40082 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 126 / Thursday, June 29, 2000 / Notices

media inquiries. Representatives may be

contacted at (202) 482–7002.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

In its most recent report on minority

media ownership titled ‘‘Minority

Commercial Broadcast Ownership in the

United States,’’ published in August

1998, NTIA found that ‘‘financial

barriers, increased competition, and

higher station prices, are likely to be

significant obstacles to new minority

entrants to this marketplace.’’ The

report also identified increasing media

concentration as a factor likely to cause

small station owners with less

investment capital to exit the industry

as they find it more difficult to compete

against station group owners. In

addition, increased competition from

non-minority group owners for

syndicated programming, advertising

revenues, and station personnel, such as

on-air talent and managers, were other

challenges some minority station

owners described in the 1998 report.

NTIA is seeking public comment on

whether the trends described in the

1998 report are continuing to affect

adversely minority media ownership.

NTIA is also requesting suggestions

about ways to reverse any such negative

trends. Since the 1998 report,

multibillion dollar mergers of large

radio station groups and unions

between cable companies, multimedia

conglomerates and telecommunications

companies have been announced or

consummated. Traditional distinctions

between the broadcast, cable and

telecommunications industries appear

to be disappearing as new technologies,

such as digital radio, satellite radio,

audio and video streaming over the

Internet, and interactive television

emerge. Given this, NTIA is also

interested in obtaining comments on the

viability of these and other new

technologies to enhance ownership

opportunities for incumbent media

owners and new entrants. This topic,

and the effect on minority media

ownership of media concentration and

access to capital will be integral parts of

NTIA’s roundtable discussion.

Questions for Public Comment

NTIA requests that interested parties

submit written comments on any issue

of fact, law, or policy that may inform

the U.S. Department of Commerce on

opportunities for increased minority

media ownership. Although the

Department specifically seeks

information on the questions set forth

below, the purpose of these questions is

to assist the public. These questions do

not, nor should they be construed to,

limit the issues on which the public

may submit comments. Comments and

reply comments should cite the number

of the question(s) addressed. Please

provide copies of any studies, research,

or other empirical data referenced in the

comments.

1. What criteria should the federal

government use to define minority

ownership of broadcast or other media

properties?

2. What changes, if any, have

occurred in minority broadcast

ownership since passage of the

Telecommunications Act of 1996?

3. What legal impediments, if any,

exist to minority media ownership?

4. What economic impediments, if

any, exist to minority media ownership?

5. What policies or programs, if any,

should the federal government

implement to promote minority media

ownership?

6. What legal or regulatory measures

would promote minority media

ownership?

7. What media ownership

opportunities do new technologies offer

to minority entrepreneurs?

8. What policies or programs should

the federal government implement to

promote opportunities for minority

entrepreneurs to own ‘‘new media’’

ventures, such as webcasting firms or

Internet portals?

Information collected in response to

this Federal Register Notice may be

included in the 2000 Minority

Commercial Broadcast Ownership

Report.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: The Minority

Media Ownership Roundtable is open to

the public on a first-come, first-served

basis and is physically accessible to

people with disabilities. To facilitate

entry into the Department of Commerce

building, please have a photo

identification available and/or a U.S.

Government building pass if applicable.

Any member of the public wishing to

attend and requiring special services,

such as a sign language interpretation or

other ancillary aids, should contact

Maureen Lewis, Director, Minority

Telecommunications Development

Program, National Telecommunications

and Information Administration at least

five (5) working days prior to the

Minority Media Ownership Roundtable

by telephone at (202) 482–8056, or by

electronic mail at

<mlewis@ntia.doc.gov.>

Gregory L. Rohde,

Assistant Secretary for Communications and

Information.

[FR Doc. 00–16404 Filed 6–28–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–60–P

COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING

COMMISSION

Proposed Amendments to the

Maximum Daily Price Fluctuation

Limits for the Chicago Board of

Trade’s Corn, Corn Yield Insurance

(Six Contracts), Oats, Rough Rice,

Soybeans, Soybean Meal, Soybean Oil,

Wheat, Kilo Gold, 100 Ounce Gold,

1000 Ounce Silver, and 5000 Ounce

Silver Futures Contracts; Extension of

Comment Period

AGENCY: Commodity Futures Trading

Commission.

ACTION: Notice of extension of public

comment period for the proposed

amendments.

SUMMARY: The Chicago Board of Trade

(CBT or Exchange) has proposed

amendments to the Exchange’s corn,

corn yield insurance (six contracts),

oats, rough rice, soybeans, soybean

meal, soybean oil, wheat, kilo gold, 100

ounce gold, 1000 ounce silver, and 5000

ounce silver futures contracts. On June

8, 2000, the Commission published a

request for public comment on the

proposed amendments for a 15-day

comment period ending on June 23,

2000. The Acting Director of the

Division of Economic Analysis

(Division), acting pursuant to the

authority delegated by Commission

Regulation 140.96, has determined that

extension of the comment period for an

additional thirty (30) days is in the

public interest, will assist the

Commission in considering the views of

interested persons, and is consistent

with the purposes of the Commodity

Exchange Act.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before July 24, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons should

submit their views and comments to

Jean A. Webb, Secretary, Commodity

Futures Trading Commission, Three

Lafayette Centre, 21st Street, NW,

Washington, DC 20581. In addition,

comments may be sent by facsimile

transmission to facsimile number (202)

418–5521, or by electronic mail to

secretary@cftc.gov. Reference should be

made to the proposed amendments to

the maximum daily price fluctuation

limits for the CBT’s futures contracts.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Please contact John Bird of the Division

of Economic Analysis, Commodity

Futures Trading Commission, Three

Lafayette Centre, 21st Street NW,

Washington, DC 20581, telephone (202)

418–5274. Facsimile number: (202) 418–

5527. Electronic mail: jbird@cftc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Acting Director, acting on behalf of the

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 126 / Thursday, June 29, 2000 / Notices 40083

Commission, has determined to extend

the public comment period for the

subject notice. The Division believes

that an extension of the comment period

until July 24, 2000 would permit

interested parties to fully evaluate the

proposal and to submit comments

thereon to the Commission.

Issued in Washington, DC, on June 22,

2000.

John R. Mielke,

Acting Director.

[FR Doc. 00–16411 Filed 6–28–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6351–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Air Force

Performance Review Boards List of

2000 Members

Below is a list of individuals who are

eligible to serve on the Performance

Review Boards for the Department of the

Air Force in accordance with the Air

Force Senior Executive Appraisal and

Awards System.

Secretariat

Mr. Ronald L. Orr

Maj Gen James E. Sherrard III

Mr. Frank Tuck

Mr. Gary M. Erickson

Ms. Susan A. O’Neal

Mr. Harlan G. Wilder

Air Staff and ‘‘Others’’

Mr. William A. Davidson

Mr. Gene L. Hathenbruck

Maj Gen Larry Northington

Mr. James C. Barone

Ms. Mary Lou Keener

Mr. Anthony J. DeLuca

Air Force Materiel Command

Lt Gen Charles Coolidge

Maj Gen Claude Bolton

Mr. Harry Schulte

Dr. Donald Daniel

Mr. Pat Zarokiewicz

Janet A. Long,

Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer.

[FR Doc. 00–16453 Filed 6–28–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 5001–05–U

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

Availability for Non-Explosive,

Exclusive, or Partially Exclusive

Licensing of U.S. Patent Application

Concerning a Novel HIV Suppressor

Factor Derived From Scrub Typhus

AGENCY: U.S. Army Medical Research

and Material Command, Department of

the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In accordance with 37 CFR

404.6, announcement is made of the

availability for licensing of U.S. Patent

Application Serial No. 09/377,743

entitled ‘‘Novel HIV Suppressor Factor

Derived from Scrub Typhus,’’ filed

August 20, 1999. This patent has been

assigned to the United States

Government as represented by the

Secretary of the Army.

ADDRESSES: Commander, U.S. Army

Medical Research and Material

Command, ATTN: Command Judge

Advocate, MCMR–JA, 504 Scott Street,

Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland

21702–5012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Elizabeth Arwine, Patent Attorney, (301)

619–2065 or telefax (301) 619–5034.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

invention takes advantage of the antiHIV effects of an inhibitory factor

produced during scrub typhus infection.

It is the object of the invention to

provide a method of inducing an

immunogenic response to human

immunodeficiency virus (HIV), in

particular to HIV–1. It is a further object

of the invention to provide a suppressor

factor derived from scrub typhus

infection in the form of purified sera,

plasma, or immunogolobulin which is

suitable for administration to patents at

rink for , or infected with, HIV either

alone or in combination with other

agents. It is a particular object of the

invention to provide an isolated

suppressor factor from sera or plasma

taken from patients with scrub typhus

which has anti-HIV activity. It is also a

further object in the invention to

provide peptides from inhibitory strains

of scrub typhus, which peptides

function as antigens and can be used to

produce antibodies effective for the

prophylaxis and treatment of HIV

infection.

Gregory D. Showalter,

Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.

[FR Doc. 00–16402 Filed 6–28–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3710–08–M

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army, Corps of

Engineers

Announcement of Public Hearing on a

Draft Environmental Impact Statement/

Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR)

for the Upper Newport Bay Ecosystem

Restoration Project, Orange County,

California

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,

DoD.

ACTION: Notice (Announcement of

Public Hearing Date).

SUMMARY: The Draft EIS/EIR will be

released for public review on or about

June 30, 2000. The Environmental

Protection Agency plans to publish a

Notice of Availability of the Draft EIS/

EIR in the Federal Register on or about

June 30, 2000. The public review of the

Draft EIS/EIR ends on August 14, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Commander, U.S. Army

Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District,

Ecosystem Planning Section, P.O. Box

532711, Los Angeles, CA 90053–2325.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Larry Smith, Technical Manager, phone

(213) 452–3846.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Background

The purpose of the Upper Newport

Bay Ecosystem Restoration Project is to

develop a long-term management plan

to control sediment deposition in the

Upper Bay to preserve the health of

Upper Newport Bay’s habitats.

Sediment will continue to deposit in the

Bay no matter what control measures

are implemented in the watershed.

Therefore, one of the most important

components of this project is to develop

a plan to control sediments by designing

one or two in-bay basins in which the

bulk of the sediment will settle. In

addition to developing a plan for

sediment control, the Upper Newport

Bay Restoration project includes several

other measures to improve habitat

quality in the Upper Bay.

2. Proposed Action

The proposed project would involve

deepening and expanding the existing

sediment basins. Additional ecosystem

restoration measures would be included

to enhance the overall habitat value of

Upper Newport Bay.

3. Alternatives

The EIS/EIR evaluates four

alternatives carried forward for detailed

environmental analysis. In general, the

major differences among alternatives are

the basin and channel depths. During

the Preliminary Engineering Design

(PED) phase, modifications to further

reduce the loss of intertidal mudflat

habitat will be investigated.

No Action: No dredging would occur

within the Upper Bay ecological reserve.

Recommended Plan: The

recommended plan includes the

expansion and deepening of the Unit I/

III basin and the Unit II basin to –20 feet

(¥6 m) MSL, with an approach channel

between the two basins dredged to ¥14

feet (¥4.2 m) MSL; a 100-foot wide

approach channel below the Unit II