTEM.//U.S. Patent No. 6,927,790: DIGITAL CAMERA SYSTEM PROVIDING FOR CONTROL OF A CAMERA'S OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS AND IMAGE CAPTURE.//U.S. Patent No. 6,931,339: COMPASS AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM.//U.S. Patent No. 6,934,633: HELMET-MOUNTED PARACHUTIST NAVIGATION SYSTEM.//U.S.

Patent No. 6,944,816: AUTOMATED SYSTEM FOR PERFORMING KEPNER TREGOE ANALYSIS FOR SPREAD SHEET OUTPUT.//U.S. Patent No. 6,945,187: INSTRIDE INFLATABLE AUTONOMOUS FUEL DEPOT.//U.S. Patent No. 6,957,132: METHOD OF GUIDING A VEHICLE TO A POSITION.//U.S. Patent No. 6,957,651: SYSTEM FOR SIMULATING METABOLIC CONSUMPTION OF OXYGEN.//U.S. Patent No. 6,963,263: NON-CONTACT ELECTRICAL ENERGY TRANSFER SYSTEM.//U.S. Patent No. 6,970,578: METHOD OF GENERATING IMAGES TO AID IN THE DETECTION OF MANMADE OBJECTS IN CLUTTERED UNDERWATER ENVIRONMENTS.//U.S.

Patent No. 6,982,790: COHERENT IMAGING IN TURBID MEDIA.//U.S. Patent No. 6,990,239: FEATURE-BASED DETECTION AND CONTEXT DISCRIMINATE CLASSIFICATION FOR KNOWN IMAGE STRUCTURES.//U.S. Patent No. 6,994,048: FLOATING LOW DENSITY CONCRETE BARRIER.//U.S. Patent No. 6,997,218: INFLATABLE BODY ARMOR SYSTEM.//U.S. Patent No. 6,999,624: CONTEXT DISCRIMINATE CLASSIFICATION FOR DIGITAL IMAGES.//U.S. Patent No. 6,999,625: FEATURE-BASED DETECTION AND CONTEXT DISCRIMINATE CLASSIFICATION FOR DIGITAL IMAGES.//U.S.

Patent No. 7,002,681: SPECTROSCOPY SYSTEM FOR THE DETECTION OF CHEMICALS.//U.S. Patent No. 7,004,039: AMBIENT PRESSURE COMPENSATED TACTILE SENSOR.//U.S. Patent No. 7,010,401: SYSTEM FOR GUIDING A VEHICLE TO A POSITION.//U.S. Patent No. 7,007,569: TELESCOPING AND LOCKING LEVER ARM.//U.S. Patent No. 7,025,931: METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REDUCING OXYGEN IN A CLOSED ENVIRONMENT.//U.S. Patent No. 7,036,894: TANDEM DRIVE FOR TRACKED VEHICLES.//U.S. Patent No. 7,038,458: MAGNETIC ANOMALY HOMING SYSTEM AND METHOD USING ROTATIONALLY INVARIANT SCALAR CONTRACTIONS OF MAGNETIC GRADIENT TENSORS.//U.S.

Patent No. 7,038,639: DISPLAY SYSTEM FOR FULL FACE MASKS.//U.S. Patent No. 7,039,367: COMMUNICATIONS USING UNMANNED SURFACE VEHICLES AND UNMANNED MICRO-AERIAL VEHICLES.//U.S. Patent No. 7,039,506: LIGHT SYSTEM FOR DEFINING LINE OF APPROACH.//U.S. Patent No. 7,068,819: SYSTEM FOR STORING GEOSPECIFIC DATA.// ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the patents cited should be directed to Office of Counsel, Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City, 110 Vernon Ave., Panama City, FL 32407-7001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. James Shepherd, Patent Counsel, Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City, 110 Vernon Ave., Panama City, FL 32407-7001, telephone 850-234-4646. (Authority: 35 U.S.C. 207, 37 CFR Part 404) Dated: September 18, 2006. M. A. Harvison, Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, Federal Register Liaison Officer. [FR Doc. E6-15702 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Navy Notice of Intent To Grant Exclusive Patent License;

NaturalNano, Inc. AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Department of the Navy hereby gives notice of its intent to grant to NaturalNano, Inc., a revocable, nonassignable, exclusive license to practice in the fields of use in Electromagnetic Shielding; Strength Enhancement; Cosmetics; Odor Masking; Eluting Implantable Medical Devices; Visibility Enhanced Implantable Medical Devices; Eluting Bandages; Local Drug Delivery; Agricultural; Vertebrate Aversion;

Veterinary; Ink and Paper; Electronics; Fabrics and Textiles; all other fields of use specifically excluding: Halloysite in Building Materials and Petroleum; and Paint in the United States and certain foreign countries, the Government-owned inventions described in U.S. Patent No. 4,877,501: Process for Fabrication of Lipid Microstructures, Navy Case No. 70,173.//U.S. Patent No. 4,911,981: Metal Clad Lipid Microstructures, Navy Case No. 70,238.//U.S. Patent No. 5,049,382: Coating and Composition Containing Lipid Microstructure Toxin Dispensers, Navy Case No. 71,593.//U.S.

Patent No. 5,492,696: Controlled Release Microstructures, Navy Case No. 76,896.//U.S. Patent No. 5,651,976: Controlled Release of Active Agents Using Inorganic Tubules, Navy Case No. 76,652.//U.S. Patent No. 5,705,191: Sustained Delivery of Active Compounds from Tubules With Rational Control, Navy Case No. 77,037.//U.S. Patent No. 6,013,206: Process for the Formation of High Aspect Ratio Lipid Microtubules, Navy Case No. 79,038.//U.S. Patent No. 6,280,759: Method of Controlled Release and Controlled Release Microstructures, Navy Case No. 78,215.//U.S.

Patent Application Serial No. 10/353,952: Microwave-Attenuating Composite Materials, Methods for Preparing the Same, Intermediates for Preparing the Same, Devices Containing the Same, Methods of Preparing Such a Device, and Methods of Attenuating Microwaves, Navy Case No. 83,273.//U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 10/863,848: Waterborne Coating Containing Microcylindrical Conductors and Non-Conductive Space Filling Latex Polymers, Navy Case No. 84,828 and any continuations, divisionals or re-issues thereof.

DATES: Anyone wishing to object to the grant of this license must file written objections along with supporting evidence, if any, not later than October 11, 2006. ADDRESSES: Written objections are to be filed with the Naval Research Laboratory, Code 1004, 4555 Overlook Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20375-5320. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Head, Technology Transfer Office, NRL Code 1004, 4555 Overlook Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20375-5320, telephone 202-767-7230. Due to U.S.

Postal delays, please fax 202-404-7920, e-mail: *techtran@utopia.nrl.navy.mil* or use courier delivery to expedite response. (Authority: 35 U.S.C. 207, 37 CFR Part 404.) Dated: September 19, 2006. M. A. Harvison, Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, Federal Register Liaison Officer. [FR Doc. E6-15705 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3810-FF-P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests AGENCY: Department of Education.

SUMMARY: The IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management, invites comments on the proposed information collection requests as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before November 27, 2006. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires that the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB)provide interested Federal agencies and the public an early opportunity to comment on information collection requests. OMB may amend or waive the requirement for public consultation to the extent that public participation in the approval process would defeat the purpose of the information collection, violate State or Federal law, or substantially interfere with any agency's ability to perform its statutory obligations. The IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management, publishes that notice containing proposed information collection requests prior to submission of these requests to OMB. Each proposed information collection, grouped by office, contains the following:

(1)Type of review requested, e.g., new, revision, extension, existing or reinstatement;

(2)Title;

(3)Summary of the collection;

(4)Description of the need for, and proposed use of, the information;

(5)Respondents and frequency of collection; and

(6)Reporting and/or Recordkeeping burden. OMB invites public comment. The Department of Education is especially interested in public comment addressing the following issues:

(1)Is this collection necessary to the proper functions of the Department;

(2)will this information be processed and used in a timely manner;

(3)is the estimate of burden accurate;

(4)how might the Department enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(5)how might the Department minimize the burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the use of information technology. Dated: September 20, 2006. Angela C. Arrington, IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management. Institute of Education Sciences *Type of Review:* New. *Title:* Educational Support Needs Assessment. *Frequency:* On Occasion. *Affected Public:* Not-for-profit institutions; State, local, or tribal gov't, SEAs or LEAs. *Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:* *Responses:* 350. *Burden Hours:* 88. *Abstract:* This data collection will assess the support needs of Curriculum Coordinators and Principals in each of seven States: Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. The survey will focus on their needs for support in the various areas: Obtaining, understanding and utilizing educational research, in-service needs, developing leadership and management capabilities in the staff, improvement plans and interventions. It will also determine the perceptions of the importance for McREL to fund such initiatives in support of these areas. Requests for copies of the proposed information collection request may be accessed from *http://edicsweb.ed.gov* , by selecting the “Browse Pending Collections” link and by clicking on link number 3190. When you access the information collection, click on “Download Attachments” to view. Written requests for information should be addressed to U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Potomac Center, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20202-4700. Requests may also be electronically mailed to *ICDocketMgr@ed.gov* or faxed to 202-245-6623. Please specify the complete title of the information collection when making your request. Comments regarding burden and/or the collection activity requirements should be electronically mailed to *ICDocketMgr@ed.gov.* Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf

(TDD)may call the Federal Information Relay Service

(FIRS)at 1-800-877-8339. [FR Doc. E6-15710 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request AGENCY: Department of Education. SUMMARY: The IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management invites comments on the submission for OMB review as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before October 26, 2006. ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Rachel Potter, Desk Officer, Department of Education, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW., Room 10222, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503 or faxed to

(202)395-6974. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires that the Office of Management and Budget

(1)Type of review requested, e.g., new, revision, extension, existing or reinstatement;

(2)Title;

(3)Summary of the collection;

(4)Description of the need for, and proposed use of, the information;

(5)Respondents and frequency of collection; and

(6)Reporting and/or Recordkeeping burden. OMB invites public comment. Dated: September 20, 2006. Angela C. Arrington, IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management. Federal Student Aid *Type of Review:* Revision. *Title:* Student Aid on the Web. *Frequency:* On occasion; monthly; annually. *Affected Public:* Individuals or household; Federal Government; State, local, or tribal gov't, SEAs or LEAs. *Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:* * Responses:* 4,013,550. * Burden Hours:* 1,560,825. *Abstract:* Federal Student Aid of the U.S. Department of Education seeks renewal of the registration system within the Student Aid on the Web (previously the “Students Portal”), an Internet Portal Web site (hereafter “the Web site”). The Web site makes the college application process more efficient, faster, and accurate by making it an automated, electronic process that targets financial aid and college applications. The Web site uses some personal contact information criteria to automatically fill out the forms and surveys initiated by the user. The Web site also provides a database of demographic information that helps Federal Student Aid target the distribution of financial aid materials to specific groups of students and/or parents. For example, studies have shown that providing student financial assistance information to middle school (or elementary school) students and/or their parents dramatically increases the likelihood that those students will attend college. The demographic information from the Web site helps us to identify potential customers in the middle school age range and is information that was previously unavailable to us. Only content has been updated on the Web site since its first approval. Requests for copies of the information collection submission for OMB review may be accessed from *http://edicsweb.ed.gov* , by selecting the “Browse Pending Collections” link and by clicking on link number 3153. When you access the information collection, click on “Download Attachments” to view. Written requests for information should be addressed to U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Potomac Center, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20202-4700. Requests may also be electronically mailed to *ICDocketMgr@ed.gov* or faxed to 202-245-6623. Please specify the complete title of the information collection when making your request. Comments regarding burden and/or the collection activity requirements should be electronically mailed to *ICDocketMgr@ed.gov* . Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf

(TDD)may call the Federal Information Relay Service

(FIRS)at 1-800-877-8339. [FR Doc. E6-15711 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information; Fulbright-Hays Faculty Research Abroad

(FRA)Program Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year

(FY)2007 *Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

(CFDA)Number:* 84.019A. *Dates:* Applications Available: October 10, 2006. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: November 15, 2006. *Eligible Applicants:* Institutions of higher education (IHE). As part of the application process, faculty submit individual applications to the IHE. The IHE then officially submits all eligible individual faculty applications with its grant application to the Department. *Estimated Available Funds:* The Administration has requested $1,395,000 for new awards in this program for FY 2007. 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. *Estimated Range of Fellowship Awards:* $20,000-$100,000. *Estimated Average Size of Fellowship Awards:* $60,000. *Estimated Number of Fellowship Awards:* 25. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. *Project Period:* The institutional project period is 18 months beginning June 1, 2007. Faculty may request funding for 3-12 months. Full Text of Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description *Purpose of Program:* The Fulbright-Hays Faculty Research Abroad Fellowship Program offers opportunities to faculty of IHEs to engage in research abroad in modern foreign languages and area studies. *Priorities:* In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii), this priority is from the regulations for this program (34 CFR 663.21(d)). *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: A research project that focuses on one or more of the following areas: Africa, East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands, South Asia, the Near East, East Central Europe and Eurasia, and the Western Hemisphere (excluding the United States and its territories). Please note that applications that propose projects focused on Western Europe are not eligible. Within this absolute priority, we are particularly interested in applications that address the following competitive priority. *Competitive Preference Priority:* Within the absolute priority, we give competitive preference to applications that address the following priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105 (c)(2)(i) and 663.21(d)(2) we award an additional five

(5)points to an application, that meets this priority. This priority is: Research projects that focus on one or more of the areas where one or more of the following critical languages are spoken: Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, as well as the Indic, Iranian, and Turkic language families. Program Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6). *Applicable Regulations:*

(a)The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.

