Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 33 / Wednesday, February 19, 1997 / Notices 7495

This should increase the efficiency of

checkpoint operations. Such

improvements should also heighten the

public’s perception of being

apprehended for drunk driving at

sobriety checkpoints.

IV. Data

OMB Number: None.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: Regular Submission.

Affected Public: Drivers who are

stopped at two sobriety checkpoint

operations in one community and who

are asked to voluntarily provide an

alcohol breath sample.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

1,500 drivers.

Estimated Time per Respondent: One

minute per respondent.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 25

hours.

Estimated Cost per Respondent:

$33.75.

V. Request for Comments

Comments are invited on: (a) The

need for the proposed collection and the

uses of the data to meet the objectives

of the study; (b) the information that

should be obtained from observations of

the drivers and officers; (c) ways to

enhance the quality, utility and clarity

of the information collected;

(d) the accuracy of the burden

estimate, and (e) ways to minimize the

burden of the collection of the

information an the respondents.

Comments submitted in response to

this notice will be summarized and/or

included in the request for OMB

approval of this information collection.

Copies of all comments will be placed

in Docket 96–133, Notice 1, in the

NHTSA Docket Section in Room 5109,

400 Seventh Street SW Washington D.C.

20590 and will become a matter of

public record.

James H. Hedlund,

Associate Administrator for Traffic Safety

Programs.

[FR Doc. 97–4059 Filed 2–18–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P

Discretionary Cooperative Agreements

to Support the Air Bag Safety

Campaign

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Announcement of discretionary

cooperative agreements to support the

Air Bag Safety Campaign.

SUMMARY: The National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTSA)

announces the availability of FY 1997

discretionary cooperative agreements to

support the Air Bag Safety Campaign.

The goal of this campaign is to inform

the public about how to maximize the

lifesaving capabilities of air bags while

minimizing the risks and to increase the

proper use of safety belts and child

safety seats. NHTSA solicits

applications from national nonprofit

organizations, having regional, state or

local chapters, for projects under this

program.

DATES: Applications must be received

on or before March 21, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Applications must be

submitted to the National Highway

Traffic Safety Administration, Office of

Contracts and Procurement (NAD–30),

ATTN: Georgeanne Moses, 400 7th

Street, S.W., Room 5301, Washington,

D.C. 20590. All applications submitted

must include a reference to NHTSA

Cooperative Agreement Program No.

DTNH–97–H–05090, and identify the

priority program area which the

application is submitted. Interested

applicants are advised that no separate

application package exists beyond the

contents of this announcement.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

General administrative questions may

be directed to Mark Kromer, Office of

Contracts and Procurement, at (202)

366–9571. Programmatic questions

relating to this cooperative agreement

program should be directed to Ms.

Cheryl Neverman, National Outreach

Division, NHTSA, Room 5130 (NTS–

22), 400 7th Street, S.W., Washington,

D.C., 20590 (202) 366–2696.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Air bags, when combined with the use

of a lap and shoulder belt, offer the most

effective combination of protection to

adults. More than 1700 lives have been

saved by air bags since the mid-1980’s.

As of July 1996, about 56 million

passenger cars and light trucks were

equipped with air bags. In five years,

more than 50 percent of the U.S. light

vehicle fleet, 125 million vehicles, will

have air bags. Beginning with model

year 1998 for passenger cars and model

year 1999 for light trucks, new vehicles

will be required to have driver and

passenger side air bags and safety belts.

As vehicle fleets are being manufactured

and sold with both driver and passenger

side air bags, concerns have arisen about

the dangers of air bags, particularly to

children age 12 and under. Some

infants, children and small stature

adults have been injured or killed in

traffic crashes by deploying air bags. In

almost all cases to date, the occupants

who died were unrestrained, incorrectly

restrained, or positioned too close to the

air bag. Since many people do not

understand how air bags work, they fail

to fully appreciate the threat air bags

may pose to some passengers.

Out of concern for the public’s safety

and the need to educate the public

about the lifesaving benefits of air bags,

a public and private partnership of

automotive manufacturers, insurance

companies, occupant restraint

manufacturers, government agencies,

health professionals, and child health

and safety organizations was created to

lead a national campaign—the Air Bag

Safety Campaign. The privately funded

Air Bag Safety Campaign, started in June

1996, is a two-year intensive education

campaign whose goal is to inform the

public about how to maximize the

lifesaving capabilities of air bags, while

minimizing the risks and to increase the

proper use of safety belts and child

safety seats. The campaign takes a threepronged approach in conveying its

messages to the American public:

1. Public Education: Development of

an intense media campaign to get the

‘‘safety belt/air bag/kids-in-back’’

message out to the public. The group

urges people to convey to their friends

and neighbors the importance that

children ride in proper places and with

proper restraints in vehicles.

2. Legislation: The campaign supports

states in upgrading safety belt and child

safety seat laws in order to increase

safety restraint use nationwide.

Currently, 11 states have ‘‘primary’’

enforcement laws, that allow police to

stop and ticket motorists who fail to

wear safety belts. Belt use in these states

is much higher than in ‘‘secondary’’ law

states where police must ticket a

motorist for another violation before

issuing a safety belt citation.

3. Enforcement: The campaign

supports high visibility enforcement of

safety belt and child safety seat laws.

This type of enforcement has proven

very effective in increasing safety

restraint use and reducing crash-related

injuries and fatalities.

The campaign is basing its activities,

in part, on experience over the past

decade. This experience has shown that

a combination of intensive public

education, well-written legislation, and

high visibility, statewide enforcement of

laws will result in an immediate and

substantial increase in public awareness

and occupant protection use. Increased

safety belt and correct child safety seat

use will significantly reduce the number

of children and adults who are injured

during air bag deployments.

Current issues and concerns for the

Air Bag Safety Campaign can be

summarized as follows:
7496 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 33 / Wednesday, February 19, 1997 / Notices

—Approximately 67% of motorists

currently use safety belts. From 1982

through 1994, an estimated 65,290 lives

were saved by safety belts and more

than 1.5 million moderate to critical

injuries were prevented. If all passenger

vehicle occupants over age 4 had worn

safety belts, an additional 9,500 lives

could have been saved in 1994.

NHTSA’s Fatal Accident Reporting

System (FARS) data indicate that 40%

of the children under age 5 who died in

fatal motor vehicle crashes were

unrestrained.

—During pre-crash braking, an

unrestrained occupant may be thrown

against the dashboard or steering wheel

in the immediate proximity of an air

bag. Air bags inflate in less than 1⁄25th

of a second—faster than a blink of an

eye. The air bag’s blast of energy can

severely injure or kill small children

and drivers who are too close to the air

bag during inflation.

—Although vehicle and child safety

seat manufacturers warn against placing

a rear-facing child safety seat on the

front seat of a vehicle with a passenger

side air bag, at least 9 children have

been killed as a result of deploying air

bags.

—As of January, 1997, NHTSA has

identified 35 crashes where the

deployment of the passenger side air bag

resulted in fatal head or neck injuries to

a child. Of these deaths, 9 were infants

in rear-facing child seats. At the time of

these crashes, almost all the other

fatally-injured children were

unrestrained or improperly restrained.

—Safety belts and child safety seats

have proven to be very effective at

reducing fatalities and serious injuries

as a result of motor vehicle crashes.

Research has shown that when correctly

used, child safety seats can reduce

fatalities among children less than 5

years of age by 71 percent. As a result,

child safety seats are one of the most

effective automotive safety innovations

ever developed. This message must be

communicated to the American public.

Since 1981, NHTSA has worked with

opinion leaders, such as physicians,

nurses, law enforcement officers,

educators, employers and civic groups,

who have motivated people through

interpersonal contacts. One of the most

effective means of educating the public

about the lifesaving benefits of occupant

protection has been through groups that

have strong national, State and local

affiliates (i.e., the American Academy of

Pediatrics, the Emergency Nurses

Association of the PTA).

