Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 247 / Wednesday, December 24, 1997 / Notices 67411

‘‘International Price Program—U.S.

Export Price Indexes’’.

A copy of the proposed information

collection request (ICR) can be obtained

by contacting the individual listed

below in the ADDRESSES section of this

notice.

DATES: Written comments must be

submitted to the office listed in the

addressee section below on or before

February 23, 1998.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is

particularly interested in comments

which:

• 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;

• Evaluate the accuracy of the

agency’s estimate of the burden of the

proposed collection of information,

including the validity of the

methodology and assumptions used;

• Enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and

• 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 submissions

of responses.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Karin G.

Kurz, BLS Clearance Officer, Division of

Management Systems, Bureau of Labor

Statistics, Room 3255, 2 Massachusetts

Avenue, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20212.

Ms. Kurz can be reached on 202–606–

7628 (this is not a toll free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

The U.S. Export Price Indexes,

produced continuously by the Bureau of

Labor Statistics’ International Price

Program (IPP) since 1971, measure price

change over time for all categories of

exported products, as well as many

services. The Office of Management and

Budget has listed the Export Price

Indexes as a major economic indicator

since 1982.

The indexes are widely used in both

the public and private sectors. The

primary public sector use is deflation of

the U.S. Trade statistics and the Gross

Domestic Product; the indexes also are

used in formulating U.S. trade policy

and in trade negotiations with other

countries. In the private sector, uses of

the Export Price Indexes include market

analysis, inflation forecasting, contract

escalation, and replacement cost

accounting.

The International Price Program

indexes are viewed as a sensitive

indicator of the economic environment.

The Department of Commerce uses the

monthly statistics to produce monthly

and quarterly estimates of inflationadjusted trade flows. Without

continuation of data collection, it would

be extremely difficult to construct

accurate estimates of the U.S. Gross

Domestic Product. In addition, Federal

policy-makers in the Department of the

Treasury, the Council of Economic

Advisors, and the Federal Reserve Board

utilize these statistics on a regular basis

to improve these agencies’ formulation

and evaluation of monetary and fiscal

policy, and evaluation of the general

business environment.

II. Current Actions

The IPP continues to modernize data

collection and processing to permit

more timely release of its indexes and

to reduce reporter burden. The IPP is

using the telephone rather than personal

visits for new item initiation in limited

situations. We believe that initiation by

telephone reduces reporting burden

with no loss in response. Other

potential initiation techniques to reduce

burden being reviewed includes less

frequent sampling of more stable item

areas, use of broader item areas in

certain cases, and retention of items

initiated in previous samples. To reduce

the time required for processing new

items, direct entry of initiation data

from the field will be tested. Also, for

repricing, the use of fax telephone lines

to permit direct collection and entry

into our database is being considered. In

addition, use of the Internet for monthly

repricing is being reviewed, contingent

upon the resolution of questions relating

to the security of the data.

Type of Review: Revision of a

currently approved collection.

Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Title: International Price Program/U.S.

Export Product Information.

OMB Number: 1220–0025.

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit.

Form Total

respondents Frequency Total annualresponses

Average time

per response

(hours)

Estimated total

burden

(hours)

Form 2894B ....................................... 1613 Annually ............................................ 1,613 .75 1,210

Form 3008B ....................................... 1613 Annually ............................................ 1,613 .25 403.25

Form 3007D ...................................... 3235 Monthly, quarterly ............................. 38,540 .53 20,426.2

Total ........................................... 4848 ........................................................... 41,766 ........................ 22,039

Total Burden Cost (capital/startup):

$0.

Total Burden Cost (operating/

maintenance): $0.

Comments submitted in response to

this notice will be summarized and/or

included in the request for Office of

Management and Budget approval of the

information collection request; they also

will become a matter of public record.

Signed at Washington, D.C., this 18th day

of December, 1997.

W. Stuart Rust, Jr.,

Chief, Division of Management Systems,

Bureau of Labor Statistics.

[FR Doc. 97–33564 Filed 12–23–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–24–M

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Mine Safety and Health Administration

Fee Adjustments for Testing,

Evaluation, and Approval of Mining

Products

AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health

Administration (MSHA), Labor.

ACTION: Notice of fee adjustments.

SUMMARY: This notice revises MSHA’s

user fees for testing, evaluation, and

approval of certain products

manufactured for use in underground

mines. These fees are based on fiscal
67412 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 247 / Wednesday, December 24, 1997 / Notices

year 1997 data and reflect changes in

approval processing operations as well

as costs incurred to process approval

actions.

DATES: These fee schedules are effective

from January 1, 1998 through December

31, 1998. Approval applications

postmarked before January 1, 1998 will

be chargeable under the fee schedules as

published on December 27, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Steven J. Luzik, Chief, Approval and

Certification Center, R.R. 1, Box 251,

Triadelphia, West Virginia 26059, (304)

547–2029 or (304) 547–0400.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In general,

MSHA has computed the revised fees

based on the cost to the government to

provide testing, evaluation, and

approval of products manufactured for

use in underground mines. On May 8,

1987 (52 FR 17506), MSHA published a

final rule, 30 CFR Part 5—Fees for

Testing, Evaluation, and Approval of

Mining Products, which established the

specific procedures for fee calculation,

administration, and revisions. This

revised fee schedule is established in

accordance with the procedures of that

rule.

For a majority of the services

provided by A&CC, fees are charged on

an hourly basis. The hourly rates are

recalculated each year and published in

the Federal Register. This calculation

involves an assessment of the direct and

indirect costs associated with the

services performed. Direct costs are

based on current compensation and

benefit costs for technical and support

personnel directly involved in

providing the services. Indirect costs are

based on a proportionate share of the

cost of activities which support the

approval service, including management

and administration of the A&CC, facility

operating costs and amortization and

depreciation of facilities and equipment.

Indirect costs have been applied

uniformly in computing the hourly rates

for the various services provided.

Direct costs, however, have been

separately computed for each product

approval program. This has resulted in

the inclusion of over 100 different fee

categories being published in the annual

Federal Register notice. The intent of

this breakdown has been to establish

hourly rates which reflect as accurately

as possible the actual cost of performing

services by product type.

Experience has shown that since

1987, the year in which 30 CFR Part 5

was promulgated, there has been a

relatively small range of difference in

the separately computed direct costs for

each product approval program. The

result has been the annual publication

of an unnecessarily complicated listing

of separate hourly rates with relatively

little variation. This has undoubtedly

created confusion and frustration for

those mining product manufacturers

who submit requests for A&CC services

under more than one product category.

A&CC is simplifying the computation

of direct costs for 1998 so as to produce

a uniform hourly rate across all of the

product approval categories. This has

been accomplished by simply

calculating a weighted average direct

cost for all the services provided by

A&CC in the processing of requests for

testing, evaluation and approval of

mining products. The result is a single

hourly rate which is now uniformly

applied regardless of product type.

Programs that were previously

administered using a flat rate billing

convention will remain in the schedule

as such. See the schedule for the

appropriate flat/hourly rates.

Dated: December 18, 1997.

J. Davitt McAteer,

Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and

Health.

FEE SCHEDULE EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 1998

[(Based on FY 1997 data]

Action Title Hourly Rate Flat Rate

Testing, Evaluation, and Approval of all products ........................................................................................................... $59 ....................

30 CFR PART 15—EXPLOSIVES

12 Approval Evaluation 1 ........................................................................................................................................ 59 ....................

Permissibility Tests for Explosives:

Weigh-in ...................................................................................................................................................... .................... 462

Physical Exam: First size ........................................................................................................................... .................... 325

Chemical Analysis ...................................................................................................................................... .................... 1,977

Air Gap—Minimum Product Firing Temperature ........................................................................................ .................... 460

Air Gap—Room Temperature .................................................................................................................... .................... 352

Pendulum Friction Test .............................................................................................................................. .................... 163

Detonation Rate .......................................................................................................................................... .................... 352

Gallery Test 7 ............................................................................................................................................. .................... 7,436

Gallery Test 8 ............................................................................................................................................. .................... 5,533

Toxic Gases (Large Chamber) ................................................................................................................... .................... 805

Permissibility Tests for Sheathed Explosives:

Physical Examination ................................................................................................................................. .................... 128

Chemical Analysis ...................................................................................................................................... .................... 1,044

Gallery Test 9 ............................................................................................................................................. .................... 1,944

Gallery Test 10 ........................................................................................................................................... .................... 1,944

Gallery Test 11 ........................................................................................................................................... .................... 1,944

Gallery Test 12 ........................................................................................................................................... .................... 1,944

Drop Test .................................................................................................................................................... .................... 648

Temperature Effects/Detonation ................................................................................................................. .................... 672

Toxic Gases ................................................................................................................................................ .................... 580

14 Approval Extension ........................................................................................................................................... 59 ....................

15 Statement of Test and Evaluation (ST&E) ........................................................................................................ .................... 54

17 Statement of Test and Evaluation (ST&E) Extension ....................................................................................... .................... 54

20 Stamped Revision Acceptance (SRA)2 ............................................................................................................. .................... 403

23 Field Approval ................................................................................................................................................... .................... 103

29 Dust Collector Approval with Cert. of Performance .......................................................................................... .................... 297

40 Stamped Notification Acceptance Program (SNAP) ......................................................................................... .................... 443

40 Stamped Notification Acceptance Program (SNAP) ST&E .............................................................................. .................... 33

47 Permit—Extension of Time ............................................................................................................................... .................... 276

52 Mine Wide Monitoring System (MWMS) Barrier Classification ........................................................................ .................... 87
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 247 / Wednesday, December 24, 1997 / Notices 67413

FEE SCHEDULE EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 1998—Continued

[(Based on FY 1997 data]

Action Title Hourly Rate Flat Rate

00 Retesting for Approval as a Result of Post-Approval Product Audit 3 .............................................................. .................... ....................

1Full approval fee consists of evaluation cost plus applicable test costs.

2Fee covers SRA application accompanied by up to five documents.

3Fee based upon the approval schedule in effect at the time of retest.

Note: When testing and evaluation are required at locations other than MSHA’s premises, the applicant shall reimburse MSHA for traveling,

subsistence, and incidental expenses of MSHA’s representation in accordance with standardized government travel regulations. This reimbursement is in addition to the fees charged for evaluation and testing.

[FR Doc. 97–33584 Filed 12–23–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–43–P

NUCLEAR REGULATORY

COMMISSION

Docket No. 50–354

Atlantic City Electric Company (Hope

Creek Generating Station); Order

Approving Application Regarding

Merger Agreement Between Atlantic

Energy, Inc. (Parent of Atlantic City

Electric Company) and Delmarva

Power and Light Company

I

Atlantic City Electric Company (ACE)

and Public Service Electric and Gas

Company (PSE&G) are co-holders of

Facility Operating License No. NPF–57,

issued by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission (NRC or Commission)

pursuant to Part 50 of Title 10 of the

Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR

Part 50) for operation of the Hope Creek

Generating Station (Hope Creek). Under

the license, PSE&G is authorized to

possess, use, and operate the facility,

and ACE is authorized to possess the

facility. Hope Creek is located in Salem

County, New Jersey.

II

By application filed by ACE under

cover of a letter dated April 30, 1997,

from John H. O’Neill, Jr., of Shaw,

Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge, attorney

for ACE, supplemented by letter dated

November 7, 1997, ACE requested the

Commission’s approval, pursuant to 10

CFR 50.80, of the indirect transfer of the

license, to the extent held by ACE, that

would result from the consummation of

a merger agreement between Atlantic

Energy, Inc. (parent of ACE) and

Delmarva Power and Light Company

(DP&L). Under the merger agreement,

Atlantic Energy, Inc. and DP&L would

form a new holding company, Conectiv,

Inc., under which ACE and DP&L would

become wholly owned subsidiaries. No

direct transfer of the license would

occur. PSE&G is not involved in the

merger.

A Notice of Consideration of

Approval of Application Regarding

Proposed Corporate Restructuring was

published in the Federal Register on

December 8, 1997 (62 FR 64600), and an

Environmental Assessment and Finding

of No Significant Impact was published

in the Federal Register on December 8,

1997 (62 FR 64603).

Under 10 CFR 50.80, no license shall

be transferred, directly or indirectly,

through transfer of control of the

license, unless the Commission gives its

consent in writing. Upon review of the

information submitted in the letter and

application of April 30, 1997, and

supplement dated November 7, 1997,

the NRC staff has determined that the

proposed merger of Atlantic Energy, Inc.

and DP&L will not affect the

qualifications of ACE as a holder of the

license, and that the transfer of control

of the license for Hope Creek, to the

extent effected by the proposed merger,

is otherwise consistent with applicable

provisions of law, regulations, and

orders issued by the Commission,

subject to the conditions stated herein.

These findings are supported by a safety

evaluation dated December 18, 1997.

III

Accordingly, pursuant to Sections

161b, 161i, 161o, and 184 of the Atomic

Energy Act of 1954, as amended, 42

USC §§ 2201(b), 2201(i), 2201(o), and

2234, and 10 CFR 50.80, it is hereby

ordered that the Commission approves

the application regarding the proposed

merger of Atlantic Energy, Inc. and

DP&L subject to the following

conditions: (1) ACE shall provide the

Director of the Office of Nuclear Reactor

Regulation a copy of any application, at

the time it is filed, to transfer (excluding

grants of security interests or liens) from

ACE to its proposed parent or to any

other affiliated company, facilities for

the production, transmission, or

distribution of electric energy having a

depreciated book value exceeding 10

percent (10%) of ACE’s consolidated net

utility plant, as recorded on ACE’s

books of account; and (2) should the

merger of Atlantic Energy, Inc. and

DP&L, as described herein, not be

completed by December 31, 1998, this

Order shall become null and void,

provided, however, on application and

for good cause shown, such date is

extended.

This Order is effective upon issuance.

IV

By January 23, 1998, any person

adversely affected by this Order may file

a request for a hearing with respect to

issuance of the Order. Any person

requesting a hearing shall set forth with

particularity how that interest is

adversely affected by this Order and

shall address the criteria set forth in 10

CFR 2.714(d).

If a hearing is to be held, the

Commission will issue an order

designating the time and place of such

hearing.

The issue to be considered at any

such hearing shall be whether this

Order should be sustained.

Any request for a hearing must be

filed with the Secretary of the

Commission, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission, Washington, DC 20555–

0001, Attention: Rulemakings and

Adjudications Staff, or may be delivered

to the Commission’s Public Document

Room, The Gelman Building, 2120 L

Street, NW., Washington, DC by the

above date. Copies should be also sent

to the Office of the General Counsel and

to the Director, Office of Nuclear

Reactor Regulation, U.S. Nuclear

Regulatory Commission, Washington,

DC 20555–0001, and to John H. O’Neill,

Jr., Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge,

2300 N Street, NW., Washington, DC,

20037, attorney for ACE.

For further details with respect to this

action, see the application filed by ACE

under cover of a letter dated April 30,

1997, from John H. O’Neill, Jr., of Shaw,

Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge, as

supplemented by a letter dated

November 7, 1997, and the safety

evaluation dated December 18, 1997,

which are available for public

inspection at the Commission’s Public

Document Room, The Gelman Building,

2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC,

and at the local public document room