75678 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 233 / Monday, December 4, 2000 / Notices

1093, by fax at 410–436–5122, or by

email at

gregory.mahall@pmcd.apgea.army.mil.

For additional general information or

questions on this process, please call 1–

800–488–0648 to leave a message.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In

compliance with the National

Environmental Policy Act (Title 40,

CFR, Parts 1500 through 1508), the

Army will prepare an EIS to assess the

health and environmental impacts of the

design, construction, operation and

closure of a facility to destroy all of the

chemical agents and munitions stored at

the BGAD. Federal law and an

international treaty require that the

chemical agents and munitions be

destroyed. This EIS will analyze the

impact of the various methods of

destroying the BGAD stockpile. The

ACWA Program is currently in the

process of programmatically addressing

pilot tests for alternative technologies at

one or more Army chemical agent

stockpile sites (FR 65 20139, April 14,

2000). These two separate and distinct

analyses serve complementary but

different purposes.

This site-specific EIS continues the

process that began when Congress

established the Program for Chemical

Demilitarization in Pub. L. 99–145 in

1985. The law requires destruction of

the chemical weapons stockpile by a

deadline established by treaty; that date

is April 2007. This requirement still

exists, notwithstanding the

establishment of the ACWA Program.

The Chemical Demilitarization Program

published a Programmatic EIS in

January 1988. Its Records of Decision

(ROD) states that the stockpile of

chemical agents and munitions should

be destroyed in a safe and

environmentally acceptable manner by

on-site incineration. Site-specific

Environmental Impact Statements that

tier off the Programmatic EIS have been

prepared for Johnston Atoll Chemical

Agent Disposal System, Tooele

Chemical Agent Disposal Facility,

Anniston Chemical Agent Disposal

Facility, Umatilla Chemical Agent

Disposal Facility, Pine Bluff Chemical

Agent Disposal Facility, Aberdeen

Chemical Agent Disposal Facility, and

Newport Chemical Agent Disposal

Facility. An updated report and Record

of Environmental Consideration have

also been done on the Tooele Chemical

Agent Disposal Facility.

The specific purpose of the current

analysis is to determine the

environmental impacts of the methods

that could accomplish the destruction of

the stockpile at the BGAD by the

required destruction date on April 2007.

The environmental impact analysis will

determine whether construction of a

full-scale plant operated initially as a

pilot facility and using one of the

technologies successfully demonstrated

in the ACWA Program is capable of

destroying the stockpile at the BGAD by

the reburied destruction date (or as soon

thereafter as could be achieved by

constructing a destruction facility using

the baseline incineration technology),

and if doing so is as safe as the baseline

incineration technology. The 1988

Programmatic EIS ROD does not limit or

predetermine the results of the selection

of a destruction technology for the

BGAD, and it does not dictate the

decision to be made in the ROD

following completion of the EIS for this

action at the BGAD. The ACWA

Program has already successfully

demonstrated and validated

neutralization followed by supercritical

water oxidation. The ACWA Program is

currently evaluating two additional

technologies—electrochemical

oxidation with nitric acid and

neutralization/supercritical water

oxidation/gas phase reduction. If one or

more of these technologies are later

considered to be a reasonable

alternative, they will also be considered

in this site-specific EIS. The ACWA

Program EIS for potential follow-on

pilot testing of successful ACWA

Program demonstration tests pursuant to

the process established by Congress in

Pub. L. 104–208 and 105–261 addresses

a separate but related purpose. That

purpose is to determine if any ACWA

Program technologies can be pilot

tested, and, if so, at which site or sites.

The ACWA Program EIS will be distinct

from this site-specific EIS because its

emphasis will be on the feasibility of

pilot testing one or more of the

successfully demonstrated and

validated ACWA Program technologies

considering the unique characteristics of

various sites, where chemical weapons

are currently stored, including the

BGAD. At the conclusion of both of

these Environmental Impact Statements,

Records of Decision will be issued.

