Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 33 / Wednesday, February 19, 1997 / Notices 7443

or other forms of information

technology.

D. What are the estimated (1) Total

dollar amount annualized for capital

and start-up costs, and (2) recurring

annual dollar amount of operation,

maintenance, and purchase of service

costs associated with this data

collection? The estimates should take

into account the costs associated with

generating, maintaining, and disclosing

or providing the information. Estimates

should not include purchases of

equipment or services made as part of

customary and usual business practices,

or the cost of any burden hours for

completing the form. EIA estimates that

there are no additional costs other than

those that the respondent incurs in

keeping the information for its own

uses.

E. Do you know of any other Federal,

State, or local agency that collects

similar data? If you do, specify the

agency, the data element(s), and the

methods of collection.

As a Potential User

A. Can you use data at the levels of

detail indicated on the Form EIA–851

and EIA–858?

B. For what purpose would you use

the data? Be specific.

C. Are there alternate sources of data

and do you use them? If so, what are

their deficiencies and/or strengths?

Comments submitted in response to

this notice will be summarized and/or

included in the request for OMB

approval of the form. They also will

become a matter of public record.

Statutory Authority: Section 3506 (c)(2)(A)

of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

(Pub. L. 104–13).

Issued in Washington, DC, February 12,

1997.

Lynda T. Carlson,

Director, Office of Statistical Standards,

Energy Information Administration.

[FR Doc. 97–4017 Filed 2–18–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

Agency Information Collection Under

Review by the Office of Management

and Budget

AGENCY: Energy Information

Administration, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Submission for OMB Review;

Comment Request.

SUMMARY: The Energy Information

Administration (EIA) has submitted the

‘‘Residential Energy Consumption

Survey’’ (RECS) (Forms EIA–457A/G) to

the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB) for clearance under the

provisions of the Paperwork Reduction

Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35). Notice of this

submission was published in the

Federal Register on January 21, 1997

(62 FR 3031). This notice supplements

the earlier notice. Unless additional

funding is made available, it will be

necessary to delete the Low Income

Home Energy Assistance Program

(LIHEAP) questions (questions K–1

through K–3). The target sample will

also be reduced from 5,800 cases to

5,000. If necessary, this decrease in the

target sample will reduce the annual

burden by 290 hours from 2,005 to

1,715.

DATES: Comments must be filed on or

before February 20, 1997. If you

anticipate that you will be submitting

comments but find it difficult to do so

within the time allowed by this notice,

you should advise the OMB DOE Desk

Officer listed below of your intention to

do so as soon as possible. The Desk

Officer may be telephoned at (202) 395–

3084. (Also, please notify the EIA

contact listed below.)

ADDRESSES: Address comments to the

Department of Energy Desk Officer,

Office of Information and Regulatory

Affairs, Office of Management and

Budget, 726 Jackson Place, NW,

Washington, DC 20503. (Comments

should also be addressed to the Office

of Statistical Standards at the address

below.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information

should be directed to Jay Casselberry,

Office of Statistical Standards, (EI–70),

Forrestal Building, U.S. Department of

Energy, Washington, DC 20585. Mr.

Casselberry may be telephoned at (202)

426–1116, FAX (202) 426–1081, or email at jcasselb@eia.doe.gov.

Statutory Authority: Section 3506(c)(2)(A)

of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

(Pub. L. No. 104–13).

Issued in Washington, DC February 12,

1997.

Lynda T. Carlson,

Director, Office of Statistical Standards,

Energy Information Administration.

[FR Doc. 97–4016 Filed 2–18–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

Office of Energy Research

Energy Research Financial Assistance

Program Notice 97–10; Microbial

Genome Program

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice inviting grant

applications.

SUMMARY: The Office of Health and

Environmental Research (OHER) of the

Office of Energy Research, U.S.

Department of Energy (DOE), hereby

announces its interest in receiving

applications for grants in support of the

Microbial Genome Program (MGP). The

MGP focus is on developing and using

high-throughput microbial genome

sequencing that will provide functional

genomic sequence and mapping

information on microorganisms: with

environmental or energy relevance; of

phylogenetic significance; and of

potential commercial importance and

application. Bioinformatics tools

relating to complete genomic sequences

are also of importance to the MGP.

DATES: Preapplications referencing

Program Notice 97–10 should be

received by March 24, 1997. Formal

applications in response to this notice

should be received by 4:30 p.m., E.D.T.,

June 9, 1997, to be accepted for merit

review and funding in early FY 1998.

ADDRESSES: Preapplications referencing

Program Notice 97–10 should be sent to

Dr. Marvin E. Frazier, Office of Health

and Environmental Research, ER–72,

Office of Energy Research, U.S.

Department of Energy, 19901

Germantown Road, Germantown, MD

20874–1290; e-mail is acceptable for

submitting preapplications using the

following address:

lana.ahalt@oer.doe.gov. Formal

applications referencing Program Notice

97–10 should be forwarded to: U.S.

Department of Energy, Office of Energy

Research, Grants and Contracts

Division, ER–64, 19901 Germantown

Road, Germantown, MD 20874–1290,

ATTN: Program Notice 97–10. This

address must be used when submitting

applications by U.S. Postal Service

Express Mail or any commercial mail

delivery service, or when hand-carried

by the applicant.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.

Marvin E. Frazier, ER–72, Office of

Health and Environmental Research,

Office of Energy Research, U.S.

Department of Energy, 19901

Germantown Road, Germantown, MD

20874–1290, telephone: (301) 903–5468,

e-mail: lana.ahalt@oer.doe.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Molecular

biological research on industrially

important microorganisms and on

microorganisms that live in extreme

environments (including the deep

subsurface, geothermal environments,

hypersaline environments, frozen

environments, and toxic waste sites) is

a developing area of great scientific

promise that will impact many DOE

missions, other federal agency missions,

and U.S. industry. The Microbial

Genome Program supports key DOE

business areas by providing microbial
7444 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 33 / Wednesday, February 19, 1997 / Notices

DNA sequence information that will

further the understanding and

application of microbial biology relating

to energy production, chemical and

materials production, and

environmental cleanup. The exploration

of microbial genomic sequence diversity

is a natural outgrowth of past and

current Biological and Environmental

Research (BER) Programs, including

chromosome mapping and DNA

sequencing from the Human Genome

Program, structural biology studies

utilizing BER-supported facilities and

synchrotrons located at DOE

laboratories, and molecular

microbiological research supported by

BER environmental programs. The MGP

benefits directly from capabilities at

DOE national laboratories, DOE and

National Institutes of Health Human

Genome Centers, the DOE and NIH

Genome Data Base (GDB), and

university capabilities, including the

DOE-sponsored Subsurface Microbial

Culture Collection and the DOE Genome

Sequence Data Base (GSDB). The MGP

represents a considerable

interdisciplinary effort and will

contribute to and draw from a wide

variety of public and private programs.

Applications are being sought in three

complementary areas: genomic

sequencing, functional analysis, and

bioinformatics. Each application must

clearly state which area is being

addressed; if an applicant wishes to

address more than one area, the

application must clearly describe the

expected advantages of an integrated

approach.

1. Genomic Sequencing.

The DOE intends to continue its

support of one or two laboratories that

will completely sequence carefully

selected microbial genomes. Applicants

must demonstrate that they can apply

the most recent, high-throughput

technology cost-effectively to the

production of sequence data and show

that they can adequately and efficiently

accumulate, store and disseminate those

data for future interpretation and

application. A commitment to and a

plan for making the sequence data

publicly available by deposition into an

accessible sequence database (GenBank

and GSDB) within three months of data

acquisition and annotation must be

included in the Project Description.

Preference will be given to those

applicants that demonstrate well

developed plans for selecting candidates

for DNA sequencing. Candidate

microorganisms may include, but are

not limited to, bacteria and archaea that

mediate or catalyze metabolic events of

energy or environmental importance.

Strict pathogens or parasites will not be

considered. Applicants are encouraged

to create process- and cost-effective

partnerships that will maximize

sequence data production and analysis,

data dissemination, and progress

towards understanding basic biological

mechanisms that can further the

development of biotechnology. It is

anticipated that one or two major

awards will be made to conduct

microbial genome sequencing for a total

of $3 to 4 million in FY 1998.

Many microorganisms that are closely

related by means of phylogenetic

measures (e.g., 16S rRNA comparisons)

display dramatic differences in

phenotypic characteristics. Such

differences can be chromosomal in

origin, or they can be due to

extrachromosomal genetic elements.

DOE is interested in technologies that

could exploit the completed sequence of

one microorganism to efficiently

determine the sequence of a related

taxon, without resequencing the entire

genome of the related organism de novo.

New technologies up to the proof-ofprinciple stage are eligible for support,

and it is estimated that between two and

four awards for a total of $500,000 to $1

million could be available in FY 1998.

