DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Rural Business-Cooperative Service Announcement of Value-Added Producer Grant Application Deadlines AGENCY:

Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Notice of withdrawal of Solicitation of Applications (NOSA) for Value-Added Producer Grant Program (VAPG).

SUMMARY:

Rural Development is withdrawing the May 6, 2009, Federal Register notice (74 FR 20900), announcing the availability of approximately $18 million in competitive grants for fiscal year 2009 to help independent agricultural producers enter into value-added activities.

DATES:

July 1, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Andrew A. Jermolowicz, USDA Rural Development, Mail STOP 3250, Room 4016-South, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-3250, Telephone: (202) 720-8460, e-mail: cpgrants@wdc.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The May 6, 2009, Federal Register notice was published in error. The notice will be reissued with clarification of contradictory language, additional guidance on new program components, and extended application deadlines.

Dated: June 25, 2009. Judith A. Canales, Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service. [FR Doc. E9-15533 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Rural Utilities Service Notice of Limited Waiver of Section 1605 (Buy American Requirement) of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) for the Broadband Initiatives Program AGENCY:

Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is hereby granting a limited waiver of the Buy American requirements of ARRA Section 1605 with respect to certain broadband equipment that will be used in projects funded under the Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP). This action permits the use of certain essential components of a modern broadband infrastructure as specified in section III of this notice.

DATES:

Effective Date: July 1, 2009.

ADDRESSES:

Send any correspondence regarding this order to David J. Villano, Assistant Administrator, Telecommunications Program, Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue., SW., STOP 1590, Room 5151, Washington, DC 20250-1590.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ken Kuchno, Director, Broadband Division, Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue., SW., STOP 1599, Room 2868-S, Washington, DC 20250-1590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

In accordance with section 1605(c) of the Recovery Act and section 176.80 of the rules of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), RUS hereby provides notice that it is granting a limited waiver of section 1605 of the Recovery Act with respect to certain broadband equipment that will be used in projects funded under BIP. (See American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law 111-5, 1605, 123 Stat. 115, 303 (Feb. 17, 2009) (Recovery Act); Requirements for Implementing Sections 1512, 1605, and 1606 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for Financial Assistance Awards, Interim Final Guidance, 74 FR 18449 (Apr. 23, 2009) (codifying the Buy American provisions at 2 CFR part 176, subpart B) (Buy American Guidance)). The basis for this waiver is a public interest determination pursuant to section 1605(b)(1) of the Recovery Act.

I. Background

The Recovery Act appropriates $2.5 billion in budget authority to RUS to establish BIP, through which RUS will provide grants, loans, and loan/grant combinations for broadband initiatives throughout the United States, including projects in unserved and underserved rural areas. Section 1605(a) of the Recovery Act, the Buy American provision, states that none of the funds appropriated by the Act, including the funds that have been dedicated BIP, may be used for a project for the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of a public building or public work unless all of the iron, steel, and manufactured goods used in the project are produced in the United States. 1

1 Because the Buy American provision applies only to public works and public buildings, completely private projects need not obtain a waiver to utilize iron, steel, and manufactured goods produced outside of the United States. Note, however, that public-private partnerships are considered public for purposes of the Buy American limitation.

Sections 1605(b) and (c) of the Recovery Act authorize the head of a Federal department or agency to waive the Buy American provision by finding that: (1) Applying the provision would be inconsistent with the public interest; (2) the relevant manufactured goods are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities and of a satisfactory quality; or (3) the inclusion of the manufactured goods produced in the United States will increase the cost of the project by more than 25 percent. If the head of the Federal department or agency determines that it is necessary to waive application of the Buy American provision, then the head of the department or agency shall publish a detailed justification in the Federal Register. Finally, the Recovery Act states that the Buy American provision must be applied in a manner consistent with the United States' obligations under international agreements.

II. Public Interest Finding

The Agency has determined that, as applied to certain broadband equipment used in a BIP project, the application of the Buy American provision would be inconsistent with the public interest. ( See Recovery Act, 1605(b)(1), 123 Stat. at 303.) A modern broadband network is generally composed of the following components: Broadband switching, routing, transport, access, customer premises equipment, end-user devices, and billing/operations systems. The Buy American provision would prohibit RUS from awarding a BIP grant, loan or loan/grant combination to a public applicant unless that applicant could certify that each element of each broadband network component containing iron, steel, and manufactured goods are produced in the United States. As explained more fully below, it would be difficult, if not impossible, for a BIP applicant to have certain knowledge of the manufacturing origins of each component of a broadband network, and the requirement to do so would be so overwhelmingly burdensome as to deter participation in the program. Requiring a BIP applicant to request a waiver on a case-by-case basis would also be such an administrative burden on the applicant as to discourage participation in the program and would increase RUS' time and costs for processing BIP applications for broadband infrastructure projects. Thus, implementing BIP without a limited programmatic waiver encompassing broadband network components would jeopardize the success of the program and undermine President Obama's broadband initiative.

First, RUS recognizes that much of the finished products used to manage and operate broadband infrastructure and offer broadband service are manufactured outside of the United States. The manufacturing supply chain varies by product and changes constantly due to the influence of global supply and demand. The result is a very competitive and complex production landscape with components and end products being manufactured and assembled in a large number of countries. While, arguably, the Secretary could have relied on the non-availability exception for granting a waiver, the burden placed on the Department in sourcing and evaluating the availability of each component of broadband equipment would be significant, and the task of sourcing and evaluating would be difficult to complete given the speed with which Congress has told RUS to allocate funds under the Recovery Act. In addition, requiring public entities to document the origin of broadband equipment and their components in order to determine whether they fit within the scope of the Buy American provision would severely complicate those applicants' ability to apply for funds and would place an undue burden on State and local governments. Taken as a whole, these burdens would cause delays and would likely thwart the goal of Congress to establish and implement the [BIP] grant, loan and loan/grant combination program as expeditiously as practicable, and the Recovery Act's requirement that RUS obligate all funds under BIP by September 30, 2010. (See Recovery Act, 6001(d)(1)-(2), 123 Stat. at 513.)

Second, a limited waiver will help facilitate the construction of modern broadband networks-an essential component of the Recovery Act. Applicants to BIP must have the flexibility to incorporate the most technically-advanced components into their infrastructure, and a limited waiver gives them the ability to incorporate the latest technologies. Third, consistent with the Recovery Act, a limited waiver will help stimulate job growth for construction workers, technicians, equipment designers, engineers, and others who will operate the broadband infrastructure. Fourth, while OMB has clarified which countries would be exempt from the Buy American provision, some of the key countries that produce broadband equipment would not be exempt. Finally, the broadband industry is very dynamic and global, and equipment can change over the course of a build out. Subjecting public applicants for BIP funds to the Buy American provision ultimately would slow broadband deployment and undermine President Obama's broadband initiatives.

III. Waiver

Based on the public interest finding discussed above and pursuant to section 1605(c), RUS is granting a limited waiver of the Recovery Act's Buy American requirements with respect to BIP funds used for the following essential components of a modern broadband infrastructure:

Broadband Switching Equipment-Equipment necessary to establish a broadband communications path between two points.

Broadband Routing Equipment-Equipment that routes data packets throughout a broadband network.

Broadband Transport Equipment-Equipment for providing interconnection within the broadband provider's network.

Broadband Access Equipment-Equipment facilitating the last mile connection to a broadband subscriber.

Broadband Customer Premises Equipment and End-User Devices-End-user equipment that connects to a broadband network.

Billing/Operations Systems-Equipment that is used to manage and operate a broadband network or offer a broadband service.

Note that this list does not include fiber optic cables, cell towers, and other facilities that are produced in the United States in sufficient quantities to be reasonably available as end products. To the extent that an applicant wishes to use equipment that is not covered by the proposed waiver, it may seek a waiver on a case-by-case basis as part of its application for BIP funds, stating the statutory exemption upon which it is relying and its rationale for receiving a waiver.

This supplementary information constitutes the detailed written justification required by Section 1605(c) of the Recovery Act and Section 176.80 of OMB's rules for waivers of the Buy American provisions.

Authority:

Public Law 111-5 1605, 123 Stat. 115; 2 CFR 176.10 et seq.

Dated: June 26, 2009. Thomas J. Vilsack, Secretary, United States Department of Agriculture. [FR Doc. E9-15511 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-15-P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Federal Advisory Committee AGENCY:

Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY:

The Lake Tahoe Basin Federal Advisory Committee will hold a meeting tentatively on July 15, 2009 at the Sierra Nevada College, 999 Tahoe Boulevard, Incline Village, NV 89451. This Committee, established by the Secretary of Agriculture on December 15, 1998 (64 FR 2876), is chartered to provide advice to the Secretary on implementing the terms of the Federal Interagency Partnership on the Lake Tahoe Region and other matters raised by the Secretary.

DATES:

The meeting will be held July 15, 2009, beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at 12 p.m.

ADDRESSES:

The meeting will be held at Sierra Nevada College, 999 Tahoe Boulevard, Incline Village, NV 89451.

For Further Information or to Request an Accommodation (one week prior to meeting date) Contact: Linda Lind, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, Forest Service, 35 College Drive, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150, (530) 543-2787.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Items to be covered on the agenda include: (1) Lake Tahoe Southern Nevada Public Land Act (SNPLMA) Round 10 update; (2) Status and preparation for SNPLMA Round 11; and, (3) Public Comment. All Lake Tahoe Basin Federal Advisory Committee meetings are open to the public. Interested citizens are encouraged to attend at the above address. Issues may be brought to the attention of the Committee during the open public comment period at the meeting or by filing written statements with the secretary for the Committee before or after the meeting. Please refer any written comments to the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit at the contact address stated above.

Dated: June 23, 2009. Cheva Heck, Acting Forest Supervisor. [FR Doc. E9-15393 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-11-M ARCHITECTURAL AND TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS COMPLIANCE BOARD Meetings AGENCY:

Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board.

ACTION:

Notice of meetings.

SUMMARY:

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) plans to hold its regular committee and Board meetings in Arlington, VA, Wednesday through Friday, July 15-17, 2009, at the times and location noted below.

DATES:

The schedule of events is as follows:

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

9:30-Noon Planning and Evaluation Committee (Closed to Public).

1:30-3 p.m. Technical Programs Committee.

3-4 Budget Committee.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

9:30-5 p.m. Ad Hoc Committee Meetings (Closed to Public).

Friday, July 17, 2009

9:30-Noon Committee of the Whole: Board structure discussion.

1:30-3 p.m. Board Meeting.

ADDRESSES:

All meetings will be held at the Westin Arlington Gateway Hotel, 801 North Glebe Road, Arlington, VA 22203.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For further information regarding the meetings, please contact David Capozzi, Executive Director, (202) 272-0010 (voice) and (202) 272-0082 (TTY).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

At the Board meeting scheduled on Friday, July 17, the Access Board will consider the following agenda items:

Election of Vice Chairs for Standing Committees

Approval of the draft March 2009 Board Meeting Minutes

Technical Programs Committee Report

Budget Committee Report

Planning and Evaluation Committee Report

Accessible Design in Education

Acoustics

Airport Terminal Access

Emergency Transportable Housing

Information and Communications Technologies

Outdoor Developed Areas

Passenger Vessels

Public Rights-of-Way

Transportation Vehicles

Election Assistance Commission Report

Executive Director's Report

ADA and ABA Guidelines; Federal Agency Updates

All meetings are accessible to persons with disabilities. An assistive listening system, computer assisted real-time transcription (CART), and sign language interpreters will be available at the Board meeting. Persons attending Board meetings are requested to refrain from using perfume, cologne, and other fragrances for the comfort of other participants.

David M. Capozzi, Executive Director. [FR Doc. E9-15502 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8150-01-P COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS Sunshine Act Notice AGENCY:

United States Commission on Civil Rights.

ACTION:

Notice of meeting.

Date and Time:

Friday, July 10, 2009; 9:30 a.m. EDT.

Place:

624 9th St., NW., Room 540, Washington, DC 20425.

Meeting Agenda

This meeting is open to the public.

I. Approval of Agenda II. Approval of Minutes of June 12, 2009 Meeting III. Announcements IV. Program Planning: National Civil Rights Conference; Update on Status of 2009 Statutory Report; Discussion of 2010 Statutory Report Topic; Approval of Briefing Report on Title IX. V. State Advisory Committee Issues: Virginia SAC. VI. Adjourn FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Lenore Ostrowsky, Acting Chief, Public Affairs Unit (202) 376-8591. TDD: (202) 376-8116.

Persons with a disability requiring special services, such as an interpreter for the hearing impaired, should contact Pamela Dunston at least seven days prior to the meeting at 202-376-8105. TDD: (202) 376-8116.

Dated: June 29, 2009. David Blackwood, General Counsel. [FR Doc. E9-15709 Filed 6-29-09; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 6335-01-P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Paperwork Submissions Under the Coastal Zone Management Act Federal Consistency Requirements AGENCY:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES:

Written comments must be submitted on or before August 31, 2009.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 7845, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at dHynek@doc.gov).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should be directed to David Kaiser, 603-862-2719 or at david.kaiser@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Abstract

A number of paperwork submissions are required by the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) federal consistency provision, 16 U.S.C. 1456, and by NOAA to provide a reasonable, efficient and predictable means of complying with CZMA requirements. The requirements are detailed in 15 CFR part 930. The information will be used by coastal states with federally-approved Coastal Zone Management Programs to determine if Federal agency activities, Federal license or permit activities, and Federal assistance activities that affect a state's coastal zone are consistent with the states' programs. Information will also be used by NOAA and the Secretary of Commerce for appeals to the Secretary by non-federal applicants regarding State CZMA objections to federal license or permit activities.

II. Method of Collection

Information that must be signed or certified is mailed; other information may be e-mailed.

III. Data

OMB Control Number: 0648-0411.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: Regular submission.

Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal government; individuals or households; business or other for-profit organizations; and Federal government.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,334.

Estimated Time per Response: 8 hours for a State objection or concurrence letter for a consistency certification or determination; 4 hours for a State request for review of unlisted activities; 1 hour for public notice requirements for a project; 4 hours for a request for remedial action of a supplemental review; 1 hour for coordination of a listing notice; 2 hours for a request for Secretarial mediation; and 200 hours for an appeal. These are average estimates and burden can significantly vary based on the individual situation.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 35,799.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $9,022.

IV. Request for Comments

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 (including hours and cost) 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 through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

Dated: June 25, 2009. Gwellnar Banks, Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer. [FR Doc. E9-15504 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-08-P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Bureau of the Census [Docket Number 090429803-9711-01] Procedures for Participating in the 2010 Decennial Census New Construction Program AGENCY:

Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

The Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) requests public comment on the New Construction Program, which allows tribal and local governments to submit lists of addresses for newly constructed housing units to the Census Bureau. The purpose of this program is to ensure that the Census Bureau's address list is as complete and accurate as possible for the conduct of the Decennial Census on April 1, 2010.

DATES:

To ensure consideration during the decision-making process, the Census Bureau must receive all comments in writing on or before July 31, 2009.

ADDRESSES:

Comments concerning the proposed 2010 Census New Construction Program should be submitted to Arnold A. Jackson, Associate Director for Decennial Census, U.S. Census Bureau, through one of the following methods:

FAX: Comments may be faxed to (301) 763-8867.

E-mail: Comments may be e-mailed to Arnold.A.Jackson@census.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Correspondence about the Census Bureau's 2010 Census New Construction Program in general should be directed to Timothy F. Trainor, Chief, Geography Division, U.S. Census Bureau, through one of the following methods:

FAX: Correspondence may be faxed to (301) 763-4710.

E-mail: Correspondence may be e-mailed to Timothy.F.Trainor@census.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

As part of its objective to produce a complete and accurate population count, the Census Bureau proposes to implement the 2010 Decennial Census New Construction Program to capture the addresses of newly constructed housing units. Specifically, the purpose is to utilize tribal and local knowledge of recent and in-progress construction to identify, and add to the census address list, the addresses for housing units not yet existent at the time of the Address Canvassing Operation, a nationwide check during the Spring/Summer of 2009 in which the Census Bureau verified the census address list that will be used to deliver questionnaires for the Decennial Census. During address canvassing, census workers systematically canvassed all census blocks looking for living quarters and add, delete, and correct entries on the census address list to ensure its completeness and accuracy. The Address Canvassing Operation is expected to conclude on July 17, 2009. In order to account for any housing units whose construction began after the start of the Address Canvassing Operation, the Census Bureau is proposing to implement the New Construction Program.

The 2010 Decennial Census New Construction Program is conducted by the Census Bureau under the authority of Title 13, United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 141(a), and is separate and distinct from the Local Update of Census Addresses Program (see 73 FR 12369) in that its only purpose is to identify addresses for housing units newly constructed starting in March 2009 that are expected to be closed to the elements (final roof, windows and doors) by Census Day, April 1, 2010. The New Construction Program was conducted for the first time as part of Census 2000.

Proposed 2010 Decennial Census New Construction Program

The 2010 Census New Construction Program is offered to Federally Recognized American Indian tribal governments with reservations and/or trustlands, and local governments (counties, incorporated places, and functioning minor civil divisions) with jurisdictions where the Census Bureau will deliver the census questionnaires by mail. For other areas, Census Bureau enumerators will hand deliver the census questionnaires to all housing units in each block, including any newly constructed units not already on the census address list. Tribal and local governments that wish to participate in the Program will be invited to submit a list of addresses of newly constructed housing units for inclusion in the Census Address List. The address list submitted by New Construction Program participants must only include addresses for housing units for which construction began during or after March 2009 that are expected to be closed to the elements (final roof, windows and doors) by Census Day, April 1, 2010. No street or boundary updates will be accepted by the New Construction Program.

The New Construction Program will not accept additions of Group Quarters addresses. Group Quarters addresses are defined as places where people live or stay in a group living arrangement that is owned or managed by an entity or organization providing housing and/or services for the residents. The Census Bureau has programs that are specifically designed to capture new Group Quarters addresses, including but not limited to, Group Quarters Validation, Group Quarters Advanced Visit, Group Quarters Enumeration, and the Count Review program.

The Census Bureau plans to mail a New Construction Program invitation letter and registration forms in July 2009 to the tribal and local governments that are eligible to participate in the New Construction Program. Interested tribal and local governments will be asked to return the registration form in order to participate in the program. As part of the registration form, the participant must identify the format of the maps or spatial data that they wish to receive from the Census Bureau. The maps or spatial data are for use as a reference for assigning census tract and block codes (geocoding) for each submitted address. The maps are offered in Portable Document Format (PDF) and spatial data are available from TIGER in shapefile format that requires a Geographic Information System (GIS) software application for viewing.

For governments choosing maps in PDF, the Census Bureau will provide Adobe Reader software to view the PDF maps. For those participants who choose to use shapefiles, the Census Bureau will provide the MAF/TIGER Partnership Software (MTPS) to enter addresses and output them in the prescribed format. The MTPS is an easy-to-use desktop tool that makes participation easier for governments without a GIS system. The MTPS also provides map viewing capability when used with the shapefiles provided by the Census Bureau. However, participants may use their own software to create a computer readable list of addresses in the prescribed format.

The Census Bureau will send out New Construction materials to registered participants during November 2009 through January 2010. The PDF package will contain the following:

(1) The New Construction Quick Start Document;

(2) The New Construction User Guide;

(3) The New Construction Address List Template;

(4) Zip Software;

(5) CD Readme.txt File;

(6) PDF Software (Adobe Reader);

(7) New Construction Map PDFs.

The MTPS/Shapefile package will contain the following:

(1) The New Construction Quick Start Document;

(2) The New Construction User Guide;

(3) The New Construction MTPS User Guide;

(4) The New Construction Address List Template;

(5) Zip Software;

(6) CD Readme.txt File;

(7) MTPS Software;

(8) Shapefiles.

Participants must submit their New Construction address lists to the Census Bureau within forty-five (45) calendar days after receipt of the New Construction materials. Receipt as used herein is defined as the delivery date reported to the Census Bureau by the delivery service that delivers the New Construction materials to the eligible government. The New Construction addresses must be returned in the Census Bureau's predefined format and each address must be geocoded, or assigned to the census tract and block in which it is located as shown on the New Construction census maps (PDF or shapefiles).

Files that are submitted in the proper format are compared against the Census Bureau's Master Address File to check for any addresses already on the list. The Census Bureau, using the participant supplied addresses, will visit and attempt to enumerate each newly constructed housing unit that has been identified as missing from our list. The census enumeration process will determine the final housing unit status and population for each new unit.

Classification Executive Order 12866

This notice has been determined to not be significant under Executive Order 12866.

Paperwork Reduction Act

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with, a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) unless that collection of information displays a current, valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. In accordance with the PRA, 44 U.S.C., Chapter 35, the Census Bureau requested, and OMB granted, clearance for the information collection requirements for this program on April 15, 2009 (OMB Control Number 0607-0795, expires on April 30, 2012).

Thomas L. Mesenbourg, Acting Director, U.S. Census Bureau. [FR Doc. E9-15524 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-07-P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Order, Finding, or Suspended Investigation; Opportunity To Request Administrative Review AGENCY:

Import Administration, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Sheila E. Forbes, Office of AD/CVD Operations, Customs Unit, Import Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230, telephone: (202) 482-4697.

Background

Each year during the anniversary month of the publication of an antidumping or countervailing duty order, finding, or suspension of investigation, an interested party, as defined in section 771(9) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), may request, in accordance with section 351.213 (2008) of the Department of Commerce (the Department) regulations, that the Department conduct an administrative review of that antidumping or countervailing duty order, finding, or suspended investigation.

Respondent Selection

In the event the Department limits the number of respondents for individual examination for administrative reviews initiated pursuant to requests made for the orders identified below, the Department intends to select respondents based on U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data for U.S. imports during the period of review. We intend to release the CBP data under Administrative Protective Order (APO) to all parties having an APO within five days of publication of the initiation notice and to make our decision regarding respondent selection within 20 days of publication of the initiation Federal Register notice. Therefore, we encourage all parties interested in commenting on respondent selection to submit their APO applications on the date of publication of the initiation notice, or as soon thereafter as possible. The Department invites comments regarding the CBP data and respondent selection within 10 calendar days of publication of the Federal Register initiation notice. Opportunity to Request a Review: Not later than the last day of July 2009, 1 interested parties may request administrative review of the following orders, findings, or suspended investigations, with anniversary dates in July for the following periods:

1 Or the next business day, if the deadline falls on a weekend, Federal holiday or any other day when the Department is closed.

Antidumping Duty Proceedings	Period
THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA:
Carbon Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings A-570-814	7/1/08-6/30/09
Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Pipe A-570-910	1/15/08-6/30/09
Persulfates A-570-847	7/1/08-6/30/09
Saccharin A-570-878	7/1/08-6/30/09
FINLAND: Carboxymethylcellulose A-405-803	7/1/08-6/30/09
GERMANY: Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils A-428-825	7/1/08-6/30/09
INDIA: Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Film A-533-824	7/1/08-6/30/09
IRAN: In-Shell Pistachios A-507-502	7/1/08-6/30/09
ITALY:
Certain Pasta A-475-818	7/1/08-6/30/09
Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils A-475-824	7/1/08-6/30/09
JAPAN:
Clad Steel Plate A-588-838	7/1/08-6/30/09
Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils A-588-845	7/1/08-6/30/09
Polyvinyl Alcohol A-588-861	7/1/08-6/30/09
MEXICO:
Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils A-201-822	7/1/08-6/30/09
Carboxymethylcellulose A-201-834	7/1/08-6/30/09
NETHERLANDS: Carboxymethylcellulose A-421-811	7/1/08-6/30/09
RUSSIA:
Solid Urea A-821-801	7/1/08-6/30/09
Ferrovanadium and Nitrided Vanadium A-821-807	7/1/08-6/30/09
SOUTH KOREA: Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils A-580-834	7/1/08-6/30/09
SWEDEN: Carboxymethylcellulose A-401-808	7/1/08-6/30/09
TAIWAN:
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Film A-583-837	7/1/08-6/30/09
Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils A-583-831	7/1/08-6/30/09
THAILAND: Carbon Steel Butt-Weld Pipe Fittings A-549-807	7/1/08-6/30/09
TURKEY: Certain Pasta A-489-805	7/1/08-6/30/09
UKRAINE: Solid Urea A-823-801	7/1/08-6/30/09
	Countervailing Duty Proceedings
INDIA: Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Film C-533-825	1/1/08-12/31/08
ITALY: Certain Pasta C-475-819	1/1/08-12/31/08
THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA: Circular Welded Carbon-Quality Steel Pipe C-570-911	11/13/07-3/11/08 7/21/08-12/31/08
TURKEY: Certain Pasta C-489-806	1/1/08-12/31/08
	Suspension Agreements
RUSSIA: Certain Hot-Rolled Carbon Steel Flat Products A-821-809	7/1/08-6/30/09

In accordance with section 351.213(b) of the Department's regulations, an interested party as defined by section 771(9) of the Act may request in writing that the Secretary conduct an administrative review. For both antidumping and countervailing duty reviews, the interested party must specify the individual producers or exporters covered by an antidumping finding or an antidumping or countervailing duty order or suspension agreement for which it is requesting a review. In addition, a domestic interested party or an interested party described in section 771(9)(B) of the Act must state why it desires the Secretary to review those particular producers or exporters.2 If the interested party intends for the Secretary to review sales of merchandise by an exporter (or a producer if that producer also exports merchandise from other suppliers) which were produced in more than one country of origin and each country of origin is subject to a separate order, then the interested party must state specifically, on an order-by-order basis, which exporter(s) the request is intended to cover.

2 If the review request involves a non-market economy and the parties subject to the review request do not qualify for separate rates, all other exporters of subject merchandise from the non-market economy country who do not have a separate rate will be covered by the review as part of the single entity of which the named firms are a part.

Please note that, for any party the Department was unable to locate in prior segments, the Department will not accept a request for an administrative review of that party absent new information as to the party's location. Moreover, if the interested party who files a request for review is unable to locate the producer or exporter for which it requested the review, the interested party must provide an explanation of the attempts it made to locate the producer or exporter at the same time it files its request for review, in order for the Secretary to determine if the interested party's attempts were reasonable, pursuant to section 351.303(f)(3)(ii) of the Department's regulations.

As explained in Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings: Assessment of Antidumping Duties, 68 FR 23954 (May 6, 2003), the Department has clarified its practice with respect to the collection of final antidumping duties on imports of merchandise where intermediate firms are involved. The public should be aware of this clarification in determining whether to request an administrative review of merchandise subject to antidumping findings and orders. See also the Import Administration Web site at http://ia.ita.doc.gov.

Six copies of the request should be submitted to the Assistant Secretary for Import Administration, International Trade Administration, Room 1870, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230. The Department also asks parties to serve a copy of their requests to the Office of Antidumping/Countervailing Operations, Attention: Sheila Forbes, in room 3065 of the main Commerce Building. Further, in accordance with section 351.303(f)(l)(i) of the Department's regulations, a copy of each request must be served on every party on the Department's service list.

The Department will publish in the Federal Register a notice of Initiation of Administrative Review of Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Order, Finding, or Suspended Investigation for requests received by the last day of July 2009. If the Department does not receive, by the last day of July 2009, a request for review of entries covered by an order, finding, or suspended investigation listed in this notice and for the period identified above, the Department will instruct the CBP to assess antidumping or countervailing duties on those entries at a rate equal to the cash deposit of (or bond for) estimated antidumping or countervailing duties required on those entries at the time of entry, or withdrawal from warehouse, for consumption and to continue to collect the cash deposit previously ordered.

This notice is not required by statute but is published as a service to the international trading community.

Dated: June 23, 2009. John M. Andersen, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Operations. [FR Doc. E9-15600 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Order, Finding, or Suspended Investigation; Advance Notification of Sunset Reviews AGENCY:

Import Administration, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION:

Notice of Upcoming Sunset Reviews

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background

Every five years, pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), the Department of Commerce (the Department) and the International Trade Commission automatically initiate and conduct a review to determine whether revocation of a countervailing or antidumping duty order or termination of an investigation suspended under section 704 or 734 of the Act would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping or a countervailable subsidy (as the case may be) and of material injury.

Upcoming Sunset Reviews for August 2009

The following Sunset Review is scheduled for initiation in August 2009 and will appear in that month's Notice of Initiation of Five-year Sunset Reviews.

Antidumping Duty Proceedings	Department Contact
Barbed Wire and Barbless Wire Strand from Argentina (A-357-405) (3rd Review)	Matthew Renkey (202) 482-2312
Countervailing Duty Proceedings
No Sunset Review of countervailing duty orders are scheduled for initiation in August 2009
Suspended Investigations
No Sunset Review of suspended investigations are scheduled for initiation in August 2009

The Department's procedures for the conduct of Sunset Reviews are set forth in 19 CFR 351.218. Guidance on methodological or analytical issues relevant to the Department's conduct of Sunset Reviews is set forth in the Department's Policy Bulletin 98.3- Policies Regarding the Conduct of Five-year (Sunset) Reviews of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Orders; Policy Bulletin, 63 FR 18871 (April 16, 1998). The Notice of Initiation of Five-year (Sunset) Reviews provides further information regarding what is required of all parties to participate in Sunset Reviews.

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.103(c), the Department will maintain and make available a service list for these proceedings. To facilitate the timely preparation of the service list(s), it is requested that those seeking recognition as interested parties to a proceeding contact the Department in writing within 10 days of the publication of the Notice of Initiation.

Please note that if the Department receives a Notice of Intent to Participate from a member of the domestic industry within 15 days of the date of initiation, the review will continue. Thereafter, any interested party wishing to participate in the Sunset Review must provide substantive comments in response to the notice of initiation no later than 30 days after the date of initiation.

This notice is not required by statute but is published as a service to the international trading community.

Dated: June 18, 2009. John M. Andersen, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretaryfor Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Operations. [FR Doc. E9-15553 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-570-884] Certain Color Television Receivers From the People's Republic of China: Final Results of Sunset Review and Revocation of Order AGENCY:

Import Administration, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

SUMMARY:

On May 1, 2009, the Department of Commerce (Department) initiated the sunset review of the antidumping duty order on certain color television receivers from the People's Republic of China (PRC). Because the domestic interested parties did not participate in this sunset review, the Department is revoking this antidumping duty order.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

June 3, 2009

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Zhulieta Willbrand, AD/CVD Operations, Office 4, Import Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-3147.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background

On June 3, 2004, the Department issued an antidumping duty order on imports of certain color television receivers from the PRC, which was amended on June 25, 2004. See Antidumping Duty Order: Certain Color Television Receivers From the People's Republic of China, 69 FR 31347 (June 3, 2004); see also, Notice of Amended Antidumping Duty Order: Certain Color Television Receivers from the People's Republic of China, 69 FR 35583 (June 25, 2004). On May 1, 2009, the Department initiated a sunset review on this order. See Initiation of Five-year (Sunset) Review, 74 FR 20286, 20287 (May 1, 2009).

We did not receive from domestic interested parties a notice of intent to participate in the sunset review. See 19 CFR 351.218(d)(1)(i). As a result, the Department determined that no domestic interested party intends to participate in the sunset review, and on May 22, 2009, we notified the International Trade Commission, in writing, that we intended to issue a final determination revoking this antidumping duty order. See 19 CFR 351.218(d)(1)(iii)(A) - (B).

Scope of the Order

For purposes of the order, the term certain color television receivers includes complete and incomplete direct view or projection type cathode ray tube color television receivers, with a video display diagonal exceeding 52 centimeters, whether or not combined with video recording or reproducing apparatus, which are capable of receiving a broadcast television signal and producing a video image. Specifically excluded from the order are computer monitors or other video display devices that are not capable of receiving a broadcast television signal. The color television receivers subject to the order are currently classifiable under subheadings 8528.12.2800, 8528.12.3250, 8528.12.3290, 8528.12.4000, 8528.12.5600, 8528.12.3600, 8528.12.4400, 8528.12.4800, and 8528.12.5200 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). Although the above HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the merchandise under the order is dispositive.

Determination to Revoke

Pursuant to section 751(c)(3)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), and 19 CFR 351.218(d)(1)(iii)(B)(3), if no domestic interested party files a notice of intent to participate, the Department shall, within 90 days after the initiation of the review, issue a final determination revoking the order. Because the domestic interested parties did not file a notice of intent to participate in this sunset review, the Department finds that no domestic interested party is participating in this sunset review. See 19 C.F.R. 351.218(d)(1)(iii)(B)(1). Therefore, consistent with 19 CFR 351.222(i), we are revoking this antidumping duty order. The effective date of revocation is June 3, 2009, the fifth anniversary of the date the Department published the antidumping duty order.

Effective Date of Revocation

Pursuant to sections 751(c)(3)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.222(i)(2)(i), the Department will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to terminate the suspension of liquidation of the merchandise subject to this order entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, on or after June 3, 2009. Entries of subject merchandise prior to the effective date of revocation will continue to be subject to suspension of liquidation and antidumping duty deposit requirements. The Department will complete any pending administrative reviews of this order and will conduct administrative reviews of subject merchandise entered prior to the effective date of revocation in response to appropriately filed requests for review.

This notice of final results of five-year (sunset) review and revocation is published in accordance with sections 751(c) and 777(i)(1) of the Act.

Dated: June 25, 2009. Ronald K. Lorentzen, Acting Assistant Secretaryfor Import Administration. [FR Doc. E9-15598 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Telecommunications and Information Administration Broadband Technology Opportunities Program Agency:

National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.

Action:

Buy American Exception under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

SUMMARY:

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) hereby provides notice that on June 19, 2009, the Secretary of Commerce granted a limited waiver of section 1605 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), Pub. L. No. 111-5, 123 Stat. 115, 303 (2009) with respect to certain broadband equipment that will be used in projects funded under the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP).

DATES:

July 1, 2009.

ADDRESSES:

Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, Office of Telecommunications and Information Applications, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 4812, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, telephone: (202) 482-5032.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

In accordance with section 1605(c) of the Recovery Act and section 176.80 of Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations, NTIA hereby provides notice that on June 19, 2009, the Secretary of Commerce granted a limited waiver of section 1605 of the Recovery Act (Buy American provision) with respect to certain broadband equipment that will be used in projects funded under BTOP.1 The basis for this waiver is a public interest determination pursuant to section 1605(b)(1) of the Recovery Act.

1 Recovery Act 1605, 123 Stat. at 303; 2 C.F.R. 176.80.

I. BACKGROUND

The Recovery Act appropriates $4.7 billion to NTIA to establish BTOP, through which NTIA will provide grants for broadband initiatives throughout the United States, including projects in unserved and underserved areas. Section 1605(a) of the Recovery Act, the Buy American provision, states that none of the funds appropriated by the Act, including the funds that have been dedicated to grants under BTOP, may be used for a project for the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of a public building or public work unless all of the iron, steel, and manufactured goods used in the project are produced in the United States.2

2 Because the Buy American limitation applies only to public works and public buildings, completely private projects need not obtain a waiver to utilize iron, steel, and manufactured goods produced outside of the United States. Note, however, that public-private partnerships are considered public for purposes of the Buy American limitation.

Subsections 1605(b) and (c) of the Recovery Act authorize the head of a Federal department or agency to waive the Buy American provision by finding that: (1) applying the provision would be inconsistent with the public interest; (2) the relevant goods are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities and of a satisfactory quality; or (3) the inclusion of the goods produced in the United States will increase the cost of the project by more than 25 percent. If the head of the Federal department or agency waives the Buy American provision, then the head of the department or agency is required to publish a detailed justification in the Federal Register. Finally, section 1605(d) of the Recovery Act states that the Buy American provision must be applied in a manner consistent with the United States' obligations under international agreements.

II. PUBLIC INTEREST FINDING

The Secretary of Commerce has determined that, as applied to certain broadband equipment used in a BTOP project, application of the Buy American provision would be inconsistent with the public interest.3 A modern broadband network is generally composed of the following components: broadband switching, routing, transport, access, customer premises equipment, end-user devices, and billing/operations systems. The Buy American provision would prohibit NTIA from awarding a BTOP grant to a public applicant unless that applicant could certify that each element of each broadband network component containing iron, steel, and manufactured goods are produced in the United States. As explained more fully below, it would be difficult, if not impossible, for a BTOP applicant to have certain knowledge of the manufacturing origins of each component of a broadband network and the requirement to do so would be so overwhelmingly burdensome as to deter participation in the program. Requiring a BTOP applicant to request a waiver on a case-by-case basis also would be such an administrative burden on the applicant as to discourage participation in the program and would increase the agency's time and costs for processing BTOP applications for broadband infrastructure projects. Thus, implementing the BTOP without a limited programmatic waiver encompassing broadband network components would jeopardize the success of the program and undermine the broadband initiative.

3 See Recovery Act 1605(b)(1), 123 Stat. at 303.

First, much of the finished products used to manage and operate broadband infrastructure and offer broadband service are manufactured outside of the United States. The manufacturing supply chain varies by product and changes constantly due to the influence of global supply and demand. The result is a very competitive and complex production landscape with components and end products being manufactured and assembled in a large number of countries. While, arguably, the Secretary of Commerce could have relied on the non-availability exception for granting a waiver, the burden placed on the Department of Commerce in sourcing and evaluating the availability of each component of broadband equipment would be significant, and the task of sourcing and evaluating would be difficult to complete given the speed with which Congress has told NTIA to allocate the BTOP funds. In addition, requiring public entities to document the origin of broadband equipment and their components in order to determine whether they fit within the scope of the Buy American provision would severely complicate those applicants' ability to apply for funds and would place an undue burden on State and local governments. Taken as a whole, these burdens would cause delays and would likely thwart the goal of Congress to establish and implement the [BTOP] grant program as expeditiously as practicable, and the Recovery Act's requirement that NTIA to obligate all funds under BTOP by September 30, 2010.4

4 See Recovery Act 6001(d)(1)-(2), 123 Stat. at 513.

Second, a limited waiver will help facilitate the construction of modern broadband networks - an essential component of the Recovery Act. Applicants to BTOP must have the flexibility to incorporate the most technically-advanced components into their infrastructure, and a limited waiver gives them the ability to incorporate the latest technologies. Third, consistent with the Recovery Act, a limited waiver will help stimulate job growth for construction workers, technicians, equipment designers, engineers, and others who will operate the broadband infrastructure. Fourth, while the Office of Management and Budget has clarified which countries would be exempt from the Buy American provision, some of the key countries that produce broadband equipment would not be exempt. Finally, the broadband industry is very dynamic and global, and equipment can change over the course of a buildout. Subjecting public applicants for BTOP funds to the Buy American provision ultimately would slow broadband deployment and undermine the broadband initiatives.

III. WAIVER

On June 19, 2009, based on the public interest finding discussed above and pursuant to section 1605(c), the Secretary granted a limited waiver of the Recovery Act's Buy American requirements with respect to BTOP funds used for the following essential components of a modern broadband infrastructure:

Broadband Switching Equipment - Equipment necessary to establish a broadband communications path between two points.

Broadband Routing Equipment - Equipment that routes data packets throughout a broadband network.

Broadband Transport Equipment - Equipment for providing interconnection within the broadband provider's network.

Broadband Access Equipment - Equipment facilitating the last mile connection to a broadband subscriber.

Broadband Customer Premises Equipment and End-User Devices - End-user equipment that connects to a broadband network.

Billing/Operations Systems - Equipment that is used to manage and operate a broadband network or offer a broadband service.

Note that this list does not include fiber optic cables, coaxial cables, cell towers, and other facilities that are produced in the United States in sufficient quantities to be reasonably available as end products. To the extent that an applicant wishes to use equipment that is not covered by this waiver, it may seek a waiver on a case-by-case basis as part of its application for BTOP funds, stating the statutory exemption upon which it is relying and its rationale for receiving a waiver. Further information on how to apply for a waiver will be available in BTOP Application Guidelines.

Dated: June 26, 2009. Anna M. Gomez, Acting Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information. [FR Doc. E9-15514 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-60-S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648-XP04 Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Sea Turtle Conservation and Recovery in Relation to the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico Trawl Fisheries and to Conduct Public Scoping Meetings AGENCY:

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION:

Notice; Extension of public comment period.

SUMMARY:

In response to requests from members of the public, NMFS extends the public comment period on the notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by assessing potential impacts resulting from the proposed implementation of new sea turtle regulations in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico trawl fisheries. The comment period is now extended for an additional 30 days until August 10, 2009.

DATES:

Comments will be accepted until August 10, 2009. Comments received or postmarked after that date will be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments on the scope of the EIS should be sent to Alexis.Gutierrez@noaa.gov, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910; 301-713-2322 or fax 301-713-4060. Additional information, including the Scoping document, can be found at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/turtles/strategy.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dennis Klemm (ph. 727-824-5312, fax 727-824-5309, email Dennis.Klemm@noaa.gov), Pasquale Scida (ph. 978-281-9208, fax 978-281-9394, email Pasquale.Scida@noaa.gov), Alexis Gutierrez (ph. 301-713-2322, fax 301-713-4060, email Alexis.Gutierrez@noaa.gov).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background

On May 8, 2009, NMFS published a Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Sea Turtle Conservation and Recovery in Relation to the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico Trawl Fisheries and to Conduct Public Scoping Meetings (74 FR 21627). The Notice announced that NMFS is developing rulemaking to address sea turtle bycatch in state and Federal trawl fisheries under the Endangered Species Act. The notice also announced that NMFS would conduct five public scoping meetings. NMFS has now conducted those scoping meetings and has been asked to extend the comment period for an additional 30 days.

NMFS is asking for public comment on the alternatives outlined in the scoping document. NMFS will evaluate a range of alternatives in the Draft EIS for implementing phase one of the Strategy to reduce sea turtle bycatch and mortality in trawl fisheries along the Atlantic Coast. In addition to evaluating the status quo, NMFS will evaluate a range of alternatives including which Atlantic trawl fisheries will be regulated, the temporal and spatial aspects of the regulation and the potential changes to the operation of Atlantic trawl fisheries. These alternatives could include time and area closures, requiring the use of TEDs in the summer flounder, whelk, croaker and weakfish flynet and calico scallop trawls for the entire Atlantic Coast, as well as combination of spatial and temporal options. In terms of spatial options, sea turtles in U.S. waters range as far North as Georges Bank and the Gulf of Maine, but may be less likely to interact with a fishery towards the northern extent of this range. NMFSwill likely evaluate several alternatives related to the northern/northeastern extent of any required gear modification or other regulation. Similarly, several alternatives will likely be evaluated for the temporal extent of when a regulation would be in effect, as sea turtles migrate north along the Atlantic coast as waters warm each year, and are only present in more northern areas during the warmer months. The public scoping document, the powerpoint presentation and the Notice of Intent can be found at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/turtles/strategy.htm. The public comment period is now extended 30 days and will close on August 10, 2009.

Dated: June 24, 2009. James H. Lecky, Office Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. E9-15552 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648-XP85 Incidental Taking of Marine Mammals; Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental to the Explosive Removal of Offshore Structures in the Gulf of Mexico AGENCY:

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION:

Notice; issuance of letters of authorization.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and implementing regulations, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued one-year Letters of Authorization (LOA) to take marine mammals incidental to the explosive removal of offshore oil and gas structures (EROS) in the Gulf of Mexico.

DATES:

These authorizations are effective from July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010.

ADDRESSES:

The application and LOAs are available for review by writing to P. Michael Payne, Chief, Permits, Conservation, and Education Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3235 or by telephoning the contact listed here (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT), or online at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/incidental.htm. Documents cited in this notice may be viewed, by appointment, during regular business hours, at the aforementioned address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Howard Goldstein or Ken Hollingshead, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 301-713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Section 101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) directs the NMFS to allow, upon request, the incidental, but not intentional, taking of small numbers of marine mammals by United States citizens who engage in a specified activity (other than commercial fishing) within a specified geographical region, if certain findings are made by NMFS and regulations are issued. Under the MMPA, the term taking means to harass, hunt, capture, or kill or to attempt to harass, hunt capture, or kill marine mammals.

Authorization for incidental taking, in the form of annual LOAs, may be granted by NMFS for periods up to five years if NMFS finds, after notification and opportunity for public comment, that the taking will have a negligible impact on the species or stock(s) of marine mammals, and will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on the availability of the species or stock(s) for subsistence uses (where relevant). In addition, NMFS must prescribe regulations that include permissible methods of taking and other means effecting the least practicable adverse impact on the species and its habitat (i.e., mitigation), and on the availability of the species for subsistence uses, paying particular attention to rookeries, mating rounds, and areas of similar significance. The regulations also must include requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking. Regulations governing the taking incidental to EROS were published on June 19, 2008 (73 FR 34889), and remain in effect through July 19, 2013. For detailed information on this action, please refer to that Federal Register notice. The species that applicants may take in small numbers during EROS activities are bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis), pantropical spotted dolphins (Stenella attenuata), Clymene dolphins (Stenella clymene), striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba), spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris), rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis), Risso's dolphins (Grampus griseus), melon-headed whales (Peponocephala electra), short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus), and sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus).

Pursuant to these regulations, NMFS has issued an LOA to St. Mary Land Exploration Company and Apache Corporation. Issuance of these LOAs is based on a finding made in the preamble to the final rule that the total taking by these activities (with monitoring, mitigation, and reporting measures) will result in no more than a negligible impact on the affected species or stock(s) of marine mammals and will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on subsistence uses. NMFS also finds that the applicants will meet the requirements contained in the implementing regulations and LOA, including monitoring, mitigation, and reporting requirements.

Dated: June 25, 2009. James H. Lecky, Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. E9-15551 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration Initiation of Five-year (Sunset) Review AGENCY:

Import Administration, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), the Department of Commerce (the Department) is automatically initiating a five-year review (Sunset Review) of the antidumping duty orders listed below. The International Trade Commission (the Commission) is publishing concurrently with this notice its notice of Institution of Five-year Review which covers the same orders.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

July 1, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

The Department official identified in the Initiation of Review section below at AD/CVD Operations, Import Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230. For information from the Commission contact Mary Messer, Office of Investigations, U.S. International Trade Commission at (202) 205-3193.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background

The Department's procedures for the conduct of Sunset Reviews are set forth in its Procedures for Conducting Five-year (Sunset) Reviews of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Orders, 63 FR 13516 (March 20, 1998) and 70 FR 62061 (October 28, 2005). Guidance on methodological or analytical issues relevant to the Department's conduct of Sunset Reviews is set forth in the Department's Policy Bulletin 98.3 - Policies Regarding the Conduct of Five-year (Sunset) Reviews of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Orders: Policy Bulletin, 63 FR 18871 (April 16, 1998).

Initiation of Review

In accordance with 19 CFR 351.218(c), we are initiating the Sunset Review of the following antidumping duty orders:

DOC Case No.	ITC Case No.	Country	Product	Department Contact
A-570-007	731-TA-149	PRC	Barium Chloride (3rd Review)	Matthew Renkey (202) 482-2312
A-570-002	731-TA-130	PRC	Chloropicrin (3rd Review)	Matthew Renkey (202) 482-2312
A-570-888	731-TA-1047	PRC	Floor-Standing, Metal Top Ironing Tables And Parts Thereof	Dana Mermelstein (202) 482-1391
A-570-886	731-TA-1043	PRC	Polyethylene Retail Carrier Bags	Dana Mermelstein (202) 482-1391
A-557-813	731-TA-1044	Malaysia	Polyethylene Retail Carrier Bags	Dana Mermelstein (202) 482-1391
A-549-821	731-TA-1045	Thailand	Polyethylene Retail Carrier Bags	Dana Mermelstein (202) 482-1391
A-427-001	731-TA-44	France	Sorbitol (3rd Review)	Dana Mermelstein (202) 482-1391
A-475-820	731-TA-770	Italy	Stainless Steel Wire Rod (2nd Review)	Brandon Farlander (202) 482-0182
A-588-843	731-TA-771	Japan	Stainless Steel Wire Rod (2nd Review)	Brandon Farlander (202) 482-0182
A-580-829	731-TA-772	South Korea	Stainless Steel Wire Rod (2nd Review)	Brandon Farlander (202) 482-0182
A-469-807	731-TA-773	Spain	Stainless Steel Wire Rod (2nd Review)	Brandon Farlander (202) 482-0182
A-401-806	731-TA-774	Sweden	Stainless Steel Wire Rod (2nd Review)	Brandon Farlander (202) 482-0182
A-583-828	731-TA-775	Taiwan	Stainless Steel Wire Rod (2nd Review)	Brandon Farlander (202) 482-0182
A-570-887	731-TA-1046	PRC	Tetrahydrofurfuryl Alcohol	Matthew Renkey (202 482-2312

Filing Information

As a courtesy, we are making information related to Sunset proceedings, including copies of the pertinent statute and Department's regulations, the Department schedule for Sunset Reviews, a listing of past revocations and continuations, and current service lists, available to the public on the Department's sunset Internet Web site at the following address: http://ia.ita.doc.gov/sunset/. All submissions in these Sunset Reviews must be filed in accordance with the Department's regulations regarding format, translation, service, and certification of documents. These rules can be found at 19 CFR 351.303.

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.103 (d), the Department will maintain and make available a service list for these proceedings. To facilitate the timely preparation of the service list(s), it is requested that those seeking recognition as interested parties to a proceeding contact the Department in writing within 10 days of the publication of the Notice of Initiation.

Because deadlines in Sunset Reviews can be very short, we urge interested parties to apply for access to proprietary information under administrative protective order (APO) immediately following publication in the Federal Register of this notice of initiation by filing a notice of intent to participate. The Department's regulations on submission of proprietary information and eligibility to receive access to business proprietary information under APO can be found at 19 CFR 351.304-306.

Information Required from Interested Parties

Domestic interested parties defined in section 771(9)(C), (D), (E), (F), and (G) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.102(b)) wishing to participate in a Sunset Review must respond not later than 15 days after the date of publication in the Federal Register of this notice of initiation by filing a notice of intent to participate. The required contents of the notice of intent to participate are set forth at 19 CFR 351.218(d)(1)(ii). In accordance with the Department's regulations, if we do not receive a notice of intent to participate from at least one domestic interested party by the 15-day deadline, the Department will automatically revoke the order without further review. See 19 CFR 351.218(d)(1)(iii).

If we receive an order-specific notice of intent to participate from a domestic interested party, the Department's regulations provide that all parties wishing to participate in the Sunset Review must file complete substantive responses not later than 30 days after the date of publication in the Federal Register of this notice of initiation. The required contents of a substantive response, on an order-specific basis, are set forth at 19 CFR 351.218(d)(3). Note that certain information requirements differ for respondent and domestic parties. Also, note that the Department's information requirements are distinct from the Commission's information requirements.1 Please consult the Department's regulations for information regarding the Department's conduct of Sunset Reviews. Please consult the Department's regulations at 19 CFR Part 351 for definitions of terms and for other general information concerning antidumping and countervailing duty proceedings at the Department.

1 In comments made on the interim final sunset regulations, a number of parties stated that the proposed five-day period for rebuttals to substantive responses to a notice of initiation was insufficient. This requirement was retained in the final sunset regulations at 19 CFR 351.218(d)(4). As provided in 19 CFR 351.302(b), however, the Department will consider individual requests to extend that five-day deadline based upon a showing of good cause.

This notice of initiation is being published in accordance with section 751(c) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.218 (c).

June 23, 2009. John M. Andersen, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretaryfor Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Operations. [FR Doc. E9-15570 Filed 6-30-04; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648-XQ09 Marine Mammals; File No. 774-1847 AGENCY:

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION:

Notice; receipt of application for an amendment

SUMMARY:

Notice is hereby given that NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Antarctic Marine Living Resources Program (Michael Gobel, Ph D, Principal Investigator), 3333 N Torrey Pines Ct, La Jolla, CA 92037, has requested an amendment to scientific research Permit No. 774-1847-03.

DATES:

Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or before July 31, 2009.

ADDRESSES:

The application and related documents are available for review by selecting Records Open for Public Comment from the Features box on the Applications and Permits for Protected Species (APPS) home page, https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting File No. 774-1847-04 from the list of available applications.

These documents are also available upon written request or by appointment in the following office(s):

Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone (301) 713-2289; fax (301) 427-2521.

Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this application should be mailed to the Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, F/PR1, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Those individuals requesting a hearing should set forth the specific reasons why a hearing on this particular request would be appropriate.

Comments may also be submitted by facsimile at (301)427-2521, provided the facsimile is confirmed by hard copy submitted by mail and postmarked no later than the closing date of the comment period.

Comments may also be submitted by e-mail. The mailbox address for providing e-mail comments is NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Include in the subject line of the e-mail comment the following document identifier: File No. 774-1847-04.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kate Swails or Tammy Adams, (301)713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The subject amendment to Permit No. 774-1847-03, is requested under the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended (MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), and the regulations governing the taking and importing of marine mammals (50 CFR part 216).

Permit No. 774-1847-03, issued on August 14, 2008 (73 FR 49648) authorizes the applicant to take up to 710 Antarctic fur seals (Arctophalus gazella), 20 leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx), and 180 southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) annually in Antarctica.. The animals are captured, measured, weighed, tagged, blood sampled, vibrissae collected, and have time-depth recorders, VHF transmitters, and platform terminal transmitters attached. A subset of seals are given an enema, have a tooth extracted, milk sampled, blubber/muscle sampled, tissue sampled, and are part of a doubly-labeled water study on energetics.

The Permit Holder requests authorization to begin a Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) study to understand movements, site fidelity, and demographics of this species in Antarctica. Up to 60 Weddell seals would be taken annually. Seals would be instrumented and sampled (blood, vibrissae, muscle/blubber, milk, and tissue). The applicant is requesting up to 4 research-related mortalities of Weddell seals (2 adults and 2 juveniles) annually. The applicant also requests authorization to deploy microprocessors attached to flipper tags on fur seals, increase the number of tissue samples collected from fur seals, increase the number of leopard seals and fur seals tagged (for the purposes of retagging), and use an unmanned aircraft system for aerial photography. These activities are proposed for the duration of the permit, which expires on September 30, 2011.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an initial determination has been made that the activity proposed is categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.

Concurrent with the publication of this notice in the Federal Register, NMFS is forwarding copies of this application to the Marine Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.

Dated: June 25, 2009. P. Michael Payne, Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. E9-15550 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Estuarine Research Reserve System AGENCY:

Estuarine Reserves Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.

ACTION:

Notice of Approval and Availability for the revised Guana Tolomato Matanzas, Florida National Estuarine Research Reserve Management Plan.

SUMMARY:

Notice is hereby given that the Estuarine Reserves Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce has approved the revised Guana Tolomato Matanzas, Florida National Estuarine Research Reserve Management Plan.

The Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve is located in St. Johns and Flagler counties and is geographically separated into a northern and southern component separated by the City of St. Augustine. The Reserve was designated in 1999. Pursuant to 15 CFR 921.33(c), a state must revise their management plan every five years. The submission of this plan brings the Reserve into compliance and sets a course for successful implementation of the goals and objectives of the Reserve.

The revised management plan outlines the administrative structure; the education, stewardship, and research goals of the reserve; and the plans for future land acquisition and facility development to support reserve operations. The Reserve management goals and objectives can be categorized within the following five management challenges: Public use, habitat and species management, watershed land use, cultural preservation and interpretation, and global processes. These issues can be directly or indirectly linked to anthropogenic land use of increasing population densities accompanied by increasing development, recreation and economic pressures.

The Guana Tolomato Matanzas Environmental Education Center is a notable addition since the last management plan and serves as the administrative, education, research, and stewardship facility for the northern component of the Reserve. The facility will provide an opportunity for further outreach to the community and serve as a center of excellence for regional science, education and stewardship forums.

The boundary of the Reserve is being expanded to include 8,865 acres of publicly owned land in the southern component of the reserve. Approximately 4,166 acres of the Faver-Dykes State Park is being added to the 1,333 acres of the Faver-Dykes State Park incorporated at designation. The additional park lands will provide new resources and allow for an extension of the existing partnership. Additionally, 4,699 acres of the Matanzas State Forest is being added to the Reserve boundary to protect the last remaining undisturbed salt marsh within the Reserve and is part of a 16,000 acre continuous conservation corridor. These additions will bring the total Reserve acreage to 73,352 acres protected for long-term research, education and stewardship. Pursuant to 15 CFR 921.33, NOAA published a notice in the Federal Register providing an opportunity for public comment on July 7, 2008. No comments were received.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Erica Seiden at (301) 713-3155 or NOAA's National Ocean Service, Estuarine Reserves Division, 1305 East-West Highway, Station 10542, Silver Spring, MD 20910. To access the Guana Tolomato Matanzas, FL Management Plan visit http://www.dep.state.fl.us/coastal/sites/gtm/management/plan.htm.

Dated: June 11, 2009. David M. Kennedy, Director, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. [FR Doc. E9-15538 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-08-P COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY Economic and Environmental Principles and Guidelines for Water and Related Land Resources Implementation Studies; Initiation of Revision and Request for Suggested Changes AGENCY:

Council on Environmental Quality.

ACTION:

Notice and Request for Suggestions.

SUMMARY:

Section 2031 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 110-114) directs the Secretary of the Army to revise the Economic and Environmental Principles and Guidelines for Water and Related Land Resources Implementation Studies, dated March 10, 1983, consistent with a number of considerations enumerated in the statute. The Administration is considering developing uniform planning standards for the development of water resources that would apply government-wide, including agencies other than the traditional water resources development agencies covered under the current Principles and Guidelines: the Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation (Interior), Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA), and Tennessee Valley Authority. Therefore, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) will facilitate an interagency drafting of revised Principles and Guidelines for planning water resources projects that could be applied government-wide.

Upon completion, the revision would apply to Federal water resources implementation studies including project reevaluations and modifications except those commenced prior to the issuance of the revised guidance. It is intended that the revision will be conducted in two phases, with the first phase addressing revisions to the 1983 Principles and Standards (Chapter I of the existing Guidelines) and the second phase addressing revisions to the Procedures (Chapters II through IV of the 1983 Guidelines). The purpose of this notice is to provide an opportunity for interested individuals and organizations to submit suggestions for revising the Principles and Guidelines. Using that input, CEQ intends for the initial draft of the revision to be prepared and released for public comments and review by the National Academy of Sciences.

DATES:

CEQ will hold a Webinar to hear public comment on recommendations to revise the Principles and Guidelines on July 13, 2009, from 1 to 3:30 p.m. EDT. Written suggestions are being accepted now and will be accepted through the end of the business day, July 17, 2009.

ADDRESSES:

Suggestions should be submitted in writing to the Council on Environmental Quality, Attn: Terry Breyman, 722 Jackson Place, NW., Washington, DC 20503 or via e-mail to PG@ceq.eop.gov or FAX 202-456-6546.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Terry Breyman, Associate Director for Natural Resources, at 202-456-9721.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Council on Environmental Quality is initiating the first phase of this revision to include the 1983 Principles and Standards (Chapter I of the Guidelines). Revision of Chapters II through IV of the Guidelines will be initiated at a later date. The Secretary requests that each suggested revision be accompanied by a statement of the intent of the revision. Written suggestions (by mail, e-mail, or fax) are preferred and should be submitted to Terry Breyman, 722 Jackson Place, NW., Washington, DC 20503 or via e-mail to PG@ceq.eop.gov or FAX 202-456-6546. In addition, CEQ will hold a Webinar to hear suggestions for proposed revisions on July 13, 2009, from 1 to 3:30 p.m. EDT. To participate in the Webinar, you must register at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/411954714. After registering, you will receive a confirmation e-mail containing information about joining the Webinar. System requirements for PC-based attendees: Windows2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista. Mcintosh-based attendees require Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) or newer. Those needing to make suggestions and ask questions may attend this meeting in person at the U.S. EPA offices at Two Potomac Yard (North Building), Room n-1600 (6th floor), 2733 South Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA 22202. To facilitate oral suggestions, the time available to speak will be divided by random drawing. Interested individuals and organizations may request copies of the following documents by mail or e-mail or access them at the Internet addresses indicated: Economic and Environmental Principles and Guidelines for Water and Related Land Resources Implementation Studies dated March 10, 1983 (http://www.usace.army.mil/CECW/PlanningCOP/Documents/library/Principles_Guidelines.pdf) Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 110-114) at http://www.usace.army.mil/CECW/PlanningCOP/Documents/library/hr1495_pl110-114.pdf.

Dated: June 26, 2009. Nancy H. Sutley, Chairman, Council on Environmental Quality. [FR Doc. E9-15517 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3125-W9-P DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary of Defense Defense Business Board (DBB) AGENCY:

Department of Defense.

ACTION:

Meeting notice.

SUMMARY:

Under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C., Appendix, as amended), the Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended), and 41 CFR 102-3.150, the Department of Defense announces the following Federal advisory committee meeting of the Defense Business Board (DBB) will take place.

DATES:

The public meeting of the Board will be held on Thursday, July 16, 2009, beginning at 10:45 a.m. and ending at 11:45 a.m.

ADDRESSES:

Pentagon Conference Center, Washington, DC (escort required, see below).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For meeting information please contact Ms. Debora Duffy, Defense Business Board, 1155 Defense Pentagon, Room 3C288, Washington, DC 20301-1155, Debora.duffy@osd.mil, (703) 697-2168.

The Board's Designated Federal Officer is Ms. Phyllis Ferguson, Defense Business Board, 1155 Defense Pentagon, Room 3C288, Washington, DC 20301-1155, Phyllis.ferguson@osd.mil, (703) 695-7563.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: (a) Background

At this meeting, the Board will deliberate findings and recommendations from two Task Groups: (1) An Outreach Plan to Improve Communications with the Defense Industrial Base, and (2) A Review of the National Security Personnel System. The mission of the DBB is to advise the Secretary of Defense on effective strategies for implementation of best business practices of interest to the Department of Defense.

(b) Availability of Materials for the Meeting

A copy of the draft agenda for the July 16, 2009, meeting may be obtained from the Board's Web site at http://www.defenselink.mil/dbb under Meeting Materials.

(c) Public's Accessibility to the Meeting

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552b and 41 CFR 102-3.140 through 102-3.165, and the availability of space, this meeting is open to the public. Seating is on a first-come basis. All members of the public who wish to attend the meeting must contact Ms. Duffy at the number listed in this FR notice no later than noon on Thursday, July 9th to register and make arrangements for a Pentagon escort, if necessary. Public attendees requiring escort are to arrive at the Pentagon Metro Entrance by 9:45 a.m. and complete security screening by 10:15 a.m. Security screening requires two forms of identification: (1) A government-issued photo I.D., and 2) any type of secondary I.D. which verifies the individual's name (i.e. debit card, credit card, work badge, social security card).

Special Accommodations: Individuals requiring special accommodations to access the public meeting should contact Ms. Duffy at least five (5) business days prior to the meeting so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

(d) Procedures for Providing Public Comments

Pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.105(j) and 102-3.140, and section 10(a)(3) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, the public or interested organizations may submit written comments to the Board about its mission and topics pertaining to this public session.

Written comments are accepted until the date of the meeting, however, written comments should be received by the DFO at least five (5) business days prior to the meeting date so that the comments may be made available to the Board for their consideration prior to the meeting. Written comments may be submitted via e-mail to defensebusinessboard2@osd.mil and preferably in one of the following formats (Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Word format). Please note: Since the Board operates under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, all public presentations may be treated as public documents and may be made available for public inspection, up to and including being posted on the Board's Web site.

Dated: June 26, 2009. Patricia L. Toppings, OSD Federal Register, Liaison Officer, Department of Defense. [FR Doc. E9-15594 Filed 7-1-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE P DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Defense Acquisition Regulations System Commercial Item Handbook AGENCY:

Defense Acquisition Regulations System, Department of Defense (DoD).

ACTION:

Request for public input.

SUMMARY:

DoD is in the process of updating its Commercial Item Handbook. The purpose of the Handbook is to help acquisition personnel develop sound business strategies for procuring commercial items. DoD is seeking industry input on the contents of the draft Handbook.

DATES:

Submit written comments to the address shown below on or before July 31, 2009.

ADDRESSES:

Submit comments to: Office of the Director, Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy, Attn: OUSD(ATL)DPAP(CPIC), 3060 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-3060. Comments also may be submitted by e-mail to CI_Handbook@osd.mil.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ms. Linda Heartley, by telephone at 703-695-7062, or by e-mail at Linda.Heartley@osd.mil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

DoD formed a working group, consisting of personnel from the military departments and defense agencies, to update the Commercial Item Handbook issued by the Office of the Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics) in November 2001. A draft of the updated Commercial Item Handbook can be found at http://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/cpic/cp/docs/draftcihandbook_06172009.doc. DoD is seeking industry input on the contents of the draft Handbook.

Michele P. Peterson, Editor, Defense Acquisition Regulations System. [FR Doc. E9-15486 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 5001-08-P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request AGENCY:

Department of Education.

SUMMARY:

The Acting Director, Information Collection Clearance Division, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management invites comments on the submission for OMB review as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before July 31, 2009.

ADDRESSES:

Written comments should be addressed to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Education Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW., Room 10222, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503, be faxed to (202) 395-5806 or send e-mail to oira_submission@omb.eop.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) provide interested Federal agencies and the public an early opportunity to comment on information collection requests. OMB may amend or waive the requirement for public consultation to the extent that public participation in the approval process would defeat the purpose of the information collection, violate State or Federal law, or substantially interfere with any agency's ability to perform its statutory obligations. The Acting Director, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management, publishes that notice containing proposed information collection requests prior to submission of these requests to OMB. Each proposed information collection, grouped by office, contains the following: (1) Type of review requested, e.g., new, revision, extension, existing or reinstatement; (2) Title; (3) Summary of the collection; (4) Description of the need for, and proposed use of, the information; (5) Respondents and frequency of collection; and (6) Reporting and/or Recordkeeping burden. OMB invites public comment.

Dated: June 26, 2009. Sheila Carey, Acting Director, Information Collection Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management. Institute of Education Sciences

Type of Review: Revision.

Title: 2010 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) Wave 2.

Frequency: Once.

Affected Public: Individuals or household.

Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:

Responses: 3,605. Burden Hours: 1,201.

Abstract: This submittal contains burden information and the actual background worksheets/questionnaires for the following components of the 2010 NAEP assessments:

SD (Student with Disabilities) Worksheets/Questionnaires-Grades 4, 8, 12.

ELL (English Language Learner) Worksheets/Questionnaires-Grades 4, 8, 12.

NAEP encourages the inclusion of all students who can meaningfully participate in the assessment, including those with disabilities and English language learners. In order to obtain a complete picture of educational progress for all students, it is important to collect supplemental information on students in the sample who have been identified as having a disability or are English language learners. SD and ELL worksheets/questionnaires are completed by school personnel who are most knowledgeable about students identified as SD or ELL.

Requests for copies of the information collection submission for OMB review may be accessed from http://edicsweb.ed.gov, by selecting the Browse Pending Collections link and by clicking on link number 4081. When you access the information collection, click on Download Attachments to view. Written requests for information should be addressed to U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., LBJ, Washington, DC 20202-4537. Requests may also be electronically mailed to the Internet address ICDocketMgr@ed.gov or faxed to 202-401-0920. Please specify the complete title of the information collection when making your request.

Comments regarding burden and/or the collection activity requirements should be electronically mailed to ICDocketMgr@ed.gov. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.

[FR Doc. E9-15557 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [CFDA No. 84.382B] Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Program AGENCY:

Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION:

Notice of intent to fund down the fiscal year (FY) 2008 grant slate for the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) Program.

SUMMARY:

The Secretary intends to use the grant slate developed in FY 2008 for the AANAPISI Program authorized under Title III, Part F, Section 371 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), to make new grant awards in FY 2009 under Section 320 of the HEA. The Secretary takes this action because a number of high-quality applications remain on last year's grant slate. We expect to use an estimated $2,500,000 for new awards in FY 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Darlene B. Collins, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6020, Washington, DC 20006-6450. Telephone: (202) 502-7576 or via Internet: darlene.collins@ed.gov.

If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.

Individuals with disabilities can obtain this document in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to the contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:Background

On May 12, 2008, we published a notice in the Federal Register (73 FR 26970) inviting applications for new awards under Title III, Part F, Section 371 of the HEA for the AANAPISI Program.

In response to this notice, we received a number of high-quality applications for grants under the AANAPISI Program and made 6 new grant awards. However, there were applications that were awarded high scores by peer reviewers that did not receive funding in FY 2008 due to the level of appropriations.

The Department's FY 2009 appropriation for Section 371 of the HEA is sufficient to allow the Department to make continuation awards to the 6 current grantees. Rather than using program funds for a new peer review process for new grants under the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Program authorized under Section 320, the Department has decided to select grantees in FY 2009 from the existing slate of applicants. This slate was developed during the FY 2008 competition using the selection criteria, application requirements, and definitions referenced in the May 12, 2008 Federal Register notice.

Note:

To be eligible to receive a grant pursuant to this notice, all applicants being considered for funding based on the funding slate for the FY 2008 competition must meet all statutory and regulatory, basic and programmatic, eligibility criteria and other requirements for this program.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1057-1059d.

Electronic Access to This Document

You may view this document, as well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), on the Internet at the following site: www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.

To use PDF, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.

Note:

The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.

Delegation of Authority: The Secretary of Education has delegated authority to Daniel T. Madzelan, Director, Forecasting and Policy Analysis for the Office of Postsecondary Education, to perform the functions of the Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.

Dated: June 26, 2009. Daniel T. Madzelan, Director, Forecasting and Policy Analysis. [FR Doc. E9-15597 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information: Erma Byrd Scholarship Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.116E.

Dates:

Applications Available: July 1, 2009.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 31, 2009.

Full Text of Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program: The Erma Byrd Scholarship Program provides scholarships to individuals pursuing a course of study that will lead to a career in industrial health and safety occupations, including mine safety. This program is designed to increase the skilled workforce in these fields at both the fundamental skills level and the advanced skills level. The program has a service obligation component, which requires recipients of the scholarship to begin employment in a career position related to industrial health and safety no later than six months after completion of the degree program, and to continue to work in a career position related to industrial health and safety, including mine safety, for a period of one year.

The scholarships are available to students in the following eligible areas of study related to industrial health and safety: Mining and mineral engineering, industrial engineering, occupational safety and health technology/technician, quality control technology/technician, industrial safety technology/technician, hazardous materials information systems technology/technician, mining technology/technician, and occupational health and industrial hygiene.

Program Authority: The Erma Byrd Scholarship Program is established by Title III of the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009, Public Law 111-8.

Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Discretionary grant.

Estimated Available Funds: $1,000,000.

Estimated Average Size of Awards: $2,500 (associate's degree student); $5,000 (bachelor's degree student); $10,000 (graduate student).

Estimated Number of Awards: 110. The number of scholarships awarded will be allocated between undergraduate students and graduate students in the same proportion as the number of fundable applications received from those groups of students, taking into account the size of the awards to be made to students in those groups.

Note:

The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.

Project Period: Up to 24 months.

III. Eligibility Information and Program Requirements

1. Eligible Applicants: Individuals who at the time of application: (1) Are enrolled in an associate's degree program, or are enrolled in a bachelor's degree program or a graduate program and are within two years of completing a degree at the bachelor's or graduate level; (2) are eligible to receive a Federal grant, loan, or work assistance pursuant to section 484 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA); and (3) are pursuing an associate's, bachelor's or graduate degree in an eligible field of study under the Erma Byrd Scholarship Program, at an accredited institution of higher education in the United States. In addition, to receive an Erma Byrd Scholarship, an individual must be a citizen, national, or permanent resident of the United States.

2. Program Requirements:

(a) Satisfactory academic progress. Scholarship recipients must maintain satisfactory academic progress in accordance with 34 CFR 668.34 throughout the period of funding and must submit a Student Activities Report to the Secretary at the end of each year of funding with a certification from an authorized representative of the institution that the student is maintaining satisfactory academic progress. If an Erma Byrd Scholarship recipient does not maintain satisfactory academic progress throughout the period of funding or does not submit a Student Activities Report to the Secretary at the end of each year of funding, the recipient is not eligible for any additional funding and must repay the scholarship amount as a Direct Unsubsidized Student Loan with all the associated repayment conditions, including interest payments and fees as provided under title IV, part D of the HEA.

(b) Service obligation. The program has a service obligation component. Scholarship recipients must be employed in a career position related to industrial health and safety, including mine safety, for a period of one year following the completion of their degree program. Scholarship recipients must begin such employment no more than six months after the completion of their degree program. Scholarship recipients must submit a verification of employment report to the Secretary no more than six months immediately after completion of his or her degree program, reporting on post-graduation activities, including changes in their permanent address, e-mail, phone number, and employment status. Additionally, scholarship recipients must submit a final employment report to the Secretary at the end of the one year service obligation period.

If an Erma Byrd Scholarship recipient does not fulfill the complete service obligation within eighteen months after completion of his or her degree program, the scholarship amount must be repaid as a Direct Unsubsidized Student Loan with all the associated repayment conditions, including interest payments and fees as provided under Title I, Part D of the HEA.

3. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost sharing or matching.

4. Applicability of Rulemaking Requirements. Under the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) and section 437 of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1), the Department generally offers interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed eligibility and other program requirements. Title III of the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009, Public Law 111-8, provides, however, that the provisions of section 553 of the APA and section 437 of GEPA do not apply to this program.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package: You can obtain an application package via the Internet or from the Department. To obtain a copy via the Internet, use the following address for the Erma Byrd Scholarship Program Web site: http://www.ed.gov/programs/ermabyrd/index.html

To obtain a copy from the Department, write, fax, or call the following: Lauren Kennedy, Erma Byrd Scholarship Program, U.S. Department of Education, Teacher and Student Development Programs Service, 1990 K St., NW., Room 6121, Washington, DC 20006-8524. Telephone: (202) 502-7630; Fax: (202) 502-7852; or, by e-mail: ermabyrdprogram@ed.gov.

If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.

Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application package in an accessible format ( e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the person listed in this section.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you must submit, are in the application package for this program.

3. Submission Dates and Times:

Applications Available: July 1, 2009.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 31, 2009.

4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is not subject to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.

5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.

6. Other Submission Requirements: All applications must be submitted electronically by e-mailing the application in the form of a Microsoft Word (.DOC) document to ermabyrdprogram@ed.gov.

If you are unable to submit your application by e-mail and wish to submit your application by mail, you must submit a request for permission to submit it by mail 10 days prior to the application deadline date to Lauren Kennedy at ermabyrdprogram@ed.gov. In your request, you must include the reason why you are unable to submit the application electronically. Please note that electronic applications will not be accepted if the application is presented in a format other than Microsoft Word.

Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact the person listed under For Further Information Contact in section VII of this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the application process, the individual's application remains subject to all other requirements and limitations in this notice.

V. Application Review Information

1. Selection Criteria:

All applicants are required to complete and submit the Erma Byrd Scholarship Program Applicant Information Form, which will be used to determine the applicant's eligibility for the scholarship.

2. Review and Selection Process:

(a) Undergraduate applicants. In selecting undergraduate students to receive a scholarship, the Secretary will award scholarships to students in the order that the applications are received. Priority will be given first to students who have demonstrated financial need and are eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant.

Qualified undergraduate applicants who wish to have their Federal Pell Grant eligibility considered as part of their application must demonstrate financial need by submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which may be obtained at www.fafsa.ed.gov or from their institution's financial aid office, and by submitting their Social Security Number using the Pell Grant Eligibility Certification Sheet contained in the Erma Byrd Scholarship Program Application Information Form. Applicants who have already submitted their FAFSA for the 2009-2010 award year do not need to resubmit the FAFSA.

The Secretary will award scholarships to applicants who are eligible for Federal Pell Grants and who are enrolled in eligible fields of study in the order that the applications are received.

If additional funds are available after awards are made to undergraduate students who are eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, scholarships will be awarded to qualified undergraduate students who are not eligible for a Federal Pell Grant in the order that their applications are received.

(b) Graduate applicants. In selecting graduate students to receive a scholarship, the Secretary will award scholarships to qualified students in the order that the applications are received.

VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify you and your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send a Grant Award Notification (GAN) directly to the institution you will be attending. The institution will disburse funds to scholarship recipients in accordance with its regular payment schedule.

If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, we notify you.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify administrative and national policy requirements in the application package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.

We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also incorporates your approved application as part of your binding commitments under the grant.

3. Reporting: Scholarship recipients must submit a Student Activities Report to the Secretary at the end of each year of funding, which includes a certification from an authorized representative of the institution that the student is maintaining satisfactory academic progress. In addition, scholarship recipients must submit a verification of employment report to the Secretary no more than six months immediately after completion of his or her degree program, reporting on post-graduation activities, including changes in their permanent address, e-mail, phone number, and employment status. Finally, scholarship recipients must submit a final employment report to the Secretary at the end of the service obligation period.

At the request of the student, an institution of higher education in which a scholarship recipient is enrolled must provide the student with a written certification from an authorized representative of the institution that the student is maintaining satisfactory academic progress.

4. Performance Measures: The effectiveness of the Erma Byrd Scholarship Program will be measured by graduation completion rates, time-to-degree completion rates, and the percentage of students fulfilling the one-year service obligation within eighteen months of graduation. The Department will use the verification of employment and final employment reports to assess the program's success in assisting scholarship recipients in completing their course of study and receiving their degree, and entering the specified fields.

VII. Agency Contacts FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Lauren Kennedy, Erma Byrd Scholarship Program, U.S. Department of Education, Teacher and Student Development Programs Service, 1990 K St., NW., Room 6121, Washington, DC 20006-8524. Telephone: (202) 502-7630 or e-mail: ermabyrdprogram@ed.gov.

If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.

VIII. Other Information

Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format (e.g. braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice.

Electronic Access to This Document: You can view this document, as well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), on the Internet at the following site: www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.

To use PDF, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.

Note:

The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.

Delegation of Authority: The Secretary of Education has delegated authority to Daniel T. Madzelan, Director, Forecasting and Policy Analysis for the Office of Postsecondary Education, to perform the functions of the Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.

Dated: June 26, 2009. Daniel T. Madzelan, Director, Forecasting and Policy Analysis. [FR Doc. E9-15567 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Finding of No Significant Impact: Disposition of DOE Excess Depleted Uranium, Natural Uranium, and Low-Enriched Uranium AGENCY:

Department of Energy.

ACTION:

Finding of No Significant Impact.

SUMMARY:

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE, the Department) has completed an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Disposition of DOE Excess Depleted Uranium (DU), Natural Uranium (NU), and Low-Enriched Uranium (LEU) (DOE/EA-1607). Based on the analysis in the EA, the Department has determined that the proposed action, DOE dispositioning its excess uranium inventory using one or a combination of two methods-(1) enrichment to either NU or LEU product and subsequent storage or sale of the resultant NU or LEU product (Enrichment Alternative), and (2) direct sale to appropriately licensed entities (Direct Sale Alternative)-does not constitute a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment within the context of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Therefore, the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is not required and the Department is issuing this Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).

ADDRESSES:

Single copies of the EA and FONSI may be obtained from:

Mr. Ronald Hagen, NEPA Document Manager, NE-6, Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20585-0113, Phone: (202) 586-1381, Facsimile: (202) 287-3701, Electronic mail: Ronald.Hagen@nuclear.energy.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Ronald Hagen, Phone: (202) 586-1381, Electronic mail: Ronald.Hagen@nuclear.energy.gov. For information on DOE's NEPA process: Ms. Carol Borgstrom, Director, NEPA Policy and Compliance, GC-20, Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585-0113, Phone: (202) 586-4600, Facsimile: (202) 586-7031. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background: DOE owns and manages an inventory of excess DU, NU, and LEU. This inventory is currently stored in large cylinders as depleted uranium hexafluoride (DUF6), natural uranium hexafluoride (NUF6), and low-enriched uranium hexafluoride (LEUF6) at the DOE Paducah site in western Kentucky (DOE Paducah) and the DOE Portsmouth site near Piketon in south-central Ohio (DOE Portsmouth). This inventory exceeds DOE's current and projected energy and defense program needs. The Secretary of Energy policy statement on the management of DOE excess uranium inventory issued on March 11, 2008, commits DOE to managing all of its excess uranium inventory in a manner that (1) is consistent with all applicable legal requirements; (2) maintains sufficient uranium inventory at all times to meet the current and reasonably foreseeable needs of Departmental missions; (3) undertakes transactions involving non-U.S. Government entities in a transparent and competitive manner, unless the Secretary determines in writing that overriding Departmental mission needs dictate otherwise; and (4) is consistent with and supportive of the maintenance of a strong domestic nuclear industry.

In conformance with the requirements of the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508) and the DOE NEPA Implementing Procedures (10 CFR Part 1021), the Department prepared a draft EA which was issued for public review on December 24, 2008. Comments were received from potentially affected states, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and uranium industry organizations. The draft EA was revised in response to the comments, as appropriate.

Alternatives and Environmental Impacts: The potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed disposition of excess uranium inventory were analyzed for the following alternatives:

No Action Alternative: DOE would continue with existing plans to convert DU to a more stable chemical form at the two new conversion facilities and would not enrich or sell any of its excess DU inventory as proposed in this EA. DOE would also continue to store excess NU and LEU in their current configurations at Portsmouth and Paducah.

Alternative 1-Enrichment: DOE would contract for enrichment of excess DU, NU, and LEU and subsequent storage or sale of the resultant NU or LEU product. DOE would ship by commercial carriers (truck, rail, barge, and/or ship) excess DU, NU, and LEU to one or more of four enrichment facilities (three domestic and one foreign). LEU product could be stored at up to three U.S. commercial nuclear fuel fabrication facilities in North Carolina, South Carolina, and/or Washington State, and/or at DOE's Portsmouth or Paducah sites. NU product could be stored at enrichment facilities in Kentucky, New Mexico, and/or Ohio, and/or at DOE's Portsmouth or Paducah sites. DOE would contract with the enrichment facility to store and/or dispose of the DU tails or, in the case of domestic enrichment facilities, to ship the DU tails to DOE Paducah and/or DOE Portsmouth for storage.

Alternative 2-Direct Sale: DOE would introduce excess DU, NU, and LEU into the commercial market through direct sales to appropriately licensed entities. The licensed purchasers would take delivery, transport and enrich the excess inventory, and transport and store the NU or LEU product in essentially the same manner and using essentially the same facilities as would DOE under the Enrichment Alternative.

The potential environmental impacts of all aspects of enrichment operations and the conversion of DU tails have been previously analyzed in existing NEPA documents and have been summarized and incorporated by reference in the EA. In addition, the EA analyzed (1) previously unanalyzed impacts on health and safety from transportation of the excess inventory, LEU product, NU, and DU tails, (2) impacts associated with accidents and intentional destructive acts (terrorism, sabotage), and (3) economic impacts of the proposed action on the domestic uranium industry. In general, the impacts identified for the Enrichment and Direct Sale Alternatives are similar if not identical. The attached Summary of the EA provides a summarization of the alternatives and the impacts.

Mitigation: The Mitigation Action Plan (MAP), which follows this determination and is an integral part of this FONSI, specifies the analyses the Department would undertake prior to sales and transfers of excess NU, DU, and LEU and commits the Department to implement appropriate mitigation measures to avoid or minimize any potentially significant impacts on the domestic uranium industry.

Conclusion: The potential environmental impacts of the proposed action have been analyzed in the EA. The analysis shows that no significant impacts are likely to occur as a result of the Department undertaking the proposed action. Further, no adverse impacts on the uranium industry are expected as the Department has committed to conduct analysis prior to each transaction and to take appropriate action to mitigate any adverse impacts on the uranium industry.

Determination: Based on the analysis in the subject EA and the commitments in the Mitigation Action Plan outlined below, the Department has determined that the proposed disposition of the excess uranium inventory of DU, NU, and LEU using one or a combination of two methods-(1) enriching it and then storing or selling the resultant product, and/or (2) selling excess DU, NU, and LEU inventory to appropriately licensed entities-would not have significant environmental impacts, including impacts on the domestic uranium mining, conversion or enrichment industry (domestic uranium industry) and is not a major Federal action that would significantly affect the quality of the human environment within the context of NEPA. Therefore, the preparation of an EIS is not required.

Mitigation Action Plan for the Disposition of DOE Excess Depleted Uranium, Natural Uranium, and Low-Enriched Uranium

Purpose: This Mitigation Action Plan will be implemented by DOE to mitigate any potentially significant impacts on the domestic uranium industry from DOE's decision to disposition the excess NU, DU, and LEU inventory at DOE's Paducah and Portsmouth sites by enriching it, and then storing or selling the resultant product, and/or selling excess NU, DU, and LEU inventory to appropriately licensed entities, as analyzed in the Environmental Assessment for the Disposition of DOE Excess Depleted Uranium, Natural Uranium, and Low-Enriched Uranium.

Mitigation Action Plan: The DOE NEPA requirements governing mitigation action plans are set forth at 10 CFR 1021.331. This regulation specifies at 10 CFR 1021.331(b) that, in cases where an EA supports a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), DOE shall also prepare a MAP for commitments to mitigation that are essential to render the impacts of the proposed action not significant. In such cases, the MAP must address all commitments to such necessary mitigations and explain how mitigation will be planned and implemented. The MAP must be prepared before the FONSI is issued, and referenced in the FONSI. In addition, the MAP must be as complete as possible, commensurate with the information available regarding the action to be covered by the FONSI, and may be revised as more specific and detailed information becomes available. 10 CFR 1021.331(c).

This MAP addresses the DOE commitments that are necessary and how they will be planned or implemented to mitigate any potentially significant impacts on the domestic uranium industry from DOE's Proposed Action. In the EA, DOE identified two mitigation measures that underlie its analysis and would be utilized to mitigate any potentially significant impacts on the domestic uranium industry from its Proposed Action: (1) Prior to particular sales or transfers of NU and LEU, as applicable, a Secretarial Determination pursuant to section 3112(d) of the USEC Privatization Act (Pub. L. 104-134) would be prepared to determine that there is no adverse material impact from the sale or transfer on the domestic uranium industry; and (2) prior to particular sales or transfers of DU, DOE would conduct an analysis to ensure there would be no potentially significant impacts from the sale or transfer on the domestic uranium industry (EA, Section 4.3.2).

The first mitigation measure is required under the USEC Privatization Act for certain sales or transfers of NU and LEU and DOE would plan and implement that measure consistent with existing law 1 and policy. That is, DOE would conduct a market impact analysis to determine the potential impacts of the proposed sale or transfer on the domestic uranium industry taking into account the sales of uranium under the Russian HEU Agreement and the Suspension Agreement, and other uranium sales or transfers by the DOE (including the National Nuclear Security Administration). Among other things, the market impact analysis would consider, as appropriate, current and projected uranium prices, enrichment capacity, uranium mining activities, and commercial contracting practices. Should the market impact analysis indicate adverse material impacts on the domestic uranium industry, the proposed sale or transfer would be adjusted as necessary to ensure that such adverse impacts are avoided or mitigated. The sale or transfer may be approved and implemented only if the Secretary determines that the sale or transfer would not have adverse material impacts on the domestic uranium industry.

1 Although DOE compliance with the requirements of section 3112(d) of the USEC Privatization Act is included in this MAP as a mitigation measure, it should be noted that it is an integral element of the Proposed Action and, as such, need not be included or described in this MAP. However, it has been included herein to provide a comprehensive explanation of the actions that would be undertaken by DOE to mitigate any potentially significant impacts on the domestic uranium industry from the Proposed Action.

The second mitigation measure applies to DU and is not required under the USEC Privatization Act; however, as indicated in the EA, DOE would conduct an analysis prior to particular sales or transfers of DU to ensure there would be no potentially significant impacts to the domestic uranium industry. Conducting such an analysis would be consistent with DOE policies for uranium management as outlined in the Secretarial Policy Statement, and is a commitment DOE will undertake and include in this MAP in order to mitigate any potentially significant impacts on the domestic uranium industry from DOE's proposed sale or transfer of DU. The market impact analysis would be prepared prior to a particular sale or transfer, and would be similar in form and content to the market impact analysis that underlies a Secretarial Determination pursuant to the USEC Privatization Act. That is, DOE would conduct a market impact analysis to determine the potential impacts of the proposed sale or transfer on the domestic uranium industry, taking into account the sales of uranium under the Russian HEU Agreement and the Suspension Agreement, and other uranium sales or transfers by the DOE (including the National Nuclear Security Administration). Among other things, the market impact analysis would consider, as appropriate, current and projected uranium prices, enrichment capacity, uranium mining activities, and commercial contracting practices. Should the market impact analysis indicate potentially significant impacts on the domestic uranium industry, the proposed sale or transfer would be adjusted as necessary to ensure that such potentially significant impacts are avoided or mitigated. The sale or transfer of DU may be approved and implemented only if the market impact analysis indicates that the sale or transfer would not result in potentially significant impacts on the domestic uranium industry.

With these commitments in place, the Proposed Action would be implemented by DOE in a manner that would avoid or mitigate any potentially significant impacts on the domestic uranium industry. This MAP may be revised in the future as more specific and detailed information becomes available.

Issued in Washington, DC, on June 24, 2009. R. Shane Johnson, Acting Assistant Secretary, Office of Nuclear Energy. Final Environmental Assessment Disposition of DOE Excess Depleted Uranium, Natural Uranium, and Low-Enriched Uranium (DOE/EA-1607) Summary

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) owns and manages an inventory of depleted uranium (DU), natural uranium (NU), and low-enriched uranium (LEU) that is currently stored in large cylinders as depleted uranium hexafluoride (DUF6), natural uranium hexafluoride (NUF6), and low-enriched uranium hexafluoride (LEUF6) at the DOE Paducah site in western Kentucky (DOE Paducah) and the DOE Portsmouth site near Piketon in south-central Ohio (DOE Portsmouth)2 . This inventory exceeds DOE's current and projected energy and defense program needs.

2 DOE also has additional uranium of varying levels of enrichment that, in the future, may be added to the excess DU, NU, and LEU inventory (e.g., uranium that could be recovered during facility decontamination and decommissioning [DD]). In addition, the DOE uranium inventory includes quantities of highly enriched uranium (HEU), which is being dispositioned through an ongoing National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) program and is not addressed in this EA.

On March 11, 2008, the Secretary of Energy issued a policy statement (the Secretarial Policy Statement) on the management of DOE's excess uranium inventory (Appendix A). The policy statement commits DOE to manage all of its excess uranium inventories in a manner that (1) is consistent with all applicable legal requirements; (2) maintains sufficient uranium inventories at all times to meet the current and reasonably foreseeable needs of Departmental missions; (3) undertakes transactions involving non-U.S. Government entities in a transparent and competitive manner, unless the Secretary of Energy determines in writing that overriding Departmental mission needs dictate otherwise; and (4) is consistent with and supportive of the maintenance of a strong domestic nuclear industry.

In accordance with this policy, DOE proposes to disposition part of its excess uranium inventory using one or a combination of two methods: (1) Enrichment to either NU or LEU product, and subsequent storage or sale of the resultant NU or LEU product (the Enrichment Alternative), and (2) direct sale 3 to appropriately licensed entities (the Direct Sale Alternative). Under the Enrichment Alternative, DOE could enrich DU to the 235U content of NU (i.e., 0.711 percent 235U), and DOE could enrich DU, NU, and/or LEU (with a current 235U content of less than 4.95 percent) up to 4.95 percent 235U content. This environmental assessment (EA) assumes that the Proposed Action would result in the annual enrichment and/or sale of amounts of the excess inventory that, combined with other DOE sales or transfers to the market, generally would not exceed 10 percent of the total annual fuel requirements of all licensed U.S. nuclear power plants-that is, approximately 2,000 metric tons of uranium (MTU). In some years, the annual amount enriched and/or sold could be greater than 2,000 MTU (for example, due to startup of new reactors, which requires approximately two times the amount of natural uranium needed for subsequent routine re-loads).

3 In this EA, the term sale includes direct sales, transfers, or other transactions the Department may undertake to disposition its excess uranium inventory.

As mentioned previously, the excess inventory that DOE currently proposes to disposition is stored as UF6 at the DOE Portsmouth site in Ohio and the DOE Paducah site in Kentucky. DOE also anticipates the potential identification of additional amounts of LEU with a 235U content of less than 4.95 percent. Under the Enrichment Alternative, the uranium could be transported by truck or rail to one or more of three enrichment facilities in the United States or to a foreign enrichment facility. A facility in France is identified as a representative foreign facility for the purposes of assessing potential impacts. Shipments to France could be via any of several east-coast or gulf-coast U.S. ports; however, this EA assumes, for purposes of analysis, that the uranium would be transported by barge to New Orleans, Louisiana, then by ship to France. The LEU product could be stored at up to three U.S. commercial nuclear fuel fabrication facilities (FFFs) in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Washington State, and/or at DOE's Portsmouth or Paducah sites. When DU is enriched to NU, it would be stored at enrichment facilities in Kentucky, New Mexico, and/or Ohio, and/or at DOE's Portsmouth or Paducah sites. The DU that would result from the enrichment process, called DU tails, would be stored and managed at the enrichment facility or be transported to and stored and managed at DOE's Portsmouth or Paducah sites.

In this EA, DOE assesses the potential environmental impacts associated with this Proposed Action and a No Action Alternative. The potential impacts of all aspects of enrichment operations and the conversion of DU tails, per se, have been previously addressed in existing National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents. This EA focuses on previously unanalyzed impacts: (1) Health and safety impacts from transportation of the excess inventory, LEU product, NU, and DU tails; (2) impacts associated with accidents and intentional destructive acts (terrorism, sabotage); and (3) economic impacts of the Proposed Action on the domestic uranium industry.

In general, the impacts identified for the Enrichment and Direct Sale Alternatives are similar if not identical. The potential impacts are summarized as follows:

For all truck, rail, and barge transport options, for all domestic and foreign enrichment facility locations, and for all storage options, transportation of the entire inventory of DU, NU, and LEU subject to this EA is estimated to result in up to 3 transportation-related fatalities 4 over approximately 25 years 5 . For overseas transportation, this includes impacts from sea transit, U.S. port operations, and overland transport. These transportation impacts include the radiological and nonradiological impacts from incident-free transportation and transportation accidents. The range in impacts presented in this EA is primarily due to differences in the amounts of materials that would be shipped for each case analyzed and differences in the distances over which the materials would be shipped.

4 For perspective, over the period 2002 to 2006, about 43,000 people were killed each year in motor vehicle accidents and about 900 people were killed each year in railroad accidents and incidents in the United States (DOT 2007).

5 Because the actual annual amounts of excess inventory enriched would likely be less than the maximum annual amount, and because it would probably change from year to year, DOE is not limiting the Proposed Action to a particular number of years. However, for purposes of modeling the impacts of processing the entire inventory, 25 years is used.

For enrichment at the National Enrichment Facility (NEF) near Eunice, New Mexico, the truck or rail transportation impacts would be higher than for enrichment at Paducah, Kentucky, or Portsmouth, Ohio, because the NU, LEU, or DU feed would be shipped greater distances; the DU tails and NU product, could be stored/dispositioned by NEF, or could be shipped back to Paducah or Portsmouth.

The probability of a latent cancer fatality (LCF) for the maximally exposed individual (MEI) along the truck transportation routes was estimated to range from 8.3 10? 8 to 5.3 10? 7 over 25 years. For the analysis, the MEI was located 30 meters from the highway and was exposed to all truck shipments. The shipments are assumed to travel at a speed of 24 kilometers (15 miles) per hour, which is representative of speeds in urban areas.

The probability of an LCF for the MEI along the rail transportation routes was almost identical to truck transport, ranging from 8.2 10? 8 to 5.2 10? 7 over 25 years. For the analysis, the MEI was located 30 meters from the railroad and was exposed to all rail shipments. The shipments are assumed to travel at a speed of 24 kilometers (15 miles) per hour, which is representative of speeds in urban areas.

The transportation-related impacts of transporting the uranium to New Orleans by barge would be less than the impacts of transporting the uranium there by truck or rail due to the fewer number of required shipments and the fact that the exposed population would be smaller for barge transport.

Severe rail accidents would have higher consequences than truck accidents because each railcar would carry four cylinders of DU, NU, or LEU (feed), compared with only one for each truck. For LEU product, each railcar would carry 12 cylinders, compared with 3 to 5 for each truck.

DOE estimated that the radiological risks of transportation accidents for truck shipments (probability of occurrence consequence summed over a complete spectrum of accidents, including the severe accidents discussed below) ranged from 0.042 to 0.96 LCFs over 25 years.

DOE also estimated the consequences of severe truck accidents. For a severe truck accident involving one cylinder of depleted uranium hexafluoride (DUF6), the population radiation dose could be as high as 32,000 person-rem in an urban area if stable atmospheric conditions existed at the time of the accident. Based on this population radiation dose, it was estimated that there could be 20 LCFs in the assumed exposed population of about 3 million people. The radiation dose for the MEI was estimated to be as high as 0.91 rem and the probability of an LCF for this individual was estimated to be 0.0005. The probability of this accident ranged from 8.1 10? 4 to 0.016 over 25 years.

If the severe transportation accident involved NU feed or product, the radiological consequences would be higher-about 28 LCFs in the assumed exposed population. For the MEI, the probability of an LCF would be 8 10? 4. The probability of this accident ranged from 1.5 10? 4 to 0.0055 over 25 years for those cases where NU is shipped. However, for several cases, NU would not be shipped and the probability of this accident would be zero.

If the severe transportation accident involved LEU product, the radiological consequences would range from about 75 to 125 LCFs in the assumed exposed population, assuming that all three or five 30B cylinders, respectively, in a truck shipment were breached during the severe accident. For the MEI, the probability of an LCF would be 0.002 or 0.0036 if three or five 30B cylinders, respectively, were breached during the severe accident. If three 30B cylinders were involved in the accident, the probability of the accident would range from 2.2 10? 4 to 9 10? 4 over 25 years for those cases where LEU is shipped. If five 30B cylinders were involved in the accident, the probability would range from 1.3 10? 4 to 5.4 10? 4 over 25 years for those cases were LEU is shipped. However, for several cases, LEU would not be shipped and the probability of this accident would be zero. In addition, the probability associated with this accident does not incorporate the effects of the protective overpack surrounding the 30B cylinders, which would reduce the probability of the accident to a range of 4.4 10? 5 to 1.8 10? 4 over 25 years if three 30B cylinders were involved or a range of 2.7 10? 5 to 1.1 10? 4 over 25 years if five 30B cylinders were involved

DOE estimated that the radiological risks of transportation accidents for rail shipments (probability of occurrence consequence summed over a complete spectrum of accidents, including the severe accidents discussed below) ranged from 0.051 to 0.97 LCFs over 25 years. The radiological risks for rail and truck transportation accidents are similar because the total number of cylinders shipped by rail and truck is the same.

DOE also estimated the consequences of severe rail accidents. For a severe rail accident involving four cylinders of DUF6, the population radiation dose could be as high as 130,000 person-rem in an urban area if stable atmospheric conditions existed at the time of the accident. Based on this population radiation dose, it was estimated that there could be 80 LCFs in the assumed exposed population of about 3 million people. Under this scenario, the radiation dose for the MEI was estimated to be as high as 3.7 rem, and the probability of an LCF for this individual was estimated to be 0.002. The probability of this accident ranged from 2.4 10? 4 to 0.003 over 25 years.

If the severe transportation accident involved NU feed or product, the radiological consequences would be higher-about 110 LCFs in the assumed exposed population and the probability of an LCF for the MEI would be 0.003. The probability of this accident ranged from 4.4 10? 5 to 0.0011 over 25 years for those cases where NU is shipped. However, for several cases, NU would not be shipped and the probability of this accident would be zero.

If the severe transportation accident involved LEU product, the radiological consequences would be about 310 LCFs in the assumed exposed populations, assuming that all twelve 30B cylinders in a rail shipment were breached during the severe accident. For the MEI, the probability of an LCF would be 0.009. The probability of this accident ranged from 4.3 10? 5 to 2.6 10? 4 over 25 years for those cases where LEU is shipped. However, for several cases, LEU would not be shipped and the probability of this accident would be zero. In addition, the probability associated with this accident does not incorporate the effects of the protective overpack surrounding the 30B cylinders, which would reduce the probability of the accident to a range of 4.3 10? 6 to 2.6 10? 5 over 25 years.

For both the truck and rail severe transportation accidents, the accidents were assumed to take place in an urban area with a population density of 1,600 people per square kilometer. Potential consequences were estimated for the population within a 50-mile (80-kilometer) radius, assuming that this population density extended out to 50 miles (80 kilometers). It is important to note that according to the 2000 census, the average population density within 50 miles of the center of the 20 highest population urbanized areas in the United States is about 380 people per square kilometer, so the consequences would likely be lower if a severe truck or rail accident took place in an urban area. In addition, the severe accidents were assumed to take place during stable atmospheric conditions. As illustrated in Table 4-13, if the accidents took place during neutral atmospheric conditions, the consequences would be substantially lower. For example, if the severe truck accident involving LEU product occurred during neutral atmospheric conditions, the consequences would range from 3 to 5 LCFs, substantially lower than 75 to 125 LCFs. If the severe rail accident involving LEU product occurred during neutral atmospheric conditions, the consequences would be about 12 LCFs, substantially lower than 310 LCFs.

Three individuals could suffer irreversible health effects from severe truck accidents and four individuals could suffer irreversible health effects from severe rail accidents due to the chemical toxicity associated with UF6, hydrogen fluoride (HF), and uranyl fluoride (UO2F2). No fatalities are estimated to result from chemical exposure.

Although it is not possible to predict the probability of an intentional destructive act, implementation of elements identified in the Department of Transportation-required security plan (personnel security, unauthorized access, and en route security) are judged to make these occurrences very unlikely. The consequences of such acts would be similar to the consequences discussed above for severe truck and rail accidents involving DU, NU, and LEU.

If a severe accident involving stored LEU product were to occur, the accident would result in an estimated population dose. For example, at Global Nuclear Fuel-Americas (GNF-A), a severe accident was estimated to result in a population dose of 29,000 person-rem. In the assumed exposed population around the GNF-A facility, this radiation dose is estimated to result in 17 LCFs. The radiation dose for an individual located 2 kilometers from the facility was estimated to be 5 rem. The probability of an LCF for this person is estimated to be 0.003. If this accident occurred at other sites, the results would vary depending on the amount of material involved in the accident; the enrichment of the UF6; the release fractions, aerosolized fractions, and respirable fractions; release assumptions such as whether the release was elevated or from ground level; the number of people exposed; atmospheric conditions; and radiation dosimetry assumptions.

The potential market impacts (including socioeconomic impacts) on the domestic uranium mining, conversion, and enrichment industries (i.e., domestic uranium industry) from direct sales or transfers of uranium under the Proposed Action are expected to be small. In any event, DOE has prepared a mitigation action plan (MAP) to mitigate any potentially significant impacts on the domestic uranium industry from DOE decisions to disposition the excess NU, DU, and LEU inventory at DOE's Paducah and Portsmouth sites as analyzed in this EA.

Cumulative impacts under the Enrichment Alternative would essentially be the same as those previously evaluated for the sites involved because DOE's uranium inventory would not increase the sites' enrichment capacity or throughput. Under the Direct Sale Alternative, DOE assumes that actions by the purchasers would be essentially the same as DOE under the Enrichment Alternative. For that reason, DOE finds that the cumulative transportation, enrichment, and storage impacts of the Direct Sale Alternative would be essentially identical to those of the Enrichment Alternative. The cumulative impacts that would occur under the No Action Alternative assessed in this EA are the same as the cumulative impacts identified for the two new conversion facilities at Paducah and Portsmouth.

[FR Doc. E9-15534 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. OR09-13-000] BP Canada Energy Marketing Corp, Complainant v. Kinder Morgan Cochin LLC, Respondent; Notice of Complaint June 24, 2009.

Take notice that on June 19, 2009, pursuant sections 2, 3(1), 4(1), 9, 13(1), and 15(1) of the Interstate Commerce Act, 49 U.S.C. app. 2, 3(1), 4(1), 9, 13(1), and 15(1) (1988), Rule 206 of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (Commission) Rules of Practice and Procedure, 18 CFR 385.206, and section 343.2 of the Commission's Procedural Rules Applicable to Oil Pipeline Proceedings, 18 CFR 343.2, BP Canada Energy Marketing Corp (Complainant) filed a formal complaint against Kinder Morgan Cochin LLC (Respondent) challenging the Respondent's line fill policy which Complainant alleges has expired by its own terms, but Respondent continues to apply the policy to its shippers.

The Complainant states that copies of the complaint were served on the Respondent.

Any person desiring to intervene or to protest this filing must file in accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211, 385.214). Protests will be considered by the Commission in determining the appropriate action to be taken, but will not serve to make protestants parties to the proceeding. Any person wishing to become a party must file a notice of intervention or motion to intervene, as appropriate. The Respondent's answer and all interventions, or protests must be filed on or before the comment date. The Respondent's answer, motions to intervene, and protests must be served on the Complainants.

The Commission encourages electronic submission of protests and interventions in lieu of paper using the eFiling link at http://www.ferc.gov. Persons unable to file electronically should submit an original and 14 copies of the protest or intervention to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426.

This filing is accessible on-line at http://www.ferc.gov, using the eLibrary link and is available for review in the Commission's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC. There is an eSubscription link on the Web site that enables subscribers to receive e-mail notification when a document is added to a subscribed docket(s). For assistance with any FERC Online service, please e-mail FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, or call (866) 208-3676 (toll free). For TTY, call (202) 502-8659.

Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern Time on July 9, 2009.

Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. E9-15457 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. ER96-1085-013] South Carolina Electric Gas Company; Notice of Filing June 24, 2009.

Take notice that on January 13, 2009, South Carolina Electric Gas Company (SCEG) filed a response to the Commission's December 23, 2008 Letter Order requesting SCEG to submit additional information regarding its updated market power analysis filed with the Commission on September 2, 2008.

Any person desiring to intervene or to protest this filing must file in accordance with Rules 211 and 214 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.211, 385.214). Protests will be considered by the Commission in determining the appropriate action to be taken, but will not serve to make protestants parties to the proceeding. Any person wishing to become a party must file a notice of intervention or motion to intervene, as appropriate. Such notices, motions, or protests must be filed on or before the comment date. Anyone filing a motion to intervene or protest must serve a copy of that document on the Applicant and all the parties in this proceeding.

The Commission encourages electronic submission of protests and interventions in lieu of paper using the eFiling link at http://www.ferc.gov. Persons unable to file electronically should submit an original and 14 copies of the protest or intervention to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426.

This filing is accessible on-line at http://www.ferc.gov, using the eLibrary link and is available for review in the Commission's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC. There is an eSubscription link on the Web site that enables subscribers to receive e-mail notification when a document is added to a subscribed docket(s). For assistance with any FERC Online service, please e-mail FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, or call (866) 208-3676 (toll free). For TTY, call (202) 502-8659.

Comment Date: 5 p.m. Eastern Time on July 6, 2009.

Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary. [FR Doc. E9-15456 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-8924-9] Issuance of a Final NPDES General Permit (GP) for Federal Aquaculture Facilities and Aquaculture Facilities Located in Indian Country Within the Boundaries of the State of Washington (Permit Number WAG-13-0000) AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Issuance of final NPDES General Permit.

SUMMARY:

On November 12, 2008, the Director, Office of Water and Watersheds, EPA Region 10, proposed to issue a general permit to cover federal aquaculture facilities and aquaculture facilities in Indian Country in the State of Washington that meet minimum size thresholds of 20,000 pounds annual production and 5,000 pounds of feed used in the maximum month of feeding. During the 47-day comment period, EPA received comments from six people representing four organizations and has prepared a Response to Comments document to explain changes made in the permit and reasons for not making changes that were requested. EPA received certification for the permit under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act from the Lummi Nation, the Makah Tribe, the Spokane Tribe, the Tulalip Tribes, and the Washington Department of Ecology.

DATES:

The permit will become effective August 1, 2009 and will expire July 31, 2014. The permit issuance date is July 15, 2009.

ADDRESSES:

Copies of the General Permit and the Response to Comments may be requested from Audrey Washington, EPA Region 10, 1200 Sixth Avenue, Suite 900, OWW-130, Seattle, WA 98101-3140, by phone at (206) 553-0523, or by e-mail: washington.audrey@epa.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Copies of the general permit, fact sheet, and response to comments are available on the EPA Region 10 Web site at http://yosemite.epa.gov/R10/WATER.NSF/NPDES+Permits/General+NPDES+Permits#fedaqua.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A. Endangered Species Act

EPA has determined that issuance of the General Permit is not likely to adversely affect threatened or endangered salmonids, birds, or marine mammals, their designated critical habitat, or essential fish habitat. EPA has also determined that issuance of the General Permit will have no effect on any threatened or endangered marine reptiles, terrestrial mammals, invertebrates, or their designated critical habitats. Consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service is ongoing.

B. Executive Order 12866

The Office of Management and Budget has exempted this action from the review requirements of Executive Order 12866 pursuant to Section 6 of that order.

C. Paperwork Reduction Act

The information collection requirements of this permit were previously approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. and assigned OMB control numbers 2040-0086 (NPDES permit application) and 2040-0004 (discharge monitoring reports).

D. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act

Section 201 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA), Public Law 104-4, generally requires federal agencies to assess the effects of their regulatory actions (defined to be the same as rules subject to the RFA) on tribal, state, and local governments and the private sector. However, general NPDES permits are not rules subject to the requirements of 5 U.S.C. 553(b) and are therefore not subject to the UMRA.

E. Appeal of Permits

Any interested person may appeal the general permit in the Federal Court of Appeals in accordance with Section 509(b)(1) of the Clean Water Act. This appeal must be filed within 120 days after the permit issuance date. Persons affected by the permits may not challenge the conditions of the permits in further EPA proceedings (See 40 CFR 124.19). Instead they may either challenge the permit in court or apply for an individual NPDES permit.

Dated: June 23, 2009. Michael A. Bussell, Director, Office of Water Watersheds, Region 10. [FR Doc. E9-15417 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA-HQ-OPP-2008-0565; FRL-8423-7] Pesticide Product Registration; Conditional Approval AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

This notice announces Agency approval of an application submitted by MacIntosh and Associates, Incorporated (on behalf of Pasteuria Bioscience, Incorporated), to conditionally register the pesticide product Pasteuria usgae - BL1 containing a new active ingredient not included in any previously registered products pursuant to the provisions of section 3(c)(7)(C) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), as amended.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jeannine Kausch, Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division (7511P), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 347-8920; e-mail address: kausch.jeannine@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. General Information A. Does this Action Apply to Me?

You may be potentially affected by this action if you are an agricultural producer, food manufacturer, or pesticide manufacturer. Potentially affected entities may include, but are not limited to:

Crop production (NAICS code 111).

Animal production (NAICS code 112).

Food manufacturing (NAICS code 311).

Pesticide manufacturing (NAICS code 32532).

This listing is not intended to be exhaustive, but rather provides a guide for readers regarding entities likely to be affected by this action. Other types of entities not listed in this unit could also be affected. The North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) codes have been provided to assist you and others in determining whether this action might apply to certain entities. If you have any questions regarding the applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

B. How Can I Get Copies of this Document and Other Related Information?

1. Docket. EPA has established a docket for this action under docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2008-0565. Publicly available docket materials are available either in the electronic docket at http://www.regulations.gov, or, if only available in hard copy, at the Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) Regulatory Public Docket in Rm. S-4400, One Potomac Yard (South Bldg.), 2777 S. Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA. The hours of operation of this Docket Facility are from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The Docket Facility telephone number is (703) 305-5805.

In accordance with section 3(c)(2) of FIFRA, a copy of the approved label, the list of data references, the data and other scientific information used to support registration, except for material specifically protected by section 10 of FIFRA, are also available for public inspection. Requests for data must be made in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act and must be addressed to the Freedom of Information Office (A-101), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001. Such requests should: Identify the product name and registration number and specify the data or information desired.

A paper copy of the fact sheet, which provides more detail on this registration, may be obtained from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), 5285 Port Royal Rd., Springfield, VA 22161.

2. Electronic access. You may access this Federal Register document electronically through the EPA Internet under the Federal Register listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr.

II. Did EPA Conditionally Approve the Application?

A conditional registration may be granted under section 3(c)(7)(C) of FIFRA for a new active ingredient where certain data are lacking, on condition that such data are received by the end of the conditional registration period and do not meet or exceed the risk criteria set forth in 40 CFR 154.7; that use of the pesticide during the conditional registration period will not cause unreasonable adverse effects; and that use of the pesticide is in the public interest. The Agency has considered the available data on the risks associated with the proposed use of Pasteuria usgae, and information on social, economic, and environmental benefits to be derived from such use. Specifically, the Agency has considered the nature and its pattern of use, application methods and rates, and level and extent of potential exposure. Based on these reviews, the Agency was able to make basic health and safety determinations which show that use of Pasteuria usgae during the period of conditional registration will not cause any unreasonable adverse effect on the environment, and that use of the pesticide is, in the public interest.

Consistent with section 3(c)(7)(C) of FIFRA, the Agency has determined that this conditional registration is in the public interest. Use of this pesticide is of significance to the user community, and appropriate labeling, use directions, and other measures have been taken to ensure that use of this pesticide will not result in unreasonable adverse effects to man and the environment.

III. Conditional Approval Form

EPA issued a notice, published in the Federal Register of August 13, 2008 (73 FR 47166) (FRL-8376-3), which announced that MacIntosh and Associates, Incorporated, 1203 Hartford Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55116-1622 (on behalf of Pasteuria Bioscience, Incorporated, 12085 Research Drive, Suite 185, Alachua, FL 32615), had submitted an application to conditionally register the pesticide product, Pasteuria usga - BL1, manufacturing-use product (EPA File Symbol 85004-R), containing Pasteuria usgae at 0.01%, an active ingredient not included in any previously registered product.

Listed below is the application conditionally approved on June 2, 2009.

Pasteuria usgae - BL1. For manufacturing into nematicide end-use products intended to control sting nematode (Belonolaimus longicaudatus) in turf. EPA Reg. No. 85004-1.

List of Subjects

Environmental protection, Chemicals, Pests and pesticides.

Dated: June 23, 2009. Janet L. Andersen, Director, Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division, Office of Pesticide Programs. [FR Doc. E9-15321 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-S ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0481; FRL-8425-1] Proposed Stipulated Injunction Involving Pesticides and Eleven Species Listed as Threatened or Endangered Under the Endangered Species Act; Notice of Availability AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice of availability; request for public comment.

SUMMARY:

EPA is making available for comment a proposed Stipulated Injunction that would establish a series of deadlines for the Agency to make effects determinations and initiate consultation, as appropriate, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for certain pesticides in regard to one or more of 11 species found in the greater San Francisco Bay area that are listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act. EPA will evaluate all comments received during the public comment period to determine whether all or part of the proposed Stipulated Injunction warrants reconsideration or revision. This proposed Stipulated Injunction, if entered by the Court, would resolve a lawsuit brought against EPA by the Center for Biological Diversity in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

DATES:

Comments must be received on or before July 16, 2009.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, identified by docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0481, by one of the following methods:

Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments.

Mail: Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) Regulatory Public Docket (7502P), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001.

Delivery: OPP Regulatory Public Docket (7502P), Environmental Protection Agency, Rm. S-4400, One Potomac Yard (South Bldg.), 2777 S. Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA. Deliveries are only accepted during the Docket's normal hours of operation (8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays). Special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information. The Docket Facility telephone number is (703) 305-5805.

Instructions: Direct your comments to docket ID number EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0481. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the docket without change and may be made available on-line at http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through regulations.gov or e-mail. The regulations.gov website is an anonymous access system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without going through regulations.gov, your e-mail address will be automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the docket and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses.

Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the docket index at http://www.regulations.gov. Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted material, is not placed on the Internet and will be publicly available only in hard copy form. Publicly available docket materials are available either in the electronic docket athttp://www.regulations.gov, or, if only available in hard copy, at the OPP Regulatory Public Docket in Rm. S-4400, One Potomac Yard (South Bldg.), 2777 S. Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA. The hours of operation of this Docket Facility are from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The Docket Facility telephone number is (703) 305-5805.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Arty Williams, Environmental Fate and Effects Division (7507P), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 305-7695; fax number: (703) 305-6309; e-mail address: williams.arty @epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. General Information A. Does this Action Apply to Me?

This action is directed to the public in general, and may be of particular interest to the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), CropLife America, Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment, Reckitt Benckiser, other public interest groups, state regulatory partners, other interested federal agencies, and other pesticide registrants and pesticide users. Since other entities may also be interested, the Agency has not attempted to describe all the specific entities that may be affected by this action. If you have any questions regarding the applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

B. What Should I Consider as I Prepare My Comments for EPA?

1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit this information to EPA through regulations.gov or e-mail. Clearly mark the part or all of the information that you claim to be CBI. For CBI information in a disk or CD ROM that you mail to EPA, mark the outside of the disk or CD ROM as CBI and then identify electronically within the disk or CD ROM the specific information that is claimed as CBI. In addition to one complete version of the comment that includes information claimed as CBI, a copy of the comment that does not contain the information claimed as CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public docket. Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2.

2. Tips for preparing your comments. When submitting comments, remember to:

i. Identify the document by docket ID number and other identifying information (subject heading, Federal Register date and page number).

ii. Follow directions. The Agency may ask you to respond to specific questions or organize comments by referencing a Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part or section number.

iii. Explain why you agree or disagree; suggest alternatives and substitute language for your requested changes.

iv. Describe any assumptions and provide any technical information and/or data that you used.

v. If you estimate potential costs or burdens, explain how you arrived at your estimate in sufficient detail to allow for it to be reproduced.

vi. Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns and suggest alternatives.

vii. Explain your views as clearly as possible, avoiding the use of profanity or personal threats.

viii. Make sure to submit your comments by the comment period deadline identified.

II. What Action is the Agency Taking?

EPA is making available for comment a proposed Stipulated Injunction that would establish a series of deadlines for the Agency to make effects determinations and initiate consultation, as appropriate, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in connection with 74 pesticides and 11 species listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as either endangered or threatened. The species, found in the greater San Francisco Bay area, are: Alameda whipsnake, bay checkerspot butterfly, California clapper rail, California freshwater shrimp, California tiger salamander, delta smelt, salt marsh harvest mouse, San Francisco garter snake, San Joaquin kit fox, tidewater goby, and valley elderberry longhorn beetle. EPA will evaluate all comments received during the public comment period to determine whether all or part of the proposed Stipulated Injunction warrants reconsideration or revision. This proposed Stipulated Injunction, available in the public docket, if entered by the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, would resolve a lawsuit brought against EPA by CBD.

III. Background

On May 30, 2007, CBD filed a lawsuit in the Federal District Court for the Northern District of California alleging that EPA failed to comply with 16 U.S.C. 1531-1544 in regard to 47 pesticides and 11 species that are listed as endangered or threatened under the ESA (Center for Biological Diversity v. EPA, No. C 07-02794 JCS (N.D. Cal.)). Ultimately, 74 pesticides came to be at issue in this case. EPA has reached an agreement with CBD that would establish a schedule for EPA to come into compliance with section 7(a)(2) of the ESA for these 74 pesticides and 11 species, and would include interim injunctive relief intended to reduce the potential exposure of the 11 species to these pesticides during the period of time in which EPA will be satisfying its section 7(a)(2) consultation obligations. The agreement is embodied in the proposed Stipulated Injunction that is being made available for review and comment through this notice.

The 74 pesticide active ingredients named in the lawsuit are: 2,4-D, acephate, acrolein, alachlor, aldicarb, aluminum phosphide, atrazine, azinphos-methyl, bensulide, beta-cyfluthrin, bifenthrin, brodifacoum, bromadiolone, bromethalin, carbaryl, carbofuran, chlorophacinone, chlorothalonil, cholecalciferol, chlorpyrifos, cyfluthrin, cyhalothrin (lambda), cypermethrin, deltamethrin, diazinon, difethialone, dimethoate, diphacinone, diquat dibromide, disulfoton, endosulfan, EPTC (eptam), esfenvalerate, ethoprop, fenpropathrin, fipronil, fluvalinate, imidacloprid, magnesium phosphide, malathion, maneb, mancozeb, metam sodium, methamidophos, methidathion, methomyl, methoprene, methyl bromide, metolachlor, naled, oryzalin, oxydemeton-methyl, oxyfluorfen, PCNB, pendimethalin, permethrin, phenothrin, phomet, phorate, potassium nitrate, propargite, resmethrin, s-metolachlor, simazine, sodium cyanide, sodium nitrate, strychnine, tetramethrin, thiobencarb, tralomethrin, trifulralin, warfarin, zeta-cypermethrin, and zinc phosphide. EPA has already made effect determinations for 6 of these pesticides relative to a subset of the 11 species: 2,4-D, alachlor, atrazine, endosulfan, permethrin, and phorate. For the remaining pesticides, EPA will make effect determinations for each of these pesticides and some subset of the 11 species at issue on a rolling basis, starting with a first batch of effect determinations due October 20, 2009, and ending with a last batch of effect determinations due no later than June 30, 2014.

In addition, and as already mentioned above, the Stipulated Injunction would (with some exceptions) enjoin, vacate and set aside EPA's authorization of use of the pesticides in and adjacent to certain habitat features associated with each of the 11 species in specific geographic areas within 8 California counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma). This interim injunctive relief would terminate automatically for a pesticide upon the completion of EPA's consultation obligation under section 7(a)(2) of the ESA (including a no effect determination) for the particular pesticide. The Stipulated Injunction would also require EPA to develop and distribute a brochure regarding the Stipulated Injunction and the 11 species, provide certain information to certified pesticide applicators in California, and provide certain information to the public through the EPA web site.

Beginning July 1, 2009, EPA is opening a 15-day comment period on the proposed Stipulated Injunction. EPA will review any comments received to determine whether all or part of the proposed Stipulated Injunction warrants reconsideration or revision. If EPA determines that any part of the proposed Stipulated Injunction merits reconsideration or revision, EPA will contact CBD concerning this matter and the proposed Stipulated Injunction will not be submitted to the Court until EPA and CBD reach agreement on any such changes. If EPA determines that the proposed Stipulated Injunction does not need to be reconsidered or revised, the proposed Stipulated Injunction will be submitted to the Court and shall become effective upon entry of an Order by the Court ratifying the Stipulated Injunction. Once the Stipulated Injunction is ratified by Order of the Court, EPA will post on its web site at http:www.epa.gov/pesticides a notice indicating the Stipulated Injunction has been so entered.

List of Subjects

Environmental protection, Endangered species.

Dated: June 25, 2009. James Jones, Acting Assistant Administrator, Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances [FR Doc. E9-15531 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-S ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0321;FRL-8417-2] Sodium Dimethyldithiocarbamate; Notice of Receipt of Requests for Amendments to Delete Uses in aPesticide Registration AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with section 6(f)(1) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), as amended, EPA is issuing a notice of receipt of request for amendments by registrants to delete uses in a pesticide registration. Section 6(f)(1) of FIFRA provides that a registrant of a pesticide product may at any time request that any of its pesticide registrations be amended to delete one or more uses. FIFRA further provides that, before acting on the request, EPA must publish a notice of receipt of any request in the Federal Register.

DATES:

The deletions are effective July 31, 2009, unless the Agency receives a written withdrawal request on or before July 31, 2009. The Agency will consider a withdrawal request postmarked no later than July 31, 2009.

Users of this product who desire continued use on crops or sites being deleted should contact the applicable registrant on or before July 31, 2009.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your withdrawal request, identified by docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0321, by one of the following methods:

Mail: Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) Regulatory Public Docket (7502P), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001.

Delivery: OPP Regulatory Public Docket (7502P), Environmental Protection Agency, Rm. S-4400, One Potomac Yard (South Bldg.), 2777 S. Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA. Deliveries are only accepted during the Docket Facility's normal hours of operation (8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays). Special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information. The Docket Facility telephone number is (703) 305-5805.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Eliza Blair, Antimicrobials (7510P) Division, Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (703) 308-7279; e-mail address: blair.eliza@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. General Information A. Does this Action Apply to Me?

This action is directed to the public in general. Although, this action may be of particular interest to persons who produce or use pesticides, the Agency has not attempted to describe all the specific entities that may be affected by this action. If you have any questions regarding the information in this notice, consult the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

B. How Can I Get Copies of this Document and Other Related Information?

1. Docket. EPA has established a docket for this action under docket ID number EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0321. Publicly available docket materials are available either in the electronic docket at http://www.regulations.gov, or, if only available in hard copy, at the Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) Regulatory Public Docket in Rm. S-4400, One Potomac Yard (South Bldg.), 2777 S. Crystal Dr., Arlington, VA. The hours of operation of this Docket Facility are from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The Docket Facility telephone number is (703) 305-5805.

2. Electronic access. You may access this Federal Register document electronically through the EPA Internet under the Federal Register listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr.

II. What Action is the Agency Taking?

This notice announces receipt by the Agency of applications from registrants to delete uses in a pesticide registration. This registration is listed in Table 1 of this unit by registration number, product name, active ingredient, and specific uses deleted:

Table 1.-Requests for Amendments to Delete Uses in a Pesticide Registration
EPA Registration No.	Product Name	Active Ingredient	Delete from Label
1965-8	Vancide 51	Sodium Dimethyldithiocarbamate	Preservation of Cotton Fabric; Preservation of Wood Veneer; Preservation of Alginate Pastes

The sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate registrant has requested that the Agency waive the 180-day comment period. The Agency will providea 30-day comment period on the proposed requests.

Users of this product who desire continued use on crops or sites being deleted should contact the applicable registrant before July 31, 2009 to discuss withdrawal of the application for amendment. This 30-day period will also permit interested members of the public to intercede with registrants prior to the Agency's approval of the deletion.

Table 2 of this unit includes the name and address of record for the registrant of the product listed in Table 1 of this unit, in sequence by EPA company number.

Table 2.-Registrant Requesting an Amendment to Delete Uses in a Pesticide Registration
EPA Company Number	Company Name and Address
1965	R.T. Vanderbilt Co. Inc.

30 Winfield St Norwalk, CT 06856-5150 III. What is the Agency's Authority for Taking this Action?

Section 6(f)(1) of FIFRA provides that a registrant of a pesticide product may at any time request that any of its pesticide registrations be amended to delete one or more uses. The FIFRA further provides that, before acting on the request, EPA must publish a notice of receipt of any such request in the Federal Register. Thereafter, the Administrator may approve such a request.

IV. Procedures for Withdrawal of Request

Registrants who choose to withdraw a request for use deletion must submit the withdrawal in writing to Eliza Blair using the methods in ADDRESSES. The Agency will consider written withdrawal requests postmarked no later than July 31, 2009.

V. Provisions for Disposition of Existing Stocks

The Agency has authorized the registrants to sell or distribute product under the previously approved labeling for a period of 18 months after approval of the revision, unless other restrictions have been imposed, as in special review actions.

List of Subjects

Environmental protection, Antimicrobials, Pesticides and pests, Dimethyldithiocarbamate salts, Sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate.

Dated: June 11, 2009. Joan Harrigan Farrelley, Director, Antimicrobials Division, Office of Pesticide Programs. [FR Doc. E9-14997 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 a.m.] BILLING CODE 6560-50-S FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION [Notice 2009-10] Web Site and Internet Communications Improvement Initiative AGENCY:

Federal Election Commission.

ACTION:

Notice of public hearing and request for public comments.

SUMMARY:

The Federal Election Commission (the FEC or Commission) has adopted an initiative to seek public comment on how to improve all aspects of how the Commission discloses information to the public on its Web site and through the use of Internet communications. While the FEC, which was first constituted in 1975, continually engages in ongoing efforts to improve all aspects of how the Commission discloses information through the Internet, with a primary focus on its Web site, the FEC has never before sought formal public comment on the means by which the Commission discloses information to the public.1 As part of these efforts, the Commission is seeking written comments and will conduct a public hearing on ways the Commission can improve how it communicates to the public using the Internet and, specifically, how it can improve its Web site to ensure that the FEC Web site is a state-of-the-art resource for disclosure of information to the public including (1) disclosure of campaign finance data, (2) information about Federal campaign finance laws, and (3) the actions of the Commission.

1 In 2003, the FEC began a Web site redevelopment project that resulted in a redesign of both the appearance of the site as well as the production process. The revised Web site went live in 2004 and the FEC continually seeks and receives input on how to improve the Web site. This initiative will provide the first forum for formal public comments to the Commission.

The Commission seeks comment from all segments of the public, including representatives of political committees, Federal candidates and officeholders, members of the media, authors, students of all ages, members of the academic community, and advocacy groups.

In addition to comments from the public, the Commission specifically seeks comment from those with relevant technical expertise, including technical advisors, consultants, researchers, other governmental and non-governmental agencies, non-profit entities and commercial vendors to assist with the Commission's efforts to improve the how it uses the Internet to disclose information to the public and particularly efforts to improve the FEC Web site. Such advice and information may include recommendations to the Commission for (1) expanding the Web site's disclosure features, (2) improving the information available on the Web site and ways in which that information is organized, and (3) maximizing the benefit of current and anticipated technology related to Web site services.

The Commission's policy regarding which documents are placed on the public record from closed enforcement, administrative fines and alternative dispute resolution cases is outside the scope of this initiative, and the Commission is specifically not seeking comments with respect to this issue. See Statement of Policy Regarding Disclosure of Closed Enforcement and Related Files, 68 FR 70426 (Dec. 18, 2003). The Commission plans to conduct a separate hearing with full opportunity for public comment on the issue later in the year.

DATES:

Comments must be received on or before July 21, 2009. A public hearing will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, July 29-30, 2009, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Federal Election Commission, 999 E Street, NW., 9th floor Hearing Room, Washington, DC 20463. Anyone seeking to testify at the hearing must file written comments by the due date and must include in the written comments a request to testify.

Format for Comments and Addresses: All comments must be in writing, must be addressed to Mr. Robert Hickey, Staff Director, and must be submitted in either e-mail, facsimile, or paper copy form. Commenters are strongly encouraged to submit comments by e-mail to ensure timely receipt and consideration. E-mail comments must be sent to improvefecinternet@fec.gov. If e-mail comments include an attachment, the attachment must be in the Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) or Microsoft Word (.doc) format. Faxed comments must be sent to (202) 208-3333. Paper comments must be sent to Mr. Robert Hickey, Staff Director, Federal Election Commission, 999 E Street, NW., Washington, DC 20463. All comments must include the full name and postal service address of the commenter or they will not be considered. The Commission will post all comments on its Web site at http://www.fec.gov/pages/hearings/internethearing.shtml shortly after they are received.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robert Biersack, Special Assistant to the Staff Director for Data Integration, 999 E Street, NW., Washington, DC 20463, (202) 694-1658 or (800) 424-9530. The Commission's Web site can be accessed at http://www.fec.gov. Technical information related to the FEC's Web site, including hardware, software, capacity and functionalities can be found at http://www.fec.gov/pages/hearings/internethearing.shtml.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:I. Background and Hearing Goals

The FEC is an independent regulatory agency with responsibility for administering, enforcing, defending and interpreting the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (2 U.S.C. 431 et seq., available at http://www.fec.gov/law/feca/feca.pdf) (FECA). The Commission is also responsible for administering the Federal public funding programs for Presidential campaigns and party conventions. This responsibility includes certifying and auditing all participating candidates and committees, and enforcement of the public funding laws. The Commission strives to discharge its statutory mandate by (1) facilitating public disclosure of campaign finance activity, (2) providing information and policy guidance to the public, media, political committees, Federal candidates and officeholders, and election officials on the FECA and Commission regulations, (3) encouraging voluntary compliance with all of the FECA's requirements, and (4) investigating alleged violations of those requirements and seeking civil penalties and other remedies when necessary to enforce the law.

The FEC's Web site is increasingly the Commission's primary vehicle for sharing with the public campaign finance disclosure data, educational materials related to Federal campaign finance laws, the development and implementation of new rules and regulations, Advisory Opinions, and closed enforcement actions. Accordingly, the FEC's Web site and how the Commission uses the Internet to disclose information to the public is critical to the Commission's mission.

In 2008, the Commission received over 5.2 million visits to its Web site, or approximately 14,200 per day, an increase of over 50% from the year before. During the 24-month 2008 election cycle, the Commission received, and disclosed on its Web site, approximately 140,000 financial disclosure reports from nearly 8,000 political committees. These reports contained the equivalent of 11.7 million pages of financial data, disclosing approximately $8.3 billion in political contributions and spending related to Federal elections.

The Commission anticipates that the trend of increased traffic coming to the Commission's Web site will continue as more users seek access to information about the Federal campaign finance laws and about how Federal campaigns are financed. To improve the Web site's usefulness to the public, the Commission is seeking, through this proceeding, ways to provide the public with more timely information, as well as ways to make its Web site more user-friendly, more educational, more analytical, more accessible, and more interesting.

Among the topics on which the Commission requests comment are those discussed below. The list is not exhaustive, and the Commission welcomes input on ways in which the Commission can make improvements to the means by which the Commission discloses information to the public through the Internet, and in particular on the Commission's Web site.

However, as indicated above, the Commission's policy regarding which documents are placed on the public record from closed enforcement, administrative fines and alternative dispute resolution cases is outside the scope of this initiative but will be the subject of a separate hearing with full opportunity for public comment later in the year.

II. Introduction

The Commission recognizes that having an abundance of information available on its Web site is of little use if the information is not organized in a way that makes it easily accessible and understandable. Accordingly, it is vital to the public interest that the Commission's Web site be written and organized from the point of view of a potential user who seeks information from an agency. Although the agency's Web site must be citizen-focused, with a general public audience in mind, it must, at the same time, provide information to specialized audiences about specific areas of interest. In each case, whether a visitor to the Commission's Web site seeks general information or very specific data, the Web site should be organized in a visitor-friendly, intuitive fashion. Information should be easy to extract and it should be presented in a clear, logical and appealing manner that is easy to read and understand whether displayed on the screen, or when printed in hardcopy format.

III. The Primary Users of the Commission's Web Site

In order to ensure that the Commission's Web site adequately serves those who seek information from the Commission, the Commission must properly identify who its primary users or viewers are, including potential users who access campaign finance information from other sources either by choice or because they do not know about the Commission's Web site. These users may include members of the general public, prospective voters, prospective Federal candidates and officeholders, representatives of registered political committees such as committee treasurers, members of the media, including bloggers and the more specialized trade media, and members of the academic community, including policy institutes and advocacy groups. Users also include State and local election officials and officeholders, members of the legal profession, teachers and students, as well as other academics and librarians. The Commission seeks comment from each of these diverse audiences on whether the Commission's Web site is presently meeting their specific needs and about ways in which the Commission uses the Internet to disclose information to the public and the Commission's Web site can be improved to better serve these needs. Additionally, the Commission seeks comment on whether there may be other audiences in addition to those listed above that may seek information from the Commission's Web site. If so, how well does the current Web site serve those audiences, and what improvements can be made to serve them better?

IV. What Tasks Do the Commission's Primary Customers Perform Most Often on the Web Site?

Different audiences seeking information from the Commission's Web site search for distinct categories of information and perform diverse tasks when accessing the Web site. For instance, members of the general public might be seeking a range of information that could span from accessing contribution and expenditure data related to a recent or upcoming election to seeking information about the $3 IRS income tax form check-off that provides funding for the Presidential Election Campaign Fund. A political committee might seek more specialized information such as guidance regarding the Commission's software package that committees use to electronically file their campaign finance disclosure reports or seek information about the laws that are applicable to the committee's activities. A political committee also might seek information about the requirements or procedures for filing an advisory opinion request with the Commission and guidance about whether a question they have is appropriate for an advisory opinion request. Similarly, a political committee or a member of the public might seek information about the requirements or procedures for filing a complaint alleging a violation of the campaign finance laws or regulations. Members of the media may be interested in an entirely different set of information, such as background on the FECA or perhaps news about the Commission's most recent actions.

The Commission seeks public comment on what tasks or operations are conducted by visitors to the Commission's Web site and specifically about how different audiences may seek to perform these functions differently.

V. How Can the Commission Improve the Way Its Web Site Is Organized?

The Commission has endeavored to design and organize the information on its Web site in a cogent, rational, and intuitive way. The Commission seeks comment from users of the Commission's Web site about the visitor experience. Is navigation of the Commission's Web site intuitive? If not, in what specific ways can it be more intuitive? Are the ways that users navigate each page on the FEC's Web site adequately consistent across the Web site? If not, where do these inconsistencies exist? For example, do similar items on different pages appear in the same location and have the same appearance and wording? Do navigation items of the same type appear the same way and perform the same functions across the Web site?

Do users consider the Commission's current homepage to be sufficiently useful? If not, in what ways could it become more useful? Are visitors easily able to find what they are seeking? The Commission's current homepage is relatively static with almost no content on the homepage changing from day-to-day. The only dynamic content on the homepage is a crawl across the bottom of the page, which is changed, on average, every other week to announce the latest important news from the Commission. In addition, the homepage includes interactive maps to provide users with immediate access to disclosure data. Are these disclosure maps appropriately located on the homepage? Is the homepage too static? Should the homepage list headlines, hot topics, or most requested information that could be updated daily or weekly? Or is it best to leave the homepage uncluttered, serving as a top-level directory that allows viewers to access information though available links?

The Commission's Web site is currently organized by the type of information that is available, such as Campaign Finance Reports and Data or Law and Regulations. Is the information available on the Commission's Web site organized in a logical sequence? If not, how can it be better organized? Are visitors easily able to ascertain what to do next in their task?

a. Portals

In contrast to the manner in which the Commission's Web site is currently organized, should the Commission's homepage serve as a start task page, asking visitors what task they seek to perform, which would then take visitors to a task-based portal specifically tailored to the user's specific task? If so, what should be the topics of these start task pages? Alternatively, should the Commission's Web site be organized by categories of frequent users and have separate portal pages for different audiences based on those visitors' needs? Or should the Web site first ask the user what category of user he or she falls under (e.g., member of the general public, political committee representative, Federal officeholder) and then offer the user a focused portal based on the types of tasks most frequently performed by users in that category? Is there sufficiently different content to justify dividing the Web site into isolated user-portals? What is the likelihood that organizing the Web site in this way could lead to confusion among new or infrequent visitors? What other costs might such a reorganization entail?

1. The General Public

Should there be a portal page for members of the general public? If so, what information or utilities should be available on such a page? What links to other information would be most helpful for members of the general public or others seeking general campaign finance information?

2. Political Committee Representatives

Should there be a portal page designed specifically for those seeking information on behalf of a registered political committee, such as committee treasurers, that would offer direct access to the resources that are most useful for committee treasurers and other committee representatives? If so, what resources should be included on such a page? Should a portal page for political committee representatives include a link to a focused set of frequently asked questions (FAQs)? Should there be separate portal pages for different types of political committees such as party committees, corporate or labor organization connected committees (which are often referred to as Separate Segregated Funds or Political Action Committees), or nonconnected committees?

3. Federal Officeholders and Prospective Candidates

Should there be a portal page designed specifically for Federal officeholders and prospective Federal candidates? If so, what resources should be included on such a page? Should there be a separate portal page for candidates, different from one for current officeholders? Should there be different portal pages for House, Senate and Presidential candidates and officeholders? If so, what different content should be on each of these pages? Should a portal page for Federal officeholders and prospective Federal candidates include a link to a focused set of frequently asked questions (FAQs)? Should such a portal page provide procedural guidance for persons, committees or other entities who are subject to FEC proceedings such as audits and enforcement actions?

4. Media

Should there be a portal page designed specifically for members of the media? If so, what resources should be included on a media portal page? Should there be a separate portal page for the general media, different from one for the trade media? Should there be a separate portal page for members of the foreign media? If so, what different content should be on each of these pages? Should a portal page for members of the media include a link to a focused set of frequently asked questions (FAQs)?

5. Academic Community

Should there be a portal page designed specifically for members of the academic community? If so, what resources should be included on an academic community portal page? Should there be a separate portal page for students, different from one for professors? Should there be a separate portal page for policy institutes? If so, what different content should be on each of these pages? Should a portal page for members of the academic community include a link to a focused set of frequently asked questions (FAQs)?

Are there audiences other than those outlined above for whom the Commission should consider designing a separate portal? If so, for which audiences should the Commission design such portals? Alternatively, should the information be organized in some other way?

VI. User-Experience/User-Friendliness a. Plain Language

Best practices for government Web sites mandate that a typical user of the Commission's Web site should be able to understand the Web site content after only one reading-the content should be in plain language. See http://www.plainlanguage.gov. Ideally, users should not need to spend time translating difficult, wordy text. Plain-language writing saves users time and reduces the burden placed on the public. The Commission has worked to meet these goals and seeks comment on whether the language used on the Commission's Web site is accessible and easy to read. Can first-time or novice users understand information on the Web site easily? If not, please provide specific examples from the Commission's Web site of language that is not easily understood.

b. Accessibility to Users With Special Needs

Should content on the Commission's Web site be revised in order to make the content more accessible to users with special needs, such as persons with disabilities? Is information on the Commission's Web site easily accessible through browse aloud text readers for visually impaired users? Should the Web site have alternative pages for users with low literacy or for foreign-language speakers?

c. Help Functions

Another important aspect of whether a Web site is sufficiently user-friendly is the directions provided to users when they cannot find the information they are looking for. The Commission's Web site currently has pages providing a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and Quick Answers, to help users find the information they are seeking. Are these sections of the Web site useful? Should the Web site have a special help section that would guide users to the information they are seeking? Would a first-time user guide be helpful? What information might a first time user guide include that would make it different from the FAQ?

Should the Web site have a contact us section that would allow users to either send an e-mail to Commission staff or provide a staff telephone directory for users who are still not able to access the information they seek? Web site users can also send questions and feedback about the Web site through e-mail communications to Webmanager@fec.gov. Is this service sufficiently responsive and informative? Should questions and feedback be made public?

Is the Commission sufficiently receptive to suggestions made through e-mails and phone calls? Have those who have made comments or suggestions received responses from the Commission? Have the responses been satisfactory? If not, why not?

Should the Commission develop a blog to facilitate a conversation about the substance and techniques used by staff to disclose campaign finance data? Should the Web site host other blogs or user groups? If so, what topics should they cover? Should the Web site host user groups where users can interactively discuss substantive areas of campaign finance law and Commission procedures?

VII. Search Engines a. General Search Engine

The Commission maintains various search engines on its Web site. The general search engine (General Search Engine) is located on the Commission's homepage and returns pages and documents from all portions of the Commission's Web site other than the contents of three self-contained databases (i.e., the disclosure database, the Advisory Opinion database, and the enforcement database), which can be accessed through the specialized search engines that are discussed below. In addition to a basic search function which allows users to conduct a simple word search, the General Search Engine also has an advanced search function that allows users to enter search terms or phrases and find results with (1) all of the words, (2) the exact phrase, (3) any of the words, as well as results without a specific search term or phrase.

b. Specialized Search Engines

In addition to the General Search Engine, the Commission's Web site contains three specialized search engines that allow users to search only within a specific portion of the Commission's Web site.

1. Disclosure Database Search Engine

The disclosure database search engine (Disclosure Database Search Engine) allows a user to search only within the contribution and expenditure data filed by registered political committees. The Disclosure Database Search Engine includes a search for summary data for candidates and Political Action Committees/Party Committees, as well as searches for detailed data for individual contributors, political committees, and candidates.

2. Advisory Opinion Search Engine

Another specialized search engine allows users to limit their search to information about Commission Advisory Opinions. Specifically, the Advisory Opinion Search Engine (AO Search Engine) allows users to search by (1) search terms, including words and phrases, (2) advisory opinion number, (3) requestor name and (4) year. Additionally, the advanced search function of the AO Search Engine allows users to search using more specific criteria.

3. Enforcement Query System

Finally, the Commission's Web site contains a third specialized search engine, known as the Commission's Enforcement Query System (EQS). This system allows a user to search for information about completed Commission enforcement cases. Specifically, EQS allows users to search within a database containing documents related to completed Commission enforcement cases (including complaints, responses, conciliation agreements and Commissioner statements of reasons) by key words or by information about the cases (e.g., case number, name of respondent, name of complainant, statute or regulation alleged to have been violated).

c. Search Engine Improvements

The Commission seeks comment on whether the Commission's search engines are sufficiently intuitive and responsive. If not, in what ways can the Commission's search engines be modified to make them more useful? Are the features of the Commission's search engines sufficiently sophisticated, robust and flexible to offer suggested choices to a user of words, spellings and phrases based on a user's query? Are the advanced search functions useful to viewers who wish to conduct more refined, focused searches to achieve more relevant results? Are search results displayed in an easy-to-read format both when displayed on the screen and when printed in hardcopy format? If not, in what ways can the visual and printed presentation of the materials be made more useful and appear more professional? Are search results relevant and comprehensive? Are the most relevant results listed first? Is there adequate help available on the Web site to assist visitors who are unfamiliar with or unskilled at using search technology? Do the search engines produce swift results? The Commission also seeks comment on whether the Commission's search engines should produce a link for the output of each search that users could then include in e-mails and on their own Web sites that would allow others to instantly access the results of a search.

Should a user be able to make a single query that would simultaneously search through the entire Web site, including the specialized databases? Should a user be able to selectively choose which databases are accessed through a given query? For instance, should a user be able to simultaneously query information only from the Advisory Opinion database and the Enforcement database with a single search? What search functions would be most useful to users?

The Commission also seeks comment on whether the Commission's Web site should have other specialized search engines in addition to the Disclosure Database Search Engine, the AO Search Engine and EQS. If so, what information should be accessible through such specialized search engines? For example, should the Web site have a specialized search engine devoted to Commission regulations and rulemaking documents such as Notices of Proposed Rulemakings and Explanations and Justifications? Should there be a specialized search engine devoted to information and documents related solely to the Commission's litigation matters?

VIII. Commission Function and Organization

The Commission's Web site has an About the FEC section that includes information about the FECA, the Commission's mission and history, and an organizational chart including a description of each of the offices and divisions within the Commission. The Commission seeks comment on whether its Web site provides adequate information about the Commission's jurisdiction, mission, and internal structure. If not, what additional information should be included? The Commission also seeks comment on whether the Web site provides adequate information about how the Commission is organized (i.e., the responsibilities of each Office and Division within the Commission). What information do other Federal agencies provide on their Web sites about jurisdiction, mission and organization? Is this information useful? If yes, how so? Are there other Federal or non-Federal government agencies, or other non-governmental entities that maintain Web sites that could serve as a model for the FEC? If so, which agencies and what aspects of their Web sites? Finally, the Commission seeks comment on whether the Web site should contain a staff phone and e-mail directory to make it easier for the public to contact Commission staff directly.

IX. Data Accessibility a. Current Interactive Maps

The FECA requires accurate and comprehensive public disclosure by Federal candidates and political committees of all contributions and expenditures. Information about these contributions and expenditures is included in the Commission's disclosure database along with millions of other itemized disbursements, receipts and other payments.

Since 2007, the Commission homepage at www.fec.gov has included interactive maps, which provide users with immediate access to contribution and expenditure information for Presidential, Senate and House candidates. Through these maps, users can access the amount of funds raised by State, cash-on-hand, and the distribution of contributions by amount. Furthermore, users can access lists of contributors by name, city, and amounts of contributions within the first three digits of any zip code. Users can also obtain a detailed list of information about how candidates spend their money, including the payee name, purpose, date and amount of each campaign expenditure. Although the Web site allows users to sort the detailed list of expenditures by each category listed above, the Web site does not currently provide separate aggregated amounts for each category. For instance, a user cannot access an aggregated number for the amount a candidate has spent on political advertisements. Would the addition of this feature be useful?

The House and Senate map allows the user to select candidates for comparison using bar charts to display such financial categories as contribution and disbursement totals, debts and cash on hand. It also presents itemized contributions and disbursements by category and includes links to images of reports filed by the candidate and the candidate's committees.

The Commission seeks comment on whether these interactive maps are useful. How can they be improved? Are there other types of interactive maps or charts that users would find interesting or educational? In what other ways can campaign finance data be made available in a more user-friendly and interactive way?

b. Sorting of Data

The Commission seeks comment on ways in which the Web site should allow users to sort the campaign finance data. For example, should the Web site allow users to sort the data (1) by date or a range of dates, (2) by types of committees (e.g., candidate committees, party committees and corporate and labor organization connected committees), (3) by candidate, (4) by contributor (e.g., name, address, zip code and employer), or (5) alphabetically? What other ways should the Web site allow users to search for or sort the data?

The Commission is aware that other Web sites also provide access to the FEC's campaign finance data. For example, some of these Web sites permit users to sort contribution data into how much has been raised by a candidate or political committee over time, such as on a quarterly, monthly, weekly or daily basis. For expenditures, some of these Web sites allow users to sort campaign spending into categories, such as administrative costs, campaign expenses, fundraising costs and media costs. One Web site allows users to sort contributor information in a number of ways, including by name, address, zip code, employer and contribution amount (e.g., $200 or less). Additionally, this Web site allows a user to sort contributor information into top donors, top soft money donors, and top Political Action Committee (PAC) categories. This same Web site allows users to sort data into other categories, such as candidate-to-candidate giving, quality of disclosure and source of funds (e.g., individual contributions, PAC contributions and candidate self-financing). Other Web sites identify top contributors, top recipients, top contributing states and top bundlers.

Should the FEC's Web site allow users to sort campaign finance data in ways similar to these other Web sites? If yes, which sorting options would be useful and why? Do these other Web sites allow users to sort the data in any other useful ways? If so, in what ways and should the Commission's Web site also provide these functions?

Should the Commission's Web site allow users to access election-related information other than campaign finance data, such as the number of votes a candidate received in a prior election? After each Federal election the Commission has historically compiled and published election results in a document entitled Federal Elections, which is made available on the Web site. See http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/electionresults.shtml. Is it appropriate for the Commission's Web site to provide access to election-related data that are outside the Commission's direct jurisdiction (e.g., studies and government reports other than campaign finance data)? If not, why not?

c. Compilation, Presentation and Analysis of Data

The Commission also seeks comment on ways in which the Commission should facilitate compilation, presentation and analysis of the campaign finance data. What types of additional analysis of the data would be useful? Should the Commission provide tools for users to be able to generate their own graphs, charts and maps based on the data they have accessed?

Should the Commission permit the storage and presentation of search or sort results? Additionally, should the results from the most popular queries be presented on the Web site for others to view? If yes, should these queries be posted anonymously or should the user be asked for permission before his or her query is posted? If the Commission's Web site allows users to access election-related information that is outside the Commission's direct jurisdiction, such as the number of votes a candidate received in a prior election, should the Commission allow users to sort these data interactively and facilitate compilation, presentation and analysis of these data in relation to campaign finance data? For instance, should the Commission's Web site allow users to calculate the amount spent by a candidate on a campaign relative to the number of votes that candidate received in the election?

d. Availability of Raw Data

The FEC currently provides the ability to download in bulk form, on a daily basis, campaign finance data from all electronic filings received earlier that day. Is this process useful? Are there changes or enhancements to this process that would be useful? For example, should the Commission provide real-time access to the bulk data as soon as it is filed throughout the day? Also, should the Commission allow users to download only a designated portion of the data?

The Commission also currently makes selected raw data available for download via File Transfer Protocol (FTP). These files reflect both as amended snapshots of itemized individual contributions to committees and receipts and disbursements where both parties to the transaction are registered with the FEC. Is this general approach valuable? If not, what other alternatives are available? Does the benefit that comes from reducing duplication and other complexities inherent in the raw data the Commission receives justify the time delays required for the FEC to do this work? Are there other categories of financial activity that should be included in this system- e.g., details of spending, debts, etc.? Should specific types of activity (like independent expenditures or electioneering communications) be available as separate files rather than as part of a larger set?

The Commission seeks comment on what improvements can be made to the methods that the Commission uses in making raw campaign finance data available through its Web site. For example, are the data currently available in an adequate format that permits users to aggregate, segregate, or otherwise manipulate and analyze the data? Should the Commission develop a different format for the data that is more consistent with current data dissemination practices such as XML (Extensible Markup Language) or JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)? Also, should the Commission provide open-source public Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) so that other Web sites can download the data more easily? In what other ways can the Commission facilitate the syndication by other Web sites of data yielded from a search?

The Commission also seeks comment on what improvements can be made to the way the Commission makes data related to amendments to committee reports available to the public. Are those who access campaign finance reports able to easily separate data in reports that have been amended by a reporting committee from the data contained in the report that was originally filed? If not, what would be a better and more understandable way to present that information?

e. Data Storage

Does the Commission need to restructure the way that campaign finance data are stored? For example, although a complete set of bulk raw data is available for download, the Commission's official COBOL-based database is currently published in a fixed width format that only allows for up to 35 characters in the column containing data about each contributor's occupation and employer. In other words, a user searching campaign finance data on the Commission's Web site will only see the first 35 characters of information (which includes letter, numbers, symbols, as well as spaces between words) about a contributor's occupation and employer and, as a result, this information is often truncated, thereby providing incomplete information to the public. One observer estimates that this limitation causes a loss of over 20% of the occupation and employer information that should be otherwise accessible through the Commission's disclosure database. See Federal Election Commission, Hearing on Agency Practices and Procedures (Jan. 15, 2009) (statement of Clay Johnson, Sunlight Foundation), available at http://www.fec.gov/law/policy/enforcement/2009/01141509hearingtranscript.pdf.

Although the Commission anticipates releasing a software update shortly that will resolve the truncation issue described above, are there other examples of information that is missing or incomplete in the Commission's disclosure database? The Commission invites comment on ways the Commission could provide the public with access to fully complete disclosure data.

f. Timeliness of Data Availability

Finally, the Commission seeks comment on whether the Commission's data are made available in a timely manner. Although electronically filed disclosure reports are available to the public immediately after they are filed, currently the data contained in those reports are reviewed by Commission staff before they are made available through queries and data files on the Commission's Web site. This staff review, which standardizes the data through such steps as (1) assigning transaction codes, (2) splitting joint contributions reported from married couples, and (3) adding missing committee identification numbers, can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to complete. Should the data be made available to the public even before the Commission staff has had time to conduct its review? What risks exist in releasing potentially inaccurate or incomplete data? What are the implications of releasing unreviewed data followed by a second release of the same data in a modified format? Are there risks of confusion with such an approach? If so, what measures could be implemented to avoid such confusion?

X. Educational Materials

The FEC publishes various types of educational materials, all of which can be accessed on the Commission's Web site. These materials include (1) brochures (brief summaries of particular provisions of the law or descriptions of the Commission's programs and procedures), (2) Campaign Guides (compliance manuals for committees registered with the Commission), and (3) The Record (the Commission's monthly newsletter). The Commission also maintains a Tips for Treasurers page on its Web site with timely tips and reminders to help political committee treasurers meet their obligations under the law. The Commission also offers an electronic subscription service, FECMail (available at http://www.fec.gov/info/fecmaill.shtml), which provides subscribers with personalized e-mail updates on the latest Commission news and information.

a. Brochures

The Commission publishes several educational brochures all of which are made available to the public free of charge. Electronic versions of these brochures are also available on the Commission's Web site. These brochures offer brief summaries of particular provisions of the law or describe FEC programs and procedures. These brochures are available in both HTML and PDF formats at http://www.fec.gov/pages/brochures/brochures.shtml and examples of covered topics include (1) Advisory Opinions, (2) Coordinated Communications and Independent Expenditures, and (3) Public Funding of Presidential Elections. The HTML versions of the brochures include interactive links for cited statutes, regulations and Advisory Opinions.

The Commission seeks comments on whether both the printed versions and the electronic versions of the brochures are user-friendly and ways in which they can be improved. Should the Commission continue to publish both printed and electronic versions of the brochures? The Commission also seeks comment on whether the Commission should develop brochures on additional topics and, if so, which topics should be covered.

b. Campaign Guides

The Commission publishes campaign guides, which serve as compliance manuals for Federal political committees. Electronic versions of these guides are available at http://www.fec.gov/info/publications.shtml#guides. Separate guides are available for (1) Congressional Candidates and Committees, (2) Political Party Committees, (3) Nonconnected Committees and (4) Corporations and Labor Organizations. The electronic versions of these guides include all supplements to date, summarizing relevant post-publication rules and opinions. The Commission seeks comment on whether the printed versions and electronic versions of these guides are sufficiently educational, understandable, and presented in a user-friendly manner and, if not, how they can be improved. For example, should important terms be linked by hypertext to other sources available on the Web site, such as links to the text of a cited rule, an Advisory Opinion or court decision? In what other ways can these guides be improved? Should the Commission continue to publish both printed and electronic versions of the guides? More generally, does the Web site contain sufficient guidance about complying with the Commission's reporting requirements? Does the Web site contain sufficient information about complying with contribution limits and other provisions of the FECA? In not, what additional information would be useful?

c. The Record Newsletter

The FEC publishes a monthly newsletter, The Record, which is automatically sent electronically to all political committees and is also available through the Web site. The Record is designed to be a useful resource for anyone interested in the most recent developments in Federal campaign finance law and at the Commission. Each month, The Record contains the latest information on reporting deadlines, regulations, advisory opinions, court decisions and other FEC actions. Can The Record be improved and, if so, how? Is The Record a useful resource for all of the audiences that access the Commission's Web site? Should the Commission produce a different version of The Record for different audiences? For instance, should there be an edition of The Record specifically targeted to representatives of political committees and a different edition targeted to members of the general public?

d. Commission Calendar

The Commission's homepage currently provides a link to a Commission calendar that includes information about Commission public meeting dates, Commission hearing dates, significant filing deadlines and educational programs, as well as other information. Should the Commission include other categories of information? If so, what information should be included? For example, should the calendar include significant dates related to pending litigation including a schedule of oral arguments?

e. Materials for the Media

Currently, the media section of the FEC's Web site is designed as a tool to help members of the media find information quickly and easily. This section contains the Commission's latest press releases and campaign finance information, as well as background information and reference materials. This section also contains a link to a Weekly Digest that includes items such as (1) public actions taken by the Commission for the previous week, (2) interesting events occurring at the Commission regardless of formal actions being taken, (3) important items of litigation, and (4) a schedule for the upcoming weeks. Users may also subscribe to the FECMail service to receive alerts through e-mail when new press releases are posted. The Commission seeks comment on ways in which the media page of its Web site and the press release subscriber service can be improved.

The Commission seeks comment on all of these educational materials. Are these materials useful and, specifically, are they useful for members of the general public? If not, how can the Commission make the materials more useful? Are these materials updated in a timely manner? Should these materials cover additional topics that would help the general public better understand the campaign finance laws and the role of the Commission?

Should the Commission create educational materials unique to its Web site? For instance, the Commission is developing e-learning content for its Web site, including instructional videos and interactive presentations intended to supplement the FEC's existing educational materials. By offering this content on the Commission's Web site and via YouTube, the Commission hopes to expand access to its educational materials and thereby increase compliance with Federal campaign finance laws. The Commission seeks comment on what topics would be most useful for its e-learning materials and what is the best way to make these materials available to the public.

Additionally, the Commission seeks comment on whether the Commission should create other interactive materials that would permit the public to submit questions through its Web site, for example, using live chat. Should the Web site host a chat room for viewers to engage each other on issues related to the FEC and campaign finance? The Commission also seeks comment on whether it should provide other types of educational materials. For example, the Commission currently sends a weekly Tip for Treasurers to subscribers though an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed. Should the Commission make available additional RSS feeds? Should the Commission post answers to questions submitted by the public through its Web site?

Additionally, the Commission seeks comment on whether it should proactively use social media in order to reach new audiences and engage the public? For example, should the Commission use Facebook, Wikipedia, Twitter or Second Life? Would the use of such social media assist the Commission in its educational outreach? If yes, how should the Commission use these social media?

XI. Educational Programs

The Commission sponsors a number of conferences each year, both in the Washington, DC area and around the country, where Commissioners and FEC staff conduct a variety of instructional workshops on campaign finance law. Each conference has programs that are tailored to a specific audience (e.g., House and Senate campaigns or corporations and their PACs). Typically, the Commission sponsors five of these conferences each year and the conferences often sell out well in advance. Should the Commission hold more conferences each year? Should the conferences be held in additional locations around the country? If so, where?

Should the Commission make audio or video recordings of these conferences available through its Web site? Would participation by conference attendees be affected by recording conferences? If the Commission records conferences, what technology should the Commission use? Should the Commission make available live streaming of the conferences? Should users be able to download the recordings from the Web site? Should users be able to order audio tapes, CD and DVD recordings? Should the Commission seek to provide Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit for attorneys who attend these courses and for users who access the audio or video recordings of the programs? Should the Commission seek to provide Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credit for Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) who attend these courses or who access the audio or video recordings?

In addition to the conferences, should the Commission offer other tele-conferences, PowerPoint presentations or online courses or discussion forums? If so, what topics should be covered? How frequently should live programs be offered? After the live programs are over, should the Commission continue to make the materials from these programs available? If so, for what period of time should they remain available?

XII. Legal Research a. Enforcement Query System

Materials related to closed enforcement cases including Matters Under Review (MURs), which is the formal name for a matter under Commission investigation, and closed Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) cases are available on the FEC's Web site at the tab entitled Enforcement Query System (EQS). See http://eqs.nictusa.com/eqs/searcheqs. Through EQS, Web site visitors may access the Commission's enforcement documents, including complaints, responses, conciliation agreements and Commissioner statements of reasons, using key words or phrases or by basic information about these cases (e.g., by name of complainant or respondent, or by case number). Users can also search cases by the type of violation alleged to have occurred. The Commission seeks comment on whether the query choices are sufficiently robust. Do users find it easy to search closed enforcement cases by the type of violation alleged to have occurred? If not, in what ways can EQS be improved to facilitate these types of searches? Is it easy to search by both the type of violation alleged to have occurred and the legal citation? Are the search results accurate? If not, what are the inaccuracies?

Once a user has located a specific MUR or ADR case through a query of EQS, the system currently does not allow the user to then share direct access to all the documents associated with that particular MUR or ADR case with another user through a specified Uniform Resource Locator (URL) or hyperlink. Rather, users must be instructed to go to the EQS query page where the user would then run a new query using the MUR or ADR case number in order to access the relevant documents. Should EQS provide a function that would allow users to link directly to a specific MUR and ADR case? If so, what would be the best way for EQS to provide such a function?

The Commission was constituted in 1975 and closed its first MUR in January 1976. At the present time, MURs that closed after January 1, 1999 are available on EQS. MURs from 1976 to 1998 are presently available only on microfilm at the Commission's Public Disclosure Room in Washington, DC. However, the Commission is in the process of digitizing the microfilm in order to make documents from all closed MURs available online. Are there any particular ways the Commission can make online access to these newly added MURs more user-friendly? For instance, the Commission intends to use optical character recognition to ensure these documents are text searchable. Are there other ways EQS can be improved?

The EQS system does not currently contain any information regarding the Commission's Administrative Fines program. The Administrative Fines program covers violations of FECA section 434(a), 2 U.S.C. 434(a), by committees that file their disclosure forms late, or do not file at all. See 11 CFR Part 111, Subpart B. Should the Commission include on the EQS system documents related to the Administrative Fines program? Would including Administrative Fines documents in EQS assist political committees in fulfilling their reporting responsibilities under the Act?

b. Advisory Opinion Search Engine

The Commission's Web site currently allows searches of advisory opinions (AOs) from 1975 to the present, including searches of certain documents associated with all AOs issued by the Commission since 1999, such as requests, public comments, and concurring and dissenting opinions. Links to all of these related documents are available for AOs issued since 1999. Would it be helpful if the Commission were to include documents related to AOs issued prior to 1999? The Commission has recently completed an upgrade of the AO search system, resulting in enhanced search functionalities and flexibility in displaying and sorting search results, as well as improved navigability, and new features, such as the ability to display all search hits in results and an option to display PDF documents full-screen.

The Commission seeks comment on the recently upgraded AO Search Engine and whether the expanded AO query choices are sufficiently robust. Are results accurate? Do they clearly and accurately reflect when an AO has been superseded by a change in the law or by a subsequent AO? In what ways can the Web site's AO search capabilities be improved? Should the documents in the AO search database include annotations?

c. Litigation Documents

The Commission brings enforcement suits in U.S. District Courts when matters are not satisfactorily resolved through the administrative enforcement process and sues to enforce administrative subpoenas. The FEC is also involved in defending lawsuits, which generally fall into the following three categories: (1) Lawsuits contesting the Commission's dismissals of administrative complaints under 2 U.S.C. 437g(a)(8); (2) petitions seeking review of Commission decisions regarding the Presidential public funding program; and (3) civil suits challenging the constitutionality of provisions of the FECA and the validity of the Commission's regulations. Materials related to litigation are currently available on the Commission's Web site and are divided into four sections. The section entitled Selected Recent and Ongoing Litigation provides links to materials related to recent litigation involving the FEC. Major Campaign Finance Court Decisions identifies key court decisions relating to the campaign finance law and provides links to materials related to those decisions. There is also an Alphabetical Index of FEC Court Cases that lists pending and past FEC cases alphabetically with links to summaries and, for some cases, to court opinions and other documents, such as the filed briefs. Finally, the Web site includes a Subject Index for FEC Court Cases that lists pending and past FEC cases by subject matter with links to summaries and, for some cases, to court opinions and other documents.

The Commission seeks comment on whether the information is sufficiently complete and user-friendly. Are there pleadings, orders and court opinions that impact the Commission, the FECA, and the public, that are not found on the Web site? For example, the Web site currently contains only pleadings that were filed by the FEC or by parties aligned with the FEC. Should the Web site also provide access to pleadings filed by opposing parties? Are the documents timely posted and adequately indexed? Are the documents easy to locate and search? Should the Web site contain summaries of cases and opinions? Should the Web site contain links to the court opinions for every pending and past case?

d. Rules, Statutes and Policy Statements

The FEC promulgates rules (also known as regulations) that implement the FECA and other statutes. The Commission's Web site currently provides access to the Commission's regulations, as well as a variety of legal resources, including the text of the FECA and other relevant statutes. See http://www.fec.gov/law/cfr/cfr.shtml; http://www.fec.gov/law/feca/feca.shtml.

Currently, a compilation of all the Commission's rules is available in a single PDF file on the Web site at http://www.fec.gov/law/cfr/cfr_2009.pdf. The Web site also provides a link to the Government Printing Office's (GPO) Web site where a user can access each rule individually, both in PDF and text formats. See http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_09/11cfrv1_09.html. Are the Commission's rules easy to find? Can the Commission's rules be printed easily? What improvements can the Commission make in making its regulations available and accessible to the public?

Whenever the Commission promulgates a new regulation it also adopts an Explanation and Justification (EJ) providing detailed information about the new rule. All of the Commission's EJs are available on the Web site at http://www.fec.gov/law/cfr/cfr.shtml and are organized both by citation (by Part, rule number, and title) and chronologically (by date of adoption). Are the EJs organized in a useful way? If not, how should they be organized? Should they be organized by related subject matter? Are the EJs easy to locate? Once located, are they easily searched?

Similarly, is the text of the FECA and other relevant statutes easy to find on, and print from, the Commission's Web site? The FECA is often amended though the passage of other statutes such as, most recently, the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 (HLOGA), Public Law 110-81, 121 Stat. 735 (2007). Are these statutory amendments to the FECA easy to find? If not, how can the Commission make them more accessible? Should the Commission provide annotated versions of its rules and of the FECA that discuss court interpretation or promulgation history, or cross-reference Advisory Opinions, enforcement matters and litigation?

The Commission also makes its policy statements available on the Web site at http://www.fec.gov/law/policy.shtml. The policy statements address such issues as (1) Best Efforts to Collect Contributor Information, (2) Self Reporting of Campaign Finance Violations (Sua Sponte Submissions), and (3) Safe Harbor for Misreporting Due to Embezzlement. Are the policy statements organized in a useful way? If not, in what other way should they be organized?

e. Rulemakings

Documents relating to recent (starting from 2007) and ongoing FEC rulemakings are listed by topic in reverse chronological order on the Commission's Web site, with new rulemakings added to the top of the list. See http://www.fec.gov/law/law_rulemakings.shtml. Documents related to older rulemakings (1999-2006) are also available on a Rulemakings Archive page at http://www.fec.gov/law/RulemakingArchive.shtml. Are the Commission's rulemakings easy to find? Is the information related to each rulemaking organized in a useful way? If not, how should they be organized? Should the Rulemakings Archive page include proceedings from prior to 1999? Is there additional information related to Commission rulemakings that would be useful to include on the Web site?

XIII. Electronic Filing of Disclosure Reports

Since 2001, almost all political committees have been required to file reports and statements electronically with the Commission (the requirement to file electronically does not currently apply to Senate candidate committees). Political committees generally must file all reports and statements electronically if their total contributions or total expenditures exceed, or are expected to exceed, $50,000 in a calendar year. See 11 CFR 104.18. The Commission seeks comment on whether the Commission's electronic filing system is easy to use, particularly for first-time users. The Commission seeks comment on ways in which the Commission's electronic filing system can be improved, such as whether the Commission's electronic filing software, FECFile (available at http://www.fec.gov/elecfil/FECFileIntroPage.shtml), is sufficiently user-friendly and whether the Commission has provided sufficiently clear instructions to help filers use the software.

FECFile is the Commission's electronic report filing software application designed to run on Windows platforms that enables filers to record and track information required for reporting to the Commission and to securely submit these data to the Commission electronically. Have filers been able to use the FECFile software on computers with the latest Windows operating systems such as 64-bit Vista? Should FECFile be modified to also operate on a MAC platform? The Commission is aware that several commercial vendors also offer other software packages that political committees can use to record and track financial information that can then be reported to the Commission. See http://www.fec.gov/elecfil/software.shtml. The Commission seeks comment on ways in which FECFile can be improved. What functions are not available through the use of FECFile that are available through commercial software packages (e.g., drop-down windows that would offer a choice of acceptable descriptions of purpose for particular reported disbursements)? Should FECFile be modified to include those functions? Is FECFile as flexible, intuitive and helpful as commercially available software packages? If not, in what ways is it less flexible, intuitive or helpful?

In order to file electronic disclosure reports using FECFile, a user must obtain a password (whether for the first time or as a replacement of an old password) by faxing or mailing a request letter to the Commission. If the request letter is sent on behalf of a political committee, the letter must be signed by the committee's treasurer. A member of the Commission staff then calls the requester and provides a password over the phone. Should the Commission allow users to request a first-time password electronically through the Web site? Should users also be able to electronically change their passwords, or create new ones when an old password is forgotten? If yes, what security measures should the Commission put in place to ensure that passwords are only provided to authorized persons?

The Commission has not made public the source code for the FECFile software package. If the Commission made the source code for FECFile public, this would allow others to develop modifications to the software on their own. Would this be useful? If so, how?

Generally, the Commission seeks comment on whether providing FECFile software to filers is the best approach to facilitate the electronic filing process. Are there alternative approaches that would better serve this function, such as using instead a Web-based report filing system that would not require reporting committees to use separate specialized software?

With respect to the existing FECFile software package, can novice users easily input the required information? If not, what types of common problems do users encounter? User manuals, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), and other documents to assist FECFile users are available on the Commission's Web site at http://www.fec.gov/support/index.shtml. Are these materials sufficiently helpful to FECFile users? In what ways can the materials be improved? Should focused guidance be available for each data entry space and should the guidance be accessible by clicking in or near that data entry space? If there are problems that FECFile users are unable to resolve, does the Commission provide adequate technical support? If not, what are the current deficiencies and how can these be addressed?

Additionally, because it is common for electronically filed disclosure reports to contain missing, incomplete or even inconsistent data, the Commission's staff is often required to reconcile the data before it can be useful to the public. The Commission invites suggestions on ways in which the Commission might be able to mitigate the work currently required by Commission staff to reconcile the data. For example, should the Commission's electronic filing system automatically prevent filers from submitting reports with missing, incomplete or inconsistent data and at the same time inform the filer of the deficiency and suggest ways in which the report can be corrected thereby allowing the filer to know in advance that there is a problem and provide information about possible solutions?

The Commission currently makes available a set of programming tools, including electronic filing specifications requirements and validation software, for vendors to use in developing their own commercial software packages. Are these tools useful? How can they be improved? Should the Commission employ a more rigorous certification standard for commercial software? Are new or more rigorous software standards for commercial software packages advisable to prevent filing of reports with missing, incomplete or inconsistent data, or do current standards need to be better enforced? How can the Commission ensure that changes do not unfairly burden candidates, especially less well-funded challengers?

XIV. Electronic Filing of Other Documents

The Commission interacts with the public, the media, political committees, and other entities through a variety of means. The above-described electronic filing system, which resulted in improvements to the Commission's filing procedures, is one such means. The Commission seeks comments on whether the use of electronic portals for filing purposes could improve the Commission's procedures in other areas.

For instance, in rulemaking proceedings, although the Commission currently allows comments on proposed rules to be submitted by e-mail, should the Commission allow electronic filing of petitions for rulemaking and for comments in rulemaking proceedings through its Web site? If so, should the Commission move to an entirely online system for filing of petitions for rulemaking and for comments in rulemaking proceedings, such that paper versions of comments and rulemaking petitions submitted by the public would no longer be accepted?

Similarly, should the Commission implement a system for electronic filing of advisory opinion requests? Should the Commission also implement a web-based electronic filing system for commenting on advisory opinion requests and draft advisory opinions, whereby comments could be filed directly through the Commission's Web site either by entering text on the Web site or by uploading a file? If so, should the Commission mandate the electronic submission of all documents submitted by members of the public in connection with advisory opinions, such as advisory opinion requests, comments on advisory opinion requests, and comments on draft advisory opinions?

The Commission's Web site currently provides information to the public regarding the procedures for filing a complaint with the Commission. At the present time, however, all complaints must be submitted on paper by mail or in person. Respondents are provided with notices of complaints pursuant to the provisions of the Act, but currently all responses also are submitted by hard copy. The Commission seeks comments on whether it should accommodate electronic filing of complaints and responses. Should the Commission allow electronic filing of complaints and responses to substitute for paper copies? Rather than allowing for permissive electronic filing, should the Commission mandate electronic filing for complaints and responses? Given that FECA requires that all complaints be signed and sworn by the person filing the complaint, would an electronic signature, or even the use of a user account and password, satisfy this statutory requirement? When the Commission communicates with respondents, such as sending notifications of reason-to-believe or subpoenas for documents, should the respondent be encouraged to submit answers and documents by e-mail or, alternatively, through a web-based submission form? Also, should the Commission accept conciliation agreements that contain an electronic signature by electronic means?

XV. Commission Meetings

Audio recordings of public Commission meetings are generally available on the Commission's Web site within 48 hours after a meeting. See http://www.fec.gov/audio/audio.shtml. The Commission currently does not create video recordings of its public meetings. The audio recordings are available in an MP3 file format, which can be played through a user's preferred software such as Windows Media Player, Real Player, or QuickTime. The Commission also makes these audio recordings available as podcasts, which are automatically sent to a user once a user signs up for the podcasts on the Commission's Web site. The URL for the Commission's podcasts is http://www.fec.gov/audio/fec_audio.xml.

The Commission seeks comment on whether these audio recordings are useful. Should they be made available in different formats? If so, which formats? Should the Commission make live audio streaming of its meetings available as well?

Should the Commission make available video recordings of its meetings? If so, should a live stream of the video be made available or is a recording sufficient? What technology should the Commission use to provide access to video streaming of its meetings?

In addition to audio and video recordings, should the Commission make available written transcripts of its open meetings? If yes, would it be appropriate for the Commission to charge for access to such transcripts?

XVI. Technical Issues a. Software and Operating Systems

The Commission seeks comment on a number of technical issues relating to its Web site, including URL naming conventions, the use of metadata, Web site accessibility, formatting, and hardware.

The Commission uses a number of URL naming conventions in designating names for the pages on its Web site. For example, the Commission uses lower case letters and has set a number of directories related to major categories of information available on the Web site. The Commission seeks comment on whether it is using appropriate URL naming conventions for the pages on its Web site.

The Commission also seeks comment on other aspects of data receipt and presentation. For example, what metadata standards should the FEC use and why? The Commission also seeks comment on how easily its Web site can be accessed by the public. Is the Commission's Web site accessible using different web browsers, such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Safari or Google Chrome? Also, is the Commission's Web site accessible using different operating systems and at different connection speeds? Is the Commission's Web site accessible using recently released versions of operating systems such as 64-bit Vista? What can the Commission do to ensure that its Web site remains accessible as new technology becomes available?

b. Hardware

The Commission also seeks comment on the type of computer hardware the Commission uses to support its Web site. The Commission currently uses load-balanced Sun Fire servers running Solaris 10 with Webserver Apache. Are these servers the best hardware for a Web site such as the FEC's? If not, why not and what kind would serve the public better? What innovations or advancements are anticipated in the near future? In what ways can the FEC plan for such advancements?

c. File Formatting

The Commission also seeks comment on its Web site formatting and printability. The Commission currently uses Adobe Dreamweaver for Web site development. Is Dreamweaver the best software available for development of a Web site such as the FEC's? If not, why not and what software would serve the public better now and in the future?

Are the Commission's Web site pages formatted properly to allow for easy printing? Should the Commission employ a printer friendly function on its Web site? If so, on which pages?

The Commission also seeks comment on whether documents are made available in formats that are easy to access, such as HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language), XML (Extensible Markup Language), Microsoft Word or PDF. For example, are there adequate links to the downloadable free PDF viewer provided? Is page download time for PDF documents quick enough, especially for scanned documents? Finally, should large documents be made available for viewing and printing by smaller sections or chapters?

XVII. Maintenance of Content

The Commission updates its Web site on a daily basis by adding new information, updating old information and removing obsolete information. Examples of these changes include guidance about new statutes and regulations. The Commission seeks comment about whether information is added, updated and deleted in a timely manner. If not, what would be a reasonable time period within which information should be added, updated or deleted? Is the information on the FEC's Web site current? Are users easily able to see whether a page is current? For example, should each page on the Commission's Web site provide information about the date posted or last reviewed to allow viewers to assess whether the information is current? Should the Commission maintain archived versions of the Web site so that users can access information that was available in the past? If so, how should the Commission make archived versions of the Web site accessible?

When new information is added to a Web site it is important to ensure that the new information is not duplicative, or worse yet, contradictory to information that is already available. Additionally, it is vital that links are updated to ensure that viewers can access the information they seek. The Commission seeks comment on whether its Web site contains contradictory or erroneous content. Are links on the Commission's Web site maintained properly?

The Commission also seeks comment on whether, and if so, how often, it should conduct a content review of the entire Web site to ensure that online content is accurate, relevant, mission-related and written in plain language.

XVIII. Privacy Policy

Federal agencies are under an obligation to protect the privacy of the American people when they interact with their government. Accordingly, agencies are required to have clear privacy policies and to post those policies on their Web sites. The FEC's privacy policy is available at http://www.fec.gov/privacy.shtml. The Commission seeks comment on whether its privacy policy is appropriate and adequate.

XIX. Implementation of Changes

After the Commission reviews the written comments filed in response to this notice, as well as the testimony from witnesses at the hearing, the Commission will consider implementing improvements to the ways in which the Commission uses the Internet to disclose information to the public, including changes to the Commission's Web site. Once the Commission implements such changes, what is the most effective way for the Commission to inform the public about those changes? For example, should the Commission provide a link on the homepage to a guide regarding changes? Should the Commission issue a press release? Are there other ways the Commission should inform the public once the Web site is updated?

XX. Customer Satisfaction Future Improvements

The Commission currently receives comments and suggestions regarding its Web site through e-mails sent to the Commission's Web Manager (Webmanager@fec.gov). Currently, the Commission has no other method of measuring the usability of its Web site or customer satisfaction. Thus, the Commission seeks suggestions on ways in which the Commission could measure usability and customer satisfaction. For example, should the Commission conduct focus groups? Should the Commission conduct online surveys? Should the Web site host blogs in which users could provide feedback? Should these blogs be made available to the public? Are there any privacy concerns that the Commission should be aware of that are associated with conducting online surveys?

Going forward, the Commission seeks comment on how it may most effectively review and make further Web site improvements. Also, the Commission seeks comment on the most effective way to solicit and receive further feedback and suggestions. Is the Commission's use of the Webmaster e-mail address sufficient? Should the Commission proactively solicit additional feedback from the public? Finally, the Commission seeks comment on whether it should post user comments and suggestions on the Commission's Web site. If so, should the Commission also post actions taken by the Commission in response to such comments and suggestions?

XXI. Recommended Resources

Are there private resources such as research centers, academic institutions, or technical experts and consultants, available that the Commission might not be aware of that could assist the Commission in implementing improvements to the ways in which the Commission discloses information to the public and improvements to its Web site in the most expeditious and efficient manner possible? If so, what are those resources and how can the Commission access them? Are those resources available from commercial entities or non-profit organizations? Are there other government agencies that maintain Web sites that the Commission should try to emulate? If so, which agencies and why?

Dated: March 25, 2009. Steven T. Walther, Chairman, Federal Election Commission. Editorial Note:

This document was received in the Office of the Federal Register on Thursday, June 25, 2009.

[FR Doc. E9-15497 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6715-01-P FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM Agency Information Collection Activities: Announcement of Board Approval Under Delegated Authority and Submission to OMB SUMMARY: Background

Notice is hereby given of the final approval of a proposed information collection by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) under OMB delegated authority, as per 5 CFR 1320.16 (OMB Regulations on Controlling Paperwork Burdens on the Public). Board-approved collections of information are incorporated into the official OMB inventory of currently approved collections of information. Copies of the Paperwork Reduction Act Submission, supporting statements and approved collection of information instrument(s) are placed into OMB's public docket files. The Federal Reserve 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Acting Federal Reserve Board Clearance Officer-Cynthia Ayouch-Division of Research and Statistics, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551 (202-452-3829).

OMB Desk Officer-Shagufta Ahmed-Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503.

Final approval under OMB delegated authority of the extension for three years, without revision, of the following report:

Report title: Suspicious Activity Report by Depository Institutions (SAR).

Agency form number: FR 2230.

OMB Control number: 7100-0212.

Frequency: On occasion.

Reporters: State member banks, bank holding companies and their nonbank subsidiaries, Edge and agreement corporations, and the U.S. branches and agencies, representative offices, and nonbank subsidiaries of foreign banks supervised by the Federal Reserve.

Annual reporting hours: 86,404 hours.

Estimated average hours per response: 1 hour.

Number of respondents: 7,000.

General description of report: This information collection is mandatory, pursuant to authority contained in the following statutes: 12 U.S.C. 248(a)(1), 625, 1818, 1844(c), 3105(c)(2), and 3106(a). The obligation to file a SAR is set forth in the Board's rules, and is mandatory: 12 CFR 208.62(c) (state member banks); 12 CFR 225.4(f) (entities subject to the Bank Holding Company Act and their nonbank subsidiaries); 12 CFR 211.5(k) (Edge and agreement corporations); and 12 CFR 211.24(f) (U.S. branches, agencies, and representative offices of foreign banks).

Section 5318(g)(2)(A)(ii) of Title 31 generally prohibits an officer or employee of the Federal Government from disclosing the existence of a SAR to anyone involved in the transaction, and section 5319 of Title 31 provides that SARs are exempt from disclosure under FOIA. The information collected on a SAR is covered by, among other things, exemptions 3 and 7 of the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552(b)(3)(7)) and exemption 2 of the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2))

Abstract: Since 1996, the federal banking agencies (the Federal Reserve Board, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Office of Thrift Supervision, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the National Credit Union Administration) and the Department of the Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) (collectively, the agencies) have required certain types of financial institutions to report known or suspected violations of law and suspicious transactions. To fulfill these requirements, supervised banking organizations file SARs. Law enforcement agencies use the information submitted on the reporting form to initiate investigations and the Federal Reserve uses the information in the examination and oversight of supervised institutions.

Current Actions: On April 1, 2009, the agencies published a notice in the Federal Register (74 FR 14863) requesting public comment for 60 days on the extension, without revision, of the interagency Suspicious Activities Report by Depository Institutions. The comment period for this notice expired on June 1, 2009. The Federal Reserve did not receive any comments on this proposal. However, three comment letters were received by FinCEN. Two of the comment letters were from banking institutions and one was from a credit union association. The other agencies will publish a separate Federal Register notice addressing the comments and each agency will separately submit their SAR information collection to OMB.

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, June 25, 2009.

Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary of the Board. [FR Doc. E9-15479 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6210-01-P FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM Formations of, Acquisitions by, and Mergers of Bank Holding Companies

The companies listed in this notice have applied to the Board for approval, pursuant to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841 et seq.) (BHC Act), Regulation Y (12 CFR Part 225), and all other applicable statutes and regulations to become a bank holding company and/or to acquire the assets or the ownership of, control of, or the power to vote shares of a bank or bank holding company and all of the banks and nonbanking companies owned by the bank holding company, including the companies listed below.

The applications listed below, as well as other related filings required by the Board, are available for immediate inspection at the Federal Reserve Bank indicated. The application also will be available for inspection at the offices of the Board of Governors. Interested persons may express their views in writing on the standards enumerated in the BHC Act (12 U.S.C. 1842(c)). If the proposal also involves the acquisition of a nonbanking company, the review also includes whether the acquisition of the nonbanking company complies with the standards in section 4 of the BHC Act (12 U.S.C. 1843). Unless otherwise noted, nonbanking activities will be conducted throughout the United States. Additional information on all bank holding companies may be obtained from the National Information Center website at www.ffiec.gov/nic/.

Unless otherwise noted, comments regarding each of these applications must be received at the Reserve Bank indicated or the offices of the Board of Governors not later than July 27, 2009.

A. Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City (Todd Offerbacker, Assistant Vice President) 925 Grand Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri 64198-0001:

Cache Holdings, Inc., Tulsa, Oklahoma, to become a bank holding company through the acquisition of 100 percent of the voting shares of Healthcare Bancorp, Inc., parent of First BankCentre, both in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, June 26, 2009.

Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary of the Board. [FR Doc. E9-15510 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6210-01-S FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSION Notice of Agreements Filed

The Commission hereby gives notice of the filing of the following agreements under the Shipping Act of 1984. Interested parties may submit comments on the agreements to the Secretary, Federal Maritime Commission, Washington, DC 20573, within ten days of the date this notice appears in the Federal Register. Copies of the agreements are available through the Commission's Web site (http://www.fmc.gov) or by contacting the Office of Agreements at (202)-523-5793 or tradeanalysis@fmc.gov.

Agreement No.: 011275-028.

Title: Australia and New Zealand/United States Discussion Agreement.

Parties: ANL Singapore PTE LTD.; Hamburg-Sdamerikanische Dampfschifffahrts-Gesellschaft KG; and Hapag-Lloyd AG.

Filing Party: Wayne R. Rohde, Esq., Sher Blackwell LLP, 1850 M Street, NW., Suite 900, Washington, DC 20036.

Synopsis: The amendment reduces the minimum service levels to be provided under the agreement.

Agreement No.: 011426-043.

Title: West Coast of South America Discussion Agreement.

Parties: APL Co. Pte Ltd.; Compania Chilena de Navigacion Interoceanica, S.A.; Compania Sud Americana de Vapores, S.A.; Frontier Liner Services, Inc.; Hamburg-Sd; King Ocean Services Limited, Inc.; Maruba S.C.A.; Seaboard Marine Ltd.; South Pacific Shipping Company, Ltd.; and Trinity Shipping Line.

Filing Party: Wayne R. Rohde, Esq., Sher Blackwell LLP, 1850 M Street, NW., Suite 900, Washington, DC 20036.

Synopsis: The amendment would add Mediterranean Shipping Company, SA as a party to the agreement.

Agreement No.: 011960-004.

Title: The New World Alliance Agreement.

Parties: American President Lines, Ltd.; APL Co. Pte, Ltd.; Hyundai Merchant Marine Co., Ltd.; and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL).

Filing Party: Eric C. Jeffrey, Esq., Counsel for APL, Goodwin Procter LLP, 901 New York Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20001.

Synopsis: The amendment would authorize APL to charter space to Hanjin in the trade between the Far East and the U.S. East Coast via Suez Canal.

Agreement No.: 012071.

Title: APL/Hanjin Reciprocal Space Charter Agreement.

Parties: American President Lines, Ltd.; APL Co. Pte, Ltd.; and Hanjin Shipping Co., Ltd.

Filing Party: Eric C. Jeffrey, Esq., Counsel for APL, Goodwin Procter LLP, 901 New York Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20001.

Synopsis: The agreement would authorize APL to charter space to Hanjin in the trade between the Far East and the United States East Coast via Suez Canal, and authorizes Hanjin to charter space to APL in the trade between the Indian Subcontinent, Middle East and Far East and United States East Coast via the Panama Canal.

By Order of the Federal Maritime Commission.

Dated: June 26, 2009. Karen V. Gregory, Secretary. [FR Doc. E9-15593 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6730-01-P FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION [File No. 092 3035] Constellation Brands, Inc.; Analysis of Proposed Consent Order to Aid Public Comment AGENCY:

Federal Trade Commission.

ACTION:

Proposed Consent Agreement.

SUMMARY:

The consent agreement in this matter settles alleged violations of federal law prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or practices or unfair methods of competition. The attached Analysis to Aid Public Comment describes both the allegations in the complaint and the terms of the consent order-embodied in the consent agreement-that would settle these allegations.

DATES:

Comments must be received on or before July 10, 2009.

ADDRESSES:

Interested parties are invited to submit written comments electronically or in paper form. Comments should refer toConstellation Brands, File No. 092 3035 to facilitate the organization of comments. Please note that your comment-including your name and your state-will be placed on the public record of this proceeding, including on the publicly accessible FTC website, at (http://www.ftc.gov/os/publiccomments.shtm).

Because comments will be made public, they should not include any sensitive personal information, such as an individuals Social Security Number; date of birth; drivers license number or other state identification number, or foreign country equivalent; passport number; financial account number; or credit or debit card number. Comments also should not include any sensitive health information, such as medical records or other individually identifiable health information. In addition, comments should not include any [t]rade secret or any commercial or financial information which is obtained from any person and which is privileged or confidential. . . ., as provided in Section 6(f) of the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. 46(f), and Commission Rule 4.10(a)(2), 16 CFR 4.10(a)(2). Comments containing material for which confidential treatment is requested must be filed in paper form, must be clearly labeled Confidential, and must comply with FTC Rule 4.9(c), 16 CFR 4.9(c).1

1 The comment must be accompanied by an explicit request for confidential treatment, including the factual and legal basis for the request, and must identify the specific portions of the comment to be withheld from the public record. The request will be granted or denied by the Commissions General Counsel, consistent with applicable law and the public interest. See FTC Rule 4.9(c), 16 CFR 4.9(c).

Because paper mail addressed to the FTC is subject to delay due to heightened security screening, please consider submitting your comments in electronic form. Comments filed in electronic form should be submitted by using the following weblink: (https://secure.commentworks.com/ftc-ConstellationBrands) (and following the instructions on the web-based form). To ensure that the Commission considers an electronic comment, you must file it on the web-based form at the weblink: (https://secure.commentworks.com/ftc-ConstellationBrands). If this Notice appears at (http://www.regulations.gov/search/index.jsp), you may also file an electronic comment through that website. The Commission will consider all comments that regulations.gov forwards to it. You may also visit the FTC website at http://www.ftc.gov/ to read the Notice and the news release describing it.

A comment filed in paper form should include the Constellation Brands, File No. 092 3035 reference both in the text and on the envelope, and should be mailed or delivered to the following address: Federal Trade Commission, Office of the Secretary, Room H-135 (Annex D), 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580. The FTC is requesting that any comment filed in paper form be sent by courier or overnight service, if possible, because U.S. postal mail in the Washington area and at the Commission is subject to delay due to heightened security precautions.

The Federal Trade Commission Act (FTC Act) and other laws the Commission administers permit the collection of public comments to consider and use in this proceeding as appropriate. The Commission will consider all timely and responsive public comments that it receives, whether filed in paper or electronic form. Comments received will be available to the public on the FTC website, to the extent practicable, at (http://www.ftc.gov/os/publiccomments.shtm). As a matter of discretion, the Commission makes every effort to remove home contact information for individuals from the public comments it receives before placing those comments on the FTC website. More information, including routine uses permitted by the Privacy Act, may be found in the FTCs privacy policy, at (http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/privacy.shtm).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Janet Evans, Bureau of Consumer Protection, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580, (202) 326-3112.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Pursuant to section 6(f) of the Federal Trade Commission Act, 38 Stat. 721, 15 U.S.C. 46(f), and 2.34 the Commission Rules of Practice, 16 CFR 2.34, notice is hereby given that the above-captioned consent agreement containing a consent order to cease and desist, having been filed with and accepted, subject to final approval, by the Commission, has been placed on the public record for a period of thirty (30) days. The following Analysis to Aid Public Comment describes the terms of the consent agreement, and the allegations in the complaint. An electronic copy of the full text of the consent agreement package can be obtained from the FTC Home Page (for June 10, 2009), on the World Wide Web, at (http://www.ftc.gov/os/actions.shtm). A paper copy can be obtained from the FTC Public Reference Room, Room 130-H, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580, either in person or by calling (202) 326-2222.

Public comments are invited, and may be filed with the Commission in either paper or electronic form. All comments should be filed as prescribed in the ADDRESSES section above, and must be received on or before the date specified in the DATES section.

Analysis of Agreement Containing Consent Order to Aid Public Comment

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC or Commission) has accepted, subject to final approval, an agreement containing a consent order from Constellation Brands, Inc. (the company). The proposed consent order has been placed on the public record for thirty (30) days for receipt of comments by interested persons. Comments received during this period will become part of the public record. After thirty (30) days, the Commission will again review the agreement and the comments received, and will decide whether it should withdraw from the agreement or make final the agreements proposed order.

This matter involves alleged unsubstantiated claims made in advertising for the beverage alcohol product Wide Eye schnapps, introduced by the company in 2007. Wide Eye contains 30% alcohol by volume plus caffeine. The company promoted Wide Eye through Internet advertising, including web video and print ads. Among other things, the company made the following claims about Wide Eye: Wake up @ WideEye.com, I am your wake up call, Wakes up sweet, then goes off like an alarm, and When you party with the worlds first caffeinated schnapps itll seem like the rest of the world is sleepwalking through life.

According to the FTC complaint, the company represented, expressly or by implication, that consumers who drink Wide Eye will remain alert when consuming alcohol. The complaint alleges that the company did not possess and rely upon a reasonable basis that substantiated the representation at the time it was made. Therefore, the representation was, and is, false and misleading.

The proposed consent order contains provisions designed to prevent the company from engaging in similar acts and practices in the future. Part I of the proposed consent order prohibits the company, in connection with the advertising, sale, or distribution of Wide Eye or any other beverage alcohol product containing caffeine, ginseng, taurine, guarana, or any stimulant, from representing, expressly or by implication, including through the use of a product name or endorsement, that consumers who drink such a product will remain alert when consuming alcohol unless that representation is true, non-misleading, and, at the time it is made, the company possesses and relies upon competent and reliable scientific evidence that substantiates the representation. Part II of the consent order further prevents the company from representing, expressly or by implication, including through the use of a product name or endorsement, that any beverage alcohol product or any ingredient therein will counteract the effects of alcohol consumption, unless that representation is true, non-misleading, and, at the time it is made, the company possesses and relies upon competent and reliable scientific evidence that substantiates the representation.

Parts III through VI of the consent order require the company to keep copies of relevant advertisements and promotional materials, to provide copies of the order to certain of its personnel, to notify the Commission of changes in corporate structure, and to file compliance reports with the Commission. Part VII provides that the order will terminate after twenty (20) years with certain exceptions.

The purpose of this analysis is to facilitate public comment on the proposed order, and it is not intended to constitute an official interpretation of the agreement and proposed order or to modify in any way their terms.

By direction of the Commission.

Donald S. Clark, Secretary. [FR Doc. E9-15462 Filed 6-30-09: 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6750-01-S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology; HIT Standards Committee Advisory Meeting; Notice of Meeting AGENCY:

Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, HHS.

ACTION:

Notice of meeting.

This notice announces a forthcoming meeting of a public advisory committee of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). The meeting will be open to the public.

Name of Committee: HIT Standards Committee.

General Function of the Committee: to provide recommendations to the National Coordinator on standards, implementation specifications, and certification criteria for the electronic exchange and use of health information for purposes of adoption, consistent with the implementation of the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan, and in accordance with policies developed by the HIT Policy Committee.

Date and Time: The meeting will be held on July 21, 2009, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m./Eastern Time.

Location: The Holiday Inn Washington Capitol, 550 C Street, SW., Washington, DC. The hotel telephone number is 202-479-9400.

Contact Person: Judy Sparrow, Office of the National Coordinator, HHS, 330 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20201, 202-205-4528, Fax: 202-690-6079, e-mail: judy.sparrow@hhs.gov. Please call the contact person for up-to-date information on this meeting. A notice in the Federal Register about last minute modifications that impact a previously announced advisory committee meeting cannot always be published quickly enough to provide timely notice.

Agenda: The committee will discuss the certification process. ONC intends to make background material available to the public no later than two (2) business days prior to the meeting. If ONC is unable to post the background material on its Web site prior to the meeting, it will be made publicly available at the location of the advisory committee meeting, and the background material will be posted on ONC's Web site after the meeting, at http://healthit.hhs.gov.

Procedure: Interested persons may present date, information, or views, orally or in writing, on issues pending before the committee. Written submissions may be made to the contact person on or before July 13, 2009. Oral comments from the public will be scheduled between approximately 2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Time allotted for each presentation may be limited. If the number of speakers requesting to comment is greater than can be reasonably accommodated during the scheduled open public hearing session, ONC will take written comments after the meeting until close of business.

Persons attending ONC's advisory committee meetings are advised that the agency is not responsible for providing access to electrical outlets.

ONC welcomes the attendance of the public at its advisory committee meetings. Seating is limited at the location, and ONC will make every effort to accommodate persons with physical disabilities or special needs. If you require special accommodations due to a disability, please contact Judy Sparrow at least seven (7) days in advance of the meeting.

ONC is committed to the orderly conduct of its advisory committee meetings. Please visit our Web site at http://healthit.hhs.gov for procedures on public conduct during advisory committee meetings.

Notice of this meeting is given under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. No. 92-463, 5 U.S.C., App. 2).

Dated: June 26, 2009. Judith Sparrow, Office of Programs and Coordination, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. [FR Doc. E9-15544 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4150-45-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology; HIT Policy Committee's Certification/Adoption Workgroup Meeting; Notice of Meeting AGENCY:

Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, HHS.

ACTION:

Notice of meeting.

This notice announces a forthcoming subcommittee meeting of a Federal advisory committee of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). The meeting will be open to the public.

Name of Committee: HIT Policy Committee's Certification/Adoption Workgroup.

General Function of the Committee: to provide recommendations to the National Coordinator on a policy framework for the development and adoption of a nationwide health information technology infrastructure that permits the electronic exchange and use of health information as is consistent with the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan and that includes recommendations on the areas in which standards, implementation specifications, and certification criteria are needed. The Certification/Adoption Workgroup is charged with making recommendations to the HIT Policy Committee on issues related to the adoption of certified electronic health records, that support meaningful use, including issues related to certification, health information extension centers and workforce training.

Date and Time: The meeting will be held on July 14, 2009, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m./Eastern Time, and July 15, 2009, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m./Eastern Time.

Location: The Park Hyatt Washington Hotel, 24th and M Streets, NW., Washington, DC. The hotel telephone number is 202-789-1234. The meeting will be available via Web cast; visit http://healthit.hhs.gov for instructions on how to listen via telephone or Web.

Contact Person: Judy Sparrow, Office of the National Coordinator, HHS, 330 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20201, 202-205-4528, Fax: 202-690-6079, e-mail: judy.sparrow@hhs.gov. Please call the contact person for up-to-date information on this meeting. A notice in the Federal Register about last minute modifications that impact a previously announced advisory committee meeting cannot always be published quickly enough to provide timely notice.

Agenda: The committee will be hearing testimony from stakeholder groups, such as purchasers, vendors, and users, on the certification process. ONC intends to make background material available to the public no later than two (2) business days prior to the meeting. If ONC is unable to post the background material on its Web site prior to the meeting, it will be made publicly available at the location of the advisory committee meeting, and the background material will be posted on ONC's Web site after the meeting, at http://healthit.hhs.gov. The meeting will be available via webcast; visit http://healthit.hhs.gov for instructions on how to listen via telephone or Web.

Procedure: Interested persons may present data, information, or views, orally or in writing, on issues pending before the committee. Written submissions may be made to the contact person on or before July 6, 2009. Oral comments from the public will be scheduled between approximately 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, and 10 and 10:15 a.m. on Wednesday. Time allotted for each presentation may be limited. If the number of speakers requesting to comment is greater than can be reasonably accommodated during the scheduled open public hearing session, ONC will take written comments after the meeting until close of business on that day.

Persons attending Committee meetings are advised that the agency is not responsible for providing access to electrical outlets.

ONC welcomes the attendance of the public at its advisory committee meetings. Seating is limited at the location, and ONC will make every effort to accommodate persons with physical disabilities or special needs. If you require special accommodations due to a disability, please contact Judy Sparrow at least seven (7) days in advance of the meeting.

ONC is committed to the orderly conduct of its advisory committee meetings. Please visit our Web site at http://healthit.hhs.gov for procedures on public conduct during advisory committee meetings.

Notice of this meeting is given under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463, 5 U.S.C., App. 2).

Dated: June 26, 2009. Judith Sparrow, Office of Programs and Coordination, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. [FR Doc. E9-15547 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4150-45-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology; HIT Policy Committee Advisory Meeting; Notice of Meeting AGENCY:

Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, HHS.

ACTION:

Notice of meeting.

This notice announces a forthcoming meeting of a public advisory committee of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). The meeting will be open to the public.

Name of Committee: HIT Policy Committee.

General Function of the Committee: to provide recommendations to the National Coordinator on a policy framework for the development and adoption of a nationwide health information technology infrastructure that permits the electronic exchange and use of health information as is consistent with the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan and that includes recommendations on the areas in which standards, implementation specifications, and certification criteria are needed.

Date and Time: The meeting will be held on July 16, 2009, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m./Eastern Time.

Location: The Park Hyatt Washington Hotel, 24th and M Streets, NW., Washington, DC. The hotel telephone number is 202-789-1234.

Contact Person: Judy Sparrow, Office of the National Coordinator, HHS, 330 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20201, 202-205-4528, Fax: 202-690-6079, e-mail: judy.sparrow@hhs.gov. Please call the contact person for up-to-date information on this meeting. A notice in the Federal Register about last minute modifications that impact a previously announced advisory committee meeting cannot always be published quickly enough to provide timely notice.

Agenda: The committee will discuss the preliminary draft definition of Meaningful Use. ONC intends to make background material available to the public no later than two (2) business days prior to the meeting. If ONC is unable to post the background material on its Web site prior to the meeting, it will be made publicly available at the location of the advisory committee meeting, and the background material will be posted on ONC's Web site after the meeting, at http://healthit.hhs.gov.

Procedure: Interested persons may present date, information, or views, orally or in writing, on issues pending before the committee. Written submissions may be made to the contact person on or before July 6, 2009. Oral comments from the public will be scheduled between approximately 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Time allotted for each presentation may be limited. If the number of speakers requesting to comment is greater than can be reasonably accommodated during the scheduled open public hearing session, ONC will take written comments after the meeting until close of business.

Persons attending ONC's advisory committee meetings are advised that the agency is not responsible for providing access to electrical outlets.

ONC welcomes the attendance of the public at its advisory committee meetings. Seating is limited at the location, and ONC will make every effort to accommodate persons with physical disabilities or special needs. If you require special accommodations due to a disability, please contact Judy Sparrow at least seven (7) days in advance of the meeting.

ONC is committed to the orderly conduct of its advisory committee meetings. Please visit our Web site at http://healthit.hhs.gov for procedures on public conduct during advisory committee meetings.

Notice of this meeting is given under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. No. 92-463, 5 U.S.C., App. 2).

Dated: June 26, 2009. Judith Sparrow, Office of Programs and Coordination, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. [FR Doc. E9-15545 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4150-45-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Collection of Customer Service, Demographic, and Smoking/Tobacco Use Information From NCI Cancer Information Service (CIS) Clients (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 May 1, 2009, (Vol. 74, No. 83, p. 20320) and allowed 60 days for public comment. One public comment was received on May 1, 2009 requesting a copy of the data collection plans. An e-mail response was sent on May 5, 2009, which included the Supporting Statements and the screenshots of the surveys. 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: Collection of Customer Service, Demographic, and Smoking/Tobacco Use Information from NCI Cancer Information Service (CIS) Clients (NCI) Type of Information Collection Request: Revision. Need and Use of Information Collection: The National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service (CIS) provides the latest information on cancer, clinical trials, and tobacco cessation in English and Spanish. Clients are served by calling 1-800-4-CANCER for cancer information; 1-877-44U-QUIT for smoking cessations services; and using the NCI's LiveHelp, a web-based chat service. CIS currently conducts a brief survey of a sample of telephone and LiveHelp clients at the end of usual service-a survey that includes three customer service and twelve demographic questions (age, sex, race, ethnicity, education, household income, number in household, and five questions about health care/coverage). Characterizing clients and how they found out about the CIS is essential to customer service, program planning, and promotion. The NCI also conducts a survey of individuals using the CIS's smoking cessation services-a survey that includes 20 smoking/tobacco use intake questions that serve as a needs assessment that addresses smoking history, previous quit attempts, and motivations to quit smoking. An additional question is used with callers who want to receive proactive call-back services. Responses to these questions enable Information Specialists to provide effective individualized counseling. Frequency of Response: Once. Affected Public: Individuals or households. Type of Respondents: People with cancer; their relatives and friends; and general public, including smokers/tobacco users. Annualized estimates for numbers of respondents and respondent burden are presented in the table below.

Type of respondents	Survey instrument	Number of respondents	Frequency of responses	Average time per response (minutes/hour)	Annual burden hoursTelephone Clients 1
	Customer Service	62,000	1	1/60	1,033.33
	Demographic Questions	22,000	1	2/60	733.33
Smoking Cessation Quitline Clients 1,2
Reactive Service Clients	Smoking Cessation Intake Questions	4,641	1	5/60	386.75
	Demographic Questions	1,300	1	2/60	43.33
Proactive Callback Service Clients 3	Follow-Up	928	4	1/60	61.87
LiveHelp Clients 4
	Demographic questions	7,014	1	2/60	233.80
Total		97,883			2524.00
1 Approximately 36% of telephone and quitline clients will be sampled for the demographic questions, and 100% of telephone clients will be sampled for the customer service questions. Estimates based on 77.5% response rate. 2 100% of smoking cessation clients will be asked the smoking intake questions. Estimates for quitline callers answering demographic questions are based on 77.8% response rate. 3 100% of smoking cessation clients participating in the proactive callback service (about 20% of all smoking callers) will be asked the smoking follow-up question (at up to 4 callbacks). 4 Approximately 50% of LiveHelp clients will be sampled for the demographic questions. The annualized cost to the respondents is estimated at $48,752. 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 should address one or more of the following points: (1) Evaluate 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) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) 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 Mary Anne Bright, Office of Public Information and Resource Management, Office of Communications and Education, National Cancer Institute, 6116 Executive Blvd., Room 3049, MSC 8322, Bethesda, MD 20892-8322 or call the non-toll-free number 301-594-9048 or e-mail your request, including your address, to: brightma@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 23, 2009. Vivian Horovitch-Kelley, NCI Project Clearance Liaison, National Institutes of Health. [FR Doc. E9-15583 Filed 6-30-09; 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.

New Inhibitors of Polo-like Kinase 1 (PLK1) as Anti-Cancer Agents

Description of Technology: Tumor formation is the result of uncontrolled cellular growth and invasion. Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) is a regulator of cell growth whose overexpression has been associated with several types of cancer (e.g., breast cancer, prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, non-small cell lung carcinoma). It has been shown that inhibition of PLK1 causes cell death (apoptosis) in tumor cells but not normal cells. This suggested that inhibiting PLK1 could be an effective treatment for cancer patients without causing unwanted side-effects.

PLK1 contains a unique protein domain known as the polo box domain (PBD), which is essential for its function. One strategy for inhibiting PLK1 involves preventing the PBD domain from interacting with PLK1 substrates. A synthetic peptide with the ability to selectively bind to the PBD was recently identified. Using this peptide as a platform, NIH inventors have designed peptide mimetics that interact with the PBD with greater affinity than the wild-type peptide. By inhibiting PLK1 and selectively inducing apoptosis in cancer cells, these mimetics could serve as potential anti-cancer therapies.

Applications:

New anti-cancer therapies that specifically target PLK1

Platform for the development of further improved PLK1 inhibitors

Advantages:

The peptide mimetics have an increased affinity for the polo box domain of PLK1 compared to the wild-type peptide, making them superior as inhibitors of PLK1.

The peptide mimetics provide greater metabolic stability and potential effectiveness over synthetic peptides prepared using coded amino acids.

Inhibiting PLK1 provides an opportunity for successful treatment of cancer with fewer side effects because only tumor cells are killed.

Development Status: Preclinical stage of development

Inventors: Terrence R. Burke Jr. et al. (NCI)

Patent Status: US Provisional Application No. 61/178,593 (HHS Reference No. E-181-2009/0-US-01)

For more information, see:

1. F Liu et al. SAR by oxime-containing peptide libraries: application to Tsg101 ligand optimization. Chembiochem. 2008 Aug 11;9(12):2000-2004.

2. F Liu et al. Protected aminooxyprolines for expedited library synthesis: Application to Tsg101-directed proline-oxime containing peptides. Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2008 Feb 1;18(3):1096-1101.

3. PCT Application WO 2004/046317, Crystal structure of human Polo-like kinase Plk1, Polo Box domain-binding phosphopeptide core sequences, and their therapeutic uses for cancer.

Licensing Status: Available for licensing.

Licensing Contact: David A. Lambertson, PhD; 301-435-4632; lambertsond@mail.nih.gov.

Increasing the Effectiveness of Cancer Treatment: T Cell Receptors Designed To Release Interleukin-12 Specifically at Cancer Sites

Description of Technology: Many conventional chemotherapy drugs currently utilized to treat cancer also yield harsh side effects in patients. In addition, many patients do not respond to generalized chemotherapy and radiation treatments for cancer. There is an urgent need to develop new therapeutic strategies combining fewer side-effects and more specific anti-tumor activity in individual patients. Adoptive immunotherapy is a promising new approach to cancer treatment that engineers an individual's innate and adaptive immune system to fight against specific diseases, including cancer.

T cell receptors (TCRs) are proteins that recognize antigens in the context of infected or transformed cells and activate T cells to mediate an immune response and destroy abnormal cells. TCRs consist of two domains, one variable domain that recognizes the antigen and one constant region that helps the TCR anchor to the membrane and transmit recognition signals by interacting with other proteins. When a TCR is stimulated by an antigen, such as a tumor antigen, some signaling pathways activated in the cell lead to the production of cytokines, which mediate the immune response.

Scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have developed T cells genetically engineered to express the human interleukin 12 (IL-12) cytokine only in the tumor environment. Specifically, these T cells have been designed to express a human IL-12 gene under the control of the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) promoter. When the TCR on these T cells recognizes a tumor antigen, IL-12 expression is induced through activation of the NFAT promoter. Thus, IL-12 is only released at the cancer site and only after the activation of the T cell. This technology makes it possible to control the expression of IL-12 to enhance T cell cytolytic activity while also reducing or eliminating the IL-12 toxicity observed with other IL-12 related therapies. Infusing these IL-12 expressing T cells into patients via adoptive immunotherapy could prove to be powerful new tools for attacking tumors.

Applications:

Immunotherapeutics to treat and/or prevent the recurrence of a variety of human cancers by adoptively transferring the gene-modified T cells into patients.

A drug component of a combination immunotherapy regimen aimed at targeting the specific tumor-associated antigens expressed by cancer cells within individual patients.

Advantages: The combination of enhanced T cell activity with reduced IL-12 toxicity: IL-12 has shown remarkable properties as an anti-tumor agent, but its clinical development has been hindered by its toxicity. This current technology delivers IL-12 only when and where it is needed-at the tumor site.

Development Status: Clinical trials utilizing this technology are currently in the planning stage.

Market: Cancer continues to be a medical and financial burden on US public health. According to US estimates, cancer is the second leading cause of death with over 565,000 deaths reported in 2008 and almost 1.5 million new cases were reported (excluding some skin cancers) in 2008. In 2007, the NIH estimated that the overall cost of cancer was $219.2 billion dollars and $89 billion went to direct medical costs. Despite our increasing knowledge of oncology and cancer treatment methods, the fight against cancer will continue to benefit from the development of new therapeutics aimed at treating individual patients.

Inventors: Richard A. Morgan et al. (NCI)

Publications:

1. L Zhang et al. Improving adoptive T cell therapy using NFAT driven human single chain IL-12 expression vector. 2009 American Society of Gene Therapy, abstract submitted.

2. B Heemskerk et al. Adoptive cell therapy for patients with melanoma, using tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes genetically engineered to secrete interleukin-2. Hum Gene Ther. 2008 May;19(5):496-510.

3. RA Morgan et al. Cancer regression in patients after transfer of genetically engineered lymphocytes. Science 2006 Oct 6;314(5796):126-129.

Patent Status: U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/174,046 filed 30 Apr 2009 (HHS Reference No. E-170-2009/0-US-01)

Licensing Status: Available for licensing.

Licensing Contact: Samuel E. Bish, Ph.D.; 301-435-5282; bishse@mail.nih.gov.

Collaborative Research Opportunity: The National Cancer Institute, Surgery Branch, is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize adoptive immunotherapies or the development of cancer therapeutics based on the use of T cell receptors. Please contact John D. Hewes, PhD at 301-435-3121 or hewesj@mail.nih.gov for more information.

A Novel System for Producing Infectious Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Virions and Development of a Novel Reporter System for Studying HCV Entry

Description of Technology: HCV has infected an estimated 3% of the world population in whom viral infection persists for more than two third of the cases, often resulting in life-threatening complications. The standard of care (pegylated interferon alpha-2 plus ribavirin) is efficient in only 50% of treated patients, costly and has numerous side effects. In addition, viral resistance to newly developed drugs-targeting viral protease or RNA polymerase-has been described, but no vaccine is yet available. The difficulty in developing HCV vaccines is largely due to the broad sequence-diversity displayed by HCV, the frequent occurrence of viral mutations within immunogenic epitopes in vivo, and the lack of proper standard/definition for viral neutralization.

One alternative strategy in HCV-vaccine or drug development comprises measuring viral entry, the first step in viral infection. Such measurements are limited by the available screening systems, in that, HCV pseudo-typed retroviral particles have a different envelope conformation and contain foreign components that are likely to interfere with the measured HCV entry. Moreover, HCV lab strain requires intensive replication for its in vitro production, resulting in numerous mutations that impede development of convenient screening tools.

The inventors have developed a system for generating infectious HCV particles and HCV-like particles (HCV-LP) suitable for a qualitative single-cycle entry assay, completely independent of HCV replication. To adapt this system as a single assay to study HCV-LP entry, HCV non-structural genes were replaced with a heterologous gene that upon viral-entry triggers firefly luciferase and EGFP expressions in target as well as non-permissive cells. The pretreatment of HCV-replication permissive HuH-7.5 cells with siRNA targeting HCV candidate receptors inhibited viral entry. These new systems enable production of authentic HCV infectious particles as well as HCV-LPs suitable for single-cycle entry assays adaptable to high throughput screening.

Applications:

Screening a library expressed in non-permissive cells for identifying new HCV candidate receptor(s) or entry molecule(s).

Testing drugs or compounds inhibiting HCV particle entry or viral genome uncoating, or neutralizing antibodies in target cells.

Testing drugs or compounds that inhibit virus assembly, maturation and/or egress, or genome packaging, in producer cells.

Incorporating a `tag' in the genome of various HCV genotypes to more conveniently study virus spreading and dissemination in an organ, tissue and/or small animal model.

Enhancing immune response in patients: one way to trigger high level anti-HCV immunity is by isolating antigen-presenting cells from patients and incubating them with HCV particles produced with this system using replication-defective viral genome (with or without an immunogenic tag and/or in combination with other viral epitopes) and eventually re-inject their primed cells to the patients.

Advantages:

These systems do not use pseudo-typed HCV particles, i.e. no foreign proteins present in the virus particles.

Particle production in the producing cells is independent of HCV RNA replication, hence avoids the occurrence of adaptive mutations that could be detrimental for virus particle's infectivity or could alter tags or nucleotide sequences incorporated in the viral genome.

These systems are not specifically dedicated to HCV of a particular genotype, i.e. they can be used to generate HCV particles of various genotypes without requiring the use of chimeras.

Development Status:

Proof of concept.

Preliminary tools and techniques for screening strategies.

Inventors: Bertrand Saunier, Miriam Triyatni, Edward A. Berger (all NIAID)

Patent Status: U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/195,088 filed 03 Oct 2008 (HHS Reference No. E-005-2009/0-US-01)

Licensing Status: Available for licensing.

Licensing Contact: RC Tang JD, LLM; 301-435-5031; tangrc@mail.nih.gov.

Collaborative Research Opportunity: The NIAID OTD is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize a novel system for producing infectious HCV virions and developing a reporter system for studying HCV entry. Please contact Michael Piziali at 301-496-2644 for more information.

Recombinant Virus-Like Particle (VLP) and DNA Vaccines for Chikungunya Virus (CHIKV) and Other Alphaviruses

Description of Technology: Available for licensing and commercial development are compositions and methods of use as vaccines of virus-like particles (VLPs) expressing one or more Alphavirus capsid and envelope proteins, and in particular Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) core and envelope proteins. The invention also describes DNA, viral or other gene-based vector and VLP vaccines, methods of making and methods of their use in inducing immunity, for example to CHIKV infection.

Alphaviruses are RNA-containing viruses that cause a wide variety of mosquito-transmitted diseases, including equine encephalitis. CHIKV, an Alphavirus in the family Togaviridae, was first isolated in Tanzania in 1952 and is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. The disease caused by CHIKV resembles infection by dengue virus, characterized by rash, high fever, and severe, sometimes persistent arthritis. By 2007, an estimated 1.4-6.5 million people in India, Southeast Asia, Africa and Europe had been infected. Vaccines or anti-viral therapies against CHIKV are not available, raising concerns about its continued evolution and spread in humans. There has been limited success to date in developing a safe and effective CHIKV vaccine. A live CHIKV vaccine candidate caused transient arthralagia in volunteers. Other efforts to develop a CHIKV vaccine include a live attenuated vaccine, a formalin-killed vaccine, a Venezuelan equine encephalitis/CHIKV chimeric live attenuated vaccine and a consensus-based DNA vaccine, but development of a safe and effective CHIKV vaccine will require additional evaluation in humans.

This invention provides CHIKV vaccines based on plasmid expression vectors encoding structural proteins of the virus, which gave rise to VLPs in transfected cells and also served as DNA vaccines. The VLPs consisted of the core, E1 and E2 proteins and were similar in buoyant density and morphology to replication-competent virus. To evaluate the potency and specificity of neutralizing antibodies, pseudotyped lentiviral vectors bearing the CHIKV glycoproteins E1/E2 were developed that showed pH-dependent entry and antibody inhibition similar to CHIKV. Mice were immunized with VLPs (West African strain, 37997) or with DNA vaccines encoding viral gene products from 37997 as well as the latest outbreak strain, OPY-1. Immunization with VLPs elicited high titer neutralizing antibodies against homologous and heterologous strain envelope at 100 fold higher titers than DNA vaccines. These vaccines also induced CD4 and CD8 T-cell responses by analysis with intracellular cytokine staining (ICS). These VLP vaccines are likely to confer protection against emerging CHIKV outbreaks and represent a strategy that could be applied to other pathogenic viruses to prevent their infection and spread.

Applications:

Development of vaccines against CHIKV

Development of vaccines against other Alphavirus

Advantages:

Immunization of mice with VLPs plus adjuvant results in neutralizing antibodies against both homologous and heterologous strains with titers at least two orders of magnitude greater than immunization with a DNA vaccine.

VLPs induce innate immunity responses as well as CD8 T-cell responses.

VLPs closely resemble mature virions but they do not contain viral genomic material. Therefore, VLPs are non-replicative in nature, which make them safe for administration in the form of immunogenic compositions in vaccines.

Development Status: This technology is in the pre-clinical stage of development.

Inventors: Gary J. Nabel and Wataru Akahata (NIAID)

Patent Status: U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/201,118 filed 05 Dec 2008, entitled Virus Like Particle Compositions and Methods of Use (HHS Reference No. E-004-2009/0-US-01)

Licensing Status: Available for licensing.

Licensing Contact: Cristina Thalhammer-Reyero, PhD, MBA; 301-435-4507; thalhamc@mail.nih.gov.

Inflammatory Genes and MicroRNA-21 as Biomarkers for Colon Cancer Prognosis

Description of Technology: Colon adenocarcinoma is the leading cause of cancer mortality world-wide and accounts for approximately 50,000 deaths annually in the United States. Adjuvant therapies improve survival for stage III colon cancer patients; however, it remains controversial if stage II patients should be given these therapies. Some stage II patients will benefit from therapy (such as patients with undetectable micro-metastases where surgery will not be curative); but therapy for others will harm quality of life with little therapeutic benefit (such as patients where surgery removed all cancerous tissue and therefore do not need additional therapy). Thus, there is a need for biomarkers capable of accurately identifying high risk, stage II patients that are suitable for therapeutic intervention.

The investigators have identified an inflammatory gene and microRNA biomarker portfolio that can predict aggressive colon cancer, colon cancer patient survival, and patients that are candidates for adjuvant therapy. These biomarkers provide clinicians with a powerful tool to diagnose colon cancer patients and chose effective treatment methods.

Applications:

Method to predict aggressive form of colon cancer, especially in stage II cancer patients

Method to determine appropriate colon cancer patients for adjuvant therapy

Diagnostic arrays

Advantages:

Rapid, easy to use arrays to accurately predict colon cancer and patients suitable for adjuvant therapy

Method to stratify colon cancer patients for adjuvant therapy to minimize negative side effects

Method to identify stage II patients that are likely to have undetectable micro-metastases

Development Status: The technology is currently in the pre-clinical stage of development.

Market:

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

Inventors: Curtis C. Harris and Aaron J. Schetter (NCI)

Relevant Publication: AJ Schetter et al. MicroRNA expression profiles associated with prognosis and therapeutic outcome in colon adenocarcinoma. JAMA. 2008 Jan 30;299(4):425-436.

Patent Status: U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/194,340 filed 25 Sep 2008 (HHS Reference No. E-314-2008/0-US-01)

Licensing Status: Available for licensing.

Licensing Contact: Jennifer Wong; 301-435-4633; wongje@mail.nih.gov.

Collaborative Research Opportunity: The NCI Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize cancer biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Please contact Curtis_Harris@nih.gov for more information.

Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells Into Dopaminergic Nerve Cells

Description of Technology: The invention described here is a novel method of differentiating human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) into dopaminergic nerve cells, which is preferable to the currently available dopaminergic differentiation techniques.

This invention potentially provides a source of sufficient dopaminergic cells not only for the clinical transplantation of dopaminergic tissue but also for in vitro studies of human cells useful for pharmaceutical screens related to neurodegenerative disorders and substance abuse.

Neurodegenerative disorders encompass a range of debilitating conditions including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and Huntington's disease. The primary cause of cognitive dysfunction for these three disorders has been directly linked to neuron degeneration, usually in specific areas of the brain. Transplantation of fetal dopaminergic neurons in affected areas of the brain in late stage Parkinson's disease has demonstrated clinical utility in human patients. However, fetal transplantation therapy generally requires human tissue from at least 3-5 embryos to obtain a clinically reliable improvement in the patient, thus demonstrating a need for a larger and more reliable source of dopaminergic cells. HESCs are a promising alternative source of cells because they can grow in culture indefinitely and have the ability to differentiate into a variety of cell types. One of the most efficient methods for conversion of hESCs to dopaminergic neurons requires the presence of mouse stromal cells which have an undefined dopaminergic inducing activity. However, the major disadvantage of this method is the exposure of hESC to mouse cells, which hinders any downstream clinical application due to possible transfer of animal cells and pathogens. This invention has unveiled the molecular nature of the activity of the mouse cells and established an efficient alternative approach for dopamine neuron generation, which is more suitable for clinical application. This innovative approach potentially provides a large and reliable source of dopaminergic cells sufficient for clinically relevant transplantation of dopaminergic tissue as well as in vitro pharmacologic studies of human dopaminergic cells.

Applications:

Human dopaminergic cell source for neuronal transplantation, with potential clinical application to Parkinson's disease and possibly other neurodegenerative disorders.

Human dopaminergic cell source for in vitro models for pharmaceutical screens relevant to neurodegenerative disorders and substance abuse.

Market: Parkinson's disease, the second most common neurological disorder, affects approximately 4.1 million people worldwide. In 2006, global sales of Parkinson's disease therapeutics were $3.1 billion, with sales expected to exceed $4.6 billion by 2012.

Development Status: Early stage.

Inventors: William Freed and Tandis Vazin (NIDA).

Publication: In preparation.

Patent Status: U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/199,652 filed 18 Nov 2008 (HHS Reference No. E-176-2008/0-US-01).

Licensing Status: Available for licensing.

Licensing Contact: Norbert Pontzer, J.D., PhD; 301-435-5502; pontzern@mail.nih.gov.

Collaborative Research Opportunity: The National Institute on Drug Abuse, Development and Plasticity Section, is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize this technology. Please contact Vio Conley, M.S. at 301-496-0477 or conleyv@mail.nih.gov for more information.

Dated: June 22, 2009. Richard U. Rodriguez, Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health. [FR Doc. E9-15578 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Center for Scientific Review; Amended Notice of Meeting

Notice is hereby given of a change in the meeting of the Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel, July 20, 2009, 8 a.m. to July 21, 2009, 7:30 p.m., Hyatt Regency Bethesda, One Bethesda Metro Center, 7400 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814 which was published in the Federal Register on June 15, 2009, 74 FR 28260-28262.

The meeting will be held at the Doubletree Hotel Washington, 1515 Rhode Island Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20005. The meeting dates and time remain the same. The meeting is closed to the public.

Dated: June 22, 2009. Anna Snouffer, Deputy Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. E9-15580 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-M DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Center for Scientific Review; Amended Notice of Meeting

Notice is hereby given of a change in the meeting of the Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel, July 20, 2009, 8 a.m. to July 21, 2009, 4 p.m., DoubleTree Hotel Bethesda, 8120 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD, 20814 which was published in the Federal Register on June 22, 2009, 74 FR 29500-29502.

The meeting will be held at the Hyatt Regency Bethesda, One Bethesda Metro Center, 7400 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814. The meeting date and time remain the same. The meeting is closed to the public.

Dated: June 22, 2009. Anna Snouffer, Deputy Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. E9-15582 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-M DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Center for Scientific Review; Amended Notice of Meeting

Notice is hereby given of a change in the meeting of the Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel, July 20, 2009, 8 a.m. to July 21, 2009, 6 p.m., Ritz Carlton Hotel, 1150 22nd Street, NW., Washington, DC, 20037 which was published in the Federal Register on June 15, 2009, 74 FR 28260-28262.

The meeting will be held at the Embassy Suites at the Chevy Chase Pavilion, 4300 Military Road, NW., Washington, DC 20015. The meeting dates and time remain the same. The meeting is closed to the public.

Dated: June 22, 2009. Anna Snouffer, Deputy Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. E9-15588 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-M DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health National Eye Institute; Notice of Closed Meetings

Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), 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 Eye Institute Special Emphasis Panel; NEI Research Project Grant, Cooperative Agreement and Competitive Supplement Applications.

Date: August 3, 2009.

Time: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: Embassy Suites at the Chevy Chase Pavilion, 4300 Military Road, NW., Washington, DC 20015.

Contact Person: Anne E. Schaffner, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Division of Extramural Research, National Eye Institute, 5635 Fishers Lane, Suite 1300, MSC 9300, Bethesda, MD 20892-9300, (301) 451-2020, aes@nei.nih.gov.

Name of Committee: National Eye Institute Special Emphasis Panel NEI Translational Research Program on Therapy for Visual Disorders.

Date: August 4, 2009.

Time: 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: Embassy Suites at the Chevy Chase Pavilion, 4300 Military Road, NW., Washington, DC 20015.

Contact Person: Anne E. Schaffner, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Division of Extramural Research, National Eye Institute, 5635 Fishers Lane, Suite 1300, MSC 9300, Bethesda, Md 20892-9300, (301) 451-2020, aes@nei.nih.gov.

(Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 93.867, Vision Research, National Institutes of Health, HHS) Dated: June 25, 2009. Anna Snouffer, Deputy Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. E9-15592 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-M DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; Notice of Closed Meeting

Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), 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 of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Special Emphasis Panel, Urology ARRA.

Date: July 23, 2009.

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: Paul A. Rushing, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Review Branch, DEA, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Room 747, 6707 Democracy Boulevard, Bethesda, MD 20892-5452, (301) 594-8895, rushingp@extra.niddk.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.

(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; 93.701, ARRA Related Biomedical Research and Research Support Awards., National Institutes of Health, HHS) Dated: June 24 2009. Anna Snouffer, Deputy Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. E9-15573 Filed 6-30-09; 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 Meeting

Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), 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 of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Special Emphasis Panel; Seeding Team Science in Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Diseases.

Date: July 31, 2009.

Time: 1 p.m. to 5 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, (301) 594-4721, 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 24, 2009. Anna Snouffer, Deputy Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. E9-15572 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Notice of Closed Meeting

Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), 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 of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Special Emphasis Panel; Integrated Pre-Clinical/Clinical Program for HIV Topical Microbicides (IPCP-HTM) (U19).

Date: July 29-30, 2009.

Time: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: Hilton Silver Spring, 8727 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

Contact Person: Betty Poon, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Scientific Review Program, Division of Extramural Activities, NIAID/NIH/DHHS, 6700B Rockledge Drive, MSC 7616, Bethesda, MD 20892-7616, 301-402-6891, poonb@mail.nih.gov.

(Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 93.855, Allergy, Immunology, and Transplantation Research; 93.856, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Research, National Institutes of Health, HHS) Dated: June 24, 2009. Anna Snouffer, Deputy Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. E9-15571 Filed 6-30-09; 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 Meeting

Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), 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 of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Special Emphasis Panel; Autoimmune Microbiome.

Date: August 11, 2009.

Time: 12 p.m. to 2 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, (301) 594-4721, 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 24, 2009. Anna Snouffer, Deputy Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. E9-15569 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health National Human Genome Research Institute; Notice of Closed Meeting

Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), 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 Human Genome Research Institute Special Emphasis Panel, RC2 Sequencing Technology.

Date: July 27, 2009.

Time: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: Washington Plaza Hotel, 10 Thomas Circle, NW., Washington, DC 20005.

Contact Person: Ken D. Nakamura, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Scientific Review Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, 5635 Fishers Lane, Suite 4076, MSC 9306, Rockville, MD 20852, 301-402-0838,nakamurk@mail.nih.gov.

(Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 93.172, Human Genome Research, National Institutes of Health, HHS) Dated: June 24, 2009. Anna Snouffer, Deputy Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. E9-15568 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Disease, Disability, and Injury Prevention and Control Special Emphasis Panel (SEP): Center of Excellence in Public Health Informatics, Request for Application (RFA) HK-09-001

This meeting is for the initial review of applications.

In accordance with Section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the aforementioned meeting.

Time and Date:

7 p.m.-9 p.m., July 22, 2009 (Closed). 8 a.m.-5 p.m., July 23, 2009 (Closed). 8 a.m.-5 p.m., July 23, 2009 (Closed).

Location: Emory Conference Center, 1615 Clifton Road, Atlanta, Georgia, 30329. Phone: (404) 712-6025.

Status: The meeting will be closed to the public in accordance with provisions set forth in Section 552b(c)(4) and (6), Title 5 U.S.C., and the determination of the Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, CDC, pursuant to Public Law 92-463.

Matters To Be Discussed: The meeting will include the review, discussion, and evaluation of applications received in response to Centers of Excellence in Public Health Informatics, RFA HK-09-001.

Contact Person for More Information: Juliana K. Cyril, PhD, M.P.H., Associate Director, Office of Public Health Research, Office of the Chief Science Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, NE., mailstop E-78, Atlanta, GA 30333, Telephone: 404-639-4639, E-mail: jcyril@cdc.gov.

The Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, has been delegated the authority to sign Federal Register notices pertaining to announcements of meetings and other committee management activities, for both CDC and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

Dated: June 18, 2009. Elaine L. Baker, Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [FR Doc. E9-15404 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4163-18-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), 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: Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel. Member Conflicts in Memory and Cognition.

Date: July 8, 2009.

Time: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892. (Virtual Meeting).

Contact Person: Dana Jeffrey Plude, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 3176, MSC 7848, Bethesda, MD 20892. 301-435-2309. pluded@csr.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: Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel. SEP-Epidemiology Competitive Revisions.

Date: July 9, 2009.

Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892. (Virtual Meeting).

Contact Person: Jose Fernando Arena, PhD, MD, Scientific Review Officer, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 3135, MSC 7770, Bethesda, MD 20892, 301-435-1735. Arenajmail.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.

(Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 93.306, Comparative Medicine; 93.333, Clinical Research, 93.306, 93.333, 93.337, 93.393-93.396, 93.837-93.844, 93.846-93.878, 93.892, 93.893, National Institutes of Health, HHS) Dated: June 25, 2009. Anna Snouffer, Deputy Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. E9-15595 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-M DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health National Institute of Mental Health; Notice of Closed Meetings

Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), 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 Mental Health Special Emphasis Panel,

Eating Disorders.

Date: July 22, 2009.

Time: 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: National Institutes of Health,Neuroscience Center,6001 Executive Boulevard,Rockville, MD 20852,(Telephone Conference Call).

Contact Person: Serena P. Chu, PhD,Scientific Review Officer,Division of Extramural Activities,National Institute of Mental Health, NIH,Neuroscience Center,6001 Executive Blvd., Room 6154, MSC 9609,Rockville, MD 20892-9609,301-443-0004,sechu@mail.nih.gov.

Name of Committee: National Institute of Mental Health Special Emphasis Panel,Individual Pre-Doctoral and Post-Doctoral Fellowships andMental Health Dissertation Research Grants to IncreaseDiversity.

Date: July 28, 2009.

Time: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: National Institutes of Health,Neuroscience Center,6001 Executive Boulevard,Rockville, MD 20852,(Telephone Conference Call).

Contact Person: Serena P. Chu, PhD,Scientific Review Officer,Division of Extramural Activities,National Institute of Mental Health, NIH,Neuroscience Center,6001 Executive Blvd., Room 6154, MSC 9609,Rockville, MD 20892-9609,301-443-0004,sechu@mail.nih.gov.

Name of Committee: National Institute of Mental Health Special Emphasis Panel,Clinical Pharmacotherapy for PTSD.

Date: July 29, 2009.

Time: 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: National Institutes of Health,Neuroscience Center,6001 Executive Boulevard,Rockville, MD 20852,(Telephone Conference Call).

Contact Person: Serena P. Chu, PhD,Scientific Review Officer,Division of Extramural Activities,National Institute of Mental Health, NIH,Neuroscience Center,6001 Executive Blvd., Room 6154, MSC 9609,Rockville, MD 20892-9609,301-443-0004,sechu@mail.nih.gov.

(Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 93.242, Mental Health Research Grants; 93.281, Scientist Development Award, Scientist Development Award for Clinicians, and Research Scientist Award; 93.282, Mental Health National Research Service Awards for Research Training, National Institutes of Health, HHS) Dated: June 22, 2009. Anna Snouffer, Deputy Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. E9-15590 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-M DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), 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: AIDS and Related Research Integrated Review Group; AIDS Immunology and Pathogenesis Study Section.

Date: July 13-14, 2009.

Time: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: Palomar Hotel, 2121 P Street, NW., Washington, DC 20037.

Contact Person: Shiv A. Prasad, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 5220, MSC 7852, Bethesda, MD 20892, 301-443-5779, prasads@csr.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: Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel; Competitive Revisions: Clinical Neuroplasticity and Neurotransmitters.

Date: July 16-17, 2009.

Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, (Virtual Meeting).

Contact Person: Suzan Nadi, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 5217B, MSC 7846, Bethesda, MD 20892, 301-435-1259, nadis@csr.nih.gov.

Name of Committee: Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel; ZRG1 CB P95 S: CSRS Competitive Revisions.

Date: July 16-17, 2009.

Time: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, (Virtual Meeting).

Contact Person: Elena Smirnova, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 5187, MSC 7840, Bethesda, MD 20892, 301-435-1236, smirnove@csr.nih.gov.

Name of Committee: Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel; RFA OD-09-003 Challenge Grants Panel 23.

Date: July 20-21, 2009.

Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: Bethesda North Marriott Hotel Conference Center, 5701 Marinelli Road, Bethesda, MD 20852.

Contact Person: John Firrell, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 5213, MSC 7854, Bethesda, MD 20892, 301-435-2598, firrellj@csr.nih.gov.

Name of Committee: Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel; RFA OD-09-003: Challenge Grants Editorial Panel 3.

Date: July 20-21, 2009.

Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: Ritz Carlton Hotel, 1150 22nd Street, NW., Washington, DC 20037.

Contact Person: Katherine N. Bent, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 3160, MSC 7770, Bethesda, MD 20892, (301) 435-0695, bentkn@csr.nih.gov.

Name of Committee: Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel; RFA OD-09-003 Challenge Grants Panel 4.

Date: July 20-21, 2009.

Time: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: Beacon Hotel and Corporate Quarters, 1615 Rhode Island Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20036.

Contact Person: Joseph D. Mosca, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 5158, MSC 7808, Bethesda, MD 20892, (301) 435-2344, moscajos@csr.nih.gov.

Name of Committee: Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel; RFA OD09-003 Challenge Grants Panel 12.

Date: July 20-21, 2009.

Time: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: St. Gregory Hotel, 2033 M Street, NW., Washington, DC 20036.

Contact Person: Joseph G. Rudolph, PhD, Chief and Scientific Review Officer, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 5186, MSC 7844, Bethesda, MD 20892, 301-435-2212, josephru@csr.nih.gov.

Name of Committee: Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel; Challenge Grant Editorial Panel 17.

Date: July 20-21, 2009.

Time: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: Beacon Hotel and Corporate Quarters, 1615 Rhode Island Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20036.

Contact Person: Calbert A. Laing, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 4210, MSC 7812, Bethesda, MD 20892, 301-435-1221, laingc@csr.nih.gov.

Name of Committee: Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel; Challenge Grant Editorial Panel 26.

Date: July 20-21, 2009.

Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: Doubletree Hotel Washington, 1515 Rhode Island Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20005.

Contact Person: Dana Jeffrey Plude, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 3176, MSC 7848, Bethesda, MD 20892, (301) 435-2309, pluded@csr.nih.gov.

Name of Committee: Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel; Challenge Grant Editorial Panel 8.

Date: July 20-21, 2009.

Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: Renaissance M Street Hotel, 1143 New Hampshire Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20037.

Contact Person: Michael M. Sveda, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 2204, MSC 7890, Bethesda, MD 20892, 301-435-3565, svedam@csr.nih.gov.

Name of Committee: Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel; RFA-09-003: Challenge Grants Panel 5.

Date: July 20-21, 2009.

Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: Doubletree Hotel, 1515 Rhode Island Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20005.

Contact Person: Nuria E. Assa-Munt, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 4164, MSC 7806, Bethesda, MD 20892, (301) 451-1323, assamunu@csr.nih.gov.

Name of Committee: Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel; RFA OD-09-003 MDCN Challenge Grants Panel 14.

Date: July 20-21, 2009.

Time: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: Hyatt Regency Bethesda, One Bethesda Metro Center, 7400 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814.

Contact Person: Carole L. Jelsema, PhD, Chief and Scientific Review Officer, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 4176, MSC 7850, Bethesda, MD 20892, (301) 435-1248, jelsemac@csr.nih.gov.

Name of Committee: Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel; Challenge Grant Editorial Panel 18.

Date: July 20-21, 2009.

Time: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: Hyatt Regency Bethesda, One Bethesda Metro Center, 7400 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814.

Contact Person: Mushtaq A. Khan, DVM, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 2176, MSC 7818, Bethesda, MD 20892, 301-435-1778, khanm@csr.nih.gov.

Name of Committee: Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel; RFA OD-09-003: Challenge Grants Panel 21.

Date: July 20-21, 2009.

Time: 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: Ritz Carlton Hotel, 1150 22nd Street, NW., Washington, DC 20037.

Contact Person: Rajiv Kumar, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 4122, MSC 7802, Bethesda, MD 20892, 301-435-1212, kumarra@csr.nih.gov.

Name of Committee: Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel; MBPP Competitive Revisions.

Date: July 21-22, 2009.

Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, (Virtual Meeting).

Contact Person: Janet M. Larkin, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 1102, MSC 7840, Bethesda, MD 20892, 301-435-1026, larkinja@csr.nih.gov.

Name of Committee: Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel; DABP Research and Research Infrastructure GO Special Emphasis Panel.

Date: July 22-23, 2009.

Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: Bethesda Marriott, 5151 Pooks Hill Road, Bethesda, MD 20814.

Contact Person: Melinda Tinkle, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 3141, MSC 7770, Bethesda, MD 20892, (301) 594-6594, tinklem@csr.nih.gov.

Name of Committee: Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel; Kidney and Urology Small Business Applications Review.

Date: July 27-28, 2009.

Time: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, (Virtual Meeting).

Contact Person: Krystyna E. Rys-Sikora, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 4112, MSC 781, Bethesda, MD 20892, 301-451-1325, ryssokok@csr.nih.gov.

(Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 93.306, Comparative Medicine; 93.333, Clinical Research, 93.306, 93.333, 93.337, 93.393-93.396, 93.837-93.844, 93.846-93.878, 93.892, 93.893, National Institutes of Health, HHS) Dated: June 23, 2009. Anna Snouffer, Deputy Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. E9-15586 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health National Institute of Dental Craniofacial Research; Notice of Closed Meeting

Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), 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 of Dental and Craniofacial Research Special Emphasis Panel; Review of RFA-OD-09-004 RC2 Grant Opportunity Applications.

Date: July 23, 2009.

Time: 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, (Telephone Conference Call).

Contact Person: Jonathan Horsford, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Natl Inst of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Insitutes of Health, 6701 Democracy Blvd, Room 664, Bethesda, MD 20892, 301-594-4859, horsforj@mail.nih.gov.

(Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 93.121, Oral Diseases and Disorders Research, National Institutes of Health, HHS) Dated: June 24, 2009. Anna Snouffer, Deputy Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. E9-15585 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Closed Meetings

Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), 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 Environmental Health Sciences Special Emphasis Panel; Formative Children's Center Review.

Date: July 21-24, 2009.

Time: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: Washington Plaza Hotel, Ten Thomas Circle, NW., Washington, DC 20005.

Contact Person: Linda K. Bass, PhD, Scientific Review Administrator, Scientific Review Branch, Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, P.O. Box 12233, MD EC-30, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, (919) 541-1307, malone@niehs.nih.gov.

Name of Committee: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Special Emphasis Panel; ARRA Grand Opportunities on Bisphenol A Review Meeting.

Date: July 29-30, 2009.

Time: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: The Radisson Governor's Inn, I-40 at Davis Drive, Exit 280, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709.

Contact Person: Leroy Worth, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Scientific Review Branch, Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, P.O. Box 12233, MD EC-30/Room 3171, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, (919) 541-0670, worth@niehs.nih.gov.

(Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 93.115, Biometry and Risk Estimation-Health Risks from Environmental Exposures; 93.142, NIEHS Hazardous Waste Worker Health and Safety Training; 93.143, NIEHS Superfund Hazardous Substances-Basic Research and Education; 93.894, Resources and Manpower Development in the Environmental Health Sciences; 93.113, Biological Response to Environmental Health Hazards; 93.114, Applied Toxicological Research and Testing, National Institutes of Health, HHS) Dated: June 24, 2009. Anna Snouffer, Deputy Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. E9-15581 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health National Institute of Mental Health; Notice of Closed Meeting

Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), 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 of Mental Health Special Emphasis Panel, Mental Health Services In Non-Specialty Settings.

Date: July 6, 2009.

Time: 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: National Institutes of Health, Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Rockville, MD 20852 (Telephone Conference Call).

Contact Person: Aileen Schulte, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Division of Extramural Activities, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Blvd, Room 6140, MSC 9608, Bethesda, MD 20892-9608, 301-443-1225,aschulte@mail.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.

(Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 93.242, Mental Health Research Grants; 93.281, Scientist Development Award, Scientist Development Award for Clinicians, and Research Scientist Award; 93.282, Mental Health National Research Service Awards for Research Training, National Institutes of Health, HHS) Dated: June 23, 2009. Anna Snouffer, Deputy Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. E9-15579 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health National Human Genome Research Institute; Notice of Closed Meeting

Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), 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 Human Genome Research Institute Special Emphasis Panel; RC2 Computational Analysis.

Date: July 23, 2009.

Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: Hyatt Regency Bethesda,One Bethesda Metro Center,7400 Wisconsin Avenue,Bethesda, MD 20814.

Contact Person: Ken D. Nakamura, PhD,Scientific Review Officer,Scientific Review Branch,National Human Genome Research Institute,National Institutes of Health,5635 Fishers Lane, Suite 4076, MSC 9306,Rockville, MD 20852,301-402-0838,nakamurk@mail.nih.gov.

(Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 93.172, Human Genome Research, National Institutes of Health, HHS) Dated: June 22 2009. Anna Snouffer, Deputy Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. E9-15575 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health Human Development; Notice of Closed Meeting

Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), 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 of Child Health and Human Development Special Emphasis Panel; Obstetric Pharmacology Research Units.

Date: July 23, 2009.

Time: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: Embassy Suites at the Chevy Chase Pavilion, 4300 Military Road, NW., Washington, DC 20015.

Contact Person: Peter Zelazowski, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Division of Scientific Review, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, 6100 Executive Boulevard, Rm. 5B01, Bethesda, MD 20892-7510, 301-435-6902, peter.zelazowski@nih.gov.

(Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 93.864, Population Research; 93.865, Research for Mothers and Children; 93.929, Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research; 93.209, Contraception and Infertility Loan Repayment Program, National Institutes of Health, HHS) Dated: June 22, 2009. Anna Snouffer, Deputy Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. E9-15574 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; Notice of Closed Meeting

Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), 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: Neurological Sciences Training Initial Review Group; NST-2 Subcommittee.

Date: July 16-17, 2009.

Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: Renaissance Mayflower Hotel, 1127 Connecticut Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20036.

Contact Person: JoAnn Mcconnell, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Scientific Review Branch, NINDS/NIH/DHHS, Neuroscience Center, 6001 Executive Blvd., Suite 3208, MSC 9529, Bethesda, MD 20892, (301) 496-5324, mcconnej@ninds.nih.gov.

(Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 93.853, Clinical Research Related to Neurological Disorders; 93.854, Biological Basis Research in the Neurosciences, National Institutes of Health, HHS) Dated: June 25, 2009. Anna Snouffer, Deputy Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. E9-15591 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Center for Scientific Review; Amended Notice of Meeting

Notice is hereby given of a change in the meeting of the Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel, July 16, 2009, 9 a.m. to July 17, 2009, 6 p.m., National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892 which was published in the Federal Register on June 15, 2009, 74 FR 28260-28262.

The meeting times have been changed to 8 a.m. on July 16, 2009, to 4 p.m. on July 17, 2009. The meeting dates and location remain the same. The meeting is closed to the public.

Dated: June 18, 2009. Jennifer Spaeth, Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. E9-15589 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Center for Scientific Review; Amended Notice of Meeting

Notice is hereby given of a change in the meeting of the Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel, July 20, 2009, 8 a.m. to July 21, 2009, 5 p.m., Hotel Palomar, 2121 P Street, NW., Washington, DC 20037 which was published in the Federal Register on June 15, 2009, 74 FR 28260-28262.

The meeting will be held at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, 1150 22nd Street, NW., Washington, DC 20037. The meeting dates and time remain the same. The meeting is closed to the public.

Dated: June 23, 2009. Anna Snouffer, Deputy Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. E9-15587 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meeting

Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), 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: Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel, Fellowships in Language and Communication.

Date: July 6, 2009.

Time: 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications.

Place: Hyatt Regency Chicago, 151 East Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60601.

Contact Person: Dana Jeffrey Plude, PhD, Scientific Review Officer, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 3176, MSC 7848, Bethesda, MD 20892. 301-435-2309. pluded@csr.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.

(Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 93.306, Comparative Medicine; 93.333, Clinical Research, 93.306, 93.333, 93.337, 93.393-93.396, 93.837-93.844, 93.846-93.878, 93.892, 93.893, National Institutes of Health, HHS) Dated: June 22, 2009. Anna Snouffer, Deputy Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. [FR Doc. E9-15584 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-M DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Prospective Grant of Exclusive License: Pain Control by Selective Ablation of Pain-Sensing Neurons by Administration of Resiniferatoxin AGENCY:

National Institutes of Health, Public Health Service, HHS.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

This is notice, in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 209(c)(l) and 37 CFR Part 404.7(a)(l)(i), that the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, is contemplating the grant of an exclusive patent license to practice the inventions embodied in PCT Patent Application PCT/US2001/09425 [HHS Ref. E-109-2000/0-PCT-01], US Patent Application 10/472,874 [HHS Ref. E-109-2000/0-US-02], both entitled Molecular Neurochirurgerie for Pain Control Administering Locally Capsaicin or Resiniferatoxin, and Canadian Patent Application 2442049 [HHS Ref. E-109-2000/0-CA-03] entitled Selective Ablation of Pain-Sensing Neurons by Administration of a Vanilloid Receptor Agonist, and all continuing applications and foreign counterparts, to Sherrington Pharmaceuticals, which has offices in New York, N.Y. The patent rights in these inventions have been assigned to and/or exclusively licensed to the Government of the United States of America.

The prospective exclusive license territory may be worldwide, and the field of use may be limited to:

All fields of use, both human and veterinary, covered under the above listed patents, for the life of these patents; the selective ablation of pain-sensing neurons using vanilloid receptor agonists including resiniferatoxin and capsaicin using localized delivery, including intrathecal and intraganglionic injection.

DATES:

Only written comments and/or applications for a license which are received by the NIH Office of Technology Transfer on or before August 31, 2009 will be considered.

ADDRESSES:

Requests for copies of the patent application, inquiries, comments, and other materials relating to the contemplated exclusive license should be directed to: Norbert Pontzer, Senior Licensing and Patenting Manager, Office of Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health, 6011 Executive Boulevard, Suite 325, Rockville, MD 20852-3804; Telephone: (301) 435-5502; Facsimile: (301) 402-0220; E-mail:pontzern@mail.nih.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Pain pathways, including those mediating severe pain associated with chronic and terminal diseases, have unique receptors (termed vanilloid or more recently TRPV1) that mediate the transmission of nociceptive sensory signals from the periphery through the spinal cord to the brain. Compounds such as capsaicin from hot peppers activate pain neurons by opening cation channels linked to TRPV1 receptors on nerve terminals and cell bodies. NIH inventors discovered that resiniferatoxin (RTX) is an extremely potent TRPV1 receptor agonist that produces a calcium overload and selectively degeneration of pain neurons when cell body TRPV1 receptors are activated by RTX. Intrathecal or intraganglionic administration of RTX can thus cause the permanent and selective destruction of the pain neurons in the CNS displaying TRPV1 receptors. This invention allows pain control in human and other animals with intractable pain through selective ablation of pain pathway neurons.

The prospective exclusive license will be royalty bearing and will comply with the terms and conditions of 35 U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR Part 404.7. The prospective exclusive license may be granted unless within sixty (60) days from the date of this published notice, the NIH receives written evidence and argument that establishes that the grant of the license would not be consistent with the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR Part 404.7.

Applications for a license in the field of use filed in response to this notice will be treated as objections to the grant of the contemplated exclusive license. Comments and objections submitted to this notice will not be made available for public inspection and, to the extent permitted by law, will not be released under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552.

Dated: June 19, 2009. Richard U. Rodriguez, Director, Division of Technology Development and Transfer, Office of Technology Transfer, National Institutes of Health. [FR Doc. E9-15576 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140-01-P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2009-N-0294] Regulation of Tobacco Products; Request for Comments AGENCY:

Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION:

Notice; request for comments.

SUMMARY:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is establishing a public docket to obtain information on the implementation of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. FDA is establishing this docket in order to provide an opportunity for all interested parties to provide information and share views on the implementation of the new law.

DATES:

Submit written or electronic comments by September 29, 2009.

ADDRESSES:

Submit electronic comments to http://www.regulations.gov.

Submit written comments to the Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Erik Mettler, Office of Policy, Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., WO1, rm. 4300, Silver Spring, MD 20993, 301-796-4830, FAX: 301-847-3541,Erik.Mettler@fda.hhs.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background

Tobacco products are responsible for more than 430,000 deaths each year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report an estimated 60 million adults smoke cigarettes in the United States, even though this behavior will result in death or disability for half of all regular users. Paralleling this enormous health burden is the economic burden of tobacco use, which is estimated to total $193 billion annually in medical expenditures and lost productivity. Curbing the significant adverse consequences of tobacco use is one of the most important public health goals of our time.

On June 22, 2009, the President signed H.R. 1256, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, into law. The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act grants FDA important new authority to regulate the manufacture, marketing, and distribution of tobacco products to protect the public health generally and to reduce tobacco use by minors. The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act authorizes FDA to require disclosure of tobacco product ingredients and additives; regulate modified risk tobacco products; create standards for tobacco products, including standards for the reduction or elimination of certain constituents; restrict sales, distribution, advertising, and promotion of tobacco products; and require stronger health warnings on packaging. The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act also requires FDA to issue its 1996 final regulation restricting the sale and distribution of nicotine-containing cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products. The rule contains provisions designed to limit young people's access to tobacco products, as well as restrictions on marketing to curb the appeal of these products to minors.

We are requesting comments that will inform strategies to protect the public health as we implement this new authority. A copy of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act is available on the agency's Web site at http://www.fda.gov/tobacco.

II. Request for Comments and Information

We are particularly interested in comments on the approaches and actions the agency should consider initially to increase the likelihood of reducing the incidence and prevalence of tobacco product use and protecting the public health. Although the agency will not respond to specific suggestions, we will consider them in establishing the new Center for Tobacco Products and in implementing the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. In the future, we intend to solicit public input on specific issues. Please organize any comments you have in response to this notice using these general categories:

Federal, State, and local government collaboration; New product submission and approval; Product ingredient disclosure; Prevention; Tobacco use by specific groups including minors, women, and racial and ethnic minority populations; Tobacco addiction; Smoking cessation; Data collection; Products with reduced harm/risk claims; Enforcement; Research and testing; Advertising and marketing of tobacco products; Label statements and warnings (including graphic warnings); Tobacco product standards (including flavors, ingredients, etc.); Sale and distribution of tobacco products; Manufacturing restrictions and facilities controls; and Other. III. Comments

Interested persons may submit to the Division of Dockets Management (see ADDRESSES) written or electronic comments regarding this document. Submit a single copy of electronic comments or two paper copies of any mailed comments, except that individuals may submit one paper copy. Comments are to be identified with the docket number found in brackets in the heading of this document. Received comments may be seen in the Division of Dockets Management between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Dated: June 25, 2009. Jeffrey Shuren, Associate Commissioner for Policy and Planning. [FR Doc. E9-15549 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4160-01-S DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY [Docket No. DHS-2009-0035] National Protection and Programs Directorate, Office of Infrastructure Protection; Submission for Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards Information Collection 1670-NEW. AGENCY:

National Protection and Programs Directorate, Office of Infrastructure Protection, Infrastructure Security Compliance Division, DHS.

ACTION:

60-Day Notice and request for comments: New information collection request 1670-NEW.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Homeland Security, National Protection and Programs Directorate, Office of Infrastructure Protection, Infrastructure Security Compliance Division (ISCD) will be submitting the following information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The information collection is a new information collection. The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments during a 60-day public comment period prior to the submission of this collection to OMB. The submission describes the nature of the information collection, the categories of respondents, the estimated burden and cost.

DATES:

Comments are encouraged and will be accepted until August 31, 2009. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.8.

ADDRESSES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on the proposed information collection through Federal Rulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Comments must be identified by docket number DHS-2009-0035.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

A copy of this ICR, with applicable supporting documentation, may be obtained through Federal Rulemaking Portal athttp://www.regulations.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Program Description

The Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS), 6 CFR Part 27, are the Department's regulations under Section 550 governing security at high-risk chemical facilities. CFATS represents a national-level effort to minimize terrorism risk to such facilities. Its design and implementation balance maintaining economic vitality with securing facilities and their surrounding communities. The regulations were designed, in collaboration with the private sector and other stakeholders, to take advantage of protective measures already in place and to allow facilities to employ a wide range of tailored measures to satisfy the regulations' Risk-Based Performance Standards (RBPS).

The instruments within this collection will be used to manage the CFATS program.

Solicitation of Comments

The Office of Management and Budget is particularly interested in comments which:

1. 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;

2. Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

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

4. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses.

Analysis Agency

Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Under Secretary for National Protection and Programs Directorate, Office of Infrastructure Protection, Infrastructure Security Compliance Division.

Title: Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards.

OMB Number: 1670-NEW.

Request for Redetermination

Frequency: On occasion.

Affected Public: Private Sector.

Number of Respondents: 1,041.75.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 0.25 hours.

Total Burden Hours: 260 hours.

Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.00.

Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $20,835.

Request for an Extension

Frequency: On occasion.

Affected Public: Private Sector.

Number of Respondents: 1,454.25.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 0.25 hours.

Total Burden Hours: 364 hours.

Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.00.

Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $29,085.

Notification of a New Top Screen

Frequency: On occasion.

Affected Public: Private Sector.

Number of Respondents: 6250.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 0.25 hours.

Total Burden Hours: 1,563 hours.

Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.00.

Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $125,000.

Request for a Technical Consultation

Frequency: On occasion.

Affected Public: Private Sector.

Number of Respondents: 1,454.25.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 0.25 hours.

Total Burden Hours: 364 hours.

Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.00.

Total Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $29,085.

Signed: June 24, 2009. Philip Reitinger, Deputy Under Secretary, National Protection and Programs Directorate, Department of Homeland Security. [FR Doc. E9-15473 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 9110-9P-P DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY [Docket No. DHS-2009-0033] National Protection and Programs Directorate, Office of Infrastructure Protection; Submission for Chemical Security Assessment Tool Revision of Information; Collection 1670-0007 AGENCY:

National Protection and Programs Directorate, Office of Infrastructure Protection Infrastructure Security Compliance Division, DHS.

ACTION:

60-Day Notice and request for comments: Revision of information collection request 1670-0007.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Homeland Security, National Protection and Programs Directorate, Office of Infrastructure Protection, Infrastructure Security Compliance Division (ISCD) will be submitting the following information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The information collection is being revised. The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments during a 60-day public comment period prior to the submission of this revised collection to OMB. The submission describes the nature of the information collection, the categories of respondents, the estimated burden and cost.

DATES:

Comments are encouraged and will be accepted until August 31, 2009. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.8.

ADDRESSES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on the proposed information collection through Federal Rulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Comments must be identified by docket number DHS-2009-0033.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

A copy of this ICR, with applicable supporting documentation, may be obtained through Federal Rulemaking Portal athttp://www.regulations.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Program Description

Section 550 of Public Law 109-295 provides the Department of Homeland Security with the authority to regulate the security of high-risk chemical facilities. Before the enactment of Section 550, the Department did not have authority to regulate the security of most of our nation's chemical facilities. On April 9, 2007, the Department issued an Interim Final Rule (IFR), implementing this statutory mandate at 72 FR 17688. Section 550 requires a risk-based approach to security.

The Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS), 6 CFR Part 27, are the Department's regulations under Section 550 governing security at high-risk chemical facilities. CFATS represents a national-level effort to minimize terrorism risk to such facilities. Its design and implementation balance maintaining economic vitality with securing facilities and their surrounding communities. The regulations were designed, in collaboration with the private sector and other stakeholders, to take advantage of protective measures already in place and to allow facilities to employ a wide range of tailored measures to satisfy the regulations' Risk-Based Performance Standards (RBPS).

CFATS also establishes, in 6 CFR 27.400, the requirements that covered persons must follow to safeguard certain documents and other information developed under the regulations. This information is identified as Chemical-terrorism Vulnerability Information (CVI) and by law receives protection from public disclosure and misuse.

The Department collects the primary core regulatory data electronically through the Chemical Security Assessment Tool (CSAT).

Solicitation of Comments

The Office of Management and Budget is particularly interested in comments which:

1. 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;

2. Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

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

4. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses.

Analysis Agency

Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Under Secretary for National Protection and Programs Directorate, Office of Infrastructure Protection, Infrastructure Security Compliance Division.

Title: Chemical Security Assessment Tool.

OMB Number: 1670-0007.

CFATS Helpdesk

Frequency: On occasion.

Affected Public: Private Sector.

Number of Respondents: 25,000.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 0.25 hours.

Total Burden Hours: 6,250 hours.

Total Burden Cost (Capital/Startup): $0.00.

Total Burden Cost (Operating/Maintaining): $500,000.

Chemical-Terrorism Vulnerability Information Authorization

Frequency: On occasion.

Affected Public: Private Sector.

Number of Respondents: 8,073.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 1 hour.

Total Burden Hours: 8,073 hours.

Total Burden Cost (Capital/Startup): $0.00.

Total Burden Cost (Operating/Maintaining): $645,840.

CSAT User Registration

Frequency: On occasion.

Affected Public: Private Sector.

Number of Respondents: 4,167.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 1 hour.

Total Burden Hours: 4,167 hours.

Total Burden Cost (Capital/Startup): $0.00.

Total Burden Cost (Operating/Maintaining): $333,360.

CSAT Top Screen

Frequency: On occasion.

Affected Public: Private Sector.

Number of Respondents: 4,167.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 30.3 hours.

Total Burden Hours: 189,390 hours.

Total Burden Cost (Capital/Startup): $0.00.

Total Burden Cost (Operating/Maintaining): $15,151,212.

Security Vulnerability Assessment Alternative Security Program Submitted in Lieu of the Security Vulnerability Assessment

Frequency: On occasion.

Affected Public: Private Sector.

Number of Respondents: 825.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 250 hours.

Total Burden Hours: 309,375 hours.

Total Burden Cost (Capital/Startup): $0.00.

Total Burden Cost (Operating/Maintaining): $24,750,000.

Site Security Plan (SSP) Alternative Security Program Submitted in Lieu of the Site Security Plan

Frequency: On occasion.

Affected Public: Private Sector.

Number of Respondents: 825.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 200 hours.

Total Burden Hours: 247,500 hours.

Total Burden Cost (Capital/Startup): $0.00.

Total Burden Cost (Operating/Maintaining): $19,800,000.

Signed: June 24, 2009. Philip Reitinger, Deputy Under Secretary, National Protection and Programs Directorate, Department of Homeland Security. [FR Doc. E9-15476 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 9110-9P-P DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY [Docket No. DHS-2009-0034] National Protection and Programs Directorate, Office of Infrastructure Protection; Submission for Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards Chemical-terrorism Vulnerability Information (CVI) Information Collection 1670-NEW AGENCY:

National Protection and Programs Directorate, Office of Infrastructure Protection, Infrastructure Security Compliance Division, DHS.

ACTION:

60-Day Notice and request for comments: New information collection request 1670-NEW.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Homeland Security, National Protection and Programs Directorate, Office of Infrastructure Protection, Infrastructure Security Compliance Division (ISCD) will be submitting the following information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The information collection is a new information collection. The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments during a 60-day public comment period prior to the submission of this collection to OMB. The submission describes the nature of the information collection, the categories of respondents, the estimated burden and cost.

DATES:

Comments are encouraged and will be accepted until August 31, 2009. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.8.

ADDRESSES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments on the proposed information collection through Federal Rulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Comments must be identified by docket number DHS-2009-0034.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

A copy of this ICR, with applicable supporting documentation, may be obtained through Federal Rulemaking Portal athttp://www.regulations.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Program Description

The Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS), 6 CFR Part 27, are the Department's regulations under Section 550 governing security at high-risk chemical facilities. CFATS represents a national-level effort to minimize terrorism risk to such facilities. Its design and implementation balance maintaining economic vitality with securing facilities and their surrounding communities. The regulations were designed, in collaboration with the private sector and other stakeholders, to take advantage of protective measures already in place and to allow facilities to employ a wide range of tailored measures to satisfy the regulations' Risk-Based Performance Standards (RBPS).

CFATS also establishes, in 6 CFR 27.400, the requirements that covered persons must follow to safeguard certain documents and other information developed under the regulations. This information is identified as Chemical-terrorism Vulnerability Information (CVI) and by law receives protection from public disclosure and misuse.

The instruments within this collection will be used to manage the CVI program in support of CFATS.

Solicitation of Comments

The Office of Management and Budget is particularly interested in comments which:

1. 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;

2. Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

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

4. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses.

Analysis Agency

Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Under Secretary for National Protection and Programs Directorate, Office of Infrastructure Protection, Infrastructure Security Compliance Division.

Title: CFATS Chemical-terrorism Vulnerability Information: OMB Number: 1670-NEW.

Chemical-Terrorism Vulnerability Information Authorization

Frequency: On occasion.

Affected Public: Private Sector.

Number of Respondents: 8,073.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 1 hour.

Total Burden Hours: 8,073 hours.

Total Burden Cost (Capital/Startup): $0.00.

Total Burden Cost (Operating/Maintaining): $645,840.

Determination of CVI

Frequency: On occasion.

Affected Public: CVI Authorized Users.

Number of Respondents: 250.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 0.25 hours.

Total Burden Hours: 62.5 hours.

Total Burden Cost (Capital/Startup): $0.00.

Total Burden Cost (Operating/Maintaining): $5,000.

Determination of a Need To Know

Frequency: On occasion.

Affected Public: CVI Authorized Users.

Number of Respondents: 12,500.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 0.25 hours.

Total Burden Hours: 3,125 hours.

Total Burden Cost (Capital/Startup): $0.00.

Total Burden Cost (Operating/Maintaining): $250,000.

Disclosure of CVI Information

Frequency: On occasion.

Affected Public: CVI Authorized Users.

Number of Respondents: 250.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 0.25 hours.

Total Burden Hours: 62.5 hours.

Total Burden Cost (Capital/Startup): $0.00.

Total Burden Cost (Operating/Maintaining): $5,000.

Notification of Emergency or Exigent Circumstances

Frequency: On occasion.

Affected Public: CVI Authorized Users.

Number of Respondents: 250.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 0.25 hours.

Total Burden Hours: 62.5 hours

Total Burden Cost (Capital/Startup): $0.00.

Total Burden Cost (Operating/Maintaining): $5,000.

Tracking Log for CVI Received

Frequency: On occasion.

Affected Public: CVI Authorized Users.

Number of Respondents: 25,000.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 0.08 hours.

Total Burden Hours: 24,000 hours.

Total Burden Cost (Capital/Startup): $0.00.

Total Burden Cost (Operating/Maintaining): $1,920,000.

Signed: June 24, 2009. Philip Reitinger, Deputy Under Secretary, National Protection and Programs Directorate, Department of Homeland Security. [FR Doc. E9-15481 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 9110-9P-P DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Coast Guard [USCG-2009-0579] Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee AGENCY:

Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION:

Notice of open teleconference meeting.

SUMMARY:

This notice announces a teleconference of the Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee (MERPAC). The purpose of the teleconference is for MERPAC to discuss and prepare recommendations for the Coast Guard concerning paragraph III.B.1 and III.B.2 of its Task Statement 64, Comprehensive Review of the STCW Convention and the STCW Code. MERPAC provides advice and makes recommendations to the Coast Guard on matters related to the training, qualification, licensing, certification, and fitness of seamen serving in the U.S. merchant marine.

DATES:

The teleconference call will take place on Tuesday, July 21, 2009, from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m., EDT.

ADDRESSES:

Members of the public may participate by dialing 1-877-950-5410. You will then be prompted to dial your participant passcode, which is 9876776#. Please ensure that you enter the # mark. Public participation is welcome; however, the number of teleconference lines is limited, and lines are available first-come, first-served. Members of the public may also participate by coming to Room 3317, U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, 2100 Second Street, SW., Washington, DC 20593-0001. We request that members of the public who plan to attend this meeting notify Mr. Jerry Miante at 202-372-1407 no later than July 17, 2009, so that he may notify building security officials.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Jerry Miante, telephone 202-372-1407, fax 202-372-1926.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Federal Advisory Committee Act requires that public notice of these meetings be announced in the Federal Register [5 U.S.C. App. 2]. MERPAC is chartered under that Act. It provides advice and makes recommendations to the Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security, and Stewardship, on issues concerning merchant marine personnel such as implementation of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978.

Task Statement 64, as well as the document referenced in paragraph III.B.2 of Task Statement 64, may be viewed in our online docket, USCG-2009-0579, athttp://www.regulations.gov.

Tentative Agenda: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 1 p.m.-1:05 p.m.-Welcome and Opening Remarks-MERPAC Chairman Captain Andrew McGovern. 1:05 p.m.-2:15 p.m.-Open discussion concerning paragraphs III.B.1 and III.B.2 of Task Statement 64, Comprehensive Review of the STCW Convention and the STCW Code. 2:15 p.m.-2:45 p.m.-Public comment period. 2:45 p.m.-3 p.m.-MERPAC vote on recommendations for the Coast Guard. 3 p.m.-Adjourn. This tentative agenda is subject to change and the meeting may adjourn early if all committee business has been completed. Public Participation

The Chairman of MERPAC is empowered to conduct the teleconference in a way that will, in his judgment, facilitate the orderly conduct of business. During its teleconference, the committee welcomes public comment. The committee will make every effort to hear the views of all interested parties, including the public. Written comments may be submitted to Ms. Mayte Medina, Designated Federal Officer, at Commandant (CG-5221) ATTN MERPAC, US Coast Guard, 2100 Second Street St., STOP 7126, Washington, DC 20593-7126. Comments should be received no later than July 17, 2009.

Information on Services for Individuals With Disabilities

For information on facilities or services for individuals with disabilities or to request special assistance at the meeting, contact Mr. Miante as soon as possible.

Dated: June 24, 2009. J.G. Lantz, Director of Commercial Regulations and Standards. [FR Doc. E9-15561 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910-15-P DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR-5300-N-30] Notice of Availability: Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Program AGENCY:

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research, HUD.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

Through this notice, HUD announces the availability on its Web site of the application information, submission deadlines, funding criteria, and other requirements for the FY2009 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Program NOFA. This NOFA makes approximately $9 million available to assist Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) of Higher Education expand their role and effectiveness in addressing community development needs in their localities, including neighborhood revitalization, housing, and economic development, principally for persons of low- and moderate-income, consistent with the purposes of Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.) as amended. The notice providing information regarding the application process, funding criteria and eligibility requirements is available on the HUD Web site athttp://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/grants/fundsavail.cfm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For information concerning the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Program, contact Ophelia Wilson, Office of University Partnerships, Office of Policy Development and Research, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Room 8226, Washington DC 20410; telephone 202-402-4390 (this is not a toll-free number). Persons with speech or hearing impairments may access this telephone number via TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay Service during working hours at 800-877-8339.

Dated: June 9, 2009. Jean Lin Pao, General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research. [FR Doc. E9-15564 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4210-67-P DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR-5300-N-27] Notice of Availability:Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for FiscalYear (FY) 2009 Tribal Colleges and Universities Program AGENCY:

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research, HUD.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

Through this notice, HUD announces the availability on its Web site of the application information, submission deadlines, funding criteria, and other requirements for the FY2009 Tribal Colleges and Universities Program NOFA. This NOFA makes approximately $5 million available to assist Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU) to build, expand, renovate, and equip their own facilities, and to expand the role of the TCUs into the community through the provision of needed services such as health programs, job training, and economic development activities. The notice providing information regarding the application process, funding criteria and eligibility requirements is available on the HUD Web site athttp://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/grants/fundsavail.cfm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For information concerning the Tribal Colleges and Universities Program, contact Sherone Ivey, Office of University Partnerships, Office of Policy Development and Research, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Room 8226, Washington DC 20410; telephone 202-402-4200 (this is not a toll-free number). Persons with speech or hearing impairments may access this telephone number via TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay Service during working hours at 800-877-8339.

Dated: June 9, 2009. Jean Lin Pao, General Deputy Assistant Secretary forPolicy Development and Research. [FR Doc. E9-15560 Filed 6-26-09; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 4210-67-P DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR-5300-N-29] Notice of Availability: Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 the Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian Institutions Assisting Communities (AN/NHIAC) Program AGENCY:

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research, HUD.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

Through this notice, HUD announces the availability on its Web site of the application information, submission deadlines, funding criteria, and other requirements for the FY2009 Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian Institutions Assisting Communities (AN/NHIAC) Program NOFA. This NOFA makes approximately $3 million available to assist Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian Institutions (AN/NHI) of Higher Education expand their role and effectiveness in addressing community development needs in their localities, including neighborhood revitalization, housing, and economic development, principally for persons of low- and moderate-income, consistent with the purposes of Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5301et seq.) as amended. The notice providing information regarding the application process, funding criteria and eligibility requirements is available on the HUD Web site athttp://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/grants/fundsavail.cfm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For information concerning the Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian Institutions Assisting Communities (AN/NHIAC) Program, contact Sherone Ivey, Office of University Partnerships, Office of Policy Development and Research, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Room 8226, Washington DC 20410; telephone 202-402-4200 (this is not a toll-free number). Persons with speech or hearing impairments may access this telephone number via TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay Service during working hours at 800-877-8339.

Dated: June 9, 2009. Jean Lin Pao, General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research. [FR Doc. E9-15566 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4210-67-P DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR-5281-N-52] Section 8 Contract Renewal Policy-Guidance for the Renewal of Project-Based Section 8 Contracts AGENCY:

Office of the Chief Information Officer, HUD.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The proposed information collection requirement described below has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal.

Section 8 renewal collection procedure will notify HUD Section 8 Owners in advance of contract renewal due date, establishes comparable market rents, renew Section 8 contracts and processes, Section 8 funding on an annual basis.

DATES:

Comments Due Date: July 31, 2009.

ADDRESSES:

Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name and/or OMB approval Number (2502-Pend) and should be sent to: HUD Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503; fax: 202-395-5806.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Lillian Deitzer, Reports Management Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20410; e-mail Lillian Deitzer at Lillian_L._Deitzer@HUD.gov or telephone (202) 402-8048. This is not a toll-free number. Copies of available documents submitted to OMB may be obtained from Ms. Deitzer.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This notice informs the public that the Department of Housing and Urban Development has submitted to OMB a request for approval of the information collection described below. This notice is soliciting comments from members of the public and affecting agencies concerning the proposed collection of information to: (1) 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; (2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond; including through the use of appropriate automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.

This notice also lists the following information:

Title of Proposal: Section 8 Contract Renewal Policy-Guidance for the Renewal of Project-Based Section 8 Contracts.

OMB Approval Number: 2502-Pend.

Form Numbers: HUD-9624, HUD-9625, HUD-9626, HUD-9627, HUD-9628, HUD-9628-A, HUD-9628-B, HUD-9628-C, HUD-9628-D, HUD-9629, HUD-9630, HUD-9631, HUD-9632, HUD-9633, HUD-9634, HUD-9635, HUD-9636, HUD-9637, HUD-9638, HUD-9639, HUD-9640, HUD-9641, HUD-9642, HUD-9643, HUD-9644, HUD-9645, HUD-9646, HUD-9647, HUD-9648-A, HUD-9648-B, HUD-9648-C, HUD-9648-D.

Description of the Need for the Information and Its Proposed Use: Section 8 renewal collection procedure will notify HUD Section 8 Owners in advance of contract renewal due date, establishes comparable market rents, renew Section 8 contracts and processes, Section 8 funding on an annual basis.

Frequency of Submission: Annually.

Number ofrespondents	Annualresponses		Hours perresponses	=	Burdenhours
Reporting burden	7,077	7.59		1		53,722

Total Estimated Burden Hours: 53,722.

Status: New collection.

Authority:

Section 3507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 35, as amended.

Dated: June 25, 2009. Stephen A. Hill, Acting Director, Policy and E-GOV, Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer. [FR Doc. E9-15562 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4210-67-P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [CO-921-07-1320-EL; COC-70615] Notice of Public Meeting, To Receive Comments on an Environmental Analysis, Finding of No Significant Impact, Maximum Economic Recovery Report, and Fair Market Value for Coal Lease Application COC-70615 AGENCY:

Bureau of Land Management, Interior.

ACTION:

Cancellation of scheduled Public Meeting.

SUMMARY:

The public meeting for Wednesday, July 8, 2009, at 7 p.m. is hereby cancelled. The meeting will be re-scheduled at a future date; which has not been determined.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kurt Barton at BLM Colorado State Office, 2850 Youngfield Street, Lakewood, Colorado 80215, or by telephone 303-239-3714.

Dated: June 25, 2009. Kurt M. Barton, Solid Minerals LLE, Division of Energy, Lands and Minerals. [FR Doc. E9-15512 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-JB-P DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS-R3-ES-2009-N130; 30120-1113-0000-F6] Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Permit Applications AGENCY:

Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of availability of permit applications; request for comments.

SUMMARY:

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (Act) prohibits activities with endangered and threatened species unless a Federal permit allows such activity. The Act requires that we invite public comment before issuing these permits.

DATES:

We must receive any written comments on or before July 31, 2009.

ADDRESSES:

Send written comments to the Regional Director, Attn: Peter Fasbender, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services, 1 Federal Drive, Fort Snelling, MN 55111-4056; electronic mail, permitsR3ES@fws.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Peter Fasbender, (612) 713-5343.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background

We invite public comment on the following permit applications for certain activities with endangered species authorized by section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and our regulations governing the taking of endangered species in the Code of Federal Regulations at 50 CFR 17. Submit your written data, comments, or request for a copy of the complete application to the address shown in ADDRESSES. When submitting comments, please refer to the appropriate permit application number.

Permit Applications

Permit Application Number: TE217351.

Applicant: U.S. Forest Service, Nelsonville, Ohio.

The applicant requests a permit to take (harass through capture and release) Indiana bats (Myotis sodalis), gray bats (Myotis grisescens), and Virginia big-eared bats (Corynorhinus townscendii virginianus) on the Wayne National Forest and Daniel Boone National Forest in Ohio and Kentucky. The applicant's proposed activities under this permit application include presence or absence surveys, radio-telemetry studies to document habitat use, hibernacula surveys, population monitoring, and collection of biological data to complete environmental analyses for forest planning.

The applicant's proposed activities are for enhancement of the survival of the species in the wild.

Permit Application Number: TE216605. Applicant: Robert R. Kiser, Whitesburg, Kentucky.

The applicant requests to renew a permit to take (capture and release, sample collection) Indiana bats, gray bats, and Virginia big-eared bats throughout the range of the species in the following States: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. The applicant's proposed activities under this permit would include presence or absence surveys, radio-telemetry studies to document habitat use, population monitoring, and sample collection (tissue samples and guano). In addition, this renewal application includes a request to renew an existing permit to take (capture and release) blackside dace (Phoxinus cumberlandensis) in Kentucky and Tennessee in the context of aquatic surveys.

All proposed activities are for enhancement of the survival of the species in the wild.

Public Comments

We seek public review and comments on these permit applications. Please refer to the permit number when you submit comments. Comments and materials we receive are available for public inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the address shown in the ADDRESSES section. 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.

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

In compliance with NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), we have made an initial determination that the proposed activities in these permits are categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement (516 DM 6 Appendix 1, 1.4C(1)).

Dated: June 24, 2009. Lynn M. Lewis, Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Region 3. [FR Doc. E9-15516 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-55-P DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Notice of Lodging of Settlement Agreement Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)

Notice is hereby given that on June 25, 2009, a proposed Consent Decree was filed with the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in United States and The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection v. George R. Rubright and Mary Lou Rubright, Case No. 5:09-cv-2853 (E.D. Pa.). The proposed consent decree resolves cost recovery claims asserted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) Section 107(a), 42 U.S.C. 9607(a), and by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) under the Pennsylvania Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act, 35 P.S. 6020, against George R. Rubright and Mary Lou Rubright for costs incurred in connection with the Water Street Battery Site (the Site) located in Shoemakersville, Berks County, Pennsylvania.

The United States and the Commonwealth incurred about $1,326,649.99 in response costs to address lead contamination at the Site that resulted from using crushed battery casings as fill material. The Defendants agree to pay $484,000 to the United States, to settle EPA's claims, and $1,000 to the Commonwealth, to settle PADEP's claims.

For thirty (30) days after the date of this publication, the Department of Justice will receive comments relating to the Settlement Agreement. Comments should be addressed to the Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources Division, and either e-mailed to pubcomment-ees.enrd@usdoj.gov or mailed to P.O. Box 7611, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC 20044-7611. In either case, comments should refer to United States and The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection v. George R. Rubright and Mary Lou Rubright (E.D. Pa.), D.J. Ref. No. 90-11-3-08686.

The proposed Settlement Agreement may be examined at the Office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 615 Chestnut Street, Suite 1250, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106, and at the office of the Environmental Protection Agency Region 3, 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103. During the comment period, the proposed Settlement Agreement may also be examined on the following Department of Justice Web site: http: /span> A copy of the proposed Settlement Agreement may also be obtained by mail from the Department of Justice Consent Decree Library, P.O. Box 7611, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC 20044-7611, or by faxing or e-mailing a request to Tonia Fleetwood (tonia.fleetwood@usdoj.gov), fax no. (202) 514-0097, phone confirmation number (202) 514-1547. In requesting a copy from the Consent Decree Library, please enclose a check in the amount of $8.00 for the Settlement Agreement (25 cents per page reproduction costs) payable to the United States Treasury or, if by e-mail or fax, forward a check in that amount to the Consent Decree Library at the stated address.

Maureen Katz, Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and Natural Resources Division. [FR Doc. E9-15494 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4410-15-P DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Notice of Lodging of Consent Decree Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act

Notice is hereby given that on June 25, 2009, a proposed Consent Decree in United States of America et al. v. Saturn Chemicals, Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 08-3537 was lodged with the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.

The Consent Decree resolves claims under CERCLA Section 107(a)(2), as alleged in a Complaint filed July 14, 2008 against Saturn Chemicals, Inc., PolySat, Inc., and Darryl Manuel (the Saturn Defendants), as well as third-party claims against two third-party defendants. Under the settlement, the Saturn Defendants will pay to the United States $550,000 plus interest, third-party defendant Township of Lawrence will pay to the United States $60,000 plus interest in two installments, and third-party defendant Mercer Wrecking and Recycling Corporation will pay to the United States $140,000 plus interest up to a total of $145,000.

The Department of Justice will receive for a period of thirty (30) days from the date of this publication comments relating to the Decree. Comments should be addressed to the Assistant Attorney General, Environmental and Natural Resources Division, and either e-mailed to pubcomment-ees.enrd@usdoj.gov or mailed to P.O. Box 7611, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC 20044-7611, and should refer to United States of America et al. v. Saturn Chemicals, Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 08-3537 (D. NJ), D.J. Ref. 90-11-3-09114.

The Decree may be examined at the Office of the United States Attorney, District of New Jersey, Peter Rodino Federal Building, 970 Broad Street, Suite 700, Newark, NJ 07102. During the public comment period, the Decree may also be examined on the following Department of Justice Web site, http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html. A copy of the Decree may also be obtained by mail from the Consent Decree Library, P.O. Box 7611, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC 20044-7611 or by faxing or e-mailing a request to Tonia Fleetwood (tonia.fleetwood@usdoj.gov), fax no. (202) 514-0097, phone confirmation number (202) 514-1547. In requesting a copy from the Consent Decree Library, please enclose a check in the amount of $23.25 (25 cents per page reproduction cost) payable to the U.S. Treasury or, if by e-mail or fax, forward a check in that amount to the Consent Decree Library at the stated address.

Maureen Katz, Assistant Section Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and Natural Resources Division. [FR Doc. E9-15503 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4410-15-P DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Notice of Settlement Agreement Under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act

Notice is hereby given that on June 25, 2009, the United States filed a Notice of Settlement Agreement in In re: Fleming Companies, Inc., et al., Case No. 03-10945 (MFW) (Bankr. D. Del). The proposed Settlement Agreement resolves claims by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, 42 U.S.C. 6991 et seq., as amended (RCRA), against Fleming Companies, Inc. (Fleming) and the Fleming Post Confirmation Trust (the PCT) with respect to two underground storage tanks (USTS) located at the Food 4 Less facility at 240 W. Warner Road, Chandler, Arizona (the Facility).

Fleming and certain affiliated debtors filed bankruptcy petitions under Chapter 11 of Title 11 of the United States Code, 11 U.S.C. 101, et seq. as amended, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware on April 1, 2003. The Bankruptcy Court entered an Order confirming Fleming's plan of reorganization (the Plan) on or about July 27, 2004. The Plan created the PCT to administer certain of Fleming's responsibilities under the Plan.

The Settlement Agreement requires the PCT to perform or pay for closure, and corrective action if necessary, with respect to the USTs at the Facility, in accordance with 40 CFR 280, up to a maximum cost of $150,000. If the required work has not been completed by October 31, 2009, EPA will provide a written estimate to the PCT of the cost of the remaining work and (subject to a limited right to dispute EPA's estimate) the PCT will make payment to ADEQ for that amount (subject to the $150,000 maximum), and ADEQ will complete the remaining work. The United States and ADEQ covenant not to sue the PCT, Fleming, or the affiliated debtors under RCRA with respect to the Facility.

The Department of Justice will receive for a period of thirty (30) days from the date of this publication comments relating to the Settlement Agreement. Comments should be addressed to the Assistant Attorney General, Environment and Natural Resources Division, and either e-mailed to pubcomment-ees.enrd@usdoj.gov or mailed to P.O. Box 7611, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC 20044-7611, and should refer to In re: Fleming Companies, Inc., et al., Case No. 03-10945 (MFW) (Bankr. D. Del)., D.J. Ref. 90-11-2-08148.

The Settlement Agreement may be examined at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9, Office of Regional Counsel, 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, California 94105. During the public comment period, the Consent Decree may also be examined on the following Department of Justice Web site: http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html. A copy of the Settlement Agreement may also be obtained by mail from the Consent Decree Library, P.O. Box 7611, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC 20044-7611, or by faxing or e-mailing a request to Tonia Fleetwood (tonia.fleetwood@usdoj.gov), fax number (202) 514-0097, phone confirmation number (202) 514-1547. In requesting a copy from the Consent Decree Library, please enclose a check in the amount of $7.25 (.25 cents per page reproduction cost) payable to the U.S. Treasury, or if by e-mail or fax, forward a check in that amount to the Consent Decree Library at the stated address.

Maureen Katz, Assistant Chief, Environmental Enforcement Section, Environment and Natural Resources Division. [FR Doc. E9-15496 Filed 6-30-09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4410-15-P DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Office of Justice Programs [OMB Number 1121-0321] Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comments Requested ACTION:

60-Day Notice of Information Collection Under Review: National Institute of Justice Voluntary Body Armor Compliance Testing Program.

The Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice (NIJ) will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with review procedures of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The proposed information collection is published to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. If granted, the approval is valid for three years. Comments are encouraged and should be directed to the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Department of Justice, Attention: Cassandra Robinson, 810 7th St., NW., Washington, DC 20503. Comments are encouraged and will be accepted for 60 days until August 31, 2009. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.10.

All comments and suggestions, or questions regarding additional information, to include obtaining a copy of the proposed information collection instrument with instructions, should be directed to NIJ at the above address.

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:

(1) Type of information collection: Existing Collection.

(2) The title of the form/collection: NIJ Body Armor Compliance Testing Program. This collection consists of five forms: Compliance Testing Program Applicant Agreement; Ballistic Body Armor Model Application and Body Armor Build Sheet; Declaration for Ballistic Body Armor; Compliance Testing Program Conformity Assessment Fol