(b)The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 663. Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only. II. Award Information *Type of Award:* Discretionary grants redistributed as fellowships to individual beneficiaries. *Estimated Available Funds:* The Administration has requested $1,395,000 for this program for FY 2007. 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. *Estimated Range of Fellowship Awards:* $20,000—$100,000. *Estimated Average Size of Fellowship Awards:* $60,000. *Estimated Number of Fellowship Awards:* 25. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. *Project Period:* The institutional project period is 18 months beginning June 1, 2007. Faculty may request funding for 3-12 months. III. Eligibility Information 1. *Eligible Applicants:* IHEs. As part of the application process, faculty submit individual applications to the IHE. The IHE then officially submits all eligible individual faculty applications with its grant application to the Department. 2. *Cost Sharing or Matching:* This program does not require cost sharing or matching. IV. Application and Submission Information 1. *Address to Request Application Package:* Both IHEs and faculty applicants may obtain an application package via the Internet by downloading the package from the program Web site: *http://www.ed.gov/programs/iegpsfra/applicant.html.* IHEs and faculty applicants may also obtain a copy of the application package by contacting Amy Wilson, International Education Programs Service, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., Suite 6000, Washington, DC 20006-8521. Telephone:

(202)502-7689 or by e-mail: *amy.wilson@ed.gov.* 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 a copy of the application package in an alternative format ( *e.g.* , Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact person listed in this section. 2. *Content and Form of Application Submission:* Requirements concerning the content of an application, together with the forms to be submitted, are in the application package for this program. *Page Limit:* The application narrative is where the faculty applicant addresses the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate the application. The faculty applicant must limit the narrative to the equivalent of 10 pages and the bibliography to the equivalent of two

(2)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. However, faculty applicants may single space all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, titles, headings, footnotes, endnotes, quotations, bibliography, and captions. • Use a font that is either 12-point or larger or no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch). • Use a 10-point font in charts, tables, figures, graphs, footnotes, and endnotes. However, these items are considered part of the narrative and counted within the 10-page limit. • Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New or Arial. Applications submitted in any other font (including Times Roman, Arial Narrow) will not be accepted. The page limits only apply to the application narrative and bibliography. However, faculty applicants must include their complete responses to the selection criteria in the application narrative. We will reject a faculty applicant's application if— • A faculty applicant applies these standards and exceeds the page limits; or • A faculty applicant applies other standards and exceeds the equivalent of the page limits. 3. *Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available:* October 10, 2006. *Deadline for Transmittal of Applications:* November 15, 2006. Applications for grants under this program must be submitted electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-Application) available through the Department's e-Grants system. Please note that the application availability date for this competition is October 10. The application will not be available on the e-Application system until October 10. For information (including dates and times) about how to submit an IHE's application electronically or by mail or hand delivery if an IHE qualifies for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, 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. 4. *Intergovernmental Review:* This program is not subject to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. 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 program must be submitted electronically, unless an IHE qualifies for an exception to this requirement in accordance with the instructions in this section. a. *Electronic Submission of Applications.* Applications for grants under the Fulbright-Hays Faculty Research Abroad Program—CFDA Number 84.019A must be submitted electronically using e-Application available through the Department's e-Grants system, accessible through the e-Grants portal page at: *http://e-grants.ed.gov.* We will reject an application if an IHE submits it in paper format unless, as described elsewhere in this section, the IHE qualifies for one of the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement *and* submits, no later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written statement to the Department that the IHE qualifies for one of these exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in this section under *Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.* While completing the electronic application, both the IHE and the faculty applicant will be entering data online that will be saved into a database. Neither the IHE nor the faculty applicant may e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us. Please note the following: • The process for submitting applications electronically under the Fulbright-Hays Faculty Research Abroad Fellowship Program has several parts. The following is a brief summary of the process; however, all applicants should review and follow the detailed description of the application process that is contained in the application package. In summary, the major parts are as follows:

(1)IHEs must e-mail the following information to *amy.wilson@ed.gov:* name of university, full name and e-mail address of potential project director. We recommend that applicant IHEs submit this information as soon as possible to ensure that applicant IHEs obtain access to the e-Application system well before the application deadline date. We suggest that applicant IHEs send this information no later than October 31, 2006, in order to facilitate timely submission of their applications;

(2)Faculty must complete their individual applications and submit them to their IHE's project director using e-Application;

(3)Persons providing references for individual faculty must complete and submit reference forms for the faculty and submit them to the IHE's project director using e-Application; and

(4)The IHE's project director must officially submit the IHE's application, which must include all eligible individual faculty applications, reference forms, and other required forms, using e-Application. Unless an IHE applicant qualifies for an exception to the electronic submission requirement in accordance with the procedures in this section, all portions of the application must be submitted electronically. • The IHE must complete the electronic submission of the grant application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. The e-Application system will not accept an application for this program after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Therefore, we strongly recommend that both the IHE and the faculty applicant not wait until the application deadline date to begin the application process. • The regular hours of operation of the e-Grants Web site are 6 a.m. Monday until 7 p.m. Wednesday; and 6 a.m. Thursday until midnight Saturday, Washington, DC time. Please note that the system is unavailable on Sundays, and between 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6 a.m. on Thursdays, Washington, DC time, for maintenance. Any modifications to these hours are posted on the e-Grants Web site. • Faculty applicants will not receive additional point value because he/she submits his/her application in electronic format, nor will we penalize the IHE or faculty applicant if it qualifies for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submits an application in paper format. • IHEs must submit all documents electronically, including the Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), and all necessary assurances and certifications. Both IHEs and faculty applicants must attach any narrative sections of the application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (portable document) format. If an IHE or a faculty applicant uploads a file type other than the three file types specified above or submit a password protected file, we will not review that material. • Both the IHE's and the faculty applicant's electronic application must comply with any page limit requirements described in this notice. • Prior to submitting your electronic application, you may wish to print a copy of it for your records. • After the individual faculty applicant electronically submits his/her application to his/her IHE, the faculty member will receive an automatic acknowledgment. In addition, the applicant IHE's Project Director will receive a copy of this acknowledgment by e-mail. After a person submits a reference electronically, he/she will receive an online confirmation. After the applicant IHE submits its application, including all eligible individual faculty applications, to the Department, the applicant IHE will receive an automatic acknowledgment, which will include a PR/Award number (an identifying number unique to the IHE's application). • Within three working days after submitting the IHE's electronic application, the IHE must fax a signed copy of the SF 424 to the Application Control Center after following these steps:

(1)Print SF 424 from e-Application.

(2)The applicant IHE's Authorizing Representative must sign this form.

(3)Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the hard-copy signature page of the SF 424.

(4)Fax the signed SF 424 to the Application Control Center at

(202)245-6272. • We may request that you provide us original signatures on other forms at a later date. *Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of e-Application System Unavailability:* If an IHE is prevented from electronically submitting the application on the application deadline date because the e-Application system is unavailable, we will grant the IHE an extension of one business day in order to transmit the application electronically, by mail, or by hand delivery. We will grant this extension if—

(1)The IHE is a registered user of e-Application and the IHE has initiated an electronic application for this competition; and

(a)The e-Application system is unavailable for 60 minutes or more between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date; or

(b)The e-Application system is unavailable for any period of time between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. We must acknowledge and confirm these periods of unavailability before granting the IHE an extension. To request this extension or to confirm our acknowledgement of any system unavailability, an IHE may contact either

(1)the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT (see VII. Agency Contact) or

(2)the e-Grants help desk at 1-888-336-8930. If the system is down and therefore the application deadline is extended, an e-mail will be sent to all registered users who have initiated an e-Application. Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the unavailability of the Department's e-Application system. *Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement:* An IHE may qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit its application in paper format, if the IHE is unable to submit an application through the e-Application system because— • The IHE or a faculty applicant does not have access to the Internet; or • The IHE or a faculty applicant does not have the capacity to upload large documents to the Department's e-Application system; *and* • No later than two weeks before the application deadline date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business day following the Federal holiday), the IHE mails or faxes a written statement to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception prevent the IHE from using the Internet to submit its application. If an IHE mails a written statement to the Department, it must be postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline date. If an IHE faxes its written statement to the Department, we must receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the application deadline date. Address and mail or fax this statement to: Amy Wilson, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., Suite 6000, Washington, DC 20006-8521. Fax:

(202)502-7860. The IHE's paper application must be submitted in accordance with the mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice. b. *Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.* If an IHE qualifies for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, the IHE may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier) its application to the Department. The IHE must mail the original and two copies of the 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 84.019A), 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 84.019A), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506. Regardless of which address the IHE uses, the IHE 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 the IHE mails its 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 the IHE's application is postmarked after the application deadline date, we will not consider its application. Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method, the IHE should check with its local post office. c. *Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.* If an IHE qualifies for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, the IHE (or a courier service) may deliver its paper application to the Department by hand. The IHE must deliver the original and two copies of the 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 84.019A), 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 an IHE mails or hand delivers its application to the Department:

(1)The IHE must indicate on the envelope and—if not provided by the Department—in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number—and suffix letter, if any—of the competition under which the IHE is submitting its application.

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

(202)245-6288. V. Application Review Information Faculty applications are divided into seven categories based on the world area focus of their research projects, as described in the absolute priority listed in this notice. Language and area studies experts in seven discrete world area-based panels will review the faculty applications. Each panel reviews, scores and ranks its applications separately from the applications assigned to the other world area panels. However, all fellowship applications will be ranked from the highest to lowest score for funding purposes. *Selection Criteria:* The following selection criteria for this competition are from 34 CFR 663.21: The maximum score for all of the criteria is 100 points. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in parentheses. *Quality of proposed project* (60 points): In determining the quality of the research project proposed by the applicant, the Secretary considers

(1)The statement of the major hypotheses to be tested or questions to be examined, and the description and justification of the research methods to be used (10 points);

(2)The relationship of the research to the literature on the topic and to major theoretical issues in the field, and the project's importance in terms of the concerns of the discipline (10 points);

(3)The preliminary research already completed or plans for research prior to going overseas, and the kinds, quality and availability of data for the research in the host country or countries (10 points);

(4)The justification for overseas field research and preparations to establish appropriate and sufficient research contacts and affiliations abroad (10 points);

(5)The applicant's plans to share the results of the research in progress with scholars and officials of the host country or countries and the American scholarly community (10 points); and

(6)The objectives of the project regarding the sponsoring institution's plans for developing or strengthening, or both, curricula in modern foreign languages and area studies (10 points). *Qualifications of the applicant* (40 points): In determining the qualifications of the applicant, the Secretary considers

(1)The overall strength of the applicant's academic record (teaching, research, contributions, professional association activities) (10 points);

(2)The applicant's excellence as a teacher or researcher, or both, in his or her area or areas of specialization (10 points);

(3)The applicant's proficiency in one or more of the languages (other than English and the applicant's native language) of the country or countries of research, and the specific measures to be taken to overcome any anticipated language barriers (15 points); and

(4)The applicant's ability to conduct research in a foreign cultural context, as evidenced by the applicant's previous overseas experience, or documentation provided by the sponsoring institution, or both (5 points). VI. Award Administration Information 1. *Award Notices:* If a faculty application is successful, we notify the IHE's U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send the IHE a Grant Award Notification (GAN). We may also notify the IHE informally. If a faculty application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, we notify the IHE. 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 its approved application as part of its binding commitments under the grant. 3. *Reporting:* At the end of the project period, the IHE must submit a final performance report, including the final reports of all of the IHE's fellows, and financial information, as directed by the Secretary. The IHE and fellows are required to use the electronic reporting system Evaluation of Exchange, Language, International and Area Studies (EELIAS) to complete the final report. 4. *Performance Measures:* Under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), the following measures will be used by the Department in assessing the performance of the Fulbright-Hays Faculty Research Abroad Program:

(1)The average language competency score of Fulbright-Hays Training Grants—Faculty Research Abroad fellows at the end of the research period (post-test) minus the average competency score at the beginning of the research period (pre-test). All grantees will be expected to provide documentation of the improved language proficiency of the fellows through the EELIAS system. Reporting screens for institutions and fellows may be viewed at: *http://www.eelias.org/eelias/pdfs/FRA/fraDirectorCombined.pdf,* *http://www.eelias.org/eelias/pdfs/FRA/fraFellowCombined.pdf.*

(2)The percent of projects judged to be successful by the program officer, based on a review of information provided in the final performance reports. The information provided by grantees in their performance reports submitted via EELIAS will be the source of data for this measure. VII. Agency Contact *For Further Information Contact:* Amy Wilson, International Education Programs Service, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., Suite 6000, Washington, DC 20006-8521. Telephone:

(202)502-7689 or via the Internet: *amy.wilson@ed.gov.* 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 to the program contact person listed in this section. 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: September 20, 2006. James F. Manning, Acting Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education. [FR Doc. E6-15757 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information; Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad

(DDRA)Program Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year

(FY)2007 *Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

(CFDA)Number:* 84.022A. DATES: Applications Available: October 10, 2006. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: November 15, 2006. *Eligible Applicants:* Institutions of higher education (IHE). As part of the application process, students submit individual applications to the IHE. The IHE then officially submits all eligible individual student applications with its grant application to the Department. *Estimated Available Funds:* The Administration has requested $4,400,000 for new awards for this program for FY 2007. 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. *Estimated Range of Fellowship Awards:* $15,000-$60,000. *Estimated Average Size of Fellowship Awards:* $29,330. *Estimated Number of Fellowship Awards:* 150. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. *Project Period:* The institutional project period is 18 months beginning July 1, 2007. Students may request funding for 6-12 months. Full Text of Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description *Purpose of Program:* The Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship Program provides opportunities to graduate students to engage in full-time dissertation research abroad in modern foreign languages and area studies. *Priorities:* In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii), this priority is from the regulations for this program (34 CFR 662.21(d)). *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: A research project that focuses on one or more of the following areas: Africa, East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands, South Asia, the Near East, East Central Europe and Eurasia, and the Western Hemisphere (excluding the United States and its territories). Please note that applications that propose projects focused on Western Europe are not eligible. *Competitive Preference Priority:* Within this absolute priority, we give competitive preference to applications that address the following priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105 (c)(2)(i) and 34 CFR 662.21(d) we award an additional five

(5)points to an application that meets this priority. This priority is: A research project that focuses on one or more of the areas where the following critical languages are spoken: Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, as well as Indic, Iranian, and Turkic language families. Program Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6). *Applicable Regulations:*

(a)The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.