2. Functional Analysis

It is presently difficult, and in many

instances impossible, to predict

biological function from genomic

sequence data. Better methods are

needed to identify open reading frames

and predict their function. This is

especially true for environmental

isolates and for environmental

microorganisms that cannot yet be

cultured. Accordingly, applications are

requested that will address these and

related needs in the area of predicting

biological function. It is estimated that

between two and four awards for a total

of $1 to $2 million could be available for

this area in FY 1998.

3. Bioinformatics

It is estimated that by June, 1997,

completed genomic sequences of five or

six archaea and bacteria (Mycoplasma

genitalium, Methanococcus jannaschii,

Methanobacterium

thermoautotrophicum, Archaeoglobus

fulgidus, Pyrococcus furiosus, and

Aquifex sp. strain VF5) will be publicly

available, as a direct result of DOE

Microbial Genome Program funding. In

addition, completed sequences for

Haemophilus influenzae,

Saccharomyces cerevisae, and

Synechocystis sp. strain PCC6803 are

also now publicly available, and by

June, 1997, Escherichia coli,

Helicobacter pylori, and Borrelia

burgdorferii genomic sequences should

also be publicly available (all funded by

other sources). This unprecedented

explosion of genetic information, along

with the anticipated increase in other

genomic sequence data that will occur

over the next year, has underscored the

need for better approaches and tools for

comparing and analyzing this rapidly

increasing volume of data. Accordingly,

applications are requested that will

propose ways in which data from all

databases can be accessed, analyzed,

compared, updated, verified, and

annotated. It is anticipated that between

two and four awards for a total of $1 to

$2 million could be available for this

area in FY 1998.

Potential applicants are strongly

encouraged to submit a brief

preapplication that consists of two to

three pages of narrative describing the

research objectives and method of

accomplishment. Preapplications will

be reviewed relative to the scope and

research needs of the BER Microbial

Genome Program, as outlined in the

summary paragraph and in the

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. Principal

investigator telephone number, FAX

number, and e-mail address are required

as part of the preapplication. A response

to each preapplication discussing the

potential programmatic relevance of a

formal application will be

communicated to the Principal

Investigator within 14 to 21 days of

receipt.

It is anticipated that approximately $7

million will be available for all MGP

awards, five to ten awards are

anticipated, contingent on availability of

appropriated funds in FY 1998.

Multiple year funding is expected, also

contingent on availability of funds and

progress of the research. Previous

awards have ranged from $200,000 to $2

million per year with terms of one to

three years.

Applications will be subjected to

formal merit review (peer review) and

will be evaluated against the following

evaluation criteria which are listed in

descending order of importance codified

at 10 CFR 605.10(d):

1. Scientific and/or Technical Merit of

the Project;

2. Appropriateness of the Proposed

Method or Approach;

3. Competency of Applicant’s personnel

and Adequacy of Proposed

Resources;

4. Reasonableness and Appropriateness

of the Proposed Budget.

The evaluation will include program

policy factors such as the relevance of

the proposed research to the terms of

the announcement and an agency’s
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 33 / Wednesday, February 19, 1997 / Notices 7445

programmatic needs. Note, external peer

reviewers are selected with regard to

both their scientific expertise and the

absence of conflict-of-interest issues.

Non-federal reviewers will often be

used, and submission of an application

constitutes agreement that this is

acceptable to the investigator(s) and the

submitting institution.

The Office of Energy Research (ER), as

part of its grant regulations, requires at

10 CFR 605.11(b) that a grantee funded

by ER and performing research

involving recombinant DNA molecules

shall comply with the National

Institutes of Health ‘‘Guidelines for

Research Involving Recombinant DNA

Molecules’’ (51 FR 16958, May 7, 1986),

or such later guidelines as may be

published in the Federal Register. The

Project Description must be 30 pages or

less, exclusive of attachments. It must

contain an abstract or project summary,

letters of intent from collaborators, and

short curriculum vitaes consistent with

NIH guidelines.

To provide a consistent format for the

submission, review and solicitation of

grant applications submitted under this

notice, the preparation and submission

of grant applications must follow the

guidelines given in the Application

Guide for the Office of Energy Research

Financial Assistance Program 10 CFR

Part 605. Access to ER’s Financial

Assistance Application Guide is

possible via the World Wide Web at:

http://www.er.doe.gov/production/

grants/grants.html.

Other useful web sites include:

MGP Home Page—http://

www.er.doe.gov/production/oher/

EPR/migltop.html

GenBank Home Page—http://

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

GSDB Home Page—http://

www.ncgr.org/gsdb/

Human Genome Home Page—http://

www.ornl.gov/hgmis

The Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance Number for this program is

81.049, and the solicitation control number is

ERFAP 10 CFR Part 605.

Issued in Washington, DC, on February 12,

1997.

John Rodney Clark,

Associate Director for Resource Management,

Office of Energy Research.

[FR Doc. 97–4015 Filed 2–18–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

[Docket No. CP97–239–000]

ANR Pipeline Company; Notice of

Request Under Blanket Authorization

February 12, 1997.

Take notice that on February 10, 1997,

ANR Pipeline Company (ANR), 500

Renaissance Center, Detroit, Michigan

48243, filed a request with the

Commission in Docket No. CP97–239–

000, pursuant to Sections 157.205, and

157.211 of the Commission’s

Regulations under the Natural Gas Act

(NGA) for authorization to operate

under the provisions of Section 7(c) of

the NGA an existing interconnection in

Harper County, Oklahoma, that has been

constructed pursuant to Section 311 of

the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978

(NGPA) authorized in blanket certificate

issued in Docket Nos. CP82–480–000

and CP88–532–000, all as more fully set

forth in the request on file with the

Commission and open to public

inspection.

ANR seeks authorization to operate a

previously constructed interconnection

(KansOk Interconnection) with the

pipeline system of Kansok Partnership

(KansOk), constructed in October, 1994.

The facilities consist of a hot tap and

tie-in assembly located on ANR’s

existing 20-inch pipeline. The facilities

were originally constructed at a cost of

approximately $29,000, for which ANR

was fully reimbursed by KansOk. ANR

delivers natural gas at this

interconnection ‘‘on behalf of’’ KansOk

for the account of MarGasCo

Partnership. The KansOk

Interconnection was reported in ANR’s

1994 Annual Report of NGPA Section

311 construction in Docket No. CP95–

370–000.

Any person or the Commission’s staff

may, within 45 days after the

Commission has issued this notice, file

pursuant to Rule 214 of the

Commission’s Procedural Rules (18 CFR

385.214) a motion to intervene or notice

of intervention and pursuant to

§ 157.205 of the Regulations under the

NGA (18 CFR 157.205) a protest to the

request. If no protest is filed within the

allowed time, the proposed activity

shall be deemed to be authorized

effective the day after the time allowed

for filing a protest. If a protest is filed

and not withdrawn within 30 days after

the time allowed for filing a protest, the

instant request shall be treated as an

application for authorization pursuant

to Section 7 of the NGA.

Lois D. Cashell,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 97–3974 Filed 2–18–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M

[Docket No. RP97–207–001]

Distrigas of Massachusetts

Corporation; Notice of Compliance

Filing

February 12, 1997.

Take notice that on February 10, 1997,

Distrigas of Massachusetts Corporation

(DOMAC) tendered for filing in

accordance with Order No. 582

compliance tariff sheets to its FERC Gas

Tariff, First Revised Volume No. 1, as

specified in the letter order issued in

this proceeding on January 24, 1997.

Any person desiring to protest said

filing should file a protest with the

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,

888 First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C.

20426, in accordance with Section

385.211 of the Commission’s Rules and

Regulations. All such protests must be

filed in accordance with Section

154.210 of the Commission’s

Regulations. Protests will be considered

by the Commission in determining the

appropriate action to be taken, but will

not serve to make protestants parties to

the proceeding. Copies of this filing are

on file with the Commission and are

available for public inspection in the

public reference room.

Lois D. Cashell,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 97–3980 Filed 2–18–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M

[Docket No. CP97–240–000]

East Tennessee Natural Gas Company;

Notice of Request Under Blanket

Authorization

February 12, 1997.

Take notice that on February 10, 1997,

East Tennessee Natural Gas Company

(East Tennessee), P.O. Box 2511,

Houston, Texas 77252, filed in Docket

No. CP97–240–000 a request pursuant to

§§ 157.205 and 157.212 of the

Commission’s Regulations under the

Natural Gas Act (18 CFR 157.205,

157.212) for authorization to construct a

new delivery point to provide

interruptible natural gas transportation

service to the Virginia Gas Distribution

Company (Virginia Gas), a local

distribution company, under East

Tennessee’s blanket certificate issued in

Docket No. CP82–412–000 pursuant to

Section 7 of the Natural Gas Act, all as