67618 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 248 / Monday, December 29, 1997 / Notices

Business-Cooperative Service, USDA,

STOP 1521, Room 5412, 1400

Independence Avenue, SW,

Washington, DC 20250, Telephone:

(202) 720–9558. FAX: 202–720–6561. Email: PWing@rus.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

maximum loan and grant awards are

calculated as 3.0 percent of the

projected program level for zero-interest

loans and grants during the fiscal year.

The projected program level for zerointerest loans during FY 1998 is

$25,000,000, and the projected program

level for grants is $11,000,000. Applying

the specified 3.0 percent to these

program levels results in the maximum

loan award of $750,000 and the

maximum grant award of $330,000.

Dated: December 19, 1997.

Dayton J. Watkins,

Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative

Service.

[FR Doc. 97–33696 Filed 12–24–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–XY–U

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Export Administration

Sensors and Instrumentation

Technical Advisory Committee; Notice

of Open Meeting

A meeting of the Sensors and

Instrumentation Technical Advisory

Committee will be held January 13,

1998, 9:00 a.m., in the Herbert C.

Hoover Building, Room 1617M–2, 14th

Street & Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.,

Washington, D.C. The Committee

advises the Office of the Assistant

Secretary for Export Administration

with respect to technical questions that

affect the level of export controls

applicable to sensors and

instrumentation equipment and

technology.

Agenda

1. Opening remarks by the Chairman.

2. Presentation of papers or comments by the

public.

3. Update on the status of the National

Defense Authorization Act implementation

regulation.

4. Update on the status of the Wassenaar

Arrangement implementation regulation.

The meeting will be open to the

public and a limited number of seats

will be available. To the extent that time

permits, members of the public may

present oral statements to the

Committee. Written statements may be

submitted at any time before or after the

meeting. However, to facilitate

distribution of public presentation

materials to the Committee members,

the Committee suggests that presenters

forward the public presentation

materials two weeks prior to the

meeting date to the following address:

Ms. Lee Ann Carpenter, OAS/EA/BXA—

MS:3886C, U.S. Department of

Commerce, 14th St. & Pennsylvania

Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20230.

For further information or copies of

the minutes, contact Lee Ann Carpenter

on (202) 482–2583.

Dated: December 22, 1997.

Lee Ann Carpenter,

Director, Technical Advisory Committee Unit.

[FR Doc. 97–33685 Filed 12–24–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–DT–M

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and

Technology

Manufacturing Extension Partnership

National Advisory Board

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards

and Technology, Department of

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of Open Meeting.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal

Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. app.

2, notice is hereby given that the

Manufacturing Extension Partnership

(MEP) National Advisory Board,

National Institute of Standards and

Technology (NIST), will meet to hold a

meeting on Wednesday, January 21,

1998. The Manufacturing Extension

Partnership National Advisory Board is

composed of 9 members appointed by

the Director of NIST who were selected

for their expertise in the area of

industrial extension and their work on

behalf of smaller manufacturers. The

Board was set up under the direction of

the Director of the National Institute of

Standards and Technology to fill a need

for outside input and advice for MEP, a

unique program consisting of centers in

all 50 states and Puerto Rico which are

created by a state, federal and local

partnership. The Board works closely

with the Manufacturing Extension

Partnership to provide input and advice

on MEP’s programs, plans and policies.

The purpose of this meeting is to delve

into areas the Board selected at the

previous meeting. On January 21, 1998,

the agenda for the meeting of the Board

will include an ethics briefing by the

Department of Commerce’s Ethics

Division, an overview of MEP’s national

marketing efforts to assist the centers in

reaching their clients, studying the

impacts of services provided by the

centers and an overview of a national

initiative-supply chain integration.

DATES: The meeting will convene on

January 21, 1998 at 9:00 am and will

adjourn at 3:00 pm.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in

Building 101, Employee Lounge (seating

capacity 60, includes 15 participants), at

NIST, Gaithersburg, Maryland.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: MEP

services to smaller manufacturers

address the needs of the national market

as well as the unique needs of each

company. Since MEP is committed to

providing this type of individualized

service through its centers, the program

requires the perspective of locally-based

experts to be incorporated into its

national plans. The MEP National

Advisory Board was set up at the

direction of the Director of the National

Institute of Standards and Technology

to maintain MEP’s focus on local and

market based needs. The MEP National

Advisory Board was approved on

October 24, 1996, in accordance with

the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5

U.S.C. app.2., to provide advice on MEP

programs, plans, and policies; assess

soundness of MEP plans and strategies;

assess current performance against MEP

program plans, and function in an

advisory capacity. The Board will meet

three times a year and reports to the

Director of NIST. This will be the first

meeting of the members in 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Linda Acierto, Assistant to the Director

for Policy, Manufacturing Extension

Partnership, National Institute of

Standards and Technology,

Gaithersburg, MD 20899, Telephone

number (301) 975–5033.

Dated: December 22, 1997.

Michael R. Rubin,

Deputy Chief Counsel for NIST.

[FR Doc. 97–33762 Filed 12–24–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–13–M

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 093097E]

Small Takes of Marine Mammals

Incidental to Specified Activities;

Space Launch Vehicles at Vandenberg

Air Force Base, CA

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of issuance of incidental

harassment authorizations.

SUMMARY: In accordance with provisions

of the Marine Mammal Protection Act

(MMPA) as amended, notification is
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 248 / Monday, December 29, 1997 / Notices 67619

hereby given that Incidental Harassment

Authorizations to take small numbers of

seals and sea lions by harassment

incidental to launches of Delta II, Titan

II, Titan IV, and Taurus launch vehicles

at Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA

(Vandenberg) have been issued to the

U.S. Air Force.

DATES: Effective December 19, 1997.

ADDRESSES: The application and

authorizations are available for review

in the following offices: Marine

Mammal Division, Office of Protected

Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West

Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 and

the Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West

Ocean Blvd. Long Beach, CA 90802. A

copy of the application, previous

documentation and Federal Register

notices on this action may be obtained

by writing to this address or by

telephoning the contact listed below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kenneth Hollingshead, Office of

Protected Resources at 301–713–2055,

or Irma Lagomarsino, Southwest

Regional Office at 562–980–4016.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Section 101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA (16

U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) directs the Secretary

of Commerce to allow, upon request, the

incidental, but not intentional, taking of

marine mammals by U.S. citizens who

engage in a specified activity (other than

commercial fishing) within a specified

geographical region if certain findings

are made and regulations are issued.

Permission may be granted if NMFS

finds that the taking will have a

negligible impact on the species or

stock(s); will not have an unmitigable

adverse impact on the availability of the

species or stock(s) for subsistence uses;

and the permissible methods of taking

and requirements pertaining to the

monitoring and reporting of such taking

are set forth. NMFS has defined

‘‘negligible impact’’ in 50 CFR 216.103

as ‘‘ * * *an impact resulting from the

specified activity that cannot be

reasonably expected to, and is not

reasonably likely to, adversely affect the

species or stock through effects on

annual rates of recruitment or survival.’’

Subsection 101(a)(5)(D) of the MMPA

established an expedited process by

which U.S. citizens can apply for an

authorization to incidentally take small

numbers of marine mammals by

harassment for a period of up to one

year. The MMPA defines ‘‘harassment’’

as:

...any act of pursuit, torment, or annoyance

which (a) has the potential to injure a marine

mammal or marine mammal stock in the

wild; or (b) has the potential to disturb a

marine mammal or marine mammal stock in

the wild by causing disruption of behavioral

patterns, including, but not limited to,

migration, breathing, nursing, breeding,

feeding, or sheltering.

Subsection 101(a)(5)(D) establishes a

45-day time limit for NMFS review of an

application followed by a 30-day public

notice and comment period on any

proposed authorizations for the

incidental harassment of small numbers

of marine mammals. Within 45 days of

the close of the comment period, NMFS

must either issue or deny issuance of

the authorization.

Summary of Request

On October 7, 1997, NMFS received

an application from the U.S. Air Force,

Vandenberg, requesting continuation of

authorizations for the harassment of

small numbers of seals and sea lions

incidental to launches of Delta II, Titan

II, Titan IV, and Taurus launch vehicles

at Vandenberg. This application

incorporated by reference the

information contained in applications

provided last year for these rocket

launches. These applications (Titan II

and IV-January 24, 1996, Delta II-July

17, 1996, Taurus-August 14, 1996) are

available upon request (see ADDRESSES).