The Army will hold scoping meetings

to aid in determining the significant

issues related to the proposed action

that will be addressed in the sitespecific EIS. The scoping process will

include public participation and seek

input from Federal, Commonwealth of

Kentucky, and local government

agencies, as well as residents within the

affected environment. The dates, times,

and locations of scoping meetings will

be announced in appropriate news

media at least 15 days prior to these

meetings.

Dated: November 28, 2000.

Raymond J. Fatz,

Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army,

(Environment, Safety, and Occupational

Health), OASA(I&E).

[FR Doc. 00–30756 Filed 12–1–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3710–08–M

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army

Notice of Intent To Prepare an

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

for the Incorporation of the Overhills

Property Into the Northern Training

Area (NTA) of Fort Bragg, North

Carolina

AGENCY: Department of the Army, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

SUMMARY: The EIS will evaluate the

Army’s proposal to incorporate the

Overhills property into Fort Bragg’s

NTA, and create a contiguous 22,000-

acre area for training. Implementation of

the proposed action would govern both

military training and recreational land

uses under a multiple land use concept.

ADDRESSES: Written comments

concerning the scope of the EIS should

be sent to the Commander, U.S. Army

Engineer District, Savannah, ATTN:

CESAS–PD–E (Mr. Seyle), P.O. Box 889,

100 West Oglethorpe Avenue,

Savannah, GA 31402–0889.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Seyle at (912) 652–6017.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Army

would conduct the same full-scale

training on Overhills that it is now

conducting on the NTA. This training

includes ground and air maneuvers

involving both mechanized and light

infantry with attached combat support

and combat service support. These units

would operate tracked and wheeled

vehicles, as well as rotary and fixedwing aircraft. Soldiers would train with

live, frangible ammunition (with a

maximum range of 200 meters) in and

around existing non-historic structures.

All units would train according to the

Installation Range Regulation and the

Army’s Red-Cockaded Woodpecker

guidelines. Additionally, the Army

would allow hunting and fishing on

selected areas of the property and use

the family estate area, known as ‘‘The

Hill,’’ for youth oriented recreational

activities such as golfing, horseback

riding, hiking, swimming, and boating

to the extent that these activities do not

conflict with training.

Fort Bragg is the Headquarters of the

XVIII Airborne Corps, the command

element for America’s contingency

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 233 / Monday, December 4, 2000 / Notices 75679

corps, and the U.S. Army Special

Operations Command. The military

units stationed at Fort Bragg and Pope

Air Force Base (AFB) comprise

approximately 44,000 soldiers and

airmen. Major elements based at Fort

Bragg include XVIII Airborne Corps, 82d

Airborne Division, and Special

Operations Forces. In addition to these

units, Fort Bragg supports the training of

soldiers from the Reserve Components

of the U.S. Army. The 1995 Land Use

Requirements Study identified a

shortage of 125,512 acres needed to

support training. The Army purchased

the approximately 11,000-acre Overhills

property in 1997 to help alleviate that

training land deficit and protect the

military missions of Fort Bragg and

Pope AFB from encroachment by

incompatible civilian development. The

Army is in the process of acquiring the

remaining private properties within

Overhills, which are eight small parcels

totaling 148.7 acres. Overhills is located

in Cumberland and Harnett Counties in

southeastern North Carolina and adjoins

the northern boundaries of Fort Bragg

and Pope AFB.

The EIS will consider several

alternatives: (1) Incorporate Overhills

into the NTA and use it only for military

training. The Army would fence off and

maintain at their current conditions the

historical structures on ‘‘The Hill’’ and

train on the golf course; (2) train on

Overhills; Army would manage

Overhills’ facilities and resources solely

as a caretaker; (3) no action alternative,

which is to continue the status quo of

permitting only low-impact military

training at company level and not

incorporating Overhills into the NTA

while continuing caretaker operations

for the rest of the property and facilities.

Currently, units are conducting only

light infantry training and driving only

wheeled vehicles on roads and

established trails.

During the scoping process, the Army

will use any comments it receives as a

result of this notice to identify potential

impacts to the quality of the human

environment. Individuals or

organizations may participate in the

scoping process by written comment or

by attending a public scoping meeting.

