Notices. Notice

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BILLING CODE 6730-01-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Training of Latin American Health-Care Workers Through the Gorgas Memorial Institute, Republic of Panama AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response. ACTION: Notice. *Funding Opportunity Title:* Training of Latin American Health-Care Workers through the Gorgas Memorial Institute, Republic of Panama. *Announcement Type:* Single-Source, Cooperative Agreement. *Funding Opportunity Number:* Not applicable. *Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number:* 93.019.

DATES: To receive consideration, applications must be received by the Office of Grants Management within the Office of Public Health and Science

(OPHS)of the Department of Health and Human Services

(HHS)no later than August 4, 2008. HHS will consider applications as meeting the deadline if the HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management (c/o Grant Application Center, 1515 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22209), receives them no later than 5 p.m., Eastern Time, on the application due date. HHS will accept applications electronically submitted through GrantSolutions.gov or Grants.Gov until 11 p.m., Eastern Time, on this date. HHS will not accept applications by fax, nor will HHS extend the submission deadline. The application due date requirement specified in this announcement supersedes the instructions in the OPHS-1. HHS will return to the applicant, unread, applications that do not meet the deadline. See heading “Application and Submission Information” for information on mechanisms to submit applications. SUMMARY: This project will support the Gorgas Memorial Institute

(GMI)to:

(a)Develop a regional training center in Panama and

(b)train community health workers, clinicians (physicians, nurses, and auxiliary medical workers) and select public-health professionals from Central and South America (i.e., Latin America),

(c)facilitate partnerships between U.S. universities and their Latin American counterparts to develop human resources for health in Latin America, and

(d)harness the energies of U.S. and other non-governmental organizations by partnering with them to advance community health-training and program efforts in Latin America. These efforts will help engage significantly more areas of these countries to prepare for and respond to public-health emergencies, such as pandemic influenza, and they will contribute to the improved and expanded provision of prevention and primary health care. This training of nurses, community health workers and physicians will focus on improving and expanding coverage and access to both public-health emergency care and preventive and primary health care in underserved parts of Latin America (i.e., both underserved rural and poor urban communities). A result of this project, the health-care work force in Central America should be better prepared to respond to public-health emergencies, including pandemic influenza. Key to the selection of recipients for this training will be their availability and willingness to provide their health and medical care skills in underserved areas within the region, especially rural and indigenous communities and those visited by U.S. Government humanitarian missions in the past year. In addition to all appropriate subjects in the fields of medical care and health education or communication, training supported by this project will emphasize infectious diseases, epidemiology, disease surveillance and outbreak response, so graduates of training programs will be prepared to play contributing roles in any pandemic preparation and response. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: While a number of Central and South American and Caribbean countries have made significant strides towards improving the quality of health care for their citizens, and extending that care into underserved areas, a number of countries and regions still suffer from a shortage of appropriately trained health-care workers and clinicians. Though all levels of medical care (primary, secondary and tertiary) warrant further investment and effort to meet the present and growing need in Latin America and the Caribbean for medical care, this need is perhaps most acute among rural, indigenous and disadvantaged urban communities, where essential public health, prevention and primary care are absent or sparse. From a public-health perspective, focusing public investment on basic and essential primary care results in a maximization of benefits for the greatest number of people. Compounding the pre-existing and wide ranging needs for basic community, preventive and primary health care in this region are new threats from emerging infectious diseases that are looming on the horizon. The H5N1 strain of avian flu has become the most threatening influenza virus in the world that could cause a pandemic, and any large-scale outbreak of this disease among humans would have grave consequences for global public health, including in Latin America. Influenza experts have warned that the re-assortment of different influenza viruses could greatly increase the potential for the viruses to transmit more easily from person to person. Medical practitioners have also discovered several other, new avian viruses transmissible to humans. In the fight against avian and pandemic influenza, early detection and response is the first line of defense, and greater numbers of appropriately trained community and clinical health-care workers would play a vital role in helping respond to such public-health emergencies. No funds provided under this cooperative agreement may support any activity that duplicates another activity supported by any component of HHS. Funds provided under this cooperative agreement may not supplant funding provided by other sources. Grantees must coordinate all funded activities with the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response

(ASPR)and the Office of Global Health Affairs. I. Funding Opportunity Description *Authority:* Section 307(a) and

(b)of the PHS Act (42 U.S.C. 242l); Section 1702(a)(2),

(3)and (4)(A) and

(C)(42 U.S.C. 300u-1(a)(2), (3), and 4(A) and (C)); Section 1703(a)(1), (2), (3), and

(4)(42 U.S.C. 300u-2(a)(1), (2),

(3)and (4)); Section 1703(c) (42 U.S.C. 300u-2(c)); and Section 1704(1), (2), and

(3)(42 U.S.C. 300u-3(1), (2), and (3)). *Purpose:* This program proposes that Gorgas Memorial Institute (GMI):

(a)Continue to develop and establish a regional training center in Panama for health workers, medical clinicians (auxiliary health-care workers, community health aides, nurses, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and physicians) and select public-health professionals from Central and South America. Development of such a center is understood to include the recruitment and retention of faculty and administrative staff, the development of curricula, and all appropriate inter-face with Panamanian, regional and international educational systems and peer groups.

(b)Train significant numbers of community health workers and clinicians (physicians, nurses, and auxiliary medical workers) and select public-health professionals from Central and South American and Caribbean countries.

(c)Through this cooperative agreement with HHS, explore and lead, where possible, the creation of partnerships between U.S. universities and Latin American counterpart institutions to further develop and train community-level health-care workers, and identify policy and program options that can contribute to the greater expansion and sustainability of community-level health-care workers in currently underserved areas. Additional funds from HHS could be available in the future to further expand the number of these partnerships.

(d)With HHS, investigate and develop approaches for collaborating with Latin American, Caribbean, U.S. and/or international non-governmental organizations

(NGOs)to help advance the training of the community and field health and medical personnel of these NGOs.

(e)With HHS, investigate and develop approaches for collaborating with Latin American, Caribbean and U.S. NGOs to link, bridge and supplement these NGOs' community health initiatives, where possible, through GMI's provision of logistical support and a base of operations for the NGOs', working in agreement with GMI.

(f)Identify organizations of U.S.-based emigrants and their places of origin throughout the countries of Central and South America and the Caribbean, and pursue efforts to build or expand community health complements to any community-assistance initiatives these organizations are or could be providing.

(g)With HHS, international health organizations and NGOs, pursue coordinated efforts on health campaigns of public-health priority for which a campaign strategy approach offers merit (e.g., immunization promotion, including seasonal influenza immunization, polio eradication, oral rehydration therapy, etc.). Any campaigns should utilize the best available approaches to research, development, implementation and evaluation. GMI will design and implement new teaching methods directed to the community, to adopt healthy lifestyles and attitudes towards prevention.

(h)With HHS and the U.S. Department of Defense, coordinate training and surveillance activities of all three institutions with humanitarian missions in the Region. Measurable outcomes of the program will be the following:

(a)Continue work begun in the first and second years of this effort to develop appropriate teaching curricula, engage with appropriate Panamanian and international teaching/educational networks to ensure high educational standards; hire appropriately-trained teaching, administrative and management staff; and maintain all appropriate management, fiscal, and business operations to support and sustain such a training institute.

(b)Provide periodic reports of the number of people who have completed training; such reports should include details on the numbers of those who have dropped out midway, and those who have completed the training; pre- and post-test scores on key competency subject areas; numbers trained by type of health-care or clinical worker; town and country of origin of incoming students, as well as where those same students work and reside at six- and twelve-month intervals following the completion of their training; and the results of follow-up questionnaires sent to graduates that solicit feedback on their training and its appropriateness, and suggestions for how the school might improve its training. Any information Gorgas provides to HHS on training participants should remove individuals' personal data from the reports, to maintain the privacy of participants. (See “Reporting Requirements #2” Section later in this document for complementary reporting obligations pertinent to this outcome).

(c)Quantify and detail the number of partnerships with U.S. institutions explored, as well as the number for which formal partnerships have been created, where substantive exchange of training expertise, faculty, and/or students is documented and described.

(d)Quantify and detail the number of studies and recommendations of program and policy options available to Latin American and Caribbean countries that would contribute to expanded, sustained community-level health-care personnel.

(e)Quantify and detail the number of partnerships with Latin American, Caribbean, U.S. and/or international NGOs explored, and the number of such partnerships developed and formally established.

(f)Provide detailed descriptions of the base-of-operations and logistics resources that GMI has developed and is maintaining, along with details of how it has communicated the availability of these resources to NGOs.

(g)Quantify and detail the number of Latin American, Caribbean, U.S. and/or international NGOs that have opted to use GMI's provision of base-of-operations and logistics support in a given time period, and details on the nature and extent of such use.

(h)Quantify and detail the number of health campaigns in which GMI participates, with detailed description(s) of the role(s) played by GMI, along with the level of effort it contributed to each of these efforts.

(i)Quantify and detail the number of organizations of U.S.-based Latin American and Caribbean emigrants with which GMI has identified and partnered with, to enhance their community-health activities, and provide details of those community-health activities.

(j)Quantify and detail the number of scholarships awarded to low-income students who will be participating in these trainings. Any information Gorgas provides to HHS on training participants should remove individuals' personal data from the reports, to maintain the privacy of participants. Activities HHS Anticipates the Grantee will Perform: HHS anticipates the grantee will undertake a variety of activities to realize the aforementioned purposes and outcomes. A list of what some of these activities might include follows. 1. Continue to establish/develop appropriate teaching curricula for specific training modules and assemblages of trainees; 2. In partnership with HHS, Panamanian Ministry of Health and NGOs, acquire didactic teaching resources and equipment that will allow appropriate training; 3. Continue to engage in appropriate Panamanian and international teaching or educational networks to ensure high educational standards; 4. Continue to recruit and hire appropriately trained teaching and administrative staff; 5. Continue to establish all appropriate management, fiscal, and business operations to support and sustain an efficient and effective training institute; 6. Establish an efficient performance-monitoring and reporting system, and submit periodic reports to HHS; 7. Continue to pursue and develop partnerships with U.S. educational institutions in expanding GMI's knowledge, contacts and resources for improving and expanding community training and sustainability of health workers; 8. Pursue and develop partnerships with Latin American, Caribbean, U.S. and/or international NGOs to provide these NGOs' health-care staff with appropriate training; 9. Identify an appropriate level of facilities that can function as a base of operation for NGOs, with appropriate contingency plans for expanding this level of facilities as interest and demand for it could grow; 10. Identify, provide and assemble logistics resources for NGOs to enhance their community-health and outreach activities; 11. In partnership with HHS, and NGOs, identify appropriate topics for health campaigns, and participate in the implementation and assessment of those campaigns; 12. Identify and approach fraternal organizations of U.S.-based emigrants that provide assistance to communities in Latin America and Caribbean, and partner with these groups to enhance their community-health activities; 13. In partnership with HHS, Panamanian Ministry of Health and NGOs, identify scholarships or fellowships to participating health-care personnel who are attending these courses; 14. In partnership with HHS and the U.S. Department of Defense, coordinate training and surveillance activities of the three institutions with humanitarian missions in the Region. This cooperative agreement will provide total funding of $600,000 for all aspects of the described project. HHS will be substantially involved with the design and implementation of the grantee's described activities. The HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response

(ASPR)is issuing and will manage this grant, with substantive involvement from the Office of Global Health Affairs (OGHA). In HHS international public health efforts, the Offices/Centers of HHS/OGHA and HHS/ASPR often collaborate on programs, issues and initiatives (e.g., influenza, the implementation of the International Health Regulations, etc.). HHS staff members' activities for this program are as follows: 1. Provide assistance in the design and implementation with any of the aforementioned objectives and activities, including the identification of U.S. universities, and NGOs. 2. Provide liaison through HHS employees at U.S. Embassy(ies) in any participating or collaborating countries, as appropriate, and as relevant to the achievement of the purposes of this cooperative agreement. 3. Organize an orientation meeting with the grantee to discuss applicable U.S. Government, HHS, and *National Strategic Plan* expectations, regulations and key management requirements, as well as report formats and contents. The orientation could include meetings with staff from HHS agencies and the Office of the Senior Coordinator for Avian and Pandemic Influenza at the U.S. Department of State. 4. Review and approve the process used by the grantee to select key personnel and/or post-award subcontractors and/or subgrantees to involve in the activities performed under this agreement. 5. Review and approve the grantee's work plan and detailed budget. 6. Review and approve the grantee's monitoring-and-evaluation plan, including for compliance with the strategic-information guidance established by the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB)and HHS; 7. Review, on a monthly basis, with the grantee to assess monthly disbursement requests and expenditures in relation to approved work plan and modify plans, as necessary. 8. Meet via conference call on a quarterly basis with the grantee to assess quarterly technical and financial progress reports and modify plans, as necessary. 9. Meet via conference call or in person with the grantee to review the final progress report. 10. Provide technical assistance, as mutually agreed upon. This could include expert technical assistance and targeted training activities in specialized areas, such as strategic information and project management. 11. Provide in-country administrative support to help the grantee meet U.S. Government financial and reporting requirements approved by OMB under 0920-0428 (Public Health Service Form 5161). 12. Assist in assessing program operations and in implementing approaches to accurately monitor the progress and evaluate the overall effectiveness of the program. II. Award Information This project will be supported through the cooperative agreement mechanism. HHS/ASPR anticipates making only one award for this proposed work. The anticipated start date is September 1, 2008, and end date is August 31, 2009. HHS/ASPR anticipates providing $600,000 for the 12-month budget period. The total amount that the Gorgas Memorial Institute for Health Studies may request is $600,000. The funds in this cooperative agreement may not support indirect costs. III. Eligibility Information 1. Eligible Applicants The only eligible applicant that can apply for this funding opportunity is the Gorgas Memorial Institute for Health Studies of Panama. Gorgas Memorial Institute is uniquely qualified to assist the Department in its efforts to train health care workers from this region to increase access to quality medical care, including efforts to detect, prevent, and contain pandemic influenza outbreaks for the following reasons: • *Legacy:* The Republic of Panama has legacy of biomedical triumphs that began with the building of the Panama Canal. Recognizing the outstanding achievements of William Crawford Gorgas in eliminating Yellow Fever and controlling other tropical infections that made possible the construction of the Panama Canal, Panamanian President Belisario Porras proposed in 1920 the creation of the Gorgas Memorial Institute and Laboratories (GMI). GMI opened its doors in 1928, and since then has produced ground-breaking and internationally recognized work in the field of tropical medicine, emerging and re-emerging diseases. As a public-health, training, and research institution, GMI offers strengths in several areas that are essential to the effective realization of this proposal's objectives and activities. • *Staffing:* GMI has 201 workers, who include trainers, physicians, scientists, technical staff and administrative staff. GMI scientific and technical expertise resides in its excellent professional staff members, six of whom are Ph.D.s, and 12 of whom are M.D.s. One of the physicians is a former Minister of Health. GMI has two veterinary physicians with Ph.D.s and many technicians with Master's degrees in science. GMI has a specialist in geo-reference and a group trained in the field isolation of dangerous organisms from animal tissues (developed during the Hanta virus epidemics). There is also an excellent administrative, medical library and informatics staff. • *Scientific and technical expertise:* GMI is the National Public Health Laboratory and the reference laboratory for influenza, dengue and other pathogenic viruses in Panama. It is the reference laboratory for Central America and Panama for HIV/AIDS, measles, Hanta virus and viral encephalitis. Its parasitologists have worked and continue to work in malaria, leishmania and Chagas disease. GMI has a long and solid reputation in virology, easily confirmed by many distinguished virologists in the United States. The Gorgas Department of Virology has been extremely productive through its collaborations with the Yale University Arbovirus Research Unit, the University of Texas at Galveston and the HHS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). GMI began working with influenza in 1976, and has contributed influenza isolates to the World Health Organization (WHO), one of which the WHO has determined should be part of the current influenza vaccine. All these are health concerns of pressing significance for rural and underserved areas. • *Laboratory capacity:* GMI has well-established laboratories of virology, parasitology, immunology, genomics, entomology and food and water chemistry. GMI is the national Public Health Laboratory of Panama, and this makes it the reference laboratory for malaria, tuberculosis and all viral and bacterial diseases. GMI also has departments of epidemiology and biostatistics, chronic disease studies, health policy, and health and human-reproduction studies. In addition to all these areas of expertise, GMI is also the locus of the Panamanian national human-subjects committee (National Institutional Review Board). A new BLS-3 laboratory is currently under construction, along with the expansion and improvement of existing laboratory space, is part of a modernization plan that will significantly enhance the capability of GMI laboratories to provide training in the role that laboratory services play in the delivery of community health care. • *Location:* The unique geographic characteristics of Panama and its transportation (air, sea and land) infrastructure make it an extremely central and accessible location for people from Central and South America who would attend for training. • *Strategic partnerships:* GMI has a history of developing effective relations and partnerships with leading organizations, including the Smithsonian Institution, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and HHS/CDC in Guatemala, among others. • *History:* Historical Medical Collaboration between the United States and Panam via GMI: American and Panamanian physicians and scientist have produced significant contributions since 1928, and those relationships continue up to present. GMI is the only institution positioned and capable to carry out the activities specified in the cooperative agreement. For these reason, the Department desires to award the cooperative agreement based on single eligibility to GMI. 2. Cost-Sharing or Matching Funds Cost participation is encouraged. HHS will pay $600,000, while GMI should provide an amount specified in their proposal. GMI's contribution may include indirect expenses and in-kind contributions. The types of resources GMI could contribute could include, but are not limited to, the following: Personnel time and costs, provision of existing and physical space and structures, and the remodeling (and associated costs) of those physical facilities that are to be converted to teaching facilities, vehicles for transportation, and the development of a staging area for NGOs. If applicant receives funding from other sources to underwrite the same or similar activities, or anticipate receiving such funding in the next 12 months, they must detail how the disparate streams of financing complement each other. 3. Other If an applicant requests a funding amount greater than the ceiling of the award range, HHS will consider the application non-responsive, and the application will not enter into the review process. HHS will notify the applicant that the application did not meet the submission requirements. Special Requirements If the application is incomplete or non-responsive to the special requirements listed in this Section, the application will not enter into the review process. HHS will notify the applicant that the application did not meet submission requirements. HHS will consider late applications non-responsive. Please see Division G, Title V, “General Provisions,” Section 503(b) of the 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which provides that “* * * no part of any appropriation contained in this Act shall be used to pay the salary or expenses of any grant or contract recipient, or agent acting for such recipient, related to any activity designed to influence legislation or appropriations pending before the Congress or any State legislature.” IV. Application and Submission Information 1. Address To Request Application Package Applicants may obtain kits electronically by accessing Grants.gov at *http://www.grants.gov,* or at Grant Solutions at *http://www.grantsolutions.gov.* Applicants may also request kits through the HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management, 1101 Wootten Parkway, Suite 550, Rockville, MD 20852; telephone 1-240-453-8822 or fax 1-240-453-8823. Applicants must use Form OPHS-1. 2. Content and Form of Submission *Application:* Applicants must submit a project narrative in English, along with the application forms, in the following format: • The length of the proposal should not exceed 50 pages; • Font size should be no smaller than 12-point, and it should be single-spaced; • Paper size: 8.5 by 11 inches; • Page-margin size: one inch; • Number all pages of the application sequentially from page one (Application Face Page) to the end of the application, including charts, figures, tables, and appendices; • Print only on one side of page; and • Hold application together only by rubber bands or metal clips, and do not bind it in any way. The narrative should address activities to conduct over the entire project period, and must include the following items in the order listed: *Understanding of the requirements:* The application shall include a discussion of your organization's understanding of the need, purpose and requirements of this cooperative agreement. The discussion shall be sufficiently specific, detailed and complete to clearly and fully demonstrate that the applicant has a thorough understanding of all the technical requirements of this announcement. *Review of the Implementation and Progress during the first and second years:* The awardee should provide a concise, but sufficiently detailed summary, of all progress made to date during the second year of its grant collaboration with HHS. The awardee should organize its review of second-year accomplishments to follow and reference each and every one of the specific “measurable outcomes” specified in the second year's RFA, and describe any and all progress made on each of these measurable outcomes. If the awardee has made no progress, then it should state so. This reporting on the second year's progress made on each of the measurable outcomes should also include summarized mention of the progress made during the first year, on each of these measured outcomes. Whenever possible, any progress made on these outcomes should be quantified. And whenever possible, the awardee should make estimates of the degree of accomplishment or completion (e.g., 25%, 50%, etc.) achieved, where it has identified a quantified final goal or target for the grant. *Project Plan:* The project plan must demonstrate that the organization has the technical expertise to carry out the work or task requirements of this announcement. The plan must contain sufficient detail to clearly describe the proposed means for pursuing and accomplishing each of the “Measurable Outcomes” and “Grantee Activities” described in Section I, and shall include a complete explanation of the methods and procedures the applicant will use. The project plan shall include discussions of the following elements: ○ Objectives; ○ Methods to accomplish the purposes of the cooperative agreement and the “Grantee Activities;” ○ Detailed time line for accomplishment of each activity; ○ Ability to respond to emergencies; ○ Ability to respond to situations on weekends and after hours; and ○ Coordination with HHS, U.S. educational institutions, and NGOs. *Staffing and Management Plan:* The applicant must provide a project staffing and management plan, which must include time lines and sufficient detail to ensure that it can meet the Federal Government's requirements in a timely and efficient manner. ○ The applicant must provide résumés that identify the educational and experience level of any individual(s) who will perform in a key position, and other qualifications to show the key individuals' ability to comply with the minimum requirements of this announcement; ○ The applicant must provide a summary of the qualifications of non-key personnel. Résumés must be no longer than three pages per person; and ○ The proposed staffing plan must demonstrate the applicant's ability to recruit, retain, or replace personnel who have the knowledge, experience, local-language skills, training and technical expertise commensurate with the requirements of this announcement. The plan must demonstrate the applicant's ability to provide bilingual personnel to train and mentor host-country participants for Latin America and the Caribbean. *Performance Measures:* The applicant must provide measures of effectiveness that will demonstrate accomplishment of this cooperative agreement's overall objectives, and with the specific “measurable outcomes” delineated above. Measures of effectiveness must relate to the performance goals stated in the “Purpose” Section of this announcement. Measures must be objective and quantitative, and must measure the intended outcomes. The measures of effectiveness submitted with this application should refer to and build upon and improve, where possible, those submitted by the grantee in the previous year. The applicant must submit a section on measures of effectiveness with its application, and they will be an element for evaluation. *Budget Justification:* The budget justification must comply with the criteria for applications. The applicant must submit, at a minimum, a cost proposal fully supported by information adequate to establish the reasonableness of the proposed amount. *Appendices:* The applicant may include additional information in the application appendices, which will not count toward the narrative page limit. This additional information includes the following: *Curricula vitae* , résumés, organizational charts, letters of support, etc. An agency or organization must have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System