Comments and Responses

A notice of receipt of the application

and the proposed authorization was

published on November 14, 1997 (62 FR

61092) and a 30-day public comment

period was provided on the application

and proposed authorization. No

comments were received during the

comment period.

Discussion

In addition to this action, NMFS has

received a petition for regulations and

an application for a small take

authorization under section 101(a)(5)(A)

of the MMPA. If implemented, this

rulemaking will replace these 1-year

authorizations, along with another

issued previously for Lockheed launch

vehicles (62 FR 40335, July 28, 1997)

with a 5-year regulatory program,

governing incidental takes of marine

mammals by launches of all rocket and

missile types from Vandenberg. A notice

of this petition was published on

November 14, 1997 (62 FR 61077).

Description of Marine Mammals and

Potential Effects of Launches on Marine

Mammals

The marine mammal species

anticipated to be incidentally harassed

by launches from Vandenberg are harbor

seals (Phoca vitulina), California sea

lions (Zalophus californianus), northern

elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris),

northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus)

and possibly Guadalupe fur seals

(Arctocephalus townsendi) in the

vicinity of Vandenberg and on the

Northern Channel Islands (NCI). In

conjunction with publication of the

previous application notices for launch

activities, a description of the Southern

California Bight population of seals and

sea lions and the potential impacts from

rocket launches on these species and

stocks was provided on August 18, 1995

(60 FR 43120), and August 29, 1996 (61

FR 45404), for Delta II authorizations,

September 25, 1996 (61 FR 50276), for

Taurus rocket authorization, and March

15, 1996 (61 FR 10727), for Titan II and

IV authorizations. Interested reviewers

are encouraged to refer to those

documents for the appropriate

discussion. These documents are

available from NMFS (see ADDRESSES).

As a result of the noise associated

with launches and the sonic boom

resulting from some launch vehicles at

certain trajectories, there is a potential

to cause a startle response to those seals

and sea lions that haul out on the

coastline of Vandenberg and on the NCI.

The effect on the above listed seals and

sea lions would be anticipated to result

in a negligible short-term impact to

small numbers of seals and sea lions

that are hauled out at the time of a

launch. No impacts are anticipated to

animals that are in the water at the time

of launch. Detailed descriptions of the

expected impact from rocket launches

on harbor seals and other marine

mammals have been provided in the

above referenced Federal Register

notices and are not repeated here.

Conclusions

Based upon information provided by

the applicant, and previous reviews of

the incidental take of seals and sea lions

by this activity, NMFS believes that the

short-term impact of the rocket launches

at Vandenberg and sonic booms on NCI

is expected to result at worst, in a

temporary reduction in utilization of the

haulout as seals and/or sea lions leave

the beach for the safety of the water.

Launchings are not expected to result in

any reduction in the number of seals or

sea lions, and they are expected to

continue to occupy the same areas. In

addition, there will not be any impact

on the habitat itself. Based upon studies

conducted for previous space vehicle

launches at Vandenberg, significant

long-term impacts on seals and sea lions

at Vandenberg are unlikely. For these

reasons, NMFS has determined that the

requirements of section 101(a)(5)(D)

have been met and the authorization can

be issued.
67620 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 248 / Monday, December 29, 1997 / Notices

Authorization

For the above reasons, NMFS has

issued an incidental harassment

authorization for a period of time not to

exceed 1 year for launches of Delta II,

Titan II, Titan IV, and Taurus launch

vehicles at Vandenberg provided the

monitoring and reporting requirements

currently in effect are continued.

Dated: December 19, 1997.

Hilda Diaz-Soltero,

Director, Office of Protected Resources,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–33642 Filed 12-24-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

COMMISSION OF FINE ARTS

1998 National Capital Arts and Cultural

Affairs Program

Notice is hereby given that Pub. L.

105–83, as amended, authorizing the

National Capital Arts and Cultural

Affairs Program, has been funded for

1998 in the amount of $7,000,000.00.

All requests for information and

applications for grants should be

addressed to: Charles H. Atherton,

Secretary, Commission of Fine Arts,

Pension Building, Suite 312, 441 F

Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001;

Phone: 202–504–2200.

Deadlines for receipt of submission of

grants applications is 2 March 1998.

This program provides grants for

general operating support of

organizations whose primary purpose is

performing, exhibiting, and/or

presenting the arts. To be eligible for

these grants, organizations must be

located in the District of Columbia, must

be not-for-profit, non-academic

institutions of demonstrated national

repute, and must have annual income,

exclusive of federal funds, in excess of

one million dollars for the current year

and for the past three years.

