Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 184 / Friday, September 22, 2006 / Notices 55543 

subject area (for other comments). 

Resource limitations preclude 

acknowledging or replying to 

submissions. 

While the meeting is open to the 

public, admittance to the Department of 

State building is only by means of a prearranged clearance list. In order to be 

placed on the pre-clearance list, we 

must receive the following information 

from you no later than 5 p.m. on 

Monday, October 2, 2006: 

I. State That You Are Requesting PreClearance to a Meeting 

II. Provide the Following Information 

1. Name of meeting and its date and 

time (ACICIP, October 5, 2006, 10 a.m.). 

2. Visitor’s full name. 

3. Company/Agency/Organization. 

4. Title at Company/Agency/ 

Organization. 

5. Date of birth. 

6. Citizenship. 

7. Type of ID visitor will show upon 

entry (from list below). 

8. ID number on the ID visitor will 

show upon entry. 

Send the above information to 

Richard W. O’Brien by fax (202) 647–

0158 or e-mail o’brienrw@state.gov. 

All visitors for this meeting must use 

the 23rd Street entrance. One of the 

following valid ID’s bearing the number 

provided with your pre-clearance 

request will be required for admittance: 

• U.S. driver’s license with photo. 

• Passport. 

• U.S. government agency ID. 

Non-U.S. government attendees must 

be escorted by Department of State 

personnel at all times when in the 

building. 

For further information, please 

contact Richard W. O’Brien, Executive 

Secretary of the Committee, at (202) 

647–4736 or o’brienrw@state.gov. 

General information about ACICIP 

and the mission of International 

Communications and Information 

Policy at the Department of State is 

available at our Web site: http:// 

www.state.gov/e/eb/adcom/c667.htm. 

Dated: September 18, 2006. 

Richard W. O’Brien, 

ACICIP Executive Secretary, Department of 

State. 

[FR Doc. 06–8062 Filed 9–21–06; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–07–P 

DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

[Public Notice 5557] 

Bureau of International Security and 

Nonproliferation; Extension of Waiver 

of Missile Proliferation Sanctions 

Against Chinese Government 

Activities 

AGENCY: Department of State. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: A determination has been 

made to extend the waiver of import 

sanctions against certain activities of the 

Chinese government that was 

announced on September 19, 2003, 

pursuant to the Arms Export Control 

Act, as amended. 

DATES: Effective Date: September 13, 

2006. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pam 

Durham, Office of Missile Threat 

Reduction, Bureau of International 

Security and Nonproliferation, 

Department of State (202–647–4931). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A 

determination was made on March 13, 

2006, pursuant to section 73(e) of the 

Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 

2797b(e)) that it was essential to the 

national security of the United States to 

waive for a period of six months the 

import sanction described in section 

73(a)(2)(C) of the Arms Export Control 

Act (22 U.S.C. 2797b(a)(2)(C)) against 

the activities of the Chinese government 

described in section 74(a)(8)(B) of the 

Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 

2797c(a)(8)(B))—i.e., activities of the 

Chinese government relating to the 

development or production of any 

missile equipment or technology and 

activities of the Chinese government 

affecting the development or production 

of electronics, space systems or 

equipment, and military aircraft (see 

Federal Register Vol. 68, No. 182, 

Friday, September 19, 2003). This action 

was effective on March 18, 2006. 

On September 13, 2006, a 

determination was made pursuant to 

section 73(e) of the Arms Export Control 

Act (22 U.S.C. 2797b(e)) that it is 

essential to the national security of the 

United States to extend the waiver 

period for an additional six months, 

effective from the date of expiration of 

the previous waiver (September 18, 

2006). 

These measures shall be implemented 

by the responsible agencies as provided 

in Executive Order 12851 of June 11, 

1993. 

Dated: September 18, 2006. 

Patricia A. McNerney, 

Acting Assistant Secretary of State for 

International Security and Nonproliferation, 

Department of State. 

[FR Doc. 06–8063 Filed 9–21–06; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–27–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Railroad Administration 

[Docket No. FRA–2005–23281, Notice No. 

2] 

Safety of Private Highway-Rail Grade 

Crossings; Notice of Safety Inquiry 

AGENCY: Federal Railroad 

Administration (FRA), Department of 

Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of safety inquiry. 

SUMMARY: On July 27, 2006, FRA 

published a notice announcing its intent 

to conduct a series of open meetings 

throughout the United States, in 

cooperation with appropriate State 

agencies, to consider issues related to 

the safety of private highway-rail grade 

crossings. This notice indicated that the 

first of these meetings would be held 

August 30, 2006, in Fort Snelling, 

Minnesota. Notice No. 2 announces that 

FRA has scheduled subsequent 

meetings to be held September 27, 2006, 

in Raleigh, North Carolina; October 26, 

2006, in San Francisco, California; and 

December 6, 2006, in New Orleans, 

Louisiana. 

At each open meeting, FRA intends to 

solicit oral statements from private 

crossing owners, railroads and other 

interested parties on issues related to 

the safety of private highway-rail grade 

crossings, which will include, but will 

not be limited to, current practices 

concerning the responsibility for safety 

at private grade crossings, the adequacy 

of warning devices at private crossings, 

and the relative merits of a more 

uniform approach to improving safety at 

private crossings. FRA has also opened 

a public docket on these issues so that 

interested parties may submit written 

comments for public review and 

consideration. 

DATES: The initial public meeting was 

held in Fort Snelling, Minnesota, on 

August 30, 2006, at the Bishop Henry 

Whipple Federal Building, One Federal 

Drive, Fort Snelling, Minnesota 55111, 

beginning at 9:30 a.m. The second 

public meeting will be held in Raleigh, 

North Carolina, on September 27, 2006, 

at North Carolina State University’s 

McKimmon Conference and Training 

Center, 1101 Gorman Street, North 


sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
55544 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 184 / Friday, September 22, 2006 / Notices 

Carolina State University, Raleigh, 

North Carolina 27695, beginning at 9:30 

a.m. The third public meeting will be 

held in San Francisco, California, on 

October 26, 2006, at the Philip Burton 

Federal Building and Courthouse, 450 

Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, 

California 94102, beginning at 9:30 a.m. 

The fourth public meeting will be held 

in New Orleans, Louisiana, on 

December 6, 2006, at the Chateau 

Sonesta Hotel, 800 Iberville Street, New 

Orleans, Louisiana 70112, beginning at 

9:30 a.m. 

Persons wishing to participate are 

requested to provide their names, 

organizational affiliation, and contact 

information to Michelle Silva, Docket 

Clerk, FRA, 1120 Vermont Avenue, 

NW., Washington, DC 20590 (telephone 

202–493–6030). Persons needing sign 

language interpretation or other 

reasonable accommodation for disability 

are also encouraged to contact Michelle 

Silva, FRA Docket Clerk, at (202) 493–

6030. Additional public meetings will 

be announced over the next three 

months. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron 

Ries, Office of Safety, FRA, 1120 

Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 

20590 (telephone 202–493–6299); 

Miriam Kloeppel, Office of Safety, FRA, 

1120 Vermont Avenue, NW., 

Washington, DC 20590 (telephone 202–

493–6299); or Kathryn Shelton, Office of 

Chief Counsel, FRA, 1120 Vermont 

Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20590 

(telephone 202–493–6038). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For 

additional information, please see the 

initial notice, published July 27, 2006, 

in the Federal Register (citation: 71 FR 

42713) and available at http:// 

a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/ 

01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/ 

2006/pdf/06-6501.pdf. 

Request for Comments 

While FRA solicits discussion and 

comments on all areas of safety at 

private highway-rail grade crossings, we 

particularly encourage comments on the 

following topics: 

• At-grade highway-rail crossings 

present inherent risks to users, 

including the railroad and its 

employees, and to other persons in the 

vicinity if a train were to derail into an 

occupied area or release hazardous 

materials. When passenger trains are 

involved, the risks are heightened. From 

the standpoint of public policy, how do 

we determine whether the creation or 

continuation of a private crossing is 

justified? 

• Is the current assignment of 

responsibility for safety at private 

crossings effective? To what extent do 

risk-management practices associated 

with insurance arrangements result in 

‘‘regulation’’ of safety at private 

crossings? 

• How should improvement and/or 

maintenance costs associated with 

private crossing be allocated? 

• Is there a need for alternative 

dispute resolution mechanisms to 

handle disputes that may arise between 

private crossing owners and the 

railroads? 

• Should the State or Federal 

government assume greater 

responsibility for safety at private 

crossings? 

• Should there be nationwide 

standards for warning devices at private 

crossings or for intersection design of 

new private grade crossings? 

• How do we determine when a 

private crossing has a public purpose 

and is subject to public use? 

• Should some crossings be 

categorized as commercial crossings 

rather than private crossings? 

• Are there innovative traffic control 

treatments that could improve safety at 

private crossings on major rail corridors, 

including those on which passenger 

service is provided? 

• Should the DOT request enactment 

of legislation to address private 

crossings? If so, what should it include? 

Issued in Washington, DC, on September 

15, 2006. 

Michael J. Logue, 

Deputy Associate Administrator for Safety. 

[FR Doc. 06–7811 Filed 9–21–06; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Surface Transportation Board 

[STB Ex Parte No. 558 (Sub–No. 9)] 

Railroad Cost of Capital—2005 

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board. 

DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of decision. 

SUMMARY: On August 28, 2006, the 

Board served a decision to update its 

computation of the railroad industry’s 

cost of capital for 2005. The composite 

after-tax cost-of-capital rate for 2005 is 

found to be 12.2%, based on a current 

cost of debt of 5.36%; a cost of common 

equity capital of 15.18%; and a capital 

structure mix comprised of 30.41% debt 

and 69.59% common equity. The costof-capital finding made in this 

proceeding will be used in a variety of 

Board proceedings. 

DATES: Effective Date: This action is 

effective August 28, 2006. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul 

Aguiar, 202–565–1527. (Federal 

Information Relay Service (FIRS) for the 

hearing impaired: 1–800–877–8339). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The costof-capital finding in this decision may 

be used for a variety of regulatory 

purposes. Based upon Western Coal 

Traffic League reply comments, we will 

institute a separate advance notice of 

proposed rulemaking to explore the 

most suitable methodology to calculate 

the cost of capital. That proceeding will 

provide all interested parties an 

opportunity to comment on the 

discounted cash flow (DCF) model, the 

proper source for the inputs to that 

model, and whether the Board should 

adopt an alternative to that method, 

such as the Capital Asset Pricing Model 

(CAPM), for future cost-of-capital 

determinations. The Board’s decision is 

posted on the Board’s Web site, http:// 

www.stb.dot.gov. In addition, copies of 

the decision may be purchased from 

ASAP Document Solutions by calling 

202–306–4004 (assistance for the 

hearing impaired is available through 

FIRS at 1–800–877–8339), or by e-mail 

at asapdc@verizon.net. 

Environmental and Energy 

Considerations 

This action will not significantly 

affect either the quality of the human 

environment or the conservation of 

energy resources. 

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis 

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 605(b), we 

conclude that our action in this 

proceeding will not have a significant 

economic impact on a substantial 

number of small entities. The purpose 

and effect of this action are to update 

the annual railroad industry cost-ofcapital finding by the Board. No new 

reporting or other regulatory 

requirements are imposed, directly or 

indirectly, on small entities. 

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 10704(a). 

Decided: September 15, 2006. 

By the Board, Chairman Nottingham, Vice 

Chairman Mulvey, and Commissioner 

Buttrey. 

Vernon A. Williams, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 06–8097 Filed 9–21–06; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4915–01–P 


sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES