46236 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 159 / Friday, August 17, 2007 / Notices 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This document provides 

notice that HUD and the Federal 

Emergency Management Agency 

(FEMA) have executed an Interagency 

Agreement (IAA) establishing a pilot 

grant program called the Disaster 

Housing Assistance Program (DHAP), 

and that the operating requirements for 

the DHAP have been issued through 

HUD Notice. DHAP is a joint initiative 

undertaken by HUD and FEMA to 

provide monthly rent subsidies and case 

management services for individuals 

and families displaced by Hurricane 

Katrina or Hurricane Rita who were not 

receiving housing assistance from HUD 

prior to the disasters. The operating 

requirements for the DHAP are found in 

a HUD Notice PIH 2007, issued August 

16, 2007. This notice and related 

program information on the DHAP is 

available from HUD’s Web site at 

http://www.hud.gov. 

To be eligible for DHAP, a family 

must have been displaced by Hurricane 

Katrina or Hurricane Rita and 

consequently is either receiving or is 

eligible to receive housing assistance 

from FEMA, and FEMA has determined 

the family is eligible for DHAP 

assistance. 

HUD will invite public housing 

agencies (PHAs) that currently 

administer the Housing Choice Voucher 

(HCV) Program to administer the DHAP 

based on several factors such as where 

the DHAP eligible families are currently 

residing or have indicated they wish to 

receive DHAP assistance. 

Monthly rental assistance payments 

under the DHAP will not commence 

until November 1, 2007. However, PHAs 

that agree to administer the DHAP will 

begin providing pre-transitional case 

management services on or after 

September 1, 2007, for those families 

transitioning to the DHAP during the 

initial implementation phase. 

DHAP is a temporary assistance 

program and will terminate as of March 

1, 2009. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

David A. Vargas, Director, Office of 

Housing Voucher Programs, Office of 

Public and Indian Housing, Department 

of Housing and Urban Development, 

451 Seventh Street, SW., Room 4228, 

Washington, DC 20410; telephone (202) 

708–2815 (this is not a toll-free 

number). Individuals with speech or 

hearing impairments may access this 

number through TTY by calling the tollfree Federal Information Relay Service 

at 800–877–8339. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In late 

August 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck 

the Gulf Coast area of the United States 

causing unprecedented and catastrophic 

damage to property, significant loss of 

life, and the displacement of tens of 

thousands of individuals from their 

homes and communities. In September 

2005, Hurricane Rita closely followed 

Hurricane Katrina and once again hit 

the Gulf Coast area of the United States, 

adding to the damage to property and 

displacement of individuals and 

families. 

Many families who registered with 

FEMA were able to receive assistance 

either through a direct or financial 

assistance program under the Robert T. 

Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 

Act (Stafford Act) (42 U.S.C. 5174). 

Those families that are still receiving 

assistance from FEMA may receive 

assistance under the DHAP. The DHAP 

recognizes that, due to the magnitude of 

the Gulf Coast hurricanes, many 

impacted families still require 

additional housing assistance. As HUD 

is responsible for administering the 

HCV Program, the nation’s largest 

tenant-based subsidy program, and has 

also successfully implemented the 

Katrina Housing Assistance Payments 

Program (KDHAP) and the Disaster 

Voucher Program (DVP), FEMA has 

requested that HUD design a program 

that is modeled after those three 

programs. 

In July 2007, HUD and FEMA 

executed an Interagency Agreement 

(IAA) under which HUD shall act as the 

servicing agency of the DHAP. HUD will 

utilize its existing network of local 

PHAs to administer the program. These 

PHAs administer the HCV program and 

as a result have the necessary local 

market knowledge and expertise in 

assisting families through a tenant-based 

subsidy program. In addition, through 

their administration of both the KDHAP 

and DVP, the PHAs are experienced in 

working with significant numbers of 

families that have been displaced by 

disasters. 

Pursuant to FEMA’s grant authority, 

grants will be provided to local PHAs to 

administer DHAP on behalf of FEMA. 

