74506 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 239 / Tuesday, December 14, 2004 / Notices 

applications from new programs 

proposing to service areas currently 

receiving service from an existing 

program is absolute, and the provisions 

of the last sentence of Section V, 

paragraph C. of the SCAA do not apply 

should a new applicant propose to 

service an area currently receiving 

service from an existing program.

DATES: On-line submissions of 

applications for new programs will be 

available on or about December 10, 

2004. The closing date for the 

submission of applications is January 

21, 2005 (see Section IV. paragraph C. 

regarding timely applications). 

Applications received after January 21, 

2005 will not be accepted. 

The SCAA is currently available for 

review on the Internet Web site: http:/

/www.dla.mil/db/scaa2003.pdf. 

Printed copies are not available for 

distribution. 

Eligible entities may only submit an 

application as outlined in Section IV of 

the SCAA. In order to comply with the 

electronic portion of the submission, 

applicants must obtain a log in account 

and password from DLA. To obtain 

these, applicants must furnish the 

Grants Officer written evidence that 

they meet the criteria of an eligible 

entity as set forth in either paragraph 

‘‘19.d’’ or ‘‘19.e’’ of Section II of the 

SCAA. This information should be 

mailed or otherwise delivered to : HQ, 

Defense Logistics Agency, Small and 

Disadvantaged Business Utilization 

Office (DB Room 1127), 8725 John J. 

Kingman Road, Ft. Belvoir, VA 22060–

6221.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If 

you have any questions or need 

additional information please contact 

Ms. Diana Maykowskyj at (703) 767–

1656.

Anthony J. Kuders, 

Program Manager, DoD, Procurement 

Technical Assistance Program.

[FR Doc. 04–27323 Filed 12–13–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3620–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA Nos: 84.015A and 84.015B] 

Office of Postsecondary Education, 

International Education Programs 

Service

ACTION: Notice announcing technical 

assistance workshop for fiscal year 

(FY)2006 National Resource Centers for 

Foreign Language and Area Studies or 

Foreign Language and International 

Studies and Foreign Language and Area 

Studies Fellowships Programs. 

SUMMARY: This notice provides 

information about a workshop to assist 

institutions of higher education 

interested in preparing grant 

applications for FY2006 new awards 

under the Title VI, National Resource 

Centers (NRC) and Foreign Language 

and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships 

Programs. Program staff will present 

information about the purpose of these 

programs, selection criteria, application 

content, submission procedures, and 

reporting requirements. 

Although the Department has not yet 

announced an application deadline date 

in the Federal Register for the FY2006 

NRC and FLAS competition, the 

Department is holding this workshop to 

give potential applicants guidance for 

preparing applications for the 

competition we expect to conduct in 

FY2006. Specific requirements for the 

FY2006 competition will be published 

in a separate Federal Register notice. 

This notice announces the technical 

assistance workshop only.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Cheryl Gibbs, Ed McDermott, Sara 

Starke, Karla Ver Bryck Block, or Amy 

Wilson, International Education 

Programs Service, U.S. Department of 

Education, 1990 K Street, NW., 6th 

Floor, Washington, DC 20006–8521. 

Telephone: (202) 501–7700 or by e-mail: 

OPE_NRC-FLAS@ed.gov. 

If you use a telecommunications 

device for the deaf (TDD), you may call 

the Federal Information Relay Service 

(FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339. 

Individuals with disabilities may 

obtain this document in an alternative 

format (e.g., Braille, large print, 

audiotape, or computer diskette) on 

request to the program contact persons 

listed in this section.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

technical assistance workshop will be 

held as follows: 

Arlington, Virginia: Registration, 5 

p.m.–7 p.m., Sunday, February 13. 

Technical Assistance Workshop 

sessions will be conducted 8 a.m.–5 

p.m., Monday and Tuesday, February 

14–15, 2005. Crystal Gateway Marriott, 

1700 Jefferson Davis Highway, 

Arlington, Virginia 22202, Telephone:

1 (800) 228–9290 or (703) 920–3230. 

There is no registration fee for this 

workshop. However, space at the 

workshop is limited. Attendees are 

required to make their own reservations 

directly with the hotel. The Department 

has reserved a limited number of rooms 

at the hotel at a special government per 

diem room rate of $150.00. To reserve 

this rate, be certain to inform the hotel 

that you are attending the ‘‘U.S. 

Department of Education NRC and 

FLAS Technical Assistance Workshop.’’

You must make your reservations on or 

before Saturday, January 22, 2005. 

Assistance to Individuals With 

Disabilities Attending the Technical 

Assistance Workshop 

The technical assistance workshop 

site is accessible to individuals with 

disabilities. If you will need an auxiliary 

aid or service to participate in the 

workshop (e.g., interpreting service, 

assistive listening device, or materials in 

an alternative format) notify the contact 

persons listed under FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT at least two weeks 

before the scheduled workshop date. 

Although we will attempt to meet a 

request received after this date, we may 

not be able to make available the 

requested auxiliary aid or service 

because of insufficient time to arrange 

it. 

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: http://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: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/

index.html.

Dated: December 8, 2004. 

Sally L. Stroup, 

Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary 

Education.

[FR Doc. E4–3637 Filed 12–13–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission 

[Docket No. IC05–724–000, FERC–724] 

Proposed Information Collection and 

Request for Comments 

December 10, 2004.

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission.

ACTION: Request for Office of 

Management and Budget emergency 

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 239 / Tuesday, December 14, 2004 / Notices 74507

processing of proposed information 

collection and request for comments. 

SUMMARY: The Federal Energy 

Regulatory Commission (Commission) is 

providing notice of its request to the 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) for emergency processing of a 

proposed collection of information in 

connection with the training of 

operators of the bulk power system, and 

is soliciting public comment on that 

information collection.

DATES: The Commission and OMB must 

receive comments on or before 

December 20, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to: 

(1) John Asalone, FERC Desk Officer, 

Office of Information and Regulatory 

Affairs, Office of Management and 

Budget. Mr. Asalone may be reached by 

telephone at (202) 395–4650 or by fax at 

(202) 395–7285 and 

(2) Michael Miller, Office of the 

Executive Director, ED–30, Federal 

Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 

First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20426. 

Mr. Miller may be reached by telephone 

at (202) 502–8415 and by e-mail at 

michael.miller@ferc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Christy Walsh, Office of the General 

Counsel, Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission. Ms. Walsh may be reached 

by telephone at (202) 502–6523 and by 

e-mail at christy.walsh@ferc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 

14, 2003, an electric power blackout 

occurred over large portions of the 

Northeast and Midwest United States 

and Ontario, Canada. The power 

blackout lasted up to two days in some 

areas of the United States and for a 

longer period of time in some areas of 

Canada. It affected an area with over 50 

million people and 61,800 megawatts of 

electric load. In the wake of the 

blackout, a joint U.S.-Canada Power 

System Outage Task Force (Task Force) 

undertook a study of the causes of that 

blackout and possible solutions to avoid 

future such blackouts. 

On April 5, 2004, the Task Force 

issued the Final Report on the August 

14, 2003 Blackout in the U.S. and 

Canada (Blackout Report). The report 

found that a major cause of the August 

14, 2003 electric power blackout was 

that control area operators had not 

received adequate training in 

recognizing and responding to system 

emergencies. Most notable was the lack 

of realistic simulations and drills to 

train and verify the capabilities of 

operating personnel. Such simulations 

are essential if operators and other staff 

are to be able to respond adequately to 

emergencies. This training deficiency 

contributed to the lack of situational 

awareness and failure to declare an 

emergency on August 14, 2003 while 

operator intervention was still possible 

(before events began to occur at a peed 

beyond human control). This failure has 

been a common factor that has 

contributed to the August 14, 2003 

blackout and many previous regional 

electric system outages. 

