8224 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 36 / Monday, February 24, 1997 / Notices

waive the requirement for public

consultation to the extent that public

participation in the approval process

would defeat the purpose of the

information collection, violate State or

Federal law, or substantially interfere

with any agency’s ability to perform its

statutory obligations. The Director of the

Information Resources Management

Group publishes this notice containing

proposed information collection

requests prior to submission of these

requests to OMB. Each proposed

information collection, grouped by

office, contains the following: (1) Type

of review requested, e.g., new, revision,

extension, existing or reinstatement; (2)

Title; (3) Summary of the collection; (4)

Description of the need for, and

proposed use of, the information; (5)

Respondents and frequency of

collection; and (6) Reporting and/or

Recordkeeping burden. OMB invites

public comment at the address specified

above. Copies of the requests are

available from Patrick J. Sherrill at the

address specified above.

Dated: February 18, 1997.

Gloria Parker,

Director, Information Resources Management

Group.

Office of Bilingual Education and

Minority Languages and Affairs

Type of Review: REINSTATEMENT.

Title: Biennial Report Form for the

Emergency Immigrant Education

Program.

Frequency: Biennially.

Affected Public: State, Local or Tribal

Gov’t, SEAs or LEAs.

Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden:

Responses: 944.

Burden Hours: 5,620.

Abstract: This form is used by State

educational agencies to submit a

biennial report to the Secretary

concerning expenditures of EIEP funds

by their local educational agencies as

well as national origin of immigrant

children served under the Emergency

Immigrant Education Act (Title VI of

Public Law 98–511, 20 U.S.C. 4101–

4108, as amended by Pub. L. 103–382,

20 U.S.C. 7541–7549).

[FR Doc. 97–4411 Filed 2–21–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Research

Energy Research Financial Assistance

Program Notice 97–09:

Biotechnological Investigations—

Ocean Margin Program (BI–OMP)

AGENCY: Office of Energy Research, U.S.

Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice inviting research grant

applications.

SUMMARY: The Office of Health and

Environmental Research (OHER) of the

Office of Energy Research, U.S.

Department of Energy (DOE) announces

its interest in receiving research

applications involving the use of

molecular biological and

biogeochemical techniques to

understand the linkages between coastal

carbon and nitrogen cycles (primary

production and microbial processes) in

the Northern and Temperate latitudes.

This information is crucial to the

responses of ocean margin ecosystems

to atmospheric radiative budgets and

global biogeochemical cycles.

Specifically, DOE seeks applications to:

• Apply new and innovative

techniques in marine molecular biology

and marine biotechnology to assess

fixation of carbon dioxide from the

atmosphere, determine the mechanisms

and processes that control the dynamics

of nitrogen fixation or denitrification in

coastal waters and sediments, define the

coupling and/or decoupling of carbon

and nitrogen cycles in coastal

environments, and determine the

linkages between the function and

structure of microbial communities

mediating carbon and nitrogen cycling

in coastal environments, and

• Examine the environmental factors

(including nutrient availability,

temperature, irradiance, and biopolymer

lability) that affect the linkages between

primary productivity, the utilization of

particulate and dissolved organic matter

(POM and DOM) by bacterial

populations, and nitrogen cycling in

coastal areas.

Applications must involve mutually

collaborative partnerships between

institutions with a strong tradition of

research in marine sciences and those

institutions with developing research

capabilities in marine science.

Partnerships are particularly encouraged

with institutions that traditionally have

served groups underrepresented in the

sciences. The goals of such collaborative

research projects are to enhance the

research capabilities of both

institutions, to promote significant

interactions between institutions, and to

foster long term collaboration among

investigators.

DATES: To permit timely consideration

for awards in Fiscal Year 1997 and early

Fiscal Year 1998, formal applications

submitted in response to this notice

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

May 6, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Formal applications

referencing Program Notice 97–09

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 97–09. This

address also must be used when

submitting applications by U.S. Postal

Service Express Mail or any commercial

mail delivery service, or when handcarried by the applicant.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.

Anna Palmisano, Environmental

Sciences Division, ER–74, Office of

Health and Environmental Research,

Office of Energy Research, U.S.

Department of Energy, 19901

Germantown Road, Germantown, MD

20874–1290, telephone (301) 903–4183,

e-mail anna.palmisano@oer.doe.gov, fax

(301) 903–8519.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

primary research goal of the

Biotechnological Investigations—Ocean

Margin Program is to establish a more

thorough understanding of the

molecular to global scale links and

feedback mechanisms between solar

irradiance, marine microbial activity,

primary productivity, carbon and

nitrogen cycles and remotely-sensed

ocean color data. This information is

crucial to understanding the responses

of marine biological systems to changes

in atmospheric radiative budgets and

global biogeochemical cycles.

Program Relationships

The Biotechnological Investigations—

Ocean Margins Program is expected to

build on past research results and

accomplishments within the Ocean

Margins Program (OMP) component of

the Biological and Environmental

Research (BER) program. The main

objective of OMP was determining

whether primary productivity on

continental shelves is quantitatively

significant in removing carbon dioxide

(CO2.) from the atmosphere. Other

objectives of the OMP were: (1)

Quantifying the ecological and

biogeochemical processes that affect the

cycling, flux, and storage of carbon and

other biogenic elements at the land/

ocean interface; and (2) Defining ocean

margin sources and sinks in global

biogeochemical cycles.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 36 / Monday, February 24, 1997 / Notices 8225

Under the OMP, molecular biological

techniques were developed, adapted,

and applied to determine how biological

processes are regulated and controlled

by genetic limitations and

environmental variables. Research

emphasis was placed on molecular

regulation of photosynthetic carbon

reduction by phytoplankton; molecular

diagnostic markers of bacterial growth,

production, and nutrient limitations to

growth, and; molecular techniques for

elucidating metabolic pathways.

Biotechnological Investigations—Ocean

Margins Program (BI–OMP)

BI–OMP is the second phase of the

Ocean Margins Program (OMP); it places

an increased emphasis on the

application of modern molecular tools

to marine microbes and their role in

carbon and nitrogen cycling, and

processes affecting global change.

Photosynthetic rates in the ocean, and

sequestration of atmospheric CO2 by

marine primary production greatly

depend on the availability of fixed

inorganic nitrogen. Hence, any increase

in the net sequestration of CO2 by

oceanic photosynthetic organisms

requires an addition of nitrogen or other

limiting elements external to the ocean.

Three major external sources of fixed

inorganic nitrogen are cultural

eutrophication of the coastal zone;

atmospheric deposition of

anthropogenic and naturally produced

oxides of nitrogen; and nitrogen fixation

from the atmosphere by

microorganisms.

Research in Temperate and High

Latitude coastal areas indicates that the

availability and cycling of nitrogen is

likely to be the major control on primary

productivity and carbon cycling in these

areas. In general, coastal areas are

believed to be net heterotrophic on an

annual basis. This means that they

receive more organic substrate than is

produced within the system by

photosynthesis. Bacteria metabolize a

large fraction of the organic pool, both

dissolved and particulate, and it appears

that most of the excess organic matter in

coastal areas is degraded by microbial

processes.

Moreover, it appears that

denitrification (the reduction of fixed

nitrogen to N2) overwhelms nitrogen

fixation by cyanobacteria in Northern

Latitude waters and sediments. In these

areas, there does not appear to be

paucity of iron (Fe) to limit nitrogen

fixation, but nitrogenase activity may be

inhibited by the elevated concentrations

of ammonia (NH3) that occur in Arctic

waters following phytoplankton blooms.

Since little is known about the rates of

nitrogen fixation, primary productivity,

and bacterial respiration in cold water

areas, this notice calls for applications

to help understand the molecular to

global scale links and feedback

mechanisms between solar irradiance,

marine microbiology, coastal nitrogen

and carbon cycles, primary

productivity, and remotely-sensed

ocean color data in the low-temperature

waters off Alaska and the Pacific

Northwest.

Although it is anticipated that most of

the research performed will be

laboratory-based, if field studies are

necessary, they should be conducted in

the coastal waters off the North Slope of

Alaska and Pacific Northwest; or, in the

estuarine and shelf waters of the

Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico;

Savannah River and South Atlantic

Bight; or Chesapeake Bay and MidAtlantic Bight. Applications that are

solely concerned with the taxonomic

characterization or distributions of

bacteria, or the identification of new

biochemicals or enzymes from marine

organisms, are excluded from

consideration within this notice.

Application of Molecular Tools to

Microbes Mediating Carbon and

Nitrogen Cycling

This announcement encourages

applications that use molecular

approaches to study marine microbial

processes, in particular, carbon and

nitrogen cycling. Insights can be gained

from application of biotechnology to

carbon sequestration and storage,

nitrogen fixation and denitrification.

Knowledge of the genes responsible for

these processes, and most importantly,

the expression of these genes in marine

environments is needed. The

mechanisms by which environmental

factors regulate gene expression in

ocean margin environments will help us

to understand the natural controls on

these processes.

The advent of modern molecular

biology has provided powerful tools for

examining genes and gene expression.

Molecular methods are now being

applied to research problems in marine

biology, including the enzymes

involved in carbon fixation (e.g.,

ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase),

nitrogen fixation (e.g., nitrogenase) and

denitrification (e.g., nitrate reductase).

Examples of enabling biotechnologies

include in situ polymerase chain

reaction (PCR) to amplify specific

catabolic genes within bacterial cells,

and fluorescent in situ hybridization

(FISH) to elucidate genotypes in

microbial communities. A fundamental

knowledge of molecular regulatory

mechanisms of photosynthesis and

nitrogen cycling in the oceans is

needed.

Environmental Factors That Affect

Linkages Between Carbon and Nitrogen

Cycling

Environmental factors such as

nutrient availability, temperature,

irradiance, and biopolymer lability

affect the coupling and decoupling of

primary production, bacterial

respiration, POM and DOM formation,

and nitrogen metabolism in coastal

areas. The impact of individual

environmental factors, and synergistic

effects of multiple environmental

factors, on these processes is poorly

understood. This announcement

encourages applications that address the

environmental controls on carbon and

nitrogen cycles, and their coupling and

decoupling. An understanding of these

linkages is critical to monitoring and

predicting potential changes due to

physical, chemical or biological factor,

and may ultimately contribute to the

development of algorithms for remotely

sensed ocean color data.

Collaborative Partnerships

Research applications shall include a

mutually collaborative partnership

between institutions that have a strong

tradition of research in the marine

sciences and those institutions with

developing research capabilities in

marine science. Participation of

institutions with a high proportion of

groups that are under represented in the

sciences are particularly encouraged.

Examples of collaborative activities

include co-investigator status, periodic

exchanges of researcher-in-residence

between institutions, and joint

supervision of research students. It is

critical that both institutions have key

roles in the collaboration. One

institution should serve as the primary

applicant with a subcontract to the

collaborative institution. The

applications should:

• Clearly state the nature of the

collaborative research agreement

between the institutions;

• Define respective research roles and

responsibilities of scientists at each

institution; describe how the

partnership between the institutions

will be effected (e.g., team meetings,

shared students, etc.), and

• Provide separate institutional

budgets.

In addition, the applicants will need

to show how their proposed

collaborative research addresses the

goals stated in this notice and convey a

commitment to developing research

partnerships between respective

institutions.
8226 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 36 / Monday, February 24, 1997 / Notices

It is anticipated that up to $4 million

will be available for multiple grants

awarded in FY 1997 and FY 1998,

contingent upon availability of

appropriated funds. Applications may

request project support up to three

years, with out-year support contingent

on availability of funds, progress of the

research, and programmatic needs.

Annual budgets are expected to range

from approximately $50,000 to

$500,000. Applications should include

detailed budgets for each year of

support requested. The technical

portion of the application should not

exceed twenty-five (25) double-spaced

pages. Lengthy application appendices

are not encouraged.

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

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.

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.

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 13,

1997.

