Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 238 / Monday, December 13, 2010 / Notices 77673 

making this decision, may undertake 

other proceedings prescribed in 

Appendix A to 29 CFR 1910.7. OSHA 

will publish a public notice of this final 

decision in the Federal Register. 

However, because OSHA is only 

correcting the recognition, if OSHA 

receives no comments, it will add the 

standard to FM’s scope without 

publishing a notice of final decision. 

Authority and Signature 

David Michaels, Ph.D., MPH, 

Assistant Secretary of Labor for 

Occupational Safety and Health, 200 

Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, 

DC 20210, directed the preparation of 

this notice. Accordingly, the Agency is 

issuing this notice pursuant to Sections 

6(b) and 8(g) of the Occupational Safety 

and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 655 

and 657), Secretary of Labor’s Order No. 

4–2010 (75 FR 55355), and 29 CFR part 

1911. 

Signed at Washington, DC, on December 8, 

2010. 

David Michaels, 

Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational 

Safety and Health. 

[FR Doc. 2010–31190 Filed 12–10–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4510–26–P 

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND 

SPACE ADMINISTRATION 

[Notice: (10–160)] 

National Environmental Policy Act: 

Scientific Balloon Program 

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration (NASA). 

ACTION: Finding of No Significant 

Impact. 

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 

1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321, et 

seq.); the Council on Environmental 

Quality Regulations for Implementing 

the Procedural Provisions of NEPA (40 

CFR Parts 1500–1508); and NASA 

policy and procedures (14 CFR part 

1216, subpart 1216.3); NASA has made 

a Finding of No Significant Impact 

(FONSI) with respect to its proposed 

increase in scientific balloon launches 

at the Columbia Scientific Balloon 

Facility (CSBF). CSBF would launch up 

to 10 additional scientific balloons per 

year from CSBF Fort Sumner, New 

Mexico, while launches from CSBF 

Palestine, Texas would remain at 

current levels. 

ADDRESSES: Copies of the final Scientific 

Balloon Program Programmatic 

Environmental Assessment (PEA) may 

be viewed at the following locations: 

(a) Fort Sumner Public Library, 235 

West Sumner Avenue, Fort Sumner, 

New Mexico 88119 (575–355–2832). 

(b) Palestine Public Library, 1101 

North Cedar Street, Palestine, Texas 

75801 (903–729–4121). 

(c) NASA Headquarters Library, Room 

1J20, 300 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 

20546–0001 (202–358–0168). 

On the Internet at: http:// 

sites.wff.nasa.gov/code 250/docs/ 

BPO_PEA.html. 

A limited number of hard copies of 

the final PEA are available by 

contacting: Joshua Bundick, NEPA 

Program Manager, NASA Wallops 

Island Flight Facility, Code 250.W, 

Wallops Island, VA 23337. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Joshua Bundick, (757) 824–2319 

(phone); (757) 824–1819 (fax). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NASA has 

reviewed the Programmatic 

Environmental Assessment (PEA) 

prepared for the scientific balloon 

launches at the Columbia Scientific 

Balloon Facility (CSBF) and has 

concluded that the PEA represents an 

accurate and adequate analysis of the 

scope and level of associated 

environmental impacts. NASA hereby 

incorporates the PEA by reference in the 

Finding of No Significant Impact 

(FONSI). NASA solicited public and 

agency review and comment on the 

environmental impacts of the proposed 

action through: 

1. Publishing a notice of availability 

of the draft PEA and the draft FONSI in 

the Federal Register, the DeBaca County 

News, and the Palestine Herald; 

2. Making available the draft PEA and 

draft FONSI at the Palestine Public 

Library, Palestine, Texas; the Fort 

Sumner Public Library, Fort Sumner, 

New Mexico; and the NASA 

Headquarters Library in Washington, 

DC; 

3. Publication of the draft PEA and 

draft FONSI on the Internet; 

4. Consultations with Federal, State, 

and local agencies; and 

5. Mailing the draft PEA and draft 

FONSI directly to interested parties. 

Comments received were taken into 

consideration in the final PEA. 

CSBF is composed of two facilities 

that launch scientific balloons. The 

main facility is located in Palestine, 

Texas, while the other facility is located 

in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. Though 

CSBF Palestine is the main facility, most 

balloon launches occur from the Fort 

Sumner facility due to its more remote 

nature. As balloon flight paths are winddriven, their landing sites could be in 

adjacent States. An analysis of the past 

ten years of flights indicates that the 

majority of balloons and payloads are 

recovered from Texas, New Mexico, and 

Arizona. Very few balloons or payloads 

have landed in the neighboring States of 

Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado. 

The PEA describes the potential 

impacts from the Proposed Action as 

well as the No Action alternative. Under 

the Proposed Action, NASA would 

increase the number of scientific 

balloons launched each year. Balloon 

flights originating from CSBF Fort 

Sumner would increase from 15 to 25 

annually; balloons launched from the 

CSBF Palestine would continue at 

approximately 6 per year. No 

construction would take place at either 

of the two launch sites and no increase 

in the personnel staff at either CSBF 

Fort Sumner or CSBF Palestine is 

proposed. 

Under the No Action alternative, 

NASA would not increase the number 

of balloon launches from either CSBF 

location, and the status quo would be 

maintained with 21 conventional 

balloons launched annually. 

Summary of Environmental Impacts: 

The potential environmental impacts 

from implementation of the Proposed 

Action are summarized below. 

Airspace and Balloon Operations: No 

adverse impacts to airspace 

management or balloon operations are 

anticipated under this proposal. CSBF 

would continue to adhere to the letter 

of agreement with the Federal Aviation 

Administration Air Route Traffic 

Control Centers (ARTCC) for 

Albuquerque and Fort Worth. CSBF 

would continue to notify Cannon Air 

Force Base prior to balloon launches to 

further enhance safety in the region. As 

such, impacts to other users of the 

airspace or to balloons launched from 

CSBF Fort Sumner or CSBF Palestine 

would not be adverse. 

Safety: NASA and CSBF have 

extensive safety regulations and 

standard safety procedures for launch 

and recovery activities that ensure 

safety of staff and the general public. 

Models developed by NASA are used to 

predict the landing location of the 

balloon system. Along with real-time 

computer monitoring systems and 

controls, population centers and Special 

Use Land Management Areas (SULMAs) 

can be avoided, virtually eliminating the 

potential for injury to people or 

property. Adverse impacts from 

implementing the Proposed Action are 

not anticipated. 

Air Quality: Vehicular travel by 

research scientists and students to the 

CSBF Fort Sumner location would 

increase under this proposal; however, 

the emissions would be minimal. Air 

emissions would not be perceptibly 


wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with NOTICES_PART 1
77674 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 238 / Monday, December 13, 2010 / Notices 

changed within the CSBF Operations 

Area due to the small increase in trips 

to be conducted by recovery vehicles 

and tracking planes used during the 

balloon and payload/parachute descent. 

Overall, no measureable change in air 

emissions would be anticipated. 

Socioeconomics: Fort Sumner Village 

would experience a short-term positive 

economic impact each year during 

balloon campaigns at CSBF Fort Sumner 

from the purchase of food, supplies, and 

lodging by CSBF staff and research 

scientists and students. An adequate 

supply of restaurants and lodging 

accommodations exists to meet the 

needs of the CSBF staff and research 

scientists/students. The City of Palestine 

currently experiences positive economic 

impacts from CSBF activities. Under 

this proposal, balloon launches from 

Palestine would not increase; therefore, 

no change in socioeconomic impacts 

would be anticipated. 

Land Use: CSBF currently avoids 

SULMAs and would continue this 

practice under the Proposed Action. The 

CSBF Operations Area spans portions of 

six States; the chances of a balloon/ 

payload landing in the same location are 

unlikely. Recovery operations are often 

complete within 24 hours after landing 

has occurred. Should a balloon/payload 

land within a SULMA, or on private 

land, the land manager/landowner 

would be contacted prior to the CSBF 

recovery team accessing the site. If 

required, CSBF would obtain a permit 

or authorization to retrieve the balloon/ 

payload. Overall, no adverse impact to 

land use would be expected. 

Biological Resources: Minor adverse 

impacts to biological resources are 

anticipated under the Proposed Action. 

CSBF would continue to avoid known 

critical habitats and wetlands. If 

unplanned circumstances resulted in 

the need to land a payload within a 

designated Critical Habitat, CSBF would 

initiate contact with the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service to determine the best 

method for payload recovery, with the 

least amount of environmental impact. 

Cultural Resources: Increased balloon 

operations would constitute an 

increased probability for adverse effects 

to cultural resources from balloon/ 

payload landing and recovery activities; 

however, the probability for impacting 

culturally significant resources would 

be extremely low. Predictive modeling 

used by CSBF for balloon/payload 

landing would continue to be used for 

avoidance of all known culturally 

significant areas. If unplanned 

circumstances resulted in the need to 

land a payload within a culturally 

sensitive area, CSBF would initiate 

contact with the responsible State or 

Tribal Historic Preservation Officer to 

determine the best method for payload 

recovery, with the least amount of 

impact. 

Hazardous Materials and Systems: 

Strict operational control measures are 

followed when hazardous materials are 

used during balloon staging and 

operations. Should a release of any 

hazardous material occur during 

payload landing/recovery operations, 

CSBF staff would implement NASAapproved procedures for clean up in 

accordance with applicable Federal and 

State regulations. Accordingly, impacts 

to personnel or the environment would 

not be expected. 

Transportation: Transportation or 

traffic issues are minimal in the regions 

surrounding the CSBF launch sites. 

Vehicles used in recovery operations 

would not impact transportation 

systems across the CSBF Operations 

Area. As such, no adverse impacts to 

transportation resources in the region 

surrounding the CSBF launch sites or 

within the Operations Area are 

anticipated. 

Cumulative Effects: Cumulative 

impacts were evaluated for potentially 

affected resources. No cumulative 

impacts are anticipated from 

implementation of the Proposed Action. 

No other known or foreseeable actions 

would be anticipated to affect resource 

areas impacted by CSBF balloon launch, 

flight, termination, or recovery 

activities. 

Conclusion: NASA has identified no 

other issues of potential environmental 

concern. Based on the findings in the 

final PEA for the NASA Scientific 

Balloon Program, and review of 

underlying reference documents, NASA 

has determined that the environmental 

impacts associated with the Proposed 

Action will not individually or 

cumulatively have a significant impact 

on the quality of the human 

environment. Therefore, an 

environmental impact statement will 

not be required. 

Dated: December 7, 2010. 

Edward J. Weiler, 

Associate Administrator, Science Mission 

Directorate. 

[FR Doc. 2010–31239 Filed 12–10–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

NATIONAL CREDIT UNION 

ADMINISTRATION 

Sunshine Act Meeting Notice 

TIME AND DATE: 10 a.m., Thursday, 

December 16, 2010. 

PLACE: Board Room, 7th Floor, Room 

7047, 1775 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 

22314–3428. 

STATUS: Open. 

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: 

1. Final Rule—Parts 701, 708a and 

708b of NCUA’s Rules and Regulations, 

Mergers and Conversions of Insured 

Credit Unions, Fiduciary Duties and 

Indemnification of Directors. 

2. Final Rule—Section 701.34 of 

NCUA’s Rules and Regulations, LowIncome Definition. 

3. Proposed Rule—Section 701.34 of 

NCUA’s Rules and Regulations, Member 

Survey Sample Data to Meet LowIncome Designation. 

4. Proposed Rule—Part 740 of 

NCUA’s Rules and Regulations, 

Accuracy of Advertising and Notice of 

Insured Status. 

5. Proposed Rule—Part 745 of 

NCUA’s Rules and Regulations, Share 

Insurance, Non-interest-bearing 

Transaction Accounts. 

6. Tri-State Federal Credit Union’s 

Appeal of Region II’s Denial of its Field 

of Membership Expansion Request. 

7. Central Liquidity Facility Change in 

Overhead Reimbursement Methodology. 

8. Insurance Fund Report. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Mary Rupp, Secretary of the Board, 

Telephone: 703–518–6304. 

Mary Rupp, 

Board Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2010–31391 Filed 12–9–10; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE P 

NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE 

ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES 

National Endowment for the Arts; Arts 

Advisory Panel 

Pursuant to Section 10(a)(2) of the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. 

L. 92–463), as amended, notice is hereby 

given that nine meetings of the Arts 

Advisory Panel to the National Council 

on the Arts will be held at the Nancy 

Hanks Center, 1100 Pennsylvania 

Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20506 as 

follows (ending times are approximate): 

State and Regional/Arts Education 

(review of State Arts Agency Partnership 

Agreements): January 5–6, 2011 in 

Room 716. This meeting, from 9 a.m. to 

10:15 a.m. and from 12:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. 

on January 5th and from 9 a.m. to 1:30 

p.m. on January 6th, will be open. 

Arts Education (application review): 

January 6, 2011 in Room 716. This 

meeting, from 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m., will 

be closed. 

Media Arts (application review): 

January 11–13, 2011 in Room 730. This 


wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with NOTICES_PART 1