The Commission intends to issue an 

order that requires surveys to be 

answered by power system operators, 

whether or not they are otherwise 

subject to the Commission’s jurisdiction 

as a public utility, containing questions 

intended to evaluate the status of 

training throughout the industry, 

identify best practices and determine 

minimum requirements for operator 

training within the industry. The survey 

will be sent to no more than 160 

transmission grid operators. The 

participants selected will include 

transmission providers and control area 

operators to identify training 

deficiencies and opportunities for 

improved training in the bulk power 

sector. The Commission will analyze the 

data and provide a timely report to 

Congress on the need for legislation to 

ensure the reliability of the U.S. bulk 

power system. 

Section 311 of the Federal Power Act, 

16 U.S.C. 825j (2000), authorizes the 

Commission to conduct investigations 

in order to secure information necessary 

or appropriate as a basis for 

recommending legislation. Section 311 

makes clear that the Commission’s 

authority in conducting an investigation 

extends to entities that are otherwise not 

subject to the Commission’s jurisdiction 

‘‘including the generation, transmission, 

distribution, and sale of electric energy 

by any agency, authority, or 

instrumentality of the United States, or 

of any State or municipality * * *.’’

The information collected from this 

survey will be reflected in a 

Commission report to Congress on the 

need for legislation on the reliability of 

the nation’s interstate bulk electric 

systems, consistent with section 311 of 

the FPA.

In the Blackout Report, the Task Force 

noted severe limitations in training for 

operators, reliability, coordinators, and 

operator support staff. Due to the 

inadequacies of power system operator 

training that have contributed to 

multiple system outages, one of the 

recommendations of the Blackout 

Report is for greater near-term and longterm training and certification 

requirements for operators, reliability 

coordinators, and operator support staff 

(Recommendation 19c). The Task Force 

specifically recommended the 

commission of an advisory report by an 

independent panel to address a wide 

range of issues concerning reliability 

training programs and certification 

requirements. It concluded that the 

independent panel should delver the 

advisory report by March 31, 2005, 

‘‘under the oversight of FERC and 

appropriate Canadian authorities.’’ The 

Commission and Canadian authorities, 

in consultation with the North 

American Electric Reliability Council 

(NERC) and other, should evaluate the 

report and consider its findings in 

evaluating minimum training and 

certification requirements for control 

areas and reliability coordinators. 

Since the release of the Blackout 

Report in April 2004, only limited 

action has been taken in addressing the 

issue of operator training. As a 

consequence, while it was initially 

contemplated that the Commission’s 

role would be strictly one of oversight, 

the Commission has now stepped in to 

take a leadership role by commissioning 

and managing an industry survey to 

determine both minimally acceptable 

and best practices for operator training 

in the same time frame recommended 

by the Task Force. The Commission 

must act quickly to meet the target set 

out by the Task Force. The information 

the Commission is seeking in the 

operator training survey is an important 

facet in achieving the overarching goal 

of ensuring safe and reliable operation 

of the transmission system. In light of 

the urgency of moving forward with the 

survey, the ability to collect this 

information prior to the expiration of a 

normal OMB 60-day review time frame 

is essential to the mission of the 

Commission, and as such, the 

Commission has requested emergency 

processing of this proposed information 

collection. Because the Commission 

requires the survey results as soon as 

possible, the Commission will require 

completion of the survey by January 31, 

2005. 

The Commission will refer to the 

reports being requested as FERC Form 

724: Bulk Power System Operator 

Training Survey. Respondent would 

provide a one-time-only completed 

survey no later than January 31, 2005. 

The survey, which is patterned after a 

survey prepared by the Department of 

Energy to address operator training 

standards in the nuclear industry, is 

designed to determine: 

• Educational methods. 

• Training and certification 

approaches. 

• Re-certification procedures. 

• Use of simulator-based training. 

• Required hours of annual training 

for emergency and normal operations. 

74508 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 239 / Tuesday, December 14, 2004 / Notices 

• Staffing levels. 

• Communication levels.

The Complete survey is available at 

http://www.ferc.gov.industries/electric/

indus-act/reliability/2004-sys-opsurvey.pdf.

The Commission estimates that no 

more than 160 entities will be the 

subject of this reporting request with the 

survey going out to approximately eight 

different personnel at each chosen 

entity and that it would take each entity 

no more than 2 hours to complete the 

survey—larger entities may require 

additional respondents while smaller 

entities will likely have fewer 

respondents. Therefore, the total 

number of hours it would take to 

comply with the reporting requirement 

would be 320. The Commission 

estimates a total cost of $18,720 to 

respondents at $58.50 per hour, based 

on salaries for professional and clerical 

staff, as well as direct and indirect 

overhead costs. 

The Commission has submitted this 

reporting requirement to OMB for 

approval. OMB’s regulations describe 

the process that federal agencies must 

follow in order to obtain OMB approval 

of reporting requirements. See 5 CFR 

part 1320. The standards for emergency 

processing of information collections 

appear at 5 CFR 1320.13. If OMB 

approves a reporting requirement, then 

it will assign an information collection 

control number to that requirement. If a 

request for information subject to OMB 

review has not been given a valid 

control number, then the recipient is not 

required to respond. 

OMB required federal agencies 

seeking approval of reporting 

requirements to allow the public an 

opportunity to comment on the 

proposed reporting requirement. 5 CFR 

1320.5(a)(1)(iv). Therefore, the 

Commission is soliciting comment on: 

(1) Whether the collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the Commission’s 

functions, including whether the 

information will have practical utility; 

(2) The accuracy of the Commission’s 

estimate of the burden of the collection 

of this information, including the 

validity of the methodology and 

assumptions used; 

(3) The quality, utility, and clarity of 

the information to be collected; and 

(4) How to minimize the burden of the 

collection of this information on 

respondents, including the use of 

appropriate automated electronic, 

mechanical, or other forms of 

information technology.

C.B. Spencer, 

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 04–27463 Filed 12–13–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6717–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission 

[Docket No. RP05–106–000] 

Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC; 

Notice of Proposed Changes in FERC 

Gas Tariff 

December 7, 2004. 

Take notice that on December 1, 2004, 

Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC 

(Algonquin) tendered for filing as part of 

its FERC Gas Tariff, Fifth Revised 

Volume No. 1, First Revised Sheet No. 

507, proposed to become effective 

January 1, 2005. 

Algonquin states that copies of the 

filing were served upon all affected 

customers of Algonquin and interested 

state commissions. 

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 and 

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 in accordance 

with the provisions of Section 154.210 

of the Commission’s regulations (18 CFR 

154.210). Anyone filing an intervention 

or protest must serve a copy of that 

document on the Applicant. Anyone 

filing an intervention or protest on or 

before the intervention or protest date 

need not serve motions to intervene or 

protests on persons other than the 

Applicant. 

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 email 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.

Magalie R. Salas, 

Secretary.

[FR Doc. E4–3621 Filed 12–13–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6717–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission 

[Docket No. RP05–98–000] 

Alliance Pipeline L.P.; Notice of Tariff 

Filing 

December 7, 2004. 

Take notice that on November 30, 

2004, Alliance Pipeline L.P. (Alliance) 

tendered for filing as part of its FERC 

Gas Tariff, Original Volume No. 1, the 

following tariff sheets, proposed to 

become effective January 1, 2005:

Fourth Revised Sheet No. 11 

Fourth Revised Sheet No. 12 

Fourth Revised Sheet No. 13 

Fourth Revised Sheet No. 14

Alliance states that its filing is made 

pursuant to the authorization set forth 

in its negotiated rate agreements and 

section 39 of the General Terms and 

Conditions of its FERC Gas Tariff. 

Alliance states that copies of its filing 

have been mailed to all customers, state 

commissions, and other interested 

parties. 

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 and 

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 in accordance 

with the provisions of Section 154.210 

of the Commission’s regulations (18 CFR 

154.210). Anyone filing an intervention 

or protest must serve a copy of that 

document on the Applicant. Anyone 

filing an intervention or protest on or 

before the intervention or protest date 

need not serve motions to intervene or