79086 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 242 / Friday, December 17, 2010 / Notices 

1 In Northern Plains Railroad—Operation 

Exemption—Rail Line of Mohall Central Railroad, 

FD 34780 (STB served Dec. 29. 2005), Northern 

Plains Railroad, Inc. (NPR) was authorized to 

operate a 69.15-mile line of railroad that includes 

this portion of the rail line. Applicant states that 

because NPR never instituted service on the line, 

MCR does not need NPR to obtain discontinuance 

authority before MCR seeks abandonment authority 

here. See Mohall Cent. R.R.—Aban. Exemption—in 

Nelson, Ramsey, and Cavalier Counties, ND, AB 

1003X, slip op. at 1 n.1 (STB served Oct. 29, 2007). 

MCR has certified to the Board that it has notified 

NPR of its plans to abandon the 5.4-mile portion of 

the line and has served a copy of its notice on NPR. 

2The Board will grant a stay if an informed 

decision on environmental issues (whether raised 

by a party or by the Board’s Office of Environmental 

Analysis (OEA) in its independent investigation) 

cannot be made before the exemption’s effective 

date. See Exemption of Out-of-Serv. Rail Lines, 5 

I.C.C.2d 377 (1989). Any request for a stay should 

be filed as soon as possible so that the Board may 

take appropriate action before the exemption’s 

effective date. 

3Each OFA must be accompanied by the filing 

fee, which is currently set at $1,500. See 49 CFR 

1002.2(f)(25). 

(PHMSA–2010–0353 (Notice No. 10–9)) 

by any of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

online instructions for submitting 

comments. 

• Fax: 1–202–493–2251. 

• Mail: Docket Operations, U.S. 

Department of Transportation, West 

Building, Ground Floor, Room W12– 

140, Routing Symbol M–30, 1200 New 

Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 

20590. 

• Hand Delivery: To Docket 

Operations, Room W12–140 on the 

ground floor of the West Building, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, 

DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays. 

Instructions: All submissions must 

include the agency name and docket 

number for this notice at the beginning 

of the comment. All comments received 

will be posted without change to the 

Federal Docket Management System 

(FDMS), including any personal 

information. 

Docket: For access to the dockets to 

read background documents or 

comments received, go to http:// 

www.regulations.gov or DOT’s Docket 

Operations Office (see ADDRESSES). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Ryan Paquet, Director, Approvals and 

Permits Division, Office of Hazardous 

Materials Safety, (202) 366–4512, 

PHMSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 

Washington, DC 20590. 

Background 

The pyrotechnic industry is a global 

logistics supply chain comprised of 

mostly foreign fireworks manufacturers 

and domestic importers, retailers, 

distributors, and consumers. The 

transportation of a firework requires the 

issuance of an EX number approval by 

PHMSA. An EX number is a PHMSAissued unique identifier that is more 

specific than just a hazard classification; 

an EX number applies to a particular 

explosive formula, device, and its 

packaging. 

PHMSA understands that typically a 

fireworks device made by one 

manufacturer is packaged and marketed 

under a variety of different names 

according to the specifications of the 

various U.S. importers. Under the 

current approval process, before the 

fireworks device enters the U.S., each 

individual importer, retailer, and 

distributor, in addition to the original 

manufacturer, has been requesting 

separate and unique EX numbers for 

what are essentially identical fireworks 

devices. This results in multiple 

approval applications for functionally 

indistinguishable fireworks devices. 

For at least ten years, PHMSA has 

been accepting these fireworks approval 

applications and issuing fireworks 

approvals to members of the 

pyrotechnic industry regardless of their 

actual position in the supply chain. It is 

unclear as to what was the justification 

for this action. Regardless, this 

redundant and burdensome process 

does not promote the safe transportation 

of fireworks devices, but rather has 

negative impacts on process efficiency 

and impedes the conduct of business for 

both the fireworks industry and 

PHMSA. 

In this notice, PHMSA is seeking 

comment on its intent to only accept 

fireworks approval applications from, 

and issue fireworks approvals to, 

fireworks manufacturers. In addition, 

PHMSA is also seeking comment on its 

intent to consider a fireworks 

manufacturer to be an entity that 

formulates and produces a firework (for 

the definition of a firework, see 

§ 173.59) or has previously produced a 

firework device but has made a change 

in the formulation, design, or process so 

as to alter the properties of the firework. 

After the comments received to this 

notice have been considered, PHMSA 

will issue a final notice responding to 

any comments received. PHMSA 

believes that by issuing fireworks 

approvals only to manufacturers, as 

described in this notice, it will enhance 

safety by ensuring uniform classification 

of fireworks devices, eliminating 

application duplicity, and minimizing 

the potential risks of the shipment of 

unapproved fireworks. 

Issued in Washington, DC, on December 

13, 2010 under authority delegated in 49 CFR 

part 1. 

Magdy El-Sibaie, 

Associate Administrator for Hazardous 

Materials Safety Pipeline and Hazardous 

Materials Safety Administration. 

[FR Doc. 2010–31703 Filed 12–16–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–60–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Surface Transportation Board 

[Docket No. AB 1003 (Sub-No. 1X)] 

Mohall Central Railroad, Inc.— 

Abandonment Exemption—in Cavalier 

County, ND 

Mohall Central Railroad, Inc. (MCR) 

filed a verified notice of exemption 

under 49 CFR part 1152 subpart F— 

Exempt Abandonments to abandon a 

5.4-mile line of railroad extending 

between milepost 67.5 near Calvin, 

N.D., and milepost 72.9 at Sarles, N.D.1

The line traverses United States Postal 

Service Zip Codes 58323 and 58372. 

MCR has certified that: (1) No local 

traffic has moved over the line for at 

least 2 years; (2) there is no overhead 

traffic on the line to be rerouted over 

other lines; (3) no formal complaint 

filed by a user of rail service on the line 

(or by a State or local government entity 

acting on behalf of such user) regarding 

cessation of service over the line either 

is pending with the Surface 

Transportation Board (Board) or with 

any U.S. District Court or has been 

decided in favor of complainant within 

the 2-year period; and (4) the 

requirements at 49 CFR 1105.7(c) 

(environmental report), 49 CFR 1105.11 

(transmittal letter), 49 CFR 1105.12 

(newspaper publication), and 49 CFR 

1152.50(d)(1) (notice to governmental 

agencies) have been met. 

As a condition to this exemption, any 

employee adversely affected by the 

abandonment shall be protected under 

Oregon Short Line—Abandonment 

Portion Goshen Branch Between Firth & 

Ammon, in Bingham & Bonneville 

Counties, Idaho, 360 I.C.C. 91 (1979). To 

address whether this condition 

adequately protects affected employees, 

a petition for partial revocation under 

49 U.S.C. 10502(d) must be filed. 

Provided no formal expression of 

intent to file an offer of financial 

assistance (OFA) has been received, this 

exemption will be effective on January 

15, 2011, unless stayed pending 

reconsideration. Petitions to stay that do 

not involve environmental issues,2

formal expressions of intent to file an 

OFA under 49 CFR 1152.27(c)(2),3 and 

trail use/rail banking requests under 49 

CFR 1152.29 must be filed by December 


emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 242 / Friday, December 17, 2010 / Notices 79087 

27, 2010. Petitions to reopen or requests 

for public use conditions under 49 CFR 

1152.28 must be filed by January 5, 

2011, with the Surface Transportation 

Board, 395 E Street, SW., Washington, 

DC 20423–0001. 

A copy of any petition filed with the 

Board should be sent to MCR’s 

representative: Michael J. Barron, Jr., 

Fletcher & Sippel LLC, 29 N. Wacker 

Dr., Suite 920, Chicago, IL 60606. 

If the verified notice contains false or 

misleading information, the exemption 

is void ab initio. 

MCR has filed a combined 

environmental and historic report that 

addresses the effects, if any, of the 

abandonment on the environment and 

historic resources. OEA will issue an 

environmental assessment (EA) by 

December 21, 2010. Interested persons 

may obtain a copy of the EA by writing 

to OEA (Room 1100, Surface 

Transportation Board, Washington, DC 

20423–0001) or by calling OEA, at (202) 

245–0305. Assistance for the hearing 

impaired is available through the 

Federal Information Relay Service 

(FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339. Comments 

on environmental and historic 

preservation matters must be filed 

within 15 days after the EA becomes 

available to the public. 

Environmental, historic preservation, 

public use, or trail use/rail banking 

conditions will be imposed, where 

appropriate, in a subsequent decision. 

Pursuant to the provisions of 49 CFR 

1152.29(e)(2), MCR shall file a notice of 

consummation with the Board to signify 

that it has exercised the authority 

granted and fully abandoned the line. If 

consummation has not been effected by 

MCR’s filing of a notice of 

consummation by December 16, 2011, 

and there are no legal or regulatory 

barriers to consummation, the authority 

to abandon will automatically expire. 

Board decisions and notices are 

available on our Web site at http:// 

www.stb.dot.gov. 

Decided: December 13, 2010. 

By the Board. 

Rachel D. Campbell, 

Director, Office of Proceedings. 

Jeffrey Herzig, 

Clearance Clerk. 

[FR Doc. 2010–31728 Filed 12–16–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4915–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS 

Fund Availability Under the Supportive 

Services for Veteran Families Program 

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans 

Affairs (VA) is announcing the 

availability of funds for supportive 

services grants under the Supportive 

Services for Veteran Families Program 

(SSVF Program). This Notice contains 

information concerning the SSVF 

Program, application process, and 

amount of funding available. 

DATES: Applications for assistance 

under the SSVF Program must be 

received by the SSVF Program Office by 

4 p.m. Eastern Time on March 11, 2011. 

In the interest of fairness to all 

competing applicants, this deadline is 

firm as to date and hour, and VA will 

treat as ineligible for consideration any 

application that is received after the 

deadline. Applicants should take this 

practice into account and make early 

submission of their materials to avoid 

any risk of loss of eligibility brought 

about by unanticipated delays, 

computer service outages (in the case of 

Grants.gov), or other delivery-related 

problems. 

For a Copy of the Application 

Package: Download directly from the 

SSVF Program Web page at: http:// 

www1.va.gov/HOMELESS/SSVF.asp. 

Questions should be referred to the 

SSVF Program Office at (877) 737–0111 

(this is a toll-free number). For detailed 

SSVF Program information and 

requirements, see the Final Rule 

published in the Federal Register (75 

FR 68975) on November 10, 2010 (Final 

Rule), which is codified in 38 CFR Part 

62. 

Submission of Applications: An 

original completed and collated 

supportive services grant application in 

a three-ring binder (plus four 

completed, collated, unbound hard 

copies and a compact disc (CD) 

containing an electronic version of the 

entire application) must be submitted to 

the following address: Supportive 

Services for Veteran Families Program 

Office, National Center on 

Homelessness Among Veterans, 4100 

Chester Avenue, Suite 201, 

Philadelphia, PA 19104. This 

requirement for submission of five hard 

copies and a CD also applies to 

applicants who submit via Grants.gov. 

Applications may not be sent by 

facsimile (FAX). Applications must be 

received in the SSVF Program Office by 

the application deadline. Applications 

must arrive as a complete package. 

Materials arriving separately will not be 

included in the application package for 

consideration and may result in the 

application being rejected. To encourage 

the equitable distribution of supportive 

services grants across geographic 

regions, in accordance with § 62.23(d)(2) 

of the Final Rule, an eligible entity may 

submit only one application per State. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John 

Kuhn, Supportive Services for Veteran 

Families Program Office, National 

Center on Homelessness Among 

Veterans, 4100 Chester Avenue, Suite 

201, Philadelphia, PA 19104; (877) 737– 

0111 (this is a toll-free number). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

Notice announces the availability of 

funds for supportive services grants 

under the SSVF Program and pertains to 

proposals for new supportive services 

grant programs. Please refer to the Final 

Rule, published in the Federal Register 

(75 FR 68975) on November 10, 2010, 

which is codified in 38 CFR Part 62, for 

detailed SSVF Program information and 

requirements. 

A. Purpose: The SSVF Program’s 

purpose is to provide supportive 

services grants to private non-profit 

organizations and consumer 

cooperatives who will coordinate or 

provide supportive services to very lowincome veteran families who: (i) Are 

residing in permanent housing, (ii) are 

homeless and scheduled to become 

residents of permanent housing within 

a specified time period, or (iii) after 

exiting permanent housing within a 

specified time period, are seeking other 

housing that is responsive to such very 

low-income veteran family’s needs and 

preferences. 

B. Definitions: Sections 62.2 and 

62.11(a) of the Final Rule contain 

definitions of terms used in the SSVF 

Program. Definitions of key terms are 

also provided below for reference; 

however, the Final Rule should be 

consulted for all definitions. 

Consumer cooperative has the 

meaning given such term in section 202 

of the Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 

1701q). 

Eligible entity means a: (1) Private 

non-profit organization, or (2) consumer 

cooperative. 

Homeless has the meaning given that 

term in section 103 of the McKinneyVento Homeless Assistance Act (42 

U.S.C. 11302). 

Occupying permanent housing means 

meeting any of the conditions set forth 

in § 62.11(a) of the Final Rule. Note: In 

accordance with § 62.11(a) of the Final 

Rule, a very low-income veteran family 

will be considered to be occupying 

permanent housing if the very lowincome veteran family: (1) Is residing in 

permanent housing; (2) is homeless and 

scheduled to become a resident of 

permanent housing within 90 days 

pending the location or development of 

housing suitable for permanent housing; 


emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES