This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains regulatory documents having general

applicability and legal effect, most of which

are keyed to and codified in the Code of

Federal Regulations, which is published under

50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.

The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by

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new books are listed in the first FEDERAL

REGISTER issue of each week.

Rules and Regulations Federal Register

30831

Vol. 65, No. 94

Monday, May 15, 2000

OFFICE OF PERSONNEL

MANAGEMENT

5 CFR Part 532

RIN 3206–AI97

Prevailing Rate Systems; Abolishment

of the Washington, MD,

Nonappropriated Fund Wage Area

AGENCY: Office of Personnel

Management.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel

Management is issuing a final rule to

abolish the Washington, Maryland,

nonappropriated fund (NAF) Federal

Wage System (FWS) wage area and

establish a new Frederick, MD, NAF

FWS wage area. This change is

necessary because the Washington wage

area’s host installation, Fort Ritchie, is

closing. This leaves the Department of

Defense without an installation in the

survey area capable of hosting annual

local wage surveys.

DATES: The interim rule became

effective on December 31, 1999. The

interim rule is confirmed as final on

May 15, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jennifer Hopkins by phone at (202) 606–

2848, by FAX at (202) 606–0824, or by

email at jdhopkin@opm.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On

December 27, 1999, the Office of

Personnel Management (OPM)

published an interim rule (64 FR 72249)

to abolish the Washington, Maryland,

nonappropriated fund (NAF) Federal

Wage System (FWS) wage area and

establish a new Frederick, MD, NAF

FWS wage area. Under section 5343 of

title 5, United States Code, OPM is

responsible for defining FWS wage

areas. For this purpose, we follow the

regulatory criteria in section 532.219(b)

of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations.

The Washington wage area is

presently composed of one survey

county, Washington County, and two

area of application counties, Frederick

County, MD, and Berkeley County, WV.

The closure of the Washington wage

area’s host activity, Fort Ritchie, left the

Department of Defense (DOD) without

an activity in the survey area capable of

conducting annual local NAF wage

surveys. Fort Ritchie ceased operations

on October 1, 1998, and NAF FWS

employees no longer work in

Washington County. However, the area

of application counties, Frederick and

Berkeley, continue to have NAF FWS

employment. Under section

5343(a)(1)(B)(i) of title 5, United States

Code, NAF wage areas ‘‘shall not extend

beyond the immediate locality in which

the particular prevailing rate employees

are employed.’’ Therefore, Washington

County cannot be defined as part of an

NAF wage area.

Frederick County, MD, has

approximately 36 NAF FWS employees

and a local Federal installation, Fort

Detrick, has the capability to host

annual local NAF wage surveys.

Furthermore, Frederick County has

more than the required minimum

number of private enterprise employees

in establishments within survey

specifications. Approximately 10 NAF

FWS employees work in Berkeley

County, WV, which does not meet the

criteria to be a separate NAF wage area.

Therefore, the county must be an area of

application. The new Frederick, MD,

NAF wage area will have one survey

county, Frederick County, MD, and one

area of application county, Berkeley

County, WV. DOD will order annual

wage surveys in January of each even

fiscal year. DOD ordered the first fullscale wage survey for the Frederick

wage area in January 2000.

The Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory

Committee, the national labormanagement committee responsible for

advising OPM on matters concerning

the pay of FWS employees, has

reviewed and concurred by consensus

with this change. The interim rule had

a 30-day public comment period, during

which OPM did not receive any

comments.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

I certify that this regulation will not

have a significant economic impact on

a substantial number of small entities

because it will affect only Federal

agencies and employees.

List of Subjects in 5 CFR Part 532

Administrative practice and

procedure, Freedom of information,

Government employees, Reporting and

recordkeeping requirements, Wages.

Accordingly, under the authority of 5

U.S.C. 5343, the interim rule (64 FR

72249) amending 5 CFR part 532

published on December 27, 1999, is

adopted as final with no changes.

Office of Personnel Management.

Janice R. Lachance,

Director.

[FR Doc. 00–12055 Filed 5–12–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6325–01–P

OFFICE OF PERSONNEL

MANAGEMENT

5 CFR Part 532

RIN 3206–AI90

Prevailing Rate Systems; Abolishment

of the Dubuque, IA, Appropriated Fund

Wage Area

AGENCY: Office of Personnel

Management.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel

Management is issuing a final rule to

remove the requirement to conduct a

full-scale wage survey in the Dubuque,

Iowa, Federal Wage System (FWS) wage

area. The final rule also abolishes the

Dubuque, IA, FWS wage area and

redefines the counties of Clinton,

Dubuque, and Jackson, IA, and Carroll,

Jo Daviess, and Whiteside, Illinois, to

the area of application of the DavenportRock Island-Moline, IA, FWS wage area.

This change is necessary because the

Dubuque wage area’s host installation,

the Savannah Army Depot, is closing

and will no longer be capable of hosting

annual wage surveys.

DATES: The interim rule became

effective on October 31, 1999. The

interim rule is confirmed as final on

May 15, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jennifer Hopkins, (202) 606–2848, FAX:

(202) 606–0824, or email

jdhopkin@opm.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On

November 4, 1999, the Office of

Personnel Management (OPM)

published an interim rule (64 FR 60087)

to remove the requirement to conduct a