Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 212 / Monday, November 3, 1997 / Notices 59377

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Immigration and Naturalization Service

Agency Information Collection

Activities: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request

ACTION: Extension of existing collection,

Application for temporary protected

status.

The Department of Justice,

Immigration and Naturalization Service

(INS) has submitted an emergency

information collection request to the

Office of Management and Budget

(OMB) for review and approval in

accordance with the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995 to provide for the

required final 30 days for public review/

comment and ample time for OMB’s

review and final action.

This proposed information collection

was previously published in the Federal

Register on August 4, 1997 at 62 FR

41978, allowing for an emergency

extension with a 60-day public

comment period. No comments were

received by the Immigration and

Naturalization Service. Comments are

encouraged and will be accepted for an

additional ‘‘thirty days’’ until December

3, 1997.

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

Office of Management and Budget,

Office of Information and Regulatory

Affairs, Attention: Ms. Debra Bond,

202–395–7316, Department of Justice

Desk Officer, Room 10235, Washington,

DC 20503. Additionally, comments may

be submitted to OMB via facsimile to

202–395–6974.

If you have additional comments,

suggestions, or need a copy of the

proposed information collection

instrument with instructions, or

additional information, please contact

Richard A. Sloan, 202–514–3291,

Director, Policy Directives and

Instructions Branch, Immigration and

Naturalization Service, U.S. Department

of Justice, 425 I Street, NW., Room 5307,

Washington, DC 20536.

Written comments and suggestions

from the public and affected agencies

concerning the proposed collection of

information 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 currently approved

information collection.

(2) Title of the Form/Collection:

Application for Temporary Protected

Status.

(3) Agency from number, if any, and

the applicable component of the

Department of Justice sponsoring the

collection: Form I–821. Adjudications

Division, Immigration and

Naturalization Service.

(4) Affected public who will be asked

or required to respond, as well as a brief

abstract: Primary: Individuals or

Households. The information provided

on this collection will be used by the

INS to determine whether an applicant

for Temporary Protected Status (TPS)

meets the eligibility requirements. Such

TPS benefits include employment

authorization and relief from the threat

of removal or deportation from the U.S.

while in such status.

(5) An estimate of the total number of

respondents and the amount of time

estimated for an average respondent to

respond: 10,000 respondents at 30

minutes (.5) hours per response.

(6) An estimate of the total public

burden (in hours) associated with the

collection: 5,000 annual burden hours.

If additional information is required

contact: Mr. Robert B. Briggs, Clearance

Officer, United States Department of

Justice, Information Management and

Security Staff, Justice Management

Division, Suite 850, Washington Center,

1001 G Street, NW., Washington, DC

20530.

Dated: October 28, 1997.

Robert B. Briggs,

Department Clearance Officer, United States

Department of Justice.

[FR Doc. 97–29047 Filed 10–31–97; 8:45 am]

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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND

SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[Notice (97–160]

National Environmental Policy Act;

Earth Observing System Program

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and

Space Administration (NASA).

ACTION: Finding of no significant

impact.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National

Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as

amended (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321, et

seq.), the Council on Environmental

Quality (CEQ) Regulations for

Implementing the Procedural Provisions

of NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500–1508), and

NASA policy and procedures (14 CFR

Part 1216 Subpart 1216.3), NASA has

made a finding of no significant impact

(FONSI) with respect to the proposed

Earth Observing System (EOS) Program,

which would involve a series of Earth

orbiting spacecraft to be launched over

the time period of 1998 through 2014

from Vandenberg Air Force Base

(VAFB), California.

DATES: Comments on the FONSI must be

provided in writing to NASA on or

before December 3, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should

be addressed to Mr. Richard T. Beck,

Deputy Director (Resources), Mission to

Planet Earth Office, Code 170, NASA/

Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt,

MD 20711. The Programmatic

Environmental Assessment (PEA)

prepared for the Earth Observing System

Program which supports this FONSI

may be reviewed at the following

locations:

(a) NASA Headquarters, Library,

Room 1J20, 300 E Street, SW,

Washington, DC 20546.

(b) VAFB, Technical Library, Building

7015, 806 13th Street, Vandenberg AFB,

CA 39437.

(c) Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Visitors

Lobby, Building 249, 4800 Oak Grove

Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 (818–354–

5179).

(d) Spaceport USA, Room 2001, John

F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida,

32899. Please call Lisa Fowler

beforehand at 407–867–2497 so that

arrangements can be made.

The PEA may also be examined at the

following NASA locations by contacting

the pertinent Freedom of Information

Act Office:

(e) NASA, Ames Research Center,

Moffett Field, CA 94035 (650–604–

4190).

(f) NASA, Dryden Flight Research

Center, Edwards, CA 93523 (805–258–

3448).
59378 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 212 / Monday, November 3, 1997 / Notices

(g) NASA, Goddard Space Flight

Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (301–286–

0730).

(h) NASA, Johnson Space Center,

Houston, TX 77058 (281–483–8612).

(i) NASA, Langley Research Center,

Hampton, VA 23665 (757–864–2497).

(j) NASA, Lewis Research Center,

21000 Brookpark Rd, Cleveland, OH

44135 (216–433–2222).

(k) NASA, Marshall Space Flight

Center, Huntsville, AL 35812 (205–544–

0031).

(l) NASA, Stennis Space Center, MS

39529 (601–688–2164).

A limited number of copies of the

PEA are available by contacting Mr.

Richard T. Beck at the address or

telephone number indicated herein.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Richard T. Beck, 301–286–6613.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NASA has

reviewed the PEA prepared for the EOS

Program and has determined that it

represents an accurate and adequate

analysis of the scope and level of

associated environmental impacts. The

PEA is incorporated by reference in this

FONSI.

NASA is proposing to develop, build

and launch a series of investigative

spacecraft designed to provide global

science data from a low-altitude, Sunsynchronous orbit over the time period

of 1998 through 2014 from VAFB,

California. EOS investigations would

study the atmosphere, oceans,

biosphere, land surface, and solid Earth

systems. Spacecraft final assembly,

propellant loading and checkout of

payload systems would be performed in

Payload Processing Facilities at VAFB.

The spacecraft would then be

transported to a Space Launch Complex

at VAFB where it would be integrated

with the launch vehicle. Due to varying

payload weights and orbital

requirements, Earth Observing System

(EOS) spacecraft would require different

launch vehicles. The launch vehicle

selected as an environmental ‘‘bounding

case’’ is the Delta II 7925.

The EROS Flight and Science projects

focus on defining the state of the Earth

system, understanding its basic

processes, and developing and applying

predictive models of these processes.

All EROS instrument payloads are

designed to measure physical Earth

system phenomena from which specific

data products can be derived. This effort

would consist of both focused,

disciplinary research centered around a

specific data set and interdisciplinary

research geared toward a broader

exploration of systemic functions.

Collecting data from the vantage point

of space would provide information

about Earth’s land, atmosphere, oceans,

ice and biota that is obtainable in no

other way. In concert with the global

research community, the EOS Program

would spearhead the development of

scientific knowledge required to support

the complex national and international

environmental policy decisions that lie

ahead.

Alternative to the proposed action

that were considered included those

that: (1) utilize an alternate launch

vehicle, (2) utilize an alternate launch

site, or (3) cancel the Earth Observing

System Program (the ‘‘no action’’

alternative). Failure to undertake the

EOS Program would impede scientific

progress toward understanding the

natural environment and its response to

human activity and would cause more

U.S. dependence on foreign acquisition

of these data. The resultant loss of

continuity in Earth observation data

acquisition could lead to not meeting

national priorities with respect to

management of the environmental

global commons and may result in

ineffective policy decisions with respect

to managing the global commons. Of the

launch vehicles evaluated, U.S. launch

vehicles proposed for launch of EOS

spacecraft (specifically the Atlas IIAS,

Delta II 7925, Medium-Lite Expendable

Launch Vehicles and the Pegasus) are

best suited for the EOS Program for the

following reasons: (1) the alternative

launch vehicles examined are

approximately equal in their potential

impact to the environment, and these

impacts are not substantial; (2) U.S.

launch vehicles proposed closely match

EOS performance requirements and

allow for variations in payload size and

weight; and (3) selected launch vehicles

cost the same or less than the examined

alternatives and are similar in terms of

reliability. Of the launch sites evaluated,

VAFB is best suited for the EOS

Program for the following reasons: (1)

the majority of EOS spacecraft would be

launched to polar orbits, which require

an orbital inclination greater than the

maximum allowable inclination for

Cape Canaveral Air Station launches;

and (2) available information in the

detail necessary to make a judgment as

to environmental impact and differences

in philosophy with regard to overflight

of land for acceptable launch trajectory

and debris risk is unavailable for foreign

launch sites.

Expected impacts to the human

environment associated with the

program are bounded by and arise

almost entirely from the normal launch

of the Delta II 7925. Air emissions from

the exhaust produced by the solid

propellant graphite epoxy motors and

liquid first stage primarily include

carbon monoxide, hydrochloric acid,

aluminum oxide in soluble and

insoluble forms, carbon dioxide, and

deluge water mixed with propellant byproducts. Air impacts would be shortterm and not substantial. Short-term

water quality and noise impacts, as well

as short-term effects on plants, and

animals, would occur only in the

vicinity of the launch complex. There

would be no impact on threatened or

endangered species of critical habitat,

cultural resources, wetlands or

floodplains. The EOS Program would

follow the NASA guidelines regarding

orbital debris and minimizing the risk of

uncontrolled reentry into the Earth’s

atmosphere. Accident scenarios have

also been addressed. None of the EOS

Program missions will have radioactive

materials aboard the spacecraft, except

for the possibility of minute quantities

on certain missions for instrumentation

purposes. Consequently, no adverse

impacts from radioactive substances are

anticipated. No other individual or

cumulative impacts of environmental

concern have been identified.

The level and scope of environmental

impacts associated with the launch of

EOS spacecraft are well within the

envelope of impact that have been

addressed in previous FONSI’s

concerning other launch vehicles and

spacecraft. EOS spacecraft would not

increase launch rates nor utilize launch

systems beyond the scope of approved

programs at VAFB. No EOS-specific

processing or launch activities have

been identified that would require new

permits and/or mitigation measures

beyond those currently in place or in

coordination at VAFB. No significant

new circumstances or information

relevant to environmental concerns

associated with the launch vehicle have

been identified which would affect the

earlier findings. As specific spacecraft

and missions are fully defined, they will

be reviewed in light of the PEA. If any

fall outside of the scope of the PEA,

further NEPA review will be conducted,

as necessary.

On the basis of the EOS, PEA, NASA

has determined that the environmental

impacts associated with the program

would not individually or cumulatively

have a significant impact on the quality

of the human environment. NASA will

take no final action prior to the

expiration of the 30-day comment

period.

William F. Townsend,

Acting Associate Administrator for Mission

to Planet Earth.

[FR Doc. 97–28966 Filed 10–31–97; 8:45 am]

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