75546 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 242 / Friday, December 17, 2004 / Notices 

workshop in 1998, EPA believes that 

this assumption corresponds to the realworld problems of selenium 

contamination. 

While recognizing that the BAF can 

vary from site to site, EPA is requesting 

scientific information, data, and views 

on the general approach of using a 

uniform tissue benchmark (expressed as 

total selenium concentration in whole 

body) without regard to site differences 

that might include: 

• The species to be protected,

• The type of water body, 

• The character of the food web, for 

example, autochthonous versus 

nonseleniferous allochthonous, 

• The form and concentration of 

selenium in the water or diet, 

• The form of selenium in the 

sampled tissue, 

• The nature of the selenium release, 

• Interactions with other trace 

elements, 

• Acclimation or adaptation, 

• Hormesis, 

• Climatic conditions, and 

• Any other relevant site factors. 

EPA is also requesting scientific 

information, data, and views relevant to 

the need for and appropriate basis for 

adjusting the tissue benchmark to 

account for site-specific factors. 

5. Saltwater Chronic Criterion 

For chronic exposure, we found no 

data that were useful for deriving a 

saltwater aquatic life criterion. 

However, selenium might be as toxic in 

the tissues of saltwater organisms as it 

is in the tissues of freshwater organisms. 

Therefore, the draft contains the 

cautionary recommendation that the 

status of the saltwater fish community 

be monitored if selenium exceeds 5.85 

μg/g dw in summer or fall or 7.91 dw 

during any season (same as the 

freshwater benchmarks) in the wholebody tissue of saltwater fishes. 

EPA is requesting scientific 

information, data, or views on (a) 

toxicity thresholds applicable to 

protecting saltwater organisms exposed 

to selenium through the food chain, or 

(b) the appropriateness of extending to 

saltwater what is known about 

freshwater toxicity thresholds. 

6. Acute Criteria Concentrations 

As discussed above, selenium toxicity 

problems have generally involved 

contamination of the food web. If the 

diet of the target species is not 

contaminated, very high water-column 

concentrations are needed to bring out 

effects, particularly when exposure is 

brief. As with bioaccumulative 

pollutants in general, acute toxicity (that 

is, toxicity from a brief sharp increase in 

the water concentration) is of less 

concern than chronic exposure through 

the food chain. 

Nevertheless, a large body of toxicity 

test data are available for brief wateronly exposure. Therefore, EPA was able 

to derive acute criteria to protect aquatic 

life against the toxic effects of that type 

of exposure to selenium. For ambient 

freshwater, the draft selenite or Se (IV) 

acute criterion is 258 μg/L, and the draft 

sulfate-dependent selenate or Se (VI) 

criterion ranges from 109 to 1590 μg/L 

at sulfate concentrations from 10 to 

1000 mg/L. For ambient saltwater the 

draft selenite acute criterion is 127 μg/

L. 

EPA is requesting scientific 

information, data, and views on the 

appropriateness of the draft values for 

the acute exposure criteria.

References 

Hermanutz, R.O., K.N. Allen, N.E. 

Detenbeck, and C.E. Stephan. 1996. Exposure 

to bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) to 

selenium in outdoor experimental streams. 

U.S. EPA Report. Mid-Continent Ecology 

Division, Duluth, MN. 

Lemly, A.D. 1993. Metabolic stress during 

winter increases the toxicity of selenium to 

fish. Aquat. Toxicol. (Amsterdam) 27(1–

2):133–158. 

Lemly, D. 2004. Letter to Denise Keehner. 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest 

Service. June 22, 2004. 

Tao, J., P. Kellar, and W. Warren-Hicks. 

1999. Statistical analysis of selenium toxicity 

data. Report submitted for U.S. EPA, Health 

and Ecological Criteria Division. The Cadmus 

Group, Inc., Durnham, NC. 

U.S. EPA. 1998. Report on the peer 

consultation workshop on selenium aquatic 

toxicity and bioaccumulation. Office of 

Water. EPA–822–R–98–007. 

U.S. EPA. 2004a. Draft aquatic life water 

quality criterion for selenium—2004. Office 

of Water. EPA–822–D–04–001. 

U.S. EPA. 2004b. Draft response to peer 

review of 2002 update aquatic life water 

quality criteria for selenium. Office of Water. 

Versar. 2000. Peer review of statistical 

analysis of selenium toxicity data. Report 

submitted to U.S. EPA, Office of Water, 

Washington, DC. 

Versar. 2002. Peer review of 2002 update 

aquatic life water quality criteria for 

selenium. Report submitted to U.S. EPA, 

Office of Water, Washington, DC. 

White, W. 2002. Letter to Geoffrey H. 

Grubbs. U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and 

Wildlife Service, California/Nevada 

Operations Office, Sacramento, CA. May 15, 

2002.

Dated: December 9, 2004. 

Geoffrey H. Grubbs, 

Director, Office of Science and Technology.

[FR Doc. 04–27665 Filed 12–16–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P

FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM

Agency Information Collection 

Activities: Proposed Collection; 

Comment Request

AGENCY: Board of Governors of the 

Federal Reserve System

SUMMARY: On June 15, 1984, the Office 

of Management and Budget (OMB) 

delegated to the Board of Governors of 

the Federal Reserve System (Board) its 

approval authority under the Paperwork 

Reduction Act, as per 5 CFR 1320.16, to 

approve of and assign OMB control 

numbers to collection of information 

requests and requirements conducted or 

sponsored by the Board under 

conditions set forth in 5 CFR 1320 

Appendix A.1. Board–approved 

collections of information are 

incorporated into the official OMB 

inventory of currently approved 

collections of information. Copies of the 

OMB 83–Is and supporting statements 

and approved collection of information 

instruments 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. 

Request for comment on information 

collection proposal 

The following information collection, 

which is being handled under this 

delegated authority, has received initial 

Board approval and is hereby published 

for comment. At the end of the comment 

period, the proposed information 

collection, along with an analysis of 

comments and recommendations 

received, will be submitted to the Board 

for final approval under OMB delegated 

authority. Comments are invited on the 

following: 

a. whether the proposed collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the Federal Reserve’s 

functions; including whether the 

information has practical utility; 

b. the accuracy of the Federal 

Reserve’s estimate of the burden of the 

proposed information collection, 

including the validity of the 

methodology and assumptions used; 

c. ways to enhance the quality, utility, 

and clarity of the information to be 

collected; and 

d. ways to minimize the burden of 

information collection on respondents, 

including through the use of automated 

collection techniques or other forms of 

information technology.

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 242 / Friday, December 17, 2004 / Notices 75547

DATES: Comments must be submitted on 

or before February 15, 2005.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, 

identified by FR 1374, by any of the 

following methods: 

• Agency Web Site: http://

www.federalreserve.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments at 

http://www.federalreserve.gov/

generalinfo/foia/ProposedRegs.cfm. 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://

www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• E–mail: 

regs.comments@federalreserve.gov. 

Include docket number in the subject 

line of the message. 

• FAX: 202/452–3819 or 202/452–

3102. 

• Mail: Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary, 

Board of Governors of the Federal 

Reserve System, 20th Street and 

Constitution Avenue, N.W., 

Washington, DC 20551. 

All public comments are available 

from the Board’s web site at 

www.federalreserve.gov/generalinfo/

foia/ProposedRegs.cfm as submitted, 

except as necessary for technical 

reasons. Accordingly, your comments 

will not be edited to remove any 

identifying or contact information. 

Public comments may also be viewed 

electronically or in paper in Room MP–

500 of the Board’s Martin Building (20th 

and C Streets, N.W.) between 9:00 a.m. 

and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A 

copy of the proposed form and 

instructions, the Paperwork Reduction 

Act Submission (OMB 83–I), supporting 

statement, and other documents that 

will be placed into OMB’s public docket 

files once approved may be requested 

from the agency clearance officer, whose 

name appears below. 

Cindy Ayouch, Federal Reserve Board 

Clearance Officer (202–452–3829), 

Division of Research and Statistics, 

Board of Governors of the Federal 

Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551. 

Telecommunications Device for the Deaf 

(TDD) users may contact (202–263–

4869), Board of Governors of the Federal 

Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551. 

Proposal to approve under OMB 

delegated authority the extension for 

three years, without revision, of the 

following report: 

Report title: Intermittent Survey of 

Businesses 

Agency form number: FR 1374 

OMB control number: 7100–0302 

Frequency: Biweekly and 

semiannually 

Reporters: Purchasing managers, 

economists, or other knowledgeable 

individuals at business firms 

Annual reporting hours: 125 hours 

Estimated average hours per response:

15 minutes 

Number of respondents: biweekly, 10; 

semiannually, 120 

General description of report: This 

information collection is voluntary (12 

U.S.C. §§ 225a and 263) and is given 

confidential treatment (5 U.S.C. 

552(b)(4)). 

Abstract: The survey data are used by 

the Federal Reserve to gather 

information specifically tailored to the 

Federal Reserve’s policy and operational 

responsibilities. It is necessary to 

conduct the survey biweekly to keep up 

with the rapidly changing developments 

in the economy and to provide timely 

information to staff and Board members. 

Usually, the surveys are conducted by 

staff economists telephoning purchasing 

managers, economists, or other 

knowledgeable individuals at selected, 

relevant businesses. The frequency and 

content of the questions, and the 

businesses contacted would vary 

depending on changing developments 

in the economy.

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve 

System, December 14, 2004. 

Jennifer J. Johnson, 

Secretary of the Board.

[FR Doc. 04–27654 Filed 12–16–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE: 6210–01–S

GENERAL SERVICES 

ADMINISTRATION 

Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) 

Maximum Per Diem Rates for 

Colorado, Florida and Texas

AGENCY: Office of Governmentwide 

Policy, General Services Administration 

(GSA).

ACTION: Notice of Per Diem Bulletin 05–

3, revised continental United States 

(CONUS) per diem rates.

SUMMARY: The General Services 

Administration (GSA) has reviewed the 

lodging rates of certain locations in the 

States of Colorado, Florida and Texas 

and determined that they are 

inadequate. The per diems prescribed in 

Bulletin 05–3 may be found at http://

www.gsa.gov/perdiem.

DATES: This notice is effective December 

17, 2004 and applies to travel performed 

on or after December 27, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

clarification of content, contact Lois 

Mandell, Office of Governmentwide 

Policy, Travel Management Policy, at 

(202) 501–2824. Please cite FTR Per 

Diem Bulletin 05–3.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

A. Background 

After an analysis of the per diem rates 

established for FY 2005 (see the Federal 

Register notices at 69 FR 53071, August 

31, 2004, and 69 FR 60152, October 7, 

2004), the per diem rate is being 

changed in the following locations: 

State of Colorado 

• City of Aurora 

State of Florida 

• Brevard County 

State of Texas 

• Dallas County 

B. Procedures 

Per diem rates are published on the 

Internet at www.gsa.gov/perdiem as an 

FTR Per Diem Bulletin and published in 

the Federal Register on a periodic basis. 

This process ensures timely increases or 

decreases in per diem rates established 

by GSA for Federal employees on 

official travel within CONUS. Notices 

published periodically in the Federal 

Register, such as this one, now 

constitute the only notification of 

revisions in CONUS per diem rates to 

agencies.

Dated: Decenber 13, 2004. 

Thomas J. Horan, 

Deputy to the Deputy Associate 

Administrator, Office of Transportation and 

Personal Property.

[FR Doc. 04–27605 Filed 12–16–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6820–14–S

OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT ETHICS

Proposed Collection; Comment 

Request for Unmodified Public 

Financial Disclosure Access Customer 

Service Survey

AGENCY: Office of Government Ethics 

(OGE).

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: After this first round notice 

and public comment period, OGE plans 

to submit the Public Financial 

Disclosure Access Customer Service 

Survey form to the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) for 

three-year extension of approval under 

the Paperwork Reduction Act. OGE is 

proposing no changes to the survey 

form.

DATES: Comments by the public and 

agencies on this proposed information 

collection extension are invited and 

should be received by March 2, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent 

to: Mary T. Donovan, Office of 

Administration and Information