Implementation of statewide programs,

including education about the

importance of occupant protection in

crash survival and support for

enforcement of safety belt and child

safety seat use laws, relies heavily on

the outreach efforts of organizations like

these.

Objectives

To help achieve the goals set by the

Air Bag Safety Campaign, NHTSA seeks

to establish cooperative efforts between

NHTSA and qualified national

organizations to educate their members

and their customers on the issues

related to air bag safety and proper

safety belt and safety seat use. Despite

the apparently high rate of child safety

seat use, many of these seats are being

misused and underused. Use of child

safety seats drops off dramatically after

age one. Due to incorrect use and

nonuse, child safety seats are not saving

as many lives and preventing as many

injuries as they should. The objectives

of this cooperative agreement program

are to gain further child injury/fatality

reductions by increasing overall use of

child passenger protection systems,

increasing correct use of child safety

seats, alerting the public to the risk of

unbuckled or incorrectly buckled

occupants (especially children) caused

by deploying air bags and enhancing

enforcement of child passenger safety

laws. The goal is not to duplicate the

efforts of the Air Bag Safety Campaign,

but to give national organizations an

opportunity to participate in short-term

activities to support efforts at the

national level. Specific objectives for

this cooperative agreement program will

complement two of the Campaign’s

approaches: Public Education and

Legislation.

1. Public education approach: The Air

Bag Safety Campaign will create a

national focus on education and

enforcement. The campaign will build

and coordinate partnerships with law

enforcement, government agencies,

health and safety organizations,

corporations and community groups.

The intense, ongoing activity of the

campaign will peak each year with a

focused effort to educate and mobilize

the nation. Outreach activities by public

safety officials would include safety

checkpoints in every state in the Spring

of each year. Sate and local law

enforcement agencies, with the support

of governors, mayors and communities,

will conduct these safety checkpoints—

not to give tickets in most cases, but to

give drivers the information they need

to keep themselves and their families

safe within their motor vehicles. Other

ongoing activities—announcements in

schools and churches, tray liners in fast

food restaurants, materials in

physicians’ offices, corporate outreach

to employees and customers will

complement this public safety

education and enforcement effort. A

strategy of the public education

approach is to get as much media

coverage as possible. Involving key

elected officials when conducting major

events and activities will get the media

to cover the issue and provide the

information to a greater number of

people.

2. Legislation approach: The

campaign’s network of businesses,

corporations, associations, churches,

law enforcement, schools, and

children’s advocacy groups will support

state and local efforts to upgrade

occupant protection laws and provide

for primary enforcement of safety belt

laws. Other upgrades could include

closing gaps in child protection laws

and providing for driver license demerit

points and higher fines. Nine states have

been identified by the Legislative

Coordinating Council of the Air Bag

Safety Campaign for funding campaigns

to upgrade their occupant protection

laws. The Council proposes funding for

9 priority states: Arizona, Illinois,

Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri,

New Jersey, Ohio and Oklahoma. The

specific approach will be decided on a

state-by-state basis. The level of

assistance, where and how it is applied,

leadership responsibility, and the

structure of the state coalitions will be

designed to fit specific state conditions.

Specific Agreement Objective: The

applicant shall choose to conduct a

project complementing either or both of

the approaches. The applicant shall

draw on the above ideas and develop a

proposal to extent the campaign to its

members and to its members’ customers.

A proposal including a legislative

project shall describe the planned

approach in the 9 targeted states and

any other states, and identify strategies

to achieve the legislative proposal.

NHTSA Involvement

The National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration (NHTSA), Office of

Communications and Outreach,

National Organization’s Division (NOD),

will be involved in all activities

undertaken as part of the cooperative

agreement program and will:

1. Provide a Contracting Officer’s

Technical Representative (COTR) to

participate in the planning and

management of the cooperative

agreement and to coordinate activities

between the organizations and the NOD

and TSP;

2. Provide information and technical

assistance from government sources,

within available resources and as

determined appropriate by the COTR;
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 33 / Wednesday, February 19, 1997 / Notices 7497

3. Provide liaison to the Air Bag

Safety Campaign and with other

government and private agencies as

appropriate; and

4. Stimulate the exchange of ideas and

information among cooperative

agreement recipients through periodic

meetings.

Period of Support

Cooperative agreements may be

awarded for a period of (1) year. The

application for the funding period (12

months) should address what is

proposed and can be accomplished

during that period.

Anticipated funding level for six FY

1997 projects will be $40,000 each,

totaling $240,000. Federal funds should

be viewed as seed money to assist

organizations in the development of

traffic safety initiatives. Monies

allocated for cooperative agreements are

not intended to cover all of the costs

that will be incurred in the process of

completing the projects. Applicants

should demonstrate a commitment of

financial or in-kind resources to support

the proposed projects.

Eligibility Requirements

In order to be eligible to participate in

this cooperative agreement program, a

national nonprofit organization must

meet the following requirements:

—have an established membership

structure with regional, state or local

chapters throughout the country having

a mechanism for disseminating and

coordinating project efforts at the local

level.

—have in place a schedule of regular/

National/regional or state conferences or

conventions, and one or more

communication mechanisms that can be

used for motivating members and other

constituents to become involved in

occupant protection at the State and

local levels.

Application Procedure

Each applicant must submit one

original and two copies of their

application package to: NHTSA, Office

of Contracts and Procurement (NAD–

30), ATTN: Georgeanne Moses, 400 7th

Street, S.W., Room 5301, Washington,

D.C. 20590. Applications are due no

later than 30 days after the appearance

of this announcement in the Federal

Register. Only complete application

packages received by the due date shall

be considered. Submission of four

additional copies will expedite

processing, but is not required.

Applications must be typed on one side

of the page only. Applications must

include a reference to NHTSA

Cooperative Agreement Program No.

DTNH22–97–H–05090. The Applicant

shall specifically identify any

information in the application for which

confidentiality is requested, in

accordance with the procedures of 49

CFR Part 512, Confidential Business

Information.

Application Contents

The application package must be

submitted with OMB Standard Form

424 (Rev. 4–88, including 424A and

425B), Application for Federal

Assistance, with the required

information filled in and the certified

assurances included. While the Form

424–A deals with budget information,

and section B identifies Budget

Categories, the available space does not

permit a level of detail which is

sufficient to provide for a meaningful

evaluation of the proposed costs. A

supplemental sheet should be provided

which presents a detailed breakdown of

the proposed costs, as well as any costs

which the applicant proposes to

contribute in support of this effort. Also

included shall be a program narrative

statement which addresses the

following:

1. A description of the project to be

pursued which addresses:

a. A summary describing the

organizational membership,

customers and purpose;

b. an explanation demonstrating the

need for assistance;

c. the goals, objectives, and the

anticipated results and benefits of

the project (supporting

documentation from concerned

interests other than the applicant

can be used.)

d. the method or methods that will be

used;

e. identify the kinds of data to be

collected and maintained, and

discusses the criteria to be used to

evaluate the results.

e. any relevant data based on planning

studies should be included or

footnoted.

f. describe any unusual features, such as

design or technological innovations,

reductions in cost or time, or

extraordinary social/community

involvement;

2. Provide quantitative projections of

the accomplishments to be achieved, if

possible, or list the activities in

chronological order to show the

schedule or accomplishments and their

target dates.

3. The proposed program director and

other key personnel identified for

participation in the proposed project

effort, including a description of their

qualifications, the nature of their

contribution, and their respective

organizational responsibilities.

4. A description of the applicant’s

previous experience or on-going

program(s) that is (are) related to this

proposed program effort.

5. A detailed breakdown of the

proposed costs, as well as any costs

which the applicant proposes to

contribute in support of this effort.

6. A statement of any technical

assistance which the applicant may

require of NHTSA in order to

successfully complete the proposed

project.

Review Process and Criteria

Initially, all applications will be

reviewed to confirm that they contain

all of the information required by the

Applications Contents section of this

notice.

Each complete application from an

eligible recipient will then be evaluated

by a Technical Evaluation Committee.

The applications will be evaluated and

ranked using the following criteria:

1. Technical Approach to Achieving

Project Objectives

The reasonableness, completeness,

clarity and feasibility of the proposer’s

approach to achieving the objectives of

this demonstration and evaluation

project. This involves a comprehensive

understanding of the issues associated

with child occupant protection, such as

proper safety belt and child safety seat

use, and the lifesaving capabilities of air

bags, a detailing of project objectives,

and an identification and selection of

potential obstacles, problems and

critical political issues related to

successful completion of the project.

The applicant’s understanding of the

purpose and unique problems

represented by the Campaign objectives

of this cooperative agreement program

as evidenced in the description of its

proposed project planning,

implementation, and evaluation effort.

The technical of the proposed effort,

including the feasibility of the

approach, practicality, planned

methodology, anticipate results. The

likelihood that the proposed effort will

make a significant contribution to the

number of people made aware of the

lifesaving benefits of automatic crash

protection and increase the number of

people properly using safety belts and

child safety seats.

2. Qualifications of Project Personnel

and Facilities

The adequacy of the qualifications

and experience of the professional team,

the various disciplines represented, and

the relative level of effort proposed for
7498 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 33 / Wednesday, February 19, 1997 / Notices

1A copy of this list may be obtained by

contacting Ms. Neila Sheahan, Assistant General

Counsel, at 202/619–5030, and the address in Room

700, U.S. Information Agency, 301 4th Street, SW.,

Washington, DC 20547–0001.

professional, technical, contractual, and

support staff. The expertise, both

general and project related, education

level, and availability of key project

professional and technical personnel as

evidenced by resumes and descriptions

of past experience provided.

Demonstrated evidence of specialized

qualifications including knowledge of

the proper use of safety belts and child

safety seats. Key personnel include the

project director, statistician,

programmer, research assistants, and

consultants. The adequacy of the

facilities, equipment, and other

resources identified to accomplish the

proposed effort.

3. Project Planning and Scheduling

The completeness and realism of the

proposer’s plan for accomplishing the

demonstration and evaluation within

the guidelines and timeframe

established in the notice. Another

reasonable timeframe may be acceptable

to the Government, but it must be

justified. Realistic project components

or milestones should be in evidence in

the schedule.

4. Conformance with Methodological

and Funding Guidelines

The demonstration of ability and

intent to meet the basic guidelines and

restrictions detailed in the notice in the

conduct of the project. If certain

guidelines cannot be met, reasonable

justifications are given. Financial merit

will be estimated by the cost to be borne

by NHTSA and the in-kind contribution

provided by the applicant as compared

to the anticipated benefits.

Terms and Conditions of Award

1. Prior to award, the recipient must

comply with the certification

requirements of 49 CFR Part 29—

Department of Transportation

Government-wide Debarment and

Suspension (Nonprocurement) and

Government-wide Requirements for

Drug-Free Workplace (Grants)

2. During the effective period of the

cooperative agreement(s) awarded as a

result of this notice, the agreement(s)

shall be subject to NHTSA’s General

Provisions for Assistance Agreements;

the cost principles of OMB Circular A–

122, or FAR 31.2, as applicable to the

recipient, and the requirements of 49

CFR Part 29. Each agreement with a

non-profit organization or an

educational institution shall also be

subject to the general administrative

requirements of 49 CFR Part 19.

Reporting Requirements

1. The recipient shall submit quarterly

reports documenting project efforts to

date, suitable for public dissemination,

within 15 days after the end of each

quarter, and a final report summarizing

the project effort by completion of the

project. An original and three copies of

each of these reports shall be submitted

to the COTR.

