This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains documents other than rules or

proposed rules that are applicable to the

public. Notices of hearings and investigations,

committee meetings, agency decisions and

rulings, delegations of authority, filing of

petitions and applications and agency

statements of organization and functions are

examples of documents appearing in this

section.

Notices Federal Register

10824

Vol. 62, No. 46

Monday, March 10, 1997

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

National Sheep Industry Improvement

Center; Notice of Board Meetings and

Public Hearings on Policy Objectives.

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative

Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of board meetings and

public hearings.

SUMMARY: The Board of Directors of the

National Sheep Industry Improvement

Center announces three public hearings

seeking input on policy objectives to be

used in the strategic plan for

accomplishing the purposes of the

Center. The Board of Directors also

announces two Board meetings in

conjunction with the hearings. (The

Board meetings are open to the public.)

DATES: The hearing and/or meeting

dates are:

1. March 26, 1997, 7:30 p.m.,

Columbus, OH; Board meeting.

2. March 27, 1997, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00

noon, Columbus, OH; public hearing.

3. May 6, 1997, 8:30 a.m to 12:30

p.m., San Angelo, TX; public hearing.

4. May 7, 1997, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30

p.m., Salt Lake City, UT; public hearing

followed by Board of Directors meeting

at 2:00 p.m.

Other deadlines are:

1. May 5, 1997, written testimony

must be received by the Board on or

before date to receive consideration at

the May 7, 1997, Board meeting.

2. Written comments should be

received by May 16, 1997, to receive

consideration in developing the

strategic plans.

ADDRESSES: The meeting locations are:

1. Columbus, OH—Ohio State

University Fawcett Center, 2400

Olentangy River Road, Columbus, Ohio

2. San Angelo, TX—Texas A&M

University, Agricultural Research and

Extension Center, 7887 Highway 87

North, San Angelo, Texas

3. Salt Lake City, UT—Airport Hilton,

5151 Wiley Post Way, Salt Lake City,

UT

Written comments:

Submit written comments in

duplicate to Thomas H. Stafford,

Director, Cooperative Marketing

Division, Cooperative Services, RBS,

USDA, Stop 3252, 1400 Independence

Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20080–3252.

Comments may also be submitted via

the Internet by addressing them to

tstaff@rurdev.usda.gov and must

contain ‘‘Sheep Industries’’ in the

subject.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Thomas H. Stafford, Director,

Cooperative Marketing Division,

Cooperative Services, RBS, USDA, Stop

3252, Room 4204, 1400 Independence

Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20080–3252,

telephone (202) 690–0368. (This is not

a toll free number.) E-mail:

tstaff@rurdev.usda.gov. The Federal

Information Relay service on 1–800–

877–8339 may be used by TDD users.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

National Sheep Industry Improvement

Center is seeking input into policy

objectives that will guide the Center’s

assistance in strengthening the Nation’s

sheep and goat industries. The board is

not looking for specific proposals at this

time.

Background

In response to challenges facing the

sheep and goat industries, the 1996

Farm Bill established the National

Sheep Industry Improvement Center to

assist and strengthen the U.S. sheep and

goat industries through projects and

assistance financed through the Center’s

revolving fund. The Center will manage

a revolving fund of up to $50 million in

Federal funds to facilitate the

production and marketing of sheep and

goats, and their products.

Treasury has deposited the initial $20

million into the Center’s fund. This

fund is capped at $50 million Federal

funds—where authorization was

provided for an additional $30 million

in appropriated funds. After 10 years or

upon receipt of $50 million in Federal

funds to the revolving fund, the Center

and its activities shall be privatized and

no additional Federal funds shall be

used to carry out the activities of the

Center.

The Center is managed by a nine

member (7 voting and 2 nonvoting

members), non-compensated board. The

seven voting members were chosen by

the Secretary of Agriculture from the

sheep and goat industries and the two

non-voting members from the USDA are

the Under Secretary for Rural

Development and the Under Secretary

for Research, Education and Economics.

The Board of Directors may use the

monies in the fund to make grants, and

intermediate and long-term loans,

contracts, cooperative repayable

agreements, or cooperative agreements

in accordance with an annual strategic

plan submitted to the Secretary of

Agriculture. Funds may be used to

participate with Federal and State

agencies, other public and private

funding sources, and in regional efforts.

Funding activities include providing

security for, or making principal or

interest payments on, revenue or general

obligation bond issues, accruing

interest, guaranteeing or purchasing

insurance for local obligations, and

selling acquired assets or loans.

Puposes of the Center

The purposes of the Center are to:

(1) promote strategic development

activities and collaborative efforts by

private and State entities to maximize

the impact of Federal assistance to

strengthen and enhance production and

marketing of sheep or goat products in

the United States;

(2) optimize the use of available

human capital and resources within the

sheep or goat industries;

(3) provide assistance to meet the

needs of the sheep or goat industry for

infrastructure development, business

development, production, resource

development, and market and

environmental research;

(4) advance activities that empower

and build the capacity of the United

States sheep or goat industry to design

unique responses to the special needs of

the sheep or goat industries on both a

regional and national basis; and

(5) adopt flexible and innovative

approaches to solving the long-term

needs of the United States sheep and

goat industries.

Public Hearing Procedure

Interested persons may present data,

information, or views, orally or in

writing, on issues pertaining to the

development of a strategic plan for the

National Sheep Industry Improvement

Center. Those desiring to make formal
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 46 / Monday, March 10, 1997 / Notices 10825

presentations should notify the contact

person two (2) business days prior to the

hearing, and submit a brief statement of

the general nature of the evidence or

arguments they wish to present, the

names and addresses of proposed

participants, and an indication of the

approximate time required to make their

comments. Any person attending the

hearing who does not, in advance of the

hearing, request an opportunity to speak

will be allowed to make an oral

presentation at the hearing’s conclusion

if time permits, at the chairperson’s

discretion. If more time is needed than

currently scheduled, at the discretion of

the chairperson, presentations will be

limited in time and/or hearing time will

be extended. Additional procedures, if

necessary for the conduct of the hearing,

will be announced at the hearing.

Authority: 7 USC 2008j, Pub.L. 104.130.

Dated: February 28, 1997.

Dayton J. Watkins,

Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative

Service.

[FR Doc. 97–5748 Filed 3–7–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–XY–P

Rural Utilities Service

Navajo Tribal Utility Authority; Finding

of No Significant Impact

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Finding of No

Significant Impact.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that

the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) has

made a Finding of No Significant Impact

(FONSI) with respect to the potential

environmental impact related to the

construction, operation and

maintenance of the Burnside Junction to

Coalmine 115 kV Transmission Line

Project proposed by the Navajo Tribal

Utility Authority (NTUA) of Fort

Defiance, Arizona.

RUS has concluded that the

environmental impacts from the

proposed project would not be

significant and that the proposed action

is not a major Federal action

significantly affecting the quality of the

human environment. Therefore, the

preparation of an environmental impact

statement is not required.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dennis E. Rankin, Environmental

Protection Specialist, RUS, Engineering

and Environmental Staff, Stop 1571,

1400 Independence Avenue SW,

Washington, DC 20250–1571, telephone

(202) 720–1784.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

proposed 40-mile transmission line

would extend from the Coalmine

Substation located near Tse Bonito, New

Mexico (east of Window Rock, Arizona)

to tap an existing 69 kV transmission

line in the vicinity of Burnside Junction

(located west of Ganado, Arizona). The

transmission line will be designed and

built for 115 kV operation, but will

initially be operated at 69 kV. The

primary structure type would be Hframe structures located on a 100-foot

right-of-way.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)

and its environmental consultant

prepared an environmental assessment

report (EAR) reflecting the potential

impacts of the proposed facilities. The

BIA EAR, which includes input from

Federal, State and local agencies and the

public, has been adopted as RUS’s

Environmental Assessment (EA) for the

project in accordance with 7 CFR

1794.61. RUS has concluded that the EA

represents an accurate assessment of the

environmental impacts of the project.

The proposed project should have no

impact on cultural resources,

floodplains, wetlands, important

farmland and federally listed or

proposed for listing threatened or

endangered species or their critical

habitat.

Alternatives considered to the project

included no action, localized generating

facilities, wind and solar generation and

alternative routes. RUS has considered

these alternatives and concluded that

the project as proposed meets the needs

of NTUA to provide adequate service to

the central section of the Navajo Nation.

Copies of the EA and FONSI are

available for review at RUS at the

address provided herein; or can be

reviewed at or obtained from the offices

of NTUA, P.O. Box 170, Fort Defiance,

Arizona 86504, telephone (520) 729–

5721, during normal business hours.

Dated: March 3, 1997.

Adam M. Golodner,

Deputy Administrator, Program Operations.

[FR Doc. 97–5850 Filed 3–7–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–15–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and

Technology

Board of Overseers of the Malcolm

Baldrige National Quality Award

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards

and Technology Department of

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal

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

2, notice is hereby given that the Board

of Overseers of the Malcolm Baldrige

National Quality Award (MBNQA) will

meet on Wednesday, April 2, 1997, from

10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Board of

Overseers is composed of nine members

prominent in the field of quality

management and appointed by the

Secretary of Commerce. The members of

the Board of Overseers will meet jointly

with the members of the Judges Panel of

the MBNQA. The Board will receive and

then discuss reports from the Judges

Panel and the National Institute of

Standards and Technology (NIST) on

the Award process. These reports and

discussions will cover the following

topics: review of roles/responsibilities

of Judges and Overseers; status of the

1996/1997 Award Cycles; health care

and education award progress;

information transfer on winners’

responsibility, application trend, and

Quest for Excellence IX Conference and

regional conferences.

DATES: The meeting will convene April

2, 1997, at 10:30 a.m. and adjourn at

4:00 p.m. on April 2, 1997.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at

the National Institute of Standards and

Technology, Administration Building

Conference Room (seating capacity 36,

includes 24 participants), Gaithersburg,

Maryland 20899.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dr. Harry Hertz, Director for Quality

Programs, National Institute of

Standards and Technology,

Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899,

telephone number (301) 975–2361.

Dated: March 3, 1997.

Elaine Bunten-Mines,

Director, Program Office.

[FR Doc. 97–5855 Filed 3–7–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–13–M

Judges Panel of the Malcolm Baldrige

National Quality Award

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards

and Technology, Department of

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of partially closed

meeting.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal

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

2, notice is hereby given that the Judges

Panel of the Malcolm Baldrige National

Quality Award (MBNQA) will meet on

Tuesday, April 1, 1997, from 8:30 a.m.

to 5:30 p.m., and on Wednesday, April

2, 1997, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

The Judges Panel is composed of nine

members prominent in the field of

quality management and appointed by

the Secretary of Commerce. The Judges