66182 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 218 / Monday, November 13, 2006 / Notices 

the statement to the Contact Person listed on 

this notice. The statement should include the 

name, address, telephone number and when 

applicable, the business or professional 

affiliation of the interested person. 

In the interest of security, NIH has 

instituted stringent procedures for entrance 

onto the NIH campus. All visitor vehicles, 

including taxicabs, hotel, and airport shuttles 

will be inspected before being allowed on 

campus. Visitors will be asked to show one 

form of identification (for example, a 

government-issued photo ID, driver’s license, 

or passport) and to state the purpose of their 

visit. 

(Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Program Nos. 93.306, Comparative Medicine; 

93.333, Clinical Research, 93.306, 93.333, 

93.337, 93.393–93.396, 93.837–93.844; 

93.846–93.878, 93.892, 93.893, National 

Institutes of Health, HHS) 

Dated: November 6, 2006. 

Anna Snouffer, 

Acting Director, Office of Federal Advisory 

Committee Policy. 

[FR Doc. 06–9171 Filed 11–9–06; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4140–01–M 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND 

HUMAN SERVICES 

National Institutes of Health 

Prospective Grant of Exclusive 

License: Field of Use: Treatment of 

Inflammatory Diseases Using Ghrelin 

AGENCY: National Institutes of Health, 

Public Health Service, HHS. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This is notice, in accordance 

with 35 U.S.C. 209(c)(1) and 37 CFR 

404.7(a)(1)(i), that the National 

Institutes of Health (NIH), Department 

of Health and Human Services, is 

contemplating the grant of an exclusive 

license to practice the invention 

embodied in: 

U.S. Provisional Patent application, 

S/N 60/569,819 filed May 11, 2004, 

entitled ‘‘Methods for Inhibiting 

Proinflammatory Cytokine Expression 

Using Ghrelin,’’ converted to PCT on 

May 11, 2005 (E–016–2004/0–PCT–02), 

(Inventors: Vishwa D. Dixit, Dennis D. 

Taub, Eric Schaffer, and Dzung Nguyen) 

(NIA), to Sapphire Therapeutics, Inc. 

(Hereafter Sapphire), having a place of 

business in Bridgewater of NJ. The 

patent rights in these inventions have 

been assigned to the United States of 

America. 

DATES: Only written comments and/or 

application for a license, which are 

received by the NIH Office of 

Technology Transfer on or before 

January 12, 2007 will be considered. 

ADDRESSES: Requests for a copy of the 

patent application, inquiries, comments 

and other materials relating to the 

contemplated license should be directed 

to: Sally Hu, PhD, M.B.A., Office of 

Technology Transfer, National Institutes 

of Health, 6011 Executive Boulevard, 

Suite 325, Rockville, MD 20852–3804; email: hus@od.nih.gov; telephone: (301) 

435–5606; facsimile: (301) 402–0220. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

prospective exclusive license will be 

royalty bearing and will comply with 

the terms and conditions of 35 U.S.C. 

209 and 37 CFR 404.7. The prospective 

exclusive license may be granted unless, 

within 60 days from the date of this 

published Notice, NIH receives written 

evidence and argument that establishes 

that the grant of the license would not 

be consistent with the requirements of 

35 U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR 404.7. 

E–016–2004/0–US–01 provides 

methods for treating inflammation by 

inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokine 

expression using Ghrelin, or a fragment 

thereof. Inflammation could be caused 

by a variety of viral, bacterial, fungal, or 

parasitic infections. The invention also 

provides methods for treating loss of 

appetite, and sepsis. Ghrelin, a naturally 

occurring peptide hormone was shown 

to be the ligand for growth hormone 

secretagogue receptor (GHS–R ), and is 

mainly produced by the epithelial cells 

in the stomach. Ghrelin exerts many 

important actions in the body, including 

stimulation of growth hormone 

secretion, induction of appetite, and 

regulation of energy expenditure. 

Ghrelin directly controls human growth 

hormone and insulin growth factor 

expression by human immune cells. The 

inventors showed that Ghrelin exerts 

anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting 

the secretion of acute and chronic 

cytokines, including IL–1, IL–6, TNF–a, 

IFN–g, IL–12, chemokines, and CSF in 

vitro and in in vivo mouse models of 

sepsis and inflammation. This invention 

can be useful for treatment of various 

inflammatory disorders, including 

inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s 

disease, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple 

sclerosis, atherosclerosis, endotoxemia, 

and graft-versus-host disease. It can also 

be used as a treatment for loss of 

appetite and sepsis. 

The field of use may be limited to the 

use of Ghrelin as a novel drug to treat 

a range of inflammatory diseases. 

Properly filed competing applications 

for a license filed in response to this 

notice will be treated as objections to 

the contemplated license. Comments 

and objections submitted in response to 

this notice will not be made available 

for public inspection, and, to the extent 

permitted by law, will not be released 

under the Freedom of Information Act, 

5 U.S.C. 552. 

Dated: October 30, 2006. 

Steven M. Ferguson, 

Director, Division of Technology Development 

and Transfer, Office of Technology Transfer, 

National Institutes of Health. 

[FR Doc. E6–19051 Filed 11–9–06; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4140–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

Bureau of Customs and Border 

Protection 

Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft 

Environmental Impact Statement for 

Department of Homeland Security, 

Customs and Border Protection, Office 

of Border Patrol, Laredo Sector, 

Laredo North and South Station’s 

Road Improvement and Non-Native 

Vegetation Removal Project 

AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border 

Protection, Department of Homeland 

Security. 

ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare a 

Draft Environmental Impact Statement 

(DEIS). 

SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers on behalf of the U.S. Customs 

and Border Protection (CBP) will 

prepare a Draft Environmental Impact 

Statement pursuant to the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 

(NEPA) for the construction and 

improvement of existing patrol roads 

and the removal of non-native (giant 

cane, Arundo donax) vegetation along 

111 miles of the Rio Grande (Proposed 

Action) in Webb County, Texas. The 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is 

the decision-making agency for this 

project. This EIS is being prepared in 

support of the proposal by the Office of 

Border Patrol’s (OBP) Laredo North and 

Laredo South Stations for controlling 

and deterring the influx of illegal 

immigration and contraband into the 

United States. Due to the increased 

violent activity in Nuevo Laredo, 

Mexico and increase in drug trafficking 

in Webb County, the Secretary of 

Homeland Security has mandated this 

effort as the top priority of the OBP’s 

Laredo Sector. 

The Laredo Sector has a need to 

secure the border by obtaining an 

unobstructed line of sight to the Rio 

Grande and a continuous patrol road. 

These actions are intended to gain and 

maintain control of the border to further 

prevent the influx of illegal aliens and 

drugs into the United States. 


cprice-sewell on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 218 / Monday, November 13, 2006 / Notices 66183 

Prior NEPA documents, developed to 

address those project portions which 

have been previously constructed or 

proposed to be constructed, will be 

incorporated into the DEIS by reference. 

Direct project impacts of the remaining 

portions of the project, as well as 

cumulative impacts of the 

comprehensive project, will also be 

addressed. Pursuant to the Council on 

Environmental Quality’s regulations, a 

scoping process will be conducted. As 

part of this process, a public workshop/ 

open house will be held to identify 

issues of concern for analysis during the 

NEPA process. 

DATES: The meeting dates are: 

1. December 5, 2006, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., 

Carrizo Springs, TX. 

2. December 6, 2006, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., 

Laredo, TX. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting locations are: 

1. Carrizo Springs—Carrizo Springs 

Intermediate School, 300 N. 7th Street, 

Carrizo Springs, TX 78834. 

2. Laredo—Holiday Inn—Civic 

Center, 800 Garden Street, Laredo, TX 

78040. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Glenn Bixler, DHS Engineering 

Construction and Support Office, U.S. 

Army Corps of Engineers, 819 Taylor 

St., Room 3A14, Fort Worth, Texas 

76102. Phone: (817) 886–1713 and Fax: 

(817) 886–6499. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Alternatives. Alternatives to be 

covered by the DEIS will include 

various alignments and configurations 

within the narrow geographic scope 

dictated by the international border 

(typically 300 feet from the United 

States bank of the Rio Grande). Other 

reasonable alternatives (to include the 

required ‘‘No Action’’ alternative) 

identified will also be fully examined. 

Scoping Process. During the 

preparation of the EIS, there will be 

numerous opportunities for public 

involvement, including scoping and 

review. Two open house public scoping 

meetings are scheduled (see DATES). The 

purpose of the meetings is to inform the 

public of the proposed action and 

identify issues and concerns regarding 

this project. Appropriate displays and 

exhibits will be provided to inform 

meeting participants of potential 

alternatives and actions. Representatives 

from the CBP, OBP, U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers, and private contractors will 

be present to provide the public with 

information and address questions. The 

meetings will be conducted in an 

informal format. No formal presentation 

will be conducted during the meeting. 

Oral and written comments will be 

accepted at the public scoping meetings 

or by mail until February 20, 2006. 

DEIS Preparation. Public notice will 

be given in the Federal Register 

concerning the availability of the DEIS 

for public review and comments. 

Mark A. Gable, 

T.I. Program Manager (NM/TX)/ 

Environmental Program Manager, Dallas 

Facility Division, Customs and Border 

Protection. 

[FR Doc. 06–9163 Filed 11–9–06; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3710–20–P 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities: Extension of an Existing 

Information Collection, Comment 

Request 

ACTION: 60-Day Notice of Information 

Collection Under Review; Employment 

Eligibility Verification; Form I–9; OMB 

Control No. 1615–0047. 

The Department of Homeland 

Security, U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services has submitted the 

following information collection request 

for review and clearance in accordance 

with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 

1995. The information collection is 

published to obtain comments from the 

public and affected agencies. Comments 

are encouraged and will be accepted for 

sixty days until January 12, 2007. 

Written comments and/or suggestions 

regarding the item(s) contained in this 

notice, especially regarding the 

estimated public burden and associated 

response time, should be directed to the 

Department of Homeland Security 

(DHS), USCIS, Director, Regulatory 

Management Division, Clearance Office, 

111 Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 3008, 

Washington, DC 20529. Comments may 

also be submitted to DHS via facsimile 

to 202–272–8352 or via e-mail at 

rfs.regs@dhs.gov. When submitting 

comments by e-mail please make sure to 

add OMB Control Number 1615–0047 in 

the subject box. Written comments and 

suggestions from the public and affected 

agencies should address one or more of 

the following four points: 

(1) Evaluate whether the proposed 

collection of information is necessary 

for the proper performance of the 

functions of the agency, including 

whether the information will have 

practical utility; 

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of the 

agencies estimate of the burden of the 

proposed collection of information, 

including the validity of the 

methodology and assumptions used; 

(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; and 

(4) Minimize the burden of the 

collection of information on those who 

are to respond, including through the 

use of appropriate automated, 

electronic, mechanical, or other 

technological collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology, 

e.g., permitting electronic submission of 

responses. 

Overview of this information 

collection: 

(1) Type of Information Collection: 

Extension of a currently approved 

information collection. 

(2) Title of the Form/Collection: 

Employment Eligibility Verification. 

(3) Agency form number, if any, and 

the applicable component of the 

Department of Homeland Security 

sponsoring the collection: Form I–9. 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services. 

(4) Affected public who will be asked 

or required to respond, as well as a brief 

abstract: Primary: Individuals or 

households. This form was developed to 

facilitate compliance with section 274A 

of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 

which prohibits the knowing 

employment of unauthorized aliens. 

The information collected is used by 

employers or by recruiters for 

enforcement of provisions of 

immigration laws that are designed to 

control the employment of unauthorized 

aliens. 

(5) An estimate of the total number of 

respondents and the amount of time 

estimated for an average respondent to 

respond: This figure was derived by 

multiplying the number of respondents 

(78,000,000) × frequency of response (1) 

× hour per response (9 minutes or 0.15 

hours). The annual record keeping 

burden is added to the total annual 

reporting burden which is based on 

20,000,000 record keepers at (3 minutes 

or .05 hours) per filing. 

(6) An estimate of the total public 

burden (in hours) associated with the 

collection: 12,700,000 annual burden 

hours. 

If you have additional comments, 

suggestions, or need a copy of the 

proposed information collection 

instrument with instructions, or 

additional information, please visit the 

USCIS Web site at: http://uscis.gov/ 

graphics/formsfee/forms/pra/index.htm. 

If additional information is required 

contact: USCIS, Regulatory Management 

Division, 111 Massachusetts Avenue, 


cprice-sewell on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES