Notices. Notice and opportunity for public comment

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BILLING CODE 3410-15-M DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Economic Development Administration Notice of Petitions by Firms for Determination of Eligibility To Apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance AGENCY: Economic Development Administration, Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice and opportunity for public comment. Pursuant to Section 251 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2341 et seq.), the Economic Development Administration

(EDA)has received petitions for certification of eligibility to apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance from the firms listed below. EDA has initiated separate investigations to determine whether increased imports into the United States of articles like or directly competitive with those produced by each firm contributed importantly to the total or partial separation of the firm's workers, or threat thereof, and to a decrease in sales or production of each petitioning firm. List of Petitions Received by EDA for Certification of Eligibility To Apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance [For the period October 21, 2006 through November 20, 2006] Firm Address Date petition accepted Product Label World Kamylon, LLC 29 Jet View Drive Rochester, NY 14624 10/24/06 Pressure sensitive labels, tags, tape of paper or paperboard and articles of cut to size coated paper. Any party having a substantial interest in these proceedings may request a public hearing on the matter. A written request for a hearing must be submitted to the Office of Performance Evaluation, Room 7009, Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230, no later than ten

(10)calendar days following publication of this notice. Please follow the procedures set forth in Section 315.9 of EDA's final rule (71 FR 56704) for procedures for requesting a public hearing. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance official program number and title of the program under which these petitions are submitted is 11.313, Trade Adjustment Assistance. Dated: November 21, 2006. William P. Kittredge, Program Officer for TAA. [FR Doc. E6-20125 Filed 11-27-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-24-P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration U.S. Electronic Education Fair for China AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: U.S. accredited colleges and universities are invited to participate in the U.S. Electronic Education Fair For China by purchasing space on the initiative's Internet landing page. DATES: We are extending the application window until 3 p.m. EST December 8, 2006. ADDRESSES: E-mail: Alex Feldman: *Alex.Feldman@mail.doc.gov.* Amber Wesley: *Amber.Wesley@mail.doc.gov.* Fax: 202-482-4821. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexander Feldman, U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 3850. Tel:

(202)482-8243. Amber Wesley, U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 3850. Tel:

(202)482-6357. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Electronic Education Fair for China is a joint initiative between the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of State. The purpose of the initiative is to inform Chinese students who are interested in studying outside of China about the breadth and depth of the higher education opportunities available in the U.S. The initiative will have a three-pronged multimedia approach using television, the Internet and on-ground activities. Two, thirty minute TV programs will be produced in combination with a series of short, 3 minute programs, aired on local cable and national satellite TV stations throughout China all of which will drive viewers to the Internet landing page. DVDs distributed through education trade fairs and also through the 47 EducationUSA advisory centers throughout China will further this message. Accredited U.S. Institutions are invited to purchase space on the Internet Landing page in order to provide information about their schools. Informational space will be available at a Gold or Silver level. Institutions purchasing at the Gold level, priced at $8,000, will receive a banner-sized ad with their schools logo and name, which will link to their school Web site. Those who purchase at the Silver level, priced at $3,000, will have their name listed on the site with a link to their institution Web site. Dated: November 21, 2006. Alexander Feldman, Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary for International Trade. [FR Doc. E6-20070 Filed 11-27-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-25-P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Institute of Standards and Technology Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice of public meeting. SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. app. 2, notice is hereby given that the Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology (VCAT), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), will meet Tuesday, December 12, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday, December 13, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. The Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology is composed of fifteen members appointed by the Director of NIST who are eminent in such fields as business, research, new product development, engineering, labor, education, management consulting, environment, and international relations. The purpose of this meeting is to review and make recommendations regarding general policy for the Institute, its organization, its budget, and its programs within the framework of applicable national policies as set forth by the President and the Congress. The theme of this meeting is NIST's role in the international arena in ten years. The agenda will include an update on NIST, an introduction and overview of NIST's international activities, and other presentations that focus on the importance of NIST as a National Metrology Institute, NIST's evolving role for traceability of chemical and biological measurements, NIST's role in documentary standards, NIST's interactions with the American National Standards Institute and the International Organization for Standardization, and NIST's activities in Iraq. Two laboratory tours also will be featured. The meeting will conclude with an extended discussion on effectively implementing the NIST mission in a growing international marketplace. The agenda may change to accommodate Committee business. The final agenda will be posted on the NIST Web site at *http://www.nist.gov/director/vcat/agenda.htm.* DATES: The meeting will convene on December 12 at 9 a.m. and will adjourn on December 13, 2006, at 11 a.m. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in the Employees Lounge, Administration Building, at NIST, Gaithersburg, Maryland. All visitors to the NIST site will have to pre-register to be admitted. Please submit your name, time of arrival, e-mail address and phone number to Carolyn Peters no later than Thursday, December 7, and she will provide you with instructions for admittance. Mrs. Peter's e-mail address is *carolyn.peters@nist.gov* and her phone number is

(301)975-5607. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carolyn Peters, Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-1000, telephone number

(301)975-5607. Dated: November 21, 2006. James E. Hill, Acting Deputy Director. [FR Doc. E6-20105 Filed 11-27-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-13-P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [I.D. 111706B] Endangered Species; File No. 1448 AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit modification. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), 166 Water Street, Room 211, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543-1097, [Responsible Party: Nancy Thompson], has been issued a modification to scientific research Permit No. 1448. ADDRESSES: The modification and related documents are available for review upon written request or by appointment in the following office(s): Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone (301)713-2289; fax (301)427-2521; and Northeast Region, NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-2298; phone (978)281-9300; fax (978)281-9394. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Hapeman or Patrick Opay, (301)713-2289. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 27, 2006, notice was published in the **Federal Register** (71 FR 56478) that a modification of Permit No. 1448, issued January 9, 2004 (69 FR 3332), had been requested by the above-named organization. The requested modification has been granted under the authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 *et seq.* ) and the regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting of endangered and threatened species (50 CFR 222-226). The modification authorizes the NEFSC to biopsy sample up to 50 of the Kemp's ridley ( *Lepidochelys kempii* ) sea turtles greater than 25 cm total carapace length that the holder is currently authorized to handle and biologically sample under the existing permit. This research will help confirm observer identifications of sea turtles made by collaborating NOAA researchers for animals that have been already incidentally captured in legal commercial fisheries operating in state waters and the Exclusive Economic Zone in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. Issuance of this modification, as required by the ESA was based on a finding that such permit modification

(1)was applied for in good faith,

(2)will not operate to the disadvantage of any endangered or threatened species, and

(3)is consistent with the purposes and policies set forth in section 2 of the ESA. Dated: November 21, 2006. P. Michael Payne, Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. E6-20168 Filed 11-27-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [I.D. 101106E] Endangered and Threatened Species; Recovery Plan for the Hawaiian Monk Seal AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Commerce. ACTION: Notice of Availability; request for comments. SUMMARY: The National Marine Fisheries Service

(NMFS)announces the availability for public review of the draft revised Recovery Plan

(Plan)for the Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi). NMFS is soliciting review and comment on the Plan from the public and all interested parties, and will consider and address all substantive comments received during the comment period. DATES: Comments on the draft Plan must be received by close of business on January 29, 2007. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods: • Mail: Send comments to Chris Yates, Assistant Regional Administrator, Protected Resources Division, Pacific Islands Regional Office, NMFS, Attn: Michelle Yuen, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1110, Honolulu, HI 96814. • E-mail: *hmsplan@noaa.gov* . Include in the subject line the following document identifier: Hawaiian Monk Seal Recovery Plan. E-mail comments, with or without attachments, are limited to 5 megabytes. Interested persons may obtain the Plan for review from the above address or on-line from the NMFS Pacific Islands Region Office website: *http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/pir/* . FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Yuen (808-944-2243), e-mail: *michelle.yuen@noaa.gov* . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Recovery plans describe actions considered necessary for the conservation and recovery of species listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 *et seq.* ). The ESA requires that recovery plans incorporate

(1)objective, measurable criteria that, when met, would result in a determination that the species is no longer threatened or endangered;

(2)site-specific management actions necessary to achieve the plan's goals; and

(3)estimates of the time required and costs to implement recovery actions. The ESA requires the development of recovery plans for listed species unless such a plan would not promote the recovery of a particular species. NMFS's goal is to restore the endangered Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi) population to the point where they are again secure, self-sustaining members of their ecosystem and no longer need the protections of the ESA. NMFS will consider all substantive comments and information presented during the public comment period in the course of finalizing this Recovery Plan. The Hawaiian monk seal has the distinction of being the only endangered marine mammal species whose entire range, historical and current, lies within the United States of America. The majority of the population of Hawaiian monk seals now occupies the northwestern Hawaiian Islands

(NWHI)with six main breeding sub-populations. The species is also found in lower numbers in the main Hawaiian Islands (MHI), where the population size and range both appear to be expanding. The Hawaiian monk seal was listed as a threatened species under the ESA on November 23, 1976 (41 FR 51612). On April 30, 1986 (51 FR 16047), critical habitat was designated at all beach areas, lagoon waters, and ocean waters out to a depth of 10 fathoms around Kure Atoll, Midway, Pearl and Hermes Reef, Lisianski Island, Laysan Island, Gardner Pinnacles, French Frigate Shoals, Necker Island and Nihoa Island; critical habitat was extended to include Maro Reef and waters around all habitat out to the 20-fathom isobath on May 26, 1988. The best estimate of the total population size in 2005 is 1,252 seals. This current revised plan was written by the Hawaiian Monk Seal Recovery Team at the request of the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries to promote the conservation of the Hawaiian monk seal. The recovery team includes experts on marine mammals from the private sector, academia, and government, as well as experts on endangered species conservation. The goals and objectives of the Plan can be achieved only if a long-term commitment is made to support the actions recommended in the Plan. The Recovery Plan contains:

(1)a comprehensive review of the Hawaiian monk seal population distribution, life history, and habitat use,

(2)a threats assessment,

(3)conservation efforts,

(4)biological and recovery criteria for downlisting and delisting,

(4)actions necessary for the recovery of the species, and

(5)an implementation schedule with estimates of time and cost to recovery. The threats assessment finds four levels of threats:

(1)Crucial (ongoing and apparent threat at most sites in the NWHI),

(2)Significant (ongoing impacts representing the potential for range-wide threats),

(3)Serious (potential cause of localized threats), and

(4)Moderate (localized impacts possible but not considered a serious or immediate threat). The Crucial threats to Hawaiian monk seals are: food limitation, entanglement, and shark predation. The Significant threats to Hawaiian monk seals are: infectious disease and habitat loss. The Serious threats are: fishery interaction, male aggression, human interaction, and biotoxin. Finally, the Moderate threats to Hawaiian monk seals are: vessel groundings and contaminants. Criteria for the reclassification of the Hawaiian monk seal are included in the Plan. In summary, Hawaiian monk seals may be reclassified from endangered to threatened when all of the following have been met:

(1)aggregate numbers exceed 2,900 total individuals in the NWHI;

(2)at least 5 of the 6 main sub-population in the NWHI are above 100 individuals, and the MHI population is above 500;

(3)the survivorship of females in each subpopulation in the NWHI and in the MHI is high enough that, in conjunction with the birth rates in each subpopulation, the calculated population growth rate for each subpopulation is not negative. The population will be considered for a delisting if it continues to qualify for “threatened” classification for 20 consecutive years without new serious risk factors being identified. Time and cost for recovery actions are contained in the Plan. The recovery program will cost $52,656,000 for the first 5 fiscal years and $436,816,000 to full recovery assuming the best case scenario that the population could grow to the stipulated total population size in the NWHI within 12 years, and that the stipulated numbers in the MHI could be reached within 34 years. In accordance with the 2003 Peer Review Policy as stated in Appendix R of the Interim Endangered and Threatened Species Recovery Planning Guidance, NMFS solicited peer review on the draft Plan concurrent with this public comment period. Reviews were requested from three scientists and managers with expertise in recovery planning, statistical analyses, fisheries, and marine mammals. NMFS anticipates that many of the recommendations that will be made by the reviewers will be addressed and provided in detail in the final Plan. Public Comments Solicited NMFS solicits written comments on the draft Revised Recovery Plan. All substantive comments received by the date specified above will be considered prior to final approval of the Plan. NMFS is especially interested in comments on the following areas:

(1)the threats assessment;

(2)the biological and threats criteria for removing Hawaiian monk seals from the Federal list of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants;

(3)the recovery strategy and measures; and

(4)the estimates of time and cost to implement recovery actions. Authority The authority for this action is section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 *et seq.* ). Dated: November 21, 2006. Angela Somma, Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. E6-20164 Filed 11-27-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [I.D. 082806C] Endangered and Threatened Species; Recovery Plans AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Commerce. ACTION: Extension of public comment period. SUMMARY: On September 29, 2006, the National Marine Fisheries Service

(NMFS)announced the availability of the Proposed Upper Columbia Spring Chinook Salmon, Steelhead, and Bull Trout Recovery Plan

(Plan)for public review and comment. In this notice, NMFS is extending the public comment period for this proposal to January 29, 2007. NMFS is soliciting review and comments from the public and all interested parties on the spring Chinook salmon and steelhead portions of the Proposed Plan. If comments are received on the bull trout portion of the Plan, NMFS will pass them on to the USFWS. DATES: NMFS will consider and address all substantive comments received during the comment period. Comments must be received by January 29, 2007. ADDRESSES: Please send written comments and materials to Lynn Hatcher, National Marine Fisheries Service, 304 South Water Street, Ellensburg, WA 98926. Comments may also be submitted by e-mail to: *UpperColumbiaPlan.nwr@noaa.gov* . Include in the subject line of the e-mail comment the following identifier: “Comments on Upper Columbia Salmon Plan”. Comments may be submitted via facsimile

(fax)to 503-872-2737. Persons wishing to review the Plan can obtain an electronic copy (i.e., CD-ROM) from Carol Joyce by calling 503-230-5408 or by e-mailing a request to *carol.joyce@noaa.gov* , with the subject line “CD-ROM Request for Upper Columbia Salmon Plan”. Electronic copies of the Plan are also available on-line on the NMFS Web site *www.nwr.noaa.gov/Salmon-Recovery-Planning/ESA-Recovery-Plans/Draft-Plans.cfm* or the Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board Web site: *okanogancounty.org/planning/salmon_recovery.htm* . FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynn Hatcher, NMFS Interior Columbia Salmon Recovery Coordinator (509-962-8911 x223), or Elizabeth Gaar, NMFS Salmon Recovery Division (503-230-5434). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Recovery plans describe actions beneficial to the conservation and recovery of species listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 *et seq.* ). The ESA requires that recovery plans incorporate

(1)objective, measurable criteria which, when met, would result in a determination that the species is no longer threatened or endangered;

(2)site specific management actions necessary to achieve the plan's goals; and

(ESUs)and steelhead Distinct Population Segments

(DPSs)to the point that they are again self sustaining members of their ecosystems and no longer need the protections of the ESA. NMFS believes it is critically important to base its recovery plans on the many state, regional, tribal, local, and private conservation efforts already underway throughout the region. Therefore, the agency supports and participates in locally led collaborative efforts to develop recovery plans, involving local communities, state, tribal, and Federal entities, and other stakeholders. As the lead ESA agency for listed salmon, NMFS is responsible for reviewing these locally produced recovery plans and deciding whether they meet ESA statutory requirements and merit adoption as proposed ESA recovery plans. On December 30, 2005, the Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board (UCSRB) presented its locally developed draft recovery plan to NMFS. The UCSRB comprises representatives from Chelan County, Douglas County, Okanogan County, Yakama Nation, and the Confederated Colville Tribes. A variety of additional partners, representing Federal agencies, Washington State agencies, regional organizations, special purpose districts, and members of the public, also participated in the planning process. After NMFS reviewed the draft plan, NMFS and the UCSRB made revisions to it, clarifying how it satisfies ESA recovery plan requirements and addressing additional elements needed to comply with those requirements. The jointly revised Plan is now available as a Proposed Recovery Plan for public review and comment. Upon approval of a final Plan, NMFS will make a commitment to implement the actions in the Plan for which it has authority, to work cooperatively on implementation of other actions, and to encourage other Federal agencies to implement Plan actions for which they have responsibility and authority. NMFS will also encourage the State of Washington to seek similar implementation commitments from state agencies and local governments. NMFS expects the Plan to help NMFS and other Federal agencies take a more consistent approach to future ESA section 7 consultations and other ESA decisions. For example, the Plan will provide greater biological context for the effects that a proposed action may have on the listed ESU and DPS. This context will be enhanced by adding recovery plan science to the “best available information” for section 7 consultations as well as for section 10 habitat conservation plans, and other ESA decisions. Such information includes viability criteria for the ESU, DPS, and their independent populations; better understanding of and information on limiting factors and threats facing the ESU and DPS; better information on priority areas for addressing specific limiting factors; and better geographic context for where the ESU and DPS can tolerate varying levels of risk. The Plan The Plan is one of many ongoing salmon recovery planning efforts funded under the Washington State Strategy for Salmon Recovery. The State of Washington designated the UCSRB as the Lead Entity for salmon recovery planning for the Upper Columbia. The Plan incorporates many aspects of the work of the Interior Columbia Technical Recovery Team (ICTRT) appointed by NMFS. The ICTRT reviewed early drafts of the Plan and will be providing an independent scientific peer review of the Proposed Recovery Plan. The UCSRB has included public involvement in its recovery planning process, having received extensive comments in January, April, and June of 2005. ESU and DPS Addressed and Planning Area The Plan is intended for implementation within the range of the Upper Columbia River Spring Chinook Salmon ( *O. tshawytscha* ) ESU, listed as endangered on March 24, 1999 (64 FR 14307), and the Upper Columbia River Steelhead (O. mykiss) DPS, listed as endangered on August 18, 1997 (62 FR 43937), and reclassified as threatened on January 5, 2006 (71 FR 834). The spring Chinook salmon ESU contains three independent populations: the Wenatchee, Entiat, and Methow. The steelhead DPS contains five independent populations: Wenatchee, Entiat, Methow, Okanogan, and Crab Creek. These independent populations were identified based on the genetic, geographic, and habitat characteristics they share within the ESU or the DPS. The Plan states that the current status of Upper Columbia Chinook and steelhead populations was assessed by local planners in consultation with the ICTRT and state and tribal co-managers. In general, abundance of all spring Chinook salmon and steelhead populations has declined substantially from historical levels, and many populations are small enough that genetic and demographic risks are relatively high. The Plan's Recovery Goals, Objectives and Criteria The Plan's goal is “to ensure long-term persistence of viable populations of naturally produced spring Chinook and steelhead distributed across their native range.” The Plan incorporates the four parameters of abundance, productivity, spatial structure, and diversity, which are the basis of NMFS' viable salmonid population

(VSP)framework (McElhany et al., 2000), as the foundation for biological status assessments and recovery goals. The Plan's recovery (delisting) objectives include increasing the abundance of naturally produced spring Chinook and steelhead spawners within each population in the Upper Columbia ESU/DPS to levels considered viable; increasing the productivity (spawner:spawner ratios and smolts/redds) of naturally produced spring Chinook salmon and steelhead within each population to levels that result in low risk of extinction; restoring the distribution of naturally produced spring Chinook salmon and steelhead to previously occupied areas where practical; and conserving their genetic and phenotypic diversity. Because spring Chinook are currently listed as endangered under the ESA, the Plan identifies two levels of objectives for them. The first level relates to reclassifying the species as threatened and the second relates to recovery (delisting). The reclassification objectives include increasing the abundance, productivity, and distribution of naturally produced spring Chinook salmon sufficient to lead to reclassification as threatened, and conserving their genetic and phenotypic diversity. The Plan sets forth specific criteria to meet the recovery objectives, based on the ICTRT's recommended criteria, which, if met, would indicate a high probability of persistence into the future for Upper Columbia River spring Chinook salmon and steelhead. The Plan establishes criteria for 95-percent probability of persistence (5 percent extinction risk) for all Upper Columbia spring Chinook salmon and all but one population of the steelhead DPS. The Plan concludes that the Upper Columbia steelhead DPS may be recovered without attaining the 95-percent probability of persistence for the Crab Creek population, based on the possibility that this population was not viable historically because of environmental conditions (e.g., intermittent stream flows and high water temperatures) and the assumption that the resident component of the Crab Creek population was historically the primary driver of the population's viability. The ICTRT recently recommended a higher criterion for an ESU/DPS containing only one major population group (MPG), which is the case for both Upper Columbia spring Chinook salmon and Upper Columbia steelhead. The ICTRT recommended, in that case, that at least two populations should meet abundance/productivity criteria representing a 1-percent extinction risk (99 percent probability of persistence) over a 100-year period (ICTRT 2005b, p. 46). The ICTRT considers the 5-percent risk level “viable” and the 1 percent risk level “highly viable.” The Plan does not adopt this more recent recommendation; instead, as stated above, the Plan adopts the 5-percent extinction risk for abundance/productivity for all populations in the Chinook salmon ESU and all but one in the steelhead DPS. NMFS accepts the UCSRB's recommended recovery (delisting) criteria, since it calls for all known extant populations within the Chinook ESU and steelhead DPS to be viable. Furthermore, NMFS believes that it is not possible at this time to distinguish between the levels of effort needed to attain 95 vs. 99 percent probability of persistence; therefore, the Plan's actions would not change at this time in response to the ICTRT's more recently recommended criterion. Finally, NMFS will re-evaluate ESU and DPS status and the appropriateness of the recovery criteria in 5 years or less based on additional data from monitoring and research on critical uncertainties and could modify the recovery plan accordingly. In accordance with its responsibilities under ESA section 4(c)(2), NMFS will conduct status reviews of the listed Upper Columbia spring Chinook salmon ESU and Upper Columbia steelhead DPS at least once every 5 years to evaluate their status and determine whether the ESU or DPS should be removed from the list or changed in status. Such evaluations will take into account the following: • The biological recovery criteria (ICTRT 2005b) and listing factor (threats) criteria described in the Plan. • The management programs in place to address the threats. • Principles presented in the Viable Salmonid Populations paper (McElhany et al. 2000). • Best available information on population and ESU status and new advances in risk evaluation methodologies. • Other considerations, including: the number and status of extant spawning groups; the status of the major spawning groups; linkages and connectivity among groups; the diversity of life history and phenotypes expressed; and considerations regarding catastrophic risk. • Principles laid out in NMFS' Hatchery Listing Policy (70 FR 37204, June 28, 2005). Causes for Decline and Current Threats The Plan identifies the following causes for decline and threats to the ESU/DPS: *Habitat:* Human activities have altered and/or curtailed habitat-forming processes and limited the habitat suitable for spring Chinook salmon and steelhead in the Upper Columbia River tributaries. Although recent land and water management practices have improved, some storage dams, diversions, roads and railways, agriculture, residential development, and forest management continue to threaten spring Chinook salmon and steelhead and their habitat. The result has been deleterious changes in water flow, water temperature, sedimentation, floodplain dynamics, riparian function, and other aspects of the ecosystem. *Hydroelectric operations:* Conditions for Upper Columbia spring Chinook salmon and steelhead have been fundamentally altered throughout the Columbia River basin by the construction and operation of mainstem dams and reservoirs for power generation, navigation, and flood control. Upper Columbia salmon and steelhead are adversely affected by hydrosystem-related flow and water quality effects, obstructed and/or delayed passage, and ecological changes in impoundments. *Harvest:* Harvest of Upper Columbia Chinook salmon and steelhead occurs in commercial, recreational, and tribal fisheries in the mainstem Columbia, and in some tributaries. Upper Columbia spring Chinook salmon and steelhead are rarely taken in ocean fisheries; most harvest of these listed species occurs in the Columbia mainstem and some tributaries. Aggregate harvest rates (from fishing in all areas) have generally been reduced from their peak periods as a result of international treaties, fisheries conservation acts, the advent of weak stock management in the 1970s and 1980s, regional conservation goals, and the listing of many salmon ESUs and steelhead DPSs under the ESA. While fisheries do not target weak stocks of listed salmon or steelhead, listed fish are incidentally caught in fisheries directed at hatchery and healthy, unlisted wild stocks. *Hatcheries:* In the Upper Columbia Region, the twelve hatcheries currently producing spring Chinook and steelhead are operated to mitigate for loss of habitat and for passage mortalities resulting from the Columbia River hydrosystem. These hatcheries provide valuable mitigation and/or conservation benefits but can cause substantial adverse impacts if not properly managed. The Plan describes the risks to listed fish from these hatcheries, including genetic effects that reduce fitness and survival, ecological effects such as competition and predation, facility effects on passage and water quality, mixed stock fishery effects, and masking the true status of wild populations. *Additional Factors:* The Plan considers that there could be additional factors that affect Upper Columbia River spring Chinook salmon and steelhead, including changes in estuarine habitat, global climate change, inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms, fluctuating ocean cycles, and predation. Recovery Strategies and Actions The Plan's initial approach is to target reductions in all manageable threats and to improve the status of all extant Upper Columbia spring Chinook and steelhead populations. As monitoring and evaluation programs improve understanding of the effectiveness of various actions and their benefits throughout the life cycle of salmon and steelhead, adjustments may be made through the adaptive management framework described in the Plan. The Plan describes objectives and strategies and recommends specific actions for Upper Columbia spring Chinook salmon and steelhead recovery. Among the most significant recommendations are the following: *Habitat:* The Plan includes habitat restoration actions in all streams that currently support or may support (in a restored condition) listed spring Chinook salmon and steelhead in the Upper Columbia Basin. The objectives and recommended actions are derived from subbasin plans, watershed plans, the Upper Columbia Biological Strategy, the Douglas County public utility district

(PUD)and Chelan County PUD Anadromous Fish Agreement and Habitat Conservation Plans (AFAHCPs), and relicensing agreements. The Plan emphasizes actions that: protect existing areas where high ecological integrity and natural ecosystem processes persist; restore connectivity (access) throughout the historical range, where feasible and practical; protect and restore riparian habitat along spawning and rearing streams and identify long term opportunities for riparian habitat enhancement; protect and restore floodplain function and reconnection, off channel habitat, and channel migration processes where appropriate; and increase habitat diversity by rebuilding, maintaining, and adding instream structures (e.g., large woody debris, rocks, etc.) where long term channel form and function efforts are not feasible. *Hydroelectric operations:* Upper Columbia spring Chinook and steelhead migrate through four federally owned projects and three to five projects owned by PUDs. These projects are licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The Plan acknowledges that hydropower strategies and actions are being implemented, reviewed, and considered in several ongoing processes, including Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) EA section 7 consultations (for the lower four federal dams on the Columbia River), the AFAHCPs and relicensing agreements. The Plan's recommended actions are intended to be consistent with these processes. The Plan emphasizes continued implementation of the actions identified in the AFAHCPs, which adopted a standard of no net impact

(NNI)on the Upper Columbia Spring Chinook Salmon ESU and steelhead DPS. *Harvest:* Harvest objectives for treaty and non-treaty salmon and steelhead fisheries in the Columbia River Basin are set by the applicable state, tribal, and Federal agencies. Fishery objectives from McNary Dam to the mouth of the Columbia River (fishing zones 1-6) are established by state, tribal, and Federal parties in *U.S.* v. *Oregon* . While recognizing the role of the treaty and non-treaty co-managers, the Plan proposes that the *U.S.* v. *Oregon* parties incorporate Upper Columbia recovery goals when formulating fishery plans affecting Upper Columbia spring Chinook salmon and steelhead. The appropriate co-managers and fishery management agencies are also asked to work together with local stakeholders to develop tributary fisheries management goals and plans. Hatcheries: The hatchery strategies and actions in the Plan are being reviewed and considered in several ongoing processes, including in the Chelan County and Douglas County Public Utility District AFAHCPs, the Grant County biological opinion, and *U.S.* v *Oregon* . NMFS hopes the Plan's recommended goals and actions will be implemented through these ongoing processes. The Plan emphasizes that hatchery programs play an essential role in spring Chinook salmon and steelhead recovery. Among other measures, the Plan proposes that hatchery programs employ mechanisms to manage hatchery returns on spawning grounds in balance with naturally produced fish, while maintaining production levels identified in various agreements. It also proposes that, as the populations recover, hatchery programs should be modified to minimize adverse impacts of hatchery fish on naturally produced fish. *Integration:* The Plan states that recovery will depend on integrating actions that address habitat, harvest, and hydroelectric operations; moreover, it emphasizes that recovery actions must be implemented at both the ESU/DPS and the population scales. Time and Cost Estimates The ESA section 4(f)(1) requires that the recovery plan include “estimates of the time required and the cost to carry out those measures needed to achieve the Plan's goal and to achieve intermediate steps toward that goal” (16 U.S.C. 1533[f][1]). Currently, the plan provides an overall cost estimate of $138 million, which represents the estimated cost of implementing the tributary actions for habitat, hatcheries, and research, monitoring, and evaluation, over 10 years. Cost estimates for Columbia mainstem hydropower and estuary actions are included in two modules that NMFS developed because of the regional scope and applicability of the actions. These modules are incorporated into the Upper Columbia Plan by reference and are available on the NMFS Web site, *www.nwr.noaa.gov/Salmon-Recovery-Planning/ESA-Recovery-Plans/Other-Documents.cfm* . The hydropower cost estimates will be updated over time, as the section 7 consultation on the remanded 2004 FCRPS BiOp is completed. The estuary recovery costs could be further refined following public comment on the ESA recovery plan for the three listed lower Columbia ESUs and one listed Lower Columbia steelhead DPS in 2007. There are virtually no estimated costs for recovery actions associated with harvest to report at this time. This is because no actions are currently proposed that go beyond those already being implemented through *U.S.* v. *Oregon* and other harvest management forums. In the event that additional harvest actions are implemented through these forums, those costs will be added during the implementation phase of this recovery plan. All cost estimates will be refined and updated over time. The Plan states that if its recommended actions are implemented, recovery of the spring Chinook salmon ESU and the steelhead DPS is likely to occur within 10 to 30 years. The cost estimates cover capital projects and non-capital work projected to occur within the first 10-year period. NMFS supports the policy determination to include 30 years of implementation, with the proviso that before the end of the first 10-year implementation period, specific actions and costs will be estimated for the subsequent years to achieve long-term goals and to proceed until a determination is made that listing is no longer necessary. NMFS agrees that a 10- to 30-year range is a reasonable period of time during which to implement and evaluate the actions identified in the Plan. Conclusion NMFS concludes that the Plan meets the requirements of ESA section 4(f) and thus is proposing it as an ESA recovery plan. Copies of the **Federal Register** notices and related materials cited in this document are available on the internet at *www.nwr.noaa.gov/Salmon-Recovery-Planning/ESA-Recovery-Plans/Draft-Plans.cfm* . NMFS solicits written comments on the proposed Plan. All comments received by the date specified above will be considered prior to NMFS' decision whether to adopt the Plan. Additionally, NMFS will work with the UCSRB to provide a summary of the comments and responses through its regional Web site and provide a news release for the public announcing the availability of the response to comments. NMFS seeks comments particularly in the following areas:

(1)The analysis of limiting factors and threats;

(2)the recovery objectives, strategies, and actions;

(3)the criteria for removing the ESU and DPS from the Federal list of endangered and threatened wildlife and plants; and

(4)estimates of time and cost to implement recovery actions, including the intent to be even more specific by soliciting implementation schedules. Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 *et seq.* Dated: November 20, 2006. Jim Lecky, Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. E6-20180 Filed 11-27-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [I.D. 111606A] General Advisory Committee to the U.S. Section to the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission; Meeting Announcement AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of public meeting. SUMMARY: NMFS announces a meeting, via teleconference, of the General Advisory Committee to the U.S. Section to the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) in January 2007. Meeting topics are provided under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice. DATES: The meeting will be held on January 18, 2007, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (or until business is concluded), Pacific time. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held via teleconference. Please notify Allison Routt prior to January 11, 2007, to receive dial in information and of your intent to participate in this teleconference. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Allison Routt at

(562)980-4019 or

(562)980-4030. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Tuna Conventions Act, as amended, the Department of State has appointed a General Advisory Committee to the United States Section to the IATTC. The U.S. Section consists of the four U.S. Commissioners to the IATTC and the representative of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and Fisheries. The Advisory Committee supports the work of the U.S. Section in a solely advisory capacity with respect to U.S. participation in the work of the IATTC, with particular reference to the development of policies and negotiating positions pursued at meetings of the IATTC. NMFS, Southwest Region, administers the Advisory Committee in cooperation with the Department of State. Meeting Topics The General Advisory Committee will meet to receive and discuss information on:

(1)2006 and 2007 IATTC activities,

(2)activities of the Commerce and State Departments and the Pacific Fishery Management Council and Western Pacific Fishery Management Council as they relate to the IATTC, including scientific developments,

(3)upcoming meetings of the IATTC and its working groups, including issues such as: conservation and management measures for yellowfin, bigeye, and albacore tuna for 2007 and beyond, measures to be taken in cases of noncompliance with the IATTC's conservation and management measures, management of fishing capacity, financing the IATTC, and measures to address bycatch and other issues,

(4)IATTC cooperation with other regional fishery management organizations, and

(5)administrative matters pertaining to the General Advisory Committee. Special Accommodations The meeting is via teleconference. Requests for special accommodations, issues, and needs should be directed to Allison Routt at

(562)980-4019 or

(562)980-4030 by January 2, 2007. Dated: November 20 2006. James P. Burgess, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. E6-20169 Filed 11-27-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [Docket No. 060419105-6105-01] Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records AGENCY: Department of Commerce, NOAA. ACTION: Notice of a new Privacy Act System of Records: COMMERCE/NOAA System-18; permits and registrations for fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone

(EEZ)off Washington, Oregon, and California and permits and registrations for vessels fishing outside of the EEZ (High Seas). SUMMARY: This notice announces the Department of Commerce (Department's) proposal for a new system of records under the Privacy Act. NOAA Fisheries, Northwest Region is creating a new system of records for permits and non-permit registrations is for use with a variety of fisheries management programs. NOAA Fisheries requires the use of permits or registrations by participants in certain fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone

(EEZ)off Washington, Oregon, and California and on the high seas outside of the EEZ. Applications for various permits and registrations are collected from individuals under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act and the High Seas Fishing Compliance Act. This new record system is necessary to identify participants in the fishery and to evaluate whether the applicants/participants meet the established requirements for such fishing privileges. DATES: To be considered, written comments must be submitted on or before December 28, 2006. Unless comments are received, the new system of records will become effective as proposed on the date of publication of a subsequent notice in the **Federal Register** . ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to Frank Lockhart, Assistant Regional Administrator for Sustainable Fisheries, NOAA Fisheries, Northwest Region, Sustainable Fisheries Division, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Bldg. #1, Seattle, WA 98115; Attn: Maryanne Nickerson. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kevin Ford, 206-526-6115. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NOAA Fisheries, Northwest Region is creating a new system of records for permit and non-permit registrations for use with a variety of fisheries management programs. NOAA Fisheries requires the use of permits or registration by some participants in fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone

(EEZ)off Washington, Oregon, and California and in the High Seas outside of the EEZ. Information collections would be requested from individuals under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Act and the High Seas Fishing Compliance Act. The collection of information is necessary to identify participants in these fisheries and to evaluate whether the applicants or current permit owners/holders are eligible for certain fishing privileges and benefits. NOAA Fisheries, Northwest Region would collect information from individuals in order to issue, renew, or transfer fishing permits or to make non-permit registrations. Where the SSN is requested, bracketed information indicates whether the response to the request is voluntary [SSN voluntary] or mandatory [SSN mandatory]. The authority for the mandatory collection of SSN is the Debt Collection Act Improvement Act, 31 U.S.C. 7701. Specifically, the Northwest Region issues permits or registrations for the following programs: Pacific Coast Groundfish Limited Entry Permits [SSN mandatory], Exempted Fisheries Permit (NOAA approved research and data collection activities) [SSN mandatory], High Seas Fishing Compliance Act Permits (for those individuals electing to obtain a high seas permit through the NMFS, Northwest Region) [SSN mandatory], Registration of Sablefish Vessels with an Exemption from At-Sea Processing [SSN mandatory]. COMMERCE/NOAA-18 System Name: Permits and Registrations for Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone

(EEZ)off Washington, Oregon and California and Permits and Registrations for Vessels Fishing outside of the EEZ (High Seas). Security Classification: None. System Location: NOAA Fisheries, Northwest Region, Sustainable Fisheries Division, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Bldg. #1, Seattle, WA 98115. Categories of Individuals Covered by the System: Owners of a permit or holders of a permit as recognized by NMFS. Individuals, who apply for any permit, permit exemption or regulation exemption, registration, dedicated access privilege or fishing quota share either initially, annually, or by transfer. Owners and/or operators of a catcher vessel, catcher/processors, or motherships. Applicants seeking permission to fish in a manner that would otherwise be prohibited in order to conduct experimental fishing. Owners of processing facilities and/or fish dealers. Categories of Records in the System: Among the records that may be contained in this system of records are the following: Current and prospective (applicant) permit owner, holder, vessel owner and operator name, individuals seeking and/or receiving a permit or fishing exemption; address; telephone number; fax number; e-mail address; social security number

(SSN)or tax identification number; NMFS internal identification number; vessel name; vessel gear; hold capacity; United States Coast Guard Certificate of Documentation number or state vessel registration number/document; vessel length; permit number; amount of landed fish or processed fish product; divorce decrees; death certificates; probated wills; trust documents; sales and lease agreements; marriage certificates; probated wills; date of birth; medical records. For those individuals that own a sablefish endorsed permit, or applicants or recipients of exemptions, such lists will detail the individuals name, address, and SSN. Collection of SSN is mandatory for applicants for, and recipients of, a Federal permit or exemption thereof. Authority for Maintenance of the System: Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, 16 U.S.C. 1801 *et seq* . (Magnuson-Stevens Act); 50 CFR Part 660, Subpart G; High Seas Fishing Compliance Act of 1995, 16 U.S.C 5501 *et seq* .; 50 CFR Part 300; Debt Collection Improvement Act, 31 U.S.C. 7701. Purposes(s): This information will allow the NOAA Fisheries to identify permit owners and holders, and vessel owners and operators, and evaluate requests by applicants and current participants (permit owners and holders) in approving/disapproving the issuance of a permit, a vessel registration, and a transfer of an existing permit or renewal of a current permit. Routine Uses of Records Maintained in the System, Including Categories of Users and the Purpose of Such Uses: These records or information contained therein may specifically be disclosed as a routine use as stated below. The Department will, when so authorized, make the determination as to the relevancy of a record prior to its decision to disclose a document. 1. In the event that a system of records maintained by the Department to carry out its functions indicates a violation or potential violation of law or contract, whether civil, criminal or regulatory in nature and whether arising by general statute or particular program statute or contract, or rule, regulation or order issued pursuant thereto, or the necessity to protect an interest of the Department, the relevant records in the system of records may be referred to the appropriate agency, whether Federal, State, local or foreign, charged with the responsibility of investigation or prosecuting such violation or charged with enforcing or implementing the statute or contract, or rule, regulation or order issued pursuant thereto, or protecting the interest of the Department. 2. A record from this system of records may be disclosed in the course of presenting evidence to a court, magistrate or administrative tribunal, including disclosures to opposing counsel in the course of settlement negotiations. 3. A record in this system of records may be disclosed to a Member of Congress submitting a request involving an individual when the individual has requested assistance from the Member with respect to the subject matter of the record. 4. A record in this system of records may be disclosed to the Department of Justice in connection with determining whether the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) requires disclosure thereof. 5. A record in this system of records may be disclosed to a contractor of the Department having need for the information in the performance of the contract, but not operating a system of records within the meaning of 5 U.S.C. 552a(m). 6. A record in this system of records may be disclosed to approved persons of the states of Washington, Oregon, California or the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission for the purpose of co-managing a fishery or for making determinations about eligibility for permits when State data are all or part of the basis for the permits. 7. A record in this system of records may be disclosed to Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) staff and contractors tasked with development of analyses to support Council decisions about Fishery Management Programs. 8. A record in this system of records may be disclosed to the NOAA Fisheries Observer Program for purposes of identifying current permit owners and vessels and making a random assignment of observers to vessels in a given fishing season. Policies and Practices for Storing, Retrieving, Accessing, Retaining and Disposing of Records in the System: Storage: Computerized database; paper records are stored in file folders in locked metal cabinet. Retrievability: Paper records are maintained in file folders and organized by permit number for the groundfish limited entry permits and exempted fishing permits. High Seas Fishing Compliance Act permit file folders are organized by vessel number. Electronic records are retrieved by permit number, name of permit owner or permit holder, vessel owner name, vessel name or vessel identification number or any combination thereof. Safeguards: The system of records is stored in a building with doors that are locked during and after business hours. Visitors to the facility must register with security guards and must be accompanied by Federal personnel at all times. Records are stored in a locked file cabinet. Electronic records containing Privacy Act information are protected by a user identification/password. The user identification/password is issued individuals as authorized by authorized personnel. Retention and Disposal: All records are retained and disposed of in accordance with National Archive and Records Administration regulations (36 CFR Chapter XII, Subchapter B—Records Management); Departmental directives and comprehensive records schedules. System Manager(s) and Address: NOAA Fisheries, Northwest Region, Sustainable Fisheries Division, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Bldg. #1, Seattle, WA 98115. Notification Procedure: A notification may be submitted to the system manager at the address given above. Requestor must make the request in writing and provide his/her name, address, and date of the request and record sought. All such requests must comply with the inquiry provisions of the Department's Privacy Act rules which appear at 15 CFR Part 4, Appendix A. Record Access Procedures: Requests for access to records maintained in this system of records should be addressed to the same address given in the Notification section above. Contesting Record Procedures: The Department's rules for access, for contesting contents, and appealing initial determinations by the individual concerned are provided for in 15 CFR Part 4, Appendix A. Record Source Categories: Information in this system will be collected from individuals applying for a permit or registration or from an existing permit owner, permit holder or vessel owner. Exemption Claims for System: None. Dated: November 20, 2006. Brenda Dolan, Department of Commerce, Freedom of Information/Privacy Act Officer. [FR Doc. E6-20121 Filed 11-27-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Telecommunications and Information Administration Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee Meeting AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), Department of Commerce (DOC). ACTION: Notice of Open Meeting SUMMARY: This notice announces a public meeting of the Spectrum Management Advisory Committee (Committee). The Committee provides advice to the Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information on spectrum management matters. DATES: The meeting will be held on December 13, 2006, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the U.S. Department of Commerce, Herbert C. Hoover Building, Room 6059, 1401 Constitution Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. Public comments may be mailed to Spectrum Management Advisory Committee, 1401 Constitution Ave. N.W., Room 4725, Washington, D.C. 20230 or emailed to spectrumadvisory@ntia.doc.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Meredith Baker, Designated Federal Official, at

(202)482-1840 or mbaker@ntia.doc.gov; Joe Gattuso at

(202)482-0977 or jgattuso@ntia.doc.gov; and/or visit NTIA's web site at www.ntia.doc.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: *Background:* The Secretary of Commerce established the Spectrum Management Advisory Committee (Committee) to implement a recommendation of the President's Initiative on Spectrum Management pursuant to the President's November 29, 2004 Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies on the subject of “Spectrum Management for the 21 st Century.” 1 This Committee is subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), 5 U.S.C. App. 2 and is consistent with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Act, 47 U.S.C. § 904(b). The Committee provides advice to the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information on needed reforms to domestic spectrum policies and management to enable the introduction of new spectrum-dependent technologies and services, including policy reforms for expediting the American public's access to broadband services, public safety, digital television, and long-range spectrum planning. The Committee will function solely as an advisory body in compliance with the FACA. 1 * President's Memorandum on Improving Spectrum Management for the 21 st Century * , 49 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 2875 (Nov. 29, 2004)(Executive Memorandum). *Matters to Be Considered:* This will be the first meeting of the Committee. The primary purpose of this initial meeting is to organize the Committee and establish future agendas and work schedule. As such, the meeting agenda includes the following:

(1)Discussion of Committee organization and future agendas and

(2)Briefings on matters related to the President's Spectrum Policy Initiative. *Time and Date:* The meeting will be held on December 13, 2006 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. These times and the agenda topics described below are subject to change. Please refer to NTIA's web site, http://www.ntia.doc.gov, for the most up-to-date meeting agenda. *Place:* U.S. Department of Commerce, Herbert C. Hoover Building, Room 6059, 1401 Constitution Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. The meeting will be open to the public and press on a first-come, first-served basis. Space is limited. When arriving for the meeting, attendees must present photo or passport identification or a U.S. Government building pass, if applicable, and should arrive at least one-half hour prior to the start time of the meeting. The meeting will be physically accessible to people with disabilities. Individuals requiring special services, such as sign language interpretation or other ancillary aids are asked to contact Joe Gattuso at least two

(2)business days prior to the meeting. *Status:* Interested parties are invited to attend and to submit written comments. Written comments should be sent to the above listed address and received by close of business on December 11, 2006 to provide sufficient time for review. Comments received after December 11, 2006 will be distributed to the Committee, but may not be reviewed prior to the meeting. It would be helpful if paper submissions also include a three and one-half inch computer diskette in HTML, ASCII, PDF, Word or WordPerfect format (please specify version). Diskettes should be labeled with the name and organizational affiliation of the filer, and the name of the word processing program used to create the document. Alternatively, comments may be submitted electronically to spectrumadvisory@ntia.doc.gov. Comments provided via electronic mail may also be submitted in one or more of the formats specified above. *Records:* NTIA is keeping records of all Committee proceedings, which will be available for public inspection at NTIA's office at the address above. Documents including the Committee's charter, membership, agendas, minutes, and any reports are or will be available on NTIA's web site. Dated: November 22, 2006. Milton Brown, Acting Chief Counsel, National Telecommunications and Information Administration. [FR Doc. E6-20103 Filed 11-27-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-60-S COURT SERVICES AND OFFENDER SUPERVISION AGENCY FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA No FEAR Act Notice AGENCY: Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the District of Columbia. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) is hereby providing notice of employee rights and protections under the Notification and Federal Employees Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002 (the No FEAR Act) to its employees, including employees of the District of Columbia Pretrial Services Agency, an independent entity within CSOSA. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any questions regarding this notice should be directed to Barbara J. Jones, Director, Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, Diversity and Special Programs, Office of the Director, 601 Indiana Avenue, Suite 512, Washington, DC 20004, phone

(202)442-1990, fax

(202)442-1963, e-mail *Barbara.Jones@csosa.gov* . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 15, 2002, Congress enacted the “Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002,” which is now known as the No FEAR Act. One purpose of the Act is to “require that Federal agencies be accountable for violations of antidiscrimination and whistleblower protection laws.” Public Law 107-174, Summary. In support of this purpose, Congress found that “agencies cannot be run effectively if those agencies practice or tolerate discrimination.” Public Law 107-174, Title I, General Provisions, section 101(1). The Act also requires this agency to provide this notice to Federal employees, former Federal employees and applicants for Federal employment to inform you of the rights and protections available to you under Federal antidiscrimination and whistleblower protection laws. Antidiscrimination Laws A Federal agency cannot discriminate against an employee or applicant with respect to the terms, conditions or privileges of employment based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status or political affiliation. Discrimination on these bases is prohibited by one or more of the following statutes: 5 U.S.C. 2302(b)(1), 29 U.S.C. 206(d), 29 U.S.C. 631, 29 U.S.C. 633a, 29 U.S.C. 791 and 42 U.S.C. 2000e-16. If you believe that you have been the victim of unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin or disability, you must contact an Equal Employment Opportunity

(EEO)counselor within 45 calendar days of the alleged discriminatory action, or, in the case of a personnel action, within 45 calendar days of the effective date of the action, before you can file a formal complaint of discrimination with your agency. See, *e.g.* , 29 CFR part 1614 and Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) Office of EEO, Diversity and Special Programs Web site at *http://www.csosa.gov* . If you believe that you have been the victim of unlawful discrimination based on age, you must either contact an EEO counselor as noted above or give notice of intent to sue to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

(EEOC)within 180 calendar days of the alleged discriminatory action. If you are alleging discrimination based on marital status or political affiliation, you may file a written complaint with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel

(OSC)(see contact information below). In the alternative (or in some cases, in addition), you may pursue a discrimination complaint by filing a grievance through your agency's administrative or negotiated grievance procedures, if such procedures apply and are available. Whistleblower Protection Laws A Federal employee with authority to take, direct others to take, recommend or approve any personnel action must not use that authority to take or fail to take, or threaten to take or fail to take, a personnel action against an employee or applicant because of disclosure of information by that individual that is reasonably believed to evidence violations of law, rule or regulation; gross mismanagement; gross waste of funds; an abuse of authority; or a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety, unless disclosure of such information is specifically required by Executive order to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or the conduct of foreign affairs. Retaliation against an employee or applicant for making a protected disclosure is prohibited by 5 U.S.C. 2302(b)(8). If you believe that you have been the victim of whistleblower retaliation, you may file a written complaint (Form OSC-11) with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel at 1730 M Street NW., Suite 218, Washington, DC 20036-4505 or online through the OSC Web site: *http://www.osc.gov* . Retaliation for Engaging in Protected Activity A Federal agency cannot retaliate against an employee or applicant because that individual exercises his or her rights under any of the Federal antidiscrimination or whistleblower protection laws listed above. If you believe that you are the victim of retaliation for engaging in protected activity, you must follow, as appropriate, the procedures described in the Antidiscrimination Laws and Whistleblower Protection Laws sections or, if applicable, the administrative or negotiated grievance procedures in order to pursue any legal remedy. Disciplinary Actions Under the existing laws, each agency retains the right, where appropriate, to discipline a Federal employee for conduct that is inconsistent with Federal Antidiscrimination and Whistleblower Protection Laws up to and including removal. If OSC has initiated an investigation under 5 U.S.C. 1214, however, according to 5 U.S.C. 1214(f), agencies must seek approval from the Special Counsel to discipline employees for, among other activities, engaging in prohibited retaliation. Nothing in the No FEAR Act alters existing laws or permits an agency to take unfounded disciplinary action against a Federal employee or to violate the procedural rights of a Federal employee who has been accused of discrimination. Additional Information For further information regarding the No FEAR Act regulations, refer to 5 CFR part 724, as well as the CSOSA's EEO Office at *http://www.csosa.gov* . Additional information regarding Federal antidiscrimination whistleblower protection and retaliation laws can be found at the EEOC Web site: *http://www.eeoc.gov* and the OSC Web site: *http://www.osc.gov.* Existing Rights Unchanged Pursuant to section 205 of the No FEAR Act, neither the Act nor this notice creates, expands or reduces any rights otherwise available to any employee, former employee or applicant under the laws of the United States, including the provisions of law specified in 5 U.S.C. 2302(d). Barbara J. Jones, Director, Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, Diversity and Special Programs, Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency. [FR Doc. E6-20046 Filed 11-27-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3129-01-P DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Navy Meetings of the Naval Research Advisory Committee AGENCY: Department of the Navy, DoD. ACTION: Notice of partially closed meeting. SUMMARY: The Naval Research Advisory Committee

(NRAC)will meet to discuss classified information from government organizations. All sessions of the meetings, except the NRAC Security, Ethics, and Travel Brief on Tuesday, December 5, 2006 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., will be devoted to briefings, discussions, and technical examinations of issues related to maritime strategy and Department of the Navy plans, programs, and objectives. It is envisioned that these discussions will enable the NRAC to identify technology gaps where additional science and technology investments may be needed to satisfy current and projected Navy and Marine Corps requirements. DATES: The meetings will be held on Tuesday, December 5, 2006, from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Wednesday, December 6, 2006, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. During the NRAC Security, Ethics, and Travel Brief on Tuesday, December 5, 2006 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., the meeting will be open to the public. ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the Office of Naval Research, Room 1432, The Frances Rothwell Room, Arlington, VA 22203. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Sujata Millick, Program Director, Naval Research Advisory Committee, 875 North Randolph Street, Arlington, VA 22203-1995, 703-696-4875. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is provided in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 2). All sessions of the meetings, except the NRAC Security, Ethics, and Travel Brief on Tuesday, December 5, 2006 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., will be devoted to executive sessions that will include discussions and technical examinations of information related to forthcoming NRAC studies. These briefings and discussions will contain classified information that is specifically authorized under criteria established by Executive Order to remain classified in the interest of national defense and are properly classified pursuant to such Executive Order. The classified and non-classified matters to be discussed are so inextricably intertwined as to preclude opening any portions of the meetings. In accordance with 5 U.S.C. App. 2, section 10(d), the Secretary of the Navy has determined in writing that the public interest requires that all sessions of the meeting, with the exception of the NRAC Security, Ethics, and Travel Brief on Tuesday, December 5, 2006 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., be closed to the public because the sessions will be concerned with matters listed in 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(1) and (4). Dated: November 20, 2006. M.A. Harvison, Lieutenant Commander, Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, Federal Register Liaison Officer. [FR Doc. E6-20118 Filed 11-27-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3810-FF-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 December 28, 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

(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. Dated: November 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 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 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. E6-20124 Filed 11-27-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Amended Record of Decision: Idaho High-Level Waste and Facilities Disposition Final Environmental Impact Statement AGENCY: Department of Energy. ACTION: Amended Record of Decision. SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy

(DOE)is amending its Record of Decision

(ROD)published December 19, 2005 (70 **Federal Register** [FR] 75165), pursuant to the Idaho High-Level Waste and Facilities Disposition Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) (DOE/EIS-0287, September 2002). The Final EIS analyzed two sets of alternatives for accomplishing DOE's proposed actions regarding the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC):

(1)Waste processing alternatives and

(2)facility disposition alternatives. As described in this Amended ROD, DOE has decided to conduct performance-based closure of the INTEC Tank Farm Facility (TFF). This decision to conduct performance-based closure of the TFF does not affect decisions made in the initial ROD concerning: performance-based closure of other existing facilities directly related to the HLW Program; planned clean closure of newly constructed waste processing facilities needed to implement the initial ROD; steam reforming treatment of sodium-bearing waste

(SBW)to allow disposal at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

(WIPP)near Carlsbad, New Mexico (DOE's preferred disposal path) or at a geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel

(SNF)and HLW; management of newly generated liquid waste (NGLW); and DOE's strategy to retrieve HLW calcine for disposal outside the State of Idaho. Nor does this Amended ROD affect future decisions concerning the retrieval strategy for HLW calcine stored at INTEC, potential calcine treatment if necessary, and closure of the bin sets in which the calcine is stored. ADDRESSES: Copies of this Amended ROD will be available on DOE's National Environmental Policy Act

(NEPA)Web site at: *http://www.eh.doe.gov/nepa* under DOE NEPA Documents. Copies of the Section 3116 Determination and associated documents are available on DOE's Web site at *http://apps.em.doe.gov/idwd* . FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on this Amended ROD and the Idaho Cleanup Project, contact Scott Van Camp, Assistant Manager, Facility and Materials Disposition Project, U.S. DOE, Idaho Operations Office, 1955 Fremont Avenue, MS-1222, Idaho Falls, ID 83415, Telephone:

(208)526-6503. For general information on DOE's NEPA process, please contact: Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance (GC-20), U.S. DOE, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0103, Telephone:

(202)586-4600 or leave a message at

(800)472-2756. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background From 1952 to 1991, DOE and its predecessor agencies reprocessed SNF at INTEC, known prior to 1998 as the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant, on the Idaho National Laboratory

(INL)Site. Reprocessing operations used solvent extraction systems to remove mostly uranium-235 from SNF. The waste product from the first extraction cycle of the reprocessing operation was liquid HLW mixed with hazardous materials, which was stored in belowgrade stainless steel tanks at the INTEC TFF. Subsequent extraction cycles, treatment processes, and follow-on decontamination activities generated additional liquids that were combined to form liquid SBW, which is generally much less radioactive than HLW generated from the first extraction cycle. After SNF reprocessing was curtailed in 1991, the first cycle reprocessing wastes were removed from the tanks in the TFF and the tanks were reused to store liquid SBW. The liquid SBW was stored in ten of the eleven 300,000-gallon belowgrade storage tanks in the TFF. The eleventh tank was maintained as a spare (but was contaminated with a small quantity of waste). The TFF also includes four 30,000-gallon belowgrade tanks that were used in reprocessing operations. The last campaign of SNF reprocessing at INTEC was in 1991, and HLW is no longer generated at INTEC. From 1963 to 1998, DOE processed HLW and some SBW through calcination that converted the liquid waste into a dry powder calcine. Additional SBW was processed by calcination from 1998 to 2000. At present, approximately 4,400 cubic meters of HLW calcine remains stored in six bin sets (a series of reinforced concrete vaults, each containing three to seven stainless steel storage bins). Over the past several years, TFF operations have included removing SBW from the tanks, consolidating the remaining approximately 900,000 gallons of SBW into three 300,000-gallon belowgrade tanks, and cleaning the emptied tanks. Tank cleaning to remove the tank heels in the emptied tanks (the amount of liquid remaining in each tank after lowering the tank contents to the greatest extent possible by use of the existing transfer equipment) began in late 2002. Seven of the 300,000-gallon tanks, the four 30,000-gallon inactive tanks, and associated ancillary equipment have been cleaned, and DOE plans to clean and complete closure of the remaining tanks, piping, valve boxes, encasements, and vaults by December 31, 2012. The Final EIS, issued in October 2002, analyzed two sets of alternatives for accomplishing the proposed action:

(1)Waste processing alternatives for treating, storing, and disposing of liquid SBW and NGLW stored in belowgrade tanks and solid HLW calcine stored in bin sets at the INTEC on the INL Site; and

(2)facility disposition alternatives for final disposition of facilities directly related to the HLW Program after its missions are complete, including any new facilities necessary to implement the waste processing alternatives. This Amended ROD addresses only disposition of the TFF and not waste processing or other facilities addressed in the initial ROD. On October 28, 2004, the NDAA was enacted. Among other provisions of the Act, Section 3116 provides that certain wastes from reprocessing SNF are not HLW if the Secretary, in consultation with the NRC, determines that the criteria in Section 3116(a) have been met. In DOE's initial ROD, published December 19, 2005 (70 FR 75165), DOE decided, among other things, to pursue a phased decision-making process and stated its plan to issue an Amended ROD in 2006 specifically addressing closure of the TFF, in coordination with the Secretary's Determination under Section 3116. As explained in the initial ROD, the State of Idaho, as a cooperating agency on the Draft and Final EIS, stated that it would continue to coordinate with DOE and NRC, as appropriate, regarding Section 3116 activities. DOE submitted a Draft Section 3116 Determination concerning the TFF to the NRC on September 7, 2005, and consulted with the NRC pursuant to Section 3116(a) of the NDAA. Although not required by Section 3116, DOE issued a Notice of Availability of the Draft Section 3116 Determination in the **Federal Register** on September 14, 2005 (70 FR 54374), for public review, concurrent with DOE's consultation with the NRC. The NRC consultation process has been completed. On October 20, 2006, the NRC issued its Technical Evaluation Report

(TER)(NRC ADAMS # ML062490108) of the DOE Draft Section 3116 Determination. The TER presents the results of NRC's consultation with respect to whether DOE meets the applicable provisions of Section 3116(a) of the NDAA for the Secretary to determine that the stabilized residuals are not HLW. As noted in its executive summary, “Based on the information provided by DOE, NRC staff has concluded in this TER that there is reasonable assurance that the applicable criteria of the NDAA can be met for residual waste associated with the TFF.” DOE considered the NRC's TER, as well as comments received from the State of Idaho and the INL Site Environmental Management Citizens Advisory Board (no additional public comments were received) on the Draft Section 3116 Determination, before issuing the Section 3116 Determination. In the Section 3116 Determination for the TFF, the Secretary concluded that, for reasons set forth in the Basis for Section 3116 Determination for the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center Tank Farm Facility (Basis Document), and based on DOE's consultation with the NRC, the criteria of Section 3116(a) have been met, and therefore the stabilized residuals may be disposed of in place. Disposal of the grouted TFF waste in place will meet the performance objectives set forth in 10 Code of Federal Regulations

(CFR)Part 61, Subpart C. DOE estimates that this action will result in an annual maximum exposure risk (total effective dose) to members of the public from all pathways of well below 25 mrem. A **Federal Register** Notice of Availability of the Secretary's Section 3116 Determination is being provided separately and concurrently with this ROD. II. Comments on the Final EIS DOE received five letters and two emails on the Final EIS and responded to those comments in the initial ROD. However, because DOE deferred its decision regarding the TFF, it is appropriate to address one additional comment made by the Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA)(letter on the Final EIS of November 18, 2002) in this Amended ROD. That is, the EPA noted that “the Final EIS did not define, in the case of tank closures, the degree of retrieval and/or decontamination necessary to provide a defensible basis for reclassifying residuals”. The Basis Document addresses this comment. III. Facility Disposition Alternatives Analyzed The Final EIS analyzed six facility disposition alternatives: No Action, Clean Closure, Performance-Based Closure, Closure to Landfill Standards, Performance-Based Closure with Class A Grout Disposal, and Performance-Based Closure with Class C Grout Disposal. 1 Under the No Action Alternative, the transuranic/SBW waste would remain in the Tank Farm, and eventually over thousands of years, this waste would migrate into the environment. Under the Clean Closure Alternative, facilities would have the hazardous and radiological contaminants, including contaminated equipment, removed from the site or treated so that these contaminants would be indistinguishable from background concentrations. Under the Performance-Based Closure Alternative, contamination would remain that is below the levels that would impact human health and the environment as established by regulations. Under the Closure to Landfill Standards Alternative, wastes would be removed to the extent practicable; however, quantities remaining would not meet clean closure or performance-based action levels. Under the Performance-Based Closure with Class A Grout Disposal and Performance-Based Closure with Class C Grout Disposal Alternatives, SBW and calcine would have been separated into high and low activity fractions, and the low-level waste fraction would be grouted to meet either Class A or Class C levels and disposed of in the tanks or bin sets. These six alternatives reflect different ways to address the risk associated with disposition of residuals remaining in facilities and closing facilities directly related to the HLW Program at INTEC after its missions are complete. These alternatives differ in the degree to which facilities are cleaned up and in the type of use that could be made of the land as a result. 1 The names of the alternatives in the Final EIS use terminology that is similar to terminology used in the context of closure of hazardous waste management units under HWMA/RCRA. However, the terminology used in the names of the EIS alternatives and the HWMA/RCRA is not synonymous in all cases. For example, the Clean Closure Alternative included removal of the tanks, whereas clean closure of the tanks under HWMA/RCRA means cleaning the tanks to action levels established in the state approved closure plan. The INL TFF is subject to closure under HWMA/RCRA pursuant to closure plans approved by the State of Idaho. Preferred Facility Disposition Alternative In the Final EIS, DOE and the State of Idaho, as a cooperating agency, identified three of the six facility disposition alternatives as preferred: Performance-Based Closure, Clean Closure, and Closure to Landfill Standards. DOE and the State of Idaho weighed several factors in identifying the Preferred Alternatives for facility disposition, including size and complexity of facilities, volume of waste generated during facility disposition, residual waste/contaminant risk reduction, technical and economic feasibility, and protection of workers, the public, and the environment. Under the Performance-Based Closure Alternative evaluated in the EIS, radioactive contamination would remain below levels that would impact human health and the environment as established by regulations. These levels, referred to as action levels, are either risk-based ( *e.g.* , residual contaminant levels) or performance-based ( *e.g.* , corrosivity). Once these action levels and the action levels set forth in the HWMA/RCRA Closure Plan approved by the State of Idaho are achieved, the unit/facility is deemed closed according to the HWMA/RCRA and DOE requirements. Other activities may then occur at the unit/facility such as decontamination and decommissioning or future operations (where nonhazardous waste can enter the unit/facility). Most abovegrade units/facilities would be demolished and most belowgrade facilities/units (tanks, vaults, and transfer piping) would be stabilized and left in place. The residual contaminants would no longer pose any unacceptable exposure (or risk) to workers, the public, and the environment. Pursuant to HWMA/RCRA regulations, if the action levels cannot be achieved, then the TFF and TFF system may need to be closed in accordance with closure and post-closure regulations that apply to landfills. 2 2 Although not part of this Amended ROD, DOE also has proposed to cap the surface of the TFF to meet the remedial action objectives agreed to by DOE, the State of Idaho, and the EPA pursuant to the 1991 Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). DOE's *Proposed Plan for Tank Farm Soil and INTEC Groundwater, Operable Unit 3-14* (RPT-223, 2004), which includes capping the surface of the TFF, has been issued for public comment. The CERCLA decision is planned for 2007. Capping would reduce water infiltration and provide worker protection where appropriate. IV. Environmentally Preferable Alternative The initial ROD, in identifying the environmentally preferred alternative, considered: potential risk to the public ( *e.g.* , latent cancer fatalities); potential environmental risks in the short- and long-term, including environmental risks after loss of institutional control; and potential short-term risk to workers. The initial ROD identified the facility disposition alternatives that actively closed the TFF facilities under environmentally-based standards as preferable to the No Action Alternative. Based on the analyses in the Final EIS, the Clean Closure Alternative is the environmentally preferred alternative over the long-term. However, the Performance-Based Closure Alternative would be protective of the public and environment in the short- and long-term while minimizing short-term risks to workers. V. Decision DOE has decided to conduct performance-based closure of the TFF as set forth in the Final EIS. DOE has decided to close the TFF in phases to support continued INTEC operations, with final closure of the TFF planned by December 2012. DOE is making the decision in this Amended ROD following the Secretary's Determination, in consultation with the NRC, that the grouted residuals at disposal are not HLW because they meet the criteria in Section 3116(a) of the NDAA. By law, material covered by such a determination is not HLW. Performance-based closure of the TFF and TFF system pursuant to this Amended ROD includes removing waste to the maximum extent practical from the eleven 300,000-gallon tanks, the four 30,000-gallon tanks, associated piping, valve boxes, encasements, and vaults, and grouting and disposing of stabilized residuals in place. 3 Closure of the TFF will be undertaken pursuant to closure plans approved by the State of Idaho under the HWMA. DOE intends for the TFF closure activities to remove or decontaminate waste residues to meet State of Idaho-approved action levels for hazardous constituents. If these action levels cannot be achieved, then the TFF may be closed in accordance with closure and post-closure regulations that apply to landfills. The closure of the TFF will also be in accordance with applicable DOE requirements, regulations, and Orders, which ensure that this action will result in an annual maximum exposure risk (total effective dose) to members of the public from all pathways of well below 25 mrem. 3 Under closure pursuant to this decision, a small amount (approximately 3/8 inch) of residual radioactive (non-HWMA/RCRA) waste that cannot be removed would remain after completing tank cleaning operations. The State of Idaho has commented and coordinated with DOE and NRC, as appropriate, concerning Section 3116 of the NDAA. The State has concurred with the performance-based closure of the TFF, subject to the State's separate approval of individual closure plans under the HWMA/RCRA. This decision to conduct performance-based closure of the TFF does not affect the decisions made in the initial ROD concerning: performance-based closure for other existing facilities directly related to the HLW Program; planned clean closure of newly constructed waste processing facilities needed to implement the initial ROD; steam reforming treatment of SBW to allow disposal at the WIPP near Carlsbad, New Mexico (DOE's preferred disposal path) or at a geologic repository for SNF and HLW; management of NGLW; and DOE's strategy to retrieve HLW calcine for disposal outside the State of Idaho. Nor does this Amended ROD affect future decisions concerning the retrieval strategy for HLW calcine stored at the INTEC, potential calcine treatment if necessary, and the closure of the bin sets in which the calcine is stored. No impact resulting from operations under this decision would require specifically designed mitigation measures. DOE will, however, use all practicable means to avoid or minimize environmental harm when implementing the actions described in this Amended ROD. Those measures include employing engineering design features to meet regulatory requirements, maintaining a rigorous health and safety program to protect workers from radiological and chemical contaminants, monitoring worker and environmental risk, and continuing efforts to reduce the generation of wastes. DOE will implement the comprehensive list of standards and requirements to protect workers, the public, and the environment specified in Chapter 6 of the Final EIS, as appropriate. VI. Basis for Decision DOE's decision to implement performance-based closure methods for disposition of the TFF is based on the analysis of the potential environmental impacts identified in the Final EIS. The Performance-Based Closure Alternative would minimize short-term risk to workers as compared to the Clean Closure Alternative, while also being protective of health and the environment in the long term. In addition, this Amended ROD is based on consideration of regulatory requirements such as the HWMA/RCRA, applicable DOE Orders, and cost. As part of its basis for decision, DOE also emphasizes that, on balance, performance-based closure would be protective of the public and environment in the short- and long-term, while limiting the risk to workers. This decision also takes into account the Secretary's Determination pursuant to Section 3116(a) of the NDAA. Issued in Washington, DC, on November 19, 2006. James A. Rispoli, Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management. [FR Doc. E6-20109 Filed 11-27-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Determination Under Section 3116 of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 for the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center Tank Farm Facility at the Idaho National Laboratory AGENCY: Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice of availability. SUMMARY: Section 3116 of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005

(NDAA)provides that certain waste from reprocessing spent nuclear fuel is not considered high-level radioactive waste

(HLW)if the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), determines that the waste meets the statutory criteria set forth in Section 3116(a). The Department of Energy

(DOE)announces the availability of the Secretary's Section 3116 Determination for the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center (INTEC) Tank Farm Facility (TFF), which addresses the stabilized residuals in the TFF and TFF system on the Idaho National Laboratory

(INL)near Arco, Idaho, and the document that sets forth the basis for the Section 3116 Determination (Basis Document). The Section 3116 Determination sets forth the Secretarial finding that the stabilized residuals in the TFF and TFF system:

(1)Do not require permanent isolation in a deep geologic repository,

(2)have or will have had highly radioactive radionuclides removed to the maximum extent practical,

(3)will be disposed of in accordance with NRC performance objectives for the disposal of low-level waste,

(4)will be disposed of pursuant to DOE's disposal plan developed in consultation with the NRC, and

(5)will be disposed of pursuant to closure plans approved by the State of Idaho. The Basis Document sets forth the facts and analyses supporting the Secretary's Section 3116 Determination. DOE's Amended Record of Decision to close the TFF pursuant to the *Idaho High-Level Waste and Facilities Disposition Final Environmental Impact Statement* (DOE/EIS-0287, September 2002) is being provided separately and concurrently with this Notice. ADDRESSES: The Section 3116 Determination and the Basis Document, as well as the public comments received on the draft Section 3116 Determination, are available on the Internet at *http://apps.em.doe.gov/idwd* , and are publicly available for review at the following locations: U.S. DOE, Public Reading Room, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 1E-190, Washington, DC 20585, Phone:

(202)586-5955, or Fax:

(202)586-0575; and U.S. DOE, Idaho Operations Office, Public Reading Room, 850 Energy Drive, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83415-2300, Phone: 208-526-0709, Fax: 208-526-8789. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on the Section 3116 Determination, contact Scott Van Camp, Assistant Manager, Facility and Materials Disposition Project, U.S. DOE, Idaho Operations Office, 1955 Fremont Avenue, MS-1222, Idaho Falls, ID 83415, Telephone:

(208)526-6503. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The INTEC TFF and TFF system consists of eleven 300,000-gallon belowgrade stainless-steel tanks in unlined concrete vaults, four 30,000-gallon belowgrade stainless-steel tanks, and associated ancillary equipment and piping. Historically, the TFF tanks were used to store various INTEC wastes, including those from reprocessing spent nuclear fuel, decontamination waste, laboratory waste, and contaminated liquids from other INTEC operations. DOE has initiated cleaning of the TFF and TFF system, a process that includes consolidating remaining wastes in the minimum number of tanks necessary, and then cleaning the empty tanks and ancillary equipment and piping. After completing cleaning operations, a small amount of residual radioactive waste that cannot be removed will remain in the tanks and ancillary equipment and piping. DOE plans to stabilize the residuals by filling the TFF and TFF system with grout. The Secretary's Section 3116 Determination concludes that the TFF and TFF system residuals will meet the criteria in NDAA Section 3116. Therefore, and pursuant to Section 3116, that material is not HLW. The Basis Document sets forth the reasons supporting the Section 3116 Determination. DOE's Amended Record of Decision to close the TFF pursuant to the *Idaho High-Level Waste and Facilities Disposition Final Environmental Impact Statement* (DOE/EIS-0287, September 2002) is being provided separately and concurrently with this notice. Issued in Washington, DC, on November 20, 2006. Charles E. Anderson, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management. [FR Doc. E6-20107 Filed 11-27-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450-01-P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA-HQ-OAR-2006-0745; FRL-8247-5] Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Reformulated Gasoline Commingling Provisions (Renewal); EPA ICR No. 2228.02, OMB Control No. 2060-0587 AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)(44 U.S.C. 3501 *et seq.* ), this document announces that an Information Collection Request

(ICR)has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB)for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing approved collection. The ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the nature of the information collection and its estimated burden and cost. DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before December 28, 2006. ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2006-0745, to

(1)EPA online using *www.regulations.gov* (our preferred method), by e-mail to *a-and-r-Docket@epa.gov* , or by mail to: EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), Environmental Protection Agency, Air Docket, Environmental Protection Agency; 6102T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, and

(2)OMB by mail to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Geanetta Heard, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, Transportation and Regional Programs (6406J), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number:

(202)343-9017; fax number:

(202)343-2801; e-mail address: *heard.geanetta@epa.gov.* SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 1320.12. On September 28, 2006 (71 FR 56969), EPA sought comments on this proposed ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments. Any additional comments on this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB within 30 days of this notice. EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2006-0745, which is available for online viewing at *www.regulations.gov* , and for in-person viewing at the Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is

(202)566-1744. The telephone number for the Air Docket is

(202)566-1742. Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at *www.regulations.gov* to submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those documents in the docket that are available electronically. Once in the system, select “docket search,” then key in the docket ID number identified above. Please note that EPA's policy is that public comments, whether submitted electronically or on paper, will be made available for public viewing at *www.regulations.gov* as EPA receives them and without change, unless the comment contains copyrighted material, confidential business information (CBI), or other information for which public disclosure is restricted by statute. For further information about the electronic docket, go to *www.regulations.gov.* *Title:* Reformulated Gasoline Commingling Provisions (Renewal). *ICR numbers:* EPA ICR No. 2228.02, OMB Control No. 2060-0587. *ICR Status:* This ICR is scheduled to expire on November 30, 2006. Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB. An Agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers for EPA's regulations in title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the **Federal Register** when approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and are displayed either by publication in the **Federal Register** or by other appropriate means, such as on the related collection instrument or form, if applicable. The display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9. *Abstract:* With this ICR, we are seeking permission to accept notifications from gasoline retailers and wholesale purchaser-consumers related to commingling of ethanol blended and non-ethanol-blended reformulated gasoline

(RFG)under section 1513 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct) and 40 CFR 80.78(a)(8)(ii)(B); and to provide for a compliance option whereby a retailer or wholesale purchaser-consumer may demonstrate compliance via test results under 40 CFR 80.78(a)(8)(iii)(A). These provisions are designed to grant compliance flexibility. An emergency ICR has been put in place and expires on November 30, 2006. We are requesting that the OMB renew this ICR and request that it be effective for three years after approval. *Burden Statement:* The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 0.25 hours (15 minutes) per response. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time needed to review instructions; develop, acquire, install, and utilize technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, validating, and verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; adjust the existing ways to comply with any previously applicable instructions and requirements which have subsequently changed; train personnel to be able to respond to a collection of information; search data sources; complete and review the collection of information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the information. *Respondents/Affected Entities:* Entities potentially affected by this action are gasoline retailers, wholesale purchaser-consumers, gasoline stations with convenience stores and gasoline stations without convenience stores. *Estimated Number of Respondents:* 56,700. *Frequency of Response:* Occasional. *Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden:* 27,675. *Estimated Total Annual Cost:* $1,964,925, includes no capital or O&M costs. *Changes in the Estimates:* There is no change in the total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of Approved ICR Burdens. Dated: November 16, 2006. Oscar Morales, Director, Collection Strategies Division. [FR Doc. E6-19878 Filed 11-27-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-8248-6] Request for Nominations to the National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology (NACEPT) AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of request for nominations. SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA)invites nominations to fill vacancies on the National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology (NACEPT). The Agency seeks qualified senior-level decision makers from diverse sectors throughout the United States to be considered for appointments. EPA encourages interested applicants to send their resumes and qualifications as soon as possible. Additional sources may be utilized in the solicitation of nominees. ADDRESSES: Submit nominations to: Ms. Sonia Altieri, Designated Federal Officer, Office of Cooperative Environmental Management, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (1601E), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460. *Background* : NACEPT is a federal advisory committee chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92463. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency established NACEPT in 1988 to provide independent advice to the EPA Administrator on a broad range of environmental policy, technology and management issues. NACEPT consists of a representative cross-section of EPA's partners, stakeholders, and constituents who provide timely advice and recommendations on environmental policy issues. NACEPT also serves as a sounding board for new initiatives that EPA is developing. For FY 06 and FY 07, the Administrator has asked NACEPT to address issues relating to sustainable water infrastructure, environmental stewardship, cooperative conservation, and energy and the environment. Members are appointed by the Administrator of EPA for two year terms with the possibility of reappointment. The Council usually meets 3 times annually and the average workload for the members is approximately 10 to 15 hours per month. Members serve on the Council in a voluntary capacity. However, EPA provides reimbursement for travel expenses associated with official government business. Potential candidates should possess the following qualifications: • Occupy a senior position within their organization. • Have broad experience outside of their current position. • Demonstrate experience dealing with public policy issues. • Have membership in broad-based networks. • Have extensive experience in the environmental field. • Be knowledgeable in the subject matter(s) to be addressed by NACEPT. EPA is seeking nominees for representation from all sectors, including academia, industry, non-governmental organizations, and state, local and tribal governments. EPA seeks nominations from a wide variety of interested parties that reflect the diversity of the American public. Nominations for membership must include a resume and short biography describing the educational and professional qualifications of the nominee and the nominee's current business address and daytime telephone number. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sonia Altieri, Designated Federal Officer, *altieri.sonia@epa.gov* ,

(202)233-0061, U.S. EPA, Office of Cooperative Environmental Management (1601E), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20460. Dated: November 15, 2006. Sonia Altieri, Designated Federal Officer. [FR Doc. E6-20146 Filed 11-27-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-8249-1] National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology Environmental Technology Subcommittee AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: Under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92463, EPA gives notice of a meeting of the Environmental Technology Subcommittee of the National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology (NACEPT). NACEPT provides advice and recommendations to the Administrator of EPA on a broad range of environmental policy, technology, and management issues. The Environmental Technology Subcommittee was formed to assist EPA in evaluating its current and potential role in the development and commercialization of environmental technologies by suggesting how to optimize existing EPA programs to facilitate the development of sustainable private sector technologies, and by suggesting alternative approaches to achieving these goals. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the Subcommittee's draft report on these issues. A copy of the agenda for the meeting will be posted at *http://www.epa.gov/ocem/nacept/cal-nacept.htm* . DATES: The NACEPT Environmental Technology Subcommittee will hold a two-day open meeting on Thursday, December 7, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Friday, December 8 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Marriott Crystal City Hotel, 1999 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, Virginia 22202. The meeting is open to the public, with limited seating on a first-come, first-served basis. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Joyce, Designated Federal Officer, *joyce.mark@epa.gov* , 202-233-0068, 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 Subcommittee should be sent to Mark Joyce, Designated Federal Officer, at the contact information above. The public is welcome to attend all portions of the meeting. *Meeting Access* : For information on access or services for individuals with disabilities, please contact Mark Joyce at 202-233-0068 or *joyce.mark@epa.gov* . To request accommodation of a disability, please contact Mark Joyce, preferably at least 10 days prior to the meeting, to give EPA as much time as possible to process your request. Dated: November 15, 2006. Mark Joyce, Designated Federal Officer. [FR Doc. E6-20144 Filed 11-27-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSION Notice of Agreements Filed The Commission hereby gives notice of the filing of the following agreements under the Shipping Act of 1984. Interested parties may submit comments on agreements to the Secretary, Federal Maritime Commission, Washington, DC 20573, within ten days of the date this notice appears in the **Federal Register** . Copies of agreements are available through the Commission's Office of Agreements (202-523-5793 or *tradeanalysis@fmc.gov* ). *Agreement No.:* 011870-003. *Title:* Indian Subcontinent Discussion Agreement. *Parties:* Evergreen Marine Corp. (Taiwan) Ltd., Hapag-Lloyd AG; CMA CGM S.A.; United Arab Shipping Company; Zim Integrated Shipping Services, Ltd,; Shipping Corporation of India; Emirates Shipping Line FZE; MacAndrews & Company Limited; and Nippon Yusen Kaisha. *Filing Party:* David F. Smith, Esq.; Sher & Blackwell; 1850 M Street, NW.; Suite 900; Washington, DC 20036. *Synopsis:* The amendment adds United Arab Shipping Company as a party to the agreement. *Agreement No.:* 011956-001. *Title:* IDX Vessel Sharing Agreement. *Parties:* Emirates Shipping Line FZE; Shipping Corporation of India, Ltd.; and Zim Integrated Shipping Services, Ltd. *Filing Party:* Paul M. Keane, Esq.; 61 Broadway; Suite 3000; New York, NY 10006-2802. *Synopsis:* The amendment deletes MacAndrews & Company, Ltd. as a party and makes conforming changes to the agreement. *Agreement No.:* 011981. *Title:* MacAndrews/Emirates Shipping Line IDX Space Charter Agreement. *Parties:* Emirates Shipping Line FZE (“Emirates”) and MacAndrews & Company Ltd. (“MacAndrews”). *Filing Party:* Paul M. Keane, Esq.; 61 Broadway; Suite 3000; New York, NY 10006-2802. *Synopsis:* The agreement authorizes Emirates to charter space to MacAndrews between U.S. Atlantic Coast ports and ports in Italy, Spain, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. By Order of the Federal Maritime Commission. Dated: November 22, 2006. Bryant L. VanBrakle, Secretary. [FR Doc. E6-20135 Filed 11-27-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6730-01-P FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM Change in Bank Control Notices; Acquisition of Shares of Bank or Bank Holding Companies The notificants listed below have applied under the Change in Bank Control Act (12 U.S.C. 1817(j)) and § 225.41 of the Board’s Regulation Y (12 CFR 225.41) to acquire a bank or bank holding company. The factors that are considered in acting on the notices are set forth in paragraph 7 of the Act (12 U.S.C. 1817(j)(7)). The notices are available for immediate inspection at the Federal Reserve Bank indicated. The notices also will be available for inspection at the office of the Board of Governors. Interested persons may express their views in writing to the Reserve Bank indicated for that notice or to the offices of the Board of Governors. Comments must be received not later than December 12, 2006. **A. Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta** (Andre Anderson, Vice President) 1000 Peachtree Street, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30303: *1. Brenda Morris Griner,* Columbia, Mississippi; to acquire additional shares of First Federal Bancorp, and thereby indirectly acquire First Southern Bank, all of Columbia, Mississippi. **B. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis** (Jacqueline G. King, Community Affairs Officer) 90 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55480-0291: *1. Garry D. Peterka,* Miller, South Dakota, and Dan R. Peterka, Eden Prairie, Minnesota; individually and as part of a group acting in concert with Tom J. Peterka; Miller, South Dakota, Judy K. Dylla, Littleton, Colorado; Jerry A. Peterka, Miller, South Dakota; Kathy A. King, Apple Valley, Minnesota; Marianne D. Peterka, Miller, South Dakota; Gary P. King, Apple Valley, Minnesota; HoniAnn Peterka, Miller, South Dakota; Bernie G. Dylla, Littleton, Colorado; Lori A. Peterka, Miller, South Dakota; Patricia A. Friend Peterka, Eden Prairie, Minnesota; Howard J. Peterka, Miller, South Dakota; Susan A. King Borchardt, Castlerock, Colorado; Stephen J. King, Apple Valley, Minnesota; Brian P. King, Apple Valley, Minnesota; Mark J. Dylla, Littleton, Colorado; Ann M. Dylla, Littleton, Colorado; Jeffery D. Peterka, Eden Prairie, Minnesota; John A. Peterka, Eden Prairie, Minnesota; Kathryn M. Peterka, Eden Prairie, Minnesota; Michael T. Peterka, Miller, South Dakota; David J. Peterka, Miller, South Dakota; Ryan A. Peterka, Miller, South Dakota; Jena N. Peterka, Miller, South Dakota; Adam J. Peterka, Miller, South Dakota; Jordan D. Peterka, Miller, South Dakota; Darin M. Peterkam Miller, South Dakota; and Kristen N. Peterka, Miller, South Dakota, to acquire 25 percent or more of the voting shares of M & H Financial Services, Inc., Miller, South Dakota, and thereby indirectly acquire control of First State Bank of Miller, Miller, South Dakota. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, November 22, 2006. Robert deV. Frierson, Deputy Secretary of the Board. [FR Doc. E6-20138 Filed 11-27-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6210-01-S FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM Formations of, Acquisitions by, and Mergers of Bank Holding Companies The companies listed in this notice have applied to the Board for approval, pursuant to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841 *et seq.* ) (BHC Act), Regulation Y (12 CFR Part 225), and all other applicable statutes and regulations to become a bank holding company and/or to acquire the assets or the ownership of, control of, or the power to vote shares of a bank or bank holding company and all of the banks and nonbanking companies owned by the bank holding company, including the companies listed below. The applications listed below, as well as other related filings required by the Board, are available for immediate inspection at the Federal Reserve Bank indicated. The application also will be available for inspection at the offices of the Board of Governors. Interested persons may express their views in writing on the standards enumerated in the BHC Act (12 U.S.C. 1842(c)). If the proposal also involves the acquisition of a nonbanking company, the review also includes whether the acquisition of the nonbanking company complies with the standards in section 4 of the BHC Act (12 U.S.C. 1843). Unless otherwise noted, nonbanking activities will be conducted throughout the United States. Additional information on all bank holding companies may be obtained from the National Information Center website at *www.ffiec.gov/nic/* . Unless otherwise noted, comments regarding each of these applications must be received at the Reserve Bank indicated or the offices of the Board of Governors not later than December 26, 2006. **A. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis** (Jacqueline G. King, Community Affairs Officer) 90 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55480-0291: *1. The First National Bank in Wadena Employee Stock Ownership Plan and Trust,* and FNB Acquisition Holding Corporation, Wadena, Minnesota, both in Wadena, Minnesota; to become bank holding companies by acquiring 100 percent of the voting shares of The First National Agency of Wadena, Inc., Wadena, Minnesota, and thereby indirectly acquire The First National Bank in Wadena, Wadena, Minnesota. In connection with these applications, Applicants have applied to acquire The First National Agency of Wadena, Inc., Wadena, Minnesota, and engage in insurance agency activities in a town with a population not exceeding 5,000, pursuant to section 228.28(b)(11)(iii)(A) of Regulation Y. *B. Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City* (Donna J. Ward, Assistant Vice President) 925 Grand Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri 64198-0001: *1. Community Bankshares, Inc.,* Greenwood Village, Colorado; to acquire 100 percent of the voting shares of Citizens Financial Corporation, and thereby indirectly acquire Citizens State Bank of Cortez, both in Cortez, Colorado. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, November 22, 2006. Robert deV. Frierson, Deputy Secretary of the Board. [FR Doc. E6-20139 Filed 11-27-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6210-01-S FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM [Docket No. OP-1257] Consultation Paper on Intraday Liquidity Management and Payment System Risk Policy AGENCY: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. ACTION: Notice; extension of comment period. SUMMARY: On June 21, 2006, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (“Board”) published for public comment the Consultation paper on intraday liquidity management and payment system risk policy. The Board is extending the comment period for the consultation paper by 90 days. DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 15, 2007. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. OP-1257, by any of the following methods: • *Agency Web site: http://www.federalreserve.gov.* Follow the instructions for submitting comments at *http://www.federalreserve.gov/generalinfo/foia/ProposedRegs.cfm.* • *Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.* Follow the instructions for submitting comments. • *E-mail: regs.comments@federalreserve.gov.* Include the docket number in the subject line of the message. • *FAX:* 202/452-3819 or 202/452-3102. • *Mail:* Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20551. All public comments are available from the Board's Web site at *http://www.federalreserve.gov/generalinfo/foia/ProposedRegs.cfm* as submitted, unless modified for technical reasons. Accordingly, your comments will not be edited to remove any identifying or contact information. Public comments may also be viewed electronically or in paper in Room MP-500 of the Board's Martin Building (20th and C Streets, NW.) between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey Marquardt, Deputy Director (202-452-2360), Lisa Hoskins, Assistant Director (202-452-3437), or Susan Foley, Manager (202-452-3596), Division of Reserve Bank Operations and Payment Systems, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; for users of Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (“TDD”) only, contact

(202)263-4869. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 21, 2006, the Board published for public comment the Consultation paper on intraday liquidity management and payment system risk policy (71 FR 35679). The consultation paper sought information from financial institutions and other interested parties on their experience in managing intraday liquidity, credit, and operational risks related to Fedwire funds transfers, especially late-day transfers. The paper also requested views on potential changes in market practices, operations, and the Board's Payments System Risk policy that could reduce one or more of these risks. The consultation paper stated that comments must be submitted on or before December 15, 2006. The Board received a letter from an industry group, whose members include a number of large U.S. depository institutions and foreign banking organizations, requesting, on behalf of that group and its members, an extension of the comment period. Based on interactions the Board has had with this group, its members, and other interested parties, the Board believes that an extension would enable these organizations to investigate further the drivers of their liquidity management practices and late-day Fedwire funds transfers. The extension will also allow a range of organizations more time to provide a thorough response to the consultation paper. Consequently, the Board has decided to extend the comment period on the consultation paper by 90 days. The comment period will now end March 15, 2007. By order of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, acting through the Secretary of the Board under delegated authority, November 21, 2006. Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary of the Board. [FR Doc. E6-20048 Filed 11-27-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6210-01-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology; American Health Information Community Meeting ACTION: Announcement of meeting. SUMMARY: This notice announces the tenth meeting of the American Health Information Community in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. No. 92-463, 5 U.S.C., App.) The American Health Information Community will advise the Secretary and recommend specific actions to achieve a common interoperability framework for health information technology (IT). DATES: December 12, 2006, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. ADDRESSES: Hubert H. Humphrey building (200 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20201), Conference Room 800. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Visit *http://www.hhs.gov/healthit/ahic.html.* SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Community will discuss state-federal health information exchange technology and coordination, the development of proto-use cases, and an update on the Personalized Healthcare Workgroup. A Web cast of the Community meeting will be available on the NIH Web site at: *http://www.videocast.nih.gov/* . If you have special needs for the meeting, please contact

(202)690-7151. Dated: November 16, 2006. Judith Sparrow, Director, American Health Information Community, Office of Programs and Coordination, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. [FR Doc. 06-9430 Filed 11-27-06; 8:45 am]

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