This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains documents other than rules or

proposed rules that are applicable to the

public. Notices of hearings and investigations,

committee meetings, agency decisions and

rulings, delegations of authority, filing of

petitions and applications and agency

statements of organization and functions are

examples of documents appearing in this

section.

Notices Federal Register

66339

Vol. 62, No. 243

Thursday, December 18, 1997

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Klamath Provincial Advisory

Committee (PAC)

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: The Klamath Provincial

Advisory Committee will meet on

January 8 and 9, 1998 at the Best

Western Hilltop Inn California Room

2300 Hilltop Drive, Redding, California.

On January 8, the meeting will begin at

9:00 a.m. and adjourn at 5:00 p.m. The

meeting on January 9 will resume at

8:00 a.m. and adjourn at 2:00 p.m.

Agenda items to be covered include: (1)

ecological and soci-economic

considerations associated with the

Northwest Forest Plan (green tree

retention vs. thinning); (2) Tribal panel

presentation on impacts from the

Northwest Forest Plan; (3)

subcommittee reports; and (4) public

comment periods. All PAC meetings are

open to the public. Interested citizens

are encouraged to attend.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Connie Hendryx, USDA, Klamath

National Forest, at 1312 Fairlane Road,

Yreka, California 96097; telephone 530–

842–6131, (FTS) 700–467–1309.

Dated: December 9, 1997

Jan Ford,

Acting Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 97–33002 Filed 12–17–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation

Service

Bexar-Medina-Atascosa Counties

Water Conservation Plan and

Environmental Impact Statement,

Bexar, Medina, Atascosa Counties,

Texas

AGENCY: Natural Resources

Conservation Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability of record

of decision.

SUMMARY: John P. Burt, State

Conservationist, responsible Federal

Officer for projects administered under

the provisions of Public Law 83–566, 16

U.S.C. 1001–1008, in the State of Texas,

is hereby providing notification that a

Record of Decision to proceed with the

Bexar-Medina-Atascosa Counties Water

Conservation Plan is available. Single

copies of this Record of Decision may be

obtained from John P. Burt at the

address shown below.

For further information contact John

P. Burt, Natural Resources Conservation

Service, 101 South Main, Temple, Texas

76501–7682, telephone 254–742–9800.

(This activity is listed in the Catalog of

Federal Domestic Assistance under No.

10.904, Watershed Protection and Flood

Prevention, and is subject to the provisions

of Executive Order 12372, which requires

intergovernmental consultation with state

and local officials)

Dated: December 8, 1997.

John P. Burt,

State Conservationist.

[FR Doc. 97–33082 Filed 12–17–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–16–M

COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS

Agenda and Notice of Public Meeting

of the Arkansas Advisory Committee

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to

the provisions of the rules and

regulations of the U.S. Commission on

Civil Rights, that a meeting of the

Arkansas Advisory Committee to the

Commission will convene at 6:00 p.m.

and adjourn at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday,

January 22, 1998, at the Little Rock

Hilton, 925 South University, Little

Rock, Arkansas 72204. The purpose of

the meeting is to provide orientation for

new members, brief the Committee on

Commission activities, and plan future

Committee activities.

Persons desiring additional

information, or planning a presentation

to the Committee, should contact

Melvin L. Jenkins, Director of the

Central Regional Office, 913–551–1400

(TDD 913–551–1414). Hearing-impaired

persons who will attend the meeting

and require the services of a sign

language interpreter should contact the

Regional Office at least ten (10) working

days before the scheduled date of the

meeting.

The meeting will be conducted

pursuant to the provisions of the rules

and regulations of the Commission.

Dated at Washington, DC, December 10,

1997.

Carol-Lee Hurley,

Chief, Regional Programs Coordination Unit.

[FR Doc. 97–33001 Filed 12–17–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6335–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

Secretarial Business Development

Mission to Turkey

SUMMARY: Secretary of Commerce

William M. Daley will lead a business

development mission to Turkey, one of

Eurasia’s most significant emerging

markets, to promote expanded trade

opportunities, advocate for U.S.

business interests, advance significant

commercial policy objectives, and

support the inaugural meeting of the

U.S.-Turkey Business Development

Council.

This mission to one of the most

rapidly growing Big Emerging Markets

will advance the Secretary’s priorities

on behalf of American firms and

workers, including: (1) Ensuring

participation by U.S. firms in major

Turkish projects; (2) reducing/

eliminating non-tariff barriers to U.S.

exports and investments; (3) securing

compliance with trade agreements,

especially those related to international

arbitration; (4) advocating for acceptable

terms for U.S. energy investment

projects; and (5) strengthening Turkish

government officials and business

executives’ favorable impression of U.S.

technology, business practices and

companies.

The Secretary’s mission will focus on

the energy sector, with particular
66340 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 243 / Thursday, December 18, 1997 / Notices

emphasis on power equipment and

services and will include U.S.

companies whose interests range from

assessing opportunities in the Turkish

market to expanding existing business

relationships. The mission will begin in

Ankara, the capital of Turkey, for

meetings with Government officials,

Turkish business representatives and

U.S. companies currently active in

Turkey. It will continue on to Istanbul.

A key focus of the mission will be to

explore ways U.S. firms may put their

technologies and know-how to work in

helping Turkey to execute pending

power development projects, which will

total billions of dollars. The mission

also will seek to capitalize on

opportunities in other sectors for

mutually-beneficial trade and

investment.

DATES: January 19–21, 1998.

ADDRESSES: (none).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Applications may be submitted any time

after December 15th to Cheryl Bruner,

Director of the Office of Business

Liaison, or Eric Schwerin at (202) 482–

1360, fax (202) 482–4054. All

applications must be received by

January 7, 1998. Applications received

after January 7th will be considered on

a space available basis.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Mission itinerary will be as

follows:

January 18 (Sunday)—Mission arrival

and orientation

January 19 (Monday)—Ankara

January 20 (Tuesday)—Ankara with

departure for Istanbul

January 21 (Wednesday)—Istanbul—

Mission concludes Wednesday

evening

Overall Commercial Setting

Turkey, with its geographic

relationship to Europe, the Middle East

and the southern tier of the Newly

Independent States, is a natural Big

Emerging Market for U.S. business. Over

the past decade, Turkey had the highest

average GNP growth rate of any OECD

country. Its large population, growing

private sector, extensive infrastructure

and building requirements, and a

government commitment to liberalize

the economy are expected to propel

continued economic expansion into the

21st century.

Increased industrial and urban growth

has created an overburdened physical

infrastructure, and the continuing stress

of rapid urbanization has generated a

massive investment requirement to

improve living conditions. Increasingly,

the Turkish government has encouraged

the local private sector and international

investors to construct and operate

urgently needed energy, transportation,

and environmental infrastructure.

Privatization plans present significant

opportunities for U.S. firms. Successive

Turkish governments have recognized

that privatization generates financial

resources, reduces fiscal drain, and

improves economic efficiency.

Electricity generation, transportation

and petroleum refining and distribution

are among the sectors offering such

opportunities.

Energy, Power Equipment and Services

Commercial Setting

Recent legislative changes and the

formation of a new centrist government

may be opening the way for rapid

private power development. This

situation has led to the following

developments which should create a

strong equipment and services market in

Turkey:

• The Turkish national power

company held a tender for five new

power plants with 5200 MW of capacity

on a Build-Operate basis, at an

estimated cost of $3.75 billion.

• The Turkish power company has

tendered the Transfer of Operating

Rights (TOR) for eight plants and

announced the winning bidders on

October 17. Renovation investments in

these plants could amount to several

hundred million dollars.

• The Turkish distribution monopoly

has issued a TOR for 25 local

distribution systems, with awards

expected shortly.

• Turkish energy officials have

informed energy companies that they

will tender seven additional new plants

in 1998.

These opportunities exist alongside

important tender, contract and financing

issues which often stand in the way of

project realization. It is hoped that the

Secretary’s mission can assist in the

resolution of such problems.

Goals for the Mission

Reaffirm U.S. Government

commitment and support for Turkey’s

program of privatization of state

enterprises and heighten U.S. private

sector participation in Turkey’s

economic growth.

Increase sales of U.S. energy products

and services to Turkey, particularly in

the power equipment and services

sector, by exposing representatives of

qualified U.S. companies in the power

equipment and services sector to

currently expanding opportunities

brought about by the construction of

large new power plants, privatization of

existing plants and distribution

networks, and renovation and

modernization of inefficient and

environmentally-damaging plants.

Increase sales of other U.S. products and

services to Turkey.

Seek resolution of outstanding

bilateral commercial issues and

advocate U.S. interests regarding

specific problems and opportunities in

certain key areas: (1) Power generation

and energy; (2) economic reforms; and

(3) compliance with trade agreements,

especially those related to international

arbitration.

Scenario for the Mission

The Secretary’s business development

mission will visit the capital of Turkey,

Ankara, and conclude in Istanbul. This

mission will promote Turkey as a key

emerging market that warrants the

attention of a wide range of U.S. firms,

from ready to export small or medium

sized firms to large firms exploring new

business opportunities.

Mission recruitment of 8 to 10

enterprises will focus on the energy,

power equipment and services sectors.

Mission recruitment will also draw on

commercial opportunities for goods and

services resulting from the privatization

plans of the Turkish government and

from other opportunities for U.S. firms

in Turkey.

In his meetings with officials of the

Government of Turkey, the Secretary

will work to move our commercial

dialogue forward, identifying issues that

still impede U.S. companies’ ability to

do business in Turkey and encouraging

steps to remove the obstacles. The

timing of the trip to coincide with the

inaugural meeting of the U.S.-Turkey

Business Development Council will

provide an exceptional venue for

advancing cooperation between the U.S.

and Turkish private sectors.

The program for the mission will

include:

Embassy/consulate briefings on the

commercial/economic environment

Meetings with Turkish Government

Officials

Meetings with Turkish enterprises and

trade associations

Meetings with American business

executives based in Turkey

Company Participation Will Be

Determined on the Basis of

Status as U.S.-owned or U.S.-based

company with capacity to deliver

relevant equipment or services to

Turkey. The goods or services provided

must either be produced in the United

States or, if not, must be marketed in the

name of a U.S. firm and have at least

51% U.S. content in the value of the

finished product or service. The
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 243 / Thursday, December 18, 1997 / Notices 66341

company must not be owned or

controlled, indirectly or directly by a

foreign government.

Consistency of the company’s goals

with the scope and desired outcome of

the mission as described herein.

Past, present and prospective business

in Turkey.

Diversity of company size, type,

location, demographics, and traditional

under-representation in business.

An applicant’s partisan political

activities (including political

contributions) are irrelevant to the

selection process.

Other Trip Objectives and Events

In addition to the mission scenario

described above, Secretary Daley will

also support the inaugural meeting in

Ankara of the U.S.-Turkey Business

Development Council in order to

establish an improved bilateral business

and government cooperation for

expanding commercial, trade and

investment relations. The Secretary will

seek to accomplish several commercial

policy objectives in bilateral

government to government meetings

with Turkish officials in Ankara and

with the press and private sector in

Istanbul. Our bilateral policy agenda

includes addressing IPR issues,

investment barriers to U.S. companies,

insuring compliance with international

arbitration agreements, regulatory issues

related to the privatization of

telecommunications companies,

Caspian pipeline construction and

supply issues, and investment policies

related to ‘‘Build-Operate’’ and ‘‘Build,

Operate Transfer.’’

Dated: December 12, 1997.

Catherine Vial,

Acting Director, Energy Division/OEIM/BI/

TD.

[FR Doc. 97–32966 Filed 12–17–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–DR–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

Notice of Opportunity to Apply to

Serve on the Board

AGENCY: International Trade

Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of Opportunity to Apply

to Serve on the Board of the United

States-India Commercial Alliance.

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce

is currently seeking applications for

three individuals to serve on the U.S.

section of the Board of the United

States-India Commercial Alliance

(USICA). On January 16, 1995, Ronald

H. Brown, U.S. Secretary of Commerce,

and Pranab Mukherjee, India’s Minister

of Commerce, signed terms of reference

creating USICA. On October 17, 1996,

Michael Kantor, U.S. Secretary of

Commerce, and B.B. Ramaiah, India’s

Minister of Commerce, signed an

agreement extending USICA for two

years, until January 15, 1999. The

purpose of USICA is to facilitate the

further development of commercial

relations, trade, and investment between

U.S. and Indian private sector

businesses. USICA is administered and

its activities are coordinated by a Board

composed of an equal number of private

sector representatives from the United

States and India. U.S. and Indian Board

members are selected by the U.S.

Secretary of Commerce and Indian

Minister of Commerce, respectively. The

work of the USICA, which includes

trade missions, conferences, and

roundtables bringing together business

persons from the United States and

India, currently is focused on four

economic sectors: information

technology, transportation and

infrastructure, food processing and

packaging (‘‘agribusiness’’), and power.

Individual Board members generally

concentrate their efforts on one of these

sectors.

Further Information: Private sector

representatives will be appointed to the

Board for a two year term, or until

January 15, 1999, if USICA is not

extended beyond its current expiration

date. Applications are now being sought

for private sector members to serve for

a term beginning February 9, 1998.

Private sector members will serve at the

discretion of the Secretary. They are

expected to participate fully in defining

the agenda for USICA and in

implementing its work program. It is

expected that private sector individuals

chosen for the USICA Board will attend

at least 75% of USICA meetings which

will be held in the U.S. and India.

Private sector Board members are

fully responsible for travel, living and

personal expenses associated with their

participation in USICA. The private

sector Board members will serve in a

representative capacity presenting the

views and interests of the particular

business sector in which they operate;

private sector Board members are not

special government employees.

USICA works on issues of common

interest to encourage bilateral trade and

investment, including, but not limited

to, the following:

—Implementing trade/business

development and promotion programs

including trade missions, conferences,

exhibits, seminars and other events,

and

—Adopting sectoral or project oriented

approaches to expand business

opportunities and discussing

concerns relating to expanding

commercial opportunities

Selection: There are ten positions on

the U.S. side of the USICA Board, of

which three are currently vacant. This

notice is seeking applications for those

three positions.

Eligibility requirements. Applicants

must be:

• A U.S. citizen residing in the

United States or a permanent United

States resident;

• A CEO or other top management

level employee of a U.S. company or

organization involved in commercial

activities between the United States and

India;

• A member of a leading business

association; and

• Not a registered foreign agent under

the Foreign Agents Registration Act of

1938 (FARA).

In reviewing eligible applicants, the

Commerce Department will consider:

• The applicant’s expertise in one of

the following business sectors in which

USICA is active: transportation and

infrastructure, and food processing and

packaging (agribusiness);

• Readiness to initiate and be

responsible for USICA activities in the

business sectors in which USICA is

active;

• Ability to contribute in light of

overall Board composition (for example,

to ensure balance in representation of

industry sectors):

• Diversity of company size, type,

location, demographics or additional

under-representation in business.

To be considered for membership,

please provide the following: name and

title of the individual requesting

consideration; name and address of the

company or organization sponsoring

each individual; company’s product or

service line; size of the company; export

experience and major markets; a brief

statement of why each candidate should

be considered for membership on the

USICA Board; the particular segment of

the business community each candidate

would represent; a personal resume; and

a statement that the applicant is not a

registered foreign agent under FARA.

Deadline: In order to receive full

consideration, requests must be received

no later than: January 20, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Please send your requests

for consideration to Richard D. Harding,

Director, Office of South Asia and

Oceania, U.S. Department of Commerce,

Room 2308, 14th St. and Constitution