The date, time, and location of the

public scoping meeting will be

announced in the ‘‘Fayetteville Observer

Times,’’ ‘‘Charlotte Observer,’’ ‘‘Raleigh

News-Observer,’’ and the ‘‘Paraglide’’

newspapers. The EIS will only consider

comments received no later than 15

days following the public meeting.

Dated: November 28, 2000.

Raymond J. Fatz,

Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army

(Environment, Safety and Occupational

Health), OASA(I&E).

[FR Doc. 00–30702 Filed 12–1–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3710–08–M

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Notice of Proposed Information

Collection Requests

AGENCY: Department of Education.

SUMMARY: The Secretary of Education

requests comments on the Free

Application for Federal Student Aid

(FAFSA) that the Secretary proposes to

use for the 2002–2003 year. The FAFSA

is completed by students and their

families and the information submitted

on the form is used to determine the

students’ eligibility and financial need

for financial aid under the student

financial assistance programs

authorized under Title IV of the Higher

Education Act of 1965, as amended,

(Title IV, HEA Programs). The Secretary

also requests comments on changes

under consideration for the 2002–2003

FAFSA.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to

submit comments on or before February

2, 2001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section

483 of the Higher Education Act of

1965, as amended (HEA), requires the

Secretary, ‘‘in cooperation with agencies

and organizations involved in providing

student financial assistance,’’ to

‘‘produce, distribute and process free of

charge a common financial reporting

form to be used to determine the need

and eligibility of a student under’’ the

Title IV, HEA Programs. This form is the

FAFSA. In addition, Section 483

authorizes the Secretary to include nonfinancial data items that assist States in

awarding State student financial

assistance.

The Secretary requests comments on

the draft 2002–2003 FAFSA that has

been posted to the IFAP website (see

below). In particular, in an effort to

continually improve the application for

students, parents, and schools, the

Secretary seeks comments to further

simplify the FAFSA form and reduce

burden hours, including removing,

replacing or combining data elements.

The Secretary is publishing this

request for comment under the

provisions of the Paperwork Reduction

Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.

Under that Act, ED must obtain the

review and approval of the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) before

it may use a form to collect information.

However, under procedure for obtaining

approval from OMB, ED must first

obtain public comment of the proposed

form, and to obtain that comment, ED

must publish this notice in the Federal

Register.

In addition to comments requested

above, to accommodate the

requirements of the Paperwork

Reduction Act, the Secretary is

interested in receiving comments with

regard to the following matters: (1) Is

this collection necessary to the proper

functions of the Department, (2) will

this information be processed and used

in a timely manner, (3) is the estimate

of burden accurate, (4) how might the

Department enhance the quality, utility,

and clarity of the information to be

collected, and (5) how might the

Department minimize the burden of this

collection on the respondents, including

through the use of information

technology.

Dated: November 28, 2000.

John Tressler,

Leader, Regulatory Information Management,

Office of the Chief Information Officer.

Office of Postsecondary Education

Type of Review: Revision.

Title: Free Application for Federal

Student Aid (FAFSA).

Frequency: Annually.

Affected Public: Individuals and

families.

Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping

Hour Burden:

Responses: 10,979,031.

Burden Hours: 6,670,932.

Abstract: The FAFSA collects

identifying and financial information

about a student applying for Title IV,

Higher Education Act (HEA) Program

funds. This information is used to

calculate the student’s expected family

contribution, which is used to

determine a student’s financial need.

The information is also used to

determine the student’s eligibility for

grants and loans under the Title IV,

HEA Programs. It is further used for

determining a student’s eligibility for

State and institutional financial aid

programs.

ADDRESSES: Requests for copies of the

proposed information collection request

may be accessed from http://

edicsweb.ed.gov, or should be addressed

to Vivian Reese, Department of

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW,

Room 4050, Regional Office Building 3,

Washington, D.C. 20202–4651. Please

specify the complete title of the

information collection when making

your request. In addition, interested

persons can access this document on the

Internet: