### 4464 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 20 / Friday, January 30, 2004 / Proposed Rules

Attention Docket ID No. RCRA

– 2003

– 0004. Comments may also be submitted electronically, or through hand delivery/courier; follow the detailed instructions as provided below in the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT : For general information on the proposed regulation, contact the RCRA Call Center at (800) 424

– 9346 or TDD (800) 553

– 7672 (hearing impaired). In the Washington, DC, metropolitan area, call (703) 412

– 9810 or TDD (703) 412

– 3323. For more detailed information on specific aspects of this rulemaking, contact Kathy Blanton at (703) 605

– 0761 ( blanton.katherine@epa.gov ).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION : The proposed rule that is the subject of this notice, and which was published in the Federal Register on November 20, 2003 (68 FR 65586), proposed a conditional exclusion from the definition of solid waste for industrial wipes that are contaminated with solvent and that are sent to laundries or dry cleaners for cleaning and reuse. It also proposed a conditional exclusion from the definition of hazardous waste for industrial wipes that are contaminated with solvent and are sent to disposal.

The comment period for the proposed rule was scheduled to end on February 18, 2004. However, a public commenter (the Utilities Solid Waste Activities Group) has requested that EPA extend the comment period, noting that it is submitting comments on several other EPA rulemaking proposals with comment periods ending close to that date. EPA believes this request is reasonable. EPA also notes that this rule is not subject to any statutory or judicial deadlines. We are therefore extending the comment period for this proposal until March 19, 2004.
How and to Whom Do I Submit Comments?

You may submit comments electronically, by mail, or through hand delivery/courier. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, identify the appropriate docket identification number in the subject line on the first page of your comment. Please ensure that your comments are submitted within the specified comment period. Comments received after the close of the comment period will be marked ‘‘ late. ’’ EPA is not required to consider these late comments. Electronically

If you submit an electronic comment as prescribed below, EPA recommends that you include your name, mailing address, and an e-mail address or other contact information in the body of your comment. Also include this contact information on the outside of any disk or CD

–ROM you submit, and in any cover letter accompanying the disk or CD

–ROM. This ensures that you can be identified as the submitter of the comment and allows EPA to contact you in case EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties or needs further information on the substance of your comment. EPA ’ s policy is that EPA will not edit your comment, and any identifying or contact information provided in the body of a comment will be included as part of the comment that is placed in the official public docket, and made available in EPA ’ s electronic public docket. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment.

Your use of EPA ’ s electronic public docket to submit comments to EPA electronically is EPA ’ s preferred method for receiving comments. Go directly to EPA Dockets at http://www.epa.gov/ edocket , and follow the online instructions for submitting comments. To access EPA ’ s electronic public docket from the EPA Internet Home Page, select ‘‘ Information Sources, ’’

‘‘ Dockets, ’’ and ‘‘ EPA Dockets. ’’ Once in the system, select ‘‘ search, ’’ and then key in Docket ID No. RCRA

– 2003

– 0004. The system is an ‘‘ anonymous access ’’ system, which means EPA will not know your identity, e-mail address, or other contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment.

Comments may be sent by electronic mail (e-mail) to rcra-docket@epa.gov

, Attention Docket ID No. RCRA

– 2003

– 0004. In contrast to EPA ’ s electronic public docket, EPA ’ s e-mail system is not an ‘‘ anonymous access ’’ system. If you send an e-mail comment directly to the Docket without going through EPA ’ s electronic public docket, EPA ’ s e-mailsystem automatically captures your email address. E-mail addresses that are automatically captured by EPA ’ s e-mail system are included as part of the comment that is placed in the official public docket, and made available in EPA ’ s electronic public docket.

You may submit comments on a disk or CD

–ROM that you mail to the mailing address identified in the following paragraph. These electronic submissions will be accepted in WordPerfect or ASCII file format. Avoid the use of special characters and any form of encryption. By Mail Send your comments to: OSWER Docket, EPA Docket Center, Mailcode: 5305T, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 20460, Attention Docket ID Number RCRA

– 2003

– 0004. By Hand Delivery or Courier

Deliver your comments to: OSWER Docket, EPA West Building, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC., Attention Docket ID No. RCRA

– 2003

– 0004. Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket ’ s normal hours of operation (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays).

Dated: January 22, 2004. Robert Springer, Director, Office of Solid Waste. [FR Doc. 04

– 1972 Filed 1

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– 04; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560

– 50

– P

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

42 CFR Parts 412, 413, and 424

[CMS

– 1213

– N]

RIN 0938

–AL50
Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System for Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities; Extension of Comment Period

AGENCY : Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.

ACTION : Notice of extension of comment period for proposed rule.

SUMMARY : This document extends the comment period for a proposed rule,

‘‘ Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System for Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities ’’ published in the Federal Register (68 FR 66920) on November 28, 2003. That rule proposes a prospective payment system for Medicare payment of inpatient hospital services furnished in psychiatric hospitals and psychiatric units of acute care hospitals. The prospective payment system described in the proposed rule would replace the current reasonable cost-based payment system under the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1992 (TEFRA). The comment period that would have closed on January 27, 2004 is extended 30 days.

DATES : The comment period is extended to 5 p.m. on February 26, 2004.


### 4465 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 20 / Friday, January 30, 2004 / Proposed Rules

ADDRESSES : In commenting, please refer to file code CMS

– 1213

–P. Because of staff and resource limitations, we cannot accept comments by facsimile (FAX) transmission. Mail written comments (one original and two copies) to the following address ONLY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services, Attention: CMS

– 1213

–P, P.O. Box 8012, Baltimore, MD 21244

– 8012.

Please allow sufficient time for mailed comments to be received timely in the event of delivery delays.

If you prefer, you may deliver (by hand or courier) your written comments (one original and two copies) to one of the following addresses: Room 445

– G, Hubert H. Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20201, or Room C5

– 14

– 03, 7500 Security

Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244

– 1850. (Because access to the interior of the HHH Building is not readily available to persons without Federal Government identification, commenters are encouraged to leave their comments in the CMS drop slots located in the main lobby of the building. A stamp-in clock is available for persons wishing to retain a proof of filing by stamping in and retaining an extra copy of the comments being filed.) Comments mailed to the addresses indicated as appropriate for hand or courier delivery may be delayed and could be considered late.

For information on viewing public comments, see the beginning of the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT : Janet Samen, (410) 786

– 4533.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :

Inspection of Public Comments: Comments received timely will be available for public inspection as they are received, generally beginning approximately 4 weeks after publication of a document, at the headquarters of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21244, Monday through Friday of each week from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. To schedule an appointment to view public comments, phone (410) 786

– 9994.

Copies: To order copies of the Federal Register containing this document, send your request to: New Orders, Superintendent of Documents, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250

– 7954. Specify the date of the issue requested and enclose a check or money order payable to the Superintendent of Documents, or enclose your Visa or Master Card number and expiration date. Credit card orders can also be placed by calling the order desk at (202) 512

– 1800 (or toll-free at 1

– 888

– 293

– 6498) or by faxing to (202) 512

– 2250. The cost for each copy is $10. As an alternative, you can view and photocopy the Federal Register document at most libraries designated as Federal Depository Libraries and at many other public and academic libraries throughout the country that receive the Federal Register

.

This Federal Register document is also available from the Federal Register online database through GPO Access, a service of the U.S. Government Printing Office. The Web site address is: http:// www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html.

On November 28, 2003, we issued a proposed rule in the Federal Register (68 FR 66920) proposing a prospective payment system for psychiatric hospitals and psychiatric units. The proposed rule would implement section 124 of the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Balanced Budget Refinement Act of 1999 (BBRA), which requires the implementation of a per diem prospective payment system for inpatient hospital services of psychiatric hospitals and psychiatric units. The proposed prospective payment system would replace the reasonable cost-based payment system currently in effect. We announced that the public comment period for the proposed rule would close at 5 p.m. on January 27, 2004.

The proposed rule, ‘‘ Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System for Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities, ’’ is unique in that it proposes, for the first time, a completely new payment system for the inpatient hospital services of psychiatric hospitals and psychiatric units of acute care hospitals. Due to the complexity and scope of this proposed rule and because many people have requested additional time to examine the proposed rule so that they may provide meaningful comments on its provisions, we have decided to extend the comment period for an additional 30 days. This document announces the extension of the public comment period to February 26, 2004.

Authority: Secs. 1102 and 1871 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1302 and 1395hh). (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program No. 93.773, Medicare

—Hospital Insurance; and Program No. 93.774, Medicare

— Supplementary Medical Insurance Program) Dated: January 23, 2004. Dennis G. Smith, Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Approved: January 26, 2004. Tommy G. Thompson, Secretary. [FR Doc. 04

– 1945 Filed 1

– 27

– 04; 11:10 am]

BILLING CODE 4120

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

RIN 1018

–AI95

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[Docket No: 021223326

– 4022

– 02]

RIN 0648

–AQ69

50 CFR Part 402
Joint Counterpart Endangered Species Act Section 7 Consultation Regulations

AGENCIES : Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior; National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Commerce.
ACTION : Proposed rule.

SUMMARY : The U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) (referred to jointly as

‘‘ Services ’’ and individually as

‘‘ Service ’’ ), after coordination with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), are proposing joint counterpart regulations for consultation under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA) for regulatory actions under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Counterpart regulations, described in general terms in the same part, are intended to provide flexibility in the ways that a federal agency may meet its obligations under the ESA by creating alternative procedures to the existing section 7 consultation process described in the same part. These counterpart regulations would complement the existing section 7 consultation process described in the same part and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the section 7 consultation process by increasing interagency cooperation and providing