Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 226 / Monday, November 24, 1997 / Proposed Rules 62543

with a single threshold process. The

single threshold will allow Federal

funding to be available when the cost of

a single declared event exceeds the

State’s annual floor cost; the State costs

greater than the floor cost will be

available for funding at not less than 75

percent. Any federal fire declarations for

the remainder of that calendar year will

receive funding at not less than 75

percent of the costs.

This amendment would not change

any provisions (e.g., eligibility,

application, administrative planning,

payment of claims, or appeals) in the

Stafford Act nor in the fire suppression

assistance regulations at 44 CFR part

206, subpart L.

National Environmental Policy Act

This rule is categorically excluded

from the requirements of 44 CFR Part

10, Environmental Consideration. No

environmental impact assessment has

been prepared.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

This rule is not a major rule under

Executive Order 12291, Federal

Regulation, February 17, 1981. No

regulatory impact analysis has been

prepared.

Paperwork Reduction Act

This rule does not involve any

collection of information for the

purposes of the Paperwork Reduction

Act.

Executive Order 12612, Federalism

This rule involves no policies that

have federalism implications under

Executive Order 12612, Federalism,

dated October 26, 1987.

Executive Order 12778, Civil Justice

Reform

This rule meets the applicable

standards of section 2(b)(2) of Executive

Order 12778.

List of Subjects in 44 CFR Part 206

Disaster assistance.

Accordingly, 44 CFR Part 206 is

proposed to be amended as follows:

PART 206—[AMENDED]

1. The authority citation for part 206

is revised to read as follows:

Authority: The Robert T. Stafford Disaster

Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42

U.S.C. 5121 et seq.; Reorganization Plan No.

3 of 1978, 43 FR 41943, 3 CFR, 1978 Comp.,

p. 329; E.O. 12127, 44 FR 19367, 3 CFR, 1979

Comp., p.376; E.O. 12148, 44 FR 43239, 3

CFR, 1979 Comp., p. 412; and E.O. 12673, 54

FR 12571, 3 CFR, 1989 Comp., p. 214.

2. Part 206, Subpart L, Fire

Suppression Assistance, is proposed to

be amended by adding § 206.396 to read

as follows:

§ 206.396 Federal grant assistance.

(a) General. This section describes the

extent of Federal funding available

under the State fire suppression grants

as well as limitations and special

procedures applicable to each.

(b) Limitations of Federal

expenditures. Federal funding will be

available when the annual floor cost is

surpassed during a single federal

declared event. The amount of expense

greater than the floor cost will be cost

shared as stated in the FEMA-State

Agreement. Any Federal declared event

for the remainder of that calendar year

will be eligible for funding. The floor

cost will be established at the beginning

of each calendar year in joint

consultation between the State and the

United States Department of Agriculture

(Forest Service).

(c) Cost sharing. All fire suppression

costs approved under the State’s grant

will be subject to the cost sharing

provisions established in the FEMAState Agreement. FEMA will contribute

not less than 75 percent of the costs

approved for funding under the Fire

Suppression Grant Program for disasters

declared on or after [insert effective date

of final rule]. FEMA will contribute at

least 70 percent of the costs for funding

for disasters declared before [insert

effective date of final rule].

Dated: November 18, 1997.

James L. Witt,

Director.

[FR Doc. 97–30809 Filed 11–21–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6718–02–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs

Administration

49 CFR Parts 192 and 195

[Docket No. PS–94; Notice 8]

RIN 2137–AB38

Qualification of Pipeline Personnel

AGENCY: Research and Special Programs

Administration (RSPA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

SUMMARY: This document announces the

next meeting of the RSPA Negotiated

Rulemaking Committee. This committee

is conducting a negotiated rulemaking

to develop a proposed rule on

qualification of pipeline employees

performing certain safety-related

functions on pipelines subject to the

pipeline safety regulations. The

advisory committee is composed of

persons who represent the interests that

would be affected by the rule, such as

gas pipeline operators, hazardous liquid

pipeline operators, representatives of

state and federal governments, labor

organizations, and other interested

parties.

DATES: The Committee will meet from

9:00 am to 5:00 pm on December 3–5,

1997.

ADDRESSES: The Committee will meet at

the William P. Clements Building, 300

West 15th Street, Austin, TX 78701.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Eben M. Wyman, (202) 366–0918, or by

e-mail (eben.wyman@rspa.dot.gov)

regarding the subject matter of this

Notice; or the Dockets Unit, (202) 366–

4453, for copies of this document or

other material in the docket.

Issued in Washington, DC on November 19,

1997.

G. Tom Fortner,

Director for Compliance and State Programs.

[FR Doc. 97–30790 Filed 11–21–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[Docket No. 971112268–7268–01; I.D.

102997E]

Fisheries of the Northeastern United

States; Proposed 1998 Fishing Quotas

for Atlantic Surf Clams and Ocean

Quahogs

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Proposed fishing quotas for the

1998 Atlantic surf clam and ocean

quahog fisheries; request for comments.

SUMMARY: NMFS proposes quotas for the

Atlantic surf clam and ocean quahog

fisheries for 1998. These quotas were

selected from a range defined as

optimum yield (OY) for each fishery and

in compliance with overfishing

definitions for each species. The intent

of this action is to establish allowable

harvests of surf clams and ocean

quahogs from the exclusive economic

zone in 1998.

DATES: Public comments must be

received on or before December 24,

1997.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the Mid-Atlantic

Fishery Management Council’s analysis