Proposed Rules. Solicitation of nominations, Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture
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BILLING CODE 9110-05-P 72 205 Wednesday, October 24, 2007 Notices DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request October 19, 2007. The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments regarding
(a)whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;
(b)the accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
(c)ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected;
(d)ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology should be addressed to: Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), *OIRA_Submission@OMB.EOP.GOV* or fax
(202)395-5806 and to Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250-7602. Comments regarding these information collections are best assured of having their full effect if received within 30 days of this notification. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling
(202)720-8681. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information that such persons are not required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Agricultural Marketing Service *Title:* Vegetable and Specialty Crops. *OMB Control Number:* 0581-0178. *Summary of Collection:* The Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 was designed to permit regulation of certain agricultural commodities for the purpose of providing orderly marketing conditions in interstate commerce and improving returns to growers. The Orders and Agreements become effective only after public hearings are held. The vegetable, and specialty crops marketing order programs provide an opportunity for producers in specified production areas to work together to solve marketing problems that cannot be solved individually. *Need and Use of the Information:* Various forms are used to collect information necessary to effectively carry out the requirements of the Act and the Order/Agreement. Information collected is used to formulate market policy, track current inventory and statistical data for market development programs, ensure compliance, and verify eligibility, monitor and record grower's information. If this information were not collected, it would eliminate data needed to keep the industry and the Secretary abreast of changes at the State and local level. *Description of Respondents:* Business or other for profit; Farms; Individuals or households. *Number of Respondents:* 20,626. *Frequency of Responses:* Reporting: On occasion, Quarterly, Biennially, Weekly, Semiannually, Monthly, Annually and Recordkeeping. *Total Burden Hours:* 16,907. Charlene Parker, Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer. [FR Doc. E7-20954 Filed 10-23-07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-02-P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Research Service Nominations; Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture AGENCY: Office of the Under Secretary, Research, Education, and Economics, USDA. ACTION: Solicitation of nominations, Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture. SUMMARY: Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. App., the Agricultural Research Service is requesting nominations for qualified persons to serve as members of the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture (AC21). The charge for the AC21 is two-fold: To examine the long-term impacts of biotechnology on the U.S. food and agriculture system and USDA; and to provide guidance to USDA on pressing individual issues, identified by the Office of the Secretary, related to the application of biotechnology in agriculture. DATES: Written nominations must be received by fax or postmarked on or before November 23, 2007. ADDRESSES: All nomination materials should be sent to Michael Schechtman, Designated Federal Official, Office of the Deputy Secretary, USDA, 202B Jamie L. Whitten Federal Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Schechtman, Telephone
(202)720-3817. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: AC21 members serve terms of up to 2 years, with terms for around half of the Committee members expiring in any given year. Nominations are being sought for open Committee seats. The terms of 13 members of the AC21 will expire in early 2008. The AC21 Charter allows for flexibility to appoint up to a total of 25 members. Members can be reappointed to serve up to 6 consecutive years. Equal opportunity practices, in line with USDA policies, will be followed in all membership appointments to the Committee. To ensure that recommendations of the Committee take into account the needs of the diverse groups served by the Department, membership shall include, to the extent practicable, individuals with demonstrated ability to represent minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. Nominees of the AC21 should have recognized expertise in one or more of the following areas: Recombinant-DNA
(rDNA)research and applications using plants; rDNA research and applications using animals; rDNA research and applications using microbes; food science; silviculture and related forest science; fisheries science; ecology; veterinary medicine; the broad range of farming or agricultural practices; weed science; plant pathology; biodiversity; applicable laws and regulations relevant to agricultural biotechnology policy; risk assessment; consumer advocacy and public attitudes; public health/epidemiology; ethics, including bioethics; human medicine; biotechnology industry activities and structure; intellectual property rights systems; and international trade. Members will be selected by the Secretary of Agriculture in order to achieve a balanced representation of viewpoints to address effectively USDA biotechnology policy issues under consideration. Background information regarding the work of the AC21, including reports already developed by the Committee, is available on the USDA Web site at *http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?navid=BIOTECH&parentnav=AGRICULTURE&navtype=RT.* Over the next two years, it is expected that the AC21 will undertake work specifically related to transgenic animal technologies, and, if time permits, begin work on additional topics under the Committee's charge. Nominations for AC21 membership must be in writing and provide the appropriate background documents required by USDA policy, including background disclosure form AD-755. All nomination materials should be sent to Michael Schechtman at the address listed in the ADDRESSES section. Forms may also be submitted by fax to
(202)690-4265. To obtain form AD-755 ONLY, please contact Dianne Harmon, Office of Pest Management Policy, telephone
(202)720-4074, fax
(202)720-3191; e-mail *Dianne.harmon@ars.usda.gov.* The AC21 meets in Washington, DC, up to four
(4)times per year. The function of the AC21 is solely advisory. Members of the AC21 and its subcommittees serve without pay, but with reimbursement of travel expenses and per diem for attendance at AC21 and subcommittee functions for those AC21 members who require assistance in order to attend the meetings. While away from home or their regular place of business, those members will be eligible for travel expenses paid by the Office of the Under Secretary, Research, Education, and Economics, USDA, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at the same rate as a person employed intermittently in the government service is allowed under Section 5703 of Title 5, United States Code. *Submitting Nominations:* Nominations should be typed and include the following: 1. A brief summary of no more than two
(2)pages explaining the nominee's suitability to serve on the AC21. 2. A resume or curriculum vitae. 3. A completed copy of form AD-755. All nominations must be post-marked no later than [the date set forth above]. Dated: October 16, 2007. Jeremy Stump, Senior Advisor for International and Homeland Security Affairs and Biotechnology. [FR Doc. E7-20912 Filed 10-23-07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-03-P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Research Service Office of the Under Secretary, Research, Education, and Economics; Notice of the Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture Meeting AGENCY: Agricultural Research Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2, the United States Department of Agriculture announces a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture (AC21). DATES: The meeting dates are November 28, 2007, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and November 29, 2007, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. ADDRESSES: Waugh Auditorium, USDA Economic Research Service, Third Floor, South Tower, 1800 M Street, NW., Washington, DC 20036. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Schechtman, Telephone
(202)720-3817. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The seventeenth meeting of the AC21 has been scheduled for November 28-29, 2007. The AC21 consists of 23 members representing the biotechnology industry, farmers, food manufacturers, commodity processors and shippers, livestock handlers, environmental and consumer groups, and academic researchers. In addition, representatives from the Departments of Commerce, Health and Human Services, and State, and the Environmental Protection Agency, the Council on Environmental Quality, the Office of the United States Trade Representative, and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture serve as “ex officio” members. At this meeting, there will be several objectives:
(1)To complete all substantive work on a paper addressing the question, “What issues should USDA consider regarding coexistence among diverse agricultural systems in a dynamic, evolving, and complex marketplace?” and develop a plan for finalizing the paper and presenting it to the Office of the Secretary, USDA;
