Notices. Notice
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BILLING CODE 6355-01-M CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE Information Collection; Submission for OMB Review, Comment Request AGENCY: Corporation for National and Community Service. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Corporation for National and Community Service (hereinafter the “Corporation”), has submitted a public information collection request
(ICR)entitled the Volunteering in America Focus Groups to the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB)for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13, (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). Copies of this ICR, with applicable supporting documentation, may be obtained by calling the Corporation for National and Community Service, Ms. Carla Manuel
(202)606-6720. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TTY-TDD) may call
(202)565-2799 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. eastern time, Monday through Friday. ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted, identified by the title of the information collection activity, to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: Ms. Katherine Astrich, OMB Desk Officer for the Corporation for National and Community Service, by any of the following two methods within 30 days from the date of publication in this **Federal Register** :
(1)*By fax to:*
(202)395-6974, Attention: Ms. Katherine Astrich, OMB Desk Officer for the Corporation for National and Community Service; and
(2)Electronically by e-mail to: *Katherine_T._Astrich@omb.eop.gov* . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The OMB is particularly interested in comments which: • Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Corporation, including whether the information will have practical utility; • Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; • Propose ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and • Propose 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, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses. Comments A 60-day public comment Notice was published in the **Federal Register** on October 17, 2007. This comment period ended December 17, 2007. No public comments were received from this notice. *Description:* The Corporation is seeking approval of its Volunteering in America Focus Groups study to provide insight into the perceptions of volunteering, the motivations that prompt individuals to volunteer, and the obstacles to impact an individual's ability to serve. *Type of Review:* New. *Agency:* Corporation for National and Community Service. *Title:* Volunteering in America Focus Groups. *OMB Number:* New. *Agency Number:* None. *Affected Public:* Individuals. *Total Respondents:* 200. *Frequency:* One-time. *Average Time per Response:* 1 hour. *Estimated Total Burden Hours:* 200 hours. *Total Burden Cost (capital/startup):* None. *Total Burden Cost (operating/maintenance):* None. Dated: January 14, 2008. Robert Grimm, Director, CNCS Office of Research and Policy Development. [FR Doc. E8-927 Filed 1-18-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6050-$$-P DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary of Defense Renewal of Department of Defense Federal Advisory Committees AGENCY: Department of Defense. ACTION: Name Change and Renewal of Federal Advisory Committee. SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, (5 U.S.C. Appendix, as amended), the Sunshine in the Government Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended), and 41 CFR § 102-3.65, the Department of Defense gives notice that the name of the Ocean Research Advisory Panel is being changed to the Ocean Research and Resources Advisory Panel (hereafter referred to as the Panel), and that the Panel's charter is being renewed. The Panel is a non-discretionary federal advisory committee established by 10 U.S.C. 7903 to provide independent scientific advice and recommendations to the National Ocean research Leadership Council (hereafter referred to as the Council). Pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 7903(b), the Council shall assign the following responsibilities to the Panel: 1. To advise the Council on policies and procedures to implement the National Oceanographic Partnership Program. 2. To advise the Council on selection of partnership projects and allocation of funds for partnership projects for implementation under the program. 3. To advise the Council on matters relating to national oceanographic data requirements. 4. Any additional responsibilities that the Council considers appropriate. As directed by 10 U.S.C. 7903(a), the Panel shall be composed of not less than 10 and not more than 18 members representing the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, ocean industries, State Governments, academia and others including individuals who are eminent in the fields of marine science, marine policy or related fields including ocean resource management. Panel Members appointed by the Secretary of Defense or designated representative, who are not full-time federal officers or employees, shall serve as Special Government Employees under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 3109. Panel Members, under the provisions of 10 U.S.C. 7903, shall be appointed on an annual basis by the Secretary of Defense or designated representative, and shall serve no more than four years. The Panel Membership shall select the Chairperson and Vice-Chairpersons of the Panel for renewable one-year terms. In addition, the Secretary of Defense or designated representative may invite other distinguished Government officers to serve as non-voting observers of the Panel, and appoint consultants, with special expertise, to assist the Panel on an ad hoc basis. The Panel shall be authorized to establish subcommittees, as necessary and consistent with its mission, and these subcommittees or working groups shall operate under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the Sunshine in the Government Act of 1976, and other appropriate federal regulations. Such subcommittees or workgroups shall not work independently of the chartered Panel, and shall report all their recommendations and advice to the Panel for full deliberation and discussion. Subcommittees or workgroups have no authority to make decisions on behalf of the chartered Panel nor can they report directly to the Department of Defense or any federal officers or employees who are not Panel Members. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Panel shall meet at the call of the Panel's Designated Federal Officer, in consultation with the Panel's chairperson. The Designated Federal Officer, pursuant to DoD policy, shall be a full-time or permanent part-time DoD employee, and shall be appointed in accordance with established DoD policies and procedures. The Designated Federal Officer or duly appointed Alternate Designated Federal Officer shall attend all committee meetings and subcommittee meetings. Pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.105(j) and 102-3.140, the public or interested organizations may submit written statements to the Ocean Research and Resources Advisory Panel membership about the Panel's mission and functions. Written statements may be submitted at any time or in response to the stated agenda of planned meeting of the Ocean Research and Resources Advisory Panel. All written statements shall be submitted to the Designated Federal Officer for the Ocean Research and Resources Advisory Panel, and this individual will ensure that the written statements are provided to the membership for their consideration. Contact information for the Ocean Research and Resources Advisory Panel's Designated Federal Officer can be obtained from the GSA's FACA Database— *https://www.fido.gov/facadatabase/public.asp* . The Designated Federal Officer, pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.150, will announce planned meetings of the Ocean Research and Resources Advisory Panel. The Designated Federal Officer, at that time, may provide additional guidance on the submission of written statements that are in response to the stated agenda for the planned meeting in question. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Freeman, Deputy Committee Management Officer for the Department of Defense, 703-601-2554, extension 128. Dated: January 15, 2008. C.R. Choate, Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense. [FR Doc. E8-986 Filed 1-18-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 5001-06-P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Elementary and Secondary Education: Overview Information; Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year
(FY)2008 *Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
(CFDA)Number:* 84.364A. DATES: *Applications Available:* January 22, 2008. *Deadline for Transmittal of Applications:* March 7, 2008. *Deadline for Intergovernmental Review:* May 6, 2008. Full Text of Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description *Purpose of Program:* The purpose of this program is to improve student reading skills and academic achievement by providing students with increased access to up-to-date school library materials; well-equipped, technologically advanced school library media centers; and well-trained, professionally certified school library media specialists. *Priorities:* This notice contains one competitive preference priority and one invitational priority. *Competitive Preference Priority:* This priority is from the notice of final priority for this program, published in the **Federal Register** on February 16, 2007 (72 FR 7629). For FY 2008, and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, this priority is a competitive preference priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award up to an additional 5 points to an application, depending on how well the application meets this priority. Under this priority, we give priority to projects that demonstrate in their grant applications that the proposed library literacy project services are comprehensive and aligned with a school or district improvement plan. A school improvement plan may include the required two-year plan (under section 1116(b)(3) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001) that addresses the academic issues that caused a school to be identified as in need of improvement. The plan could also include a voluntary plan developed by the school or district to improve academic achievement. The applicant must clearly describe the improvement plan that is in place, whether it is for the school or the entire district, the reasons why the plan was put in place, and how the proposed project and the operation of the school library media center will directly support the academic goals established in the improvement plan. *Invitational Priority:* This priority is from the notice of final priorities for discretionary grant programs published in the **Federal Register** on October 11, 2006 (71 FR 60046). For FY 2008 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, this priority is an invitational priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give an application that meets this invitational priority a competitive or absolute preference over other applications. This priority is for projects that help school districts implement academic and structural interventions in schools that have been identified for improvement, corrective action, or restructuring under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. *Program Authority:* 20 U.S.C. 6383. *Applicable Regulations:*
(a)The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 97, 98, and 99.
(b)The notice of final clarification of eligible local activities, published in the **Federal Register** on April 5, 2004 (69 FR 17894).
(c)The notice of final priority, published in the **Federal Register** on February 16, 2007 (72 FR 7629).
(d)The notice of final priorities for discretionary grant programs published in the **Federal Register** on October 11, 2006 (71 FR 60046). II. Award Information *Type of Award:* Discretionary grants. *Estimated Available Funds:* $18,570,261. Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2009 from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition. *Estimated Range of Awards:* $30,000—$500,000. *Estimated Average Size of Awards:* $250,000. *Estimated Number of Awards:* 80. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. *Project Period:* Up to 12 months. III. Eligibility Information 1. *Eligible Applicants:* LEAs in which at least 20 percent of the students served by the LEA are from families with incomes below the poverty line based on the most recent satisfactory data available from the U.S. Census Bureau at the time this notice is published. These data are Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates for school districts for income year 2005. A list of LEAs with their family poverty rates (based on these Census Bureau data) is posted on our Web site at: *http://www.ed.gov/programs/lsl/eligibility.html. * 2. a. *Cost Sharing or Matching:* This program does not require cost sharing or matching. b. *Supplement-Not-Supplant:* This program involves supplement-not-supplant funding requirements. Funds made available under this program must be used to supplement, and not supplant, other Federal, State, and local funds expended to carry out activities relating to library, technology, or professional development activities (20 U.S.C. 6383(i)). IV. Application and Submission Information 1. *Address To Request Application Package:* You can obtain an application package via the Internet or from the Education Publications Center (ED Pubs). To obtain a copy via the Internet, use either of the following addresses: *http://www.grants.gov* or *http://www.ed.gov/programs/lsl/applicant.html* . To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write, fax, or call the following: Education Publications Center, P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone, toll free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX:
(301)470-1244. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call, toll free: 1-877-576-7734. You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: *http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html* or at its e-mail address: *edpubs@inet.ed.gov. * If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify this program or competition as follows: CFDA number 84.364A. Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the person or team listed under *Alternative Format* in section VIII of this notice. 2. *Content and Form of Application Submission:* Requirements concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you must submit, are in the application package for this program. Page Limit: The application narrative (Part IV of the application) is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit the application narrative (Part IV) to no more than 15 pages, using the following standards: • A “page” is 8.5″ × 11″, on one side only, with 1” margins at the top, bottom, and both sides. • Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs. • Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch). The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II, the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part III, the one-page abstract; Part VI, the other attachments including the resumes, and the endnotes, if applicable; and Part VII, the assurances and certifications. However, you must include all of the application narrative in Part IV. Charter schools and State administered schools must include some form of documentation from their State educational agency
(SEA)confirming eligibility for this program. This documentation is not counted toward the page limit. Our reviewers will not read any pages of your application that exceed the page limit if you apply these standards. Appendices to the narrative are not permitted, with the exception of resumes and endnotes. None of the material sent as appendices to the narrative, with the exception of resumes and endnotes, will be sent to the reviewers. 3. *Submission Dates and Times:* *Applications Available:* January 22, 2008. *Deadline for Transmittal of Applications:* March 7, 2008. Applications for grants under this program must be submitted electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). For information (including dates and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, please refer to section IV. 6. *Other Submission Requirements* in this notice. We do not consider an application that does not comply with the deadline requirements. Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII in this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the application process, the individual's application remains subject to all other requirements and limitations in this notice. *Deadline for Intergovernmental Review:* May 6, 2008. 4. *Intergovernmental Review:* This program is subject to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this program. 5. *Funding Restrictions:* We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the *Applicable Regulations* section of this notice. 6. *Other Submission Requirements:* Applications for grants under this program must be submitted electronically unless you qualify for an exception to this requirement in accordance with the instructions in this section. a. *Electronic Submission of Applications.* Applications for grants under the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program, CFDA Number 84.364A must be submitted electronically using the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at *http//www.Grants.gov.* Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit your application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us. We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement *and* submit, no later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in this section under *Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.* You may access the electronic grant application for the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program at *http://www.Grants.gov* You must search for the downloadable application package for this program by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search ( *e.g.* , search for 84.364, not 84.364A). Please note the following: • When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find information about submitting an application electronically through the site, as well as the hours of operation. • Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as otherwise noted in this section, we will not consider your application if it is date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system later than 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. When we retrieve your application from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application because it was date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. • The amount of time it can take to upload an application will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov. • You should review and follow the Education Submission Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are included in the application package for this program to ensure that you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures pertaining to Grants.gov at *http://e-Grants.ed.gov/help/GrantsgovSubmissionProcedures.pdf.* • To submit your application via Grants.gov, you must complete all steps in the Grants.gov registration process (see *http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp* ). These steps include
(1)registering your organization, a multi-part process that includes registration with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR);
(2)registering yourself as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR); and
(3)getting authorized as an AOR by your organization. Details on these steps are outlined in the Grants.gov 3-Step Registration Guide (see *http://www.grants.gov/section910/Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf).* You also must provide on your application the same D-U-N-S Number used with this registration. Please note that the registration process may take five or more business days to complete, and you must have completed all registration steps to allow you to submit successfully an application via Grants.gov. In addition you will need to update your CCR registration on an annual basis. This may take three or more business days to complete. • You will not receive additional point value because you submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your application in paper format. • You must submit all documents electronically, including all information you typically provide on the following forms: Application for Federal Education Assistance (SF 424), the Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information—Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. Please note that two of these forms—the SF 424 and the Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424—have replaced the ED 424 (Application for Federal Education Assistance). • You must attach any narrative sections of your application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (Portable Document) format. If you upload a file type other than the three file types specified in this paragraph or submit a password-protected file, we will not review that material. • Your electronic application must comply with any page-limit requirements described in this notice. • After you electronically submit your application, you will receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department.) The Department then will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send a second notification to you by e-mail. This second notification indicates that the Department has received your application and has assigned your application a PR/Award number (an ED-specified identifying number unique to your application). • We may request that you provide us original signatures on forms at a later date. *Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues with the Grants.gov System:* If you are experiencing problems submitting your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it. If you are prevented from electronically submitting your application on the application deadline date because of technical problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension until 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to enable you to transmit your application electronically or by hand delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing instructions described elsewhere in this notice. If you submit an application after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date, please contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII in this notice and provide an explanation of the technical problem you experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number. We will accept your application if we can confirm that a technical problem occurred with the Grants.gov system and that that problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. The Department will contact you after a determination is made on whether your application will be accepted. Note: The extensions to which we refer in this section apply only to the unavailability of, or technical problems with, the Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before the application deadline date and time or if the technical problem you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system. *Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement:* You qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application through the Grants.gov system because— • You do not have access to the Internet; or • You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to the Grants.gov system; and • No later than two weeks before the application deadline date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception prevent you from using the Internet to submit your application. If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we must receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the application deadline date. Address and mail or fax your statement to: Irene Harwarth, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 3W227, Washington, DC 20202-6200, Fax:
(202)260-8969. Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice. b. *Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.* If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), your application to the Department. You must mail the original and two copies of your application, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the applicable following address: *By mail through the U.S. Postal Service:* U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.364A), 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260; or *By mail through a commercial carrier:* U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.364A), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506. Regardless of which address you use, you must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:
(1)A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
(2)A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the U.S. Postal Service.
(3)A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial carrier.
(4)Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
(1)A private metered postmark, or
(2)A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service. If your application is postmarked after the application deadline date, we will not consider your application. Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your local post office. c. *Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.* If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the original and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.364A), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260. The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays. *Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications:* If you mail or hand deliver your application to the Department—
(1)You must indicate on the envelope and—if not provided by the Department—in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are submitting your application; and
(2)The Application Control Center will mail to you a notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not receive this notification within 15 business days from the application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center at
(202)245-6288. V. Application Review Information 1. *Selection Criteria:* The selection criteria for this program are from section 1251 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA), and 34 CFR 75.210 and are as follows. The maximum score for all of these criteria is 100 points. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in parentheses. We evaluate an application by determining how well the proposed project meets the following criteria:
(a)*Need for school library resources* (10 points). How well the applicant demonstrates the need for school library media improvement, based on the age and condition of school library media resources, including book collections; access of school library media centers to advanced technology; and the availability of well-trained, professionally certified school library media specialists, in schools served by the applicant.
(b)*Use of funds* (30 points). How well the applicant will use the funds made available through the grant to carry out one or more of the following activities that meet its demonstrated needs:
(1)Acquiring up-to-date school library media resources, including books.
(2)Acquiring and using advanced technology, incorporated into the curricula of the school, to develop and enhance students' skills in retrieving and making use of information and in critical thinking.
(3)Facilitating Internet links and other resource-sharing networks among schools and school library media centers, and public and academic libraries.
(4)Providing professional development (as described in the notice of final clarification of eligible local activities published in the **Federal Register** on April 5, 2004 (69 FR 17894)) for school library media specialists that is designed to improve literacy in grades K-3, and for school library media specialists as described in section 1222(d)(2) of the ESEA and providing activities that foster increased collaboration between school library media specialists, teachers, and administrators.
(5)Providing students with access to school libraries during non-school hours, including the hours before and after school, during weekends, and during summer vacation periods.
(c)*Quality of the project design* (20 points). In determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
(d)*Quality of the management plan* (20 points). In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project tasks.
(e)*Broad-based involvement and coordination* (10 points). How well the applicant will extensively involve school library media specialists, teachers, administrators, and parents in the proposed project activities and effectively coordinate the funds and activities provided under this program with other literacy, library, technology, and professional development funds and activities.
(f)*Evaluation of quality and impact* (10 points). How well the applicant will collect and analyze data on the quality and impact of the proposed project activities, including the extent to which the availability of, the access to, and the use of up-to-date school library media resources in the elementary schools and secondary schools served by the applicant increase; and the impact of the project on the reading skills of students. 2. *Review and Selection Process:* An additional factor we consider in selecting an application for an award is the equitable distribution of grants across geographic regions and among LEAs serving urban and rural areas. VI. Award Administration Information 1. *Award Notices:* If your application is successful, we notify your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award Notification (GAN). We may notify you informally, also. If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, we notify you. 2. *Administrative and National Policy Requirements:* We identify administrative and national policy requirements in the application package and reference these and other requirements in the *Applicable Regulations* section in this notice. We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of an award in the *Applicable Regulations* section in this notice and include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also incorporates your approved application as part of your binding commitments under the grant. 3. *Reporting:* At the end of your project period, you must submit a final performance report, including financial information, as directed by the Secretary. For specific requirements on reporting, please go to *http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.* 4. *Performance Measures:* In response to the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), the Department developed three measures for evaluating the overall effectiveness of the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program. These measures gauge improvement in student achievement and resources in the schools and districts served by the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program by assessing increases in:
(1)The percentage of students in schools served by the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program who are proficient in reading;
(2)The number of books and media resources purchased per student, pre- and post-grant, compared to the national average; and
(3)The difference in the number of purchases of school library materials (books and media resources) between schools participating in the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program and the national average. The Department will collect data for these measures from grantees' final performance reports and other data sources. VII. Agency Contact FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Irene Harwarth, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3W227, Washington, DC 20202-6200. Telephone:
(202)401-3751 or by e-mail: *Irene.Harwarth@ed.gov* . If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339. VIII. Other Information *Alternative Format:* Individuals with disabilities can obtain this document and a copy of the application package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII in this notice. *Electronic Access to This Document:* You can view this document, as well as all other documents of this Department published in the **Federal Register** , in text or Adobe Portable Document Format
(PDF)on the Internet at the following site: *http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.* To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in the Washington, DC, area at
(202)512-1530. Note: The official version of this document is the document published in the **Federal Register** . Free Internet access to the official edition of the **Federal Register** and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: *http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html* . Dated: January 16, 2008. Kerri Briggs, Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education. [FR Doc. E8-1007 Filed 1-18-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Combined Notice of Filings January 14, 2008. Take notice that the Commission has received the following Natural Gas Pipeline Rate and Refund Report filings: *Docket Numbers:* RP96-320-079. *Applicants:* Gulf South Pipeline Company, LP. *Description:* Gulf South Pipeline Co, LP submits an interim negotiated rate letter agreement re East Texas to Mississippi Expansion Project. *Filed Date:* 01/10/2008. *Accession Number:* 20080111-0080. *Comment Date:* 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, January 22, 2008. *Docket Numbers:* RP97-81-045. *Applicants:* Kinder Morgan Interstate Gas Transmission. *Description:* Kinder Morgan Interstate Gas Transmission LLC submits Nineteenth Revised Sheet 4G.01 et al to FERC Gas Tariff, Fourth Revised Volume 1-A, effective 1/12/08. *Filed Date:* 01/11/2008. *Accession Number:* 20080114-0246. *Comment Date:* 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, January 23, 2008. *Docket Numbers:* RP08-49-001. *Applicants:* Midwestern Gas Transmission Company. *Description:* Midwestern Gas Transmission Company submits Substitute Third Revised Sheet 90, proposed to be effective 1/7/08. *Filed Date:* 01/11/2008. *Accession Number:* 20080114-0038. *Comment Date:* 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, January 23, 2008. *Docket Numbers:* RP08-159-000. *Applicants:* Crossroads Pipeline Company. *Description:* Crossroads Pipeline Company submits First Revised Sheet 78A to FERC Gas Tariff, Second Revised Volume 1, to be effective 2/10/08. *Filed Date:* 01/11/2008. *Accession Number:* 20080114-0135. *Comment Date:* 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, January 23, 2008. *Docket Numbers:* RP08-160-000. *Applicants:* Columbia Gulf Transmission Company. *Description:* Columbia Gulf Transmission Company submits Ninth Revised Sheet 144 to FERC Gas Tariff, Second Revised Volume 1, to be effective 2/10/08. *Filed Date:* 01/11/2008. *Accession Number:* 20080114-0136. *Comment Date:* 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, January 23, 2008. *Docket Numbers:* RP08-161-000. *Applicants:* Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation. *Description:* Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation submits Eleventh Revised Sheet 280 to FERC Gas Tariff, Second Revised Volume 1, to be effective 2/10/08. *Filed Date:* 01/11/2008. *Accession Number:* 20080114-0137. *Comment Date:* 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, January 23, 2008. Any person desiring to intervene or to protest in any of the above proceedings must file in accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and 385.214) on or before 5 p.m. Eastern time on the specified comment date. It is not necessary to separately intervene again in a subdocket related to a compliance filing if you have previously intervened in the same docket. Protests will be considered by the Commission in determining the appropriate action to be taken, but will not serve to make protestants parties to the proceeding. Anyone filing a motion to intervene or protest must serve a copy of that document on the Applicant. In reference to filings initiating a new proceeding, interventions or protests submitted on or before the comment deadline need not be served on persons other than the Applicant. The Commission encourages electronic submission of protests and interventions in lieu of paper, using the FERC Online links at *http://www.ferc.gov.* To facilitate electronic service, persons with Internet access who will eFile a document and/or be listed as a contact for an intervenor must create and validate an eRegistration account using the eRegistration link. Select the eFiling link to log on and submit the intervention or protests. Persons unable to file electronically should submit an original and 14 copies of the intervention or protest to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., NE., Washington, DC 20426. The filings in the above proceedings are accessible in the Commission's eLibrary system by clicking on the appropriate link in the above list. They are also available for review in the Commission's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC. There is an eSubscription link on the Web site that enables subscribers to receive e-mail notification when a document is added to a subscribed dockets(s). For assistance with any FERC Online service, please e-mail *FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov.* or call
(866)208-3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
(202)502-8659. Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr., Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. E8-980 Filed 1-18-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Combined Notice of Filings #1 January 15, 2008. Take notice that the Commission has received the following Natural Gas Pipeline Rate and Refund Report filings: *Docket Numbers:* RP91-143-058. *Applicants:* Great Lakes Gas Transmission LP. *Description:* Great Lakes Gas Transmission Cosubmits the Interruptible/Overrun Revenue Sharing Report for the November 2006-October 2007. *Filed Date:* 12/18/2007. *Accession Number:* 20071219-0359. *Comment Date:* 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, January 22, 2008. *Docket Numbers:* RP08-47-002. *Applicants:* Wyoming Interstate Company, Ltd. *Description:* Wyoming Interstate Company Ltd submits its Twentieth Revised Sheet 4C to its FERC Gas Tariff, Second Revised Volume. *Filed Date:* 01/11/2008. *Accession Number:* 20080114-0419. *Comment Date:* 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, January 23, 2008. Any person desiring to intervene or to protest in any of the above proceedings must file in accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211 and 385.214) on or before 5 p.m. Eastern time on the specified comment date. It is not necessary to separately intervene again in a subdocket related to a compliance filing if you have previously intervened in the same docket. Protests will be considered by the Commission in determining the appropriate action to be taken, but will not serve to make protestants parties to the proceeding. Anyone filing a motion to intervene or protest must serve a copy of that document on the Applicant. In reference to filings initiating a new proceeding, interventions or protests submitted on or before the comment deadline need not be served on persons other than the Applicant. The Commission encourages electronic submission of protests and interventions in lieu of paper, using the FERC Online links at *http://www.ferc.gov* . To facilitate electronic service, persons with Internet access who will eFile a document and/or be listed as a contact for an intervenor must create and validate an eRegistration account using the eRegistration link. Select the eFiling link to log on and submit the intervention or protests. Persons unable to file electronically should submit an original and 14 copies of the intervention or protest to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., NE., Washington, DC 20426. The filings in the above proceedings are accessible in the Commission's eLibrary system by clicking on the appropriate link in the above list. They are also available for review in the Commission's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC. There is an eSubscription link on the Web site that enables subscribers to receive e-mail notification when a document is added to a subscribed dockets(s). For assistance with any FERC Online service, please e-mail *FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov* . or call
(866)208-3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
(202)502-8659. Nathaniel J. Davis, Sr., Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. E8-983 Filed 1-18-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. PR07-14-003] Bridgeline Holdings, L.P.; Notice of Compliance Filing January 15, 2008. Take notice that on December 27, 2007, Bridgeline Holdings, L.P. filed a Report of Refunds in compliance with the Commission's letter order issued on October 26, 2007 in Docket Nos. PR07-14-000, PR07-14-001 and PR07-14-002. Any person desiring to protest this filing must file in accordance with Rule 211 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211). Protests to this filing will be considered by the Commission in determining the appropriate action to be taken, but will not serve to make protestants parties to the proceeding. Such protests must be filed on or before the date as indicated below. Anyone filing a protest must serve a copy of that document on all the parties to the proceeding. The Commission encourages electronic submission of protests in lieu of paper using the “eFiling” link at *http://www.ferc.gov* . Persons unable to file electronically should submit an original and 14 copies of the protest to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. This filing is accessible on-line at *http://www.ferc.gov* , using the “eLibrary” link and is available for review in the Commission's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC. There is an “eSubscription” link on the Web site that enables subscribers to receive e-mail notification when a document is added to a subscribed docket(s). For assistance with any FERC Online service, please e-mail *FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov* , or call
(866)208-3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
(202)502-8659. *Comment Date:* 5 p.m. Eastern Time January 23, 2008. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. E8-960 Filed 1-18-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket Nos. CP06-61-004 and CP01-23-005] North Baja Pipeline, LLC; Notice of Compliance Filing January 15, 2008. Take notice that on January 11, 2008, North Baja Pipeline, LLC
(NBP)tendered for filing as part of its FERC Gas Tariff, certain revised tariff sheets, with an effective date of February 15, 2008. NBP states that the filing is being made in compliance with the Commission's order issued on October 2, 2007 in the above-referenced proceeding. Any person desiring to protest this filing must file in accordance with Rule 211 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211). Protests to this filing will be considered by the Commission in determining the appropriate action to be taken, but will not serve to make protestants parties to the proceeding. Such protests must be filed on or before the date as indicated below. Anyone filing a protest must serve a copy of that document on all the parties to the proceeding. The Commission encourages electronic submission of protests in lieu of paper using the “eFiling” link at *http://www.ferc.gov* . Persons unable to file electronically should submit an original and 14 copies of the protest to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. This filing is accessible on-line at *http://www.ferc.gov* , using the “eLibrary” link and is available for review in the Commission's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC. There is an “eSubscription” link on the Web site that enables subscribers to receive e-mail notification when a document is added to a subscribed docket(s). For assistance with any FERC Online service, please e-mail *FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov* , or call
(866)208-3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
(202)502-8659. *Comment Date:* 5 p.m. Eastern Time January 22, 2008. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. E8-966 Filed 1-18-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket Nos. ER08-213-000; ER08-213-001] Round Rock Energy, L.P.; Notice of Issuance of Order January 15, 2008. Round Rock Energy, LP (Round Rock) filed an application for market-based rate authority, with accompanying tariff. The proposed market-based rate tariff provides for the sale of energy, capacity and ancillary services at market-based rates. Round Rock also requested waivers of various Commission regulations. In particular, Round Rock requested that the Commission grant blanket approval under 18 CFR part 34 of all future issuances of securities and assumptions of liability by Round Rock. On January 11, 2008, pursuant to delegated authority, the Director, Division of Tariffs and Market Development-West, granted the requests for blanket approval under part 34 (Director's Order). The Director's Order also stated that the Commission would publish a separate notice in the **Federal Register** establishing a period of time for the filing of protests. Accordingly, any person desiring to be heard concerning the blanket approvals of issuances of securities or assumptions of liability by Round Rock, should file a protest with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, in accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure. 18 CFR 385.211, 385.214 (2007). Notice is hereby given that the deadline for filing protests is February 11, 2008. Absent a request to be heard in opposition to such blanket approvals by the deadline above, Round Rock is authorized to issue securities and assume obligations or liabilities as a guarantor, indorser, surety, or otherwise in respect of any security of another person; provided that such issuance or assumption is for some lawful object within the corporate purposes of Round Rock, compatible with the public interest, and is reasonably necessary or appropriate for such purposes. The Commission reserves the right to require a further showing that neither public nor private interests will be adversely affected by continued approvals of Round Rock's issuance of securities or assumptions of liability. Copies of the full text of the Director's Order are available from the Commission's Public Reference Room, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. The Order may also be viewed on the Commission's Web site at *http://www.ferc.gov,* using the eLibrary link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket number filed to access the document. Comments, protests, and interventions may be filed electronically via the Internet in lieu of paper. See, 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Web site under the “e-Filing” link. The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. E8-963 Filed 1-18-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket Nos. ER08-299-000] Snowflake White Mountain Power, LLC; Notice of Issuance of Order January 15, 2008. Snowflake White Mountain Power, LLC (Snowflake) filed an application for market-based rate authority, with accompanying tariff. The proposed market-based rate tariff provides for the sale of energy, capacity and ancillary services at market-based rates. Snowflake also requested waivers of various Commission regulations. In particular, Snowflake requested that the Commission grant blanket approval under 18 CFR part 34 of all future issuances of securities and assumptions of liability by Snowflake. On January 11, 2008, pursuant to delegated authority, the Director, Division of Tariffs and Market Development-West, granted the requests for blanket approval under part 34 (Director's Order). The Director's Order also stated that the Commission would publish a separate notice in the **Federal Register** establishing a period of time for the filing of protests. Accordingly, any person desiring to be heard concerning the blanket approvals of issuances of securities or assumptions of liability by Snowflake, should file a protest with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, in accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure. 18 CFR 385.211, 385.214 (2007). Notice is hereby given that the deadline for filing protests is February 11, 2008. Absent a request to be heard in opposition to such blanket approvals by the deadline above, Snowflake is authorized to issue securities and assume obligations or liabilities as a guarantor, indorser, surety, or otherwise in respect of any security of another person; provided that such issuance or assumption is for some lawful object within the corporate purposes of Snowflake, compatible with the public interest, and is reasonably necessary or appropriate for such purposes. The Commission reserves the right to require a further showing that neither public nor private interests will be adversely affected by continued approvals of Snowflake's issuance of securities or assumptions of liability. Copies of the full text of the Director's Order are available from the Commission's Public Reference Room, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. The Order may also be viewed on the Commission's Web site at *http://www.ferc.gov* , using the eLibrary link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket number filed to access the document. Comments, protests, and interventions may be filed electronically via the Internet in lieu of paper. See, 18 CFR 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Web site under the “e-Filing” link. The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. E8-964 Filed 1-18-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP08-8-000] Leaf River Energy Center LLC; Notice of Public Scoping Meeting and Site Visit for the Proposed Leaf River Storage Project January 15, 2008. The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) will conduct a public scoping meeting and site visit for the Leaf River Storage Project involving construction and operation of natural gas storage and pipeline header facilities by Leaf River Energy Center LLC in Smith, Jasper, and Clarke Counties, Mississippi. We invite you to attend the public scoping meeting beginning at 7 p.m.
(CST)on Tuesday evening, January 29, 2008, to provide environmental comments on the proposed project. Your input will help us determine the issues that need to be evaluated in the environmental assessment. The public scoping meeting will be held at: Heidelberg Multi Purpose Building, 114 West Park Street, Heidelberg, Mississippi 39114, Phone: 601-787-3000. The Commission staff will also conduct a site visit of the location of the proposed facilities on January 30, 2008. Anyone interested in participating in the site visit may attend, and they must provide their own transportation. The staff will start the site visit on Wednesday, January 30 at approximately 9 a.m. (CST). The Commission staff, company representatives, and interested participants will meet in the parking lot at the following location: Piggly Wiggly, Highway 15, Bay Springs, MS 39422. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. E8-962 Filed 1-18-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP08-5-000] Southern Natural Gas Company Magnolia Enterprise Holdings, Inc.; Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed AGL-Brunswick Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues January 2, 2008. The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment
(EA)that will discuss the environmental impacts of the AGL-Brunswick Project involving construction and operation of natural gas pipeline facilities by Southern Natural Gas Company (Southern) in Jones, Laurens, Glynn, and Liberty Counties, Georgia. The EA will be used by the Commission in its decision-making process to determine whether the project is in the public convenience and necessity. This notice announces the opening of the scoping process the Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested agencies on the project. Your input will help determine which issues need to be evaluated in the EA. Please note that the scoping period will close on February 4, 2008. Details on how to submit comments are provided in the Public Participation section of this notice. This notice is being sent to affected landowners; Federal, State, and local government agencies; elected officials; Native American tribes; other interested parties; and local libraries and newspapers. State and local government representatives are asked to notify their constituents of this proposed project and to encourage them to comment on their areas of concern. A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled “An Interstate Natural Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?” addresses a number of typically asked questions, including the use of eminent domain and how to participate in the Commission's proceedings. It is available for viewing on the FERC Internet Web site ( *http://www.ferc.gov* ). Summary of the Proposed Project The proposed AGL-Brunswick Project would provide Atlanta Gas Light Company
(AGLC)with direct access to liquefied natural gas supplies at the Elba Island LNG facility by making use of Southern's existing interstate natural gas pipeline system. In order for AGLC to gain gas supply from Southern's Elba Island LNG facility, Southern proposes to abandon by sale to Magnolia Enterprise Holdings, Inc. (Magnolia) an undivided interest equal to 82,000 thousand cubic feet per day (Mcf/d) of the respective total capacities of the following facilities: • Its Twin 30 Pipelines from the interconnect with Elba Island to Port Wentworth in Chatham County, Georgia, and from milepost
(MP)0.0 to MP 13.6 in Jasper County, South Carolina; • 10 miles of its 20-inch Wrens to Savannah Second Loop Line from the interconnection with the Twin 30 Pipelines at MP 104.6 at Port Wentworth, Georgia to the Rincon Gate at MP 95.1 in Effingham County, Georgia; • Its Cypress Pipeline from the take off point at MP 95.1on the Wrens-Savannah Lines to an interconnection with AGLC's Brunswick Pipeline in Glynn County, Georgia, including an additional compressor facility installed by Southern on that portion of the Cypress Pipeline (as described below); and • Its Brunswick Pipeline from MP 0.0 to its Jackson Measurement Station at MP 53.8. Magnolia would acquire these facilities and requests authorization to lease these facilities back to Southern. Magnolia would also acquire AGLC's 107.5-mile-long Brunswick Pipeline (located between the Laurens County Meter Station and the East Brunswick Meter Station), including the measurement facilities, and seeks authorization to lease these facilities back to Southern. In addition, Southern proposes to install the following facilities to provide the transportation service to AGLC: • An odorizer at the Brunswick Tap facility in Jones County, Georgia at milepost
(MP)0.0 on Southern's existing Brunswick Line; • A new meter station (Macon-Milledgeville 3 Meter Station) in Jones County, Georgia at MP 4.8 on Southern's existing Brunswick Line and the intersection with AGLC's existing facilities; • A new meter station (East Brunswick Meter Station), new block valve, and odorizer in Glynn County, Georgia at approximate MP 72.2 on the existing Cypress Pipeline; and • An additional 7,700-horsepower compressor unit at the Riceboro Compressor Station in Liberty County, Georgia at the same location as the previously approved Station #1 authorized as part of the Cypress Pipeline Project. Finally, Southern would abandon by removal the existing Laurens County Meter Station in Laurens County, Georgia at the southern terminus of Southern's Brunswick Line (MP 53.8); The general location of the proposed facilities is shown in Appendix 1. 1 1 The appendices referenced in this notice are not being printed in the **Federal Register** . Copies of all appendices are available on the Commission's Web site at the “eLibrary” link or from the Commission's Public Reference Room, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call
(202)502-8371. For instructions on connecting to eLibrary refer to the “Additional Information” section of this notice. Copies of the appendices were sent to all those receiving this notice in the mail. Requests for detailed maps of the proposed facilities should be made directly to Southern. Land Requirements for Construction The proposed project would affect about 16.3 acres of land during construction and about 6.2 acres during operation. Following construction, land consisting of the temporary facility construction footprints and any additional temporary workspaces would be allowed to revert to previous conditions. Southern proposes to utilize its existing rights-of-way during construction of the proposed facilities. The installation of the new compressor unit at the Riceboro Compressor Station would disturb about 14.2 acres of the existing 32.6 acre site during construction and would require about 5.5 fenced acres during operation. Construction at the Brunswick Tap, East Brunswick Meter Station, and abandonment at the Laurens County Meter Station would occur entirely within the existing and previously disturbed facility footprint and right-of-way, therefore, no new land requirements exist for these facilities. Southern proposes to use existing public and private roads for access to the construction areas. The EA Process We 2 are preparing this EA to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA)which requires the Commission to take into account the environmental impact that could result if it authorizes Southern's proposal. By this notice, we are also asking federal, state, and local agencies with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with respect to environmental issues to formally cooperate with us in the preparation of the EA. Agencies that would like to request cooperating status should follow the instructions for filing comments provided below. 2 ”We,” “us,” and “our” refer to the environmental staff of the FERC's Office of Energy Projects. NEPA also requires the FERC to discover and address concerns the public may have about proposals. This process is referred to as “scoping.” The main goal of the scoping process is to focus the analysis in the EA on the important environmental issues. By this Notice of Intent, we are requesting public comments on the scope of the issues to address in the EA. All comments received will be considered during the preparation of the EA. The EA will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the construction and operation of the proposed project under these general headings: • Geology and soils. • Land use and visual quality. • Cultural resources. • Vegetation and wildlife (including threatened and endangered species). • Air quality and noise. • Reliability and safety. We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the proposed project or portions of the project, where necessary, and make recommendations on how to lessen or avoid impacts on the various resource areas. Our independent analysis of the issues will be in the EA. Depending on the comments received during the scoping process, the EA may be published and mailed to federal, state, and local agencies, public interest groups, interested individuals, affected landowners, newspapers, libraries, and the Commission's official service list for this proceeding. A comment period will be allotted for review if the EA is published. We will consider all comments on the EA before we make our recommendations to the Commission. To ensure your comments are received and considered, please carefully follow the instructions in the Public Participation section below. Public Participation You can make a difference by providing us with your specific comments or concerns about the project. By becoming a commentor, your concerns will be addressed in the EA and considered by the Commission. You should focus on the potential environmental effects of the proposal, alternatives to the proposal including alternative locations and routes, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impact. The more specific your comments, the more useful they will be. Please carefully follow these instructions to ensure that your comments are received in time and properly recorded: • Send an original and two copies of your letter to: Kimberley D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426; • Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas Branch 1, PJ-11.1; • Reference Docket No. CP08-5-000; and • Mail your comments so that they will be received in Washington, DC, on or before February 4, 2008. The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments. See 18 Code of Federal Regulations 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Internet Web site at *http://www.ferc.gov* under the “eFiling” link and the link to the User's Guide. Prepare your submission in the same manner as you would if filing on paper and save it to a file on your hard drive. Before you can file comments you will need to create an account by clicking on “Login to File” and then “New User Account.” You will be asked to select the type of filing you are making. This filing is considered a “Comment on Filing.” As described above, we may publish and distribute the EA for comment. If you are interested in receiving an EA for review and/or comment, please return the Information Request (Appendix 3). If you do not return the Information Request, you will be taken off the mailing list. Becoming an Intervenor In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, you may want to become an official party to the proceeding known as an “intervenor.” Intervenors play a more formal role in the process. Among other things, intervenors have the right to receive copies of case-related Commission documents and filings by other intervenors. Likewise, each intervenor must send one electronic copy (using the Commission's eFiling system) or 14 paper copies of its filings to the Secretary of the Commission and must send a copy of its filings to all other parties on the Commission's service list for this proceeding. If you want to become an intervenor you must file a motion to intervene according to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214) (see Appendix 2). 3 Only intervenors have the right to seek rehearing of the Commission's decision. 3 Interventions may also be filed electronically via the Internet in lieu of paper. See the previous discussion on filing comments electronically. Affected landowners and parties with environmental concerns may be granted intervenor status upon showing good cause by stating that they have a clear and direct interest in this proceeding which would not be adequately represented by any other parties. You do not need intervenor status to have your environmental comments considered. Additional Information Additional information about the project is available from the Commission's Office of External Affairs, at 1-866-208-FERC or on the FERC Internet Web site ( *http://www.ferc.gov* ) using the “eLibrary” link. Click on the eLibrary link, then on “General Search” and enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the Docket Number field. Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at *FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov* or toll free at 1-866-208-3676, or for TTY, contact
(202)502-8659. The eLibrary link also provides access to the texts of formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings. In addition, the Commission now offers a free service called eSubscription which allows you to keep track of all formal issuances and submittals in specific dockets. This can reduce the amount of time you spend researching proceedings by automatically providing you with notification of these filings, document summaries and direct links to the documents. Go to *http://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm* . Finally, public meetings or site visits will be posted on the Commission's calendar located at *http://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx* along with other related information. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. E8-973 Filed 1-18-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP08-27-000] Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Carthage Expansion Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues January 2, 2008. The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment
(EA)that will discuss the environmental impacts of the Carthage Expansion Project involving construction and operation of natural gas pipeline facilities by Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company (Tennessee) in Ouachita and Desoto Parishes, Louisiana. The EA will be used by the Commission in its decision-making process to determine whether the project is in the public convenience and necessity. This notice announces the opening of the scoping process the Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested agencies on the project. Your input will help determine which issues need to be evaluated in the EA. Please note that the scoping period will close on February 4, 2008. Details on how to submit comments are provided in the Public Participation section of this notice. This notice is being sent to affected landowners; federal, state, and local government agencies; elected officials; Native American tribes; other interested parties; and local libraries and newspapers. State and local government representatives are asked to notify their constituents of this proposed project and to encourage them to comment on their areas of concern. A fact sheet prepared by the FERC entitled “An Interstate Natural Gas Facility On My Land? What Do I Need To Know?” addresses a number of typically asked questions, including the use of eminent domain and how to participate in the Commission's proceedings. It is available for viewing on the FERC Internet Web site ( *http://www.ferc.gov* ). Summary of the Proposed Project Tennessee proposes to: • Construct a new compressor station (Compressor Station 703A) on Line 700-1 with a single 7,700 horsepower
(HP)gas turbine unit near Mansfield in Desoto Parish; • Install a 10,310 HP gas turbine unit at its existing Compressor Station 47 to replace three existing 1,100 HP units on its Line 100 system in Ouachita Parish; • Install a 12-inch tap on exiting lines 100-1 and 100-3 at mileposts
(MP)47-1D+13.10 and 47-3D+13.09, respectively in Ouachita Parish; • Construct 1.1 miles of 12-inch-diameter interconnecting pipeline (Line 47E-100) in Ouachita Parish; • Install a new pig launcher and receiver on Line 47E-100 in Ouachita Parish; and • Construct a new meter station and tie-in facilities within Entergy's Perryville Generation Station property in Ouachita Parish. The purpose of the project is to provide Entergy's Perryville Generation Station with 100,000 dekatherms per day of firm transportation service. The general location of the proposed facilities is shown in Appendix 1. 1 1 The appendices referenced in this notice are not being printed in the **Federal Register** . Copies of all appendices are available on the Commission's Web site at the “eLibrary” link or from the Commission's Public Reference Room, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426, or call
(202)502-8371. For instructions on connecting to eLibrary refer to the “Additional Information” section of this notice. Copies of the appendices were sent to all those receiving this notice in the mail. Requests for detailed maps of the proposed facilities should be made directly to Tennessee. Land Requirements for Construction The proposed project would affect about 72.9 acres of land during construction and about 15.2 acres during operation. Construction of Compressor Station 703A would be completed within a 10.5 acre portion of a 31.4 acre property owned by Tennessee. About 8.7 acres of land would be required during operation of Compressor Station 703A, including a new access road, and the remainder of the 31.4-acre site would be maintained as a buffer area. All work at Compressor Station 47 would be completed within the existing fenceline of the facility. Construction of the proposed pipeline, meter station, and pig receiver would require about 17.6 acres of land during construction and about 6.5 acres for operation. About 4.6 acres of land would be used as additional temporary workspaces which would be allowed to revert to previous conditions. Three existing private access roads would be utilized for access to the pipeline right-of-way. Staging areas would be located at the proposed and existing compressor station sites for the storage of equipment, pipe, and construction materials, and field offices. The EA Process We 2 are preparing this EA to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA)which requires the Commission to take into account the environmental impact that could result if it authorizes Tennessee's proposal. By this notice, we are also asking federal, state, and local agencies with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with respect to environmental issues to formally cooperate with us in the preparation of the EA. Agencies that would like to request cooperating status should follow the instructions for filing comments provided below. 2 “We,” “us,” and “our” refer to the environmental staff of the FERC's Office of Energy Projects. NEPA also requires the FERC to discover and address concerns the public may have about proposals. This process is referred to as “scoping.” The main goal of the scoping process is to focus the analysis in the EA on the important environmental issues. By this Notice of Intent, we are requesting public comments on the scope of the issues to address in the EA. All comments received will be considered during the preparation of the EA. The EA will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the construction and operation of the proposed project under these general headings: • Geology and soils. • Land use and visual quality. • Cultural resources. • Vegetation and wildlife (including threatened and endangered species). • Air quality and noise. • Reliability and safety. We will also evaluate possible alternatives to the proposed project or portions of the project, where necessary, and make recommendations on how to lessen or avoid impacts on the various resource areas. Our independent analysis of the issues will be in the EA. Depending on the comments received during the scoping process, the EA may be published and mailed to Federal, State, and local agencies, public interest groups, interested individuals, affected landowners, newspapers, libraries, and the Commission's official service list for this proceeding. A comment period will be allotted for review if the EA is published. We will consider all comments on the EA before we make our recommendations to the Commission. To ensure your comments are received and considered, please carefully follow the instructions in the Public Participation section below. Public Participation You can make a difference by providing us with your specific comments or concerns about the project. By becoming a commentor, your concerns will be addressed in the EA and considered by the Commission. You should focus on the potential environmental effects of the proposal, alternatives to the proposal including alternative compressor station sites, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impact. The more specific your comments, the more useful they will be. Please carefully follow these instructions to ensure that your comments are received in time and properly recorded: • Send an original and two copies of your letter to: Kimberley D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426; • Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas Branch 1, PJ-11.1; • Reference Docket No. CP08-27-000; and • Mail your comments so that they will be received in Washington, DC on or before February 4, 2008. The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments. See 18 Code of Federal Regulations 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Internet Web site at *http://www.ferc.gov* under the “eFiling” link and the link to the User's Guide. Prepare your submission in the same manner as you would if filing on paper and save it to a file on your hard drive. Before you can file comments you will need to create an account by clicking on “Login to File” and then “New User Account.” You will be asked to select the type of filing you are making. This filing is considered a “Comment on Filing.” As described above, we may publish and distribute the EA for comment. If you are interested in receiving an EA for review and/or comment, please return the Information Request (Appendix 3). If you do not return the Information Request, you will be taken off the mailing list. Becoming an Intervenor In addition to involvement in the EA scoping process, you may want to become an official party to the proceeding known as an “intervenor.” Intervenors play a more formal role in the process. Among other things, intervenors have the right to receive copies of case-related Commission documents and filings by other intervenors. Likewise, each intervenor must send one electronic copy (using the Commission's eFiling system) or 14 paper copies of its filings to the Secretary of the Commission and must send a copy of its filings to all other parties on the Commission's service list for this proceeding. If you want to become an intervenor you must file a motion to intervene according to Rule 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214) (see Appendix 2). 3 Only intervenors have the right to seek rehearing of the Commission's decision. 3 Interventions may also be filed electronically via the Internet in lieu of paper. See the previous discussion on filing comments electronically. Affected landowners and parties with environmental concerns may be granted intervenor status upon showing good cause by stating that they have a clear and direct interest in this proceeding which would not be adequately represented by any other parties. You do not need intervenor status to have your environmental comments considered. Additional Information Additional information about the project is available from the Commission's Office of External Affairs, at 1-866-208-FERC or on the FERC Internet Web site ( *http://www.ferc.gov* ) using the “eLibrary” link. Click on the eLibrary link, then on “General Search” and enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the Docket Number field. Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at *FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov* or toll free at 1-866-208-3676, or for TTY, contact
(202)502-8659. The eLibrary link also provides access to the texts of formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings. In addition, the Commission now offers a free service called eSubscription which allows you to keep track of all formal issuances and submittals in specific dockets. This can reduce the amount of time you spend researching proceedings by automatically providing you with notification of these filings, document summaries and direct links to the documents. Go to *http://www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm.* Finally, public meetings or site visits will be posted on the Commission's calendar located at *http://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/EventsList.aspx* along with other related information. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. E8-974 Filed 1-18-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. CP08-50-000] Trunkline Gas Company, LLC; Notice of Request Under Blanket Authorization January 14, 2008. Take notice that on January 9, 2008, Trunkline Gas Company (Trunkline), P.O. Box 4967, Houston, Texas 77210-4967, filed in Docket No. CP08-50-000 a prior notice request pursuant to sections 157.205, 157.208 and 157.212 of the Commission's regulations under the Natural Gas Act
(NGA)and Trunkline's blanket certificate issued January 10, 1983 in Docket No. CP83-84-000, for authorization to construct and operate a new interconnect with Kinder Morgan Louisiana Pipeline, LLC to receive revaporized liquefied natural gas in Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana, all as more fully set forth in the application, which is on file with the Commission and open to public inspection. The filing may also be viewed on the Web at *http://www.ferc.gov* using the “eLibrary” link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the docket number field to access the document. For assistance, contact FERC at *FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov* or call toll-free,
(886)208-3676 or TYY,
(202)502-8659. The estimated cost of constructing the proposed facilities is $950,000. Any questions regarding the application should be directed to Stephen T. Veach, Regulatory Affairs, Trunkline Gas Company, 5444 Westheimer Road, Houston, Texas 77056, or fax
(713)989-1158, or e-mail *stephen.veach@sug.com.* Any person or the Commission's Staff may, within 60 days after the issuance of the instant notice by the Commission, file pursuant to Rule 214 of the Commission's Procedural Rules (18 CFR 385.214) a motion to intervene or notice of intervention and, pursuant to section 157.205 of the Commission's Regulations under the NGA (18 CFR 157.205) a protest to the request. If no protest is filed within the time allowed therefore, the proposed activity shall be deemed to be authorized effective the day after the time allowed for protest. If a protest is filed and not withdrawn within 30 days after the time allowed for filing a protest, the instant request shall be treated as an application for authorization pursuant to section 7 of the NGA. The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings of comments, protests and interventions in lieu of paper using the “eFiling” link at *http://www.ferc.gov.* Persons unable to file electronically should submit an original and 14 copies of the protest or intervention to the Federal Energy regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. This filing is accessible on-line at *http://www.ferc.gov,* using the “eLibrary” link and is available for review in the Commission's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC. There is an “eSubscription” link on the Web site that enables subscribers to receive e-mail notification when a document is added to a subscribed docket(s). For assistance with any FERC Online service, please e-mail *FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov,* or call
(866)208-3676 (toll free). For TTY, call
(202)502-8659. *Comment Date:* February 4, 2008. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. E8-961 Filed 1-18-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. PF07-16-000] UGI LNG, Inc.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Temple LNG Plant Expansion Project and Request for Comments on Environmental Issues January 15, 2008. The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) will prepare an environmental assessment
(EA)that will discuss the environmental impacts of the proposed Temple LNG Plant Expansion Project involving construction and operation of facilities by UGI LNG, Inc. (UGI LNG) in Ontelaunee Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. The EA will be used by the Commission in its decisionmaking process to determine whether the project is in the public convenience and necessity. This notice announces the opening of the scoping process the Commission will use to gather input from the public and interested agencies on the project. Your input will help determine which issues need to be evaluated in the EA. Please note that the scoping period for this Notice will close on February 18, 2008. Details on how to submit comments are provided in the Public Participation section of this notice. Further notice will be issued in the near future regarding any local public comment meetings to be held by the Commission staff. This notice is being sent to affected landowners; federal, state, and local government representatives and agencies; elected officials; other interested parties; and local libraries and newspapers. State and local government representatives are asked to notify their constituents of this proposed project and to encourage them to comment on their areas of concern. A brochure prepared by the FERC entitled “A Guide to LNG—What All Citizens Should Know” is available for viewing on the FERC Internet Web site ( *http://www.ferc.gov* ). This brochure addresses a number of typically asked questions, including what is LNG and how is it transported. Summary of the Proposed Project UGI LNG proposes to expand its existing Temple LNG Plant in Ontelaunee Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania (see map in Appendix 1 1 ). The expansion would consist of adding one LNG storage tank with a net working capacity of 50,000 cubic meters. 1 The appendices referenced in this notice are not being printed in the **Federal Register** . Copies are available from the Commission's Web site at the eLibrary link or from the Commission's Public Reference Room or by calling
(202)502-8371. For instructions on connecting to eLibrary refer to the public participation section of this notice. For instructions on connecting to eLibrary, refer to the “Additional Information” section at the end of this notice. Copies of the appendices were sent to all those receiving this notice in the mail. Requests for detailed maps of the proposed facilities should be made directly to UGI LNG. Specifically, UGI LNG seeks authority to construct and operate the following facilities: • One full-containment LNG storage tank with a net working capacity of 50,000 cubic meters (314,500 barrels); • Three vapor return blowers; • Two boil-off gas compressors; • Six LNG send out pumps; • Six submerged combustion vaporizers; • A shell-and-tube gas-to-gas exchanger; • Send-out pipeline connecting the new LNG tank to the existing Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation (TETCO) pipeline; and • A control building. Land Requirements It is estimated that construction of the project would disturb about 15 acres of land. This land is within the existing plant site owned by UGI LNG and on adjacent existing right-of-way controlled by TETCO. The EA Process We 2 are preparing this EA to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA)which requires the Commission to take into account the environmental impact that could result if it authorizes UGI LNG's proposal. By this notice, we are also asking federal, state, and local agencies with jurisdiction and/or special expertise with respect to environmental issues to formally cooperate with us in the preparation of the EA. 2 “We,” “us,” and “our” refer to the environmental staff of the FERC's Office of Energy Projects. Agencies that would like to request cooperating status should follow the instructions for filing comments provided below. The purpose of the Pre-filing Process is to seek public and agency input early in the project planning phase and encourage involvement by interested stakeholders in a manner that allows for the early identification and resolution of environmental issues. We will work with all interested stakeholders to identify and attempt to address issues before UGI LNG files its application with the FERC. A diagram depicting the environmental review process for the proposed project is attached to this notice as Appendix 2. NEPA also requires the FERC to discover and address concerns the public may have about proposals. This process is referred to as “scoping.” The main goal of the scoping process is to focus the analysis in the EA on the important environmental issues. By this Notice of Intent, we are requesting public comments on the scope of the issues to address in the EA. All comments received will be considered during the preparation of the EA. As part of the Pre-filing Process review, FERC staff representatives participated in a public open house sponsored by UGI LNG in the project area on December 18, 2007, to explain the environmental review process to interested stakeholders and take comments about the project. The EA will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the construction and operation of the proposed project under these general headings: • Geology and soils. • Wetlands and waterbodies. • Land use. • Cultural resources. • Vegetation and wildlife (including sensitive species). • Air and noise quality. • Reliability, safety and security. Our independent analysis of the issues will be in the EA which will be published and mailed to Federal, State, and local agencies, interested individuals who return the Information Request Form in Appendix 3, and the Commission's official service list for this proceeding. A comment period will be allotted for review when the EA is published. We will consider all comments on the EA before we make our recommendations to the Commission. Although no formal application has been filed, the FERC staff has already initiated its NEPA review under its Pre-filing Process. The purpose of the Pre-filing Process is to encourage the early involvement of interested stakeholders and to identify and resolve issues before an application is filed with the FERC. Once a formal application is filed with the FERC, a new docket number will be established. Public Participation You can make a difference by providing us with your specific comments or concerns about the project. By becoming a commentor, your concerns will be addressed in the EA and considered by the Commission. You should focus on the potential environmental effects of the proposal, reasonable alternatives to the proposal including alternative locations and routes, and measures to avoid or lessen environmental impact. The more specific your comments, the more useful they will be. Please carefully follow these instructions to ensure that your comments are received in time and properly recorded: • Send an original and two copies of your letter to: Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First St., NE., Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. • Label one copy of the comments for the attention of Gas Branch 3. • Reference Docket No. PF07-16-000. • Mail your comments so that they will be received in Washington, DC on or before February 18, 2008. The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments. See 18 Code of Federal Regulations 385.2001(a)(1)(iii) and the instructions on the Commission's Internet Web site at *http://www.ferc.gov* under the “eFiling” link and the link to the User's Guide. Prepare your submission in the same manner as you would if filing on paper and save it to a file on your hard drive. Before you can file comments you will need to create an account by clicking on “Login to File” and then “New User Account.” You will be asked to select the type of filing you are making. This filing is considered a “Comment on Filing.” If you are interested in receiving a copy of the EA, please return the Information Request (Appendix 3). If you do not return the Information Request, you will be taken off the mailing list. Once UGI LNG formally files its application with the Commission, you may want to become an official party to the proceeding known as an “intervenor.” Intervenors play a more formal role in the process and are able to file briefs, appear at hearings, and be heard by the courts if they choose to appeal the Commission's final ruling. An intervenor formally participates in a Commission proceeding by filing a request to intervene. Instructions for becoming an intervenor are included in the User's Guide under the “e-filing” link on the Commission's Web site. Please note that you may not request intervenor status at this time. You must wait until a formal application is filed with the Commission. Additional Information Additional information about the project is available from the Commission's Office of External Affairs, at 1-866-208-FERC or on the FERC Internet Web site ( *www.ferc.gov* ) using the “eLibrary” link. Click on the eLibrary link, click on “General Search” and enter the docket number excluding the last three digits in the Docket Number field. Be sure you have selected an appropriate date range. For assistance, please contact FERC Online Support at *FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov* or toll free at 1-866-208-3676, or for TTY, contact
(202)502-8659. The eLibrary link also provides access to the texts of formal documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulemakings. In addition, the Commission now offers a free service called eSubscription which allows you to keep track of all formal issuances and submittals in specific dockets. This can reduce the amount of time you spend researching proceedings by automatically providing you with notification of these filings, document summaries and direct links to the documents. Go to *www.ferc.gov/esubscribenow.htm* . Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. BILLING CODE 6717-01-P EN22JA08.006 EN22JA08.007 [FR Doc. E8-965 Filed 1-18-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6717-01-C ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA-HQ-OPPT-2007-0270; FRL-8518-2] Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Asbestos-Containing Materials in Schools Rule and Revised Asbestos Model Accreditation Plan Rule; EPA ICR No. 1365.08, OMB No. 2070-0091 AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 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 February 21, 2008. ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID Number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2007-0270 to
(1)EPA online using *http://www.regulations.gov* (our preferred method), by e-mail to *oppt.ncic@epa.gov* or by mail to: Document Control Office (DCO), Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT), Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code: 7407T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, and
(2)OMB at: 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: Barbara Cunningham, Director, Environmental Assistance Division, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 7408-M, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-554-1404; e-mail address: *TSCA-Hotline@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 May 9, 2007 (72 FR 26355), EPA sought comments on this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments. Any comments related to 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-OPPT-2007-0270, which is available for online viewing at *http://www.regulations.gov,* or in person inspection at the OPPT Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center Public Reading Room is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is 202-566-1744, and the telephone number for the Pollution Prevention and Toxics Docket is 202-566-0280. Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at *http://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 in paper, will be made available for public viewing at *http://www.regulations.gov* as EPA receives them and without change, unless the comment contains copyrighted material, Confidential Business Information (CBI), or other information whose public disclosure is restricted by statute. For further information about the electronic docket, go to *http://www.regulations.gov.* *Title:* Asbestos-Containing Materials in Schools Rule and Revised Asbestos Model Accreditation Plan Rule. *ICR Numbers:* EPA ICR No. 1365.08, OMB Control No. 2070-0091. *ICR Status:* This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on January 31, 2008. 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, 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:* The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) requires Local Education Agencies
(LEAs)to conduct inspections, develop management plans, and design or conduct response actions with respect to the presence of asbestos-containing materials in school buildings. AHERA also requires states to develop model accreditation plans for persons who perform asbestos inspections, develop management control plans, and design or conduct response actions. This information collection addresses the burden associated with reporting and recordkeeping requirements imposed on LEAs by the asbestos in schools rule, and reporting and recordkeeping requirements imposed on state agencies and training providers related to the model accreditation plan rule. Responses to the collection of information are mandatory (see 40 CFR part 763, Subpart E). Respondents may claim all or part of a notice as CBI. EPA will disclose information that is covered by a CBI claim only to the extent permitted by, and in accordance with, the procedures in 40 CFR part 2. 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** , are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and included on the related collection instrument or form, if applicable. *Burden Statement:* The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to range between 5.5 hours and 140 hours per response, depending on the category of the respondent. 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; 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 local education agencies (LEAs, e.g., elementary or secondary public school districts or a private school or school system); asbestos training providers to schools and educational systems; and state education departments or commissions or state public health departments or commissions. *Frequency of Response:* On occasion. *Estimated No. of Respondents:* 125,691. *Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden:* 2,530,600 hours. *Estimated Total Annual Labor Costs:* $76,352,159. *Changes in Burden Estimates:* There is a net increase of 45,160 hours (from 2,485,440 hours to 2,530,600 hours) in the total estimated respondent burden compared with that currently in the OMB inventory. This increase reflects changes in the estimated numbers of Local Education Agencies and training providers. The increase is an adjustment. Dated: January 15, 2008. Sara Hisel-McCoy, Director, Collection Strategies Division. [FR Doc. E8-1000 Filed 1-18-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-8518-1] Determination of Sole Source Aquifer Petition AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency. ACTION: Notice of Sole Source Aquifer Petition Determination. SUMMARY: The United States Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA)today provides notice that it approves the petition to designate the Española Basin Aquifer System a Sole Source Aquifer. The aquifer is eligible for designation because it is the principal source of drinking water for the area covered by the petition. ADDRESSES: The administrative record underlying today's decision was available for inspection at the EPA Region 6, 1445 Ross Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75202. EPA had also posted a fact sheet, summary of public comments and responses, and a decision support document on its Web site at *http://www.epa.gov/earth1r6/6wq/swp/ssa* . FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Bechdol, Environmental Scientist, Source Water Protection Branch (6WQ-SG), EPA Region 6, 1445 Ross Ave., Dallas, TX 75202-2733, phone
(214)665-7133, *bechdol.michael@epa.gov* . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Section 1424(e) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), 42 U.S.C. 300h-3(e), EPA may designate an aquifer a “sole source aquifer” if it serves as the sole or principal drinking water source for an area and contamination of that aquifer would create a significant hazard to public health. EPA may essentially “veto” financial assistance proposed by Federal agencies for projects it finds may contaminate such a designated aquifer. To date, EPA has designated 75 sole source aquifers. On June 2, 2006, EPA received a petition for sole source aquifer designation from the La Cienega Valley Citizens for Environmental Safeguards. The petition sought designation for the Española Basin Aquifer System, which covers approximately 3,000 sq miles which includes the cities of Santa Fe, Los Alamos and Española. The area also includes the Pueblos of San Juan, Santa Clara, Pojoaque, San Ildefonso, Nambe, Tesuque, Picuris, and Cochiti. The U.S. census for 2000 shows a population in the petitioned area of approximately 172,750, including around 70,000 in the City of Santa Fe. To show the aquifer was the primary source of drinking water for the area, the petitioner relied on documentation of water rights allocated to water users by the New Mexico Office of the State Engineer and by U.S. Geological Survey's 1990 generalized estimates of water use in New Mexico. EPA published notice of the petition in the Santa Fe New Mexican and requested comments thereon. It received a number of comments and carefully considered them in reaching today's decision. EPA also performed an independent review of the hydrology and water use in the area covered by the petition. The Agency concludes that approximately 85% of the drinking water used in the area covered by the petition is derived from wells in the aquifer. EPA thus approves the Española Basin Aquifer System petition. Dated: January 10, 2008. Richard E. Greene, Regional Administrator, Region 6. [FR Doc. E8-999 Filed 1-18-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-8518-3] Meeting of the Local Government Advisory Committee AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Local Government Advisory Committee
(LGAC)and the Small Community Advisory Subcommittee (SCAS), and workgroups will meet on February 5-6, 2008 in Washington, DC. The Committee and Subcommittee meetings will be located at The Madison, at 1177 Fifteenth Street, NW., Washington, DC 20005, in conference rooms Vernon A & B. The focus areas of the meeting will be Green Buildings, Small Communities, and other environmental issues potentially affecting local governments. This is an open meeting and all interested persons are invited to attend. The Committee will hear comments from the public between 11:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Tuesday, February 5, 2008. Each individual or organization wishing to address the LGAC meeting will be allowed a maximum of five minutes to present their point of view. Also, written comments should be submitted electronically to *Eargle.Frances@epa.gov* . Please contact the Designated Federal Officer
(DFO)at the number listed below to schedule agenda time. Time will be allotted on a first come, first serve basis, and the total period for comments may be extended, if the number of requests for appearances require it. ADDRESSES: The LGAC meeting will be held at The Madison, a Loews Hotel, located at 1177 Fifteenth St., NW. on February 5-6 in conference rooms Vernon A & B. The Committee's meeting minutes and Subcommittee summary notes will be available after the meeting online at *http://www.epa.gov/ocir/scas* and can be obtained by written request to the DFO. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frances Eargle, DFO for the Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC), at
(202)564-3115 or e-mail at *Eargle.Frances@epa.gov* . For those interested in participating in the Small Community Subcommittee meeting, contact Anna Raymond at
(202)564-2663 or by e-mail at *Raymond.Anna@epa.gov* . *Information on Services for Those With Disabilities:* For information on access or services for individuals with disabilities, please contact Frances Eargle at
(202)564-3115 or *Eargle.Frances@epa.gov* . To request accommodation of a disability, please request it 10 days prior to the meeting, to give EPA as much time as possible to process your request. Dated: January 10, 2008. Anna Raymond, Designated Federal Officer, Small Community Advisory Subcommittee. [FR Doc. E8-991 Filed 1-18-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission for Extension Under Delegated Authority, Comments Requested January 8, 2008. SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection(s), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act
(PRA)that does not display a valid control number. Comments are requested concerning
(a)whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility;
(b)the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate;
(c)ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and
(d)ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. DATES: Persons wishing to comment on this information collection should submit comments March 24, 2008. If you anticipate that you will be submitting comments, but find it difficult to do so within the period of time allowed by this notice, you should advise the contact listed below as soon as possible. ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, Office of Management and Budget (OMB),
(202)395-5887, or via fax at 202-395-5167, or via the Internet at *Nicholas_A._Fraser@omb.eop.gov* and to *Judith-B.Herman@fcc.gov* , Federal Communications Commission (FCC). To submit your comments by e-mail send them to: *PRA@fcc.gov* . To view a copy of this information collection request
(ICR)submitted to OMB:
(1)Go to the Web page *http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain* ,
(2)look for the section of the Web page called “Currently Under Review”,
(3)click on the downward-pointing arrow in the “Select Agency” box below the “Currently Under Review” heading,
(4)select “Federal Communications Commission” from the list of agencies presented in the “Select Agency” box,
(5)click the “Submit” button to the right of the “Select Agency” box, and
(6)when the list of FCC ICRs currently under review appears, look for the title of this ICR (or its OMB Control Number, if there is one) and then click on the ICR Reference Number to view detailed information about this ICR.” FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the information collection(s) send an e-mail to *PRA@fcc.gov* or contact Judith B. Herman at 202-418-0214. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: *OMB Control No.:* 3060-0997. *Title:* Section 52.15(k), Numbering Utilization and Compliance Audit. *Form No.:* N/A. *Type of Review:* Extension of a currently approved collection. *Respondents:* Business or other for-profit *Number of Respondents:* 25 respondents; 25 responses. *Estimated Time Per Response:* 33 hours. *Frequency of Response:* On occasion reporting requirement and third party disclosure requirement. *Obligation to Respond:* Mandatory. *Total Annual Burden:* 825 hours. *Annual Cost Burden:* N/A. *Privacy Act Impact Assessment:* N/A. *Nature and Extent of Confidentiality:* Commission employees and the independent auditor are prohibited by 47 U.S.C. 220(f) from divulging any fact or information that may come to their knowledge in the course of performing the audit, except as directed by the Commission or a court. *Needs and Uses:* This collection will be submitted as an extension (no change in reporting or recordkeeping requirements) after this 60 day comment period to Office of Management and Budget
(OMB)in order to obtain the full three year clearance. The audit program, consisting of audit procedures and guidelines, has been developed to conduct random audits. The random audits are conducted on the carriers that use numbering resources in order to verify the accuracy of numbering data reported on FCC Form 502 (North American Number Plan Numbering Resource Utilization/Forecast
(NRUF)Report, OMB Control Number 3060-0896), and to monitor compliance with FCC rules, orders and applicable industry guidelines. Failure of the audited carriers to respond to the audits can result in penalties. Based on the final audit report, evidence of potential violations may result in enforcement action. Federal Communications Commission. Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary. [FR Doc. E8-1022 Filed 1-18-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6712-01-P FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION Notice of Agency Meeting Pursuant to the provisions of the “Government in the Sunshine Act” (5 U.S.C. 552b), notice is hereby given that at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, January 22, 2008, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's Board of Directors will meet in closed session, pursuant to section 552b(c)(2), (c)(4), (c)(6), (c)(8), (9)(A)(ii), and (9)(B) of Title 5, United States Code, to consider matters relating to the Corporation's supervisory and corporate activities and to personnel matters. The meeting will be held in the Board Room on the sixth floor of the FDIC Building located at 550 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC. Requests for further information concerning the meeting may be directed to Mr. Robert E. Feldman, Executive Secretary of the Corporation, at
(202)898-7122. Dated: January 15, 2008. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Robert E. Feldman, Executive Secretary. [FR Doc. E8-944 Filed 1-18-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6714-01-P FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION [Notice 2008-02] Filing Dates for the Indiana Special Election in the 7th Congressional District AGENCY: Federal Election Commission. ACTION: Notice of filing dates for special election. SUMMARY: Indiana has scheduled a special general election on March 11, 2008, to fill the U.S. House of Representatives seat in the Seventh Congressional District vacated by the late Representative Julia Carson. Committees participating in the Indiana Special General Election on March 11, 2008, shall file a 12-day Pre-General Report, and a 30-day Post-General Report. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Kevin R. Salley, Information Division, 999 E Street, NW., Washington, DC 20463; Telephone:
(202)694-1100; Toll Free
(800)424-9530. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Principal Campaign Committees All principal campaign committees of candidates who participate in the Indiana Special General Election shall file a 12-day Pre-General Report on February 28, 2008; and a 30-day Post-General Report on April 10, 2008. (See chart below for the closing date for each report). Unauthorized Committees (PACs and Party Committees) Political committees filing on a quarterly basis in 2008 are subject to special election reporting if they make previously undisclosed contributions or expenditures in connection with the Indiana Special General Election by the close of books for the applicable report(s). (See chart below for the closing date for each report). Committees filing monthly that support candidates in the Indiana Special General Election should continue to file according to the monthly reporting schedule. Additional disclosure information in connection with the Indiana Special General Election may be found on the FEC Web site at *http://www.fec.gov/info/report_dates.shtml.* Calendar of Reporting Dates for Indiana Special Election [Committees involved in the special general (03/11/08), must file] Report Close of books 1 Reg./Cert. and overnight mailing deadline Filing deadline Pre-General 02/20/08 02/25/08 02/28/08 Post-General 03/31/08 04/10/08 04/10/08 April Quarterly —WAIVED— 1 The reporting period always begins the day after the closing date of the last report filed. If the committee is new and has not previously filed a report, the first report must cover all activity that occurred before the committee registered up through the close of books for the first report due. Dated: January 14, 2008. David M. Mason, Chairman, Federal Election Commission. [FR Doc. E8-912 Filed 1-18-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6715-01-P 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 applications 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 February 15, 2008. **A. Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City** (Todd Offenbacker, Assistant Vice President) 925 Grand Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri 64198-0001: *1. Community State Bankshares, Inc.* ; to become a bank holding company by acquiring 100 percent of the voting shares of Community State Bank (in organization), both in Lamar, Colorado. **B. Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas** (W. Arthur Tribble, Vice President) 2200 North Pearl Street, Dallas, Texas 75201-2272: *1. National Bank & Trust Employee Stock Ownership Plan With 401(k) Provisions* ; to become a bank holding company by acquiring up to 30 percent of First La Grange Bancshares, Inc., and indirectly acquire National Bank & Trust, all of La Grange, Texas. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, January 15, 2008. Robert deV. Frierson, Deputy Secretary of the Board. [FR Doc. E8-902 Filed 1-18-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6210-01-S FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM Notice of Proposals to Engage in Permissible Nonbanking Activities or to Acquire Companies that are Engaged in Permissible Nonbanking Activities The companies listed in this notice have given notice under section 4 of the Bank Holding Company Act (12 U.S.C. 1843) (BHC Act) and Regulation Y (12 CFR Part 225) to engage *de novo* , or to acquire or control voting securities or assets of a company, including the companies listed below, that engages either directly or through a subsidiary or other company, in a nonbanking activity that is listed in § 225.28 of Regulation Y (12 CFR 225.28) or that the Board has determined by Order to be closely related to banking and permissible for bank holding companies. Unless otherwise noted, these activities will be conducted throughout the United States. Each notice is available for inspection at the Federal Reserve Bank indicated. The notice also will be available for inspection at the offices of the Board of Governors. Interested persons may express their views in writing on the question whether the proposal complies with the standards of section 4 of the BHC Act. 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 the applications must be received at the Reserve Bank indicated or the offices of the Board of Governors not later than February 5, 2008. **A. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis** (Glenda Wilson, Community Affairs Officer) 411 Locust Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63166-2034: *1. Hancock Bancorp, Inc. Hawesville, Kentucky;* to acquire 100 percent of the voting shares of Community First Bancorp, Inc., Madisonville, Kentucky, and thereby indirectly acquire Community First Bank, Madisonville, Kentucky, and engage in operating a savings association pursuant to section 225.28(b)(4)(ii) of Regulation Y. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, January 16, 2008. Robert deV. Frierson, Deputy Secretary of the Board. [FR Doc. E8-976 Filed 1-18-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6210-01-S FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM Notice of Proposals to Engage in Permissible Nonbanking Activities or to Acquire Companies that are Engaged in Permissible Nonbanking Activities The companies listed in this notice have given notice under section 4 of the Bank Holding Company Act (12 U.S.C. 1843) (BHC Act) and Regulation Y (12 CFR Part 225) to engage *de novo* , or to acquire or control voting securities or assets of a company, including the companies listed below, that engages either directly or through a subsidiary or other company, in a nonbanking activity that is listed in § 225.28 of Regulation Y (12 CFR 225.28) or that the Board has determined by Order to be closely related to banking and permissible for bank holding companies. Unless otherwise noted, these activities will be conducted throughout the United States. Each notice is available for inspection at the Federal Reserve Bank indicated. The notice also will be available for inspection at the offices of the Board of Governors. Interested persons may express their views in writing on the question whether the proposal complies with the standards of section 4 of the BHC Act. 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 the applications must be received at the Reserve Bank indicated or the offices of the Board of Governors not later than February 15, 2008. **A. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis** (Glenda Wilson, Community Affairs Officer) 411 Locust Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63166-2034: *1. Hancock Bancorp, Inc. Hawesville, Kentucky;* to acquire 100 percent of the voting shares of Community First Bancorp, Inc., Madisonville, Kentucky, and thereby indirectly acquire Community First Bank, Madisonville, Kentucky, and engage in operating a savings association pursuant to section 225.28(b)(4)(ii) of Regulation Y. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, January 16, 2008. Robert deV. Frierson, Deputy Secretary of the Board. [FR Doc. E8-985 Filed 1-18-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6210-01-S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, HHS. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: This notice announces the intention of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
(AHRQ)to request that the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB)approve the proposed information collection project: “Assessment of the Emergency Severity Index (ESI).” In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), AHRQ invites the public to comment on this proposed information collection. DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by March 24, 2008. ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Doris Lefkowitz, Reports Clearance Officer, AHRQ, by e-mail at *doris.lefkowitz@ahrq.hhs.gov.* Copies of the proposed collection plans, data collection instruments, and specific details on the estimated burden can be obtained from the AHRQ Reports Clearance Officer. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Doris Lefkowitz, AHRQ Reports Clearance Officer,
(301)427-1477, or by e-mail at *doris.lefkowitz@ahrq.hhs.gov.* SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Proposed Project “Assessment of the Emergency Severity Index (ESI)” AHRQ is proposing to examine uptake and use of an emergency room triage tool, the Emergency Severity Index (ESI). The hospital emergency department
(ED)represents a critical point in care delivery for patients across the United States. Over the past decade, however, the dramatic influx of patients into EDs has seriously challenged the ability of these departments to deliver timely, quality, and safe emergency health care services. Moreover, with most emergency departments operating at or over capacity it may prove difficult for them to respond to the surge in emergency room demand created by natural and man-made disasters. Development of increasingly refined and validated triage methods is one potential key to addressing overcrowding by speeding up the care delivery to the most acute ED patients while helping hospitals assess, carefully allocate and plan the amount of human and other resources needed to care for all patients. In response to a need to standardize the triage process and improve the flow of patients, Richard C. Wuerz, M.D., (Department of Emergency Medicine at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Harvard Medical School) and David R. Eitel, M.D., (Department of Emergency Medicine, The York Hospital WellSpan Health System) initiated development of the Emergency Severity Index
(ESI)in 1995. The ESI is unique in its focus on appropriate resource allocation and its consideration of necessary resource utilization in assigning acuity. To encourage adoption of the ESI, AHRQ developed an implementation handbook (Emergency Severity Index, Version 4) and companion DVDs. These materials are intended to provide hospitals and triage nurses with background on why they might want to implement the ESI as a triage tool, and offers recommendations on the implementation process and staff training. This project will assess the product's acceptance by emergency departments and others involved in addressing medical surges to better understand the usefulness of the ESI compared to other similar tools. It will focus on the satisfaction with the product's presentation, content, and clarity; extent to which the product has improved emergency services and surge preparation; and the improvements users would like to see in the next version of this product. This will be accomplished through
(1)developing and implementing an electronic and paper-based survey targeting emergency department professionals assessing the satisfaction with the ESI's content, clarity and actual use of the system in everyday emergency departments, and
(2)convening focus groups of ED professionals to identify characteristics that might predict uptake and use of this system in participating emergency departments. Method of Collection *Survey:* A randomly selected sample of 600 ED professionals from the database AHRQ maintains of individuals and organizations that requested a copy of the ESI tools will be contacted to participate in the survey. Where a phone number has been provided, we will do a reverse telephone number search to identify the mailing address of the requestor and conduct a mail survey with telephone follow-up. For those who have provided an e-mail address, we will send a link to a web survey. Telephone and e-mail prompts will be sent after two weeks to those who have not yet completed the questionnaire, followed by two additional remainders sent three weeks apart. The expected response rate of 80 percent will result in 480 respondents to the survey with approximately half from ED physicians and half from ED nurses. *Focus Groups:* Focus groups will be conducted to gauge ED managers' and clinicians' awareness of the ESI tool as well as AHRQ's role in ED surge planning and preparation. To the extent that we are able to identify a subgroup of ED representatives who are aware of the ESI tool but have chosen not to utilize it in their emergency departments, focus groups may also be useful to gather information on why these organizations opted not to employ the ESI. In order to facilitate communication among focus group participants and ensure that responses address the key issues identified in the focus group guide, we will limit participation in each focus group meeting to between six and eight individuals. A total of four focus group meetings will be held, including two meetings each with ED medical directors, and ED triage nurses. Estimated Annual Respondent Burden Exhibit 1.—Estimated Annualized Burden Hours Data collection effort Number of respondents Number of responses per respondent Hours per response Total burden hours ED professionals survey 480 1 30/60 240 ED professionals focus groups 32 1 1.5 48 Total 512 na na 288 Exhibit 2.—Estimated Annualized Cost Burden Data collection effort Number of respondents Total burden hours Average hourly wage rate * Total cost burden ED professionals survey 480 240 $43.93 $10,544 ED professionals focus groups 32 48 43.93 2,109 Total 512 288 na 12,653 * Based upon the mean of the average wages of ED physicians and nurses, National Compensation Survey: Occupational wages in the United States 2006, “U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.” This information collection will not impose a cost burden on respondents beyond that associated with their time to provide the required data. There will be no additional costs for capital equipment, software, computer services, etc. Estimated Annual Costs to the Federal Government Developing and implementing the survey, $183,305. Developing and conducting focus groups, $69,669. Analyzing the data and report production, $26,172. Associated personnel costs, $17,073. The total cost to the government for this activity is estimated to be $296,219. Request for Comments In accordance with the above-cited Paperwork Reduction Act legislation, comments on AHRQ's information collection are requested with regard to any of the following:
(a)Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of AHRQ health care research and health care information dissemination functions, including whether the information will have practical utility;
(b)the accuracy of AHRQ's estimate of burden (including hours and costs) of the proposed collection(s) of information;
(c)ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and
(d)ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information upon the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and included in the Agency's subsequent request for OMB approval of the proposed information collection. All comments will become a matter of public record. Dated: January 14, 2008. Carolyn M. Clancy, Director. [FR Doc. 08-170 Filed 1-18-08; 8:45 am]
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U.S. Code
- Open meetings§ 552b
- Employment of experts and consultants; temporary or intermittent§ 3109
- Purposes§ 3501
- Interim regulation of underground injections§ 300h–3
- Accounts, records, and memoranda§ 220
- Definitions§ 1841
- Acquisition of bank shares or assets§ 1842
- Interests in nonbanking organizations§ 1843
- Federal agency responsibilities§ 3506
CFR
- Annual absolute, competitive preference, and invitational priorities.§ 75.105
- General selection criteria.§ 75.210
- Protests other than under Rule 208 (Rule 211).§ 385.211
- Filings and Other Submissions.§ 385.2001
- Intervention (Rule 214).§ 385.214
- Notice procedure.§ 157.205
- List of permissible nonbanking activities.§ 225.28
register
16 references not yet in our index
- Pub. L. 104-13
- 41 CFR 102
- 10 USC 7903
- 10 USC 7903(b)
- 10 USC 7903(a)
- 20 USC 6383
- 20 USC 6383(i)
- 34 CFR 79
- 18 CFR 34
- 5 CFR 1320.12
- 5 CFR 1320.8(d)
- 40 CFR 9
- 40 CFR 763
- 40 CFR 2
- 44 USC 3501-3520
- 12 CFR 225
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cites case law
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Notice
Pub. L.Pub. L. 104-13
Cite41 CFR 102
Cite10 USC 7903
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