John Rodney Clark,

Associate Director for Resource Management,

Office of Energy Research.

[FR Doc. 97–4429 Filed 2–21–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission

[Docket No. CP97–243–000]

ANR Pipeline Company; Notice of

Application

February 18, 1997.

Take notice that on February 12, 1997,

ANR Pipeline Company (ANR), 500

Renaissance Center, Detroit, Michigan

48243, filed in Docket No. CP97–243–

000 an application pursuant to Section

7(c) of the Natural Gas Act for

authorization to utilize temporary work

spaces associated with a pipeline

replacement project located in Berrien

County, Michigan, all as more fully set

forth in the application which is on file

with the Commission and open to

public inspection.

ANR proposes to replace 1.12 mile of

22-inch pipeline with heavier wall pipe

in order to continue to meet the safety

requirements of the U.S. Department of

Transportation (DOT) regulations. ANR

states that the required replacement has

been triggered by an increase in

population density in Berrien County,

Michigan. ANR states that in this area,

ANR’s main line consists of three

parallel pipelines: a 22-inch O.D.

mainline; a 30-inch O.D. loop line; and

a 42-inch O.D. loop line. ANR maintains

that both loop lines are currently in

compliance with DOT regulations.

ANR states that the pipeline

replacement project consists of

removing and replacing in the same

trench 5,905 feet of the 22-inch O.D.

main line. ANR states that the

replacement project will not include

replacement of the pipeline crossing

under the St. Joseph River and 61 and

81 feet on the west and east sides of the

river, respectively. ANR states that the

replacement will begin at Mile Post

927.45 and proceed northeast for 5,361

feet toward the southwest bank of the

St. Joseph River where it will connect

with the existing 22-inch O.D. main

line. ANR further states that the

replacement will continue on the

northeast side of the St. Joseph River for

an additional 544 feet where it will

connect with the existing 22-inch O.D.

main line. ANR maintains that when the

pipeline replacement has been

completed, the entire length of the

pipeline, including the crossing under

the St. Joseph River, will be

hydrostatically tested to DOT standards.

ANR states that the pipeline

replacement will be made within ANR’s

existing permanent right-of-way and

will be placed in the same trench as the

pipe being removed. ANR states that the

pipeline replacement will not alter the

capacity of ANR’s main line and no

compression or above ground facilities

are associated with the project. It is

stated that during the period that the

pipeline replacement is taking place,

service will continue to be provided to

customers through the adjacent 30-inch

and 42-inch loop lines.

ANR states that in order to make the

replacement it will have to utilize work

areas which may not have been

included in the scope of the original

authorization, 5 FPC 953, to construct

the facilities. Therefore, ANR requests

the temporary use of work space in

order to make the replacement. ANR

states that the construction will be done

under Section 2.55(b) of the

Commission’s Regulations and has an

estimated cost of $1,471,140.

Any person desiring to be heard or to

make any protest with reference to said

application should on or before March

11, 1997, file with the Federal Energy

Regulatory Commission, Washington,

D.C. 20426, a motion to intervene or a

protest in accordance with the

requirements of the Commission’s Rules

of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR

385.214 or 385.211) and the Regulations

under the Natural Gas Act (18 CFR

157.10). All protests filed with the

Commission will be considered by it in

determining the appropriate action to be

taken but will not serve to make the

protestants parties to the proceeding.

Any person wishing to become a party

to a proceeding or to participate as a

party in any hearing therein must file a

motion to intervene in accordance with

the Commission’s Rules.

Take further notice that, pursuant to

the authority contained in and subject to

jurisdiction conferred upon the Federal

Energy Regulatory Commission by

Sections 7 and 15 of the Natural Gas Act

and the Commission’s Rules of Practice

and procedure, a hearing will be held

without further notice before the

Commission or its designee on this

application if no motion to intervene is

filed within the time required herein, if

the Commission on its own review of

the matter finds that a grant of the

certificate is required by the public

convenience and necessity. If a motion

for leave to intervene is timely filed, or

if the Commission on its own motion

believes that a formal hearing is

required, further notice of such hearing

will be duly given.