(b)The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 662. Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only. II. Award Information *Type of Award:* Discretionary grants redistributed as fellowships to individual beneficiaries. As part of its FY 2007 budget request, the Administration proposed to continue to allow funds to be used to support the applications of individuals who plan to utilize their language skills in world areas vital to the United States national security in the fields of government, international development, and the professions. Therefore, students planning to apply their language skills in such fields are eligible to apply for this program, in addition to those planning teaching careers. However, authority to use funds in this manner depends on final Congressional action. Applicants will be given an opportunity to amend their applications if such authority is not provided. *Estimated Available Funds:* The Administration has requested $4,400,000 for this program for FY 2007. 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. *Estimated Range of Fellowship Awards:* $15,000-$60,000. *Estimated Average Size of Fellowship Awards:* $29,330. *Estimated Number of Fellowship Awards:* 150. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. *Project Period:* The institutional project period is 18 months beginning July 1, 2007. Students may request funding for 6-12 months. III. Eligibility Information 1. *Eligible Applicants:* IHEs. As part of the application process, students submit individual applications to the IHE. The IHE then officially submits all eligible individual student applications with its grant application to the Department. 2. *Cost Sharing or Matching:* This program does not require cost sharing or matching. IV. Application and Submission Information 1. *Address to Request Application Package:* Both IHEs and student applicants may obtain an application package via the Internet by downloading the package from the program Web site: *http://www.ed.gov/programs/iegpsddrap/index.html* . IHEs and student applicants may also obtain a copy of the application package by contacting Carla White, International Education Programs Service, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., Suite 6000, Washington, DC 20006-8521. Telephone:

(202)502-7700 or by e-mail: *ddra@ed.gov* . 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 a copy of the application package in an alternative format ( *e.g.* , Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact person listed in this section. 2. *Content and Form of Application Submission* : Requirements concerning the content of an application, together with the forms to be submitted, are in the application package for this program. Page Limit: The application narrative is where the student applicant addresses the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate the application. The student applicant must limit the narrative to the equivalent of 10 pages and the bibliography to the equivalent of two

(2)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. However, student applicants may single space all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, titles, headings, footnotes, endnotes, quotations, bibliography, and captions. • Use a font that is either 12-point or larger or no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch). • Student applicants may use a 10-point font in charts, tables, figures, graphs, footnotes, and endnotes. However, these items are considered part of the narrative and counted within the 10 page limit. • Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New or Arial. Applications submitted in any other font (including Times Roman, Arial Narrow) will not be accepted. The page limits only apply to the application narrative and bibliography. However, student applicants must include their complete responses to the selection criteria in the application narrative. We will reject a student applicant's application if— • A student applicant applies these standards and exceeds the page limits; or • A student applicant applies other standards and exceeds the equivalent of the page limits. 3. *Submission Dates and Times* : Applications Available: October 10, 2006. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: November 15, 2006. Applications for grants under this program must be submitted electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-Application) available through the Department's e-Grants system. Please note that the application availability date for this competition is October 10. The application will not be available on the e-Application system until October 10. For information (including dates and times) about how to submit an IHE's application electronically or by mail or hand delivery if an IHE qualifies for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, 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. 4. *Intergovernmental Review* : This program is not subject to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. 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 program must be submitted electronically, unless an IHE qualifies for an exception to this requirement in accordance with the instructions in this section. a. *Electronic Submission of Applications* . Applications for grants under the Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Program—CFDA Number 84.022A must be submitted electronically using e-Application available through the Department's e-Grants system, accessible through the e-Grants portal page at: *http://e-grants.ed.gov* . We will reject an application if an IHE submits it in paper format unless, as described elsewhere in this section, the IHE qualifies for one of the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement *and* submits, no later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written statement to the Department that the IHE qualifies for one of these exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in this section under *Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement* . While completing the electronic application, both the IHE and the student applicant will be entering data online that will be saved into a database. Neither the IHE nor the student applicant may e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us. Please note the following: • The process for submitting applications electronically under the Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship Program has several parts. The following is a brief summary of the process; however, all applicants should review and follow the detailed description of the application process that is contained in the application package. In summary, the major parts are as follows:

(1)IHEs must e-mail the following information to *ddra@ed.gov* : name of university, full name and e-mail address of potential project director. We recommend that applicant IHEs submit this information as soon as possible to ensure that applicant IHEs obtain access to the e-Application system well before the application deadline date. We suggest that applicant IHEs send this information no later than October 31, 2006, in order to facilitate timely submission of their applications;

(2)Students must complete their individual applications and submit them to their IHE's project director using e-Application;

(3)Persons providing references for individual students must complete and submit reference forms for the students and submit them to the IHE's project director using e-Application; and

(4)The IHE's project director must officially submit the IHE's application, which must include all eligible individual student applications, reference forms, and other required forms, using e-Application. Student transcripts, however, must be mailed or hand delivered to the Department on or before the application deadline date using the applicable mail or hand delivery instructions for paper applications in this notice. • The IHE must complete the electronic submission of the grant application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. The e-Application system will not accept an application for this program after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Therefore, we strongly recommend that both the IHE and the student applicant not wait until the application deadline date to begin the application process. • The regular hours of operation of the e-Grants Web site are 6 a.m. Monday until 7 p.m. Wednesday; and 6 a.m. Thursday until midnight Saturday, Washington, DC time. Please note that the system is unavailable on Sundays, and between 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6 a.m. on Thursdays, Washington, DC time, for maintenance. Any modifications to these hours are posted on the e-Grants Web site. • Student applicants will not receive additional point value because he/she submits his/her application in electronic format, nor will we penalize the IHE or student applicant if it qualifies for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submits an application in paper format. • IHEs must submit all documents, except for student transcripts, electronically, including the Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), and all necessary assurances and certifications. Both IHEs and student applicants must attach any narrative sections of the application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (Portable Document) format. If an IHE or a student applicant uploads a file type other than the three file types specified above or submit a password protected file, we will not review that material. • Student transcripts must be mailed or hand delivered to the Department on or before the application deadline date in accordance with the applicable mail or hand delivery instructions for paper applications described in this notice. • Both the IHE's and the student applicant's electronic application must comply with any page limit requirements described in this notice. • Prior to submitting your electronic application, you may wish to print a copy of it for your records. • After the individual student applicant electronically submits his/her application to his/her IHE, the student will receive an automatic acknowledgment. In addition, the applicant IHE's Project Director will receive a copy of this acknowledgment by e-mail. After a person submits a reference electronically, he/she will receive an online confirmation. After the applicant IHE submits its application, including all eligible individual student applications, to the Department, the applicant IHE will receive an automatic acknowledgment, which will include a PR/Award number (an identifying number unique to the IHE's application). • Within three working days after submitting the IHE's electronic application, the IHE must fax a signed copy of the SF 424 to the Application Control Center after following these steps:

(1)Print SF 424 from e-Application.

(2)The applicant IHE's Authorizing Representative must sign this form.

(3)Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the hard-copy signature page of the SF 424.

(4)Fax the signed SF 424 to the Application Control Center at

(1)The IHE is a registered user of e-Application and the IHE has initiated an electronic application for this competition; and (2)(a) The e-Application system is unavailable for 60 minutes or more between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date; or

(1)the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT (see VII. Agency Contact) or

(2)the e-Grants help desk at 1-888-336-8930. If the system is down and therefore the application deadline is extended, an e-mail will be sent to all registered users who have initiated an e-Application. Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the unavailability of the Department's e-Application system. *Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement:* An IHE may qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit its application in paper format, if the IHE is unable to submit an application through the e-Application system because— • The IHE or a student applicant does not have access to the Internet; or • The IHE or a student applicant does not have the capacity to upload large documents to the Department's e-Application system; *and* • No later than two weeks before the application deadline date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business day following the Federal holiday), the IHE mails or faxes a written statement to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception prevent the IHE from using the Internet to submit its application. If an IHE mails a written statement to the Department, it must be postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline date. If an IHE faxes its written statement to the Department, we must receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the application deadline date. Address and mail or fax this statement to: Carla White, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., Suite 6000, Washington, DC 20006-8521. FAX:

(202)502-7860. The IHE's paper application must be submitted in accordance with the mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice. b. *Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.* If an IHE qualifies for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, the IHE may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier) its application to the Department. The IHE must mail the original and two copies of the 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 84.022A), 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 84.022A), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506. Regardless of which address the IHE uses, the IHE 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

(1)A private metered postmark, or

(2)A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service. If the IHE's application is postmarked after the application deadline date, we will not consider its application. Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method, the IHE should check with its local post office. c. *Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.* If an IHE qualifies for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, the IHE (or a courier service) may deliver its paper application to the Department by hand. The IHE must deliver the original and two copies of the 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 84.022A), 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 an IHE mails or hand delivers its application to the Department:

(202)245-6288. V. Application Review Information Student applications are divided into seven categories based on the world area focus of their research projects, as described in the absolute priority listed in this notice. Language and area studies experts in seven discrete world area-based panels will review the student applications. Each panel reviews, scores and ranks its applications separately from the applications assigned to the other world area panels. However, all applications will be ranked jointly from the highest to the lowest score for funding purposes. *Selection Criteria:* The following selection criteria for this competition are from 34 CFR 662.21: The maximum score for all of the criteria, including the competitive preference priority, is 105 points. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in parentheses. *Quality of proposed project* (60 points): In determining the quality of the research project proposed by the applicant, the Secretary considers

(1)The statement of the major hypotheses to be tested or questions to be examined, and the description and justification of the research methods to be used (10 points);

(2)The relationship of the research to the literature on the topic and to major theoretical issues in the field, and the project's originality and importance in terms of the concerns of the discipline (10 points);

(3)The preliminary research already completed in the United States and overseas or plans for such research prior to going overseas, and the kinds, quality and availability of data for the research in the host country or countries (10 points);

(4)The justification for overseas field research and preparations to establish appropriate and sufficient research contacts and affiliations abroad (10 points);

(5)The applicant's plans to share the results of the research in progress and a copy of the dissertation with scholars and officials of the host country or countries (10 points); and

(6)The guidance and supervision of the dissertation advisor or committee at all stages of the project, including guidance in developing the project, understanding research conditions abroad, and acquainting the applicant with research in the field (10 points). *Qualifications of the applicant* (40 points): In determining the qualifications of the applicant, the Secretary considers

(1)The overall strength of the applicant's graduate academic record (10 points);

(2)The extent to which the applicant's academic record demonstrates a strength in area studies relevant to the proposed project (10 points);

(4)The applicant's ability to conduct research in a foreign cultural context, as evidenced by the applicant's references or previous overseas experience, or both (5 points). VI. Award Administration Information 1. *Award Notices:* If a student application is successful, we notify the IHE's U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send the IHE a Grant Award Notification (GAN). We may also notify the IHE informally. If a student application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, we notify the IHE. 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 its approved application as part of its binding commitments under the grant. 3. *Reporting:* At the end of the project period, the IHE must submit a final performance report, including the final reports of all of the IHE's fellows, and financial information, as directed by the Secretary. The IHE and fellows are required to use the electronic reporting system Evaluation of Exchange, Language, International and Area Studies (EELIAS) to complete the final report. 4. *Performance Measures:* The objective of the Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship Program is to maintain a U.S. higher education system able to produce experts in less commonly taught languages and area studies who are capable of contributing to the needs of the U.S. government, academic, and business institutions. The following performance measure has been developed to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the DDRA program—The improvement of language proficiency of fellows. All grantees will be expected to provide documentation of the improved language proficiency of the fellows through the EELIAS system. Reporting screens for institutions and fellows may be viewed at: *http://www.eelias.org/pdfs/ddra/ddradirectorcombined.pdf* , *http://www.eelias.org/pdfs/ddra/ddrafellowcombined.pdf.* VII. Agency Contact FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carla White, International Education Programs Service, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., suite 6000, Washington, DC 20006-8521. Telephone:

(202)502-7700 or via the Internet: *ddra@ed.gov.* 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 to the program contact person listed in this section. 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

(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: September 20, 2006. James F. Manning, Acting Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education. [FR Doc. E6-15758 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Overview Information; Training and Information for Parents of Children With Disabilities—Parent Training and Information Centers; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year

(FY)2007 *Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

(CFDA)Number:* 84.328M. *Dates: Applications Available:* September 26, 2006. *Deadline for Transmittal of Applications:* November 13, 2006. *Deadline for Intergovernmental Review:* January 9, 2007. *Eligible Applicants:* Parent organizations, as defined in section III. Eligibility Information in this notice. *Estimated Available Funds:* The Administration has requested $25,704,000 for the Training and Information for Parents of Children with Disabilities program for FY 2007, of which we intend to use an estimated $8,957,406 for the Parent Training and Information Centers 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. Information concerning funding amounts for individual States is provided in a chart elsewhere in this notice under section II. Award Information. *Estimated Average Size of Awards:* $319,907. *Estimated Number of Awards:* 28. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. *Project Period:* With the exception of projects in the States of Alabama, Oklahoma, and Region 3 of Florida, projects will be funded for a period up to 60 months. Projects in Alabama and Florida—Region 3 will be funded for a period up to 48 months; projects in Oklahoma will be funded for a period up to 36 months. Full Text of Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description *Purpose of Program:* The purpose of this program is to ensure that parents of children with disabilities receive training and information to help improve results for their children. *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 671 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: *Parent Training and Information Centers (PTI Centers) Background:* This priority supports parent training and information centers that will provide parents of children with disabilities, including low-income parents, parents of limited English proficient children, and parents with disabilities, with the training and information they need to enable them to participate effectively in helping their children with disabilities to—

(a)Meet developmental and functional goals, and challenging academic achievement goals that have been established for all children; and

(b)Be prepared to lead productive, independent adult lives, to the maximum extent possible. In addition, a purpose of this priority is to ensure that children with disabilities and their parents receive training and information on their rights, responsibilities, and protections under IDEA in order to develop the skills necessary to cooperatively and effectively participate in planning and decision making relating to early intervention, educational, and transitional services. *Text of Priority:* Each Parent Training and Information Center (PTI Center) assisted under this program shall—

(a)Provide training and information that meets the needs of parents of children with disabilities living in the area served by the PTI Center, particularly underserved parents and parents of children who may be inappropriately identified as having a disability when they may not have one, to enable their children with disabilities to—

(1)Meet developmental and functional goals and challenging academic achievement goals established for all children; and

(2)Be prepared to lead productive independent adult lives, to the maximum extent possible;

(b)Serve the parents of infants, toddlers, and children, from ages birth through 26, with the full range of disabilities described in section 602(3) of IDEA;

(c)Familiarize themselves with the provision of special education, related services, and early intervention services in the areas they serve to help ensure that children with disabilities are receiving appropriate services;

(d)Ensure that the training and information provided meets the needs of low-income parents and parents of limited English proficient children;

(e)Assist parents to—

(1)Better understand the nature of their children's disabilities and their educational, developmental, and transitional needs;

(2)Communicate effectively and work collaboratively with personnel responsible for providing special education, early intervention services, transition services, and related services;

(3)Participate in decision making processes, including those regarding participation in State and local assessments, and the development of individualized education programs under part B of IDEA and individualized family service plans under part C of IDEA;

(4)Obtain appropriate information about the range, type and quality of—

(A)options, programs, services, technologies, practices and interventions that are based on scientifically based research, to the extent practicable; and

(B)resources available to assist children with disabilities and their families in school and at home, including information available through the Office of Special Education Programs'

(OSEP)technical assistance network and Communities of Practice;

(5)Understand the provisions of IDEA for the education of, and the provision of early intervention services to, children with disabilities;

(6)Participate in activities at the school level that benefit their children; and

(7)Participate in school reform activities.

