Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 46 / Wednesday, March 9, 2011 / Notices 12989 

current statute and regulations, the 

proposed FMRs would be produced (2 

weeks) and reviewed and published (4 

weeks) in early July. A 30-day comment 

period (with an additional 1 week to be 

added to the end of the comment period 

to cover all filings that are not posted by 

the due date) would provide for analysis 

of comments (1 week), and 1 week to 

spare for publishing October 1. This 

timeline should not represent the 

normal process, because it does not 

provide HUD or commenters the time 

necessary to review comments and 

FMRs. With a trend factor that changes 

every year, it is important to provide 

additional time for all to have a chance 

to review proposed FMRs. Using the 

March CPI instead would increase the 

time for commenters to review their 

FMRs, though HUD’s review of 

comments will be the same. HUD 

specifically requests comments as to 

whether or not an additional 3 or 4 

months of CPI is believed to 

significantly improve the quality of the 

FMRs, or if, without legislative relief 

from publishing proposed FMRs, HUD 

should use a trend factor that mimics 

the average annual CPI data already 

used. This would eliminate a constant 

trend factor, and would extend the rent 

and utility changes from the most recent 

year an additional 15 months. 

An additional concern regarding the 

monthly data is that, except at a 

national level, the monthly data are not 

seasonally adjusted. This means that 

basing trend factors on monthly CPI 

statistics would depend critically on 

which months are chosen as the base 

and final months. HUD analyzed 

applying a new trend factor using the 

six months of regional CPI data 

available in the summer 2009 (through 

June 2009) and the national average 

FMR was 1.6 percent higher than the 

national average FMR for the previous 

year. However, using only the first five 

months of CPI data (through May 2009), 

the national average FMR was 2.2 

percent higher. There can be 

considerable monthly fluctuations in 

the rent and utility data of the CPI, even 

on a regional basis. This leads to 

another question: Should a national 

factor be used instead of a regional trend 

factor so that seasonally adjusted data 

can be used? 

Under the current regulations and 

legislative constraints, CPI data are 

released in the interim period between 

publication of proposed and final FMRs; 

should these be incorporated? How 

would this best be achieved? Would this 

render the public comment process 

meaningless, as nearly all rents would 

change between proposed and final, and 

locations that would benefit from the 

new data would lobby for the update 

while those made worse off would push 

for the status quo? 

The last three suggested alternatives 

assume the legislative changes that 

eliminate the requirement that FMRs be 

published for effect on October 1st, but 

there are three different assumptions 

about the date of the FMR, October, (3 

months trending), April (9 months 

trending) and June (of that year and no 

trending). Is the accuracy of the FMRs 

best served by using the most current 

data and reducing or eliminating the 

trend factor? 

V. Request for Public Comments 

HUD seeks public comments on the 

trend factor that is used in the FMR 

estimation process. Comments on the 

trend factor must include sufficient 

information in support of one of the 

alternatives listed by HUD, or a new 

proposal. The following issues should 

be addressed: 

1. Should HUD continue to use a 

constant trend factor or should the trend 

factor be updated annually to attempt to 

capture market changes? 

2. The constant trend factor that HUD 

has used in the past cannot be 

replicated for 2000 to 2010 based on 

available 2010 Census data. If a constant 

trend factor is appropriate, what data 

and time period should be used for a 

constant trend factor? 

3. Is a national trend factor 

appropriate, or should HUD limit itself 

to use of more local options such as 

regional factors? 

4. Should HUD allow changes 

between the proposed and final FMRs 

resulting from updated trend factors? 

5. Is using the more current data for 

estimating the FMRs more important 

than providing for public comment 

before establishing final FMRs for 

effect? 

6. Is the seasonality of rent and utility 

prices important in considering what 

month to collect data for trending? If so, 

how should HUD select the month to 

use or to compare it with? 

7. Is double counting of CPI data a 

concern? 

8. Is it more important to base a trend 

on the most recent data possible, or on 

the most specific geography? 

9. Is it better to use rent and utility 

CPI data in developing a trend factor or 

should other prices be included? 

10. Should HUD pursue legislative 

and regulatory changes to reduce or 

eliminate the need for trending? 

11. Is there a data source or 

aggregation of sources of data provided 

on a more current basis than the CPI 

that could be used in the FMR 

estimation process? 

Dated: March 2, 2011. 

Raphael W. Bostic, 

Assistant Secretary for Policy Development 

and Research. 

[FR Doc. 2011–5263 Filed 3–8–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4210–67–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R9–R–2011–N030; 93261–1263–000– 

5C] 

RIN 1018–AX35 

Draft Fish and Wildlife Service Friends 

Policy 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of reopening of comment 

period. 

SUMMARY: We are reopening the 

comment period on our draft Fish and 

Wildlife Service Friends Policy, which 

we made available for public comment 

via a Federal Register notice published 

on October 18, 2010. 

DATES: Submit comments on or before 

April 8, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

on the draft policy by mail to: Kevin 

Kilcullen, Division of Visitors Services 

and Communication, U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, 

Room 635, Arlington, VA 22203; by 

FAX to (703) 358–2517; or by e-mail to 

refugesystempolicycomments@fws.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kevin Kilcullen, (703) 358–2382. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In a 

Federal Register notice dated October 

18, 2010 (75 FR 63851), we announced 

availability for public review and 

comment of a draft policy for Fish and 

Wildlife Service employees working 

with Refuge Friends groups. Established 

in 1996 to encourage and organize 

community involvement in National 

Wildlife Refuge System activities, the 

National Friends Program works to 

expand the effectiveness of communitybased, nonprofit Friends organizations 

to build visibility and support for the 

Fish and Wildlife Service’s conservation 

programs. Given the rapid growth and 

size of the program (currently about 230 

organizations and an estimated 60,000 

members), we have identified the need 

to issue national policy guidance on a 

number of issues affecting our 

relationship with Friends organizations. 

Those needs include administrative 

procedures, guidance on addressing 

financial and administrative 

information, a sample Friends 


Emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES
12990 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 46 / Wednesday, March 9, 2011 / Notices 

Partnership Agreement, and guidance 

on revenue-generating activities that 

will assist Service employees in 

working with Friends organizations. For 

more background on the draft policy, 

see our October 18, 2010, notice. The 

draft policy is available at http:// 

www.fws.gov/refuges/friends. 

We received several requests to 

extend the public comment period 

beyond the December 2, 2010, due date. 

In order to ensure that the public has an 

adequate opportunity to review and 

comment on our draft policy, we are 

reopening the comment period for an 

additional 30 days. Comments 

previously submitted need not be 

resubmitted and will be fully 

considered in preparation of the final 

policy. 

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. 

Dated: February 17, 2011. 

Rowan W. Gould, 

Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

(Acting). 

[FR Doc. 2011–5307 Filed 3–8–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R9–IA–2011–N046; 96300–1671– 

0000–P5] 

Endangered Species Receipt of 

Applications for Permit 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of receipt of applications 

for permit. 

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 

(ESA) prohibits activities with listed 

species unless a Federal permit is issued 

that allows such activities. The ESA law 

requires that we invite public comment 

before issuing these permits. 

DATES: We must receive comments or 

requests for documents on or before 

April 8, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: Brenda Tapia, Division of 

Management Authority, U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, 4401 North Fairfax 

Drive, Room 212, Arlington, VA 22203; 

fax (703) 358–2280; or e-mail 

DMAFR@fws.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Brenda Tapia, (703) 358–2104 

(telephone); (703) 358–2280 (fax); 

DMAFR@fws.gov (e-mail). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Public Comment Procedures 

A. How do I request copies of 

applications or comment on submitted 

applications? 

Send your request for copies of 

applications or comments and materials 

concerning any of the applications to 

the contact listed under ADDRESSES. 

Please include the Federal Register 

notice publication date, the PRTnumber, and the name of the applicant 

in your request or submission. We will 

not consider requests or comments sent 

to an e-mail or address not listed under 

ADDRESSES. If you provide an e-mail 

address in your request for copies of 

applications, we will attempt to respond 

to your request electronically. 

Please make your requests or 

comments as specific as possible. Please 

confine your comments to issues for 

which we seek comments in this notice, 

and explain the basis for your 

comments. Include sufficient 

information with your comments to 

allow us to authenticate any scientific or 

commercial data you include. 

The comments and recommendations 

that will be most useful and likely to 

influence agency decisions are: (1) 

Those supported by quantitative 

information or studies; and (2) Those 

that include citations to, and analyses 

of, the applicable laws and regulations. 

We will not consider or include in our 

administrative record comments we 

receive after the close of the comment 

period (see DATES) or comments 

delivered to an address other than those 

listed above (see ADDRESSES). 

B. May I review comments submitted by 

others? 

Comments, including names and 

street addresses of respondents, will be 

available for public review at the 

address listed under ADDRESSES. The 

public may review documents and other 

information applicants have sent in 

support of the application unless our 

allowing viewing would violate the 

Privacy Act or Freedom of Information 

Act. 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. 

II. Background 

To help us carry out our conservation 

responsibilities for affected species, the 

Endangered Species Act of 1973, section 

10(a)(1)(A), as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 

et seq.), require that we invite public 

comment before final action on these 

permit applications. 

III. Permit Applications 

A. Endangered Species 

Applicant: Chicago Zoological Society 

dba Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL; PRT21862A 

The applicant requests a permit to 

import a captive-born female Grevy’s 

zebra (Equus grevyi) from Toronto Zoo, 

Ontario, Canada, for the purpose of 

enhancement of the survival of the 

species. 

Applicant: St. John Fisher College, 

Rochester, NY; PRT–28080A 

The applicant requests a permit to 

import biological samples from juvenile, 

captive-held African penguins 

(Spheniscus demersus) collected by 

Southern African Foundation for the 

Conservation of Coastal Birds 

(SANCCOB) for the purposes of 

enhancement of the survival of the 

species. 

Applicant: U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service-MBO/SJV, Tucson, AZ; PRT– 

14239A 

The applicant requests a permit to 

export live masked bobwhite (Colinus 

virginianus ridgwayi) from the Buenos 

Aires National Wildlife Refuge captive 

breeding facility to Sonora, Mexico, 

under the Sonoran Joint Venture for 

recovery and reintroduction. This 

notification covers activities to be 

conducted by the applicant over a 5- 

year period. 

Applicant: Zoological Society of San 

Diego, San Diego, CA; PRT–32684A 

The applicant requests a permit to 

import ten live captive-bred gharial 

(Gavialis gangeticus) from the Madras 

Crocodile Bank Trust, Tamil Nadu, 

India, for the purpose of enhancement 

of the survival of the species. 


Emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES