### 36032 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 116 / Friday, June 15, 2012 / Notices

Type of Request: Revision of an OMBapproved information collection.

Collection method Number of respondents Frequency of response Average burden per response (minutes) Estimated total annual burden (hours)

HA–4632 (paper) ............................................................................................. 20,000 1 15 5,000 Electronic Records Express ............................................................................ 180,000 1 15 45,000

Total .......................................................................................................... 200,000 ........ ................ ........................ 50,000

2. Representative Payee Report– Special Veterans Benefits—20 CFR
408.665—0960–0621. Title VIII of the Social Security Act allows for payment of monthly Social Security benefits to qualified World War II veterans residingoutside the United States. An SSAappointed representative payee may receive and manage the monthly payment for the beneficiary’s use and benefit. SSA uses Form SSA–2001–F6 to determine if the payee is using the benefits properly on behalf of the beneficiary. Respondents are persons or organizations who act on behalf of beneficiaries receiving Special Veterans Benefits and living outside the United States.

Type of Request: Revision of an OMBapproved information collection.

Collection method Number of respondents Frequency of response Average burden per response (minutes) Estimated Total Annual Burden (hours)

SSA–2001–F6 .................................................................................................. 100 1 10 17

Dated: June 12, 2012. Faye Lipsky, Reports Clearance Director, Office of Regulations and Reports Clearance, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2012–14646 Filed 6–14–12; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 4191–02–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF STATE**

**[Public Notice 7924]**

**Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact**  **Statement (SEIS) and To Conduct Scoping and To Initiate Consultation**  **Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act for the**  **Proposed TransCanada Keystone XL Pipeline Proposed To Extend From**  **Phillips, MT (the Border Crossing) to Steele City, NE** 

**AGENCY :**  Department of State.

**ACTION :**  Notice.

**SUMMARY :**  TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, L.P. (TransCanada) has applied to the United States Department of State for a Presidential Permit authorizing the construction, operation, and maintenance of facilities at the border of the United States for the importation of crude oil from a foreign country (Canada). Authorization is being requested in connection with TransCanada’s proposed international pipeline project (the revised Keystone XL Project), which is designed to transport crude oil from the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin and the Williston Basin to existing pipeline facilities near Steele City, Nebraska for onward transport to markets in the Texas Gulf Coast area. The Department of State receives and considers applications for Presidential Permits for such energy-related pipelines pursuant to authority delegated to it by the President under Executive Order 13337 of April 30, 2004 (69 FR 25299), as amended. To issue a Permit, the Department of State must find that issuance would serve the national interest. In the course of processing such applications, the Department consults extensively with concerned Federal and State agencies, and invites public comment in arriving at its determination.

The Department of State previously evaluated potential impacts resulting from construction, operation, and maintenance of a longer pipeline that would have terminated in the Port Arthur and east Houston areas of Texas. The Final Environmental Impact Statement for that proposed project was issued on August 26, 2011. On January 18, 2012, the Department announced its determination that the project—as presented and analyzed at that time— did not serve the national interest. Archived documents can be found at www.keystonepipeline-xl.state.gov/ archive/index.htm.

TransCanada has submitted a new Presidential Permit application with a revised proposed route that extends from the Canadian border in Phillips County, Montana to Steele City, Nebraska and avoids the Sand Hills region of Nebraska. The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality has identified the Sand Hills region and is currently evaluating the potential impacts associated with the proposed new route(s). The Department of State has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality to facilitate coordination and cooperation between the State and the Federal government. TransCanada has indicated to the Department of State that it has decided to proceed with construction of a pipeline from Cushing, Oklahoma to the Gulf Coast of Texas, which had been included as part of the Keystone XL project in the previous application, as an independent project. Thus, TransCanada did not include the proposed pipeline from Cushing to the Gulf Coast as part of the project in the revised Presidential Permit application.

With respect to the application submitted by TransCanada, the Department of State has concluded, consistent with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, that the issuance of the new Presidential Permit would constitute a major Federal action that may have a significant impact upon the environment. For this reason, Department of State intends to prepare a Supplement to the Final Environmental Impact Statement dated August 26, 2011, to address reasonably foreseeable impacts from the proposed


### 36033 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 116 / Friday, June 15, 2012 / Notices

action and alternatives. Additionally the Department of State has determined that it will undertake a review of the potential issuance of the Presidential Permit consistent with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and is consequently initiating the appropriate consultation. Consultation will be conducted with State Historic Preservation Officers, Indian tribes, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and other consulting parties, as appropriate, to determine the locations (if any) of potential sites for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places as well as the potential eligibility and findings of effect for cultural resources identified within the Keystone XL Area of Potential Effect. The purpose of this Notice of Intent (NOI) is to inform the public about the proposed action, announce plans for scoping opportunities, invite public participation in the scoping process, and solicit public comments for consideration in establishing the scope and content of the SEIS.

**DATES :**  Department of State invites interested agencies, organizations, and members of the public to submit comments or suggestions to assist in identifying significant environmental issues, measures that might be adopted to reduce environmental impacts, and in determining the appropriate scope of the SEIS. The public scoping period starts with the publication of this Notice in the Federal Register on June 15, 2012 and will continue until July 30, 2012. Written, electronic, and oral comments will be given equal weight and State will consider all comments received or postmarked by July 30, 2012 in defining the scope of the SEIS. Comments received or postmarked after that date may be considered to the extent practicable.

Public scoping opportunities are designed to provide opportunities to offer comments on the proposed project. Interested individuals and groups are encouraged to present comments on the environmental issues they believe should be addressed in the SEIS. Again, written comments are considered with equal weight in the process relative to those received in the public scoping meeting.

During this public scoping period, the Department of State also plans to use the scoping process to help identify consulting parties and historic preservation issues for consideration under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and its implementing regulations (36 CFR part 800). **ADDRESSES :**  Written comments or suggestions on the scope of the EIS should be addressed to: Genevieve Walker, OES/ENV Room 2657, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC 20520. Comments may be submitted electronically to http:// www.keystonepipeline-XL.state.gov. Public comments will be posted on the Web site identified below.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  For information on the proposed project or to receive a copy of the draft SEIS when it is issued, contact Genevieve Walker at the address listed in the **ADDRESSES** section of this notice by electronic or regular mail as listed above, or by telephone (202) 647–6849 or by fax at (202) 647–5947.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  Project Description

TransCanada proposes to construct and operate a crude oil pipeline and related facilities from an oil supply hub near Hardisty, Alberta, Canada to the northernmost point of the existing Keystone Pipeline Cushing Extension at Steele City, Nebraska. The pipeline is anticipated to be 1,179 miles long (329 miles of that are in Canada) and has an initial capacity of 830,000 barrels per day. To connect the Canadian and U.S. portions of the pipeline project, TransCanada must first obtain a Presidential Permit from the Department of State authorizing the construction, operation, and maintenance of the pipeline and related facilities at the international border.

The SEIS Process

The Department of State, consistent with NEPA, will take into account the environmental impacts that could result from the approval of a Presidential Permit authorizing construction, operation, and maintenance of pipeline facilities for the importation of crude oil to be located at the international border of the United States and Canada. The Department of State will use the SEIS to assess the environmental impacts that could result if TransCanada is granted a Presidential permit for the revised Keystone XL Pipeline Project. The SEIS will supplement the August 26, 2011 FEIS, by including information and analysis about potential impacts associated with the new proposed route(s) within Nebraska, as well as about any other subjects that may need to be updated because there exists significant new circumstances or information relevant to environmental concerns bearing on the proposed action or its impacts. The Department of State will select a Third-Party Contractor to help prepare the SEIS. The SEIS will be prepared under the direction of the Department of State and will be reviewed by the cooperating agencies.

In the SEIS, the Department of State will discuss impacts that could occur as a result of the construction and operation of the revised proposed project under these general headings:

• Geology and soils;

• Water resources;

• Fish, wildlife, and vegetation;

• Threatened and endangered species;

• Cultural resources;

• Land use, recreation and special interest areas;

• Visual resources;

• Air quality and noise;

• Socioeconomics;

• Environmental Justice; and,

• Reliability and safety. In the SEIS, the Department of State will also evaluate reasonable alternatives, including a ‘‘no action alternative,’’ to the proposed project or portions of the project and make recommendations on how to lessen or avoid impacts on affected resources.

The Department of State’s independent analysis of the issues will be included in a draft SEIS. The draft SEIS will be published and mailed to relevant Federal, State, and local government agencies, elected officials, environmental and public interest groups, Indian tribes, affected landowners, commenters, local libraries, newspapers, and other interested parties. You are encouraged to become involved in this process and provide your specific comments or concerns about the proposed project. By becoming a commenter, your concerns will be considered by the Department of State and addressed appropriately in the SEIS. Parties interested in being involved in Section 106 consultation should also contact the Department of State.

The Department of State will consider all timely comments on the draft SEIS and revise the document, as necessary, before issuing a final SEIS.

Project details and environmental information on the Keystone XL Project application for a Presidential Permit, including associated maps are downloadable from a Web site that is being established for this purpose:http://www.keystonepipelineXL.state.gov. This Web site is expected to be operational on or about June 15, 2012. This Web site will accept public comments for the record.

Information on the Department of State Presidential Permit process can also be found at the above Internet address.


### 36034 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 116 / Friday, June 15, 2012 / Notices

A TransCanada hosted project Web site is also available at http:// www.transcanada.com/keystone.html. The Keystone XL Project toll-free number is 1–866–717–7473 (United States and Canada).

Dated: June 13, 2012. Genevieve Walker, NEPA Director, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs/Office of Environmental Policy, U.S. Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2012–14803 Filed 6–14–12; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 4710–09–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION**

**Office of the Secretary**

**Notice of Funding Availability for the Small Business Transportation**  **Resource Center Program**

**AGENCY :**  Department of Transportation (DOT), Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST), Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU).

**ACTION :**  Notice of Funding Availability.

**SUMMARY :**  The Department of Transportation (DOT), Office of the Secretary (OST), Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) announces the opportunityfor: (1) Business centered communitybased organizations; (2) transportationrelated trade associations; (3) colleges and universities; (4) community colleges; or (5) chambers of commerce, registered with the Internal RevenueService as 501 C(6) or 501 C(3) taxexempt organizations, to compete for participation in OSDBU’s Small Business Transportation Resource Center (SBTRC) program in the Central Region.

OSDBU will enter into Cooperative Agreements with these organizations to provide outreach to the small business community in their designated region and provide financial and technical assistance, business training programs, business assessment, management training, counseling, marketing and outreach, and the dissemination of information, to encourage and assist small businesses to become better prepared to compete for, obtain, andmanage DOT funded transportationrelated contracts and subcontracts at the federal, state and local levels. Throughout this notice, the term ‘‘small business’’ will refer to: 8(a), small disadvantaged businesses (SDB), disadvantaged business enterprises (DBE), women owned small businesses (WOSB), HubZone, service disabled veteran owned businesses (SDVOB), and veteran owned small businesses (VOSB). Throughout this notice, ‘‘transportation-related’’ is defined as the maintenance, rehabilitation, restructuring, improvement, or revitalization of any of the nation’s modes of transportation.

Funding Opportunity Number: USDOT–OST–OSDBU–SBTRC2012–10.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 20.910 Assistance to small and disadvantaged businesses. Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement Grant.

Award Ceiling: $150,000. Award Floor: $100,000. Program Authority: DOT is authorized under 49 U.S.C. 332(b)(4), (5) & (7) to design and carry out programs to assist small disadvantaged businesses in getting transportation-related contracts and subcontracts; develop support mechanisms, including management and technical services, that will enable small disadvantaged businesses to take advantage of those business opportunities; and to make arrangements to carry out the above
purposes.

**DATES :**  Complete Proposals must be electronically submitted to OSDBU via email on or before July 16, 2012, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Proposals received after the deadline will be considered non-responsive and will not be reviewed. The applicant is advised to request delivery receipt notification for email submissions. DOT plans to give notice of award for the competed region on or before August 13, 2012.

**ADDRESSES :**  Applications must be electronically submitted to OSDBU via email at SBTRC@dot.gov.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  For further information concerning this notice, contact Ms. Patricia Martin, U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE. W56–462, Washington, DC 20590. Telephone: 1–800–532–1169. Email: patricia.martin@dot.gov.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :** 
Table of Contents

1. Introduction

1.1 Background 1.2 Program Description and Goals 1.3 Description of Competition 1.4 Duration of Agreements 1.5 Authority 1.6 Eligibility Requirements 2. Program Requirements

2.1 Recipient Responsibilities 2.2 Office of Small and Disadvantaged

Business Utilization Responsibilities 3. Submission of Proposals 3.1 Format for Proposals 3.2 Address, Number of Copies, Deadline

for Submission 4. Selection Criteria

4.1 General Criteria 4.2 Scoring of Applications 4.3 Conflicts of Interest Format for Proposals—Appendix A

Full Text of Announcement

1. Introduction 1.1 Background

The DOT established OSDBU in accordance with Public Law 95–507, an amendment to the Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act of 1958.

The mission of OSDBU at DOT is to ensure that the small and disadvantaged business policies and goals of the Secretary of Transportation are developed and implemented in a fair, efficient and effective manner to serve small and disadvantaged businesses throughout the country. The OSDBU also administers the provisions of Title 49, Section 332, the Minority Resource Center (MRC) which includes the duties of advocacy, outreach and financial services on behalf of small and disadvantaged business and those certified under CFR 49 parts 23 and/or 26 as Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) and the development of programs to encourage, stimulate, promote and assist small businesses to become better prepared to compete for,obtain and manage transportationrelated contracts and subcontracts.

The Regional Partnerships Division of OSDBU, through the SBTRC program, allows OSDBU to partner with local organizations to offer a comprehensive delivery system of business training, technical assistance and dissemination of information, targeted towards small business transportation enterprises in their regions. 1.2 Program Description and Goals

The national SBTRC program utilizes Cooperative Agreements with chambers of commerce, trade associations,educational institutions and businesscentered community based organizations to establish SBTRCs to provide business training, technical assistance and information to DOT grantees and recipients, prime contractors and subcontractors. In order to be effective and serve their target audience, the SBTRCs must be active in the local transportation community in order to identify and communicate opportunities and provide the required technical assistance. SBTRCs must already have, or demonstrate the ability to, establish working relationships with the state and local transportation