(f)In States where the State elects to contract with the PTI Center, contract with the State educational agencies to provide, consistent with paragraphs

(B)and

(D)of section 615(e)(2) of IDEA, individuals to meet with parents in order to explain the mediation process;

(g)Assist parents in resolving disputes in the most expeditious and effective way possible, including encouraging the use, and explaining the benefits, of alternative methods of dispute resolution, such as the mediation process described in section 615(e) of IDEA;

(h)Assist parents and students with disabilities to understand their rights and responsibilities under IDEA, including those under section 615(m) of IDEA upon the student's reaching the age of majority (as appropriate under State law);

(i)Assist parents to understand the availability of, and how to effectively use, procedural safeguards under IDEA, including the resolution session described in section 615(e) of IDEA;

(j)Assist parents in understanding, preparing for, and participating in, the resolution session described in section 615(f)(1)(B) of IDEA;

(k)If there is more than one PTI Center or one or more Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs) in a particular State funded under section 672 of IDEA, demonstrate in the application how it will coordinate its services and supports with the other center or centers to ensure the most effective assistance to parents in that State;

(l)Network with appropriate clearinghouses, including organizations conducting national dissemination activities under section 663 of IDEA and the Institute of Education Sciences, and with other national, State, and local organizations and agencies, such as protection and advocacy agencies, that serve parents and families of children with the full range of disabilities described in section 602(3) of IDEA;

(m)Annually report to the Assistant Secretary on—

(1)The number and demographics of parents to whom the PTI Center provided information and training in the most recently concluded fiscal year, including additional information regarding their unique needs and levels of service provided to them;

(2)The effectiveness of strategies used to reach and serve parents, including underserved parents of children with disabilities by providing evidence of how those parents were served effectively; and

(3)The number of parents served who have resolved disputes through alternative methods of dispute resolution.

(n)Respond to requests from the National Technical Assistance Center

(NTAC)and Regional Parent Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) and use the technical assistance services of the NTAC and PTACs in order to serve the families of infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities as efficiently as possible. PTACs are charged with assisting parent centers with administrative and programmatic issues;

(o)Budget for a two-day Project Directors' meeting in Washington, DC during each year of the project. In addition, a project's budget must include funds for the center's project director to attend a Regional Project Directors' meeting to be held each year of the project;

(p)If the PTI Center maintains a Web site, include relevant information and documents in a format that meets a government or industry-recognized standard for accessibility;

(q)Prior to developing any new product, whether paper or electronic, submit for approval a proposal describing the content and purpose of the product to the document review board of OSEP's Dissemination Center;

(r)In collaboration with OSEP and the NTAC, participate in an annual collection of program data for PTI Centers and CPRCs; and

(s)Identify with specificity in its application the special efforts it will make to—

(1)Ensure that the needs for training and information of underserved parents of children with disabilities in the area to be served are effectively met; and

(2)Work with community based organizations, including those that work with low-income parents and parents of limited English proficient children. *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 IDEA makes the public comment requirements in the APA inapplicable to the priority in this notice. Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1471. *Applicable Regulations:* The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 85, 97, 98, and 99. Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants except federally recognized Indian tribes. II. Award Information *Type of Award:* Discretionary grants. *Estimated Available Funds:* The Administration has requested $25,704,000 for the Training and Information for Parents of Children with Disabilities program for FY 2007, of which we intend to use an estimated $8,957,406 for the Parent Training and Information Centers 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. Information concerning funding amounts for individual States is provided elsewhere in this section of this notice. *Estimated Average Size of Awards:* $319,907. *Estimated Number of Awards:* 28. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. *Project Period:* With the exception of projects in the States of Alabama, Oklahoma, and Region 3 of Florida, projects will be funded for a period up to 60 months. Projects in Alabama and Florida—Region 3 will be funded for a period up to 48 months; projects in Oklahoma will be funded for a period up to 36 months. As explained elsewhere in this notice, the Assistant Secretary makes awards to groups of States in five-year cycles. We are proposing shorter project periods for Alabama, Oklahoma, and Florida—Region 3 in order to align the funding cycle for these areas with those of other States in their groups. Alabama, Oklahoma, and Florida—Region 3 did not receive awards with their groups in previous competitions. In order to allocate resources equitably, create a unified system of service delivery, and provide the broadest coverage for the parents and families in every State, the Assistant Secretary is making awards in five-year cycles for each State. In FY 2007, applications for 5-year awards will be accepted for the following States: Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah. Exceptions to the 5-year awards will be in the States of Alabama, Oklahoma and Region 3 of Florida. Applications for projects in Alabama and Florida—Region 3 will be accepted for 4-year awards and applications for projects in Oklahoma will be accepted for a 3-year award. Awards also may be made to eligible applicants in Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the freely associated States. *Estimated Project Awards:* Project award amounts are for a single budget period of 12 months. To ensure maximum coverage for this competition, the Assistant Secretary has adopted regional designations established by California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Texas and has identified corresponding maximum award amounts for each region. Any applicant that applies for grants for more than one region must complete a separate application for each region. The Assistant Secretary took into consideration current funding levels and population distribution when determining the award amounts for grants under this competition. In the following States, one award may be made for up to the amounts listed in the chart to a qualified applicant for a PTI Center to serve the *entire* State: Alabama $273,959 Arkansas 258,634 Connecticut 276,016 Georgia 469,482 Kansas 292,033 Montana 227,965 New Jersey 454,176 New Mexico 277,918 Oregon 283,548 South Carolina 288,215 Utah 246,148 Oklahoma 249,215 (These figures represent the maximum amounts the Assistant Secretary will award. In addition, the Assistant Secretary has not specified maximum amounts for Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Freely Associated States). In the following States with the exception of Illinois, one award will be made in the following amounts to a qualified applicant for a PTI Center to serve each identified region. In Illinois, the Assistant Secretary will make up to two awards for Region 1. The total of these two awards for Illinois' Region 1 will not exceed the maximum amount listed for that region in the chart below. A list of the counties that are included in each region also follows. California: Region 1 $633,165 Region 2 519,072 Region 3 176,732 Region 4 462,011 Region 5 176,732 Florida: Region 3 190,154 Illinois: Region 1 548,708 Region 2 281,878 Michigan: Region 1 239,170 Region 2 403,970 Ohio: Region 1 220,569 Region 2 427,224 Texas: Region 1 421,347 Region 2 421,347 Region 3 238,015 Consistent with 34 CFR 75.104(b), we will reject any application that proposes a project funding level for any year that exceeds the stated maximum award amount for that year. Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Application Notice for Fiscal Year 2007 CFDA number and name Maximum award (per year)** 84.328M Parent Training and Information Centers :* Alabama $273,959 Arkansas 258,634 Connecticut 276,016 Georgia 469,482 Kansas 292,033 Montana 227,965 New Jersey 454,176 New Mexico 277,918 Oregon 283,548 South Carolina 288,215 Utah 246,148 Oklahoma 249,215 California: Region 1 633,165 Region 2 519,072 Region 3 176,732 Region 4 462,011 Region 5 176,732 Florida: Region 3 190,154 Illinois: Region 1 548,708 Region 2 281,878 Michigan: Region 1 239,170 Region 2 403,970 Ohio: Region 1 220,569 Region 2 427,224 Texas: Region 1 421,347 Region 2 421,347 Region 3 238,015 Listing of States/Regions/Counties California Regions *Region 1* includes the following counties: Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo. *Region 2* includes the following counties: Mono, Inyo, San Bernadino, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Imperial. *Region 3* includes the following counties: Madera, Stanislaus, Mercer, Mariposa, San Benito, Monterey, Fresno, Kings, Tulare, Kern. *Region 4* includes the following counties: Sonoma, Napa, Yolo, Solano, Marin, Contra Costa, San Joaquin, Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Francisco. *Region 5* includes the following counties: Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Sisklyou, Trinity, Shasta, Modoc, Lassen, Tehama, Lake, Glenn, Colusa, Butte, Sutter, Yuba, Sacramento, Nevada, Plumas, Sierra, Placer, El Dorado, Amador, Calavaras, Alpine, Tuolumne. Florida Region *Region 3* includes the following counties: Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Monroe, Collier, Lee, Hendry, Martin, Glades. Illinois Regions *Region 1* includes the following counties: Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, Will. *Region 2* includes the remainder of the State. Ohio Regions *Region 1* includes the following counties: Darke, Preble, Butler, Hamilton, Clermont, Brown, Adams, Scioto, Lawrence, Jackson, Pike, Ross, Fayette, Greene, Clark, Champaign, Logan, Shelby, Miami, Montgomery, Warren, Clinton, Highland. *Region 2* includes the remainder of the State. Michigan Regions *Region 1* includes the following counties: Oakland, Macomb, Wayne. *Region 2* includes the remainder of the State. Texas Regions *Region 1* includes the following counties: Hardeman, Foard, Knox, Wilbarger, Baylor, Throckmorton, Wichita, Archer, Young, Clay, Jack, Montague, Cooke, Wise, Palo Pinto, Eralh, Parker, Hood, Somerveil, Denton, Tarrant, Johnson, Grayson, Collin, Dallas, Ellis, Fannin, Hunt, Rockwall, Kaufman, Lamar, Delta, Hopkins, Red River, Franklin, Titus, Camp, Morris, Bowie, Casa, Cass, Marion, Bosque, Hamilton, Mills, Lampaas, Coryell, Hill, McLennan, Bell, Navarro, Freestone, Limestone, Falls, Burnet, Llano, Gillespie, Kendall, Comal, Blanco, Williamson, Travis, Hays, Lee, Bastrop, Caldwell, Guadalupa, Fayette, Gonzales, Leon, Robertson, Millam, Burleston, Washington, Austin, Brazoa, Madison, Grimes, Houston, Trinity, Walker, Montgomery, Polk, San Jacinto, Tyler, Hardin, Jefferson, Orange, Jasper, Newton, Raine, Van Zandt, Henderson, Anderson, Wood, Smith, Cherokee, Upshur, Gregg, Rusk, Nacogdoches, Angelina, Harrison, Panola, Shelby, San Augustine, Sabine. *Region 2* includes the following counties: Kerr, Real, Kinney, Maverik, Uvalde, Zavala, Dimmit, Bandera, Medina, Frio, La Salle, Boxer, Atascosa, Wilson, Webb, Zapata, Jim Hogg, Staarr, Hidalgo, Willsoy, Cameron, McMullen, Duval, Live Oak, Jim Wells, Brooke, Nueces, Kisberg, Kenedy, San Patricio, Aransas, Bee, Karnes, Gollad, Dewitt, Lavaca, Colorado, Wharton, Malagorda, Jackson, Victoria, Refugio, Calhoun, Waller, Fort Bond, Brezoria, Harris, Galveston, Liberty, Chambers. *Region 3* includes the following counties: El Paso, Hudspeth, Culberson, Jeff Davis, Presidio, Reeves, Brewster, Pecos, Terrell, Dallam, Hartley, Oldham, Deaf Smith, Parmer, Bailey, Cochran, Yoakum, Gaines, Andrews, Loving, Winkler, Ward, Sharman, Moore, Potter, Randall, Castro, Swisher, Lamb, Hockley, Terry, Ector, Crane, Upton, Reagan, Midland, Glasscook, Dawson, Martin, Borden, Howard, Hansford, Hutchinson, Carson, Armstrong, Briscoe, Ochiltree, Roberts, Gray, Donley, Hall, Lipscomb, Hemphill, Wheeler, Collingsworth, Childress, Hale, Lubbock, Lynn, Floyd, Crosby, Garza, Motley, Dickens, Kent, Cottle, King, Scurry, Mitchell, Stonewall, Fisher, Nolan, Haskall, Jones, Taylor, Shackelford, Callahan, Stephens, Eastland, Sterling, Irion, Crockett, Val Verde, Coke, Tom Green, Schlelcher, Sutton, Edwards, Runnels, Concho, Menard, Kimble, Coleman, McCulloch, Mason, Brown, San Sabe. III. Eligibility Information 1. *Eligible Applicants:* Parent organizations, as defined in section 671(a)(2) of IDEA. A parent organization is a private nonprofit organization (other than an institution of higher education) that—

(a)Has a board of directors—

(1)The majority of whom are parents of children with disabilities ages birth through 26;

(2)That includes—

(i)Individuals working in the fields of special education, related services, and early intervention; and

(ii)Individuals with disabilities; and

(iii)The parent and professional members of which are broadly representative of the population to be served including low-income parents and parents of limited English proficient children; and

(b)Has as its mission serving families of children with disabilities who are ages birth through 26, and have the full range of disabilities described in section 602(3) of IDEA. 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 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 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 84.328M. 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 60 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: September 26, 2006. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: November 13, 2006. 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: January 9, 2007. 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. Parent Training and Information Centers—CFDA Number 84.328M 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 Parent Training and Information Centers—CFDA Number 84.328M 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 (see *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 following forms: Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information—Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. Please note that two of these forms—the SF 424 and the Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424—have replaced the ED 424 (Application for Federal Education Assistance). 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 84.328M), 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 84.328M), 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 84.328M), 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 11 of the SF 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 *Selection Criteria:* The selection criteria for this competition are from 34 CFR 75.210 and are listed in the application package. 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 Training and Information for Parents of Children with Disabilities program. The measures will focus on: the extent to which projects provide high quality materials, the relevance of project products and services to educational and early intervention policy and practice, and the usefulness of products and services to improve educational and early intervention policy and practice. Grantees will be required to provide information related to these measures. 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:* Lisa Gorove, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 4056, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone:

(202)245-7357. 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

(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: September 20, 2006. John H. Hager, Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. [FR Doc. E6-15762 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview Information; National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)—Research Fellowships Program Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year

(FY)2007 *Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

(CFDA)Number:* 84.133F. *Dates: Applications Available:* September 26, 2006. *Deadline for Transmittal of Applications:* November 27, 2006. *Eligible Applicants:* Only individuals who have training and experience that indicate a potential for engaging in scientific research related to the solution of rehabilitation problems of individuals with disabilities are eligible. The program provides two categories of Research Fellowships: Merit Fellowships and Distinguished Fellowships.

(a)To be eligible for a Distinguished Fellowship, an individual must have seven or more years of research experience in subject areas, methods, or techniques relevant to rehabilitation research and must have a doctorate, other terminal degree, or comparable academic qualifications.