(2)to discuss the new Biotechnology Quality Management System proposed by USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and offer views on a series of questions relating to its implementation; and
(3)to plan initial AC21 work related to transgenic animals. Background information regarding the work of the AC21 will be available on the USDA Web site at *http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?navid=BIOTECH&parentnav=AGRICULTURE&navtype=RT.* Requests to make oral presentations at the meeting may be sent to Michael Schechtman, Designated Federal Official, Office of the Deputy Secretary, USDA, 202 B Jamie L. Whitten Federal Building, 12th Street and Jefferson Drive, SW., Washington, DC 20250, Telephone
(202)720-3817; Fax
(202)690-4265; E-mail *Michael.schechtman@ars.usda.gov.* On November 28, 2007, if time permits, reasonable provision will be made for oral presentations of no more than five minutes each in duration. Written requests to make oral presentations at the meeting must be received by the contact person identified herein at least three business days before the meeting. The meeting will be open to the public, but space is limited. If you would like to attend the meetings, you must register by contacting Ms. Dianne Harmon at
(202)720-4074, by fax at
(202)720-3191 or by e-mail at *Dianne.harmon@ars.usda.gov* at least five business days prior to the meeting. Please provide your name, title, business affiliation, address, and telephone and fax numbers when you register. If you require a sign language interpreter or other special accommodation due to disability, please indicate those needs at the time of registration. Dated: October 16, 2007. Jeremy Stump, Senior Advisor for International and Homeland Security Affairs and Biotechnology. [FR Doc. E7-20914 Filed 10-23-07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-03-P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Farm Service Agency Emergency Conservation Program; Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, USDA. ACTION: Notice of intent; request for comments. SUMMARY: The Farm Service Agency
(FSA)announces its intention to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement
(SEIS)for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP). The SEIS will assess the potential environmental impacts of alternatives for administration and implementation of the ECP. FSA administers this program and is now conducting a comprehensive review of its current policies, achievements, and potential future program changes. FSA will be analyzing a range of ECP program alternatives. The SEIS also provides a means for the public to have opportunities to voice any opinions they may have about the program, and any ideas for improving it in the future. This Notice of Intent
(NOI)informs the public that FSA is requesting public comment and describes in general the description of preliminary ECP Alternatives that will be analyzed in the Draft SEIS. DATES: To ensure that the full range of issues and alternatives related to the ECP are addressed, FSA invites comments. Comments should be submitted by close of business on December 24, 2007, to ensure full consideration. Comments submitted after this date will be considered to the extent possible. ADDRESSES: Written comments on the scope of the Draft SEIS and requests for copies of should be directed to ECP SEIS, Geo-Marine Incorporated, 2713 Magruder Blvd., Suite D, Hampton, VA 23666-1572; or by logging on to *http://public.geo-marine.com* to obtain state specific public scoping meetings dates, locations, directions, and comment forms. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew T. Ponish, National Environmental Compliance Manager, USDA/FSA/CEPD/Stop 0513, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250-0513,
(202)720-6853, or e-mail at: *Matthew.Ponish@wdc.usda.gov.* More detailed information on ECP may be obtained from FSA's Web site: *http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=copr&topic=ecp.* SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The SEIS is being prepared on the ECP to provide FSA decision makers and the public with an analysis that evaluates program effects in appropriate contexts, describes the intensity of adverse as well as beneficial impacts, and addresses cumulative impacts of ECP. Title IV of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978, as amended (codified at 16 U.S.C. 2201-2205) authorized the ECP, which provides emergency funding for farmers and ranchers to rehabilitate farmland damaged by wind erosion, floods, hurricanes, or other natural disasters, and for carrying out emergency water conservation measures during periods of severe drought. Conservation problems existing prior to the disaster involved are not eligible for cost-sharing assistance. ECP is administered by FSA State and county committees. The SEIS will help FSA to review potential environmental impacts resulting from this program and the results will be used in implementing and modifying ECP administration and funding. The Record of Decision resulting from the SEIS will serve as guidance to FSA program decision makers when considering future ECP changes. Public Participation The public is urged to participate in helping to define the scope of the proposed Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. In addition to allowing the opportunity to comment via mail and e-mail at the addresses listed previously, FSA plans to hold ten public scoping meetings to provide information and opportunities for discussing the issues and alternatives to be covered in the Draft SEIS and to receive oral and written comments. The meetings will be held in AL, CA, GA, FL, LA, MO, and TX. Each scoping meeting will be conducted in the evening to allow the greatest opportunity for public input. Please check *http://public.geo-marine.com* for meeting locations, times, directions, and comment forms. Description of Preliminary SEIS Alternatives FSA has developed a set of preliminary alternatives to be studied in the draft SEIS to initiate the process. The alternatives will be amended, as appropriate, based on input by the public and agencies during the public scoping process. The SEIS will address the following alternatives, which include recommended changes to the program. Action (baseline) Under this alternative, ECP would continue as it is currently administered with no substantive changes. Alternative A This alternative would consider changes to land eligibility that would make ECP available for assistance on farmlands other than cropland, pastureland, and hayland. Alternative B This alternative would make current ECP available only in those counties where disasters designated by the President or Secretary of Agriculture have occurred. Alternative C Alternative C would be a combination of Alternatives A and B. Under this alternative, farmlands, other than cropland, pastureland and hayland, in counties designated as disasters by the President or Secretary of Agriculture would be eligible for participation in ECP. Signed in Washington, DC, on October 4, 2007. Teresa C. Lasseter, Administrator, Farm Service Agency. [FR Doc. E7-20961 Filed 10-23-07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-05-P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Food and Nutrition Service Emergency Food Assistance Program; Allocation Formula AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: This notice invites State and local agencies involved in the administration of The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and the general public to comment on the intent of the Department to modify the data sources used to calculate the formula for allocating TEFAP commodities and administrative funds among State agencies. Data sources currently used to allocate these resources have been used for a number of years. However, more accurate, reliable, and up-to-date data sources for gauging poverty and unemployment and, ultimately, each State's need for TEFAP commodities and administrative funds, are now available. Therefore, unless comments reveal a significant disadvantage to implementing these changes, the Department intends to allocate TEFAP commodities and administrative funds for fiscal year 2008 using these new data sources. DATES: To be assured of consideration, comments must be received on or before November 23, 2007. ADDRESSES: The Food and Nutrition Service
(FNS)invites interested persons to submit comments on this Notice. You may submit comments by any of the following methods: • *Fax:* Submit comments by facsimile transmission to
(703)305-2420. • *Disk or CD-ROM:* Submit comments on disk to Lillie F. Ragan, Assistant Branch Chief, Policy Branch, Food Distribution Division, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 506, Alexandria, Virginia 22302-1594. • *Mail:* Send comment to Lillie F. Ragan at the above address. • *Hand Delivery or Courier:* Deliver comments to the above address. • *Federal eRulemaking Portal:* Go to *http://www.regulations.gov.* Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Comments submitted in response to this Notice will be included in the record and will be made available to the public. Please be advised that the substance of the comments and the identity of the individuals or entities submitting the comments will be subject to public disclosure. All written submissions will be available for public inspection at the address above during regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lillie Ragan at
(703)305-2662. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of TEFAP is to provide nutrition assistance to those with the greatest and most immediate need. To accomplish this purpose, the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 7501, *et seq.* (the Act)) requires that TEFAP commodities and administrative funds be allocated among States according to a formula that accounts for poverty and unemployment levels within each State. Section 214(a)(1) of the Act (7 U.S.C. 7515(a)(1)) requires that 60 percent of each State's allocation be equal to the percentage of the nation's persons in poverty within that State; and Section 214(a)(2) (7 U.S.C. 7515(a)(2)) requires that the remaining 40 percent be equal to the percentage of the nation's unemployed persons within that State. The Act also requires that data from the Census Bureau be used to determine the poverty line (7 U.S.C. 7501(7) *citing* 42 U.S.C. 9902(2)); data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics
(BLS)be used to determine the number of unemployed persons; that the number of unemployed persons be calculated as a monthly average; and that the data used to calculate that average originate from the most recent fiscal year for which information is available (7 U.S.C. 7501(2)). Aside from these requirements, the Act places no restrictions on the data sources or methodology used to calculate the formula. The Department intends to use data sources that are more accurate, reliable, and up-to-date than our current sources to calculate the TEFAP allocation formula. This will provide a more accurate gauge of poverty and unemployment levels within the States, thus targeting program resources to those States most in need. The poverty portion of the formula is currently updated annually, using data from the Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS), an annual survey administered by the Census Bureau to approximately 100,000 households. This data is provided as a 3-year rolling average, and is comprised of data collected during the three calendar years preceding a given fiscal year. Thus, the poverty portion of the formula is actually calculated from data obtained from 300,000 households over a period of three years. The unemployment portion of the formula is updated annually, using data provided to the Bureau of Labor Statistics
(BLS)by the States. Currently, a 3-month average based on the number of unemployed persons in each State during May, June, and July is used. These data sources are deficient because they are not the most accurate, timely, and reliable sources available, and therefore limit the Department's ability to fulfill the purpose of the Act. The poverty portion of the formula is deficient because it is calculated using a 3-year rolling average. This means that 60% of each State's annual TEFAP allocation is based primarily on data that is two or three years old, which provides an untimely and potentially inaccurate reflection of current poverty levels within each State. For example, if State A has historically had a small number of people in poverty, but suffers a disaster—such as a flood or hurricane—that casts a large number of people into poverty during a given calendar year, continued use of the 3-year rolling poverty average would require the Department to use two- and three-year old data, which would not adequately recognize the current need for nutrition assistance in the State, to calculate the poverty portion of State A's TEFAP allocation. The 3-month unemployment average is deficient because each month represents one-third of the data used to calculate the unemployment portion of its annual TEFAP allocation. Thus, a 3-month average is highly susceptible to variations caused by reporting errors or anomalous economic conditions which may occur in any given month, but which are not necessarily representative of employment conditions within a State. For example, State B has historically had high levels of unemployment, but reports unusually low unemployment levels for May, perhaps due to a reporting error, a failure of many persons to report their unemployment status for extraneous reasons (such as a natural disaster), or a one-time employment increase (such as hosting a major convention or sporting event). As a result, one-third of the data used to calculate the unemployment portion of State B's TEFAP allocation would be based on data that does not reflect actual employment conditions in that State during most of the year. To redress these deficiencies, the Department intends, consistent with the Act, to use data from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey
(ACS)rather than CPS data to calculate the poverty portion of the formula, and a 10-month average rather than a 3-month average to calculate the unemployment portion. ACS, which became fully operational in calendar year 2005, produces data that is superior to CPS data in several respects. Among these is the fact that ACS has a much larger sample size. While ACS is administered to approximately 2.5 percent of American households, or (currently) 3,000,000 households, per year, CPS is administered to only 100,000 households per year. ACS poverty statistics are also timelier. Unlike CPS statistics, which are based on data collected during the three calendar years preceding a given fiscal year, ACS statistics are based on data collected during the single calendar year preceding a given fiscal year. Lastly, unlike participation in CPS, participation in ACS is mandatory, which will result in higher response rates. Individuals over the age of 18 who decline to participate are subject to penalties. As to the unemployment portion of the formula, a 10-month unemployment average is more accurate than a 3-month average because it dampens the effect that atypical employment conditions and reporting errors in any month can have on a State's average. While a 12-month average would be the most ideal, BLS' reporting schedule is such that only 10 months of data are available at the time that TEFAP allocations would have to be calculated. Because ACS poverty-data is single year data, the poverty portion of a State's allocation index may be more likely to vary from year-to-year. However, because the intent of TEFAP is to address the most immediate and current need, such variations actually serve the purpose of the program. Moreover, it is worth noting that year-to-year allocations have also varied widely using the current data sources. For example, of the 55 States and territories (i.e., States) operating TEFAP in fiscal year 2006, 5 had increases in their allocations of 10 percent or greater, 22 had increases of 0 to 9.9 percent, 27 had decreases of 0 to 9.9 percent, and 1 had a decrease greater than 10 percent from fiscal year 2005 to 2006. In fiscal year 2007, 5 States had increases of 10 percent or greater, 25 States had increases of 0 to 9.9 percent, 23 States had decreases of 0 to 9.9 percent, and 2 States had decreases greater than 10 percent. In contrast, if the proposed changes had been implemented prior to allocating 2007 resources, the number and size of increases and decreases that would have resulted are very similar to those that actually occurred. Specifically, 8 States would have received increases of 10 percent or greater, 18 States would have received increases of 0 to 9.9 percent, 27 States would have decreases of 0 to 9.9 percent, and 2 States would have had decreases greater than 10 percent. Therefore, unless comments reveal a significant disadvantage to implementing these changes, the Department intends to allocate TEFAP commodities and administrative funds for fiscal year 2008 using these new data sources without further notification. Dated: October 18, 2007. Gloria Gutierrez, Acting Administrator. [FR Doc. E7-20963 Filed 10-23-07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-30-P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Information Collection; Social and Cultural Structure of Private Forestry AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice; request for comment. SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the new information collection; Social and Cultural Structure of Private Forestry. DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before December 24, 2007 to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date will be considered to the extent practicable. ADDRESSES: Comments concerning this notice should be addressed to John Schelhas, Southern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, 112 Campbell Hall, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088. Comments also may be submitted via facsimile to
(334)724-4451 or by e-mail to: *jschelhas@fs.fed.us.* The public may inspect comments received at 204 Campbell Hall, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL during normal business hours. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead to
(334)727-8131 to facilitate entry to the building. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Schelhas, Southern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, 334-727-8131. Individuals who use TDD may call the Federal Relay Service
(FRS)at 1-800-877-8339, 24 hours a day, every day of the year, including holidays. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: *Title:* Social and Cultural Structure of Private Forestry *OMB Number:* 0596-NEW. *Expiration Date of Approval:* *Type of Request:* New. *Abstract:* Non-industrial private forests constitute the majority of the forest in the South, and provide many important public and private benefits. These benefits are enhanced when landowners receive professional forestry assistance, though very few landowners seek assistance or have written management plans for their forests. This problem is particularly acute for minority forest landowners. This study will use ethnographic methods to learn about social and cultural aspects of forest landowner decision-making; in particular, forest values and identities, social networks for information flows, and actual forest management practices. The information gathered will contribute to scientific papers presented at professional meetings and in publications. The data will also assist in the development of new materials and techniques for outreach to forest managers by government, nonprofit, and private forester and natural resource managers. Face-to-face interviews with 200 forest landowners (100 per year) will occur at three sites in the South. A team of researchers from the Southern Research Station, USDA Forest Service and the College of Agricultural, Environmental, and Natural Sciences, Tuskegee University will conduct the interviews and analyze the data collected. The information collected includes:
(1)Responses to “twenty statements test” to measure identity;
(2)social networks utilized to acquire forest management information;
(3)life histories with regard to land ownership and forest management;
(4)demographic data; and
(5)land use and forest management practices. The information will be collected only once from each landowner. If the information is not collected, federal, state, and private efforts to promote improved forest management to provide benefits for landowners and society will be less successful. *Estimate of Annual Burden:* 2 hours. *Type of Respondents:* Forest landowners. *Estimated Annual Number of Respondents:* 100. *Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent:* Once. *Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents:* 200 hours. Comment is invited on:
(1)Whether this collection of information is necessary for the stated purposes and the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical or scientific utility;
(2)the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
(3)ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and
(4)ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology. All comments received in response to this notice, including names and addresses when provided, will be a matter of public record. Comments will be summarized and included in the request for Office of Management and Budget approval. Dated: October 16, 2007. Jimmy L. Reaves, Associate Deputy Chief, Research & Development. [FR Doc. E7-20868 Filed 10-23-07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-11-P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Forestry Research Advisory Council AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: The meeting room is changed for the Forestry Research Advisory Council. The meeting will take place in Berkeley, California, November 15-16, 2007. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss emerging issues in forestry research. DATES: The meeting will be held November 15-16, 2007. On November 15 the meeting will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m, and on November 16 from 8-noon. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Women's Faculty Club on the University of California Campus in Berkeley, California. Individuals who wish to speak at the meeting or to propose agenda items must send their names and proposals to Daina Apple, Designated Federal Officer, Forestry Research Advisory Council, USDA Forest Service Research and Development, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250-1120. Individuals also may fax their names and proposed agenda items to
(202)205-1530. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daina Apple, Forest Service Office of the Deputy Chief for Research and Development,
(202)205-1665. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The meeting is open to the public. Council discussion is limited to Forest Service, Cooperative State Research Education, and Extension Service staff and Council members. Persons wishing to bring forestry research matters to the attention of the Council may file written statements with the Council staff before or after the meeting. Dated: October 18, 2007. Jimmy L. Reaves, Associate Deputy Chief, Research & Development. [FR Doc. E7-20867 Filed 10-23-07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-11-P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Bureau of Industry and Security [Docket No. 071002551-7552-01] National Defense Stockpile Market Impact Committee Request for Public Comments on the Potential Market Impact of Proposed Stockpile Disposals for Fiscal Year 2009 AGENCY: Bureau of Industry and Security, Commerce. ACTION: Notice of inquiry. SUMMARY: This notice is to advise the public that the National Defense Stockpile Market Impact Committee, co-chaired by the Departments of Commerce and State, is seeking public comments on the potential market impact of the proposed disposal levels of excess materials for the Fiscal Year
(FY)2009 Annual Materials Plan. DATES: To be considered, written comments must be received by November 23, 2007. ADDRESSES: Address all comments concerning this notice to Michael Vaccaro, U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room 3876, Washington, DC 20230, fax:
(202)482-5650 (Attn: Michael Vaccaro), e-mail: *MIC@bis.doc.gov;* or Peter Haymond, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, Office of International Energy and Commodity Policy, Washington, DC 20520, fax:
(202)647-8758 (Attn: Peter Haymond), or e-mail: *haymondp@state.gov.* FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Newsom, Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security, Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. Department of Commerce, Telephone:
(202)482-7417. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Under the authority of the Strategic and Critical Materials Stock Piling Act of 1979, as amended (50 U.S.C. 98, *et seq.* ), the Department of Defense (DOD), as National Defense Stockpile Manager, maintains a stockpile of strategic and critical materials to supply the military, industrial, and essential civilian needs of the United States for national defense. Section 3314 of the Fiscal Year
(FY)1993 National Defense Authorization Act
(NDAA)(50 U.S.C. 98h-1) formally established a Market Impact Committee (the Committee) to “advise the National Defense Stockpile Manager on the projected domestic and foreign economic effects of all acquisitions and disposals of materials from the stockpile * * *.” The Committee must also balance market impact concerns with the statutory requirement to protect the Government against avoidable loss. The Committee is comprised of representatives from the Departments of Commerce, State, Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior, the Treasury, and Homeland Security, and is co-chaired by the Departments of Commerce and State. The FY 1993 NDAA directs the Committee to consult with industry representatives that produce, process, or consume the materials contained in the stockpile. In Attachment 1, the Defense National Stockpile Center
(DNSC)lists the proposed quantities that are enumerated in the stockpile inventory for the FY 2009 Annual Materials Plan. The Committee is seeking public comments on the potential market impact of the sale of these materials. Public comments are an important element of the Committee's market impact review process. The quantities listed in Attachment 1 are not disposal or sales target quantities, but rather a statement of the proposed maximum disposal quantity of each listed material that may be sold in a particular fiscal year by the DNSC. The quantity of each material that will actually be offered for sale will depend on the market for the material at the time of the offering as well as on the quantity of each material approved for disposal by Congress. Submission of Comments The Committee requests that interested parties provide written comments, supporting data and documentation, and any other relevant information on the potential market impact of the sale of these commodities. All comments must be submitted to the address indicated in this notice. All comments submitted through e-mail must include the phrase “Market Impact Committee Notice of Inquiry” in the subject line. The Committee encourages interested persons who wish to comment to do so at the earliest possible time. The period for submission of comments will close on November 23, 2007. The Committee will consider all comments received before the close of the comment period. Comments received after the end of the comment period will be considered, if possible, but their consideration cannot be assured. All comments submitted in response to this notice will be made a matter of public record and will be available for public inspection and copying. Anyone submitting business confidential information should clearly identify the business confidential portion of the submission and also provide a non-confidential submission that can be placed in the public record. The Committee will seek to protect such information to the extent permitted by law. The Office of Administration, Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. Department of Commerce, displays public comments on the BIS Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA)Web site at *http://www.bis.doc.gov/foia.* This office does not maintain a separate public inspection facility. If you have technical difficulties accessing this Web site, please call BIS's Office of Administration at
(202)482-1900 for assistance. Dated: October 5, 2007. Christopher A. Padilla, Assistant Secretary for Export Administration. Attachment 1 Proposed FY 2009 Annual Materials Plan Material Unit Quantity Footnote Aluminum Oxide, Abrasive ST 5,500
(1)Bauxite, Metallurgical Jamaican LDT 2,000,000
(1)Beryl Ore ST 1,000
(1)Beryllium Metal ST 40 Beryllium Copper Master Alloy ST 300
(1)Chromium, Ferro ST 150,000 Chromium, Metal ST 1,000 Cobalt LB Co 3,000,000
(1)Columbium Metal Ingots LB Cb 20,000
(1)Diamond Stones ct 520,000
(1)Germanium Kg 8,000 Manganese, Battery Grade, Natural SDT 20,000
(1)Manganese, Battery Grade, Synthetic SDT 3,000
(1)Manganese, Chemical Grade SDT 25,000
(1)Manganese, Ferro ST 100,000 Manganese, Metallurgical Grade SDT 250,000 Mica, All LB 17,000
(1)Platinum Tr Oz 9,000
(1)Platinum-Iridium Tr Oz 3,000
(1)Talc ST 1,000 Tantalum Carbide Powder LB Ta 8,000
(1)Tin MT 6,000
(1)Tungsten Metal Powder LB W 300,000
(1)Tungsten Ores & Concentrates LB W 8,000,000 VTE, Quebracho LT 6,000 VTE, Wattle LT 200
(1)Zinc ST 30,000
(1)1 Actual quantity will be limited to remaining inventory. [FR Doc. E7-20860 Filed 10-23-07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-33-P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration Notice of Charter Renewal SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary for Administration has renewed the charter for the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board (Board) for a 2-year period, through September 21, 2009. The Board is a federal advisory committee under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 2). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board was first established on September 21, 2005, by the Secretary of Commerce, pursuant to his duties as authorized by law, in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, and with the concurrence of the General Services Administration. Pursuant to Department of Commerce authority under 15 U.S.C. 1512, the Board shall advise the Secretary of Commerce on matters relating to the U.S. travel and tourism industries. The Board shall act as a liaison among the stakeholders represented by the membership and shall provide a forum for those stakeholders on current and emerging issues in the travel and tourism industry, ensuring regular contact between the government and the travel and tourism sector. The Board shall advise the Secretary on government policies and programs that affect the U.S. travel and tourism industry, offer counsel on current and emerging issues, and provide a forum for discussing and proposing solutions to industry-related problems. The U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board consists of up to fifteen members appointed by the Secretary of Commerce. Members represent companies and organizations in the travel and tourism industry from a broad range of products and services, company sizes and geographic locations. The Board plans to maintain this broad balance in order to incorporate the views of the wide range of travel and tourism oriented industries. Prior membership included representatives of the hotel, airline, restaurant, retail, amusement park, and guided tour industries, as well as representatives of city and state tourism and convention bureaus. The Board will function solely as an advisory body, and in compliance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, its implementing regulations, and applicable Department of Commerce policies. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kate Worthington, Deputy Director, Office of Advisory Committees,
(202)482-4260. Dated: October 11, 2007. Kate Worthington, Deputy Director, Office of Advisory Committees, U.S. Department of Commerce. [FR Doc. E7-20915 Filed 10-23-07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648-XD49 Pacific Whiting; Advisory Panel AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: NMFS solicits nominations for the Advisory Panel
(AP)on Pacific Whiting called for in the Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and Canada on Pacific Hake/Whiting. Nominations are being sought for at least 6, but not more than 12 individuals to serve as United States representatives on the AP. DATES: Nominations must be received on or before November 23, 2007. ADDRESSES: You may submit nominations or comments, identified by 0648-XD49, by any of the following methods: • E-mail: *WhitingAP.nwr@noaa.gov* : Include 0648-XD49 in the subject line of the message. • Fax: 206-526-6736, Attn: Frank Lockhart • Mail: D. Robert Lohn, Administrator, Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115-0070, Attn: Frank Lockhart. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frank Lockhart at
(206)526-6142. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title VI of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006 (MSRA,) entitled “The Pacific Whiting Act of 2006,” implements the 2003 “Agreement Between the Government of the Government of the United States of America and Canada on Pacific Hake/Whiting.” Among other provisions, the Whiting Act provides for the establishment of an AP to advise the Joint U.S.-Canada Management Committee on bilateral whiting management issues. Nominations are being sought to fill at least 6 but no more than 12 positions on the Pacific whiting AP for terms of 4-years. The Whiting Act requires that appointments to the AP be selected from among individuals who are “(A) knowledgeable or experienced in the harvesting, processing, marketing, management, conservation, or research of the offshore whiting resource; and
(B)not employees of the United States.” Nominations are sought for any persons meeting these requirements. Nomination packages for appointment to the AP should include: 1. The name of the applicant or nominee and a description of his/her interest in Pacific whiting; and 2. A statement of background and/or description of how the above qualifications are met. The terms of office for the Pacific Whiting AP members will be for 4 years (48 months). Members appointed to the AP will be reimbursed for necessary travel expenses. In the initial year of treaty implementation, NMFS anticipates that up to 3 meetings of the AP will be required. In subsequent years, 1-2 meetings of the AP will be held annually. Meetings of the AP will be held in the United States or Canada, so AP members will need a valid U.S. passport. Meetings of the AP will be held concurrently with those of the Joint Management Committee, once per year for a period not to exceed 5 days in duration. The Pacific Whiting Act of 2006 also states that while performing their appointed duties as AP members, members “shall be considered to be Federal employees only for purposes of-
(1)injury compensation under chapter 81 of title 5, United States Code;
(2)requirements concerning ethics, conflicts of interest, and corruption as provided under title 18, United States Code; and
(3)any other criminal or civil statute or regulation governing the conduct of Federal employees.” Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 *et seq.* Dated: October 18, 2007. Emily H. Menashes, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. E7-20931 Filed 10-23-07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [Docket No. 071018607-7608-01] New NOAA Cooperative Institutes (CIs):
(1)Alaska and Related Arctic Regions Environmental Research and
(2)Earth System Modeling for Climate Applications AGENCY: Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice of availability of funds. SUMMARY: The Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research
(OAR)publishes this notice to provide the general public with a consolidated source of program and application information related to two competitive cooperative agreement
(CA)award offerings. Both announcements will also be available through the Grants.gov Web site. Cooperative Institute Competitions NOAA is accepting applications for two separate competitions to establish:
(1)A CI to study environmental issues associated with Alaska and related Arctic regions and
(2)a CI focused on the development and use of Earth System Modeling applied to climate applications with timescales of decadal or longer. The application and award processes for each CI will be covered in this announcement. Both CIs are expected to provide the necessary capabilities to complement NOAA's current and planned activities in support of the 5-year Research Plan and the 20-year Research Vision. NOAA's Climate Mission Goal in the Arctic requires knowledge of atmospheric circulation throughout the entire region; inflow and fate of Pacific and Atlantic water masses throughout the central Arctic Basin and peripheral seas; sea ice dynamics in all ice covered waters of the Arctic; and state of land cover, permafrost, glaciers and ice sheets throughout the Arctic region. NOAA's Ecosystem Mission Goal proposes documentation of population trends in exploited and protected species wherever they live in order to assess and manage these species. NOAA's Weather and Water Mission Goal proposes research to understand the coastal hazards, storms, and tsunamis that affect Alaska's population, ecosystems and coast. To achieve its mission in the Arctic, NOAA will need to engage many international partners. The regional Alaska CI will be a very useful organization for promoting and facilitating international collaboration of all types. Political boundaries are not the primary determinant of the geographic scope of this regional CI focused on Alaska and neighboring Arctic issues; rather boundaries are established by the science problem being addressed. The proposed CI for Earth System modeling will be focused on climate applications for decadal or longer timescales and will contribute to research leading to operational Earth System Models that will have many benefits for NOAA. These would include improved forecasting of ecosystem conditions; new analytical and predictive capabilities for water resources, hydrology, climate and oceans; and improved understanding the links between climate and regional impacts, including drought, hurricanes, fires, and weather extremes. Both CIs will facilitate a long-term collaborative environment between NOAA and the recipients within which broad-based research, modeling, and education and outreach capabilities that focus on the NOAA priorities identified above can be developed and sustained. Because of the breadth of the capabilities needed for these CIs, it may be difficult for some applicants to provide all of the capabilities required to support NOAA's needs. Given this, NOAA will also consider applications from a consortium of research institutions working together as one CI. Any proposals involving a consortium will require a rationale for that configuration. DATES: Proposals must be received by the OAR no later than 5 p.m., E.T., Monday, December 24, 2007. Proposals submitted after that date will not be considered. ADDRESSES: Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online through the Grants.gov Web site ( *http://www.grants.gov* ) but paper submissions are acceptable if internet access is not available. If a hard copy application is submitted, the original and two unbound copies of the proposal should be included. Paper submissions should be sent to: NOAA, OAR, 1315 East West Highway, Room 11326, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, *Attn:* Dr. John Cortinas. No e-mail or facsimile proposal submissions will be accepted. The complete federal funding opportunity announcements associated with this notice can be found at the Grants.gov Web site, *http://www.grants.gov* , and the NOAA Web site at *http://www.nrc.noaa.gov/ci* . FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For a copy of the federal funding opportunity announcement and/or application kit for each of these Cooperative Institutes, please go to *http://www.Grants.gov* , via NOAA's Web site, or contact Dr. John Cortinas, 1315 East West Highway, Room 11326, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910; Telephone:
(301)734-1090; facsimile:
(301)713-3515; e-mail: *John.Cortinas@noaa.gov* . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: All applicants must comply with all requirements contained in the federal funding opportunity announcements for each of these CIs. Background A CI is a NOAA-supported, non-federal organization that has established an outstanding research program in one or more areas that are relevant to the NOAA mission. CIs are established at research institutions that also have a strong education program with established graduate degree programs in NOAA-related sciences. The CI provides significant coordination of resources among all non-government partners and promotes the involvement of students and postdoctoral scientists in NOAA-funded research. The CI provides mutual benefits with value provided by all parties. For both the Alaska CI and the Earth System Modeling CI, NOAA has identified the need to establish a CI to focus on scientific research associated in support of NOAA's Strategic Plan, NOAA's 5-year Research Plan, and NOAA's 20-year Research Vision. (All documents are available at *http://www.spo.noaa.gov/* .) Alaska and Related Arctic Regions Environmental Research CI The proposed Alaska CI should possess outstanding capabilities to provide research under three themes:
(1)Ecosystem studies and forecasting,
(2)coastal hazards, and
(3)climate change and variability. To conduct research under these themes, the proposed CI should possess the flexibility needed to work on multi-disciplinary research in collaboration with NOAA's Climate Program Office, the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, the NWS Alaska and Pacific regions, the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy at the University of Alaska—Fairbanks, a NOAA-funded Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments Center. In addition, the CI should collaborate with other NOAA partners including other CIs and Alaska Sea Grant. NOAA requires substantial flexibility from the CI to provide both scientific depth to existing programs and to add new capabilities when NOAA is faced with new drivers ( *e.g.* , need to advance climate impacts science or climate information services for the region or develop hazard resilient coastal communities). The CI should have resident or affiliated faculty with broad expertise in conducting research in all three themes. Research under these themes will require expertise in physical oceanography, sea ice, marine biology, remote sensing, land surface hydrology, permafrost, terrestrial biology (including vegetative land cover), atmospheric chemistry (including trace substances and fluxes between atmosphere and ocean and atmosphere and land), glaciology, meteorology, cloud physics, space physics (including aurora research), regional climate modeling (including linkages between physical processes and ecological processes), and technology and engineering for in-situ observing systems. Staff of the CI should have experience in field operations in cold environments with a permanent or seasonal cryosphere, including ship-based operations, terrestrial camps and permanent stations, and ice camps. The CI should have staff experience in managing and implementing large-scale, multi-investigator Arctic science programs involving both domestic and foreign sponsors and scientists. The CI must have the capability to conduct research related to improving the detection of tsunamigenic earthquakes using a digital broadband seismic network. The CI is expected to have or have access to ice breaking research vessels necessary to research ice-covered areas of the Arctic Ocean and the Bering/Chukchi/Beaufort Seas, as well as access to supercomputing facilities needed to run complex tsunami and climate models. The CI should also have the ability and desire to provide rapid-response products to address Arctic science issues of immediate importance, for example by working with NOAA scientists to test applicability of research results in an operational environment using a test bed model. This CI will play an important role in helping NOAA keep its operational and information services at the state of the art in science and technology by providing research that is needed for the 5- to 20-year time frame and working with NOAA to identify promising research that can be transitioned to operations 2 to 5 years prior to implementation. The CI should have doctoral-level education programs in fields relevant to NOAA's high latitude missions. The CI is expected to promote student and postdoctoral involvement in research projects in ways to train the next generation of scientists and NOAA employees. The CI should provide support for graduate and undergraduate students and post-doctoral scientists that will provide a “hands-on” opportunity for the development of a wide range of expertise. NOAA can capitalize on this expertise, as CI employees and students will work with NOAA to conduct research that complements NOAA's mission needs. The CI should also have the capability to share research results conducted at the CI with the stakeholders and decision makers. Earth System Modeling for Climate Applications CI NOAA has established itself as the premier Federal provider of climate information. Its expertise in long term climate was recently showcased in the International Panel on Climate Change's
(IPCC)Fourth Assessment Report on Climate Change. It is clear, however, that current state-of-the-art physical coupled climate models, particularly those that are used to forecast climate conditions on decadal and longer time scales, lack important features that are crucial for understanding how a warming world will affect the world's terrestrial and oceanic ecosystems and biogeochemical cycles, and importantly, how ecosystems can affect climate change. This understanding can be achieved in part by a vigorous climate observing program, and by a world class Earth System modeling capability. The proposed Earth System Modeling CI will address these needs by providing capabilities in Earth System Modeling research and Analysis to develop and improve climate models that simulate and predict chemical, physical, and ecosystem changes in the whole Earth system. The proposed Alaska CI should possess outstanding capabilities to provide research under three themes:
(1)Earth system modeling and analysis,
(2)data assimilation, and
(3)earth system modeling applications. The CI should have capabilities and conduct research in data assimilation to develop and improve techniques to assimilate environmental observations, including aerial, terrestrial, oceanic, and biological observations, to produce the best estimate of the environmental state at the time of the observations for use in analysis, modeling, and prediction activities associated with climate predications. The CI should also have capabilities to conduct research on model applications including focus on the use of Earth System Models to study physical processes associated with long-term (decadal or longer) climate change and its impacts, including abrupt change, coastal processes, carbon management, sea-level rise, drought, the frequency of hurricanes and other extreme events, and climate predictability, as well as attributing climate change to natural and anthropogenic forces. The proposed CI must strongly support “a strategic approach that attracts and maintains a competent and diverse workforce and creates an environment that develops, encourages, and sustains employees as they work to accomplish NOAA's strategic goals,” as described in NOAA's latest Strategic Plan. The CI must also have a strong education program with established graduate degree programs in NOAA-related sciences. These programs must provide outstanding opportunities to train the next generation of scientists and NOAA employees by giving undergraduate, graduate students, and post-doctoral scientists a “hands on” opportunity to participate in NOAA research activities. To strengthen the collaborations between NOAA and the CI, most of these students and postdocs should be located close enough to allow them to work with GFDL scientists in Princeton, New Jersey at least weekly. This training is extremely important for NOAA as it strives to attract and maintain a competent and diverse scientific workforce. *Electronic Access:* Applicants can access, download, and submit electronic grant applications, including the full funding opportunity announcement, for NOAA programs at the Grants.gov Web site: *http://www.grants.gov* . The closing date will be the same as for the paper submissions noted in this announcement. For applicants filing through Grants.gov, NOAA strongly recommends that you do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the application process through Grants.gov. Registration may take up to 10 business days. More details on how to apply are provided in the NOAA June 30, 2005 **Federal Register** Notice on “Availability of Grant Funds for Fiscal Year 2006,” which can be found at: *http://www.Grants.gov* or *http://www.ago.noaa.gov/grants/funding.shtml* . Proposals must include elements requested in the full Federal Funding Opportunity announcement on the grants.gov portal. If a hard copy application is submitted, NOAA requests that the original and two unbound copies of the proposal be included. Proposals, electronic or paper, should be no more than 75 pages (numbered) in length, excluding budget, investigators, vitae, and all appendices. Federally mandated forms are not included within the page count. Facsimile transmissions and electronic mail submission of full proposals will not be accepted. *Funding Availability:* For the proposed Alaska CI, NOAA expects that approximately $2-3M will be available for the CI in the first year of the award. For the proposed Earth System Modeling CI, NOAA expects that approximately $3M will be available in the first year of the award. For each proposed CI the annual Task I budget should not exceed $300,000. The final amount of funding available for Task I will be determined during the negotiation phase of the award based on availability of funding and any NOAA policies on Task I funding. Funding for subsequent years is expected to be constant throughout the period, depending on the quality of the research, the satisfactory progress in achieving the stated goals described in the proposal, continued relevance to program objectives, and the availability of funding. Authorities: 15 U.S.C. 313, 15 U.S.C. 1540; 15 U.S.C. 2901 *et seq.* , 16 U.S.C. 753a, 33 U.S.C. 883d, 33 U.S.C. 1442, 49 U.S.C. 44720(b). (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance: 11.432, Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research
(OAR)Joint and Cooperative Institutes.) *Eligibility:* Eligibility is limited to non-federal public and private non-profit universities, colleges and research institutions that offer accredited graduate level degree-granting programs in NOAA-related sciences. *Cost Sharing Requirements:* To stress the collaborative nature and investment of a CI by both NOAA and the research institution, cost sharing is required. There is no minimum cost sharing requirement; however, the amount of cost sharing will be considered when determining the level of CI commitment under NOAA's standard evaluation criteria for overall qualification of applicants. Acceptable cost-sharing proposals include, but are not limited to, offering a reduced indirect cost rate against activities in one or more Tasks, waiver of indirect costs assessed against base funds and/or Task I activities, waiver or reduction of any costs associated with the use of facilities at the CI, and full or partial salary funding for the CI director, administrative staff, graduate students, visiting scientists, or postdoctoral scientists. *Intergovernmental Review:* Applications under this program are not subject to Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.” *Evaluation Criteria and Review and Selection Procedures:* NOAA's standard evaluation criteria and the review and selection procedures contained in NOAA's June 30, 2005, omnibus notice are applicable to this solicitation and are as follows: A. Evaluation Criteria for Projects Proposals will be evaluated using the standard NOAA evaluation criteria. Various questions under each criterion are provided to ensure that the applicant includes information that NOAA will consider important during the evaluation, in addition to any other information provided by the applicant. Note that information on how the proposal addresses issues related to the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA)will not be needed in this submission but will be required when individual projects are proposed. 1. Importance and/or relevance and applicability of proposed project to the program goals (25 percent): This criterion ascertains whether there is intrinsic value in the proposed work and/or relevance to NOAA, Federal, regional, State, or local activities. • Does the proposal include research goals and projects that address the critical issues identified in NOAA's 5-year Research Plan, NOAA's Strategic Plan, and the priorities described in the federal funding opportunity announcement published at *http://www.grants.gov* ? • Is there a demonstrated commitment (in terms of resources and facilities) to enhance existing NOAA and CI resources to foster a long-term collaborative research environment/culture? • Is there a strong education program with established graduate degree programs in NOAA-related sciences that also encourages student participation in NOAA-related research studies? • (For the Earth System Modeling CI only) Will most of the staff at the CI be located near a NOAA facility, particularly the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory in Princeton, New Jersey, to enhance collaborations with NOAA? 2. *Technical/scientific merit (30 percent):* This criterion assesses whether the approach is technically sound and/or innovative, if the methods are appropriate, and whether there are clear project goals and objectives. • Does the project description include a summary of clearly stated goals to be achieved during the five-year period that reflect NOAA's strategic plan and goals? • Does the CI involve partnerships with other universities or research institutions, including Minority Serving Institutions and universities with strong departments that can contribute to the proposed activities of the CI? 3. *Overall qualifications of applicants (30 percent):* This criterion ascertains whether the applicant possesses the necessary education, experience, training, facilities, and administrative resources to accomplish the project. • If the institution(s) and/or principal investigators have received current or recent NOAA funding, is there a demonstrated record of outstanding performance working with NOAA scientists on research projects? • Is there internationally recognized expertise within the appropriate disciplines needed to conduct the collaborative/interdisciplinary research described in the proposal? • Is there a well-developed business plan that includes fiscal and human resource management as well as strategic planning and accountability? • Are there any unique capabilities in a mission-critical area of research for NOAA? • Has the applicant shown a substantial investment to the NOAA partnership, as demonstrated by the amount of the cost sharing contribution? 4. *Project costs (5 percent):* The budget is evaluated to determine if it is realistic and commensurate with the project needs and time-frame. 5. *Outreach and education (10 percent):* NOAA assesses whether this project provides a focused and effective education and outreach strategy regarding NOAA's mission to protect the Nation's natural resources. B. Review and Selection Process An initial administrative review/screening is conducted to determine compliance with requirements/completeness. All proposals will be evaluated and individually ranked in accordance with the assigned weights of the above evaluation criteria by an independent peer panel review. At least three experts, who may be Federal or non-Federal, will be used in this process. If non-Federal experts participate in the review process, each expert will submit an individual review and there will be no consensus opinion. The merit reviewers' ratings are used to produce a rank order of the proposals. The Selecting Official selects proposals after considering the peer panel reviews and selection factors listed below. In making the final selections, the Selecting Official will award in rank order unless the proposal is justified to be selected out of rank order based upon one or more of the selection factors. C. Selection Factors The merit review ratings shall provide a rank order to the Selecting Official for final funding recommendations. The Selecting Official shall award in the rank order unless the proposal is justified to be selected out of rank order based upon one or more of the following factors: 1. Availability of funding. 2. Balance/distribution of funds: a. Geographically. b. By type of institutions. c. By type of partners. d. By research areas. e. By project types. 3. Whether this project duplicates other projects funded or considered for funding by NOAA or other Federal agencies. 4. Program priorities and policy factors. 5. Applicant's prior award performance. 6. Partnerships and/or participation of targeted groups. 7. Adequacy of information necessary for NOAA staff to make a NEPA determination and draft necessary documentation before recommendations for funding are made to the Grants Officer. Applicants must comply with all requirements contained in the full funding opportunity announcements for each project competition in this announcement. *Universal Identifier:* Applicants should be aware that, they are required to provide a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System
(DUNS)number during the application process. *See* the October 30, 2002 **Federal Register** , Vol. 67, No. 210, pp. 66177-66178 for additional information. Organizations can receive a DUNS number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free DUNS Number request line at 1
(866)705-5711 or via the internet ( *http://www.dunandbradstreet.com* ). *National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA):* NOAA must analyze the potential environmental impacts, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), for applicant projects or proposals which are seeking NOAA federal funding opportunities. Detailed information on NOAA compliance with NEPA can be found at NOAA's NEPA Web site, *http://www.nepa.noaa.gov/* , and the Council on Environmental Quality implementation regulations, *http://ceq.eh.doe.gov/nepa/regs/ceq/toc_ceq.htm* . While not part of this initial application, upon award and subsequent submission of projects, the CI is required to provide detailed information on the activities to be conducted, locations, sites, species and habitat to be affected, possible construction activities, and any environmental concerns that may exist ( *e.g.* , the use and disposal of hazardous or toxic chemicals, introduction of non-indigenous species, impacts to endangered and threatened species, aquaculture projects, and impacts to coral reef systems). In addition to providing specific information that will serve as the basis for any required impact analyses, applicants may also be requested to assist NOAA in drafting of an environmental assessment, if such assessment is required. Applicants will also be required to cooperate with NOAA in identifying feasible measures to reduce or avoid any identified adverse environmental impacts of their proposal. The failure to cooperate with NOAA shall be grounds for not selecting an application. In some cases if additional information is required after an application is selected, funds can be withheld by the Grants Officer under a special award condition requiring the recipient to submit additional environmental compliance information sufficient to enable NOAA to make an assessment on any impacts that a project may have on the environment. Pre-Award Notification Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements contained in the **Federal Register** notice of December 30, 2004 (69 FR 78389) are applicable to this solicitation. *Limitation of Liability:* Funding for years 2-5 of the Cooperative Institute is contingent upon the availability of appropriated funds. In no event will NOAA or the Department of Commerce be responsible for application preparation costs if these programs fail to receive funding or are cancelled because of other agency priorities. Publication of this announcement does not oblige NOAA to award any specific project or to obligate any available funds. *Paperwork Reduction Act:* This notification involves collection of information requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act. The use of Standard Forms 424, 424A, 424B, and SF-LLL and CD-346 has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB)respectively under Control Numbers 0348-0043, 0348-0044, 0348-0040, and 0348-0046 and 0605-0001. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with, a collection of information subject to the requirements of the PRA unless that collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control number. *Executive Order 12866:* It has been determined that this notice is not significant for purposes of Executive Order 12866. *Executive Order 13132 (Federalism):* It has been determined that this notice does not contain policies with Federalism implications as that term is defined in Executive Order 13132. *Administrative Procedure Act/Regulatory Flexibility Act:* Prior notice and an opportunity for public comment are not required by the Administrative Procedure Act or any other law for rules concerning public property, grants, benefits, and contracts (5 U.S.C. 553 (a)(2)). Because notice and opportunity for comments are not required pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 or any other law, the analytical requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 *et seq.* ) are inapplicable. Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis is not required and none has been prepared. Dated: October 18, 2007. Terry J. Bevels, Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. [FR Doc. E7-20973 Filed 10-23-07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-KD-P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Science Advisory Board
(SAB)Meeting AGENCY: Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce (DOC). ACTION: Notice of open meeting. SUMMARY: The Science Advisory Board
(SAB)was established by a Decision Memorandum dated September 25, 1997, and is the only Federal Advisory Committee with responsibility to advise the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere on strategies for research, education, and application of science to operations and information services. SAB activities and advice provide necessary input to ensure that National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA)science programs are of the highest quality and provide optimal support to resource management. *Time and Date:* The meeting will be held Monday, November 5, 2007, from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Tuesday, November 6, 2007, from 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. These times and the agenda topics described below are subject to change. Please refer to the Web page *http://www.sab.noaa.gov/Meetings/meetings.html* for the most up-to-date meeting agenda. *Place:* The meeting will be held both days in the NOAA Nickles Conference Room 3910 at the National Weather Center on the campus of the University of Oklahoma, 120 David L. Boren Blvd., Norman, Oklahoma 73072-7303. Please check the SAB Web site *http://www.sab.noaa.gov* for confirmation of the venue. *Status:* The meeting will be open to public participation with a 30-minute public comment period on November 6 (check Web site to confirm time). The SAB expects that public statements presented at its meetings will not be repetitive of previously submitted verbal or written statements. In general, each individual or group making a verbal presentation will be limited to a total time of five
(5)minutes. Written comments should be received in the SAB Executive Director's Office by October 29, 2007 to provide sufficient time for SAB review. Written comments received by the SAB Executive Director after October 29, 2007, will be distributed to the SAB, but may not be reviewed prior to the meeting date. Seats will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. *Matters To Be Considered:* The meeting will include the following topics:
(1)The final NOAA response to the Reports from the Hurricane Intensity Research Working Group (HIRWG);
(2)the final NOAA response to the External Review of NOAA's Ecosystem Research and Science Enterprise;
(3)the draft report from the SAB's Extension, Outreach, and Education Working Group;
(4)a presentation on Laboratory Reviews in the NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research;
(5)tours and discussions of the University of Oklahoma and NOAA components of the National Weather Center; and
(6)Updates from SAB Working Groups on Fire Weather Research, Social Science, and Partnerships. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Cynthia Decker, Executive Director, Science Advisory Board, NOAA, Rm. 11230, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910. (Phone: 301-734-1156, Fax: 301-713-1459, e-mail: *Cynthia.Decker@noaa.gov* ); or visit the NOAA SAB Web site at *http://www.sab.noaa.gov* . Dated: October 18, 2007 Terry Bevels, Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. [FR Doc. E7-20866 Filed 10-23-07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-KD-P DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Membership of the Defense Information Systems Agency Senior Executive Service Performance Review Board AGENCY: DoD; Defense Information Systems Agency. ACTION: Notice of Membership of the Defense Information Systems Agency Senior Executive Service Performance Review Board. SUMMARY: This notice announces the appointment of members to the Defense Information Systems Agency
(DISA)Performance Review Board. The Performance Review Board provides a fair and impartial review of Senior Executive Service
(SES)Performance appraisals and makes recommendations to the Director, Defense Information Systems Agency, regarding final performance ratings and performance awards for DISA SES members. DATES: *Effective Date:* Upon publication of this notice. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Beth Shelley, SES Program Manager, Defense Information Systems Agency, P.O. Box 4502, Arlington, Virginia 22204-4502,
(703)607-4411. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 4214(c)(4), the following are the names and titles of DISA career executives appointed to serve as members of the DISA Performance Review Board. Appointees will serve one-year terms, effective upon publication of this notice. MG Marilyn A. Quagliotti, USA, Vice Director, DISA, Chairperson. Ms. Diann L. McCoy, Component Acquisition Executive, DISA, Member. Mr. John J. Garing, Director for Strategic Planning and Information/Chief Information Officer, DISA, Member. Mr. John J. Penkoske, Jr., Director for Manpower, Personnel, and Security, DISA, Member. October 17, 2007. L.M. Bynum, Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, DoD. [FR Doc. 07-5248 Filed 10-23-07; 8:45 am]
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U.S. Code
- Definitions§ 7501
- Allotment and delivery of commodities§ 7515
- Definitions§ 9902
- Short title§ 98
- Strategic and Critical Materials Board of Directors§ 98h–1
- Powers and duties of Department§ 1512
- Findings, purposes and policy§ 1801
- Duties of Secretary of Commerce§ 313
- Cooperative agreements§ 1540
- Findings§ 2901
- Cooperative research and training programs for fish and wildlife resources§ 753a
- Improvement of methods, instruments, and equipments; investigations and research§ 883d
- Research program respecting possible long-range effects of pollution, overfishing, and man-induced changes of ocean ecosystems§ 1442
- Meteorological services§ 44720
- Rule making§ 553
- Definitions§ 601
3 references not yet in our index
- Pub. L. 104-13
- 16 USC 2201-2205
- 5 USC 4214(c)(4)
Citation graph
cites case law
Proposed Rules
Solicitation of nominations, Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture
Pub. L.Pub. L. 104-13
Cite16 USC 2201-2205
Cite5 USC 4214(c)(4)
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