Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 3 / Wednesday, January 5, 2000 / Notices 555

COMMENTS: Comments should identify

the OMB # 2138–0016 and submit a

duplicate copy to the address listed

above. Commenters wishing the

Department to acknowledge receipt of

their comments must submit with those

comments a self-addressed stamped

postcard on which the following

statement is made: Comments on OMB

# 2138–0016. The postcard will be date/

time stamped and returned to the

commenter.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Bernie Stankus, Office of Airline

Information, K–25, Bureau of

Transportation Statistics, 400 Seventh

Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590–

0001, (202) 366–4387.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:

OMB Approval No. 2138–0016.

Title: Report of Extension of Credit to

Political Candidates—Form 183

Form No.: 183.

Type of Review: Extension of a

currently approved collection.

Respondents: Certificated air carriers.

Number of Respondents: 2.

Number of Responses: 24.

Estimated Time Per Response: 1 hour.

Total Annual Burden: 24 hours.

Needs and Uses: The Department uses

this form as the means to fulfill its

obligations under the Federal Election

Campaign Act to collect data on the

extension of unsecured credit to

candidates for Federal office.

Certificated air carriers submit this data.

Donald W. Bright,

Acting Director, Office of Airline Information,

Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

[FR Doc. 00–164 Filed 1–4–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–FE–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Bureau of Transportation Statistics

Agency Information Collection;

Activity Under OMB Review; Report of

Traffic and Capacity Statistics—The T–

100 System

AGENCY: Bureau of Transportation

Statistics (BTS), DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In compliance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,

Public Law 104–13, the Bureau of

Transportation Statistics (BTS) invites

the general public, industry and other

Federal Agencies to comment on the

continuing need for and usefulness of

collecting market and segment traffic

statistics from U.S. and foreign air

carriers.

DATES: Written comments should be

submitted by March 6, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be

directed to: Office of Airline

Information, K–25, Room 4125, Bureau

of Transportation Statistics, Department

of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street,

SW., Washington, DC 20590–0001, FAX

NO. (202) 366–3383 or EMAIL

bernard.stankus@bts.gov.

COMMENTS: Comments should identify

the OMB # 2138–0040 and submit a

duplicate copy to the address listed

above. Commenters wishing the

Department to acknowledge receipt of

their comments must submit with those

comments a self-addressed stamped

postcard on which the following

statement is made: Comments on OMB

# 2138–0040. The postcard will be date/

time stamped and returned to the

commenter.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Bernie Stankus, Office of Airline

Information, K–25, Bureau of

Transportation Statistics, 400 Seventh

Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590–

0001, (202) 366–4387.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Approval No. 2138–0040

Title: Report of Traffic and Capacity

Statistics—The T–100 System.

Form No.: Schedule T–100 and

Schedule T–100(f).

Type of Review: Extension of a

currently approved collection.

Respondents: U.S. certificated and

foreign air carriers.

Number of Respondents: 90 U.S.

certificated air carriers 176 foreign air

carriers.

Number of Responses: 3192.

Estimated Time Per Response: 10

hours per U.S. carrier 1.5 hours per

foreign carrier.

Total Annual Burden: 14,000 hours.

Needs and Uses: Air services between

the United States and most foreign

countries are governed by bilateral

aviation agreements. Evaluations of

existing bilateral agreements and

proposed changes to such agreements

are based on a determination of the

traffic and revenues between the United

States and foreign countries for

scheduled passenger and cargo flights as

well as charter services. In order to

determine conditions of reciprocity and

the overall balance of trade, DOT

conducts similar analyses for countries

with which the United States does not

have bilateral aviation agreements.

Information used in these analyses

includes traffic volume by countries and

by city-pairs for passenger and cargo

services and the corresponding traffic

yields. Data such as passenger and cargo

load factors, aircraft seating

configurations, cargo capacities, and

aircraft unit costs are also used.

Air Carrier Safety

The Department is responsible for

monitoring the safety levels and

continuing fitness of individual air

carrier operators. These programs

conduct risk analysis and evaluations

based on air carrier traffic and capacity

statistics. For instance, if a carrier is

rapidly expanding its operations, traffic

data may indicate whether its expansion

is exceeding its capacity for growth.

Further, Departmental decisions as to

the frequency and intensity of in-depth

inspections are affected by such activity

indicators.

International Routes

In air carrier selection cases for

limited entry international routes, the

competing air carriers are required to

submit an operating plan. To analyze a

proposed operating plan, the

Department uses current and historical

traffic and capacity data of the applicant

and other air carriers serving the

relevant markets to determine the

reliability of the applicant’s financial

and traffic forecasts and to evaluate the

applicant’s competing fare and service

proposals.

In a route case where an air carrier

proposes ‘‘primary service’’ and

‘‘behind gateway’’ service, timely and

consistent data are essential for the

Department to respond to the

procedural deadlines mandated by the

Airline Deregulation Act in route

application proceedings, such as the 150

days given to the Administrative Law

Judge to receive evidence, conduct a

hearing, and issue a Recommended

Decision.

International/Alaska Mail Rates

The Department is responsible for

establishing international and intraAlaska mail rates. Separate international

mail rates are set based on scheduled

operations in four geographic areas:

Transborder, Latin America, the

Atlantic, and the Pacific. The rate

structure is updated biannually to

reflect changes in unit costs in each

ratemaking entity. In the rate-making

process, the investment base and area

cost calculations use traffic and capacity

data, such as enplaned tons and

available ton-miles, to develop the

required unit cost data, as well as to

evaluate the reasonableness of carrier

cost allocations between entities.

International Fares and Rates

The Department is charged with

establishing regulatory benchmarks

(zones of reasonableness) for its review

of international fares and rates for

passenger and cargo traffic, respectively.

The benchmark for passenger fares is

556 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 3 / Wednesday, January 5, 2000 / Notices

the Standard Foreign Fare Level (SFFL)

and the benchmark for cargo rates is the

Standard Foreign Rate Level (SFRL).

Both establish levels below which

proposed fares or rates normally will

not be suspended. These standards rely

upon cost and capacity data by entity

(i.e., Latin America, Pacific and

Atlantic), and require that such data be

uniform among the various air carrier

submissions.

Review of IATA Agreements

The Department reviews all of the

International Air Transport Association

(IATA) agreements on fares, rates and

rules governing international air

transportation to ensure that such

agreements meet the public interest

criteria set forth in the Federal Aviation

Act of 1958, as amended (FAAct).

Current and historical summary traffic

and capacity data, such as revenue tonmiles and available ton-miles, by type of

aircraft, type of service, and length of

haul are needed in these analyses: (1) To

develop the volume elements that are

required for making various passenger/

cargo cost allocations, (2) to evaluate

fluctuations in volume of scheduled and

charter services, (3) to assess the

competitive impact of different

operations such as charter versus

scheduled, (4) to calculate load factors

by aircraft type, and (5) to monitor

traffic in specific markets.

Foreign Air Carriers Applications

Foreign air carriers are required to

submit to the Department applications

for operating authority to the United

States. In reviewing foreign air carrier

applications, the Department must find

that the requested authority is

encompassed in a bilateral aviation

agreement or other intergovernmental

understanding, or, in the absence of

such an agreement or an understanding,

that granting the application is

consistent with the public interest. In

these latter cases, T–100 data are used

in assessing the level of benefits that

carriers of the applicant’s homeland

presently are receiving from their

United States operations. In addition,

those benefits, coupled with the value of

the authority requested by the applicant

carrier, are compared to the benefits

accruing to U.S. carriers from their

operations in the applicant’s homeland.

This assessment is critical in making the

necessary public interest determination.

Air Carrier Fitness

The Department is required to

determine whether or not applicants for

certificate authority are fit, willing and

able to conduct the proposed level of

service, and whether current certificate

holders remain fit. The requirement also

applies to all established air carriers that

propose a substantial change in

operations, or whose certificates have

been dormant for over one year and

want to resume service.

In air carrier fitness determinations,

T–100 nonstop segment and on-flight

market statistics are reviewed to analyze

an air carrier’s level of traffic and

capacity. Load factors (passenger and

cargo) are compared with those of other

air carriers with similar operating

characteristics, and used to assess

trends in the level of operations.