(b)To be eligible for a Merit Fellowship, an individual must have either advanced professional training or independent study experience in an area that is directly pertinent to disability and rehabilitation. In the most recent competitions, Merit Fellowship recipients had research experience at the doctoral level. Note: Institutions are not eligible to be recipients of Research Fellowships. *Estimated Available Funds:* The Administration has requested $106,705,000 for NIDRR for FY 2007, of which we intend to use an estimated $500,000 for the Research Fellowships 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 Awards:* Merit Fellowships: $65,000; Distinguished Fellowships: $75,000. *Estimated Number of Awards:* 7 including both Merit and Distinguished Fellowships. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. *Project Period:* 12 months. Full Text of Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description *Purpose of Program:* The purpose of the Research Fellowships Program is to build research capacity by providing support to enable highly qualified individuals, including those who are individuals with disabilities, to conduct research about the rehabilitation of individuals with disabilities. Note: This program is in concert with President George W. Bush's New Freedom Initiative

(NFI)and NIDRR's Final Long-Range Plan for FY 2005-2009 (Plan). The NFI can be accessed on the Internet at the following site: *http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/newfreedom* . The Plan is comprehensive and integrates many issues relating to disability and rehabilitation research topics. The Plan, which was published in the **Federal Register** on February 15, 2006 (71 FR 8165), can be accessed on the Internet at the following site: *http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/nidrr/policy.html* . Through the implementation of the Plan, NIDRR seeks to—(1) Improve the quality and utility of disability and rehabilitation research;

(2)Foster an exchange of expertise, information, and training to facilitate the advancement of knowledge and understanding of the unique needs of traditionally underserved populations;

(3)Determine best strategies and programs to improve rehabilitation outcomes for underserved populations;

(4)Identify research gaps;

(5)Identify mechanisms of integrating research and practice; and

(6)Disseminate findings. *Priority:* In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii), this priority is from the regulations for this program (34 CFR part 356). *Absolute Priority:* For FY 2006 this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet this priority. This priority is: *Research Fellowships Program:* Fellows must conduct original research in an area authorized by section 204 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. Section 204 authorizes research designed to maximize the full inclusion and integration into society, employment, independent living, family, support, and economic and social self-sufficiency of individuals with disabilities, especially individuals with the most severe disabilities. Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 762(e). *Applicable Regulations:*

(a)The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75.60-61, 77, 82, 84, 85, and 97.

(b)The regulations in 34 CFR 350.51-52.

(c)The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 356. II. Award Information *Type of Award:* Discretionary grants. *Estimated Available Funds:* The Administration has requested $106,705,000 for NIDRR for FY 2007, of which we intend to use an estimated $500,000 for the Research Fellowships 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 Awards:* Merit Fellowships: $65,000; Distinguished Fellowships: $75,000. *Estimated Number of Awards:* 7 including both Merit and Distinguished Fellowships. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. *Project Period:* 12 months. III. Eligibility Information 1. *Eligible Applicants:* Only individuals who have training and experience that indicate a potential for engaging in scientific research related to the solution of rehabilitation problems of individuals with disabilities are eligible. The program provides two categories of Research Fellowships: Merit Fellowships and Distinguished Fellowships.

(FTE)awards. The Fellow must work principally on the fellowship during the term of the fellowship award. We define one FTE as equal to 40 hours per week. The Fellow cannot receive support through any other Federal Government grants during the term of the fellowship award. We reference additional 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. Research Fellowships—CFDA Number 84.133F is one of the programs 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 Research Fellowships Program 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 register as an individual. You do not need to register in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). The steps to register as an individual are—

(1)Go to the Grants.gov Credential Provider Web page, *https://apply.grants.gov/IndCPRegister.* Then enter the funding opportunity number. Note: The funding opportunity number can be located when you search for this grant opportunity on *http://www.grants.gov/applicants/search_opportunities.jsp.*

(2)Fill out the credential information to obtain a credential username and password.

(3)Take the credential username and password and go to the Register with Grants.gov link to complete the registration at: *https://apply.grants.gov/IndGGRegister.*

(4)Registration for individuals is complete, once the Grants.gov registration step is finished. • 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 the Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), 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 84.133F), 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 84.133F), 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

(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 84.133F), 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 in Item 11 of the Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424) the CFDA number—and suffix letter, if any—of the competition under which you are submitting your application.

(202)245-6288. V. Application Review Information *Selection Criteria:* The selection criteria for this competition are from 34 CFR 356.30 through 356.32 and are listed in the application package for this competition. 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 as directed by 34 CFR 356.51. 4. *Performance Measures:* To evaluate the overall success of its research program, NIDRR assesses the quality of its funded projects through review of grantee performance and products. Each year, NIDRR examines a portion of its grantees to determine the extent to which grantees are conducting high-quality research and related activities that lead to high quality products. Performance measures for the Research Fellowships program include— • The percentage of NIDRR-supported fellows, post-doctoral trainees, and doctoral students who publish results of NIDRR-sponsored research in refereed journals; • The percentage of grantee research and development that has appropriate study design, meets rigorous standards of scientific and/or engineering methods, and builds on and contributes to knowledge in the field; and • The number of publications per award based on NIDRR-funded research and development activities in refereed journals. NIDRR evaluates the overall success of individual research and development grants through review of grantee performance and products. NIDRR uses information submitted by grantees as part of their final performance report for these reviews. Approved final performance report guidelines require grantees to submit information regarding research methods, results, outputs, and outcomes. VII. Agency Contact *For Further Information Contact:* Donna Nangle, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 6030, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone:

(202)245-7462 or by e-mail: *donna.nangle@ed.gov.* If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call the Federal Relay Service

(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: September 20, 2006. John H. Hager, Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. [FR Doc. E6-15763 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Overview Information; Technology and Media Services for Individuals With Disabilities—Research on Technology Effectiveness and Implementation for Children With Disabilities: Web-Supported Instructional Approaches Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year

(FY)2007 *Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

(CFDA)Number:* 84.327W DATES: Applications Available: September 26, 2006. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: November 13, 2006. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: January 9, 2007. *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 $500,000 for the Research on Technology Effectiveness and Implementation for Children with Disabilities: Web-Supported Instructional Approaches 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:* We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding $500,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the **Federal Register** . *Number of Awards:* 1. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. *Project Period:* Up to 60 months. Full Text of Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description *Purpose of Program:* The purpose of this 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), this priority is from allowable activities specified 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—Research on Technology Effectiveness and Implementation for Children With Disabilities: Web-Supported Instructional Approaches *Background:* A number of Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)-funded projects have developed and tested World Wide Web-supported approaches for improving educational results for children with disabilities. In some cases, these projects have used generally available Web resources ( *e.g.* , newspaper sites, museum sites, and search engines). In other cases, the projects have developed specialized Web sites ( *e.g.* , simulation of learning environments, discussion boards, and strategy reminders) to improve student learning. Web-supported educational approaches have a number of potential benefits for students with disabilities. The Web can support varied learning strategies and Web-supported activities can be designed to address different student needs. For example, they can provide supports to compensate for learning difficulties, sensory impairments, and academic skill deficits. Research on the benefits of Web-supported approaches for students with disabilities is not entirely conclusive, however. While some studies have found the Web or some of its features to be effective in teaching and learning, other studies have not found the Web to be effective in teaching. We also have little information about whether Web-based resources that provide access for one population of students may create accessibility barriers for others ( *e.g.* , graphic features may not be accessible to students with visual disabilities, hyper-linked resources or graphic organizers may increase intellectual demands and thus create barriers for students with cognitive disabilities). Finally, the effectiveness of Web-supported instruction in widespread use in typical educational environments has not been fully explored. *Priority:* This priority supports a Center to conduct a systematic program of research on the use of Web-supported instructional approaches to improve access to, and participation and progress in, the general curriculum for students with disabilities. In carrying out its research, the Center must apply the principles of universal design ( *i.e.* , design of products that will be usable by children with different disabilities, to the greatest extent possible, with minimal need for additional adaptations). In their applications, applicants must—

(a)Propose an operational definition of Web-supported instructional approaches to be used in a program of research;

(b)Describe their access to existing Web-supported instructional materials that will allow the Center to proceed quickly with the research without substantial time devoted to additional development;

(c)Demonstrate knowledge of the state of practice in terms of use of products, sources of products, and research on the use of the Web to support instruction;

(d)Present a plan for conducting a program of research to answer the following questions:

(1)Do Web-supported instructional approaches improve learning of academic content for students with disabilities in actual educational settings with typical resources and levels of teacher support?

(2)What characteristics of Web-supported instruction facilitate or impede access to and learning of academic content for students with disabilities?

(3)What student characteristics ( *e.g.* , disability, technology skills) and contextual factors ( *e.g.* , teacher training, hardware resources, student groupings) influence the effectiveness of Web-supported instruction? This plan may focus on specific academic content areas or student ages, but, at a minimum, must address each of the three research questions separately for each of the following populations: students with learning disabilities, students with mental retardation, students with visual impairments or blindness, students with hearing impairments or deafness, and students with physical disabilities. These research questions are intended to test causal relationships, and the research must employ rigorous experimental designs using randomized assignment unless a compelling case is made that such designs are not possible and that other designs, such as quasi-experiments with matched groups and statistical controls, can be used to determine treatment effects. Applicants must fully describe methodologies and must provide documentation that available sample sizes and methodologies are sufficient to produce the statistical power needed to yield conclusive findings. Experimental research may be supplemented with qualitative or non-experimental methodologies, provided sufficient rigor is maintained. The plan must provide for conducting the majority of research in actual educational environments using typical resources and levels of teacher support. Once funded, the Center must—

(a)Establish a technical review board to review its operational definition of Web-supported instructional approaches and its research plans, and identify any needed improvements.

(b)Revise its operational definition of Web-supported instructional approaches and its research plan in accordance with comments from the technical review board and input from the U.S. Department of Education.

(c)Conduct the program of research called for in its plan, as revised, taking appropriate steps to ensure that the research is rigorous and objective. Toward this end, the Center must maintain communication with the U.S. Department of Education and the technical review board to identify needed corrective actions.

(d)Disseminate findings to appropriate audiences. The Center must submit reports for publication in peer-reviewed professional journals and for presentation at professional conferences, and must post reports on a Web site that meets a government or industry-recognized standard for accessibility.

(e)Formulate research-based guidelines for the development and use of the Web to support instruction and to improve access to, and participation and progress in the general education curriculum for students with disabilities.

(f)Budget for a two-day Project Directors' meeting and a two-day Technology Innovation meeting, each in Washington, DC during each year of the project.

(g)Budget five percent of the grant amount annually to support emerging needs as identified jointly through consultation with the OSEP project officer. *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:* Cooperative agreements. *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 $500,000 for the Research on Technology Effectiveness and Implementation for Children with Disabilities: Web-Supported Instructional Approaches 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:* We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding $500,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the **Federal Register** . *Estimated Number of Awards:* 1. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. *Project Period:* Up to 60 months. 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 IDEA).

(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: *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 84.327W. 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 70 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; or 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: September 26, 2006. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: November 13, 2006. 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:* January 9, 2007. 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 governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site in FY 2006. The Research on Technology Effectiveness and Implementation for Children with Disabilities: Web-Supported Instructional Approaches competition—CFDA number 84.327W 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 Research on Technology Effectiveness and Implementation for Children with Disabilities: Web-Supported Instructional Approaches competition—CFDA number 84.327W 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 ( *see 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 Assistance (SF 424), the Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information—Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. Please note that two of these forms—the SF 424 and the Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424—have replaced the ED 424 (Application for Federal Education Assistance). 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 84.327W), 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 84.327W), 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

(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 84.327W), 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 11 of SF 424 the CFDA number—and suffix letter, if any—of the competition under which you are submitting your application.

(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 (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: Jane Hauser, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4067, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone:

(202)245-7373. 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:

(PDF)on the Internet at the following site: *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: *www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.* Dated: September 20, 2006. John H. Hager, Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. [FR Doc. E6-15765 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Agency Information Collection AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice and request for comments. SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE), pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995), intends to propose an information collection package with the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB)concerning the Work Authorization System, as prescribed in DOE O 412. 1A, in order to authorize and control work performed by designated Management and Operating (M&O) contractors and other contractors as determined by the senior procurement executive, consistent with the budget execution and program evaluation requirements of the DOE Planning, Programming, Budget, and Evaluation process. Comments are invited on:

(a)Whether the extended 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, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(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. Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information collection; they also will become a matter of public record. DATES: Comments regarding this proposed information collection must be received on or before November 27, 2006. If you anticipate difficulty in submitting comments within that period, contact the person listed below as soon as possible. ADDRESSES: Written comments may be sent to: Sandra Cover, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave. SW., MA-61, Washington, DC 20585, or by fax at

(202)287-1345 or by e-mail at *Sandra.Cover@hq.doe.gov* and to: Jeffrey Martus, IM-11/Germantown Building, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave SW., Washington, DC 20585, or by fax at 301-903-9061 or by e-mail at *jeffrey.martus@hq.doe.gov.* FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should be directed to Jeffrey Martus at the address listed above in ADDRESSES . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This package contains:

(1)OMB No. {enter current number}

(2)*Package Title:* Work Authorization;

(3)*Type of Review:* New;

(4)*Purpose:* This information is required by the Department to ensure that programmatic and administrative management requirements and resources are managed efficiently and effectively;

(5)*Respondents:* 33;

(6)*Estimated Number of Burden Hours:* 528 hours; *Statutory Authority:* Sec. 3506 (c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13). Issued in Washington, DC. Jeffrey Martus, Records Management Division, Office of the Chief Information Officer. [FR Doc. E6-15721 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY National Energy Technology Laboratory; Notice of Intent To Grant Exclusive or Partially Exclusive Patent License AGENCY: National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL, Department of Energy (DOE). ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of intent to grant to Johnson Matthey Inc. of Malvern, PA, an exclusive or partially exclusive license to practice the invention described in the U.S. patent number 7,033,419, “Method for High Temperature Mercury Capture from Gas Streams.” The invention is owned by the United States of America, as represented by the Department of Energy (DOE). The proposed license will be exclusive or partially exclusive, subject to a license and other rights retained by the U.S. Government, and other terms and conditions to be negotiated. DATES: Written comments or nonexclusive license applications are to be received at the address listed below no later than fifteen

(15)days after the date of this published Notice. ADDRESSES: Diane Newlon, Technology Transfer Manager, U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, P.O. Box 880, Morgantown, WV 26507-0880. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Diane Newlon, Technology Transfer Manager, U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, P.O. Box 880, Morgantown, WV 26507-0880; Telephone

(304)285-4086; E-mail: *newlon@netl.doe.gov* . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 35 U.S.C. 209(c) provides the DOE with authority to grant exclusive or partially exclusive licenses in Department-owned inventions, where a determination can be made, among other things, that the desired practical application of the invention has not been achieved, or is not likely expeditiously to be achieved, under a nonexclusive license. The statute and implementing regulations (37 CFR 404) require that the necessary determinations be made after public notice and opportunity for filing written objections. Johnson Matthey, a large business, has applied for an exclusive or partially exclusive license to practice the invention and has a plan for commercialization of the invention. DOE intends to grant the license, upon a final determination in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 209(c), unless within 15 days of publication of this Notice the Technology Transfer Manager, Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, P.O. Box 880, Morgantown, WV 26507-0880, receives in writing any of the following, together with the supporting documents:

(i)A statement from any person setting forth reasons why it would not be in the best interest of the United States to grant the proposed license; or

(ii)An application for a nonexclusive license to the invention, in which applicant states that it already has brought the invention to practical application or is likely to bring the invention to practical application expeditiously. The proposed license will be exclusive or partially exclusive, subject to a license and other rights retained by the U.S. Government, and subject to a negotiated royalty. The Department will review all timely written responses to this notice, and will grant the license if, after expiration of the 15-day notice period, and after consideration of any written responses to this notice, a determination is made, in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 209(c), that the license grant is in the public interest. Carl O. Bauer, Director, National Energy Technology Laboratory. [FR Doc. E6-15722 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. RP06-571-000] Colorado Interstate Gas Company; Notice of Proposed Changes in FERC Gas Tariff September 19, 2006. Take notice that on August 31, 2006, Colorado Interstate Gas Company

(CIG)tendered for filing as part of its FERC Gas Tariff, First Revised Volume No. 1, the following tariff sheets to become effective October 1, 2006: Sixth Revised Sheet No. 17; Sixth Revised Sheet No. 331; First Revised Sheet No. 331A. CIG states that the tariff sheets are being filed to waive the billing and payment on interest for late charges for amounts less than $100.00 and to reference the invoice for the most up to date account information for payment. Any person desiring to intervene or to protest this filing must file in accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and 385.214). Protests will be considered by the Commission in determining the appropriate action to be taken, but will not serve to make protestants parties to the proceeding. Any person wishing to become a party must file a notice of intervention or motion to intervene, as appropriate. Such notices, motions, or protests must be filed in accordance with the provisions of Section 154.210 of the Commission's regulations (18 CFR 154.210). Anyone filing an intervention or protest must serve a copy of that document on the Applicant. Anyone filing an intervention or protest on or before the intervention or protest date need not serve motions to intervene or protests on persons other than the Applicant. The Commission encourages electronic submission of protests and interventions in lieu of paper using the “eFiling” link at *http://www.ferc.gov* . Persons unable to file electronically should submit an original and 14 copies of the protest or intervention to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. This filing is accessible on-line at *http://www.ferc.gov* , using the “eLibrary” link and is available for review in the Commission's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC. There is an “eSubscription” link on the Web site that enables subscribers to receive e-mail notification when a document is added to a subscribed docket(s). For assistance with any FERC Online service, please e-mail *FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov* , or call

(866)208-3676 (toll free). For TTY, call

(202)502-8659. Magalie R. Salas, Secretary. [FR Doc. E6-15677 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. RP06-594-000] Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation; Notice of Proposed Changes in FERC Gas Tariff September 19, 2006. Take notice that on September 14, 2006, Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation (Columbia) tendered for filing as part of its FERC Gas Tariff, Second Revised Volume No. 1, the following tariff sheets, with a proposed effective date of October 14, 2006: Sixth Revised Sheet No. 196. Any person desiring to intervene or to protest this filing must file in accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and 385.214). Protests will be considered by the Commission in determining the appropriate action to be taken, but will not serve to make protestants parties to the proceeding. Any person wishing to become a party must file a notice of intervention or motion to intervene, as appropriate. Such notices, motions, or protests must be filed in accordance with the provisions of section 154.210 of the Commission's regulations (18 CFR 154.210). Anyone filing an intervention or protest must serve a copy of that document on the Applicant. Anyone filing an intervention or protest on or before the intervention or protest date need not serve motions to intervene or protests on persons other than the Applicant. The Commission encourages electronic submission of protests and interventions in lieu of paper using the “eFiling” link at *http://www.ferc.gov.* Persons unable to file electronically should submit an original and 14 copies of the protest or intervention to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. This filing is accessible on-line at *http://www.ferc.gov,* using the “eLibrary” link and is available for review in the Commission's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC. There is an “eSubscription” link on the Web site that enables subscribers to receive e-mail notification when a document is added to a subscribed docket(s). For assistance with any FERC Online service, please e-mail *FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov,* or call

(866)208-3676 (toll free). For TTY, call

(202)502-8659. Magalie R. Salas, Secretary. [FR Doc. E6-15678 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. PA05-63-002] East Tennessee Natural Gas, LLC; Notice of Compliance Filing September 19, 2006. Take notice that, on September 13, 2006, East Tennessee Natural Gas, LLC (East Tennessee) submitted a compliance filing pursuant to the order of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued August 29, 2006 in Docket No. PA05-63-001. East Tennessee states that copies of the filing were served on all affected customers and interested State commissions and all parties on the official service list in the above-captioned proceeding. Any person desiring to protest this filing must file in accordance with Rule 211 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211). Protests to this filing will be considered by the Commission in determining the appropriate action to be taken, but will not serve to make protestants parties to the proceeding. Such protests must be filed in accordance with the provisions of section 154.210 of the Commission's regulations (18 CFR 154.210). Anyone filing a protest must serve a copy of that document on all the parties to the proceeding. The Commission encourages electronic submission of protests in lieu of paper using the “eFiling” link at *http://www.ferc.gov.* Persons unable to file electronically should submit an original and 14 copies of the protest to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. This filing is accessible on-line at *http://www.ferc.gov* , using the “eLibrary” link and is available for review in the Commission's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC. There is an “eSubscription” link on the Web site that enables subscribers to receive e-mail notification when a document is added to a subscribed docket(s). For assistance with any FERC Online service, please e-mail *FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov* , or call

(866)208-3676 (toll free). For TTY, call

(202)502-8659. Magalie R. Salas, Secretary. [FR Doc. E6-15674 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. RP06-453-001] Enbridge Offshore Pipelines

(UTOS)LLC; Notice of Compliance Filing September 19, 2006. Take notice that on September 14, 2006, Enbridge Offshore Pipelines

(UTOS)LLC

(UTOS)tendered for filing as part of its FERC Gas Tariff, Fifth Revised Volume No. 1, the following tariff sheets, to be deemed effective August 31, 2006: Substitute First Revised Sheet No. 329 Substitute First Revised Sheet No. 330 UTOS states that the above-referenced tariff sheets are being filed in order to comply with the conditions contained in the Commission's Letter Order, issued August 30, 2006 in this proceeding, 116 FERC ¶ 61,194 (2006). Any person desiring to protest this filing must file in accordance with Rule 211 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211). Protests to this filing will be considered by the Commission in determining the appropriate action to be taken, but will not serve to make protestants parties to the proceeding. Such protests must be filed in accordance with the provisions of section 154.210 of the Commission's regulations (18 CFR 154.210). Anyone filing a protest must serve a copy of that document on all the parties to the proceeding. The Commission encourages electronic submission of protests in lieu of paper using the “eFiling” link at *http://www.ferc.gov* . Persons unable to file electronically should submit an original and 14 copies of the protest to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. This filing is accessible on-line at *http://www.ferc.gov* , using the “eLibrary” link and is available for review in the Commission's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC. There is an “eSubscription” link on the Web site that enables subscribers to receive e-mail notification when a document is added to a subscribed docket(s). For assistance with any FERC Online service, please e-mail *FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov* , or call

(866)208-3676 (toll free). For TTY, call

(202)502-8659. Magalie R. Salas, Secretary. [FR Doc. E6-15676 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP06-449-000, Docket No. CP06-450-000, Docket No. CP06-451-000, Docket No. CP06-448-000] Kinder Morgan Louisiana Pipeline LLC, Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America; Notice of Applications September 19, 2006. Take notice that on September 8, 2006, Kinder Morgan Louisiana Pipeline LLC (Kinder Morgan Louisiana), 747 East 22nd Street, Lombard, Illinois 60148, filed applications in Docket Nos. CP06-451-000, CP06-450-000 and CP06-449-000, pursuant to section 7(c) of the Natural Gas Act

(NGA)and Parts 157 and 284 of the Commission's regulations. Kinder Morgan Louisiana is requesting certificates of public convenience and necessity:

(i)To construct and operate natural gas pipeline facilities that will originate in Cameron Parish, Louisiana and terminate in Evangeline Parish, Louisiana, and to lease firm capacity on a long-term basis from Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America (Natural) [Docket No. CP06-449-000];

(ii)for the future construction of facilities pursuant to blanket certificate authority under part 157, subpart F of the Commission's Regulations [Docket No. CP06-450-000], and

(iii)for the undertaking of self-implementing interstate transportation service under part 284, subpart G of the Commission's Regulations [Docket No. CP06-451-000]. Kinder Morgan Louisiana seeks approval of proposed recourse rates for transportation service, approval of its *pro forma* tariff and the issuance of a preliminary determination providing for the Commission's early determination on nonenvironmental issues. Also take notice that on September 8, 2006, Natural, 747 East 22nd Street, Lombard, Illinois 60148, filed an application in Docket No. CP06-448-000 pursuant to section 7(b) of the NGA, and part 157 of the Commission's Regulations for approval to abandon, by lease to Kinder Morgan Louisiana, certain firm capacity on a long-term basis. This application is related to, and is being filed concurrently with the applications being filed by Kinder Morgan Louisiana to construct a new interstate natural gas pipeline system in Louisiana, as listed above. The details of these proposals are more fully set forth in these applications which are on file with the Commission and open for public inspection. These filings are available for review at the Commission in the Public Reference Room or may be viewed on the Commission's Web site at *http://www.ferc.gov* using the “eLibrary” link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to access the document. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at *FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov* or toll free at

(866)208-3676, or for TTY, contact

(202)502-8659. Any questions regarding these applications should be directed to Bruce H. Newsome, Vice President of Certificates and Rates, Kinder Morgan Louisiana Pipeline LLC and Vice President of Certificates and Rates, Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America, 747 East 22nd Street, Lombard, Illinois 60148-5072, telephone:

(630)691-3526, e-mail: *bruce_newsome@kindermorgan.com.* Specifically, Kinder Morgan Louisiana requests authorization to construct its proposed Louisiana Pipeline Project which will consist of:

(1)About 132 miles of 42-inch pipeline from the Cheniere Sabine Pass LNG Terminal (Sabine LNG Terminal) in Cameron Parish, Louisiana to a point of interconnection with an existing Columbia Gulf Transmission Company line in Evangeline Parish, Louisiana (Leg 1);

(2)about 1 mile of 36-inch pipeline that will extend from the Sabine LNG Terminal to a point of interconnection with Natural's existing interstate pipeline located north of the Terminal (Leg 2); and

(3)about 2.3 miles of 24-inch pipeline extending away from Leg 1 (at about milepost 110) to the existing Florida Gas Transmission Company compressor station in Acadia Parish, Louisiana. Kinder Morgan Louisiana has entered into precedent agreements with Chevron U.S.A. and Total Gas Power North America providing for firm transportation service on its Louisiana Pipeline Project away from the Cheniere Sabine Pass LNG Terminal. To effectuate such transportation service, in part, Kinder Morgan Louisiana proposes to lease firm capacity from Natural. By leasing such capacity, Kinder Morgan Louisiana will reduce the overall cost and improve the efficiency of its Louisiana Pipeline Project, as well as lessen its environmental impact. Thus, Kinder Morgan Louisiana also seeks authorization to lease capacity of 200,000 Dth per day on the facilities of Natural in southern Louisiana. The estimated cost of the Louisiana Pipeline Project is about $517 million, including overhead, contingency, Section 2.55(a) auxiliary installations and reimbursement of facility costs to interconnect pipelines. On February 17, 2006, the Commission granted Kinder Morgan Louisiana's request to utilize the National Environmental Policy Act

(NEPA)Pre-Filing Process and assigned Docket No. PF06-16-000 to staff activities involving its proposed Louisiana Pipeline Project. Now, with the filing of the Louisiana Pipeline Project certificate applications, the NEPA Pre-Filing Process for this Project has ended. From this time forward, all proceedings involving the Louisiana Pipeline Project will be conducted in Docket Nos. CP06-449, *et al.* , as listed above in the caption of this Notice. As its part of the proposal, Natural seeks authority to abandon 200,000 Dth/d of firm capacity on its system by lease to Kinder Morgan Louisiana on a long-term basis pursuant to the terms of a capacity lease agreement between the parties dated August 31, 2006. The leased capacity will start at a point on Natural's Louisiana Line in Cameron Parish, Louisiana where it will interconnect with the Kinder Morgan Louisiana's Louisiana Pipeline Project. The leased capacity will extend east about 16 miles to a 24-inch lateral of Natural that extends south to Johnson's Bayou, where Kinder Morgan Louisiana proposes two delivery points. The leased capacity (200,000 Dth/d) will also exist in the interconnection facility between the Kinder Morgan Louisiana's Louisiana Pipeline Project and Natural's Louisiana Line, and in each of the two delivery points to be built at Johnson's Bayou. There are two ways to become involved in the Commission's review of this project. First, any person wishing to obtain legal status by becoming a party to the proceedings for this project should, on or before the comment date, file with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, a motion to intervene in accordance with the requirements of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214 or 385.211) and the Regulations under the NGA (18 CFR 157.10). A person obtaining party status will be placed on the service list maintained by the Secretary of the Commission and will receive copies of all documents filed by the applicant and by all other parties. A party must submit 14 copies of filings made with the Commission and must mail a copy to the applicant and to every other party in the proceeding. Only parties to the proceeding can ask for court review of Commission orders in the proceeding. However, a person does not have to intervene in order to have comments considered. The second way to participate is by filing with the Secretary of the Commission, as soon as possible, an original and two copies of comments in support of or in opposition to this project. The Commission will consider these comments in determining the appropriate action to be taken, but the filing of a comment alone will not serve to make the filer a party to the proceeding. The Commission's rules require that persons filing comments in opposition to the project provide copies of their protests only to the party or parties directly involved in the protest. Comments, protests and interventions may be filed electronically via the Internet in lieu of paper. See 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Web site under the “e-Filing” link at *http://www.ferc.gov.* The Commission strongly encourages intervenors to file electronically. Persons unable to file electronically should submit an original and 14 copies of the protest or intervention to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. This filing is accessible on-line at *http://www.ferc.gov,* using the “eLibrary” link and is available for review in the Commission's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC. There is an “eSubscription” link on the Web site that enables subscribers to receive e-mail notification when a document is added to a subscribed docket(s). For assistance with any FERC Online service, please e-mail *FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov,* or call

(866)208-3676 (toll free). For TTY, call

(202)502-8659. *Comment Date:* 5 p.m. eastern time on October 11, 2006. Magalie R. Salas, Secretary. [FR Doc. E6-15669 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket Nos. CP06-335-001] Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, L.L.C.; Notice of Amendment to Application for Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity September 19, 2006. Take notice that on September 11, 2006, Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, L.L.C. (Maritimes), 890 Winter Street, Suite 300, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, filed in Docket No. CP06-335-001, an amendment to its application filed on May 16, 2006 pursuant to section 7 of the Natural Gas Act

(NGA)for authorization for its Phase IV Project. In the instant amended application, Maritimes states that the only change to the project originally proposed in the May 16, 2006 application is to remove the facilities proposed to accommodate 150,000 Dth/day of capacity for Portland Natural Gas Transmission System (PNGTS) on the mainline facilities jointly owned by Maritimes and PNGTS that extend from Westbrook, Maine to Dracut, Massachusetts, all as more fully set forth in the application which is on file with the Commission and open to public inspection. More specifically, Maritimes states that the only change to the originally proposed facilities is to install a smaller compressor unit at the proposed Eliot Compressor Station in York County, Maine. This filing may be also viewed on the Web at *http://www.ferc.gov* using the “eLibrary” link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to access the document. For assistance, call

(866)208-3676 or TTY,

(202)502-8659. Maritimes requests a shortened notice procedure for this filing. Maritimes states that the shortened notice procedure is appropriate because the proposed modification to the original project is minor and the impact associated with the modification on existing customers and affected landowners and communities is minimal. Any questions concerning this application may be directed to Steven E. Tillman, General Manager, Regulatory Affairs, M&N Management Company, 5400 Westheimer Court, P.O. Box 1642, Houston, Texas 77251-1642. There are two ways to become involved in the Commission's review of this project. First, any person wishing to obtain legal status by becoming a party to the proceedings for this project should, before the comment date of this notice, file with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, a motion to intervene in accordance with the requirements of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214 or 385.211) and the Regulations under the NGA (18 CFR 157.10). A person obtaining party status will be placed on the service list maintained by the Secretary of the Commission and will receive copies of all documents filed by the applicant and by all other parties. A party must submit 14 copies of filings made with the Commission and must mail a copy to the applicant and to every other party in the proceeding. Only parties to the proceeding can ask for court review of Commission orders in the proceeding. However, a person does not have to intervene in order to have comments considered. The second way to participate is by filing with the Secretary of the Commission, as soon as possible, an original and two copies of comments in support of or in opposition to this project. The Commission will consider these comments in determining the appropriate action to be taken, but the filing of a comment alone will not serve to make the filer a party to the proceeding. The Commission's rules require that persons filing comments in opposition to the project provide copies of their protests only to the party or parties directly involved in the protest. Comments, protests and interventions may be filed electronically via the Internet in lieu of paper. See, 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Web site under the “e-Filing” link. *Comment Date:* 5 p.m. Eastern Time on September 29, 2006. Magalie R. Salas, Secretary. [FR Doc. E6-15680 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. RP06-200-012] Rockies Express Pipeline LLC; Notice of Negotiated Rate September 19, 2006. Take notice that on September 15, 2006, Rockies Express Pipeline LLC

(REX)tendered for filing as part of its FERC Gas Tariff, First Revised Volume No. 1, Eighth Revised Sheet No. 22, and Second Revised Sheet No. 24, to be effective September 16, 2006. Any person desiring to intervene or to protest this filing must file in accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and 385.214). Protests will be considered by the Commission in determining the appropriate action to be taken, but will not serve to make protestants parties to the proceeding. Any person wishing to become a party must file a notice of intervention or motion to intervene, as appropriate. Such notices, motions, or protests must be filed in accordance with the provisions of section 154.210 of the Commission's regulations (18 CFR 154.210). Anyone filing an intervention or protest must serve a copy of that document on the Applicant. Anyone filing an intervention or protest on or before the intervention or protest date need not serve motions to intervene or protests on persons other than the Applicant. The Commission encourages electronic submission of protests and interventions in lieu of paper using the “eFiling” link at *http://www.ferc.gov* . Persons unable to file electronically should submit an original and 14 copies of the protest or intervention to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. This filing is accessible on-line at *http://www.ferc.gov* , using the “eLibrary” link and is available for review in the Commission's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC. There is an “eSubscription” link on the Web site that enables subscribers to receive e-mail notification when a document is added to a subscribed docket(s). For assistance with any FERC Online service, please e-mail *FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov* , or call

(866)208-3676 (toll free). For TTY, call

(202)502-8659. Magalie R. Salas, Secretary. [FR Doc. E6-15679 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. RP06-452-001] Stingray Pipeline Company, L.L.C.; Notice of Compliance Filing September 19, 2006. Take notice that on September 14, 2006, Stingray Pipeline Company, L.L.C. (Stingray) tendered for filing as part of its FERC Gas Tariff, Third Revised Volume No. 1, the following tariff sheets, to be deemed effective August 31 2006: Third Revised Sheet No. 131; Original Sheet No. 131A; Substitute Fourth Revised Sheet No. 309. Any person desiring to protest this filing must file in accordance with Rule 211 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211). Protests to this filing will be considered by the Commission in determining the appropriate action to be taken, but will not serve to make protestants parties to the proceeding. Such protests must be filed in accordance with the provisions of section 154.210 of the Commission's regulations (18 CFR 154.210). Anyone filing a protest must serve a copy of that document on all the parties to the proceeding. The Commission encourages electronic submission of protests in lieu of paper using the “eFiling” link at *http://www.ferc.gov.* Persons unable to file electronically should submit an original and 14 copies of the protest to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. This filing is accessible on-line at *http://www.ferc.gov* , using the “eLibrary” link and is available for review in the Commission's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC. There is an “eSubscription” link on the Web site that enables subscribers to receive e-mail notification when a document is added to a subscribed docket(s). For assistance with any FERC Online service, please e-mail *FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov* , or call

(866)208-3676 (toll free). For TTY, call

(202)502-8659. Magalie R. Salas, Secretary. [FR Doc. E6-15675 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. RP97-255-072] TransColorado Gas Transmission Company; Notice of Negotiated Rate September 19, 2006. Take notice that on September 15, 2006, TransColorado Gas Transmission Company (TransColorado) tendered for filing as part of its FERC Gas Tariff, First Revised Volume No. 1, Eighth Revised Sheet No. 22A, to be effective September 16, 2006. Any person desiring to intervene or to protest this filing must file in accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and 385.214). Protests will be considered by the Commission in determining the appropriate action to be taken, but will not serve to make protestants parties to the proceeding. Any person wishing to become a party must file a notice of intervention or motion to intervene, as appropriate. Such notices, motions, or protests must be filed in accordance with the provisions of section 154.210 of the Commission's regulations (18 CFR 154.210). Anyone filing an intervention or protest must serve a copy of that document on the Applicant. Anyone filing an intervention or protest on or before the intervention or protest date need not serve motions to intervene or protests on persons other than the Applicant. The Commission encourages electronic submission of protests and interventions in lieu of paper using the “eFiling” link at *http://www.ferc.gov* . Persons unable to file electronically should submit an original and 14 copies of the protest or intervention to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. This filing is accessible on-line at *http://www.ferc.gov* , using the “eLibrary” link and is available for review in the Commission's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC. There is an “eSubscription” link on the Web site that enables subscribers to receive e-mail notification when a document is added to a subscribed docket(s). For assistance with any FERC Online service, please e-mail *FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov* , or call

(866)208-3676 (toll free). For TTY, call

(202)502-8659. Magalie R. Salas, Secretary. [FR Doc. E6-15668 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Notice of Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Motions To Intervene, Protests, and Comments September 19, 2006. Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection: a. *Type of Application:* Preliminary Permit. b. *Project No.:* 12729-000. c. *Date filed:* August 28, 2006. d. *Applicant:* Natural Currents Energy Services, LLC. e. *Name of Project:* Willapa Bay Tidal Power Project. f. *Location:* The project would be located in the Willapa Bay in Pacific County, Washington. g. *Filed Pursuant to:* Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r). h. *Applicant Contacts:* Mr. Roger Bason, Natural Currents Energy Services, LLC, 24 Roxanne Boulevard, Highland, NY 12528, phone:

(845)691-4008. i. *FERC Contact:* Robert Bell,

(202)502-6062. j. *Deadline for filing comments, protests, and motions to intervene:* 60 days from the issuance date of this notice. The Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure require all intervenors filing documents with the Commission to serve a copy of that document on each person in the official service list for the project. Further, if an intervenor files comments or documents with the Commission relating to the merits of an issue that may affect the responsibilities of a particular resource agency, they must also serve a copy of the document on that resource agency. k. *Description of Project:* The proposed project would consist of:

(1)Proposed tidal in-stream energy conversion generating units having a total installed capacity 2,000 kilowatts, and

(2)a proposed transmission line. The proposed project would have an estimated annual generation of 3,000 megawatt-hours and would be sold to a local utility. l. *Locations of Application:* A copy of the application is available for inspection and reproduction at the Commission in the Public Reference Room, located at 888 First Street NE., Room 2A, Washington DC 20426, or by calling

(202)502-8371. This filing may also be viewed on the Commission's Web site at *http://www.ferc.gov* using the “eLibrary” link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to access the document. For assistance, call toll-free 1-866-208-3676 or e-mail *FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov.* For TTY, call

(202)502-8659. A copy is also available for inspection and reproduction at the address in item h above. m. Individuals desiring to be included on the Commission's mailing list should so indicate by writing to the Secretary of the Commission. n. *Competing Preliminary Permit:* Anyone desiring to file a competing application for preliminary permit for a proposed project must submit the competing application itself, or a notice of intent to file such an application, to the Commission on or before the specified comment date for the particular application (see 18 CFR 4.36). Submission of a timely notice of intent allows an interested person to file the competing preliminary permit application no later than 30 days after the specified comment date for the particular application. A competing preliminary permit application must conform with 18 CFR 4.30(b) and 4.36. o. *Competing Development Application:* Any qualified development applicant desiring to file a competing development application must submit to the Commission, on or before a specified comment date for the particular application, either a competing development application or a notice of intent to file such an application. Submission of a timely notice of intent to file a development application allows an interested person to file the competing application no later than 120 days after the specified comment date for the particular application. A competing license application must conform with 18 CFR 4.30(b) and 4.36. p. *Notice of Intent:* A notice of intent must specify the exact name, business address, and telephone number of the prospective applicant, and must include an unequivocal statement of intent to submit, if such an application may be filed, either a preliminary permit application or a development application (specify which type of application). A notice of intent must be served on the applicant(s) named in this public notice. q. *Proposed Scope of Studies under Permit:* A preliminary permit, if issued, does not authorize construction. The term of the proposed preliminary permit would be 36 months. The work proposed under the preliminary permit would include economic analysis, preparation of preliminary engineering plans, and a study of environmental impacts. Based on the results of these studies, the Applicant would decide whether to proceed with the preparation of a development application to construct and operate the project. r. *Comments, Protests, or Motions to Intervene:* Anyone may submit comments, a protest, or a motion to intervene in accordance with the requirements of Rules of Practice and Procedure, 18 CFR 385.210, .211, .214. In determining the appropriate action to take, the Commission will consider all protests or other comments filed, but only those who file a motion to intervene in accordance with the Commission's Rules may become a party to the proceeding. Any comments, protests, or motions to intervene must be received on or before the specified comment date for the particular application. Comments, protests and interventions may be filed electronically via the Internet in lieu of paper; See 18 CFR 385.2001 (a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Web site under “e-filing” link. The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. s. *Filing and Service of Responsive Documents:* Any filings must bear in all capital letters the title “COMMENTS”, “RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TERMS AND CONDITIONS”, “PROTEST”,“COMPETING APPLICATION” OR “MOTION TO INTERVENE”, as applicable, and the Project Number of the particular application to which the filing refers. Any of the above-named documents must be filed by providing the original and the number of copies provided by the Commission's regulations to: The Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. A copy of any motion to intervene must also be served upon each representative of the Applicant specified in the particular application. t. *Agency Comments:* Federal, State, and local agencies are invited to file comments on the described application. A copy of the application may be obtained by agencies directly from the Applicant. If an agency does not file comments within the time specified for filing comments, it will be presumed to have no comments. One copy of an agency's comments must also be sent to the Applicant's representatives. Magalie R. Salas, Secretary. [FR Doc. E6-15670 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Notice of Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Motions To Intervene, Protests, and Comments September 19, 2006. Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection: a. *Type of Application:* Preliminary Permit. b. *Project No.:* 12730-000. c. *Date filed:* August 28, 2006. d. *Applicant:* Natural Currents Energy Services, LLC. e. *Name of Project:* Knik Arm Tidal Power Project. f. *Location:* The project would be located in the Knik Arm west and north of Cairn Point, and east and north of Port MacKenzie in Anchorage and the Munatauska-Susitna Borough, Alaska. g. *Filed Pursuant to:* Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. §§ 791(a)-825(r). h. *Applicant Contacts:* Mr. Roger Bason, Natural Currents Energy Services, LLC, 24 Roxanne Boulevard, Highland, NY 12528, phone:

(845)691-4008. i. *FERC Contact:* Robert Bell,

(1)Proposed tidal in-stream energy conversion generating units having, a total installed capacity 750 kilowatts, and

(2)a proposed transmission line. The proposed project would have an estimated annual generation of 4,380 megawatt-hours and would be sold to a local utility. l. *Locations of Application:* A copy of the application is available for inspection and reproduction at the Commission in the Public Reference Room, located at 888 First Street, NE., Room 2A, Washington, DC 20426, or by calling

(202)502-8659. A copy is also available for inspection and reproduction at the address in item h above. m. Individuals desiring to be included on the Commission's mailing list should so indicate by writing to the Secretary of the Commission. n. *Competing Preliminary Permit:* Anyone desiring to file a competing application for preliminary permit for a proposed project must submit the competing application itself, or a notice of intent to file such an application, to the Commission on or before the specified comment date for the particular application (see 18 CFR 4.36). Submission of a timely notice of intent allows an interested person to file the competing preliminary permit application no later than 30 days after the specified comment date for the particular application. A competing preliminary permit application must conform with 18 CFR 4.30(b) and 4.36. o. *Competing Development Application:* Any qualified development applicant desiring to file a competing development application must submit to the Commission, on or before a specified comment date for the particular application, either a competing development application or a notice of intent to file such an application. Submission of a timely notice of intent to file a development application allows an interested person to file the competing application no later than 120 days after the specified comment date for the particular application. A competing license application must conform with 18 CFR 4.30(b) and 4.36. p. *Notice of Intent:* A notice of intent must specify the exact name, business address, and telephone number of the prospective applicant, and must include an unequivocal statement of intent to submit, if such an application may be filed, either a preliminary permit application or a development application (specify which type of application). A notice of intent must be served on the applicant(s) named in this public notice. q. *Proposed Scope of Studies under Permit:* A preliminary permit, if issued, does not authorize construction. The term of the proposed preliminary permit would be 36 months. The work proposed under the preliminary permit would include economic analysis, preparation of preliminary engineering plans, and a study of environmental impacts. Based on the results of these studies, the Applicant would decide whether to proceed with the preparation of a development application to construct and operate the project. r. *Comments, Protests, or Motions to Intervene:* Anyone may submit comments, a protest, or a motion to intervene in accordance with the requirements of Rules of Practice and Procedure, 18 CFR 385.210, .211, .214. In determining the appropriate action to take, the Commission will consider all protests or other comments filed, but only those who file a motion to intervene in accordance with the Commission's Rules may become a party to the proceeding. Any comments, protests, or motions to intervene must be received on or before the specified comment date for the particular application. Comments, protests and interventions may be filed electronically via the Internet in lieu of paper; *see* 18 CFR 385.2001 (a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Web site under “e-filing” link. The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. s. *Filing and Service of Responsive Documents:* Any filings must bear in all capital letters the title “COMMENTS”, “RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TERMS AND CONDITIONS”, “PROTEST”,“COMPETING APPLICATION” OR “MOTION TO INTERVENE”, as applicable, and the Project Number of the particular application to which the filing refers. Any of the above-named documents must be filed by providing the original and the number of copies provided by the Commission's regulations to: The Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, N.E, Washington, DC 20426. A copy of any motion to intervene must also be served upon each representative of the Applicant specified in the particular application. t. *Agency Comments:* Federal, State, and local agencies are invited to file comments on the described application. A copy of the application may be obtained by agencies directly from the Applicant. If an agency does not file comments within the time specified for filing comments, it will be presumed to have no comments. One copy of an agency's comments must also be sent to the Applicant's representatives. Magalie R. Salas, Secretary. [FR Doc. E6-15671 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Notice of Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Motions To Intervene, Protests, and Comments September 19, 2006. Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection: a. *Type of Application:* Preliminary Permit. b. *Project No.:* 12731-000. c. *Date filed:* August 28, 2006. d. *Applicant:* Natural Currents Energy Services, LLC. e. *Name of Project:* Angoon Tidal Power Project. f. *Location:* The project would be located in the Kootznahoo Inlet in the Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska. g. *Filed Pursuant to:* Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r). h. *Applicant Contacts:* Mr. Roger Bason, Natural Currents Energy Services, LLC, 24 Roxanne Boulevard, Highland, NY 12528, phone:

(845)691-4008. i. *FERC Contact:* Robert Bell,

(1)Proposed tidal in-stream energy conversion generating units having, a total installed capacity 2,000 kilowatts, and

(202)502-8659. A copy is also available for inspection and reproduction at the address in item h above. m. Individuals desiring to be included on the Commission's mailing list should so indicate by writing to the Secretary of the Commission. n. *Competing Preliminary Permit:* Anyone desiring to file a competing application for preliminary permit for a proposed project must submit the competing application itself, or a notice of intent to file such an application, to the Commission on or before the specified comment date for the particular application (see 18 CFR 4.36). Submission of a timely notice of intent allows an interested person to file the competing preliminary permit application no later than 30 days after the specified comment date for the particular application. A competing preliminary permit application must conform with 18 CFR 4.30(b) and 4.36. o. *Competing Development Application:* Any qualified development applicant desiring to file a competing development application must submit to the Commission, on or before a specified comment date for the particular application, either a competing development application or a notice of intent to file such an application. Submission of a timely notice of intent to file a development application allows an interested person to file the competing application no later than 120 days after the specified comment date for the particular application. A competing license application must conform with 18 CFR 4.30(b) and 4.36. p. *Notice of Intent:* A notice of intent must specify the exact name, business address, and telephone number of the prospective applicant, and must include an unequivocal statement of intent to submit, if such an application may be filed, either a preliminary permit application or a development application (specify which type of application). A notice of intent must be served on the applicant(s) named in this public notice. q. *Proposed Scope of Studies under Permit:* A preliminary permit, if issued, does not authorize construction. The term of the proposed preliminary permit would be 36 months. The work proposed under the preliminary permit would include economic analysis, preparation of preliminary engineering plans, and a study of environmental impacts. Based on the results of these studies, the Applicant would decide whether to proceed with the preparation of a development application to construct and operate the project. r. *Comments, Protests, or Motions to Intervene:* Anyone may submit comments, a protest, or a motion to intervene in accordance with the requirements of Rules of Practice and Procedure, 18 CFR 385.210, .211, .214. In determining the appropriate action to take, the Commission will consider all protests or other comments filed, but only those who file a motion to intervene in accordance with the Commission's Rules may become a party to the proceeding. Any comments, protests, or motions to intervene must be received on or before the specified comment date for the particular application. Comments, protests and interventions may be filed electronically via the Internet in lieu of paper; See 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Web site under “e-filing” link. The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. s. *Filing and Service of Responsive Documents:* Any filings must bear in all capital letters the title “COMMENTS”, “RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TERMS AND CONDITIONS”, “PROTEST”,“COMPETING APPLICATION” OR “MOTION TO INTERVENE”, as applicable, and the Project Number of the particular application to which the filing refers. Any of the above-named documents must be filed by providing the original and the number of copies provided by the Commission's regulations to: The Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. A copy of any motion to intervene must also be served upon each representative of the Applicant specified in the particular application. t. *Agency Comments:* Federal, State, and local agencies are invited to file comments on the described application. A copy of the application may be obtained by agencies directly from the Applicant. If an agency does not file comments within the time specified for filing comments, it will be presumed to have no comments. One copy of an agency's comments must also be sent to the Applicant's representatives. Magalie R. Salas, Secretary. [FR Doc. E6-15672 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Notice of Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Motions To Intervene, Protests, and Comments September 19, 2006. Take notice that the following hydroelectric application has been filed with the Commission and is available for public inspection: a. *Type of Application:* Preliminary Permit. b. *Project No.:* 12732-000. c. *Date filed:* August 28, 2006. d. *Applicant:* Natural Currents Energy Services, LLC. e. *Name of Project:* Long Island Sound Tidal Power Project. f. *Location:* The project would be located in Long Island Sound in Suffolk County, New York. g. *Filed Pursuant to:* Federal Power Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)-825(r). h. *Applicant Contacts:* Mr. Roger Bason, Natural Currents Energy Services, LLC, 24 Roxanne Boulevard, Highland, NY 12528, phone:

(845)691-4008. i. *FERC Contact:* Robert Bell,

(1)Proposed tidal in-stream energy conversion generating units having, a total installed capacity 2,000 kilowatts, and

(2)a proposed transmission line. The proposed project would have an estimated annual generation of 1,000 gigawatt-hours and would be sold to a local utility. l. *Locations of Application:* A copy of the application is available for inspection and reproduction at the Commission in the Public Reference Room, located at 888 First Street NE., Room 2A, Washington DC 20426, or by calling

(202)502-8659. A copy is also available for inspection and reproduction at the address in item h above. m. Individuals desiring to be included on the Commission's mailing list should so indicate by writing to the Secretary of the Commission. n. *Competing Preliminary Permit:* Anyone desiring to file a competing application for preliminary permit for a proposed project must submit the competing application itself, or a notice of intent to file such an application, to the Commission on or before the specified comment date for the particular application (see 18 CFR 4.36). Submission of a timely notice of intent allows an interested person to file the competing preliminary permit application no later than 30 days after the specified comment date for the particular application. A competing preliminary permit application must conform with 18 CFR 4.30(b) and 4.36. o. *Competing Development Application:* Any qualified development applicant desiring to file a competing development application must submit to the Commission, on or before a specified comment date for the particular application, either a competing development application or a notice of intent to file such an application. Submission of a timely notice of intent to file a development application allows an interested person to file the competing application no later than 120 days after the specified comment date for the particular application. A competing license application must conform with 18 CFR 4.30(b) and 4.36. p. *Notice of Intent:* A notice of intent must specify the exact name, business address, and telephone number of the prospective applicant, and must include an unequivocal statement of intent to submit, if such an application may be filed, either a preliminary permit application or a development application (specify which type of application). A notice of intent must be served on the applicant(s) named in this public notice. q. *Proposed Scope of Studies under Permit:* A preliminary permit, if issued, does not authorize construction. The term of the proposed preliminary permit would be 36 months. The work proposed under the preliminary permit would include economic analysis, preparation of preliminary engineering plans, and a study of environmental impacts. Based on the results of these studies, the Applicant would decide whether to proceed with the preparation of a development application to construct and operate the project. r. *Comments, Protests, or Motions to Intervene:* Anyone may submit comments, a protest, or a motion to intervene in accordance with the requirements of Rules of Practice and Procedure, 18 CFR 385.210, .211, .214. In determining the appropriate action to take, the Commission will consider all protests or other comments filed, but only those who file a motion to intervene in accordance with the Commission's Rules may become a party to the proceeding. Any comments, protests, or motions to intervene must be received on or before the specified comment date for the particular application. Comments, protests and interventions may be filed electronically via the Internet in lieu of paper; See 18 CFR 385.2001 (a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Web site under “e-filing” link. The Commission strongly encourages electronic filing. s. *Filing and Service of Responsive Documents:* Any filings must bear in all capital letters the title “COMMENTS”, “RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TERMS AND CONDITIONS”, “PROTEST”, “COMPETING APPLICATION” OR “MOTION TO INTERVENE”, as applicable, and the Project Number of the particular application to which the filing refers. Any of the above-named documents must be filed by providing the original and the number of copies provided by the Commission's regulations to: The Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. A copy of any motion to intervene must also be served upon each representative of the Applicant specified in the particular application. t. *Agency Comments:* Federal, State, and local agencies are invited to file comments on the described application. A copy of the application may be obtained by agencies directly from the Applicant. If an agency does not file comments within the time specified for filing comments, it will be presumed to have no comments. One copy of an agency's comments must also be sent to the Applicant's representatives. Magalie R. Salas, Secretary. [FR Doc. E6-15673 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-8223-1] National and Governmental Advisory Committees to the U.S. Representative to the Commission for Environmental Cooperation AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: Under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Pub. L. 92463, EPA gives notice of a meeting of the National Advisory Committee

(NAC)and Governmental Advisory Committee

(GAC)to the U.S. Representative to the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC). The National and Governmental Advisory Committees advise the EPA Administrator in his capacity as the U.S. Representative to the CEC Council. The Committees are authorized under Articles 17 and 18 of the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC), North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, Pub. L. 103-182, and as directed by Executive Order 12915, entitled “Federal Implementation of the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation.” The NAC is composed of 12 members representing academia, environmental non-governmental organizations, and private industry. The GAC consists of 12 members representing state, local, and tribal governments. The Committees are responsible for providing advice to the U.S. Representative on a wide range of strategic, scientific, technological, regulatory, and economic issues related to implementation and further elaboration of the NAAEC. The purpose of the meeting is to review the CEC's Draft Operational Plan and Budget. A copy of the agenda for the meeting will be posted at *http://www.epa.gov/ocem/nacgac-page.htm* . DATES: The National and Governmental Advisory Committees will hold a two day open meeting on Thursday, October 19, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday, October 20, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Camino Real Hotel, 101 South El Paso Street, El Paso, Texas 79901. The meeting is open to the public, with limited seating on a first-come, first-served basis. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Oscar Carrillo, Designated Federal Officer, *carrillo.oscar@epa.gov* , 202-233-0072, U.S. EPA, Office of Cooperative Environmental Management (1601E), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Requests to make oral comments or provide written comments to the Committees should be sent to Oscar Carrillo, Designated Federal Officer, at the contact information above. *Meeting Access:* For information on access or services for individuals with disabilities, please contact Oscar Carrillo at 202-233-0072 or *carrillo.oscar@epa.gov* . To request accommodation of a disability, please contact Oscar Carrillo, preferably at least 10 days prior to the meeting, to give EPA as much time as possible to process your request. Dated: September 13, 2006. Oscar Carrillo, Designated Federal Officer. [FR Doc. E6-15730 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Sunshine Act Meeting, Open Commission Meeting, Tuesday, September 26, 2006 September 19, 2006. The Federal Communications Commission will hold an Open Meeting on the subjects listed below on Tuesday, September 26, 2006, which is scheduled to commence at in Room TW-C305, at 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC. Item No. Bureau Subject 1 Wireless Tele-Communications *Title:* Implementation of Section 6002(b) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (WT Docket No. 06-17) and Annual Report and Analysis of Competitive Market Conditions with Respect to Commercial Mobile Services. *Summary:* The Commission will consider an Eleventh Report concerning the annual report on the competitive market conditions with respect to Commercial Mobile Radio Services (CMRS). 2 Media *Title:* Children's Television Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters (MM Docket No. 00-167). *Summary:* The Commission will consider a Second Order on Reconsideration and Second Report and Order concerning children's television obligations. 3 Wireline Competition *Title:* Rural Health Care Support Mechanism (WC Docket No. 02-60). *Summary:* The Commission will consider an Order concerning how the rural health care funding mechanism can be used to enhance public and non-public health care providers' access to advanced telecommunications and information services. 4 Public Safety and Homeland Security The Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau will present a report regarding the launch of the new Bureau. Open captioning will be provided for this event. Other reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. Include a description of the accommodation you will need including as much detail as you can. Also include a way we can contact you if we need more information. Make your request as early as possible; please allow at least 5 days advance notice. Last minute requests will be accepted, but may be impossible to fill. Send an e-mail to: *fcc504@fcc.gov* or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (tty). Additional information concerning this meeting may be obtained from Audrey Spivack or David Fiske, Office of Media Relations,

(202)418-0500; TTY 1-888-835-5322. Audio/Video coverage of the meeting will be broadcast live with open captioning over the Internet from the FCC's Audio/Video Events Web page at *http://www.fcc.gov/realaudio* . For a fee this meeting can be viewed live over George Mason University's Capitol Connection. The Capitol Connection also will carry the meeting live via the Internet. To purchase these services call

(703)993-3100 or go to *http://www.capitolconnection.gmu.edu* . Copies of materials adopted at this meeting can be purchased from the FCC's duplicating contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc.

(202)488-5300; Fax

(202)488-5563; TTY

(202)488-5562. These copies are available in paper format and alternative media, including large print/type; digital disk; and audio and video tape. Best Copy and Printing, Inc. may be reached by e-mail at *FCC@BCPIWEB.com* . Federal Communications Commission. Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary. [FR Doc. 06-8293 Filed 9-22-06; 1:14 pm]

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