2. The recipient may be requested to

conduct an oral presentation of project

activities for the COTR and other

interested NHTSA personnel. For

planning purposes, assume that these

presentations will be conducted at the

NHTSA Office of Communications and

Outreach, Washington, D.C. An original

and three copies of briefing materials

shall be submitted to the COTR.

Dated: February 13, 1997.

James H. Hedlund,

Associate Administrator for Traffic Safety

Programs.

[FR Doc. 97–4063 Filed 2–18–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–M

Surface Transportation Board

[STB Docket No. AB–167 (Sub-No. 1176X)]

Consolidated Rail Corporation;

Abandonment Exemption; in Wicomico

County, MD

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.

ACTION: Notice of exemption.

SUMMARY: Under 49 U.S.C. 10502, the

Board exempts from the requirements of

49 U.S.C. 10903 the abandonment by

Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail)

of: (1) The portion of its Mardella

Industrial Track extending from

milepost 40.80± to the junction with

Conrail’s Delmarva Secondary at

milepost 42.00±, near Salisbury, MD;

and (2) its Mill Street Industrial Track

extending from the connection with the

Mardella Industrial Track at milepost

0.00± to milepost 0.60±, near Salisbury,

subject to standard labor protective

conditions.

DATES: The exemption will be effective

March 21, 1997 unless stayed or a

statement of intent to file an offer of

financial assistance (OFA) is filed.

Statements of intent to file an OFA

under 49 CFR 1152.27(b)(2) must be

filed by March 3, 1997; petitions to stay

must be filed by March 6, 1997; requests

for a public use condition under 49 CFR

1152.28 and requests for a notice of

interim trail use/rail banking under 49

CFR 1152.29 must be filed by March 11,

1997; and petitions to reopen must be

filed by March 17, 1997.

ADDRESSES: An original and 10 copies of

all pleadings referring to STB Docket

No. AB–167 (Sub-No. 1176X) must be

filed with: Office of the Secretary, Case

Control Branch, Surface Transportation

Board, 1201 Constitution Avenue, N.W.,

Washington, DC 20423; a copy of all

pleadings must be served on petitioner’s

representative: John J. Paylor, Associate

General Counsel, Consolidated Rail

Corporation, 2001 Market St.—16A,

Philadelphia, PA 19101–1416.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Joseph H. Dettmar, (202) 927–5660.

[TDD for the hearing impaired: (202)

927–5721.]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Additional information is contained in

the Board’s decision. To purchase a

copy of the full decision, write to, call,

or pick up in person from: DC NEWS &

DATA, INC., 1201 Constitution Avenue,

N.W., Room 2229, Washington, DC

20423. Telephone: (202) 289–4357/

4359. [Assistance for the hearing

impaired is available through TDD

services (202) 927–5721.]

Decided: February 10, 1997.

By the Board, Chairman Morgan and Vice

Chairman Owen.

Vernon A. Williams,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 97–4058 Filed 2–18–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4915–00–P

UNITED STATES INFORMATION

AGENCY

Culturally Significant Objects Imported

for Exhibition; Determinations

Notice is hereby given of the

following determinations: Pursuant to

the authority vested in me by the Act of

October 19, 1965 (79 Stat. 985, 22 U.S.C.

2459), Executive Order 12047 of March

27, 1978 (43 FR 13359, March 29, 1978),

and Delegation Order No. 85–5 of June

27, 1985 (50 FR 27393, July 2, 1985), I

hereby determine that the objects to be

included in the exhibit, ‘‘Rodin and

Michelangelo’’ (See list 1), imported

from abroad for the temporary

exhibition without profit within the

United States, are of cultural

significance. These objects are imported

pursuant to a loan agreement with the

foreign lenders. I also determine that the

exhibition or display of the listed

exhibit objects at The Philadelphia

Museum of Art from on or about March

30, 1997, through June 22, 1997, is in

the national interest. Public Notice of

these determinations is ordered to be

published in the Federal Register.