Acquisitions and Mergers

While the Justice Department has

primary responsibility over air carrier

acquisitions and mergers, the

Department reviews the transfer of

international routes involved in

acquisitions and mergers to determine if

they would substantially reduce

competition, or if they in some other

way would be inconsistent with the

public interest. In making these

determinations, the proposed

transaction’s effect on competition in

the markets served by the affected air

carriers is analyzed. This analysis

includes, among other things, a

consideration of the volume of traffic

and available capacity, the flight

segments and origins-destinations

involved, and the existence of entry

barriers, such as limited airport slots or

gate capacity. Also included is a review

of the volume of traffic handled by each

air carrier at specific airports and in

specific markets which would be

affected by the proposed acquisition or

merger.

The Justice Department also uses T–

100 data in carrying out its

responsibilities relating to airline

competition and consolidation.

Airline Industry Status Evaluations

The Department apprizes Congress,

the Administration and others of the

effect major changes or innovations are

having on the air transportation

industry. For this purpose, summary

traffic and capacity data as well as the

detailed segment and market data are

essential. These data must be timely to

be relevant for analyzing emerging

issues and must be based upon uniform

and reliable data submissions that are

consistent with the Department’s

regulatory requirements.

Safety Surveillance and Inspection/

Operational Safety Analysis

The FAA uses summary traffic and

capacity statistics and total airborne

hours, broken down by air carrier, as

important safety indicators. The FAA

uses these data in allocating inspection

resources and in making decisions as to

increased safety surveillance. Similarly,

airport activity statistics are used by the

FAA to develop airport profiles and

establish priorities for airport

inspections.

Safety Forecasting and Regulatory

Analysis

The FAA uses summary traffic,

capacity and airport activity statistics to

prepare the air carrier traffic and

operation forecasts that are used in

developing its budget and staffing plans,

facility and equipment funding levels,

and environmental impact and policy

studies.

National Plan of Integrated Airport

Systems

The FAA is responsible for preparing

and updating the National Plan of

Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS), a

10-year planning document, that

forecasts the developmental needs for

maintaining and upgrading the national

system of integrated airports. Reported

air carrier traffic and capacity data are

used to continuously update the NPIAS

for system changes such as current air

carrier hub transportation practices. In

projecting future airport service levels

and the impact of seasonal flight

schedule adjustments on operations, the

aircraft types handled and services

available by airport are considered.

System Planning at Airports

Under the Airport and Airways

Improvement Act of 1982 (Pub. L. 97–

248), the FAA is charged with

administering a series of grants that are

designed to accomplish the necessary

airport planning for future development

and growth. These grants are made to

state, metropolitan, and regional

aviation authorities to fund needed

airport systems planning work.

Individual airport activity statistics,

nonstop market data and service

segment data are used to prepare airport

activity level forecasts.

Airport Capacity Analysis

Aircraft type operating data (the mix

of aircraft at an airport) are used in

determining the practical annual

capacity (PANCAP) at airports as

prescribed in FAA Advisory Circular

‘‘Airport Capacity Criteria Used in

Preparing the National Airport Plan.’’

The PANCAP is a safety-related

benchmark measure of the annual

airport capacity or level of operations. It

is a predictive measure which indicates

potential capacity problems, delays, and

possible airport expansion or runway

construction needs. If the level of

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 3 / Wednesday, January 5, 2000 / Notices 557

operations at an airport exceeds

PANCAP significantly, the frequency

and length of delays will increase, with

a potential concurrent risk of accidents.

Under this program, FAA develops

ways of increasing airport capacity at

congested airports.

Airport Improvement

The Airport and Airway Improvement

Act of 1982 includes a revenue

passenger enplanement formula that is

used by the FAA to allocate airport

improvement program (entitlement)

funds to owners of primary airports. A

primary airport is one which accounts

for more than 0.01 percent of the total

passengers enplaned at U.S. airports.

The passenger enplanement data, both

summary and by airport, contained in

T–100, T–100(f) and the supplementary

schedules are used in calculating the

monies due each primary airport. The

T–100 System is the sole data base used

by FAA in determining U.S. certificated

and foreign air carrier enplanements.

War Air Service Program

The Department is responsible under

Executive Order 11490, as amended, for

emergency preparedness planning in the

event of war or national emergency. To

fulfill its mobilization responsibilities

for airlift in the event of a national

emergency, the Department needs

timely traffic and capacity data. Data

elements used in assessing total

available airlift capacity include for

each aircraft operator: the number of

aircraft by type, the airframe license

number, the payload or capacity

(passenger and/or cargo), and whether

or not the aircraft is approved for overwater operations. Revenue aircraft

miles, revenue aircraft hours (airborne),

aircraft fuels issued (gallons), aircraft

days assigned to service, and aircraft

hours (ramp-to-ramp) are also needed

for each reported aircraft type to assess

aircraft fleet mobilization characteristics

and capabilities.

International Civil Aviation

Organization

Under Article 67 of the 1944 Chicago

Convention, the United States is

obligated to report certain individual

U.S. air carrier data to the International

Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Much of the traffic data supplied to

ICAO are extracted from T–100 and the

supplementary schedules.

Donald W. Bright,

Acting Director, Office of Airline Information,

Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

[FR Doc. 00–165 Filed 1–4–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–FE–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Fiscal Service

Fee Schedule for the Transfer of U.S.

Treasury Book-Entry Securities Held

on the National Book-Entry System

AGENCY: Bureau of the Public Debt,

Fiscal Service, Department of the

Treasury.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Department of the

Treasury is announcing a new fee

schedule for the transfer of book-entry

securities maintained on the National

Book-Entry System (NBES). This new

fee schedule will commence on April 1,

2000. The new basic fee for a Treasury

book-entry security transfer, will result

in a 13% savings for our NBES

customers. Based on current projected

volumes, this should amount to a

savings of about $1.7 million annually.

Concurrent with Treasury’s fee

reduction, the Federal Reserve will be

reducing the fee for the movement of

funds resulting from a securities

transfer. The combined savings will be

18%, and should amount to about $2.6

million annually.

In addition to the basic fee, off-line

transfers have a surcharge. The

surcharge for an off-line Treasury bookentry transfer will be increasing 38%.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The new fees will go

into effect April 1, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Edward C. Leithead, Director, Primary &

Secondary Market Fixed Income

Securities (Financing), Bureau of the

Public Debt, Suite 3014, 26 Federal

Plaza, New York, NY 10278,

telephone (212) 264–6358.

Diane M. Polowczuk, Government

Securities Specialist (Financing),

Bureau of the Public Debt, Room 510,

999 E Street NW, Washington, DC

20239–0001, telephone (202) 691–

3550.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On

October 1, 1985, the Department of the

Treasury established a fee structure for

the transfer of Treasury book-entry

securities maintained on NBES.

Based on the latest review of bookentry costs and volumes, Treasury will

decrease the basic fee and increase the

off-line surcharge from the levels

currently in effect. Beginning April 1,

2000, the basic fee will be $.65 for each

securities transfer and reversal sent and

received, a 13% fee reduction per

transfer. The current off-line surcharge

of $13.00 will increase to $18.00, which

is a 38% increase.

The basic transfer fee assessed to both

senders and receivers reflects the

decreased costs to process a transfer.

The increased off-line surcharge reflects

the additional costs associated with the

processing of off-line security transfers.

The Treasury does not charge a fee for

account maintenance, the stripping and

reconstituting of Treasury securities, or

the wires associated with original

issues, or interest and redemption

payments. The Treasury currently

absorbs these costs and will continue to

do so.

The fees described in this notice

apply only to the transfer of Treasury

book-entry securities held on NBES. The

Federal Reserve System assesses a fee to

recover the costs associated with the

processing of the funds component of

Treasury book-entry transfer messages,

as well as the costs of providing bookentry services for Government agencies

on NBES. Information concerning bookentry transfers of government agency

securities, which are priced by the

Federal Reserve System, is set out in a

separate Federal Register notice

published by the Board of Governors of

the Federal Reserve System in this issue

of the Federal Register (Docket No.

1054).

The following is the Treasury fee

schedule that will be effective April 1,

2000, for the book-entry transfers on

NBES: