36846 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 113 / Monday, June 12, 2000 / Notices

regional and sectoral activities. Among

other responsibilities, the NAST has

been responsible for preparing the

National Assessment Synthesis Report

and providing overall intellectual

guidance on the Assessment.

II. Review Process

Drafts of the National Assessment

Synthesis Report have undergone two

rounds of technical peer review. In the

first round that took place in November

and December of 1999, over 500 experts

were asked to review the Overview

report plus one to four chapters of the

Foundation report for technical and

scientific accuracy. Review drafts were

also sent to federal agency

representatives, all members of the

Synthesis Team, and the chairs of all

regional and sectoral teams. Over 300

technical reviews of the Overview and

individuals chapters were received. In

the second round that took place in

March and April, about two dozen

additional experts were asked to review

the report as a whole.

The technical review process has been

overseen by a small panel of eminent

persons from the private and public

sectors that has been assembled under

the auspices of the President’s Council

of Advisors on Science and Technology

(PCAST). This special panel has assured

a representative mix of reviewers and

the responsiveness of the NAST to the

technical comments received. In

addition to the outside technical review,

the report was provided to the federal

agency members of the SGCR for

comment as part of the overall review

process.

The SGCR is now responsible for

coordinating a public comment period

on this draft version of the National

Assessment Synthesis Report. This

notice announces the availability of this

report for public comment by experts,

interested organizations and

individuals, and the public. Comments

that are provided will be evaluated,

integrated, and used, as appropriate, in

the revision of this draft of the report.

An information sheet providing specific

requests for formatting submissions of

comments is available on the Web site.

All comments must indicate who is

submitting the comments. The emphasis

should be on providing detailed

recommendations on the Overview and/

or on specific chapters of the

Foundation report so that changes can

be considered that address the

comment. To be most useful, comments

should be specific in suggesting

alternative wording or other changes to

the text of a particular paragraph or

chapter and, where appropriate, offer

supporting information and peerreviewed references supporting the

proposed changes. Comments on the

overall tone, internal consistency, and

scientific validity of the Overview and

chapters and comments expressing the

reasons for agreement or disagreement

with specific major points are also

invited.

The materials available for review

include the draft versions of the

Overview report and Foundation

chapters. Documents available for

review include the following:

Overview Report

Foundation Report (listing is of subject

matter of chapter)

1. Climate Change

2. Vegetation and Biochemistry

Scenarios

3. Socioeconomic Change

4. Northeast

5. Southeast

6. Midwest

7. Great Plains

8. West

9. Pacific Northwest

10. Alaska

11. Islands

12. Native Peoples and Homelands

13. Agriculture

14. Water Resources

15. Human Health

16. Coastal Areas and Marine Resources

17. Forests

18. Conclusions

19. Research Needs

III. Public Availability of Comments

Subsequent to the receipt and

collation of the comments, the

collection of comments received will be

available for public inspection

weekdays during normal business hours

at the library of the National Science

Foundation in Arlington, VA.

Appointments can be made by calling

703–306–0658.

Dated: June 6, 2000.

Karen J. York,

Human Resource and Management Specialist.

[FR Doc. 00–14732 Filed 6–9–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7555–01–M

NUCLEAR REGULATORY

COMMISSION

Consolidated Guidance About

Materials Licenses: Program-Specific

Guidance About Service Provider

Licenses

AGENCY: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission (NRC).

ACTION: Notice of Availability and

Request for Comments.

SUMMARY: The NRC is announcing the

availability of, and requesting comments

on, draft NUREG–1556, Volume 18,

‘‘Consolidated Guidance about Materials

Licenses: Program-Specific Guidance

about Service Provider Licenses,’’ dated

May 2000.

The NRC is using Business Process

Redesign techniques to redesign its

materials licensing process, as described

in NUREG–1539, ‘‘Methodology and

Findings of the NRC’s Materials

Licensing Process Redesign.’’ A critical

element of the new process is

consolidating and updating numerous

guidance documents into a NUREGseries of reports. This draft NUREG

report is the 18th guidance document

developed to support an improved

materials licensing process.

This guidance is intended for use by

applicants, licensees, and the NRC staff,

and will also be available to Agreement

States. This document combines and

updates the guidance found in the

following draft regulatory guides:

‘‘Guide for the Application for a License

for the Use of Radioactive Materials for

Calibrating Radiation Survey and

Monitoring Instruments,’’ ‘‘Guide for the

Application for the Use of Radioactive

Materials in Leak-Testing Services,’’ and

‘‘Guide for the Applications for the Use

of Radioactive Materials in Servicing

Preregistered Gauges, Measuring

Devices, and Sealed Sources Used in

Such Devices.’’ Additionally, NRC staff

included information contained in the

corresponding Standard Review Plans

for these three draft regulatory guides.

This draft report takes a more riskinformed, performance-based approach

to licensing service providers, and

reduces the information (amount and

level of detail) needed to support an

application for these activities. This

document is strictly for public comment

and is not for use in preparing or

reviewing service provider licenses

until it is published in final form. It is

being distributed for comment to

encourage public participation in its

development.

DATES: The comment period ends

August 11, 2000. Comments received

after that time will be considered if

practicable.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments

to: Chief, Rules and Directives Branch,

Division of Administrative Services,

Office of Administration, U.S. Nuclear

Regulatory Commission, Washington,

D.C. 20555–0001. Hand-deliver

comments to 11545 Rockville Pike,

Rockville, Maryland, between 7:15 a.m.

and 4:30 p.m. on Federal workdays.

Comments may also be submitted

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 113 / Monday, June 12, 2000 / Notices 36847

1The Commission’s records show that five funds

filed Form N–17f–1 during calendar year 1999.

2The Commission staff estimates, based upon the

experience of staff familiar with the information

collection requirements of the rule, that each fund

spends approximately 4.5 hours annually in

complying with the rule’s requirements: 4 hours of

clerical time (1 hour to prepare the custodial

contract for board review and to transmit the

contract, and 1 hour to transmit of the accountant’s

certificates three times yearly), and 0.5 hours for the

board of directors to ratify the custodial contract.

3Commission staff estimates that it takes

approximately 9 minutes of clerical time to prepare

each Form N–17f–1. This estimated is based on

Commission staff members filling out the Form N–

17f–1. Each fund is required to file Form N–17f–1

three times annually, for an average hour burden

per dund of 27 minutes.

through the Internet by addressing

electronic mail to dlm1@nrc.gov.

Those considering public comment

may request a free single copy of draft

NUREG–1556, Volume 18, by writing to

the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission, ATTN: Mrs. Carrie Brown,

Mail Stop TWFN 9–C–24, Washington,

D.C. 20555–0001. Alternatively, submit

requests through the Internet by

addressing electronic mail to

cxb@nrc.gov. A copy of draft NUREG–

1556, Volume 18, is also available for

inspection and/or copying for a fee in

the NRC Public Document Room, 2120

L Street, NW. (Lower Level),

Washington, D.C. 20555–0001.

The Presidential Memorandum dated

June 1, 1998, entitled, ‘‘Plain Language

in Government Writing,’’ directed that

the Federal government’s writing be in

plain language. The NRC requests

comments on this licensing guidance

NUREG specifically with respect to the

clarity and effectiveness of the language

used. Comments should be sent to the

address listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mrs.

Carrie Brown, TWFN 9–F–24, Division

of Industrial and Medical Nuclear

Safety, Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555,

telephone (301) 415–8092; electronic

mail address: cxb@nrc.gov.

Electronic Access

Draft NUREG–1556, Vol. 18 is

available electronically by visiting the

NRC’s Home Page (http://www.nrc.gov/

nrc/nucmat.html).

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 6th day

of June, 2000.

Catherine Haney,

Acting Chief, Rulemaking and Guidance

Branch, Division of Industrial and Medical

Nuclear Safety, NMSS.

[FR Doc. 00–14758 Filed 6–9–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7590–01–P

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE

COMMISSION

Submission for OMB Review;

Comment Request

Upon Written Request Copies Available

From: Securities and Exchange

Commission, Office of Filings and

Information Services, Washington, DC

20549.

Extension:

Rule 17f–1, SEC File No. 270–236, OMB

Control No. 3235–0222

Form N–17f–1, SEC File No. 270–316,

OMB Control No. 3235–0359

Rule 17f–2, SEC File No. 270–233, OMB

Control No. 3235–0223

Form N–17f–2, SEC File No. 270–317,

OMB Control No. 3235–0360

Notice is hereby given that pursuant

to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) the Securities

and Exchange Commission

(‘‘Commission’’) has submitted to the

Office of Management and Budget

requests for extension of the previously

approved collections of information

discussed below.

Rule 17f–1 under the Investment

Company Act of 1940 (the ‘‘Act’’) is

entitled: ‘‘Custody of Securities with

Members of National Securities

Exchanges.’’ Rule 17f–1 provides that

any registered management investment

company (‘‘fund’’) that wishes to place

its assets in the custody of a national

securities exchange member may do so

only under a written contract that must

be ratified initially and approved

annually by a majority of the fund’s

board of directors. The written contract

also must contain certain specified

provisions. In addition, the rule requires

an independent public accountant to

examine the fund’s assets in the custody

of the exchange member at least three

times during the fund’s fiscal year. The

rule requires the written contract and

the certificate of each examination to be

transmitted to the Commission. The

purpose of the rule is to ensure the

safekeeping of fund assets.

Commission staff estimates that

approximately five funds maintain their

assets with a national securities

exchange member.1 The annual burden

of the rule’s requirements is estimated

to be approximately 4.5 hours for each

of these funds.2 Commission staff

estimates the total annual burden for all

funds is 22.5 hours.

Compliance with the collection of

information required by rule 17f–1 is

mandatory for funds that place their

assets in the custody of a national

securities exchange. Responses will not

be kept confidential. Form N–17f–1 is

entitled: ‘‘Certificate of Accounting of

Securities and Similar Investments of a

Management Investment Company in

the Custody of Members of National

Securities Exchanges.’’ Form N–17f–1 is

the cover sheet for accountant

examination certificates filed under rule

17f–1 of the Act. Rule 17f–1 requires the

accountant’s certificate of each

examination be attached to Form N–

17f–1 and transmitted to the

Commission promptly after each

examination. The form facilities the

filing of the accountant’s certificate, and

increases the accessibility of the

certificate to both Commission’s staff

and interested investors.

Commission staff estimates that

approximately five funds maintain their

assets with a national securities

exchange member. The annual burden

of the rule’s requirements is estimated

to be approximately 27 minutes for each

of these funds.3 The total annual burden

for all funds is therefore estimated to be

2.25 burden hours.

Compliance with the collection of

information required by Form N–17f–1

is mandatory for funds that place their

assets in the custody of a national

securities exchange member.

Rule 17f–2 under the Act is entitled:

‘‘Custody of Investments by Registered

Management Investment Company.’’

Rule 17f–2 establishes safeguards for

arrangements in which a registered

management investment company is

deemed to maintain custody of its own

assets, such as when the fund maintains

its assets in a facility that provides

safekeeping but not custodial services.

The rule includes several recordkeeping

or reporting requirements. The fund’s

directors must prepare a resolution

designating not more than five fund

officers or responsible employees who

may have access to the fund’s assets.

The designated access persons (two or

more of whom must act jointly when

handling fund assets) must prepare a

written notation providing certain

information about each deposit or

withdrawal of fund assets, and must

transmit the notation to another officer

or director designated by the directors.

Independent public accounts must

verify the fund’s assets at least three

times a year, and two of the

examinations must be unscheduled.

The requirement that directors

designate access persons is intended to

ensure that directors evaluate the

trustworthiness of insiders who handle

fund assets. The requirements that

access persons act jointly in handling

fund assets, prepare a written notation

of each transaction, and transmit the

notation to another designated person