7218 Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 29 / Friday, February 12, 1999 / Notices

other parties (collectively identified as

‘‘Trust’’) pursuant to 10 CFR 2.206.

In its Petition, the Trust asserts that

the Atlas site, at which there are no

operations, is currently leaching toxic

chemicals into the Colorado River at

levels that are harming and killing

endangered fish, seriously degrading the

quality of at least a mile of river where

these fish spawn and live, and

threatening the extinction of these

species. The Trust requests that the U.S.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission take six

immediate actions to halt these impacts

and to ensure the conservation of the

endangered species. The specific actions

requested are as follows:

(1) Set water quality standards for the

Atlas site that are protective of

endangered fish and incorporate those

standards into the Atlas license.

(2) Require immediate corrective

action to eliminate the take of and

jeopardy to endangered fish from the

Atlas site.

(3) Prohibit any irreversible and

irretrievable commitment of resources

for the purpose of stabilizing and

capping the tailings pile in its present

location in the Colorado River

floodplain until after consultation on

the entire action has been completed.

(4) Require the removal of the tailings

out of the floodplain of the Colorado

River for long-term disposal.

(5) Consult with the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service to develop a specific

plan to conserve the endangered

Colorado squawfish and razorback

sucker, including, but not limited to,

steps to protect the Colorado squawfish

nursery areas in the vicinity of the Atlas

pile.

(6) Take all other actions necessary to

eliminate taking, prevent jeopardy to

and insure the recovery of the Colorado

squawfish and the razorback sucker, and

to preserve the designated critical

habitat on which these species depend.

Petitioner’s requests for immediate

action were denied by letter dated

January 26, 1999. In the letter, it was

noted that none of the six items

addresses a health, safety, or

environmental concern that requires

emergency steps before a complete

review as provided for in Section 2.206.

The Petition has been referred to the

Director of the Office of Nuclear

Material Safety and Safeguards. As

provided by Section 2.206, appropriate

action will be taken on this Petition

within a reasonable time. A copy of the

Petition is available for inspection at the

Commission’s Public Document Room

at 2120 L Street, N.W., Washington, DC

20555.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Myron Fliegel, Petition Manager,

Telephone (301) 415–6629.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 8th day

of February, 1999.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Carl J. Paperiello,

Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards.

[FR Doc. 99–3497 Filed 2–11–99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7590–01–P

PENSION BENEFIT GUARANTY

CORPORATION

Interest Assumption for Determining

Variable-Rate Premium; Interest

Assumptions for Multiemployer Plan

Valuations Following Mass Withdrawal

AGENCY: Pension Benefit Guaranty

Corporation.

ACTION: Notice of interest rates and

assumptions.

SUMMARY: This notice informs the public

of the interest rates and assumptions to

be used under certain Pension Benefit

Guaranty Corporation regulations. These

rates and assumptions are published

elsewhere (or are derivable from rates

published elsewhere), but are collected

and published in this notice for the

convenience of the public. Interest rates

are also published on the PBGC’s web

site (http://www.pbgc.gov).

DATES: The interest rate for determining

the variable-rate premium under part

4006 applies to premium payment years

beginning in February 1999. The

interest assumptions for performing

multiemployer plan valuations

following mass withdrawal under part

4281 apply to valuation dates occurring

in March 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Harold J. Ashner, Assistant General

Counsel, Office of the General Counsel,

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation,

1200 K Street, NW., Washington, DC

20005, 202–326–4024. (For TTY/TDD

users, call the Federal relay service tollfree at 1–800–877–8339 and ask to be

connected to 202–326–4024.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Variable-Rate Premiums

Section 4006(a)(3)(E)(iii)(II) of the

Employee Retirement Income Security

Act of 1974 (ERISA) and § 4006.4(b)(1)

of the PBGC’s regulation on Premium

Rates (29 CFR part 4006) prescribe use

of an assumed interest rate in

determining a single-employer plan’s

variable-rate premium. The rate is the

‘‘applicable percentage’’ (currently 85

percent) of the annual yield on 30-year

Treasury securities for the month

preceding the beginning of the plan year

for which premiums are being paid (the

‘‘premium payment year’’). The yield

figure is reported in Federal Reserve

Statistical Releases G.13 and H.15.

The assumed interest rate to be used

in determining variable-rate premiums

for premium payment years beginning

in February 1999 is 4.39 percent (i.e., 85

percent of the 5.16 percent yield figure

for January 1999).

The following table lists the assumed

interest rates to be used in determining

variable-rate premiums for premium

payment years beginning between

March 1998 and February 1999.

For premium payment

years beginning in:

The assumed

interest rate is:

March 1998 ........................... 5.01

April 1998 ............................. 5.06

May 1998 .............................. 5.03

June 1998 ............................. 5.04

July 1998 .............................. 4.85

August 1998 ......................... 4.83

September 1998 ................... 4.71

October 1998 ........................ 4.42

November 1998 .................... 4.26

December 1998 .................... 4.46

January 1999 ........................ 4.30

February 1999 ...................... 4.39

Multiemployer Plan Valuations

Following Mass Withdrawal

The PBGC’s regulation on Duties of

Plan Sponsor Following Mass

Withdrawal (29 CFR part 4281)

prescribes the use of interest

assumptions under the PBGC’s

regulation on Allocation of Assets in

Single-employer Plans (29 CFR part

4044). The interest assumptions

applicable to valuation dates in March

1999 under part 4044 are contained in

an amendment to part 4044 published

elsewhere in today’s Federal Register.

Tables showing the assumptions

applicable to prior periods are codified

in appendix B to 29 CFR part 4044.

Issued in Washington, DC, on this 8th day

of February 1999.

John Seal,

Acting Executive Director, Pension Benefit

Guaranty Corporation.

[FR Doc. 99–3469 Filed 2–11–99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7708–01–P