Under DHAP, PHAs will make rental 

assistance payments on behalf of 

eligible families to participating 

landlords for a period not to exceed 16 

months, with all rental assistance 

payments ending by March 1, 2009. 

In order to prepare the family for this 

eventuality, case management services 

are provided for the entire duration of 

DHAP. These case management services 

include assisting participants to identify 

non-disaster supported housing 

solutions such as other affordable 

housing options that may be available 

for income eligible families. 

In addition, beginning on March 1, 

2008, families will be required to pay a 

portion of rent of $50, which will 

increase by an additional $50 each 

subsequent month. This gradual 

increase in the family share will further 

prepare the family to assume full 

responsibility for their housing costs at 

the end of DHAP. 

PHA responsibilities for DHAP 

include calculating the monthly rent 

subsidy and making monthly rent 

subsidy payments on behalf of 

participating families, performing 

housing quality standards inspections 

when necessary, applying appropriate 

subsidy standards for families, and 

determining rent reasonableness for 

certain units. The PHA is also 

responsible for terminating the family’s 

participation in the DHAP if the family 

fails to comply with the family 

obligations of the program. 

More detailed information about 

DHAP and the governing operating 

requirements for the program can be 

accessed via the HUD Web site at 

http://www.hud.gov. Any subsequent 

revisions or amendments to those 

requirements and any further 

supplemental information will also be 

made available on the above Web site. 

Dated: August 14, 2007. 

Orlando J. Cabrera, 

Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian 

Housing. 

[FR Doc. E7–16271 Filed 8–16–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4210–67–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[CA–610–07–1220–PA] 

California Desert District; Notice of 

Solicitation for Nominations 

ACTION: Call for nominations for the 

Bureau of Land Management’s 

California Desert District Advisory 

Council. 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Department of the Interior. 

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Land 

Management’s California Desert District 

is soliciting nominations from the 

public for five members of its District 

Advisory Council to serve the 2008–

2010 three-year term. Council members 

provide advice and recommendations to 

BLM on the management of public lands 

in southern California. Public notice 

begins with the publication date of this 

notice. Nominations will be accepted 

through Saturday, October 30, 2007. The 


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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 159 / Friday, August 17, 2007 / Notices 46237 

three-year term would begin January 1, 

2008. 

The five positions to be filled include: 

—One non-renewable resources 

representative. 

—One recreation representative. 

—Two public-at-large representatives. 

—One wildlife interests. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

California Desert District Advisory 

Council is comprised of 15 private 

individuals who represent different 

interests and advise BLM officials on 

policies and programs concerning the 

management of 11 million acres of 

public land in southern California. The 

Council meets in formal session three to 

four times each year in various locations 

throughout the California Desert 

District. Council members serve without 

compensation except for reimbursement 

of travel expenditures incurred in the 

course of their duties. Members serve 

three-year terms and may be nominated 

for reappointment for an additional 

three-year term. 

Section 309 of the Federal Land 

Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) 

directs the Secretary of the Interior to 

involve the public in planning and 

issues related to management of BLM 

administered lands. The Secretary also 

selects council nominees consistent 

with the requirements of the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act (FACA), which 

requires nominees appointed to the 

council be balanced in terms of points 

of view and representative of the 

various interests concerned with the 

management of the public lands. 

The Council also is balanced 

geographically, and BLM will try to find 

qualified representatives from areas 

throughout the California Desert 

District. The District covers portions of 

eight counties, and includes over 11 

million acres of public land in the 

California Desert Conservation Area and 

300,000 acres of scattered parcels in San 

Diego, western Riverside, western San 

Bernardino, Orange, and Los Angeles 

Counties (known as the South Coast). 

Any group or individual may 

nominate a qualified person, based 

upon their education, training, and 

knowledge of BLM, the California 

Desert, and the issues involving BLMadministered public lands throughout 

southern California. Qualified 

individuals also may nominate 

themselves. 

Nominations must include the name 

of the nominee; work and home 

addresses and telephone numbers; a 

biographical sketch that includes the 

nominee’s work and public service 

record; any applicable outside interests 

or other information that demonstrates 

the nominees qualifications for the 

position; and the specific category of 

interest in which the nominee is best 

qualified to offer advice and council. 

Nominees may contact the BLM 

California Desert District External 

Affairs staff at (951) 697–5217 or write 

to the address below and request a copy 

of the nomination form. 

All nominations must be 

accompanied by letters of reference 

from represented interests, 

organizations, or elected officials 

supporting the nomination. Individuals 

nominating themselves must provide at 

least one letter of recommendation. 

Advisory Council members are 

appointed by the Secretary of the 

Interior, generally in late January or 

early February. 

ADDRESSES: Nominations should be sent 

to the District Manager, Bureau of Land 

Management, California Desert District 

Office, 22835 Calle San Juan De Los 

Lagos, Moreno Valley, California 92553. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Stephen Razo, BLM California Desert 

District External Affairs (951) 697–5217. 

Dated: July 26, 2007. 

Steven J. Borchard, 

District Manager. 

[FR Doc. 07–3891 Filed 8–16–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–40–M 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[OR–027–1110–JM–H2KO; G–06–HAG–

0139] 

Notice of Availability of a Final 

Environmental Impact Statement for 

the North Steens Ecosystem 

Restoration Project 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of Availability. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969, the Federal Land Policy and 

Management Act of 1976, and the 

Steens Mountain Cooperative 

Management and Protection Act (Steens 

Act) of 2000, the Bureau of Land 

Management (BLM) has prepared an 

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 

to analyze potential effects of 

implementing the North Steens 

Ecosystem Restoration Project (North 

Steens Project). The proposed project 

area lies within the Andrews 

Management Unit (AMU) and the Steens 

Mountain Cooperative Management and 

Protection Area (CMPA), designated 

October 30, 2000 by Act of Congress. 

The North Steens Project is located in 

Harney County, Oregon, and affects 

approximately 336,000 acres of public 

and private lands. 

DATES: The Final EIS will be available 

for a 30-day period of availability with 

the publishing of the Environmental 

Protection Agency’s Notice of 

Availability in the Federal Register. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

North Steens Project EIS Lead, BLM, 

Burns District Office, 28910 Hwy 20 

West, Hines, Oregon 97738; (541) 573–

4543; Fax (541) 573–4411; or e-mail 

(ornseis@blm.gov). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The North 

Steens Project is a proposed landscapelevel project utilizing a combination of 

western juniper treatments (mechanical 

and nonmechanical methods) and 

wildland (prescribed and natural) fire to 

treat fuels and to restore sagebrush/ 

steppe habitat. Implementation of the 

project would reduce the increasing 

adverse influence of western juniper in 

mountain big sagebrush, low sagebrush, 

quaking aspen, mountain mahogany, old 

growth juniper (over 120 years old), and 

riparian plant communities. 

Section 113(c) of the Steens Act 

states, ‘‘The Secretary shall emphasize 

the restoration of the historic fire regime 

in the Cooperative Management and 

Protection Area and the resulting native 

vegetation communities through active 

management of western juniper on a 

landscape level. Management measures 

shall include the use of natural and 

prescribed burning.’’

The Resource Management Plans for 

the CMPA and AMU contain overall 

direction and guidance for proposed 

management actions such as those 

analyzed in the North Steens Project 

EIS. Management actions analyzed 

include seeding of native species, 

reduction of western juniper (less than 

120 yrs old), fencing, and management 

of wildland fire. Preliminary issues and 

management concerns were identified 

by BLM personnel and through public 

scoping. Major issues addressed in the 

EIS include management of woodlands, 

rangeland vegetation, Steens Mountain 

Wilderness, Wilderness Study Areas 

(WSAs), Wild and Scenic River 

corridors, wildlife habitat, special status 

species, wildland fire/fuels, recreation, 

cultural resources, noxious weeds, 

water quality/aquatic resources/ 

fisheries, biological soil crusts, and 

social and economic values. The EIS 

also considered American Indian 

traditional practices. An 

interdisciplinary approach was used to 

develop the Final EIS. 

Government agencies having specific 

expertise or interests in the project were 


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