49720 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 184 / Tuesday, September 23, 1997 / Notices

4According to DTC, a party wishing to open a

Limited Participant account must (1) be registered

as a transfer agent with the SEC; (2) participate as

a transfer agent in DTC’s Fast Automated Securities

Transfer (‘‘FAST’’) program; (3) provide Direct Mail

Service on transfers; and (4) communicate with

DTC through a computer-to-computer interface

using DTC’s CCF platforms.

DTC charges a DRS Limited Participant an

account holder fee of $225 per month regardless of

the number of DRS eligible issues for which the

Limited Participant is participating. In addition,

DTC charges $.045 per transaction. DTC

participants also will be charged $0.45 per

transaction. In addition, when a DTC participant

instructs a transfer agent to establish a DRS account

for a shareholder and the transfer agent

subsequently mails a transaction advice to the

shareholder confirming that such an account has

been established at the transfer agent, the transfer

agent’s fee of $0.55 for mailing and handling the

DRS transactions advice will be charged to the DTC

participant directly by DTC. This fee is periodically

remitted to the transfer agent.

5 15 U.S.C. 78o–3. 6 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).

would need to become a ‘‘DRS Limited

Participant’’ at DTC.4

Therefore, Nasdaq is proposing to

amend its rules to establish a

qualification requirement for all

securities to be included in Nasdaq that

if the issuer establishes a direct

registration program it shall participate

in an electronic link with a securities

depository in order to facilitate the

electronic transfer of interests held

pursuant to the direct registration

program. This link is permitted by the

proposed rule to be direct or through the

issuer’s transfer agent.

Nasdaq believes that the proposed

rule change is consistent with the

provisions of Section 15A(b)(6) of the

Act 5 in that it fosters cooperation and

coordination with persons engaged in

the clearing and settling of transactions

in securities, and in general, protects

investors and the public interest. The

proposed rule change ensures that there

is a quick and efficient means for

financial intermediaries, such as brokerdealers and banks, to transfer these

interests on behalf of shareholders. In

addition, Nasdaq believes the proposed

rule change is consistent with Section

17A which sets forth Congress’ findings

that the prompt and accurate clearance

and settlement of securities transactions

are necessary for the protection of

investors. In particular, the proposed

rule change is consistent with Section

17A(a)(1) in that it takes advantage of

new date processing and

communications techniques and linked

or coordinated facilities, and thus

provides for more efficient, effective,

and safe procedures for the clearance

and settlement of securities

transactions.

(B) Self-Regulatory Organization’s

Statement on Burden on Competition

Nasdaq does not believe that the

proposed rule change will result in any

burden on competition that is not

necessary or appropriate in furtherance

of the purposes of the Act, as amended.

(C) Self-Regulatory Organization’s

Statement on Comments on the

Proposed Rule Change Received From

Members, Participants or Others

Written comments were neither

solicited nor received.

III. Date of Effectiveness of the

Proposed Rule Change and Timing for

Commission Action

Within thirty-five days of the date of

publication of this notice in the Federal

Register or within such longer period (i)

as the Commission may designate up to

ninety days of such date if it finds such

longer period to be appropriate and

publishes its reasons for so finding or

(ii) as to which Nasdaq consents, the

Commission will:

(A) by order approve such proposed

rule change or

(B) institute proceedings to determine

whether the proposed rule change

should be disapproved.

IV. Solicitation of Comments

Interested persons are invited to

submit written data, views, and

arguments concerning the foregoing.

Persons making written submissions

should file six copies thereof with the

Secretary, Securities and Exchange

Commission, 450 Fifth Street, N.W.,

Washington, D.C. 20549. Copies of the

submission, all subsequent

amendments, all written statements

with respect to the proposed rule

change that are filed with the

Commission, and all written

communications relating to the

proposed rule change between the

Commission and any person, other than

those that may be withheld from the

public in accordance with the

provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be

available for inspection and copying in

the Commission’s Public Reference

Section, 450 Fifth Street, N.W.,

Washington, D.C. 20549. Copies of such

filing also will be available for

inspection and copying at the principal

office of Nasdaq. All submissions

should refer to File No. SR–NASD–97–

51 and should be submitted by October

14, 1997.

For the Commission by the Division of

Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated

authority.6

Margaret H. McFarland,

Deputy Secretary.

[FR Doc. 97–25216 Filed 9–22–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8010–01–M

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES

TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

1997–98 Allocations of the Tariff-Rate

Quotas for Raw Cane Sugar, Refined

Sugar, and Sugar Containing Products

AGENCY: Office of the United States

Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Office of the United

States Trade Representative (USTR) is

providing notice of the country-bycountry allocations of the in-quota

quantity of the tariff-rate quotas for

imported raw cane sugar, refined sugar,

and sugar containing products for the

period that begins October 1, 1997 and

ends September 30, 1998.

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Inquiries may be mailed or

delivered to Audrae Erickson, Senior

Economist, Office of Agricultural Affairs

(Room 421), Office of the United States

Trade Representative, 600 17th Street,

NW., Washington, DC 20508.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Audrae Erickson, Office of Agricultural

Affairs, 202–395–6127.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant

to Additional U.S. Note 5 to chapter 17

of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of

the United States (HTS), the United

States maintains tariff-rate quotas for

imports of raw cane and refined sugar.

Pursuant to additional U.S. Note 8 to

Chapter 17 of the Harmonized Tariff

Schedule, the United States also

maintains a tariff-rate quota for certain

sugar-containing products.

Section 404(d)(3) of the Uruguay

Round Agreements Act (19 U.S.C.

3601(d)(3)) authorizes the President to

allocate the in-quota quantity of a tariffrate quota for any agricultural product

among supplying countries or customs

areas. The President delegated this

authority to the United States Trade

Representative under paragraph (3) of

Presidential Proclamation No. 6763 (60

FR 1007).

The in-quota quantity of the raw cane

tariff-rate quota for the period October 1,

1997–September 30, 1998, has been

established by the Secretary of

Agriculture at 1,200,000 metric tons,

raw value (1,322,773 short tons). This

quantity is being allocated to the

following countries in metric tons, raw

value:
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 184 / Tuesday, September 23, 1997 / Notices 49721

Country FY 1998

allocation

Argentina ..................................... 48,101

Australia ...................................... 92,846

Barbados ..................................... 7,830

Belize .......................................... 12,305

Bolivia ......................................... 8,949

Brazil ........................................... 162,201

Columbia ..................................... 26,847

Congo ......................................... 7,258

Cote d’Ivoire ................................ 7,258

Costa Rica .................................. 16,779

Dominican Republic .................... 196,878

Ecuador ....................................... 12,305

El Salvador ................................. 29,084

Fiji ............................................... 10,068

Gabon ......................................... 7,258

Guatemala .................................. 53,694

Guyana ....................................... 13,424

Haiti ............................................. 7,258

Honduras .................................... 11,186

India ............................................ 8,949

Jamaica ....................................... 12,305

Madagascar ................................ 7,258

Malawi ......................................... 11,186

Mauritius ..................................... 13,424

Mexico ......................................... 25,000

Mozambique ............................... 14,542

Nicaragua .................................... 23,491

Panama ....................................... 32,440

Papua New Guinea .................... 7,258

Paraguay ..................................... 7,258

Peru ............................................ 45,864

Philippines ................................... 151,015

South Africa ................................ 25,728

St. Kitts & Nevis .......................... 7,258

Swaziland .................................... 17,898

Taiwan ........................................ 13,424

Thailand ...................................... 15,661

Trinidad-Tobago .......................... 7,830

Uruguay ...................................... 7,258

Zimbabwe ................................... 13,424

Total ................................. 1,200,000

This allocation includes the following

minimum quota-holding countries:

Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Gabon, Haiti,

Madagascar, Papua New Guinea,

Paraguay, St. Kitts & Nevis, and

Uruguay.

The in-quota quantity of the tariff-rate

quota for refined sugar for the period

October 1, 1997–September 30, 1998,

has been established by the Secretary of

Agriculture at 50,000 metric tons, raw

value (55,116 short tons), of which the

Secretary has reserved 4,656 metric tons

(5,132 short tons) for specialty sugars.

Of the quantity not reserved for

specialty sugars, a total of 10,300 metric

tons (11,354 short tons) is being

allocated to Canada and 2,954 metric

tons (3,256 short tons) is being allocated

to Mexico. An additional 25,000 metric

tons (27,558 short tons) of this quantity

is being allocated to Mexico to fulfill

obligations pursuant to the North

American Free Trade Agreement

(NAFTA). Under the NAFTA, the

United States is to provide total access

for raw and refined sugar from Mexico

of 25,000 metric tons, raw value, for this

quota period in conjunction with

Mexico’s net surplus producer status.

This allocation is subject to NAFTA

rules of origin and to the condition that

the total imports of raw and refined

sugar from Mexico, combined, is not to

exceed 25,000 metric tons raw value.

The remaining 7,090 metric tons (7,815

short tons) of the in-quota quantity not

reserved for specialty sugars is not being

allocated among supplying countries

and may be supplied by any country,

subject to any other provision of law.

The 4,656 metric tons (5,132 short tons)

reserved for specialty sugars is also not

being allocated among supplying

countries and may be supplied by any

country, subject to any other provision

of law.

With respect to the tariff-rate quota for

certain sugar-containing products

maintained pursuant to additional U.S.

Note 8 to Chapter 17 of the Harmonized

Tariff Schedule, 59,250 metric tons

(65,312 short tons) of sugar containing

products is being allocated to Canada.

The remaining in-quota quantity for this

tariff-rate quota is available to other

countries.

Charlene Barshefsky,

United States Trade Representative.

[FR Doc. 97–25121 Filed 9–22–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3190–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

Reports, Forms and Recordkeeping

Requirements, Agency Information

Collection Activity Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In compliance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44

U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice

announces that the Information

Collection Request (ICR) abstracted

below has been forwarded to the Office

of Management and Budget (OMB) for

review and comment. The ICR describes

the nature of the information collection

and its expected burden. The Federal

Register Notice with a 60-day comment

period soliciting comments on the

following collection of information was

published in 62 FR 19159–19162, April

18,1997.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on

or before October 23, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Morris Oliver, (202) 366–2251, Federal

Highway Administration, Department of

Transportation, 400 Seventh Street,

SW., Washington, DC 20590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Federal Highway Administration

(FHWA)

Title: Implementation Plan, Traffic

Surveillance and Control.

OMB Number: 2125–0512.

Type of Request: Reinstatement,

without change, of a previously

approved collection for which approval

has expired.

Affected Public: State and local

transportation agencies who utilize

federal funds for traffic management

projects and contractors involved in

ITS/Traffic Management, who may write

the implementation plan for the State

and local transportation agency.

Abstract: An implementation plan for

a federal aid traffic control project is

required from the States and local

agencies to assure that there are

adequate provisions and resources for

the acquisition and operational phases

of the project.

Estimated Annual Burden Hours:

4,000.

Number of Respondents: 25.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to the

Office of Information and Regulatory

Affairs, Office of Management and

Budget, 725–17th Street, NW.,

Washington, DC 20503, Attention DOT

Desk Officer. Comments are invited on:

whether the proposed collection of

information is necessary for the proper

performance of the functions of the

Department, including whether the

information will have practical utility;

the accuracy of the Department’s

estimate of the burden of the proposed

information collection; ways to enhance

the quality, utility and clarity of the

information to be collected; and ways to

minimize the burden of the collection of

information on respondents, including

the use of automated collection

techniques or other forms of information

technology.

Issued in Washington, DC, on September

15, 1997.

Vanester M. Williams,

Clearance Officer, United States Department

of Transportation.

[FR Doc. 97–25207 Filed 9–22–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–62–P