(DUNS)number to apply for a grant or cooperative agreement from the U.S. Federal government. The DUNS number is a nine-digit identification number which uniquely identifies business entities. Obtaining a DUNS number is easy, and there is no charge. To obtain a DUNS number, go to the following Internet address: *http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to= http://www.dunandbradstreet.com* or call 1-866-705-5711. Additional requirements that could require submission of additional documentation with the application appear in Section VI.2.— *Administrative and National Policy* Requirements. 3. Submission Dates and Times To receive consideration, the Office of Grants Management within the HHS Office of Public Health and Science (OPHS), must receive applications no later than August 4, 2008. HHS will consider applications as meeting the deadline if the HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management, c/o Grant Application Center, 1515 Wilson Blvd., Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22209 receives them no later than 5 p.m., Eastern Time, on the application due date. HHS will accept applications electronically submitted through GrantSolutions.gov or Grants.Gov until 11 p.m., Eastern Time, on this date. HHS will not accept applications by fax, nor will HHS extend the submission deadline. The application due date requirement specified in this announcement supersedes the instructions in the OPHS-1. HHS will return to the applicant, unread, applications that do not meet the deadline. Submission Mechanisms HHS/OPHS provides multiple mechanisms for the submission of applications, as described in the following Sections. Applicants will receive notification via mail from the HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management to confirm the receipt of applications submitted by using any of these mechanisms. HHS will not accept for review applications submitted to the HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management after the deadlines described below. HHS will not accept for review applications that do not conform to the requirements of this grant announcement, and will return hard-copy applications to the applicant. While HHS will accept applications in hard copy, the Department encourages the use of the electronic application-submission capabilities provided by the Grants.gov and GrantSolutions.gov systems. Applicants may only submit applications electronically via the electronic-submission mechanisms specified below. HHS will not accept for review any applications submitted via any other means of electronic communication, including facsimile or electronic mail. All HHS funding opportunities and application kits are available on Grants.gov. If your organization has/had a grantee business relationship with a grant program serviced by the HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management, and you are applying as part of ongoing, grantee-related activities, please use GrantSolutions.gov. Applicants must submit electronic grant applications no later than 11 p.m., Eastern Time, on the deadline date specified in the DATES Section of this announcement, by using one of the electronic-submission mechanisms specified below. For applications submitted electronically, the HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management must receive all required, hard-copy, original signatures and mail-in items c/o the Grant Application Center, 1515 Wilson Blvd., Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22209, no later than 5 p.m., Eastern Time, on the next business day after the deadline date specified in the Dates Section of this announcement. HHS/OPHS must receive hard-copy applications no later than 5 p.m., Eastern Time, on the deadline date specified in the Dates Section of this announcement. HHS will not consider applications as valid until the HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management has received all components of the electronic application; hard-copy with original signatures, and mail-in items, according to the deadlines specified above. HHS will consider as late any application submissions that does not adhere to the due-date requirements, will deem them ineligible. Applicants should initiate electronic applications as early as possible, and should submit early on the due date or before. This will aid in addressing any problems with submissions prior to the application deadline. Electronic Submissions Via the Grants.gov Web Site Portal The Grants.gov Web site Portal provides organizations with the ability to submit applications for HHS grant opportunities. Organizations must successfully complete the necessary registration processes to submit an application. Information about this system is available on the Grants.gov Web site, *http://www.grants.gov.* In addition to electronically submitted materials, applicants might have to submit hard-copy signatures for certain program-related forms, or original materials, as required by this announcement. Applicants must review both the grant announcement, as well as the application guidance provided within the Grants.gov application package, to determine such requirements. Applicants must submit separately any required, hard-copy materials, or documents that require a signature, via mail to the HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management, at the address and time specified above; if required, these materials must contain the original signature of an individual authorized to act for the applicant and assume the obligations imposed by the terms and conditions of the grant award. When submitting the required forms, do not send the entire application. HHS will not consider for review complete, hard-copy applications submitted after the electronic submission. Electronic applications submitted via the Grants.gov Web site Portal must contain all completed online forms required by the application kit, the Program Narrative, Budget Narrative, and any appendices or exhibits. Any files uploaded or attached to the Grants.gov application must be of the following file formats—Microsoft Word, Excel or PowerPoint, Corel WordPerfect, ASCII Text, Adobe PDF, or image formats (JPG, GIF, TIFF, or BMP only). Even though Grants.gov allows applicants to attach any file format as part of their application, HHS/OPHS restricts this practice, and only accepts the file formats identified above. HHS/OPHS will not accept for processing any file submitted as part of the Grants.gov application that is not in a file format identified above, and will exclude it from the application during the review process. HHS/OPHS must receive all required, mail-in items by the due date specified above. Mail-in items only include publications, resumes, or organizational documentation. When submitting the required forms, do not send the entire application. HHS will not accept for review complete, hard-copy applications submitted after the electronic submission. Upon completion of a successful electronic application submission via the Grants.gov Web site Portal, applicants will receive a confirmation page from Grants.gov that indicates the date and time (Eastern Time) of the submission, as well as a Grants.gov Receipt Number. Applicants must print and retain this confirmation for their records, as well as a copy of the entire application package. Grants.gov will validate all applications submitted via the Grants.gov Web site Portal. Any applications deemed “invalid” by the Grants.gov Web site Portal will not transfer to the Grant Solutions system, and HHS/OPHS has no responsibility for any application not validated and transferred to HHS/OPHS from the Grants.gov Web site Portal. Grants.gov will notify applicants regarding the validation status of applications. Once the Grants.gov Web site Portal has successfully validated an application, applicants should immediately mail all required, hard-copy materials to the HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management, c/o Grant Application Center, 1515 Wilson Blvd., Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22209, by the deadlines specified above. Applicants must clearly identify their organization's name and Grants.gov Application Receipt Number on all hard-copy materials. Once Grants.gov has validated an application, it will electronically transfer it to the Grant Solutions system for processing. Upon receipt of both the electronic application from the Grants.gov Web site Portal, and the required, hard-copy mail-in items, applicants will receive notification via mail from the HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management to confirm the receipt of the application submitted through the Grants.gov Web site Portal. Applicants should contact Grants.gov regarding any questions or concerns regarding the electronic-application process conducted through the Grants.gov Web site Portal. Electronic Submissions Via the Grant Solutions System HHS/OPHS is a managing partner of the GrantSolutions.gov system. Grant Solutions is a full life-cycle grants-management system operated by the HHS Administration for Children and Families, designated by OMB as one of the three, Government-wide grants management systems under the Grants-Management Line-of-Business Initiative (GMLoB). HHS/OPHS uses Grant Solutions for the electronic processing of all grant applications, as well as the electronic management of its entire grant portfolio. When submitting applications via the Grant Solutions system, applicants must still submit a hard copy of the face page of the application (Standard Form 424), with the original signature of an individual authorized to act for the applicant and assume the obligations imposed by the terms and conditions of the grant award. If required, applicants will also need to submit a hard copy of the Standard Form LLL and/or certain Program related forms (e.g., Program Certifications) with the original signature of an individual authorized to act for the applicant. When submitting the required hard-copy forms, do not send the entire application. HHS will not consider for review complete, hard-copy applications submitted after the electronic submission. Applicants should submit hard-copy materials to the HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management at the address specified above. Electronic applications submitted via the Grant Solutions system must contain all completed, on-line forms required by the application kit, the Program Narrative, Budget Narrative, and any appendices or exhibits. Applicants may identify specific, mail-in items to send to the HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management (see mailing address above) separate from the electronic submission; however, applicants must enter these mail-in items on the Grant Solutions Application Checklist at the time of electronic submission, which HHS/OPHS must receive by the due date specified above. Mail-in items only include publications, resumes, or organizational documentation. Upon completion of a successful, electronic submission, the Grant Solutions system will provide applicants with a confirmation page to indicate the date and time (Eastern Time) of the submission. This confirmation page will also provide a listing of all items that constitute the final application submission, including all components of the electronic application, required, hard-copy original signatures; and mail-in items. As the HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management receives items, it will update the electronic application status to reflect the receipt of mail-in items. HHS recommends that applicants monitor the status of their applications in the Grant Solutions system to ensure the receipt of all signatures and mail-in items. Mailed or Hand-Delivered, Hard-Copy Applications Applicants who submit applications in hard copy (via mail or hand-delivered) must submit an original, and two copies of the application. An individual authorized to act for the applicant, and to assume for the organization the obligations imposed by the terms and conditions of the grant award, must sign the original application. HHS will consider mailed or hand-delivered applications having met the deadline if the HHS/OPHS Office of Grants Management receives them c/o Grant Application Center, 1515 Wilson Blvd., Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22209, on or before 5 p.m., Eastern Time, on the deadline date specified in the Dates Section of this announcement. The application deadline specified in this announcement supersedes the instructions in the OPHS-1. HHS/OPHS will return, unread to the applicant any application that does not meet the deadline. 4. Intergovernmental Review of Applications Executive Order 12372 does not apply to this program. 5. Funding Restrictions The following cost principles of allowability, allocability, accountability reasonableness, and necessity of direct and indirect costs awardees may charge appear in the following documents, based on entity type: OMB Circular A-21 (Institutes of Higher Education); OMB Circular A-122 (Nonprofit Organizations) and 45 CFR part 74, Appendix E (Hospitals). Copies of these circulars are available on the Internet, at the following address: *http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb.* Restrictions, which applicants must take into account while preparing the budget, are as follows: ○ Alterations and renovations (A&R) are prohibited under grants/cooperative agreements to foreign recipients. This is an HHS Policy. “Alterations and renovations” are defined as work that changes the interior arrangements or other physical characteristics of an existing facility or of installed equipment so that it can be used more effectively for its currently designated purpose or adapted to an alternative use to meet a programmatic requirement. Recipients may not use funds for A&R (including modernization, remodeling, or improvement) of an existing building. ○ Reimbursement of pre-award costs is not allowed. ○ Recipients may not use funds awarded under this cooperative agreement to support any activity that duplicates another activity supported by any component of HHS. Recipients may spend funds for reasonable program purposes, including personnel, travel, supplies, and services. Recipients may purchase equipment if deemed necessary to accomplish program objectives; however, they must request prior approval in an e-mail that explicitly notes the costs, and notes HHS/ASPR's approval of the explicit items for any equipment whose purchase price exceeds $10,000 USD. The costs generally allowable in grants/cooperative agreements to domestic organizations are allowable to foreign institutions and international organizations, with the following exception: With the exception of the American University in Beirut and the WHO Secretariat, HHS will not pay indirect costs (either directly or through sub-award) to organizations located outside the territorial limits of the United States, or to international organizations, regardless of their location. Recipients may contract with other organizations under this program; however, the applicant must perform a substantial portion of the project activities (including program management and operations) for which it is requesting funds. Contracts will require prior approval in writing from HHS/ASPR. Applicants shall state all requests for funds in the budget in U.S. dollars. Once HHS makes an award, HHS will not compensate foreign recipients for currency-exchange fluctuations through the issuance of supplemental awards. The funding recipient must obtain an audit of these funds (program-specific audit) by a U.S.-based audit firm with international branches and current licensure/authority in-country, and in accordance with International Accounting Standards or equivalent standard(s) approved in writing by HHS/ASPR. A fiscal Recipient Capability Assessment may be required, prior to or post award, to review the applicant's business-management and fiscal capabilities regarding the handling of U.S. Federal funds. 6. Other Submission Requirements None. V. Application Review Information 1. Criteria HHS/ASPR will evaluate applications against the following factors: Factor 1: Project Plan (30 Points) HHS/ASPR will evaluate the extent to which the proposal demonstrates that the organization has the technical and institutional expertise to carry out the work/task requirements described in this announcement. HHS/ASPR will evaluate the applicant's project plan to determine the extent to which it provides a clear, logical and feasible technical approach to meeting the goals of this announcement in terms of workflow, resources, communications and reporting requirements for accomplishing work in each of the operational task areas. Factor 2: Staffing and Management Plan (40 Points)

(a)Personnel. HHS/ASPR will evaluate the relevant educational, work experience and local-language qualifications of key personnel, senior project staff, and subject-matter specialists to determine the extent to which they meet the requirements listed in this announcement.

(b)Staffing Plan. HHS/ASPR will evaluate the staffing plan to determine the extent to which the applicant's proposed organizational chart reflects proper staffing to accomplish the work described in this announcement, and the extent of the applicant's ability to recruit, retain, or replace personnel who have the knowledge, experience, local-language skills, training and technical expertise to meet requirements of the positions.

(c)Management Plan. HHS/ASPR will evaluate the proposed plans for managing the continued development and institutionalization of the Regional Training Center, and all its associated functions, and also the plans for accomplishing each of the other “measurable outcomes” specified in this RFA. Factor 3: Performance Measures (15 Points) HHS/ASPR will evaluate the applicant's description of performance measures, including measures of effectiveness, to determine the extent to which the applicant proposes objective and quantitative measures that relate to the performance goals stated in the “Purpose” Section of this announcement, and whether the proposed measures will accurately measure the intended outcomes. Factor 4: Understanding of the Requirements (15 Points) HHS/ASPR will evaluate the extent of the applicant's understanding of the operational tasks identified in this announcement to ensure successful performance of the work in this project. Because the focus of the work will include interaction with other countries in Central and South America and the Caribbean, the applicant must demonstrate an understanding of the cultural, ethnic, political, and economic factors that could affect successful implementation of this cooperative agreement. The applicant's proposal must also demonstrate understanding of the functions, capabilities and operating procedures of U.S. educational institutions, as well as U.S., Latin American, Caribbean and International NGOs, and describe the applicant's ability to work with and within those organizations. 2. Review and Selection Process HHS/ASPR will review applications for completeness. An incomplete application or an application that is non-responsive to the eligibility criteria will not advance through the review process. HHS/ASPR will notify applicants if their applications did not meet submission requirements. An objective review panel will evaluate complete and responsive applications according to the criteria listed in the AV.1. “Criteria” section above; the panel could include both federal and non-federal personnel. VI. Award Administration Information 1. Award Notices The successful applicant will receive a Notice of Award (NoA). The NoA shall be the only binding, authorizing document between the recipient and HHS. An authorized Grants Management Officer will sign the NoA, and mail it to the recipient fiscal officer identified in the application. Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification of the results of the application review by mail. 2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements A successful applicant must comply with the administrative requirements outlined in 45 CFR Part 74 and Part 92, as appropriate. Consolidated Appropriations Act for 2008, Public Law 110-161, Division G, Title V, “General Provisions,” Section 506, requires that when issuing statements, press releases, requests for proposals, bid solicitations, and other documents describing projects or programs funded in whole or in part with Federal money, the issuance shall clearly state the percentage and dollar amount of the total costs of the program or project to be financed with Federal money and the percentage and dollar amount of the total costs of the project or program to be financed by non-governmental sources. 3. Reporting Requirements The applicant must provide HHS/ASPR with a hard copy, as well as an electronic copy of the following reports in English: 1. A quarterly progress report, due no later than 10 calendar days after the end of each quarter of the budget period. The quarterly progress report must contain the following elements: a. A listing of all of the “Activities” and “Measurable Outcomes” of the Cooperative Agreement, and a summary of the actual activities and progress made with each and everyone of these activities and measurable outcomes during the quarter; b. Disbursements requested during the quarter, and actual spending during the quarter: c. Proposed objectives and activities for the next quarterly reporting period; d. An update on the grant's budget, noting allocations by line item, draw down to date on each of the line items through the end of the quarter being reported upon, and the funds that remain in each line item, and overall; e. Any additional information that may be requested by HHS/ASPR. 2. For every training course or module that is conducted, the awardee must provide the HHS/ASPR Project Officer with copies of the pre- and post-test results administered to every participant of every training class/module. The awardee should provide these pre- and post-training test results in both an aggregated (i.e., summarized) format, and in a disaggregated (i.e., individual) format. The awardee should remove participants' personal information from these reports before sharing them with HHS, to protect the privacy and anonymity of the participants. The awardee should provide these results to HHS no later than 21 calendar days after the final day of the course for which they apply. 3. An annual progress report, due no later than 15 calendar days after the end of the budget period, which must contain a detailed summary of all the elements required in the quarterly progress report described above; 4. A final performance report, due no later than 30 days after the end of the project period; and 5. A Financial Status Report

(FSR)SF-269 is due 90 days after the close of the 12-month budget period. Recipients must mail/e-mail the reports to the ASPR Project Officer listed in the “Agency Contacts” Section of this announcement. VII. Agency Contacts For program technical assistance, contact Craig Carlson, Office of Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; telephone: 1-202-205-5228, e-mail: *craig.carlson@hhs.gov.* For financial, grants-management, or budget assistance, contact Ms. Karen Campbell, Grants Management Officer, Office of Grants Management, Office of Public Health and Science, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1101 Wootten Parkway, Suite 550, Rockville, MD 20852; telephone: 1-240-453-8822, e-mail Address: *karen.campbell@hhs.gov.* Dated: June 26, 2008. RADM William C. Vanderwagen, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. [FR Doc. E8-15120 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4150-37-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [30Day-08-0260] Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC)publishes a list of information collection requests under review by the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB)in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). To request a copy of these requests, call the CDC Reports Clearance Officer at

(404)639-5960 or send an e-mail to *omb@cdc.gov.* Send written comments to CDC Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC or by fax to

(202)395-6974. Written comments should be received within 30 days of this notice. Proposed Project Health Hazard Evaluation and Technical Assistance—Requests and Emerging Problems—Reinstatement (OMB No. 0920-0260)—National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Background and Brief Description In accordance with its mandates under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) responds to requests for health hazard evaluations

(HHE)to identify chemical, biological or physical hazards in workplaces throughout the United States. Each year, NIOSH receives approximately 400 such requests. Most HHE requests come from the following types of companies: Service, manufacturing companies, health and social services, transportation, construction, agriculture/mining, skilled trade and construction. A printed Health Hazard Evaluation request form is available in English and in Spanish. The form is also available on the Internet and differs from the printed version only in format and in the fact that it uses an Internet address to submit the form to NIOSH. Both the printed and Internet versions of the form provide the mechanism for employees, employers, and other authorized representatives to supply the information required by the regulations governing the NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation program (42 CFR 85.3-1). In general, if employees are submitting the form it must contain the signatures of three or more current employees. However, regulations allow a single signature if the requester: is one of three

(3)or fewer employees in the process, operation, or job of concern; or is any officer of a labor union representing the employees for collective bargaining purposes. An individual management official may request an evaluation on behalf of the employer. The information provided is used by NIOSH to determine whether there is reasonable cause to justify conducting an investigation and provides a mechanism to respond to the requester. In the case of 25% to 50% of the health hazard evaluation requests received, NIOSH determines an on-site evaluation is needed. The primary purpose of an on-site evaluation is to help employers and employees identify and eliminate occupational health hazards. In most on-site evaluations employees are interviewed to help further define concerns, and in approximately 50% these evaluations (presently estimated to be about 100 facilities), questionnaires are distributed to the employees (averaging about 40 employees per site for this last subgroup). The interview and survey questions are specific to each workplace and its suspected diseases and hazards, however, items are derived from standard medical and epidemiologic techniques. NIOSH distributes interim and final reports of health hazard evaluations, excluding personal identifiers, to: Requesters, employers, employee representatives; the Department of Labor (Occupational Safety and Health Administration or Mine Safety and Health Administration, as appropriate); and, as needed, other state and federal agencies. NIOSH administers a follow-back program to assess the effectiveness of its health hazard evaluation program in reducing workplace hazards. This program entails the mailing of follow-back questionnaires to employer and employee representatives at all the workplaces where NIOSH conducted site visits. In a small number of instances, a follow-back on-site evaluation may be conducted. The initial follow-back questionnaire is administrated immediately following the site visits. Another follow-back questionnaire is sent a year later. A final follow-back questionnaire regarding the completed evaluation is sent. For requests where NIOSH does not conduct an onsite evaluation, the requester is sent a follow-back questionnaire 12 months after NIOSH's response and a second one at 24 months. Because of the large number of investigations conducted each year, the need to respond quickly to requests for assistance, the diverse and unpredictable nature of these investigations, and its follow-back program to assess evaluation effectiveness; NIOSH requests an umbrella clearance for data collections performed within the domain of its health hazard evaluation program. There are no costs to respondents other than their time. The total estimated annualized burden hours are 4007. Estimated Annualized burden Hours Type of respondent Form Number of respondents Number of responses per respondent Average Burden per response in hours Employees and Representatives Health Hazard Evaluation Request Form 302 1 12/60 Employers Health Hazard Evaluation Request Form 118 1 12/60 Employees Health Hazard Evaluation specific interview example 4200 1 15/60 Employees Health Hazard Evaluation specific questionnaire example 4440 1 30/60 Followback for onsite evaluations for Management, Labor and Requester Initial Site Visit survey form 840 1 15/60 Followback for onsite evaluations for Management, Labor and Requester Closeout for HHE with an OnSite Evaluation 840 1 15/60 Followback for onsite evaluations for Management, Labor and Requester 1 year Later HHE with an On Site Evaluation 840 1 15/60 Followback for evaluations for Management, Labor and Requester without onsite evaluation Followback I Survey cover letter and Forms 55 1 10/60 Followback for evaluations for Management, Labor and Requester without onsite evaluation Followback II Survey Cover Letter and Forms 55 1 15/60 Dated: June 27, 2008. Maryam I. Daneshvar, Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [FR Doc. E8-15179 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4163-18-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [30Day-08-0630] Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act Review The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC)publishes a list of information collection requests under review by the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB)in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). To request a copy of these requests, call the CDC Reports Clearance Officer at

(404)639-5960 or send an e-mail to *omb@cdc.gov.* Send written comments to CDC Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC or by fax to

(202)395-6974. Written comments should be received within 30 days of this notice. Proposed Project Work Organization Predictors of Depression in Women—Reinstatement—The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Background and Brief Description Depression is a costly and debilitating occupational health problem. Research has indicated that the costs to an organization of treatment for depression can rival those for heart disease, and both major depressive disorder and forms of minor depression have been found to be associated with more disability days than other types of health diagnoses. This may be of particular relevance for working women. Various national and international studies indicate that women in developed countries experience depression at up to twice the rate of men. Studies that have examined this gender difference have focused on social, personality, and genetic explanations while few have explored factors in the workplace that may contribute to the gender differential. Examples of workplace factors that may contribute to depression among women include: additive workplace and home responsibilities, lack of control and authority, and low paying and low status jobs. Additionally, women are much more likely to face various types of discrimination in the workplace than men, ranging from harassment to inequalities in hiring and promotional opportunities, and these types of stressors have been strongly linked with psychological distress and other negative health outcomes. On the positive side, organizations that are judged by their employees to value diversity and employee development engender lower levels of employee stress, and those that enforce policies against discrimination have more committed employees. Such organizational practices and policies may be beneficial for employee mental health, particularly the mental health of women. This research focuses on the following questions:

(1)Which work organization factors are most predictive of depression in women, and

(2)are there measurable work organization factors that confer protection against depression in women employees? The research uses a repeated measures, prospective design with data collection at three points (baseline and eighteen months follow-ups). A 45-minute survey is being administered by telephone to 314 women and men at 16 different organizations. The survey contains questions about traditional job stressors (e.g., changes in workload, social support, work roles), stressors not traditionally examined, but which may be linked with depressive symptoms among women (e.g., roles and responsibilities outside of the workplace, discrimination, career issues) depression symptoms, and company policies, programs and practices. Analyses will determine which work organization factors are linked with depressive symptoms and what effect the organizational practices/policies of interest have on depression. Findings from this prospective study will also help target future intervention efforts to reduce occupationally-related depression in women workers. There will be no cost to respondents. The estimated annualized burden for this data collection is 236 hours. Estimated Annualized Burden Respondents Number of respondents Number of responses per respondent Average burden per response (in hours) Employees 314 1 45/60 Dated: June 27, 2008. Maryam Daneshvar, Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [FR Doc. E8-15180 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4163-18-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [60Day-08-0237] Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on proposed data collection projects, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC)will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects. To request more information on the proposed project or to obtain a copy of data collection plans and instruments, call the CDC Reports Clearance Officer on 404-639-5960 or send comments to CDC Assistant Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS D-74, Atlanta, GA 30333 or send an e-mail to *omb@cdc.gov.* Comments are invited on:

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

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

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

(d)ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Written comments should be received within 60 days of this notice. Proposed Project The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)—(0920-0237)—Revision—National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Background and Brief Description Section 306 of the Public Health Service

(PHS)Act (42 U.S.C. 242k), as amended, authorizes that the Secretary of Health and Human Services (DHHS), acting through NCHS, shall collect statistics on the extent and nature of illness and disability; environmental, social and other health hazards; and determinants of health of the population of the United States. This three-year clearance request includes the data collection in 2009 and 2010 and data planning and testing activities for 2011-2012 data collection. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) was conducted periodically between 1970 and 1994, and continuously since 1999 by the National Center for Health Statistics, CDC. Almost 19,000 persons are screened, with about 5,000 participants interviewed and examined annually. Participation in NHANES is completely voluntary and confidential. NHANES programs produce descriptive statistics which measure the health and nutrition status of the general population. Through the use of questionnaires, physical examinations, and laboratory tests, NHANES studies the relationship between diet, nutrition and health in a representative sample of the United States. NHANES monitors the prevalence of chronic conditions and risk factors related to health such as arthritis, asthma, osteoporosis, infectious diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, smoking, drug and alcohol use, physical activity, environmental exposures, and diet. NHANES data are used to produce national reference data on height, weight, and nutrient levels in the blood. Results from more recent NHANES can be compared to findings reported from previous surveys to monitor changes in the health of the U.S. population over time. NHANES continues to collect genetic material on a national probability sample for future genetic research aimed at understanding disease susceptibility in the U.S. population. NHANES data users include the U.S. Congress; the World Health Organization; numerous Federal agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the United States Department of Agriculture; private groups such as the American Heart Association; schools of public health; private businesses; individual practitioners; and administrators. NHANES data are used to establish, monitor, and/or evaluate recommended dietary allowances, food fortification policies, environmental exposures, immunization guidelines and health education and disease prevention programs. This submission requests approval for three years. There is no cost to respondents other than their time. Estimated Annualized Burden Hours Type of respondent Number of respondents Number of responses per respondent Average burden per response (in hours) Total burden hours 1. NHANES respondents 18,813 1 2 37,626 2. Special study/pretest participants 4,000 1 3 12,000 Total 49,626 Dated: June 27, 2008. Maryam I. Daneshvar, Acting Reports Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Science Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [FR Doc. E8-15183 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4163-18-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Study Team for the Los Alamos Historical Document Retrieval and Assessment (LAHDRA) Project The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC)and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) announces the following meeting. *Name:* Public Meeting of the Study Team for the Los Alamos Historical Document Retrieval and Assessment Project. *Time and Date:* 5 p.m.-7 p.m., (Mountain Time), Wednesday, July 23, 2008. *Place:* Cities of Gold Hotel, Nambe Conference Room, Cities of Gold Road exit in Pojoaque (15 miles north of Santa Fe on U.S. 84/285), 10-A Cities of Gold Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87506, telephone

(505)455-0515, fax

(505)455-3060. *Status:* Open to the public, limited only by the space available. The meeting room accommodates approximately 200 people. *Background:* Under a Memorandum of Understanding

(MOU)signed in December 1990 with the Department of Energy

(DOE)and replaced by MOUs signed in 1996 and 2000, the Department of Health and Human Services

(HHS)was given the responsibility and resources for conducting analytic epidemiologic investigations of residents of communities in the vicinity of DOE facilities, workers at DOE facilities, and other persons potentially exposed to radiation or to potential hazards from non-nuclear energy production use. HHS delegated program responsibility to CDC. In addition, a memo was signed in October 1990 and renewed in November 1992, 1996, and in 2000, between the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and DOE. The MOU delineates the responsibilities and procedures for ATSDR's public health activities at DOE sites required under sections 104, 105, 107, and 120 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA or a Superfund). These activities include health consultations and public health assessments at DOE sites listed on, or proposed for, the Superfund National Priorities List and at sites that are the subject of petitions from the public; and other health-related activities such as epidemiologic studies, health surveillance, exposure and disease registries, health education, substance-specific applied research, emergency response, and preparation of toxicological profiles. *Purpose:* This study group is charged with locating, evaluating, cataloguing, and copying documents that contain information about historical chemical or radionuclide releases from facilities at the Los Alamos National Laboratory

(LANL)since its inception. The purpose of this meeting is to review the goals, methods, and schedule of the project, discuss progress to date, provide a forum for community interaction, and serve as a vehicle for members of the public to express concerns and provide advice to CDC. *Matters To Be Discussed:* Agenda items include a presentation from the National Center for Environmental Health

(NCEH)and its contractor regarding the status of project work and a summary of recent activities, such as reviews of documents held by LANL groups and divisions and information gathering that has targeted key information gaps that remain. Activities that will be undertaken to complete work by the LAHDRA contractor team within 2009 will be described. There will also be a photographic display and brief presentation by Peter Malmgren of Chimayo, New Mexico, regarding his “Los Alamos Revisited” oral history project. A representative of the Radiation Exposure Screening and Education Program (RESEP) has been invited to review the goals and activities of that program. Administered by the Federal Health Resources and Services Administration, RESEP helps individuals who live (or lived) in areas where U.S. nuclear weapons testing occurred. There will be time for public input, questions, and comments. All agenda items are subject to change as priorities dictate. *Contact Person for Additional Information:* Phillip R. Green, Public Health Advisor, Radiation Studies Branch, Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, NCEH, CDC, 4770 Buford Highway NE., (Mailstop F-58), Atlanta, Georgia 30341-3717, telephone

(770)488-3748, fax

(770)488-1539, e-mail address: *prg1@cdc.gov* . Dated: June 26, 2008. James D. Seligman, Chief Information Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [FR Doc. E8-15109 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4163-18-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [Docket Numbers as Follow] Closed-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus—NIOSH Docket # 039; Supplied Air Respirators—NIOSH Docket # 083; Reevaluation of NIOSH Limitations on and Precaution for Safe Use of Positive-Pressure Closed-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus—NIOSH Docket # 123; CBRN APR Mechanical Connector Design—NIOSH Docket # 139 AGENCY: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). ACTION: Notice of public meeting. SUMMARY: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC)announces the availability of the following public meeting to discuss current respirator standards development projects for Closed-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus; Supplied Air Respirators; Reevaluation of NIOSH Limitations on and Precaution for Safe Use of Positive-Pressure Closed-Circuit Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus; and the Mechanical Connector Design Used in the Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear

(CBRN)Air-Purifying Respirator (APR). Authority: Occupational Safety and Health Act, 29 U.S.C. 651 *et seq.* There will be an opportunity for discussion following NIOSH's presentations and an accompanying poster session. *Public Meeting Time and Date:* 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. EDT, August 20, 2008. On-site registration will be held from 7:45 a.m. until 8:30 a.m. *Place:* Sheraton Station Square, 300 West Station Square Drive, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219-1122. Interested parties should make hotel reservations directly with the Sheraton Station Square, telephone

(412)803-3865, before the cut-off date of July 22, 2008. You must reference the NIOSH/NPPTL public meeting to receive the special group rate of $108.00 per night that has been negotiated for meeting guests. Driving directions can be found at *http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton/property/area/directions.html?propertyID=693.* *Status:* The meeting will be open to the public, limited only by the space available. The meeting room accommodates approximately 200 people. Requests to make presentations at the public meeting should be mailed to the NIOSH Docket Office, Robert A. Taft Laboratories, 4676 Columbia Parkway, M/S C34, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226, telephone

(513)533-8303, facsimile

(513)533-8285, or e-mailed to *nioshdocket@cdc.gov.* All requests to present should contain the name, address, and telephone number, relevant business affiliations of the presenter, a brief summary of the presentation, and the approximate time requested for the presentation. Oral presentations should be limited to 15 minutes. After reviewing the requests for presentations, NIOSH will notify each presenter of the approximate time that their presentation is scheduled to begin. If a participant is not present when their presentation is scheduled to begin, the remaining participants will be heard in order. At the conclusion of the meeting, an attempt will be made to allow presentations by any scheduled participants who missed their assigned times. Attendees who wish to speak but did not submit a request for the opportunity to make a presentation may be given this opportunity at the conclusion of the meeting, at the discretion of the presiding officer. *Background:* National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) will present information to attendees concerning the development of the concepts and priorities being considered for the development of standards for the various classes of respirators. Participants will be given an opportunity to ask questions and to present individual comments that they may wish to have considered. *Contact Person for Technical Information:* Jonathan V. Szalajda, General Engineer, The National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL), Policy and Standards Development Branch, Post Office Box 18070, 626 Cochrans Mill Road, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15236, telephone

(412)386-5200, facsimile

(412)386-4089, e-mail *npptlevents@cdc.gov.* Information regarding documents that will be discussed at the meeting may be obtained from the NIOSH Web site using this link: *http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/review/public/* using the NIOSH docket numbers listed above. Dated: June 26, 2008. James D. Seligman, Chief Information Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [FR Doc. E8-15107 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4163-19-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [Document Identifier: CMS-37 and CMS-R-43] Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services. In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Department of Health and Human Services, is publishing the following summary of proposed collections for public comment. Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including any of the following subjects:

(1)The necessity and utility of the proposed information collection for the proper performance of the Agency's function;

(2)the accuracy of the estimated burden;

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

(4)the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology to minimize the information collection burden. 1. *Type of Information Collection Request:* Extension of a currently approved collection; *Title of Information Collection:* Medicaid Program Budget Report; *Use:* The Medicaid Program Budget Report is prepared by the State Medicaid agencies and is used by CMS for developing national Medicaid budget estimates, qualification of budget estimate changes, and the issuance of quarterly Medicaid grant awards. *Form Number:* CMS-37 (OMB# 0938-0101); *Frequency:* Quarterly; *Affected Public:* State, Local, or Tribal Governments; *Number of Respondents:* 56; *Total Annual Responses:* 224; *Total Annual Hours:* 7,616. 2. *Type of Information Collection Request:* Extension of a currently approved collection; *Title of Information Collection:* Conditions of Participation for Portable X-ray Suppliers and Supporting Regulations in 42 CFR 486.104, 486.106, 486.110; *Use:* These requirements contained in this information collection request are classified as conditions of participation or conditions for coverage. These conditions are based on a provision specified in law relating to diagnostic X-ray tests “furnished in a place of residence used as the patient's home,” and are designed to ensure that each supplier has a properly trained staff to provide the appropriate type and level of care, as well as, a safe physical environment for patients. CMS uses these conditions to certify suppliers of portable X-ray services wishing to participate in the Medicare program. This is standard medical practice and is necessary in order to help to ensure the well-being, safety and quality professional medial treatment accountability for each patient. *Form Number:* CMS-R-43 (OMB# 0938-0338); *Frequency:* Yearly; *Affected Public:* Business or other for-profit and not-for-profit institutions; *Number of Respondents:* 726; *Total Annual Responses:* 726; *Total Annual Hours:* 1,815. To obtain copies of the supporting statement and any related forms for the proposed paperwork collections referenced above, access CMS Web site address at *http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PaperworkReductionActof1995,* or e-mail your request, including your address, phone number, OMB number, and CMS document identifier, to *Paperwork@cms.hhs.gov,* or call the Reports Clearance Office on

(410)786-1326. To be assured consideration, comments and recommendations for the proposed information collections must be received by the OMB desk officer at the address below, no later than 5 p.m. on *August 4, 2008.* OMB Human Resources and Housing Branch, Attention: OMB Desk Officer, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, Fax Number:

(202)395-6974. Dated: June 26, 2008. Michelle Shortt, Director, Regulations Development Group, Office of Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs. [FR Doc. E8-15150 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4120-01-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [Document Identifier: CMS-8003, CMS-10268, and CMS-855(A,B,I,R)] Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services. In compliance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

(CMS)is publishing the following summary of proposed collections for public comment. Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including any of the following subjects:

(1)The necessity and utility of the proposed information collection for the proper performance of the agency's functions;

(2)the accuracy of the estimated burden;

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

(4)the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology to minimize the information collection burden. 1. *Type of Information Collection Request:* Extension of a currently approved collection; *Title of Information Collection:* Home and Community Based Waiver Requests and Supporting Regulations in 42 CFR 440.180 and 441.300-310; *Use:* Under a Secretarial waiver, States may offer a wide array of home and community-based services to individuals who would otherwise require institutionalization. States requesting a waiver must provide certain assurances, documentation and cost and utilization estimates which are reviewed, approved and maintained for the purpose of identifying/verifying States' compliance with such statutory and regulatory requirements. *Form Number:* CMS-8003 (OMB# 0938-0449); *Frequency:* Occasionally; *Affected Public:* State, Local or Tribal Governments; *Number of Respondents:* 50; *Total Annual Responses:* 136; *Total Annual Hours:* 8,010. 2. *Type of Information Collection Request:* New collection; *Title of Information Collection:* Consolidated Renal Operations in a Web Enabled Network (CROWNWeb) Third-party Submission Authorization Form; *Use:* The Consolidated Renal Operations in a Web Enabled Network (CROWNWeb) Third-Party Submission Authorization form is to be completed by “Facility Administrators” (administrators of CMS-certified dialysis facilities) if they intend to authorize a third party (a business with which the facility is associated, or an independent vendor) to submit data to CMS to comply with the recently revised Conditions for Coverage of dialysis facilities. The CROWNWeb system is the system used as the collection point of data necessary for entitlement of ESRD patients to Medicare benefits and for Federal Government monitoring and assessing of the quality and types of care provided to renal patients. The information collected through the CWTPSA form will allow CMS and its contractors to receive data from authorized parties acting on behalf of CMS-certified dialysis facilities. CMS anticipates that roughly 3000 signed forms will be received by February 2009, and that the total number of forms may reach 5100 by February 2012. *Form Number:* CMS-10268 (OMB# 0938-New); *Frequency:* Monthly; *Affected Public:* Business or other for-profits and not-for-profit institutions; *Number of Respondents:* 5,100; *Total Annual Responses:* 5,100; *Total Annual Hours:* 425. 3. *Type of Information Collection Request:* Revision of a currently approved collection; *Title of Information Collection:* Medicare Enrollment Application; *Form Number:* CMS-855 (A, B, I, R)(OMB#: 0938-0685); *Use:* The primary function of the Medicare enrollment application is to gather information from a provider or supplier that tells us who it is, whether it meets certain qualifications to be a health care provider or supplier, where it practices or renders its services, the identity of the owners of the enrolling entity, and information necessary to establish correct claims payments. We are revising this currently approved information collection. The goal of the revisions to this information collection request

(ICR)is to adjust the burden associated with this ICR to account for the removal of the CMS-855(S) application. *Frequency:* Recordkeeping and Reporting—On occasion; *Affected Public:* Business or other for-profit and not-for-profit institutions; *Number of Respondents:* 400,000; *Total Annual Responses:* 400,000; *Total Annual Hours:* 785,702. To obtain copies of the supporting statement and any related forms for the proposed paperwork collections referenced above, access CMS's Web Site address at *http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PaperworkReductionActof1995* , or e-mail your request, including your address, phone number, OMB number, and CMS document identifier, to *Paperwork@cms.hhs.gov* , or call the Reports Clearance Office on

(410)786-1326. In commenting on the proposed information collections please reference the document identifier or OMB control number. To be assured consideration, comments and recommendations must be submitted in one of the following ways by September 2, 2008: 1. *Electronically* . You may submit your comments electronically to *http://www.regulations.gov* . Follow the instructions for “Comment or Submission” or “More Search Options” to find the information collection document(s) accepting comments. 2. *By regular mail* . You may mail written comments to the following address: CMS, Office of Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs, Division of Regulations Development, Attention: Document Identifier/OMB Control Number__, Room C4-26-05, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850. Dated: June 26, 2008. Michelle Shortt, Director, Regulations Development Group, Office of Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs. [FR Doc. E8-15152 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4120-01-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; The Agricultural Health Study: A Prospective Cohort Study of Cancer and Other Disease Among Men and Women in Agriculture

(NCI)SUMMARY: Under the provisions of Section 3507(a)(1)(D) of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB)a request to review and approve the information collection listed below. This proposed information collection was previously published in the **Federal Register** on April 30, 2008 (Vol. 73, No. 84, p. 23473), and allowed 60 days for public comment. No public comments or questions were received. The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for public comment. The National Institutes of Health may not conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection that has been extended, revised, or implemented on or after October 1, 1995, unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. *Proposed Collection:* *Title:* The Agricultural Health Study: A Prospective Cohort Study of Cancer and Other Disease Among Men and Women in Agriculture

(NCI)(OMB#: 0925-0406). *Type of Information Collection Request:* Renewal. *Need and Use of Information Collection:* The purpose of this information collection is to continue and complete updating the occupational and environmental exposure information as well as medical history information for respondents enrolled in the Agriculture Health Study. This represents a request to continue and complete phase III (2005-2008) of the study. Due to reduced annual budgets for research, a delay in data collection has resulted and there has not been enough time to complete the data collection on the number of respondents that had been originally requested in the 2005 OMB submission. The primary objectives of the study are to determine the health effects resulting from occupational and environmental exposures in the agricultural environment. The data will be collected by using a computer assisted telephone interview

(CATI)system. A small percentage of the respondents will also be asked to participate in a buccal cell collection which is a sample of loose cells from the respondent's mouth. The findings will provide valuable information concerning the potential link between agricultural exposures and cancer and other chronic diseases among agricultural Health Study cohort members, and this information may be generalized to the entire agricultural community. *Frequency of Response:* Once. *Affected Public:* Private sector, farms. *Type of Respondents:* Licensed pesticide applicators and their spouses. The annual reporting burden is as follows: Estimates of Annual Burden Hours Type of respondent Instrument Estimated number of respondents Frequency of response Average time per response (Minutes/hour) Annual burden hours Private Applicators Interview Only 2,920 1.00 35/60 1,703.33 Interview & buccal cells 83 1.00 60/60 83.00 Spouses Interview Only 2,680 1.00 35/60 1,563.33 Interview & buccal cells 165 1.00 60/60 165.00 Commercial Applicators Interview Only 930 1.00 35/60 542.50 Interview & buccal cells 83 1.00 60/60 83.00 Totals 6,861 4,140.17 The annualized cost to respondents is estimated at $109,652, which amount to a total cost of $1,348,000 over three years. There are no capital costs, operating costs, and/or maintenance costs to report. *Request for Comments:* Written comments and/or suggestions from the public and affected agencies are invited on one or more of the following points:

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

(2)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;

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

(4)Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology. *Direct Comments to OMB:* Written comments and/or suggestions regarding the item(s) contained in this notice, especially regarding the estimated public burden and associated response time, should be directed to the Attention: NIH Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, at *OIRA_submission@omb.eop.gov* or by fax to 202-395-6974. To request more information on the proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and instruments, contact Michael Alavanja, Dr.P.H, Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Executive Plaza South, Room 8000, 6120 Executive Blvd., Rockville, MD 20892 or call 301-496-9093 or e-mail your request, including your address to: *alavanjm@mail.nih.gov.* *Comments Due Date:* Comments regarding this information collection are best assured of having their full effect if received within 30 days of the date of this publication. Dated: June 25, 2008. Vivian Horovitch-Kelley, NCI Project Clearance Liaison Office, National Institutes of Health. [FR Doc. E8-15072 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Government-Owned Inventions; Availability for Licensing AGENCY: National Institutes of Health, Public Health Service, HHS. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The inventions listed below are owned by an agency of the U.S. Government and are available for licensing in the U.S. in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 207 to achieve expeditious commercialization of results of federally-funded research and development. Foreign patent applications are filed on selected inventions to extend market coverage for companies and may also be available for licensing. ADDRESSES: Licensing information and copies of the U.S. patent applications listed below may be obtained by writing to the indicated licensing contact at the Office of Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health, 6011 Executive Boulevard, Suite 325, Rockville, Maryland 20852-3804; telephone: 301/496-7057; fax: 301/402-0220. A signed Confidential Disclosure Agreement will be required to receive copies of the patent applications. Tendon Stem Cells *Description of Technology:* Tendon injuries due to trauma and overuse are common clinical problems that result in significant pain and loss of mobility. Tendon injuries are slow to heal and the healed tendon rarely matches the original in mechanical strength and structural integrity. Due to a limited understanding of basic tendon biology, development of new treatment options for injured tendons has posed significant challenges. This invention relates to a cell based therapy. Specifically, it relates to the isolation and enrichment of stem cells from adult tendons, known as tendon stem progenitor cells, that can form tendon structures and are capable of integrating into bones to form enthesis-like structures. Two extra-cellular matrix proteoglycans, biglycan and fibromodulin, further assist in the maintenance and multiplication of these tendon stem cells. *Applications:* Treatment of damaged tendons that are slow to repair after injury. May remedy other pathological conditions that are caused by ectopic calcification such as ectopic calcification that occurs around artificial heart valves or that develops in the rare inherited disease, Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP). *Development Status:* Early stage. *Inventors:* Marian Young *et al.* (NIDCR). *Patent Status:* U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/934,606 filed 14 Jun 2007 (HHS Reference No: E-233-2007/0-US-01). *Licensing Status:* Available for licensing. *Licensing Contact:* Fatima Sayyid, M.H.P.M.; 301-435-4521; *Fatima.Sayyid@nih.hhs.gov.* *Collaborative Research Opportunity:* The NIDCR, Molecular Biology of Bones and Teeth Section is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize the use of tendon stem cells. Please contact Marian Young at 301-496-8860 or *myoung@dir.nidcr.nih.gov.* A2 Adenosine Receptor Agonists *Description of Technology:* Four adenosine receptor subtypes exist, namely A 1 , A 2A , A 2B and A 3 , each with different functions, tissue distributions and ligand coupling abilities. While activation of A 2B AR can induce angiogenesis, reduce vascular permeabilization, increase production of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, increase chloride secretion in epithelial cells or increase release of inflammatory mediators from human and canine mast cells, there still remains a need for A 2B receptor agonists for clinical use. Recognizing that an unmet medical need exists, the inventors synthesized an assortment of adenosine derivatives with the goal of preparing highly potent and selective A 2B receptor agonists. They identified a compound as a full agonist at the A 2A and A 2B adenosine receptors, capable of reducing infarct size in rabbit hearts induced by 30 minutes of ischemia. As activation of A 2A and A 2B receptors induces a cardioprotective effect and this compound activates both A 2A and A 2B receptors, this compound may be beneficial for protecting against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. Available for licensing and commercial development are compositions and methods of use of A 2 adenosine receptor

(AR)agonists for treating conditions modulated by A 2A and A 2B ARs including myocardial ischemia, reperfusion injury, cystic fibrosis, erectile dysfunction, inflammation, restenosis and septic shock. *Applications:* Potential treatment for heart attacks. Potential treatment of septic shock, cystic fibrosis and erectile dysfunction. Potential treatment for medical conditions that would benefit from changes in vascular tone. *Market:* Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States, and the most frequent cause of hospital admission for patients over 65 years of age. *Development Status:* Early-stage of development. *Inventors:* Kenneth A. Jacobson et al. (NIDDK). *Patent Status:* U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/947,066 filed 29 Jun 2007 (HHS Reference No. E-218-2007/0-US-01). U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/950,250 filed 17 Jul 2007 (HHS Reference No. E-218-2007/1-US-01). *Licensing Status:* Available for licensing. *Licensing Contact:* Charlene A. Sydnor, PhD.; 301-435-4689; *sydnorc@mail.nih.gov* . *Collaborative Research Opportunity:* The NIDDK Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize A <sup>2A</sup> and A <sup>2B</sup> adenosine receptor agonists. Please contact Rochelle S. Blaustein at 301-451-3636 or *Rochelle.Blaustein@nih.gov* for more information. Therapeutic Application of Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase Inhibitors *Description of Technology:* The enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase

(FAAH)is responsible for the degradation of the lipid anandamide. This is a cannabinoid naturally secreted from both the brain and body. Cannabinoid receptors mediate blood pressure, pain sensation, hunger and anxiety among other actions. Drugs inhibiting FAAH increase cannabinoid receptor activity in a manner distinct from cannabinoid agonists to treat hypertension, relieve pain or have other therapeutic effect with lessened side effects. *Applications:* Treat hypertension and accompanying cardiac hypertrophy. Treatment of anxiety. Treatment of glaucoma. As a pain reliever or sleep aid. *Market:* It is estimated that nearly a third of U.S. adults have high blood pressure. Despite the lack of symptoms, treatment is imperative. People with untreated high blood pressure have an increased chance of developing stroke, heart attack, heart failure or kidney failure. The forecast of the world hypertension market is that it will grow to nearly $30 billion per year by 2010. *Development Status:* Pre-clinical data available. *Inventors:* George Kunos (NIAAA) *et al.* *Publication:* Bátkai S, Pacher P, Osei-Hyiaman D, Radaeva S, Liu J, Harvey-White J, Offertáler L, Mackie K, Rudd MA, Bukoski RD, Kunos G. Endocannabinoids acting at cannabinoid-1 receptors regulate cardiovascular function in hypertension. Circulation. 2004 Oct 5;110(14):1996-2002. *Patent Status:* U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/998,661 filed 12 Dec 2007 (HHS Reference No. E-211-2006/0-US-01). *Licensing Status:* Available for exclusive or non-exclusive licensing. *Licensing Contact:* Norbert Pontzer, J.D., PhD.; 301-435-5502; *pontzern@mail.nih.gov* . *Collaborative Research Opportunity:* The NIAAA Laboratory of Physiologic Studies is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitors. Please contact Peter B. Silverman ( *psilverm@mail.nih.gov* ) for more information. Dated: June 27, 2008. Richard U. Rodriguez, Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health. [FR Doc. E8-15178 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Government-Owned Inventions; Availability for Licensing AGENCY: National Institutes of Health, Public Health Service, HHS. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The inventions listed below are owned by an agency of the U.S. Government and are available for licensing in the U.S. in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 207 to achieve expeditious commercialization of results of federally-funded research and development. Foreign patent applications are filed on selected inventions to extend market coverage for companies and may also be available for licensing. ADDRESSES: Licensing information and copies of the U.S. patent applications listed below may be obtained by writing to the indicated licensing contact at the Office of Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health, 6011 Executive Boulevard, Suite 325, Rockville, Maryland 20852-3804; telephone: 301/496-7057; fax: 301/402-0220. A signed Confidential Disclosure Agreement will be required to receive copies of the patent applications. A Prophylactic and Therapeutic for Preventing and Treating Tularemia by Rapid Activation of Host Cells and Antigen Recognition *Description of Technology:* The invention is a composition and method for prophylactic and therapeutic treatment of tularemia caused by *Francisella tularensis* comprised of Cationic Liposome DNA Complexes

(CLDC)complexed with noncoding DNA and membrane antigens isolated from *F. tularensis* strain LVS (MPF). *F. tularensis* is category A pathogen (as designated by the NIH) that was previously weaponized by both the former Soviet Union and the United States of America and is currently a potential bioweapon and bioterrorism threat. Furthermore, tularemia is endemic to the U.S. (majority of the cases occurring in the Midwest) and Europe. The prophylactic and therapeutic activities of this invention rely in part on rapid activation of host cells and recognition of bacterial antigens. *In vivo* studies in mice show that CLDC + MPF elicit protective immunity against pneumonic tularemia when administered shortly

(days)prior to exposure to aerosols of virulent *F. tularensis.* The method can be applicable for eliciting immune response in other infectious diseases. *Applications:* Prophylactic and therapeutic for Tularemia. Biodefense agent. Method is applicable to other infectious diseases, particularly for pathogens that are enveloped or encapsulated (i.e. *Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Neisseria meningiditis, Yersinia pestis* and Influenza). *Advantages:* Rapid induction of protective immunity against *F. tularensis.* Avoids antibiotic resistance associated with current therapies. *Development Status:* *In vitro* and *in vivo* data are available. *Market:* Prophylactic and treatment for tularemia and other infectious diseases. Biodefense. *Inventors:* Catherine M. Bosio (NIAID). *Publication:* PowerPoint slide presentation of invention can be provided upon request. *Patent Status:* U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/030,984 filed 24 Feb 2008 (HHS Reference No. E-095-2008/0-US-01). *Licensing Status:* This invention is available for exclusive or non-exclusive licensing. *Licensing Contact:* Sally Hu, PhD.; 301-435-5606, *HuS@mail.nih.gov.* A New Method for Screening of Anti-tumor Agents *Description of Technology:* Astrocytomas and glioblastoma multiforme are the most common forms of malignant brain cancer, and are often unresponsive to surgical removal and pharmacological therapy. The 5 year survival rate of glioblastoma is 5%, thus, making it necessary for the identification of more effective anti-tumor agents. Individuals with the familial cancer syndrome neurofibromatosis type 1 are predisposed to developing multiple tumors including astrocytoma and glioblastoma. Scientists at NCI have discovered a new technology that will help screen multiple anti-tumor and anti-neurofibromatosis agents in a high throughput assay by using an astrocytoma cell line (KR158) that expresses the luciferase gene under the influence of dual promoters, E2F and CMV. This new technology distinguishes between cytostatic and cytotoxic compounds, thereby significantly reducing the time and cost required to screen anti-tumor agents. *Advantages:* Quantifiable. Can be used in high throughput assays. Distinguishes between cytostatic and cytotoxic activity of compounds. *Applications:* Cancer therapeutics. Gene therapy. Screening of anti-tumor agents. Screening of anti-neurofibromatosis agents. Pharmacology of drugs. *Market:* Neurofibromatoses is inherited by many affected individuals and occurs in 1 in 3500 individuals. In addition, between 30 and 50 percent of new cases arise spontaneously through mutation in an individual's genes which can then be passed on to succeeding generations, leading to increased tumor risk. Astrocytomas and glioblastoma multiforme are the most common malignant brain tumor in adults with very poor prognosis. *Development Status:* Late-stage. *Inventors:* Jessica J. Hawes and Karlyne M. Reilly (NCI). *Patent Status:* HHS Reference No. E-038-2008/0—Research Tool. Patent protection is not being sought for this technology. *Licensing Status:* Available for non-exclusive licensing. *Licensing Contact:* John Stansberry, Ph.D.; 301-435-5236; *stansbej@mail.nih.gov.* *Collaborative Research Opportunity:* The National Cancer Institute Mouse Cancer Genetics Program is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize anti-astrocytoma or anti-neurofibromatosis therapy. Please contact John D. Hewes, PhD., at 301-435-3121 or *hewesj@mail.nih.gov* for more information. A Novel Therapeutic Strategy for the Treatment of Hyperpigmentation and Melanoma *Description of Technology:* The present invention describes that the transcription factor SOX9 is expressed by normal human melanocytes *in vitro* and in the skin *in vivo* , and that over-expression of SOX9 decreases the proliferation of mouse and human melanoma cell lines via several pathways. Furthermore, SOX9 (or its bioactive derivatives) appears to be potentially useful in inducing skin pigmentation, may inhibit the proliferation of melanoma cells and increase their sensitivity to retinoic acid, which could be used to treat melanoma. *Advantages and Applications:* SOX9 (or its bioactive derivative) might be useful in increasing skin pigmentation in acquired hypopigmentary disorders such as vitiligo (1-2% of world population) or post-inflammatory hypopigmentation. A novel gene therapy based treatment for Melanoma: Experimental results show that cells over-expressing SOX9 do not form tumors in human skin reconstructs or in mice as do wild type or GFP-transduced melanoma cells. SOX-9 therapy in combination with retinoic acid can be an effective therapeutic strategy for treating melanoma. *Development Status:* The technology is currently in the pre-clinical stage of development. Animal studies have been performed and the inventors are currently pursuing gene therapy approaches with SOX9 which may be useful in the treatment of melanoma. *Inventors:* Vincent J. Hearing and Thierry Passeron (NCI). *Patent Status:* U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/963,280 filed 03 Aug 2007 (HHS Reference No. E-150-2007/0-US-01). *Licensing Status:* Available for exclusive and non-exclusive licensing. *Licensing Contact:* Whitney Hastings, Ph.D.; 301-451-7337; *hastingw@mail.nih.gov.* *Collaborative Research Opportunity:* The National Cancer Institute Laboratory of Cell Biology is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize the regulation of SOX9 function as a strategy to treat melanoma, modulate skin pigmentation and/or ameliorate skin pigmentary disorders. Please contact John D. Hewes, Ph.D. at 301-435-3121 or *hewesj@mail.nih.gov* for more information. Method for Predicting and Detecting Tumor Metastasis *Description of Technology:* Detecting cancer prior to metastasis greatly increases the efficacy of treatment and the chances of patient survival. Although numerous biomarkers have been reported to identify aggressive tumor types and predict prognosis, each biomarker is specific for a particular type of cancer, and no universal marker that can predict metastasis in a number of cancers has been identified. In addition, due to a lack of reliability, several markers are typically required to determine the prognosis and course of therapy. Available for licensing are carboxypeptidase E

(CPE)inhibitor compositions and methods to prognose and treat cancer as well as methods to determine the stage of cancer. The inventors discovered that CPE expression levels increase according to the presence of cancer and metastasis wherein CPE is upregulated in tumors and CPE levels are further increased in metastatic cancer. This data has been demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo experiments and in liver, breast, prostate, colon, and head and neck cancers. Metastatic liver cells treated with CPE siRNA reversed the cells from being metastatic and arrested cells from further metastasis. Thus, CPE as a biomarker for predicting metastasis and its inhibitors have an enormous potential to increase patient survival. *Applications:* Method to prognose multiple types of cancer and determine likelihood of metastasis. Compositions that inhibit CPE such as siRNA. Method to prevent and treat cancer with CPE inhibitors. *Market:* An estimated 1,437,180 new cases and 565,650 deaths from cancer are projected to occur in the U.S. in 2008; Global cancer market is worth more than eight percent of total global pharmaceutical sales; Cancer industry is predicted to expand to $85.3 billion by 2010. *Development Status:* The technology is currently in the pre-clinical stage of development. *Inventors:* Y. Peng Loh (NICHD) *et al.* *Publication:* Manuscript in preparation. *Patent Status:* PCT Application No. PCT/US2008/051438 filed 18 Jan 2008, claiming priority to 19 Jan 2007 (HHS Reference No. E-096-2007/3-PCT-01). *Licensing Status:* Available for exclusive or non-exclusive licensing. *Licensing Contact:* Jennifer Wong; 301-435-4633; *wongje@mail.nih.gov.* *Collaborative Research Opportunity:* The National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, Section on Cellular Neurobiology, is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize CPE as a biomarker for predicting metastasis. Please contact John D. Hewes, Ph.D. at 301-435-3121 or *hewesj@mail.nih.gov* for more information. Novel O-GLcNAcase Inhibitor and Fluorogenic Substrate as a Tool for Diagnosing Type 2 Diabetes *Description of Technology:* NIH researchers have synthesized a novel analogue of O-(2-acet-amido-2-deoxy-D-glycopyrano-sylidene)amino-N-phenylcarbamate (PUGNAc), which bears an extension on the N-acetyl moiety. This modified PUGNAc acts as a selective inhibitor of O-GlcNAcase; an enzyme that removes N-acetylglucosamine from nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins, and whose inhibition is associated with the development of Type 2 diabetes. The most desirable feature of this new compound is its ability to specifically inhibit O-GlcNAcase without targeting the related hexosaminidase A (HEX A) and hexoaminidase B (HEX B) enzymes. This unique property distinguishes it from the original PUGNAc and other compounds which inhibit O-GlcNAcase as well as other enzymes. It also has a smaller inhibitory effect on O-GlcNAcase compared to the original PUGNAc. These properties make the modified PUGNAc useful for diagnostic or therapeutic applications involving Type 2 diabetes. A fluorescent derivative of the modified PUGNAc has also been developed. Modified PUGNAc, conjugated to a fluorescent moiety such as 4-methylumbelliferone, can serve as a substrate for O-GlcNAcase without inhibiting HEX A. This allows the fluorescently labeled compound to be used for measuring O-GlcNAcase enzyme activity, and thus provide a means of diagnosing Type 2 diabetes in human blood or tissue samples. Previous reagents have monitored other Type 2 diabetes related enzymes, but with much less specificity. Recent studies that link mutations of the MGEA5 gene (which codes for O-GlcNAcase) to Type 2 diabetes provide further support for the use of the fluorescent derivative as a potent tool for diagnosing the disease. The fluorogenic derivative may also be used as a novel imaging agent for assessing O-GlcNAcase function *in-vivo.* *Applications:* Diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. In vivo imaging of O-GlcNAcase enzyme function. *Development Status:* Early stage. *Inventors:* John A. Hanover *et al.* (NIDDK). *Publication:* Eun Ju Kim, Melissa Perreira, Craig J. Thomas, and John A. Hanover. An O-GlcNAcase-specific inhibitor and substrate engineered by the extension of the N-acetyl moiety. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006 Apr 5;128(13):4234-4235. *Patent Status:* U.S. Patent Application No. 11/654,647 filed 18 Jan 2007 (HHS Reference No. E-229-2006/0-US-01). *Licensing Status:* Available for exclusive or non-exclusive licensing. *Licensing Contact:* Jasbir (Jesse) S. Kindra, J.D., M.S.; 301-435-5170; *kindraj@mail.nih.gov.* *Collaborative Research Opportunity:* The NIDDK Laboratory of Cell Biochemistry and Biology is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize modified PUGNAc for prevention or treatment of Type 2 diabetes. Please contact Rochelle Blaustein at 301-451-3636 or *Rochelle.Blaustein@nih.gov* for more information. Use of Human Gamma Satellite Insulator Sequences To Prevent Gene Silencing and Allow for Long Term Expression of Integrated Transgenes *Description of Technology:* The lack of stable expression of transgenes in target cell lines remains a serious problem for gene therapy and cellular reprogramming approaches. Once integrated into chromosomes, the expression of these transgenes may be regulated by epigenetic effects of the surrounding chromatin. These position effects, which include transgene silencing and expression variegation, are often associated with changes in the chromatin structure, and are capable of inhibiting gene expression and neutralizing the intended effect of the inserted transgene. Experimental results suggest that gene position effects can be partially overcome by flanking the transgene with regulatory elements called chromatin insulators which work by establishing defined domains of transcriptional activity within the eukaryotic genome. These insulators can partially overcome position effects by shielding the promoters from the influence of neighboring regulatory elements, or by preventing the spread of heterochromatin which can lead to subsequent gene silencing. This invention discloses the use of gamma satellite DNA, residing in the pericentromeric region of human chromosomes, as highly efficient chromatin insulators. These insulators have a remarkable ability to overcome position effects and prevent the silencing of transgenes. When human chromosome 8 gamma satellite sequences were used as flanking DNA for eGFP (enhanced green fluorescent protein) gene expression in mouse erythroleukemia

(MEL)cells, stable transgene expression was recorded for well over eight months. Until recently, no chromatin insulator sequences were known to completely prevent gene silencing on a long term basis in transfected cells. The human gamma-satellite sequences demonstrate a higher efficiency than any known chromatin insulator identified so far in intergenic regions, and may have invaluable applications in the fields of gene therapy, protein expression, and cellular reprogramming where adequate expression of the transgene is essential for long term therapeutic or developmental success. *Applications:* Gene therapy. Protein expression. Cellular reprogramming. *Development Status:* Prolonged transgene expression attained in mouse erythroleukemia

(MEL)cells. *Inventors:* Vladimir L. Larionov, Jung-Hyun Kim, Tom Ebersole (NCI). *Publications:* 1. G Felsenfeld, B Burgess-Beusse, C Farrell, M Gaszner, R Ghirlando, S Huang, C Jin, M Litt, F Magdinier, V Mutskov, Y Nakatani, H Tagami, A West, T Yusufzai. Chromatin boundaries and chromatin domains. Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol. 2004;69:245-250. 2. T Ebersole, Y Okamoto, VN Noskov, N Kouprina, JH Kim, SH Leem, JC Barrett, H Masumoto, V Larionov. Rapid generation of long synthetic tandem repeats and its application for analysis in human artificial chromosome formation. Nucleic Acids Res. 2005 Sep 1;33(15):e130, doi:10.1093/nar/gni129. *Patent Status:* U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/890,176 filed 15 Feb 2007 (HHS Reference No. E-154-2006/0-US-01). PCT Application No. PCT/US2008/054170 filed 15 Feb 2008 (HHS Reference No. E-154-2006/0-PCT-02). *Licensing Status:* Available for exclusive or non-exclusive licensing. *Licensing Contact:* Jasbir (Jesse) S. Kindra, J.D., M.S.; 301-435-5170; *kindraj@mail.nih.gov.* *Collaborative Research Opportunity:* The National Cancer Institute Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize gamma-satellite DNA insulators for stable transgene expression in ectopic chromosomal sites and in Human Artificial Chromosomes (HACs). Please contact John D. Hewes, Ph.D. at 301-435-3121 or *hewesj@mail.nih.gov* for more information. Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Detection by DNA Melting Analysis *Description of Technology:* A Single Nucleotide Polymorphism

(SNP)is defined as a single base pair difference occurring between members of the same species, or between paired chromosomes in an individual. Some SNPs have been associated with disease traits, and may predispose an individual to a disease or may influence that individual's response to therapeutic agents. There are several high-throughput methods that can detect SNPs of moderate to high abundance, where the polymorphism frequency is greater than ten percent. However, SNPs that alter gene expression or affect the structure of a gene product are often of much lower abundance, with allele frequency of around one percent. Thus, there is a need to devise high-throughput, inexpensive and efficient methods for their detection. The patent discloses methods for accurately detecting nucleotide sequence variations, such as polymorphisms, deletions, insertions or inversions, by comparison of DNA melting profiles. Methods of detecting single nucleotide sequence variations within arrays are also disclosed, as are methods of detecting mutations correlated with genetic disease. *Applications:* Detection of SNPs and small insertions, deletions, and inversions in a DNA sequence. Prediction of the etiology or prognosis of certain diseases, or determination of disease traits among individuals. *Advantages:* Useful for detecting rarely-occurring SNPs. High throughput, simple method that measures DNA melting efficiently, without using intervening steps such as gels, columns etc. *Inventors:* Robert H. Lipsky *et al.* (NIAAA) *Patent Status:* U.S. Patent No. 7,273,699 issued 25 Sep 2007 (HHS Reference No. E-251-2001/0 US-02). *Licensing Status:* Available for exclusive, co-exclusive, or non-exclusive licensing. *Licensing Contact:* Jasbir (Jesse) S. Kindra, J.D., M.S.; 301-435-5170; *kindraj@mail.nih.gov.* *Collaborative Research Opportunity:* The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Section on Molecular Genetics is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize single nucleotide polymorphism detection by melting analysis. Please contact Dr. Robert Lipsky at 301/402-5591 or *rlipsky@mail.nih.gov* for more information. Dated: June 26, 2008. Richard U. Rodriguez, Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health. [FR Doc. E8-15201 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Public Teleconference Regarding Licensing and Collaborative Research Opportunities for: Methods and Compositions Relating to Detecting Dihydropyrimidine Dehydrogenase

(DPD)AGENCY: National Institutes of Health, Public Health Service, HHS. ACTION: Notice. Technology Summary This technology relates to a method of detecting DPD Splicing Mutations. Technology Description Scientists at the National Cancer Institute have discovered a method detecting DPD Splicing Mutations. This method can identify patients with such mutations, and thereby alert the health care provider that the patient will have an adverse reaction to the chemotherapeutic agent, 5-Fluorouracil. The invention relates to methods and compositions that are useful for detecting deficiencies in DPD levels in mammals including humans. Cancer patients having a DPD deficiency are at risk of a severe toxic reaction to the commonly used anticancer agent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). The technology encompasses DPD genes from human and pig, methods for detecting the level of nucleic acids that encode DPD in a patient, and nucleic acids that are useful as probes for this purpose. Novel applications of the methods include: • Screening of patients prior to the administration of the chemotherapeutic agent, 5-Fluorouracil. • Diminishing and potentially eliminating the severe side effects of 5-Fluorauracil in patients. Competitive Advantage of Our Technology 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is a therapeutic for the treatment of multiple cancers, including breast and colon cancers. In the United States, approximately 275,000 cancer patients receive 5-FU annually. It is estimated that three percent (3%) of those patients develop some degree of toxic reaction. Patients suffering toxic reactions are difficult and expensive to treat further. Approximately, 15% of those developing toxic reaction, will die as a result of exposure to 5-FU. Death is typically caused by cardiotoxicity. More than 1,300 patients in the United States die each year as a result of 5-FU toxicity. These deaths are all potentially avoidable if patients that are likely to get adverse reaction with 5-FU treatment are detected prior to treatment. Patent Estate This technology consists of the following patents and patent applications: I. United States Patent Number 5,856,454 entitled “cDNA for Human and Pig Dihydropyrimidine Dehydrogenase,” issued January 5, 1999 (HHS Ref. No. E-157-1994/0-US-01); II. United States Patent Number 6,015,673 entitled “Cloning and Expression of cDNA for Human Dihydropyrimidine Dehydrogenase,” issued January 18, 2000 (HHS Ref. No. E-157-1994/0-US-03); III. United States Patent Number 6,787,306 entitled “Methods and Compositions for Detecting Dihydropyrimidine Dehydrogenase Splicing Mutations,” issued September 7, 2004 (HHS Ref. No. E-157-1994/1-US-01); IV. United States Pre-Grant Publication number 2005/0136433A1 corresponding to application serial number 10/911237 entitled “Methods and Compositions for Detecting Dihydropyrimidine Dehydrogenase Splicing Mutations,” published June 23, 2005 (HHS Ref. No. E-157-1994/1-US-19) and all issued and pending counterparts in Europe, Canada, and Australia. Next Step: Teleconference There will be a teleconference where the principal investigator will explain this technology. Licensing and collaborative research opportunities will also be discussed. If you are interested in participating in this teleconference please call or e-mail Mojdeh Bahar;

(301)435-2950; *baharm@mail.nih.gov.* OTT will then e-mail you the date, time and number for the teleconference. Dated: June 26, 2008. Richard U. Rodriguez, Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of Technology Transfer. National Institutes of Health. [FR Doc. E8-15182 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism; Notice of Closed Meeting Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), notice is hereby given of the following meeting. The meeting will be closed to the public in accordance with the provisions set forth in sections 552b(c)(4) and 552b(c)(6), Title 5 U.S.C., as amended. The grant applications and the discussions could disclose confidential trade secrets or commercial property such as patentable material, and personal information concerning individuals associated with the grant applications, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. *Name of Committee:* National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Special Emphasis Panel; Deferred AA3 Applications. *Date:* July 16, 2008. *Time:* 1 to 3 p.m. *Agenda:* To review and evaluate grant applications. *Place:* National Institutes of Health, 5635 Fishers Lane, Room 3042, Rockville, MD 20852 (Telephone Conference Call). *Contact Person:* Katrina L. Foster, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, 5635 Fishers Lane, Room 3042, Rockville, MD 20852, 301-443-4032, *katrina@mail.nih.gov* . The applications being reviewed in EEO2 were initially assigned to panel AA3. The appropriate expertise was not available in AA3; thus, these applications were removed and are being reviewed in a SEP meeting. (Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 93.271, Alcohol Research Career Development Awards for Scientists and Clinicians; 93.272, Alcohol National Research Service Awards for Research Training; 93.273, Alcohol Research Programs; 93.891, Alcohol Research Center Grants, National Institutes of Health, HHS) Dated: June 25, 2008. Jennifer Spaeth, Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. E8-14924 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-M DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health National Institute of General Medical Sciences; Notice of Closed Meetings Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), notice is hereby given of the following meetings. The meetings will be closed to the public in accordance with the provisions set forth in sections 552b(c)(4) and 552b(c)(6), Title 5 U.S.C., as amended. The grant applications and the discussions could disclose confidential trade secrets or commercial property such as patentable material, and personal information concerning individuals associated with the grant applications, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. *Name of Committee:* National Institute of General Medical Sciences Special Emphasis Panel; Centers of Excellence in Chemical Methodologies and Library Development. *Date:* July 22-23, 2008. *Time:* 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. *Agenda:* To review and evaluate grant applications. *Place:* National Institutes of Health, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, Building 45, Room 3AN18, Bethesda, MD 20892 (Virtual Meeting). *Contact Person:* C. Craig Hyde, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Office of Scientific Review, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Building 45, Room 3AN18, Bethesda, MD 20892, 301-435-3825, *Ch2v@nih.gov.* This notice is being published less than 15 days prior to the meeting due to the timing limitations imposed by the review and funding cycle. *Name of Committee:* National Institute of General Medical Sciences Special Emphasis Panel; Minority Biomedical Research Support in Chemistry. *Date:* July 28-29, 2008. *Time:* 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. *Agenda:* To review and evaluate grant applications. *Place:* Hyatt Regency Bethesda, One Bethesda Metro Center, Bethesda, MD 20814. *Contact Person:* John J. Laffan, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Office of Scientific Review, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Natcher Building, Room 3AN18J, Bethesda, MD 20892, 301-594-2773. *Name of Committee:* National Institute of General Medical Sciences Special Emphasis Panel; NIH Pathway to Independence Awards. *Date:* July 29-30, 2008. *Time:* 7 p.m. to 5 p.m. *Agenda:* To review and evaluate grant applications. *Place:* Residence Inn Bethesda Hotel, 7335 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814. *Contact Person:* Meredith D. Temple-O'Connor, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Office of Scientific Review, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institutes of Health, 45 Center Drive, Room 3AN12C, Bethesda, MD 20892, 301-594-2772, *templeocm@mail.nih.gov.* (Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 93.375, Minority Biomedical Research Support; 93.821, Cell Biology and Biophysics Research; 93.859, Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biological Chemistry Research; 93.862, Genetics and Developmental Biology Research; 93.88, Minority Access to Research Careers; 93.96, Special Minority Initiatives, National Institutes of Health, HHS) Dated: June 26, 2008. Jennifer Spaeth, Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. E8-15062 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; Notice of Closed Meetings Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), notice is hereby given of the following meetings. The meetings will be closed to the public in accordance with the provisions set forth in sections 552b(c)(4) and 552b(c)(6), Title 5 U.S.C., as amended. The grant applications and the discussions could disclose confidential trade secrets or commercial property such as patentable material, and personal information concerning individuals associated with the grant applications, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. *Name of Committee:* National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Special Emphasis Panel; Kidney Diseases Mentored Career Applications Review. *Date:* July 25, 2008. *Time:* 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. *Agenda:* To review and evaluate grant applications. *Place:* National Institutes of Health, Two Democracy Plaza, 6707 Democracy Boulevard, Bethesda, MD 20892 (Telephone Conference Call). *Contact Person:* Lakshmanan Sankaran, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Review Branch, DEA, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Room 755, 6707 Democracy Boulevard, Bethesda, MD 20892-5452,

(301)594-7799, *ls38oz@nih.gov* . *Name of Committee:* National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Special Emphasis Panel; Type 1 Diabetes Pathfinder Review Meeting. *Date:* August 6, 2008. *Time:* 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. *Agenda:* To review and evaluate grant applications. *Place:* National Institutes of Health, Two Democracy Plaza, 6707 Democracy Boulevard, Bethesda, MD 20892 (Telephone Conference Call). *Contact Person:* John F. Connaughton, PhD, Chief, Chartered Committees Section, Review Branch, DEA, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Room 753, 6707 Democracy Boulevard, Bethesda, MD 20892-5452,

(301)594-7797, *connaughtonj@extra.niddk.nih.gov* . (Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 93.847, Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolic Research; 93.848, Digestive Diseases and Nutrition Research; 93.849, Kidney Diseases, Urology and Hematology Research, National Institutes of Health, HHS) Dated: June 26, 2008. Jennifer Spaeth, Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. E8-15068 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; Notice of Closed Meetings Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2), notice is hereby given of the following meetings. The meetings will be closed to the public in accordance with the provisions set forth in sections 552b(c)(4) and552b(c)(6), Title 5 U.S.C., as amended. The grant applications and the discussions could disclose confidential trade secrets or commercial property such as patentable material, and personal information concerning individuals associated with the grant applications, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. *Name of Committee:* National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Special Emphasis Panel, Lesch Nyhan Disease Interdisciplinary Studies. *Date:* July 28, 2008. *Time:* 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. *Agenda:* To review and evaluate grant applications. *Place:* National Institutes of Health, Two Democracy Plaza, 6707 Democracy Boulevard, Bethesda, MD 20892 (Telephone Conference Call). *Contact Person:* Robert Wellner, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Review Branch, DEA, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Room 757, 6707 Democracy Boulevard, Bethesda, MD 20892-5452, *rw175w@nih.gov.* *Name of Committee:* National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Special Emphasis Panel, AASK Ancillary Studies. *Date:* July 29, 2008. *Time:* 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. *Agenda:* To review and evaluate grant applications. *Place:* National Institutes of Health, Two Democracy Plaza, 6707 Democracy Boulevard, Bethesda, MD 20892 (Telephone Conference Call). *Contact Person:* Robert Wellner, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Review Branch, DEA, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Room 757, 6707 Democracy Boulevard, Bethesda, MD 20892-5452, *rw175w@nih.gov.* *Name of Committee:* National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Special Emphasis Panel, Insulin Signaling Interdisciplinary Studies. *Date:* July 30, 2008. *Time:* 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. *Agenda:* To review and evaluate grant applications. *Place:* National Institutes of Health, Two Democracy Plaza, 6707 Democracy Boulevard, Bethesda, MD 20892 (Telephone Conference Call). *Contact Person:* Robert Wellner, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Review Branch, DEA, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Room 757, 6707 Democracy Boulevard, Bethesda, MD 20892-5452, *rw175w@nih.gov.* (Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 93.847, Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolic Research; 93.848, Digestive Diseases and Nutrition Research; 93.849, Kidney Diseases, Urology and Hematology Research, National Institutes of Health, HHS) Dated: June 27, 2008. Jennifer Spaeth, Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. E8-15203 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health; Office of Biotechnology Activity; Recombinant DNA Research; Notice of a Working Group Meeting of the NIH Blue Ribbon Panel There will be a working group meeting of the NIH Blue Ribbon Panel to advise on the Risk Assessment of the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL) at Boston University Medical Center. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 16, 2008, at the National Institutes of Health, Building 31, 31 Center Drive, Floor 6C, Room 6, Bethesda, MD 20892 from approximately 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Discussions will focus on risk communications and the general principles and strategies for effective community outreach and engagement. For further information concerning this meeting contact Ms. Laurie Lewallen, Advisory Committee Coordinator, Office of Biotechnology Activities, Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health, Mail Stop Code 7985, Bethesda, MD 20892-7985, telephone 301-496-9838, e-mail *lewallla@od.nih.gov.* Background information may be obtained by contacting NIH OBA by email *oba@od.nih.gov* . Dated: June 26, 2008. Amy P. Patterson, Director, Office of Biotechnology Activities, National Institutes of Health. [FR Doc. E8-15064 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Current List of Laboratories Which Meet Minimum Standards To Engage in Urine Drug Testing for Federal Agencies AGENCY: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Department of Health and Human Services

(HHS)notifies Federal agencies of the laboratories currently certified to meet the standards of Subpart C of the Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs (Mandatory Guidelines). The Mandatory Guidelines were first published in the **Federal Register** on April 11, 1988 (53 FR 11970), and subsequently revised in the **Federal Register** on June 9, 1994 (59 FR 29908), on September 30, 1997 (62 FR 51118), and on April 13, 2004 (69 FR 19644). A notice listing all currently certified laboratories is published in the **Federal Register** during the first week of each month. If any laboratory's certification is suspended or revoked, the laboratory will be omitted from subsequent lists until such time as it is restored to full certification under the Mandatory Guidelines. If any laboratory has withdrawn from the HHS National Laboratory Certification Program

(NLCP)during the past month, it will be listed at the end, and will be omitted from the monthly listing thereafter. This notice is also available on the Internet at *http://www.workplace.samhsa.gov* and *http://www.drugfreeworkplace.gov.* FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mrs. Giselle Hersh, Division of Workplace Programs, SAMHSA/CSAP, Room 2-1042, One Choke Cherry Road, Rockville, Maryland 20857; 240-276-2600 (voice), 240-276-2610 (fax). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Mandatory Guidelines were developed in accordance with Executive Order 12564 and section 503 of Public Law 100-71. Subpart C of the Mandatory Guidelines, “Certification of Laboratories Engaged in Urine Drug Testing for Federal Agencies,” sets strict standards that laboratories must meet in order to conduct drug and specimen validity tests on urine specimens for Federal agencies. To become certified, an applicant laboratory must undergo three rounds of performance testing plus an on-site inspection. To maintain that certification, a laboratory must participate in a quarterly performance testing program plus undergo periodic, on-site inspections. Laboratories which claim to be in the applicant stage of certification are not to be considered as meeting the minimum requirements described in the HHS Mandatory Guidelines. A laboratory must have its letter of certification from HHS/SAMHSA (formerly: HHS/NIDA) which attests that it has met minimum standards. In accordance with Subpart C of the Mandatory Guidelines dated April 13, 2004 (69 FR 19644), the following laboratories meet the minimum standards to conduct drug and specimen validity tests on urine specimens: ACL Laboratories, 8901 W. Lincoln Ave., West Allis, WI 53227, 414-328-7840/800-877-7016 (Formerly: Bayshore Clinical Laboratory). ACM Medical Laboratory, Inc., 160 Elmgrove Park, Rochester, NY 14624, 585-429-2264. Advanced Toxicology Network, 3560 Air Center Cove, Suite 101, Memphis, TN 38118, 901-794-5770/888-290-1150. Aegis Sciences Corporation, 345 Hill Ave., Nashville, TN 37210, 615-255-2400 (Formerly: Aegis Analytical Laboratories, Inc.). Baptist Medical Center-Toxicology Laboratory, 9601 I-630, Exit 7, Little Rock, AR 72205-7299, 501-202-2783 (Formerly: Forensic Toxicology Laboratory Baptist Medical Center). Clinical Reference Lab, 8433 Quivira Road, Lenexa, KS 66215-2802, 800-445-6917. Diagnostic Services, Inc., dba DSI, 12700 Westlinks Drive, Fort Myers, FL 33913, 239-561-8200/800-735-5416. Doctors Laboratory, Inc., 2906 Julia Drive, Valdosta, GA 31602, 229-671-2281. DrugScan, Inc., P.O. Box 2969, 1119 Mearns Road, Warminster, PA 18974, 215-674-9310. DynaLIFE Dx*, 10150-102 St., Suite 200, Edmonton, Alberta, CanadaT5J 5E2, 780-451-3702/800-661-9876 (Formerly: Dynacare Kasper Medical Laboratories ). ElSohly Laboratories, Inc., 5 Industrial Park Drive, Oxford, MS 38655, 662-236-2609. Gamma-Dynacare Medical Laboratories*, A Division of the Gamma-Dynacare Laboratory Partnership, 245 Pall Mall Street, London, ONT, Canada N6A 1P4, 519-679-1630. Kroll Laboratory Specialists, Inc., 1111 Newton St., Gretna, LA 70053, 504-361-8989/800-433-3823 (Formerly: Laboratory Specialists, Inc.). Kroll Laboratory Specialists, Inc., 450 Southlake Blvd., Richmond, VA 23236, 804-378-9130 (Formerly: Scientific Testing Laboratories, Inc.; Kroll Scientific Testing Laboratories, Inc.). Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, 7207 N. Gessner Road, Houston, TX 77040, 713-856-8288/800-800-2387. Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, 69 First Ave., Raritan, NJ 08869, 908-526-2400/800-437-4986 (Formerly: Roche Biomedical Laboratories, Inc.). Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, 1904 Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, 919-572-6900/800-833-3984 (Formerly: LabCorp Occupational Testing Services, Inc., CompuChem Laboratories, Inc.; CompuChem Laboratories, Inc., A Subsidiary of Roche Biomedical Laboratory; Roche CompuChem Laboratories, Inc., A Member of the Roche Group). Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, 13112 Evening Creek Drive, Suite 100, San Diego, CA 92128, 858-668-3710/800-882-7272 (Formerly: Poisonlab, Inc.). Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, 550 17th Ave., Suite 300, Seattle, WA 98122, 206-923-7020/800-898-0180 (Formerly: DrugProof, Division of Dynacare/Laboratory of Pathology, LLC; Laboratory of Pathology of Seattle, Inc.; DrugProof, Division of Laboratory of Pathology of Seattle, Inc.). Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, 1120 Main Street, Southaven, MS 38671, 866-827-8042/800-233-6339 (Formerly: LabCorp Occupational Testing Services, Inc.; MedExpress/National Laboratory Center). LabOne, Inc. d/b/a Quest Diagnostics, 10101 Renner Blvd., Lenexa, KS 66219, 913-888-3927/800-873-8845 (Formerly: Quest Diagnostics Incorporated; LabOne, Inc.; Center for Laboratory Services, a Division of LabOne, Inc.). MAXXAM Analytics Inc.*, 6740 Campobello Road, Mississauga, ON, Canada L5N 2L8, 905-817-5700 (Formerly: NOVAMANN (Ontario), Inc.). MedTox Laboratories, Inc., 402 W. County Road D, St. Paul, MN 55112, 651-636-7466/800-832-3244. MetroLab-Legacy Laboratory Services, 1225 NE 2nd Ave., Portland, OR 97232, 503-413-5295/800-950-5295. Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Forensic Toxicology Laboratory, 1 Veterans Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55417, 612-725-2088. National Toxicology Laboratories, Inc., 1100 California Ave., Bakersfield, CA 93304, 661-322-4250/800-350-3515. One Source Toxicology Laboratory, Inc., 1213 Genoa-Red Bluff, Pasadena, TX 77504, 888-747-3774 (Formerly: University of Texas Medical Branch, Clinical Chemistry Division; UTMB Pathology-Toxicology Laboratory). Oregon Medical Laboratories, 123 International Way, Springfield, OR 97477, 541-341-8092. Pacific Toxicology Laboratories, 9348 DeSoto Ave., Chatsworth, CA 91311, 800-328-6942 (Formerly: Centinela Hospital Airport Toxicology Laboratory). Pathology Associates Medical Laboratories, 110 West Cliff Dr., Spokane, WA 99204, 509-755-8991/800-541-7891x7. Phamatech, Inc., 10151 Barnes Canyon Road, San Diego, CA 92121, 858-643-5555. Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, 3175 Presidential Dr., Atlanta, GA 30340, 770-452-1590/800-729-6432 (Formerly: SmithKline Beecham Clinical Laboratories; SmithKline Bio-Science Laboratories). Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, 400 Egypt Road, Norristown, PA 19403, 610-631-4600/877-642-2216 (Formerly: SmithKline Beecham Clinical Laboratories; SmithKline Bio-Science Laboratories). Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, 7600 Tyrone Ave., Van Nuys, CA 91405, 866-370-6699/818-989-2521 (Formerly: SmithKline Beecham Clinical Laboratories). S.E.D. Medical Laboratories, 5601 Office Blvd., Albuquerque, NM 87109, 505-727-6300/800-999-5227. South Bend Medical Foundation, Inc., 530 N. Lafayette Blvd., South Bend, IN 46601, 574-234-4176 x276. Southwest Laboratories, 4645 E. Cotton Center Boulevard, Suite 177, Phoenix, AZ 85040, 602-438-8507/800-279-0027. Sparrow Health System, Toxicology Testing Center, St. Lawrence Campus, 1210 W. Saginaw, Lansing, MI 48915, 517-364-7400 (Formerly: St. Lawrence Hospital & Healthcare System). St. Anthony Hospital Toxicology Laboratory, 1000 N. Lee St., Oklahoma City, OK 73101, 405-272-7052. Toxicology & Drug Monitoring Laboratory, University of Missouri Hospital & Clinics, 301 Business Loop 70 West, Suite 208, Columbia, MO 65203, 573-882-1273. Toxicology Testing Service, Inc., 5426 N.W. 79th Ave., Miami, FL 33166, 305-593-2260. U.S. Army Forensic Toxicology Drug Testing Laboratory, 2490 Wilson St., Fort George G. Meade, MD 20755-5235, 301-677-7085. *The Standards Council of Canada

(SCC)voted to end its Laboratory Accreditation Program for Substance Abuse (LAPSA) effective May 12, 1998. Laboratories certified through that program were accredited to conduct forensic urine drug testing as required by U.S. Department of Transportation

(DOT)regulations. As of that date, the certification of those accredited Canadian laboratories will continue under DOT authority. The responsibility for conducting quarterly performance testing plus periodic on-site inspections of those LAPSA-accredited laboratories was transferred to the U.S. HHS, with the HHS's NLCP contractor continuing to have an active role in the performance testing and laboratory inspection processes. Other Canadian laboratories wishing to be considered for the NLCP may apply directly to the NLCP contractor just as U.S. laboratories do. Upon finding a Canadian laboratory to be qualified, HHS will recommend that DOT certify the laboratory ( **Federal Register** , July 16, 1996) as meeting the minimum standards of the Mandatory Guidelines published in the **Federal Register** on April 13, 2004 (69 FR 19644). After receiving DOT certification, the laboratory will be included in the monthly list of HHS-certified laboratories and participate in the NLCP certification maintenance program. Elaine Parry, Acting Director, Office of Program Services, SAMHSA. [FR Doc. E8-15108 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4162-20-P DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA-1771-DR] Illinois; Major Disaster and Related Determinations AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: This is a notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Illinois (FEMA-1771-DR), dated June 24, 2008, and related determinations. DATES: *Effective Date:* June 24, 2008. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peggy Miller, Disaster Assistance Directorate, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington, DC 20472,

(202)646-3886. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is hereby given that, in a letter dated June 24, 2008, the President declared a major disaster under the authority of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5121-5206 (the Stafford Act), as follows: I have determined that the damage in certain areas of the State of Illinois resulting from severe storms and flooding beginning on June 1, 2008, and continuing, is of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant a major disaster declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5121-5206 (the Stafford Act). Therefore, I declare that such a major disaster exists in the State of Illinois. In order to provide Federal assistance, you are hereby authorized to allocate from funds available for these purposes such amounts as you find necessary for Federal disaster assistance and administrative expenses. You are authorized to provide assistance for emergency protective measures (Category B), limited to direct Federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program in the designated areas and any other forms of assistance under the Stafford Act that you deem appropriate subject to completion of Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDAs), unless you determine that the incident is of such unusual severity and magnitude that PDAs are not required to determine the need for supplemental Federal assistance pursuant to 44 CFR 206.33(d). Consistent with the requirement that Federal assistance be supplemental, any Federal funds provided under the Stafford Act for Public Assistance will be limited to 75 percent of the total eligible costs, except for any particular projects that are eligible for a higher Federal cost-sharing percentage under the FEMA Public Assistance Pilot Program instituted pursuant to 6 U.S.C. 777. If Other Needs Assistance and Hazard Mitigation are later requested and warranted, Federal funding under these programs will also be limited to 75 percent of the total eligible costs. Further, you are authorized to make changes to this declaration to the extent allowable under the Stafford Act. The Federal Emergency Management Agency

(FEMA)hereby gives notice that pursuant to the authority vested in the Administrator, Department of Homeland Security, under Executive Order 12148, as amended, Elizabeth Turner, of FEMA is appointed to act as the Federal Coordinating Officer for this declared disaster. I do hereby determine the following areas of the State of Illinois to have been affected adversely by this declared major disaster: Adams, Calhoun, Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Hancock, Henderson, Jasper, Lawrence, Mercer, Pike, and Rock Island Counties for emergency protective measures (Category B), limited to direct Federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program. (The following Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers

(CFDA)are to be used for reporting and drawing funds: 97.030, Community Disaster Loans; 97.031, Cora Brown Fund Program; 97.032, Crisis Counseling; 97.033, Disaster Legal Services Program; 97.034, Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA); 97.046, Fire Management Assistance; 97.048, Individual and Household Housing; 97.049, Individual and Household Disaster Housing Operations; 97.050 Individual and Household Program-Other Needs, 97.036, Public Assistance Grants; 97.039, Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.) R. David Paulison, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency. [FR Doc. E8-15126 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 9110-10-P DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA-1772-DR] Minnesota; Major Disaster and Related Determinations AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: This is a notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Minnesota (FEMA-1772-DR), dated June 25, 2008, and related determinations. DATES: *Effective Date:* June 25, 2008. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peggy Miller, Disaster Assistance Directorate, Federal Emergency Management Agency, 500 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20472,

(202)646-3886. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is hereby given that, in a letter dated June 25, 2008, the President declared a major disaster under the authority of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5121-5206 (the Stafford Act), as follows: I have determined that the damage in certain areas of the State of Minnesota resulting from severe storms and flooding beginning on June 7, 2008, and continuing, is of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant a major disaster declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5121-5206 (the Stafford Act). Therefore, I declare that such a major disaster exists in the State of Minnesota. In order to provide Federal assistance, you are hereby authorized to allocate from funds available for these purposes such amounts as you find necessary for Federal disaster assistance and administrative expenses. You are authorized to provide Public Assistance in the designated areas, Hazard Mitigation throughout the State, and any other forms of assistance under the Stafford Act that you deem appropriate. Consistent with the requirement that Federal assistance be supplemental, any Federal funds provided under the Stafford Act for Hazard Mitigation and Other Needs Assistance will be limited to 75 percent of the total eligible costs. Federal funds provided under the Stafford Act for Public Assistance also will be limited to 75 percent of the total eligible costs, except for any particular projects that are eligible for a higher Federal cost-sharing percentage under the FEMA Public Assistance Pilot Program instituted pursuant to 6 U.S.C. 777. If Other Needs Assistance under Section 408 of the Stafford Act is later requested and warranted, Federal funding under that program also will be limited to 75 percent of the total eligible costs. Further, you are authorized to make changes to this declaration to the extent allowable under the Stafford Act. The Federal Emergency Management Agency

(FEMA)hereby gives notice that pursuant to the authority vested in the Administrator, under Executive Order 12148, as amended, Donald L. Keldsen, of FEMA is appointed to act as the Federal Coordinating Officer for this declared disaster. The following areas of the State of Minnesota have been designated as adversely affected by this declared major disaster: Fillmore, Freeborn, Houston, and Mower Counties for Public Assistance. All counties within the State of Minnesota are eligible to apply for assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. (The following Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers

(CFDA)are to be used for reporting and drawing funds: 97.030, Community Disaster Loans; 97.031, Cora Brown Fund; 97.032, Crisis Counseling; 97.033, Disaster Legal Services; 97.034, Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA); 97.046, Fire Management Assistance Grant; 97.048, Disaster Housing Assistance to Individuals and Households In Presidential Declared Disaster Areas; 97.049, Presidential Declared Disaster Assistance—Disaster Housing Operations for Individuals and Households; 97.050, Presidential Declared Disaster Assistance to Individuals and Households—Other Needs, 97.036, Disaster Grants—Public Assistance (Presidentially Declared Disasters); 97.039, Hazard Mitigation Grant.) R. David Paulison, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency. [FR Doc. E8-15123 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 9110-10-P DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA-1773-DR] Missouri; Major Disaster and Related Determinations AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: This is a notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Missouri (FEMA-1773-DR), dated June 25, 2008, and related determinations. DATES: *Effective Date:* June 25, 2008. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peggy Miller, Disaster Assistance Directorate, Federal Emergency Management Agency, 500 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20472,

(202)646-3886. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is hereby given that, in a letter dated June 25, 2008, the President declared a major disaster under the authority of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5121-5206 (the Stafford Act), as follows: I have determined that the damage in certain areas of the State of Missouri resulting from severe storms and flooding beginning on June 1, 2008, and continuing, is of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant a major disaster declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5121-5206 (the Stafford Act). Therefore, I declare that such a major disaster exists in the State of Missouri. In order to provide Federal assistance, you are hereby authorized to allocate from funds available for these purposes such amounts as you find necessary for Federal disaster assistance and administrative expenses. You are authorized to provide assistance for emergency protective measures (Category B), limited to direct Federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program in the designated areas and any other forms of assistance under the Stafford Act that you deem appropriate subject to completion of Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDAs), unless you determine that the incident is of such unusual severity and magnitude that PDAs are not required to determine the need for supplemental Federal assistance pursuant to 44 CFR 206.33(d). Consistent with the requirement that Federal assistance be supplemental, any Federal funds provided under the Stafford Act for Public Assistance will be limited to 75 percent of the total eligible costs, except for any particular projects that are eligible for a higher Federal cost-sharing percentage under the FEMA Public Assistance Pilot Program instituted pursuant to 6 U.S.C. 777. If Other Needs Assistance and Hazard Mitigation are later warranted, Federal funding under these programs will also be limited to 75 percent of the total eligible costs. Further, you are authorized to make changes to this declaration to the extent allowable under the Stafford Act. The Federal Emergency Management Agency

(FEMA)hereby gives notice that pursuant to the authority vested in the Administrator, Department of Homeland Security, under Executive Order 12148, as amended, Michael L. Karl, of FEMA is appointed to act as the Federal Coordinating Officer for this declared disaster. I do hereby determine the following areas of the State of Missouri to have been affected adversely by this declared major disaster: Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Cape Girardeau, Clark, Holt, Jefferson, Lewis, Lincoln, Marion, Mississippi, New Madrid, Nodaway, Pemiscot, Perry, Pike, Platte, Ralls, St. Charles, St. Louis, Ste. Genevieve, and Scott and the Independent City of St. Louis for emergency protective measures (Category B), limited to direct Federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program. (The following Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers

(CFDA)are to be used for reporting and drawing funds: 97.030, Community Disaster Loans; 97.031, Cora Brown Fund Program; 97.032, Crisis Counseling; 97.033, Disaster Legal Services Program; 97.034, Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA); 97.046, Fire Management Assistance; 97.048, Individual and Household Housing; 97.049, Individual and Household Disaster Housing Operations; 97.050 Individual and Household Program—Other Needs; 97.036, Public Assistance Grants; 97.039, Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.) R. David Paulison, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency. [FR Doc. E8-15124 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 9110-10-P DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA-1771-DR] Illinois Amendment No. 1 to Notice of a Major Disaster Declaration AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Illinois (FEMA-1771-DR), dated June 24, 2008, and related determinations. DATES: *Effective Date:* June 25, 2008. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peggy Miller, Disaster Assistance Directorate, Federal Emergency Management Agency, 500 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20472,

(202)646-3886. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Illinois is hereby amended to include Individual Assistance and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program in the following areas among those areas determined to have been adversely affected by the catastrophe declared a major disaster by the President in his declaration of June 24, 2008. Douglas, Edgar, Lake, and Winnebago Counties for Individual Assistance. Adams, Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Hancock, Henderson, Jasper, Lawrence, and Mercer Counties for Individual Assistance (already designated for emergency protective measures [Category B], limited to direct Federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program.) All counties in the State of Illinois are eligible to apply for assistance under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. (The following Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers

(CFDA)are to be used for reporting and drawing funds: 97.030, Community Disaster Loans; 97.031, Cora Brown Fund; 97.032, Crisis Counseling; 97.033, Disaster Legal Services; 97.034, Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA); 97.046, Fire Management Assistance Grant; 97.048, Disaster Housing Assistance to Individuals and Households In Presidential Declared Disaster Areas; 97.049, Presidential Declared Disaster Assistance—Disaster Housing Operations for Individuals and Households; 97.050 Presidential Declared Disaster Assistance to Individuals and Households—Other Needs, 97.036, Disaster Grants—Public Assistance (Presidentially Declared Disasters); 97.039, Hazard Mitigation Grant.) R. David Paulison, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency. [FR Doc. E8-15128 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 9110-10-P DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA-1768-DR] Wisconsin; Amendment No. 6 to Notice of a Major Disaster Declaration AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: This notice amends the notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Wisconsin (FEMA-1768-DR), dated June 14, 2008, and related determinations. DATES: *Effective Date:* June 24, 2008. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peggy Miller, Disaster Assistance Directorate, Federal Emergency Management Agency, 500 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20472,

(202)646-3886. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Wisconsin is hereby amended to include the following areas among those areas determined to have been adversely affected by the catastrophe declared a major disaster by the President in his declaration of June 14, 2008. Adams, Calumet, Green Lake, Jefferson, La Crosse, and Walworth Counties for Individual Assistance. (The following Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers

(CFDA)are to be used for reporting and drawing funds: 97.030, Community Disaster Loans; 97.031, Cora Brown Fund; 97.032, Crisis Counseling; 97.033, Disaster Legal Services; 97.034, Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA); 97.046, Fire Management Assistance Grant; 97.048, Disaster Housing Assistance to Individuals and Households in Presidential Declared Disaster Areas; 97.049, Presidential Declared Disaster Assistance—Disaster Housing Operations for Individuals and Households; 97.050, Presidential Declared Disaster Assistance to Individuals and Households—Other Needs; 97.036, Disaster Grants—Public Assistance (Presidentially Declared Disasters); 97.039, Hazard Mitigation Grant.) R. David Paulison, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency. [FR Doc. E8-15127 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 9110-10-P DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Transportation Security Administration [Docket Nos. TSA-2006-24191; Coast Guard-2006-24196] Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC); Enrollment Dates for the Ports of Lafayette, LA; Eureka, CA; Riverhead, NY; Lindenhurst, NY; and Stockton, CA AGENCY: Transportation Security Administration; United States Coast Guard; DHS. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland Security

(DHS)through the Transportation Security Administration

(TSA)issues this notice of the dates for the beginning of the initial enrollment for the Transportation Worker Identification Credential

(TWIC)for the Ports of Lafayette, LA; Eureka, CA; Riverhead, NY; Lindenhurst, NY; and Stockton, CA. DATES: TWIC enrollment begins in Lafayette on July 10, 2008; Eureka on July 16, 2008; Riverhead on July 23, 2008; Lindenhurst on July 30, 2008; and Stockton on August 13, 2008. ADDRESSES: You may view published documents and comments concerning the TWIC Final Rule, identified by the docket numbers of this notice, using any one of the following methods.

(1)Searching the Federal Docket Management System

(FDMS)Web page at *www.regulations.gov* ;

(2)Accessing the Government Printing Office's Web page at *http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html* ; or

(3)Visiting TSA's Security Regulations Web page at *http://www.tsa.gov* and accessing the link for “Research Center” at the top of the page. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Orgill, TSA-19, Transportation Security Administration, 601 South 12th Street, Arlington, VA 22202-4220. Transportation Threat Assessment and Credentialing (TTAC), TWIC Program,

(571)227-4545; e-mail: *credentialing@dhs.gov* . Background The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through the United States Coast Guard and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), issued a joint final rule (72 FR 3492; January 25, 2007) pursuant to the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA), Public Law 107-295, 116 Stat. 2064 (November 25, 2002), and the Security and Accountability for Every Port Act of 2006 (SAFE Port Act), Public Law 109-347 (October 13, 2006). This rule requires all credentialed merchant mariners and individuals with unescorted access to secure areas of a regulated facility or vessel to obtain a TWIC. In this final rule, on page 3510, TSA and Coast Guard stated that a phased enrollment approach based upon risk assessment and cost/benefit would be used to implement the program nationwide, and that TSA would publish a notice in the **Federal Register** indicating when enrollment at a specific location will begin and when it is expected to terminate. This notice provides the start date for TWIC initial enrollment at the Port of Lafayette, LA on July 10, 2008; Eureka, CA on July 16, 2008; Riverhead, NY on July 23, 2008; Lindenhurst, NY on July 30, 2008; and Stockton, CA on August 13, 2008. The Coast Guard will publish a separate notice in the **Federal Register** indicating when facilities within the Captain of the Port Zone MSU Morgan City, including those in the Port of Lafayette; Captain of the Port Zone San Francisco Bay, including those in the Ports of Eureka and Stockton; and Captain of the Port Zone Long Island Sound, including those in the Ports of Riverhead and Lindenhurst must comply with the portions of the final rule requiring TWIC to be used as an access control measure. That notice will be published at least 90 days before compliance is required. To obtain information on the pre-enrollment and enrollment process, and enrollment locations, visit TSA's TWIC Web site at *http://www.tsa.gov/twic* . Issued in Arlington, Virginia, on June 27, 2008. Stephen Sadler, General Manager, Operations, Office of Transportation Threat Assessment and Credentialing, Transportation Security Administration. [FR Doc. E8-15129 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 9110-05-P DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency Information Collection Activities: Line Release Regulations AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security. ACTION: 30-Day Notice and request for comments; Extension of an existing information collection: 1651-0075. SUMMARY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection

(CBP)of the Department of Homeland Security has submitted the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB)for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995: Line Release Regulations. This is a proposed extension of an information collection that was previously approved. CBP is proposing that this information collection be extended with no change to the burden hours. This document is published to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. This proposed information collection was previously published in the **Federal Register** (73 FR 22161) on April 24, 2008, allowing for a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.10. DATES: Written comments should be received on or before August 4, 2008. ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments on the proposed information collection to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget. Comments should be addressed to the OMB Desk Officer for Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security, and sent via electronic mail to *oira_submission@omb.eop.gov* or faxed to

(202)395-6974. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: CBP encourages the general public and affected Federal agencies to submit written comments and suggestions on proposed and/or continuing information collection requests pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13). Your comments should address one of the following four points:

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

(2)Evaluate the accuracy of the agencies/components estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

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

(4)Minimize the burden of the collections of information on those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses. *Title:* Line Release Regulations. *OMB Number:* 1651-0060. *Form Number:* N/A. *Abstract:* Line release was developed to release and track high volume and repetitive shipments using bar code technology and PCS. An application is submitted to CBP by the filer and a common commodity classification code

(C4)is assigned to the application. Current Actions: There are no changes to the information collection. This submission is being submitted to extend the expiration date. *Type of Review:* Extension (without change). *Affected Public:* Business or other for-profit institutions. *Estimated Number of Respondents:* 25,700. *Estimated Time per Response:* 15 minutes. *Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours:* 6,425. If additional information is required contact: Tracey Denning, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Room 3.2.C, Washington, DC 20229, at 202-344-1429. Dated: June 26, 2008. Tracey Denning, Agency Clearance Officer, Customs and Border Protection. [FR Doc. E8-15163 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 9111-14-P DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY U.S. Customs and Border Protection Quarterly IRS Interest Rates Used in Calculating Interest on Overdue Accounts and Refunds on Customs Duties AGENCY: Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security. ACTION: General notice. SUMMARY: This notice advises the public of the quarterly Internal Revenue Service interest rates used to calculate interest on overdue accounts (underpayments) and refunds (overpayments) of customs duties. For the calendar quarter beginning July 1, 2008, the interest rates for overpayments will be 4 percent for corporations and 5 percent for non-corporations, and the interest rate for underpayments will be 5 percent. This notice is published for the convenience of the importing public and Customs and Border Protection personnel. DATES: *Effective Date:* July 1, 2008. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron Wyman, Revenue Division, Collection and Refunds Branch, 6650 Telecom Drive, Suite #100, Indianapolis, Indiana 46278; telephone

(317)614-4516. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Pursuant to 19 U.S.C. 1505 and Treasury Decision 85-93, published in the **Federal Register** on May 29, 1985 (50 FR 21832), the interest rate paid on applicable overpayments or underpayments of customs duties must be in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code rate established under 26 U.S.C. 6621 and 6622. Section 6621 was amended (at paragraph (a)(1)(B) by the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998, Pub. L. 105-206, 112 Stat. 685) to provide different interest rates applicable to overpayments: one for corporations and one for non-corporations. The interest rates are based on the Federal short-term rate and determined by the Internal Revenue Service

(IRS)on behalf of the Secretary of the Treasury on a quarterly basis. The rates effective for a quarter are determined during the first-month period of the previous quarter. In Revenue Ruling 2008-27, the IRS determined the rates of interest for the calendar quarter beginning July 1, 2008, and ending on September 30, 2008. The interest rate paid to the Treasury for underpayments will be the Federal short-term rate (2%) plus three percentage points (3%) for a total of five percent (5%). For corporate overpayments, the rate is the Federal short-term rate (2%) plus two percentage points (2%) for a total of four percent (4%). For overpayments made by non-corporations, the rate is the Federal short-term rate (2%) plus three percentage points (3%) for a total of five percent (5%). These interest rates are subject to change for the calendar quarter beginning October 1, 2008, and ending December 31, 2008. For the convenience of the importing public and Customs and Border Protection personnel the following list of IRS interest rates used, covering the period from before July of 1974 to date, to calculate interest on overdue accounts and refunds of customs duties, is published in summary format. Beginning date Ending date Under- payments (percent) Over- payments (percent) Corporate Over- payments (Eff. 1-1-99) (percent) 070174 063075 6 6 070175 013176 9 9 020176 013178 7 7 020178 013180 6 6 020180 013182 12 12 020182 123182 20 20 010183 063083 16 16 070183 123184 11 11 010185 063085 13 13 070185 123185 11 11 010186 063086 10 10 070186 123186 9 9 010187 093087 9 8 100187 123187 10 9 010188 033188 11 10 040188 093088 10 9 100188 033189 11 10 040189 093089 12 11 100189 033191 11 10 040191 123191 10 9 010192 033192 9 8 040192 093092 8 7 100192 063094 7 6 070194 093094 8 7 100194 033195 9 8 040195 063095 10 9 070195 033196 9 8 040196 063096 8 7 070196 033198 9 8 040198 123198 8 7 010199 033199 7 7 6 040199 033100 8 8 7 040100 033101 9 9 8 040101 063001 8 8 7 070101 123101 7 7 6 010102 123102 6 6 5 010103 093003 5 5 4 100103 033104 4 4 3 040104 063004 5 5 4 070104 093004 4 4 3 100104 033105 5 5 4 040105 093005 6 6 5 100105 063006 7 7 6 070106 123107 8 8 7 010108 033108 7 7 6 040108 063008 6 6 5 070108 093008 5 5 4 Dated: June 30, 2008. Jayson P. Ahern, Acting Commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection. [FR Doc. E8-15173 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 9111-14-P DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR-5186-N-27] Federal Property Suitable as Facilities To Assist the Homeless AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development, HUD. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: This Notice identifies unutilized, underutilized, excess, and surplus Federal property reviewed by HUD for suitability for possible use to assist the homeless. DATES: *Effective Date:* July 3, 2008. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathy Ezzell, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Room 7262, Washington, DC 20410; telephone

(202)708-1234; TTY number for the hearing- and speech-impaired

(202)708-2565, (these telephone numbers are not toll-free), or call the toll-free Title V information line at 800-927-7588. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the December 12, 1988 court order in * National Coalition for the Homeless * v. *Veterans Administration* , No. 88-2503-OG (D.D.C.), HUD publishes a Notice, on a weekly basis, identifying unutilized, underutilized, excess and surplus Federal buildings and real property that HUD has reviewed for suitability for use to assist the homeless. Today's Notice is for the purpose of announcing that no additional properties have been determined suitable or unsuitable this week. Dated: June 26, 2008. Mark R. Johnston, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Special Needs. [FR Doc. E8-14940 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4210-67-P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR [WY-100-2008-1310-NB] Pinedale Anticline Working Group and Task Groups—Notice of Renewal AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of Renewal of the Pinedale Anticline Working Group and Task Groups. SUMMARY: This notice is published in accordance with Section 9(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (Public Law 92-463). Following consultation with the General Services Administration, notice is hereby given that the Secretary of the Interior has renewed the Pinedale Anticline Working Group and Task Groups (PAWG). The purpose of the Working Group and Task Groups will be to advise the Bureau of Land Management, Pinedale Field Office Manager, regarding recommendations on matters pertinent to the Bureau of Land Management's responsibilities related to the Pinedale Anticline Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Lauren McKeever, Pinedale Anticline Working Group and Task Groups Coordinator, Bureau of Land Management, Pinedale Field Office, 1625 West Pine Street, Pinedale, Wyoming 82941, Phone:

(307)367-5352. Certification I hereby certify that the renewal of the Pinedale Anticline Working Group and Task Groups is necessary and in the public interest in connection with the Secretary of the Interior's responsibilities to manage the lands, resources, and facilities administered by the Bureau of Land Management. Dated: June 25, 2008. Dirk Kempthorne, Secretary of the Interior. [FR Doc. E8-15176 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-22-P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS-R4-R-2008-N0117; 40136-1265-0000-S3] Swanquarter National Wildlife Refuge, Hyde County, NC AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability; draft comprehensive conservation plan and environmental assessment; request for comments. SUMMARY: We, the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), announce the availability of a draft comprehensive conservation plan and environmental assessment (Draft CCP/EA) for Swanquarter National Wildlife Refuge for public review and comment. In this Draft CCP/EA, we describe the alternative we propose to use to manage this refuge for the 15 years following approval of the final CCP. DATES: To ensure consideration, we must receive your written comments by August 4, 2008. ADDRESSES: Request for copies of the Draft CCP/EA should be addressed to: Bruce Freske, Refuge Manager, Swanquarter National Wildlife Refuge, 38 Mattamuskeet Road, Swan Quarter, NC 27885. The Draft CCP/EA may also be accessed and downloaded from the Service's Internet Site: *http://southeast.fws.gov/planning.* Comments on the Draft CCP/EA may be submitted to the above address or via electronic mail to: *Bruce Freske@fws.gov.* FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bruce Freske; Telephone: 252/926-4021; or Fax: 252/926-1743. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Introduction With this notice, we continue the CCP process for Swanquarter National Wildlife Refuge. We started the process through a notice in the **Federal Register** on November 3, 2000 (65 FR 66256). Swanquarter National Wildlife Refuge, on Pamlico Sound in Hyde County, NC, was established by Presidential Order on June 23, 1932. The Service has acquired all of the property within the refuge's acquisition boundary. The refuge consists of 16,411 acres of saltmarsh islands and forested wetlands interspersed with potholes, creeks, and drains. Marsh vegetation is dominated by black needlerush and sawgrass. The mainland is forested by loblolly pine, pond pine, and bald cypress. Approximately 8,800 acres of the refuge have been designated as wilderness. An additional 27,082 acres of adjacent, non-refuge open water are closed by presidential proclamation to the taking of migratory birds. The purposes of the refuge are: “for use as an inviolate sanctuary, or for any other management purpose, for migratory birds;” “for the development, advancement, management, conservation, and protection of fish and wildlife resources * * * for the benefit of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, in performing its activities and services;” and for the supplemental purpose of protecting and providing a wilderness area. Swanquarter National Wildlife Refuge is in the South Atlantic Coastal Plain Ecosystem and is part of the migration corridor for migratory birds that use the Atlantic Flyway. Wildlife species of management concern on the refuge include the American black duck, lesser scaup, canvasback, redhead, surf scoter, seaside sparrow, shard-tailed sparrow, brown-headed nuthatch, black-throated green warbler, black rail, yellow rail, clapper rail, Forster's tern, peregrine falcon, bald eagle, osprey, black bear, red wolf, Carolina pygmy rattlesnake, and American alligator. The white-tailed deer is also a resident game species. Background The CCP Process The National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 668dd-668ee), which amended the National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act of 1966, requires us to develop a CCP for each national wildlife refuge. The purpose in developing a CCP is to provide refuge managers with a 15-year plan for achieving refuge purposes and contributing toward the mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System, consistent with sound principles of fish and wildlife management, conservation, legal mandates, and our policies. In addition to outlining broad management direction on conserving wildlife and their habitats, CCPs identify wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities available to the public, including opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, wildlife photography, and environmental education and interpretation. We will review and update the CCP at least every 15 years in accordance with the Improvement Act and NEPA. Significant issues addressed in the Draft CCP/EA include: Management of waterfowl and neotropical migratory birds, the wilderness area, and invasive species; recovery and protection of threatened and endangered species (particularly the red-cockaded woodpecker, red wolf, and American alligator); regional habitat loss and fragmentation; turbidity in open waters; land acquisition to include a minor boundary expansion; and public uses of the refuge. CCP Alternatives, Including Our Proposed Alternative We developed three alternatives for managing the refuge and chose Alternative B as the proposed alternative. Alternatives A full description of each alternative is in the Draft CCP/EA. We summarize each alternative below. Alternative A: No Action Alternative Under Alternative A, the no action alternative, present management of the refuge would continue at the current level. The refuge would provide habitat for migratory birds and threatened and endangered species, particularly the red-cockaded woodpecker, the red wolf, and the American alligator. Current surveying and monitoring for waterfowl, wading and colonial nesting birds, and land birds would continue, and no active surveying or monitoring of other birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, or fish would be conducted by refuge staff. There would be few public use and environmental education and outreach programs. Fishing and hunting of waterfowl would continue as currently managed. Alternative B: Moderately Expand Programs (Proposed Alternative) Under Alternative B, the proposed alternative, the refuge would continue to provide habitat for migratory birds, threatened and endangered species, and other waterfowl and fauna. Surveying and monitoring would be expanded to obtain baseline data on other species, and would include other birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. The refuge would monitor the effects of management activities on flora and fauna and adapt as needed. The public use and environmental education and outreach programs would be increased to include conducting two to ten programs for local school groups. Fishing and hunting opportunities would be expanded by increasing the number of use days and introducing deer hunting with archery equipment. An interpretive trail or boardwalk would be developed to provide greater access to the public. Alternative C: Optimally Expand Programs Under Alternative C, the activities under Alternative B would be further expanded. More wildlife and habitat surveying and monitoring would be conducted; environmental education and outreach programs would be increased to include conducting ten to fifteen programs for local school groups; hunting and fishing use days would increase and deer hunting with both archery equipment and primitive firearms would be introduced; an interpretive trail or boardwalk would be developed, as well as a canoe trail; and a photo blind would be constructed. In addition, development and management of moist-soil units for migratory birds would be considered. Next Step After the comment period ends, we will analyze the comments and address them in the form of a final CCP and Finding of No Significant Impact. Public Availability of Comments Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Authority: This notice is published under the authority of the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, Public Law 105-57. Dated: May 19, 2008. Cynthia K. Dohner, Acting Regional Director. [FR Doc. E8-15117 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-55-P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS-R8-ES-2008-N00170; 1112-0000-81420-F2] Sonoma County Office of Education Habitat Conservation Plan, Dutton Avenue School, City of Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, CA AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability: proposed low-effect habitat conservation plan; request for comment. SUMMARY: The Sonoma County Office of Education (SCOE or applicant) has applied to the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for a 5-year incidental take permit for two species pursuant to section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The application addresses the potential for “take” of one listed animals and one listed plant. The applicant would implement a conservation program to minimize and mitigate the project activities, as described in the SCOE Low-Effect Habitat Conservation Plan (plan). We request comments on the applicant's application and plan, and the preliminary determination that the plan qualifies as a “low-effect” habitat conservation plan, eligible for a Categorical Exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA). We discuss our basis for this determination in our Environmental Action Statement (EAS), which is also available for public review. DATES: We must receive written comments on or before August 4, 2008. ADDRESSES: Please address written comments to Mike Thomas, Conservation Planning Branch, Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, 2800 Cottage Way, W-2605, Sacramento, CA 95825. Alternatively, you may send comments by facsimile to

(916)414-6713. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Thomas, or Eric Tattersall, Branch Chief, Conservation Planning Branch, at the address shown above or at 916-414-6600 (telephone). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Availability of Documents Copies of the permit application, plan, and EAS can be obtained from the individuals named above (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT ). Copies of these documents are available for public inspection, by appointment, during regular business hours, at the Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office (see ADDRESSES ). Public Availability of Comments Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Background Information Section 9 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 *et seq.* ) and its implementing Federal regulations prohibit the “take” of fish or wildlife species listed as endangered or threatened. “Take” is defined under the Act to include the following activities: To harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture or collect listed animal species, or to attempt to engage in such conduct. However, under section 10(a)(1)(B) of the Act, we may issue permits to authorize incidental take of listed species. “Incidental take” is defined by the Act as take that is incidental to, and not the purpose of, carrying out an otherwise lawful activity. Regulations governing incidental take permits for endangered and threatened species, respectively, are in the Code of Federal Regulations at 50 CFR 17.22 and 50 CFR 17.32. Although take of listed plant species is not prohibited under the Act, and therefore cannot be authorized under an incidental take permit, plant species may be included on a permit in recognition of the conservation benefits provided to them under a habitat conservation plan. All species included on the incidental take permit would receive assurances under the Services' “No Surprises” regulations (50 CFR 17.22(b)(5) and 17.32(b)(5). The applicant seeks an incident take permit for covered activities within 4.42 acres of grassland and associated wetlands owned by SCOE located in Sonoma County, California. SCOE is requesting permits for take of one federally listed animal species, listed as endangered: Sonoma County Distinct Population Segment of the California tiger salamander ( *Ambystoma californiense* ) ( *tiger salamander* ). The federally listed plant species is the endangered Sebastopol meadowfoam ( *Limnathese vinculans* ) (meadowfoam). The proposed covered species do not include any wildlife species not currently listed under the Act. Collectively, both of these species are referred to as “covered species” in the plan. SCOE owns and manages lands in Sonoma County, California. Lands owned by SCOE include the proposed community school on 4.42 acres at 3255 and 3261 Dutton Avenue in the City of Santa Rosa. Covered activities include the following: Grading and ground leveling, vegetation removal and planting, soil compaction, building construction and use of heavy equipment (including, but not limited to bulldozers, cement trucks, water trucks, and backhoes), erosion control structures (such as silt fencing and barriers), dust control (such as watering surface soils), construction of sidewalks and roads, trenching, and installation of utilities and irrigation systems. The applicant proposes to avoid, minimize, and mitigate the effects to the covered species associated with the covered activities by fully implementing the plan. Minimization measures will include, but are not limited to, an employee education program; biological monitoring during construction and earthmoving; a storm water, erosion, and dust control plan; daily pre-activity surveys for listed species; tiger salamander salvage in the winter prior to construction, to exclude tiger salamanders from the site and work areas; and temporary removal of covered species if they are observed within work areas. General minimization measures will include: limiting staging and work areas to the project site only, regular removal of all foods and food-related trash, prohibiting pets from the project site during construction, a 15 mile-per-hour speed limit for vehicles, maintenance of all equipment to avoid fluid leaks, and storage of all hazardous materials in sealable containers at least 200 feet from aquatic habitats. Alternatives The Service's proposed action consists of approving the applicant's plan and issuance of an incidental take permit for the applicant's Covered Activities. As required by the Act, the applicant's plan considers alternatives to the take under the proposed action. The plan considers the environmental consequences of two alternatives to the proposed action, the No Action alternative and the Reduced Take alternative. Under the No Action Alternative, no permit would be issued, the proposed school project would not be built, and no take would occur. Under the Reduced Take alternative, buildings and facilities would be clustered closer together to reduce the amount of tiger salamander and meadowfoam habitat that would be lost by construction of the school. Direct affects due to habitat loss and take of individuals would be reduced; however, indirect affects to tiger salamander migration corridors are unlikely to be minimized by clustering because existing pathways for migration are limited on all sides except to the north (there are two vacant grassland parcels to the north, which are in turn bordered by development) and any additional construction, regardless of location on the site would likely further restrict movement of tiger salamanders. In addition, grassland and wetland habitat avoided on-site would be unlikely to support a viable population of tiger salamanders or meadowfoam due to the small size of the site, lack of hydrologic connection to other water bodies, and blockage of movement corridors. Under the proposed action alternative, the Service would issue an incidental take permit for the applicant's proposed project, which includes the activities described above. The proposed action alternative would result in permanent loss of 4.13 acres of upland tiger salamander habitat and 0.07 acres of seasonal wetland habitat. To mitigate for these affects, the applicant proposes to purchase 8.3 tiger salamander credits and 0.105 meadowfoam credits at a Service approved bank. National Environmental Policy Act As described in our EAS, we have made the preliminary determination that approval of the proposed plan and issuance of the permit would qualify as a categorical exclusion under NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 *et seq.* ), as provided by Federal regulations (40 CFR 1500, 5(k), 1507.3(b)(2), 1508.4) and the Department of the Interior Manual (516 DM 2 and 516 DM 8). Our EAS found that the proposed plan qualifies as a “low-effect” habitat conservation plan, as defined by the Service's Habitat Conservation Planning Handbook (November 1996). Determination of low-effect habitat conservation plans is based on the following three criteria:

(1)Implementation of the proposed plan would result in minor or negligible effects on federally listed, proposed, and candidate species and their habitats;

(2)implementation of the proposed plan would result in minor or negligible effects on other environmental values or resources; and

(3)impacts of the plan, considered together with the impacts of other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable similarly situated projects, would not result, over time, in cumulative effects to environmental values or resources that would be considered significant. Based upon the preliminary determinations in the EAS, we do not intend to prepare further NEPA documentation. We will consider public comments when making the final determination on whether to prepare an additional NEPA document on the proposed action. Public Review We provide this notice pursuant to section 10(c) of the Act and the NEPA public-involvement regulations (40 CFR 1500.1(b), 1500.2(d), and 1506.6). We will evaluate the permit application, including the plan, and comments submitted thereon to determine whether the application meets the requirements of section 10(a) of the Act. If the requirements are met, we will issue a permit to the applicant for the incidental take of the Sonoma Distinct Population Segment of the California tiger salamander and the Sebastopol meadowfoam from the implementation of the covered activities described in the plan, or from mitigation conducted as part of this plan. We will make the final permit decision no sooner than 30 days after the date of this notice. Dated: June 27, 2008. Cay C. Goude, Acting Field Supervisor, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, Sacramento, California. [FR Doc. E8-15110 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-55-P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [OR 050-08-1430-FR; HAG-8-0132] Notice of Intent To Prepare a Resource Management Plan Amendment and Associated Environmental Assessment for the Bureau of Land Management

(BLM)Prineville District Deschutes Resource Area, and a Proposed Classification of Lands as Suitable for Disposal AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior. ACTION: Notice of Intent and Proposed Classification of Lands as Suitable for Disposal under Section 7 of the Taylor Grazing Act (48 Stat. 1272), as amended (43 U.S.C. 315f) and 43 CFR Part 2400. SUMMARY: This document provides notice that the BLM intends to prepare an amendment to the Upper Deschutes Resource Management Plan for the Prineville District, Deschutes Resource Area and an associated Environmental Assessment (EA). The proposed amendment would reclassify some lands designated for BLM retention and management (Z-1) in the existing Resource Management Plan

(RMP)as suitable for disposal (Z-3). The BLM is also providing notice of the proposed classification of these same lands under Section 7 of the Taylor Grazing Act as suitable for disposal. These classifications are required to allow consideration of transfer of these lands to the State of Oregon (“the State”) under the State Indemnity Selection process. When Oregon was admitted into the Union in 1859, the Federal government granted sections 16 and 36 within every township to the State for support of public schools. However, if the Federal government had already disposed of these specific sections or reserved them for some other purpose, the State is allowed to select other public lands “in-lieu” of the unavailable sections. To date the State has received approximately 3,000 of the 5,202 acres owed. The State of Oregon Department of State Lands has selected parcels with potential to produce income for the Common School Fund through subsequent development of the lands. The planning area is located in Deschutes County, Oregon and is described as follows: T. 17 S., R. 12 E., Deschutes County: Sec. 1, lots 1-4, S 1/2 N 1/2 , S 1/2 ; Sec. 12, lot 1, NE 1/4 NW 1/4 , NE 1/4 NE 1/4 , W 1/2 NE 1/4 . T. 17 S., R. 13 E., Deschutes County: Sec. 5, lot 4, W 1/2 SW 1/4 NW 1/4 ; Sec. 6, lots 1-7, lots 9-11, S 1/2 NE 1/4 , SE 1/4 NW 1/4 , E 1/2 SW 1/4 , NW 1/4 SE 1/4 ; Sec. 7, lots 1, 6, 7, 8, & 10. These parcels are also commonly referred to as the Deschutes Market Road parcels and total 1577.42 acres of public land. Of these acres, approximately 85 acres are associated with the historic Huntington Road, a mid-19th century military route between The Dalles and Fort Klamath, and included within the larger (982 acres) Wagon Roads Area of Critical Environmental Concern. The public scoping process also serves as the protest period for the proposed classification as required by 32 CFR 2450.4. DATES: This notice initiates the 30-day public scoping period. Comments on issues and the planning criteria can be submitted in writing to the address listed below and will be accepted throughout the creation of the EA to amend the RMP. All persons who wish to protest the proposed classification must submit comments, objections during this 30-day period and identify prior valid rights or other statutory constraints that would bar reclassification. All public meetings will be announced through the local news media, newsletters, and the BLM Web site *http://www.blm.gov/or/districts/prineville/index.php* at least 15 days prior to the event. A public meeting will be held during the plan amendment scoping period on Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 7 p.m. at Pilot Butte Elementary School Cafeteria, 1501 NE Neff Road, Bend, Oregon. Early participation is encouraged and will help determine the issues to be addressed by the EA. In addition to the ongoing public participation process, an additional formal opportunity for public participation will be provided through a comment period on a Draft EA. ADDRESSES: Written comments and classification protests should be sent to the BLM, Prineville District, 3050 N.E. 3rd Street, Prineville, OR 97754; Fax: 541-416-6798; E-mail: *DSLSelection@blm.gov.* Documents pertinent to this proposal may be examined at the Prineville District Office during regular business hours, 7:45 a.m. through 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information and/or to have your name added to our mailing list, contact Ms. Teal Purrington, BLM Planning Lead, Telephone 541-416-6700; e-mail *DSLSelection@blm.gov.* SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 6, 2008, the BLM received from the State of Oregon, Department of State Lands, an application (Serial No. OR 61026) to select the above parcels as indemnity for lands lost to the State as provided for by the Oregon Admission Act of February 14, 1859 (11 Stat. 383, Title 43, U.S.C., Sections 851, 852). Upon the filing of the State's application, the land selected was segregated to the extent that it is not open to appropriation under the public land laws including the mining laws. This segregation shall terminate either upon the issuance of the document of conveyance for the land to the State, upon rejection of the application, or two years from the date of filing of the application, whichever comes first. Processing the State's application requires the BLM to consider an amendment to the Upper Deschutes RMP and classification of the lands under Section 7 of the Taylor Grazing Act. It is the BLM's intent to conduct all classification, EA and plan amendment activities and actions concurrently. The BLM will work collaboratively with interested parties to identify the management decisions that are best suited to local, regional, and national needs and concerns. Preliminary issues and management concerns have been identified in the existing RMP and by BLM personnel, the State, other agencies, and in meetings with individuals, adjoining landowners and user groups. The preliminary issues that will be addressed in the EA effort include: land tenure and classification; Wagon Roads Area of Critical Environmental Concern; visual resources; recreational values; historic and cultural resources; old growth juniper woodlands; and wildlife populations and habitats. You may submit comments on issues in writing to the BLM at the public scoping meeting, or you may submit them to the BLM using one of the methods listed in the ADDRESSES section above. To be most helpful, you should submit comments within 30 days. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. The minutes and list of attendees for each scoping meeting will be available to the public and open for 30 days after the meeting to any participant who wishes to clarify the views he or she expressed. After gathering public comments on what issues the plan amendment should address, the suggested issues will be placed in one of three categories: 1. Issues to be resolved in the plan amendment; 2. Issues resolved through policy or administrative action; or 3. Issues beyond the scope of this RMPA/EA. Rationale will be provided in the plan amendment for each issue placed in category two or three. An interdisciplinary approach will be used to develop the RMPA/EA in order to consider the variety of resource issues and concerns identified. Disciplines involved in the planning process will include specialists with expertise in rangeland management, minerals and geology, forestry, outdoor recreation, visual resources, archaeology, wildlife, lands and realty, and economics. A similar notice has been published in the local newspaper. Deborah Henderson-Norton, Manager, Prineville District. [FR Doc. E8-15112 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-33-P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Park Service Flight 93 National Memorial Advisory Commission AGENCY: National Park Service, Department of the Interior. ACTION: Notice of August 2, 2008 Meeting. SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the date of the August 2, 2008 meeting of the Flight 93 Advisory Commission. DATES: The public meeting of the Advisory Commission will be held on Saturday, August 2, 2008 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Eastern). The Commission will meet jointly with the Flight 93 Memorial Task Force. *Location:* The meeting will be held at the Somerset County Courthouse, Court Room #1, located at 111 E. Union Street, Somerset, PA 15501. Agenda The August 2, 2008 joint Commission and Task Force meeting will consist of 1. Opening of Meeting and Pledge of Allegiance. 2. Review and Approval of Commission Minutes from May 3, 2008. 3. Reports from the Flight 93 Memorial Task Force and National Park Service. Comments from the public will be received after each report and/or at the end of the meeting. 4. Old Business. 5. New Business. 6. Public Comments. 7. Closing Remarks. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joanne M. Hanley, Superintendent, Flight 93 National Memorial, 109 West Main Street, Somerset, PA 15501, 814.443.4557. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The meeting will be open to the public. Any member of the public may file with the Commission a written statement concerning agenda items. Address all statements to: Flight 93 Advisory Commission, 109 West Main Street, Somerset, PA 15501. Dated: May 27, 2008. Joanne M. Hanley, Superintendent, Flight 93 National Memorial. [FR Doc. E8-15114 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4312-25-P DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE [OMB Number 1105-0052] Civil Division; Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comments Requested ACTION: 30-day notice of information collection under review: extension of a currently approved information collection; claims under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. The Department of Justice (DOJ), Civil Division, will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget

(202)395-5806. Written comments and suggestions from the public and affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of information are encouraged. Your comments should address one or more of the following four points: —Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; —Evaluate the accuracy of the agencies estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; —Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and —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 submission of responses. Overview of This Information Collection

(1)*Type of Information Collection:* Extension of a currently approved collection.

(2)*Title of the Form/Collection:* Claims Under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act.

(3)*Agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the Department sponsoring the collection:* Form Number: N/A. The Civil Division, United States Department of Justice is sponsoring the collection.

(4)*Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as well as a brief abstract:* *Primary* : Individuals or households. Abstract: Information is collected to determine whether an individual is entitled to compensation under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act.

(5)*An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount of time estimated for an average respondent to respond:* It is estimated that 2,000 respondents will complete the form annually within approximately 2.5 hours.

(6)*An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated with the collection:* There are an estimated 5,000 total annual burden hours associated with this collection. If additional information is required contact: Lynn Bryant, Department Clearance Officer, United States Department of Justice, Justice Management Division, Policy and Planning Staff, Patrick Henry Building, Suite 1600, 601 D Street NW., Washington, DC 20530. Dated: June 30, 2008. Lynn Bryant, Department Clearance Officer, PRA, United States Department of Justice. [FR Doc. E8-15164 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4410-12-P DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives [OMB Number 1140-0020] Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comments Requested ACTION: 30-Day Notice of Information Collection Under Review: Firearms Transaction Record, Part 1, Over-the-Counter. The Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

(ATF)will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB)for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The proposed information collection is published to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. This proposed information collection was previously published in the **Federal Register** Volume 73, Number 85, page 24089 on May 1, 2008, allowing for a 60 day comment period. The purpose of this notice is to allow for an additional 30 days for public comment until August 4, 2008. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.10. Written comments and/or suggestions regarding the items contained in this notice, especially the estimated public burden and associated response time, should be directed to The Office of Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention Department of Justice Desk Officer, Washington, DC 20503. Additionally, comments may be submitted to OMB via facsimile to (202)-395-5806. Written comments and suggestions from the public and affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of information are encouraged. Your comments should address one or more of the following four points: —Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; —Evaluate the accuracy of the agencies estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; —Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and —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 submission of responses. Overview of This Information Collection

(1)*Type of Information Collection:* Revision.

(2)*Title of the Form/Collection:* Firearms Transaction Record, Part 1, Over-the-Counter.

(3)*Agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the Department of Justice sponsoring the collection:* Form Number: ATF F 4473 (5300.9) Part 1, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

(4)*Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as well as a brief abstract: Primary:* Individuals or households. *Other:* Business or other for-profit. *Abstract:* The form is used to determine the eligibility (under the Gun Control Act) of a person to receive a firearm from a Federal firearm licensee and to establish the identity of the buyer. It is also used in law enforcement investigations/inspections to trace firearms.

(5)*An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount of time estimated for an average respondent to respond:* There will be an estimated 10,225,000 respondents, who will complete the form within approximately 25 minutes.

(6)*An estimate of the total burden (in hours) associated with the collection:* There are an estimated 4,260,417 total burden hours associated with this collection. If additional information is required contact: Lynn Bryant, Department Clearance Officer, United States Department of Justice, Policy and Planning Staff, Justice Management Division, Suite 1600, Patrick Henry Building, 601 D Street, NW., Washington, DC 20530. Dated: June 30, 2008. Lynn Bryant, Department Clearance Officer, PRA, United States Department of Justice. [FR Doc. E8-15174 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4410-FY-P DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE National Institute of Corrections Solicitation for a Cooperative Agreement: Training for Parole Board Members AGENCY: National Institute of Corrections, Department of Justice. ACTION: Solicitation for a cooperative agreement. SUMMARY: The National Institute of Corrections

(NIC)is soliciting proposals from organizations, groups or individuals who would like to enter into a cooperative agreement with NIC to develop a 24-36 hour field tested curriculum to train parole board members. The curriculum should include a blended approach to training utilizing instructor-led face-to-face and Web-based instructional delivery strategies. DATES: Applications must be received by 2 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, July 29, 2008. ADDRESSES: Mailed applications must be sent to: Director, National Institute of Corrections, 320 First Street, NW., Room 5007, Washington, DC 20534. Applicants are encouraged to use Federal Express, UPS, or similar service to ensure delivery by the due date. Hand delivered applications should be brought to 500 First Street, NW., Washington, DC 20534. At the front desk, dial 7-3106, extension 0 for pickup. Faxed applications will not be accepted. Electronic applications can be submitted via *http://www.grants.gov.* FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A copy of this announcement and the required application forms can be downloaded from the NIC Web page at *http://www.nicic.gov.* All technical or programmatic questions concerning this announcement should be directed to Carla J. Smalls, Correctional Program Specialist, National Institute of Corrections at *cjsmalls@bop.gov* or to George M. Keiser at *gkeiser@bop.gov.* SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: *Overview:* The overall goal of the initiative is to design, develop, field test and revise a training curriculum for parole board members that will: Describe the role and function of parole within the criminal justice system; Promote the use of Evidence Based Practices in parole and revocation decision making; Describe parole's responsibility in the transition/reentry of offenders; Clarify the collaborative role of parole with other stakeholders within the criminal justice system; Illustrate the use of management information systems and technology in the processing of parole, early release and revocation cases; Examine the core competencies that parole board members must possess to be effective. This curriculum must conform to the principles presented in the Comprehensive Framework for Paroling Authorities in an Era of Evidence-Based Practices. This document can be found at the Web site *http://www.nicic.org/Downloads/PDF/Library/022906.pdf.* *Background:* Parole can be defined as both a procedure by which a board administratively releases inmates from prison as well as a provision for post-release supervision. This training focuses on the functions of administrative release and revocation of this release by paroling authorities. For our discussion, parole is defined as the release of an offender from imprisonment to the community by a releasing authority (parole board or paroling authority) prior to the expiration of the offender's sentence, subject to conditions imposed by the releasing authority. Revocation is the action of a releasing authority removing a person from parole status in response to a violation of conditions. Since eligibility for release on parole is a matter of state law, there is considerable variation in the location, administration and organization of paroling authorities in the United States. All states have parole boards and these boards may be independent agencies that have responsibility for release decisions or a branch of a department of corrections or a community corrections agency. In these organizational structures, boards may also have responsibility for staff that monitor the supervision of parolees in the community. Regardless of the structure, governors/governments are usually ill-equipped to select, hire and train the caliber of individuals needed to do this important work that has a significant impact on public safety and the economy of a state. Thirteen governors of states or U.S. territories will be up for election this year. Election of a new governor usually results in the appointment of new parole board members and most of these appointments do not have a background in criminal justice or an understanding of the magnitude of the work. As stated by Burke and Tonry, in the publication “Successful Transition and Reentry for Safer Communities: A Call to Action for Parole”, in the course of one year, roughly 200 individuals who make up the United States parole boards are responsible for determining the timing of release on parole and determining the conditions of release on parole for 128,708 offenders. During the same year they are responsible for setting conditions of release for an additional 288,679 individuals on mandatory parole and conditional release. They are also responsible for overseeing compliance with conditions and responding to revocations for 643,452 individuals on a given day during the year. Over the course of the year, they also send 227,690 individuals to prison as a result of parole revocations. Along with handling the sheer volume of the work, without a background in criminal justice, being a parole board member is not considered a career or rarely leads to long term employment. Members rotate on and off the job as governors come in and leave office, resulting in limited consistent overview from the appointing authority and little incentive to examine the vision, mission and goals of the parole board with the intent of organizing the work to produce a more effective agency. Lack of training increases the likelihood that parole board members will rely on “popular but unproven criminal justice theories” to guide their decision making. For example, attitudes and opinions that lead to parole board members imposing numerous conditions of parole or revoking technical violators may reflect a get tough on crime mentality. Instead of these attitudes and opinions, paroling authorities must obtain the knowledge, skills, and resources to enable them to perform their work as a bridge between the correctional institution and the community. *Scope of Work:* Under this cooperative agreement, the single goal is the development, testing, and revision of a curriculum to train parole board members. The following represents a description of the products: Delivery of a curriculum, to be conducted at a centrally located site. *Description:* The training program provides participants with information and training about parole and the criminal justice system that are critical to effectively performing the job of a parole board member. The training will build on the principles established in the “Comprehensive Framework for Paroling Authorities in an Era of Evidence-Based Practices”. The resource provider must consider and use NIC's available curriculum or position statements relative to transition, Evidence-Based Practices, and parole decision making in the development of the training program. Final curriculum must be approved in advance by NIC. The resource provider would be expected to duplicate participant and trainer materials, including three-ring binders, specified index tabs and inserts for each participant, one copy for the training team and a copy for NIC. *Work to be performed:* The provider shall: Consult with the Correctional Program Specialist

(CPS)assigned to manage the cooperative agreement to ensure understanding of, and agreement on, the scope of work to be performed; Submit a detailed work plan with time lines for accomplishing project activities (See Scope of Work) to CPS for approval prior to any work to be performed under this agreement; Designate a point of contact, which would serve as the conduit of information and work experience between the CPS and the awardee; Review pertinent NIC curriculum and/or documents in the development of the curriculum; Consult with CPS concerning trainers for program delivery. NIC will have final approval of training program faculty. The program must be staffed with at least 3 trainers; Consult with the CPS and the Research and Evaluation Division on evaluation methodology; and Make recommendations to CPS for any needed revisions of the curriculum. *Deliverables:* The provider shall conduct a needs assessment; Design curriculum consistent with the Instructional Theory Into Practice

(ITIP)model; Develop written products to support the training; Structure a reporting process that documents training; Conduct a field test of the curriculum; Provide evaluation data with recommendations for revisions to the curriculum. *Required Expertise:* The successful applicant will need the skills, abilities and knowledge in the following areas: Knowledge of the role of parole and its function within the criminal justice system; Ability to develop curriculum using the Instructional Theory Into Practice

(ITIP)format; Expertise in a variety of instructional delivery strategies to include but not be limited to instructor-led, synchronous/asynchronous, Web-based, e-learning, etc.; Skilled in designing training curriculum linked to training objectives; Knowledge of evidence-based practices and offender transition, and how these areas relate to the parole process; Knowledge of training evaluation methods; and Effective written and oral communication skills. *National Institute of Corrections Experience:* NIC has provided training assistance to the field of parole for more than 20 years in the form of annual training seminars for parole board members, conducting annual meetings for chairs of paroling authorities, providing ongoing information and staff support to include audio conferences (accessible to anyone with a telephone), developing parole specific documents, funding technical assistance initiatives targeting release decision making and violation/revocation, developing a Resource Kit for New Parole Board Members and training hearing officers. This training has been provided to parole board members and staff in the United States, U.S. territories, the military, federal commission and Canada. Boards from other nations may also participate, if their participation is not at fiscal cost to NIC. *Progress to Date:* To guide the development of the training, NIC convened a group of correctional professionals to participate in three, 2-day meetings to develop a document that would articulate a strategy to assist parole board members and paroling authorities in making needed improvements. From these meetings, The “Comprehensive Framework for Paroling Authorities in an Era of Evidence-Based Practice” was developed. The “Framework” describes the overarching visionary plan that paroling authorities will need for a future of well trained board members, using evidence based practices within agencies that have sufficient staff and other resources to effectively support the release and revocation of offenders. Parole Board member and staff training is a component of this visionary plan. *Application Requirements:* Applications should be concisely written, typed double spaced and reference the “NIC Application Number” and Title provided in this announcement. The application package must include: OMB Standard Form 424, Application for Federal Assistance; a cover letter that identifies the audit agency responsible for the applicant's financial accounts as well as the audit period of fiscal year that the applicant operates under (e.g., July 1 through June 30), an outline of projected costs, and the following forms: OMB Standard Form 424A, Budget Information—Non Construction Programs, OMB Standard Form 424B, Assurances—Non Construction Programs (available at *http://www.grants.gov* ), and DOJ/NIC Certification Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (available at *http://www.nicic.gov/Downloads/PDF/certif-frm.pdf.* ) Applications may be submitted in hard copy, or electronically via *http://www.grants.gov* . If submitted in hard copy, there needs to be an original and six copies of the full proposal (program and budget narratives, application forms and assurances). The original should have the applicant's signature in blue ink. A telephone conference will be conducted for persons receiving this solicitation and having a serious intent to respond on July 18, 2008 at 2 p.m. EDT. In this conference NIC project managers will respond to questions regarding the solicitation and expectation of work to be performed. Please notify Carla Smalls electronically ( *cjsmalls@bop.gov* ) by 12 noon EDT on July 15, 2008, regarding your interest in participating in the conference. You will be provided with a call-in number and instructions. In addition, NIC project managers will post answers to questions received from potential applicants on its Web site during the time when the solicitation is open to the public. Authority: Public Law 93-415. *Funds Available:* NIC is seeking the applicant's best ideas regarding accomplishment of the scope of work and the related costs for achieving the goals of this solicitation. The final budget and award amount will be negotiated between NIC and the successful applicant. Funds may only be used for the activities that are linked to the desired outcome of the project. This project will be a collaborative venture with the NIC Community Corrections Division. *Eligibility of Applicants:* An eligible applicant is any private agency, educational institution, organization, individual or team with expertise in the described areas. Review Considerations: Applications received under this announcement will be subjected to a 3 to 5 person NIC Peer Review Process. *Number of Awards:* One. *NIC Application Number:* 08C78. This number should appear as a reference line in the cover letter, in box 4a of Standard Form 424, and outside of the envelope in which the application is sent. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 16.601 *Executive Order 12372:* This project is not subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372. Morris L. Thigpen, Director, National Institute of Corrections. [FR Doc. E8-15149 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4410-36-P DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Mine Safety and Health Administration Petitions for Modification AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health Administration, Labor. ACTION: Notice of petitions for modification of existing mandatory safety standards. SUMMARY: Section 101(c) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 and 30 CFR Part 44 govern the application, processing, and disposition of petitions for modification. This notice is a summary of petitions for modification filed by the parties listed below to modify the application of existing mandatory safety standards published in Title 30 of the Code of Federal Regulations. DATES: All comments on the petitions must be received by the Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances on or before August 4, 2008. ADDRESSES: You may submit your comments, identified by “docket number” on the subject line, by any of the following methods: 1. *Electronic mail: Standards-Petitions@dol.gov.* 2. *Facsimile:* 1-202-693-9441. 3. *Regular Mail:* MSHA, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances, 1100 Wilson Boulevard, Room 2349, Arlington, Virginia 22209, Attention: Patricia W. Silvey, Director, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances. 4. *Hand-Delivery or Courier:* MSHA, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances, 1100 Wilson Boulevard, Room 2349, Arlington, Virginia 22209, Attention: Patricia W. Silvey, Director, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances. We will consider only comments postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service or proof of delivery from another delivery service such as UPS or Federal Express on or before the deadline for comments. Individuals who submit comments by hand-delivery are required to check in at the receptionist desk on the 21st floor. Individuals may inspect copies of the petitions and comments during normal business hours at the address listed above. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lawrence D. Reynolds, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances at 202-693-9449 (Voice), *reynolds.lawrence@dol.gov* (E-mail), or 202-693-9441 (Telefax), or contact Barbara Barron at 202-693-9447 (Voice), * barron.barbara@dol.gov* (E-mail), or 202-693-9441 (Telefax). [These are not toll-free numbers]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background Section 101(c) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (Mine Act) allows the mine operator or representative of miners to file a petition to modify the application of any mandatory safety standard to a coal or other mine if the Secretary determines that:

(1)An alternative method of achieving the result of such standard exists which will at all times guarantee no less than the same measure of protection afforded the miners of such mine by such standard; or

(2)that the application of such standard to such mine will result in a diminution of safety to the miners in such mine. In addition, the regulations at 30 CFR 44.10 and 44.11 establish the requirements and procedures for filing petitions for modifications. II. Petitions for Modification *Docket Number:* M-2008-031-C. *Petitioner:* Blue Diamond Coal Company, P.O. Box 47, Slemp, Kentucky 41763. *Mine:* Mine #75, MSHA I.D. No. 15-17478, located in Perry County, Kentucky. *Regulation Affected:* 30 CFR 75.364(b)(2) (Weekly examination). *Modification Request:* The petitioner requests a modification of the existing standard to permit check points (examination points) to be established in seven locations of the Parallel Twin Pines Intake Mains due to poor roof conditions that prevent foot travel. The petitioner proposes to establish examination points at certain points to evaluate airflow entering the Parallel Twin Pines Intake Mines and exiting the Parallel Twin Pines Intake Mains. The petitioner also proposes to establish ventilation check points between certain breaks of the Parallel Twin Pines Intake Mains. The petitioner states that due to adverse roof conditions and distance from active works it is impractical to expose personnel to traveling this area. The petitioner further states that no lesser degree of safety is ensured by traveling to both ends of the mains and verifying the adequate air volume and quality at the noted evaluation points and check points. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method will at all times guarantee no less than the same measure of protection afforded by the existing standard. *Docket Number:* M-2008-032-C. *Petitioner:* Double Bonus Coal Company, P.O. Box 414, Pineville, West Virginia 24874. *Mine:* No. 65 Mine, MSHA I.D. No. 46-09020, located in Wyoming County, West Virginia. *Regulation Affected:* 30 CFR 75.1101-1(b) (Deluge-type water spray systems). *Modification Request:* The petitioner requests a modification of the existing standard to permit blow-off dust covers to be eliminated for nozzles on deluge-type water spray systems. The petitioner proposes to conduct weekly inspections and functional tests of its complete deluge-type water spray system. The petitioner states that in view of the frequent inspections and functional testing of the system, the dust covers are not necessary because the nozzles can be maintained in an unclogged condition through weekly use, and it is burdensome to recap the large number of covers weekly after each inspection and functional test. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method will at all times guarantee no less than the same measure of protection afforded by the existing standard. Jack Powasnik, Deputy Director, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances. [FR Doc. E8-15054 Filed 7-2-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4510-43-P NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY Sunshine Act Meetings Type: Quarterly Meeting. Dates and Times: July 14, 2008, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; July 15, 2008, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; July 16, 2008, 8:30 a.m.-4:15 p.m. Location: Renaissance Seattle Hotel, 515 Madison Street, Seattle, WA. Status: July 14, 2008, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.—Open; July 14, 2008, 4 p.m.-5 p.m.—Closed Executive Session; July 15, 2008, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.—Open; July 16, 2008, 8:30 a.m.-4:15 p.m.—Open. Agenda: Public Comment Sessions; Emergency Preparedness Panel; Air Carrier Access Act Panel; Discussions on the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008, and Employment; Reports from the Chairperson, Council Members, and the Executive Director; Unfinished Business; New Business; Announcements; Adjournment. Sunshine Act Meeting Contact: Mark S. Quigley, Director of External Affairs, NCD, 1331 F Street, NW., Suite 850, Washington, DC 20004; 202-272-2004 (voice), 202-272-2074 (TTY), 202-272-2022

(fax)Agency Mission: NCD is an independent federal agency and is composed of 15 members appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. NCD provides advice to the President, Congress, and executive branch agencies promoting policies, programs, practices, and procedures that

(A)guarantee equal opportunity for all individuals with disabilities, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability; and

(B)to empower individuals with disabilities to achieve economic self-sufficiency, independent living, and inclusion and integration into all aspects of society. Accommodations: Those needing reasonable accommodations should notify NCD immediately. Language Translation: In accordance with E.O. 13166, Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency, those people with disabilities who are limited English proficient and seek translation services for this meeting should notify NCD immediately. Dated: June 26, 2008. Michael C. Collins, Executive Director. [FR Doc. 08-1407 Filed 6-30-08; 12:45 pm]

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