Charles H. Atherton,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 97–33720 Filed 12–24–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6330–01–M

COMMITTEE FOR THE

IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE

AGREEMENTS

Announcement of Import Restraint

Limits for Certain Cotton, Wool, ManMade Fiber, Silk Blend and Other

Vegetable Fiber Textile Products

Produced or Manufactured in Bahrain

December 19, 1997.

AGENCY: Committee for the

Implementation of Textile Agreements

(CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the

Commissioner of Customs establishing

limits.

EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Janet Heinzen, International Trade

Specialist, Office of Textiles and

Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce,

(202) 482–4212. For information on the

quota status of these limits, refer to the

Quota Status Reports posted on the

bulletin boards of each Customs port or

call (202) 927–5850. For information on

embargoes and quota re-openings, call

(202) 482–3715.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority: Section 204 of the Agricultural

Act of 1956, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1854);

Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 1972, as

amended.

The import restraint limits for textile

products, produced or manufactured in

Bahrain and exported during the period

January 1, 1998 through December 31,

1998 are based on limits notified to the

Textiles Monitoring Body pursuant to

the Uruguay Round Agreement on

Textiles and Clothing (ATC).

Pursuant to the provisions of the ATC,

the second stage of the integration

commences on January 1, 1998 (see 60

FR 21075, published on May 1, 1995).

Accordingly, certain previously

restrained categories may have been

modified or eliminated and certain

limits may have been revised. Integrated

products will no longer be subject to

quota. CITA has informed Bahrain of its

intent to continue the bilateral visa

arrangement for those products.

In the letter published below, the

Chairman of CITA directs the

Commissioner of Customs to establish

the limits for the 1998 period.

A description of the textile and

apparel categories in terms of HTS

numbers is available in the

CORRELATION: Textile and Apparel

Categories with the Harmonized Tariff

Schedule of the United States (see

Federal Register notice 61 FR 66263,

published on December 17, 1996). Also

see 62 FR 51832, published on October

3, 1997. Information regarding the 1998

CORRELATION will be published in the

Federal Register at a later date.

Troy H. Cribb,

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation

of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile

Agreements

December 19, 1997.

Commissioner of Customs,

Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC

20229.

Dear Commissioner: Pursuant to section

204 of the Agricultural Act of 1956, as

amended (7 U.S.C. 1854); Executive Order

11651 of March 3, 1972, as amended; and the

Uruguay Round Agreement on Textiles and

Clothing (ATC), you are directed to prohibit,

effective on January 1, 1998, entry into the

United States for consumption and

withdrawal from warehouse for consumption

of cotton, wool, man-made fiber, silk blend

and other vegetable fiber textile products in

the following categories, produced or

manufactured in Bahrain and exported

during the twelve-month period beginning on

January 1, 1998 and extending through

December 31, 1998, in excess of the following

levels of restraint:

Category Twelve-month restraint

limit

Group I

237, 239pt. 1, 331–

336, 338, 339,

340–342, 345,

347, 348, 350–

352, 359pt. 2, 431,

433–436, 438,

440, 442–448,

459pt. 3, 631, 633–

636, 638, 639,

640–647, 648,

649, 650–652,

659pt. 4, 831, 833–

836, 838, 840,

842–847, 850–

852, 858 and

859pt. 5, as a

group.

43,267,869 square

meters equivalent.

Sublevels in Group I

338/339 .................... 601,216 dozen.

340/640 .................... 288,453 dozen of

which not more than

216,339 dozen shall

be in Categories

340–Y/640–Y6.

1 Category 239pt.: only HTS number

6209.20.5040 (diapers). 2 Category 359pt.: all HTS numbers except

6406.99.1550. 3 Category 459pt.: all HTS numbers except

6405.20.6030, 6405.20.6060, 6405.20.6090,

6406.99.1505 and 6406.99.1560. 4 Category 659pt.: all HTS numbers except

6406.99.1510 and 6406.99.1540. 5 Category 859pt.: only HTS numbers

6115.19.8040, 6117.10.6020, 6212.10.5030,

6212.10.9040, 6212.20.0030, 6212.30.0030,

6212.90.0090, 6214.10.2000 and

6214.90.0090.