Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 43 / Wednesday, March 5, 1997 / Notices 10111

over these years. Further, Capacity can

achieve compliance with Standard No.

121 after some delay, but presents

arguments why it may not be in the

public interest to do so.

NHTSA has great flexibility in its

interpretation of the phrase ‘‘substantial

economic hardship.’’ Ordinarily it may

consider cumulative net losses a per se

demonstration of hardship, but it

specifically invites applicants to submit

‘‘[a] discussion of any other hardships

(e.g., loss of market) that the petitioner

desires the agency to consider.’’ (49 CFR

555.7(a)(1)(D)(vi)). In this situation,

Capacity will not have a problem if it

accelerates its manufacturing schedule

to complete the order before the

effective date of the new provisions of

Standard No. 121. But this can be

achieved only at the cost of hiring and

training additional manufacturing

personnel, and requiring its work force

to work exclusively and overtime on

filling the order of the Postal Service to

the detriment of other customers whose

orders will then be delayed. These costs

cannot be recovered under Capacity’s

fixed cost contract with the Postal

Service. NHTSA also notes that the

quality of the vehicles may suffer when

vehicles are rushed to completion by a

newly-trained work force. All these are

hardship factors that NHTSA deems

relevant to its determination.

The facts also indicate that the

Administrator’s findings that a

manufacturer has made a good faith

effort to conform and that an exemption

is in the public interest and consistent

with traffic safety objectives stem from

the following scenario. Capacity can

achieve compliance no later than 3

months after the effective date of the

amendments to Standard No. 121. While

it is willing to defer completion of its

order until then, this is not acceptable

to its customer who has already taken

delivery of the initial vehicles for which

it has contracted. Delayed delivery will

not only deprive the Postal Service of

vehicles it needs, but also require it to

train drivers and maintenance personnel

in two differing procedures. NHTSA

believes that this may complicate

replacement parts inventories as well.

All in all, this would appear to increase

the costs to the Postal Service which

will contribute to the on-going

economic pressure for increases in

postal rates. The effect on safety of

providing an exemption for 60 truck

tractors which will spend only an

estimated 5% of their lives on the

public roads would appear to be de

minimis.

On the basis of the foregoing, it is

hereby found for good cause shown, that

compliance with Standard No. 121

would cause substantial economic

hardship to a manufacturer that has

tried in good faith to comply with the

standard. It is further found that a

temporary exemption is in the public

interest and consistent with the

objectives of traffic safety. Accordingly,

Capacity of Texas, Inc., is hereby

granted NHTSA Temporary Exemption

No. 96–1 from paragraph S5.1.6 of 49

CFR 571.121 Motor Vehicle Safety

Standard No. 121 ‘‘Air Brake Systems’’

expiring June 1, 1997.

(49 U.S.C. 30113; delegation of authority at

49 CFR 1.50.)

Issued on: February 28, 1997.

Ricardo Martinez,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 97–5427 Filed 3–4–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P

Bureau of Transportation Statistics

Advisory Council on Transportation

Statistics

AGENCY: Bureau of Transportation

Statistics, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 10(A)(2)

of the Federal Advisory Committee Act

(Pub. L. 72–363; 5 U.S.C. App. 2), notice

is hereby given of a meeting of the

Bureau of Transportation Statistics

(BTS) Advisory Council on

Transportation Statistics (ACTS) to be

held Friday, March 21, 1997, 10:00 to

4:00 p.m. The meeting will take place at

the U.S. Department of Transportation,

400 7th Street, SW., Washington, DC, in

conference room 9234 of the Nassif

Building.

The Advisory Council, called for

under Section 6007 of Pub. L. 102–240,

Intermodal Surface Transportation

Efficiency Act of 1991, December 18,

1991, and chartered on June 19, 1995,

was created to advise the Director of

BTS on transportation statistics and

analyses, including whether or not the

statistics and analysis disseminated by

the Bureau are of high quality and are

based upon the best available objective

information.

The agenda for this meeting will

include a review of the last meeting,

identification of substantive issues,

review of plans and schedule, other

items of interest, discussion and

agreement of date(s) for subsequent

meetings, and comments from the floor.

Since access to the DOT building is

controlled, all persons who plan to

attend the meeting must notify Ms.

Carolee Bush, Council Liaison, on (202)

366–6946 prior to March 20. Attendance

is open to the interested public but

limited to space available. With the

approval of the Chair, members of the

public may present oral statements at

the meeting. Noncommittee members

wishing to present oral statements,

obtain information, or who plan to

access the building to attend the

meeting should also contact Ms. Bush.

Members of the public may present a

written statement to the Council at any

time.

Persons with a disability requiring

special services, such as an interpreter

for the hearing impaired, should contact

Ms. Bush (202) 366–6946 at least seven

days prior to the meeting.

Issued in Washington, DC, on February 28,

1997.

Robert A. Knisely,

Executive Director, Advisory Council on

Transportation Statistics.

[FR Doc. 97–5428 Filed 3–4–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–FE–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Fiscal Service

[Dept. Circ. 570, 1996 Rev., Supp. No. 9]

Surety Companies Acceptable on

Federal Bonds; Redland Insurance

Company

A certificate of Authority as an

acceptable surety on Federal Bonds is

hereby issued to the following company

under Sections 9304 to 9308, Title 31,

of the United States Code. Federal bondapproving officers should annotate their

reference copies of the Treasury Circular

570, 1996 Revision, on page 34304 to

reflect this addition:

Redland Insurance Company,

BUSINESS ADDRESS: 222 South 15th

Street, Suite 600 North, Omaha, NE,

68102. PHONE: (402) 344–8800.

UNDERWRITING LIMITATION b/:

$3,2240,000. SURETY LICENSES c/: AL,

AZ, AR, CA, CO, DE, DC, FL, GA, ID,

IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MN,

MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NM, NC,

ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN,

TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY.

INCORPORATED IN: Iowa.

Certificates of Authority expire on

June 30 each year, unless revoked prior

to that date. The Certificates are subject

to subsequent annual renewal as long as

the companies remain qualified (31

CFR, Part 223). A list of qualified

companies is published annually as of

July 1 in Treasury Department Circular

570, with details as to underwriting

limitations, areas in which licensed to

transact surety business and other

information.

The Circular may be viewed and

downloaded through the Internet (http:/
10112 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 43 / Wednesday, March 5, 1997 / Notices

/www. fms.treas.gov/c570.html) or

through our computerized public

bulletin board system (FMS Inside Line)

at (202) 874–6887. A hard copy may be

purchased from the Government

Printing Office (GPO), Subscription

Service Washington, DC, telephone

(202) 512–1800. When ordering the

Circular from GPO, use the following

stock number: 048–000–00499–7.

Questions concerning this Notice may

be directed to the U.S. Department of

the Treasury, Financial Management

Service, Funds Management Division,

Surety Bond Branch, 3700 East-West

Highway, Room 6F04, Hyattsville, MD

20782, telephone (202) 874–6507.

Dated: February 13, 1997.

Charles F. Schwan III,

Director, Funds Management Division,

Financial Management Service.

[FR Doc. 97–5345 Filed 3–4–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4810–35–M

UNITED STATES INFORMATION

AGENCY

Proposed Collection; Comment

Request

AGENCY: United States Information

Agency.

ACTION: Proposed collection; Comment

request.

SUMMARY: The United States Information

Agency, as part of its continuing effort

to reduce paperwork and respondent

burden, invites the general public and

other Federal agencies to comment on

an information collection entitled

‘‘Rulemaking Number 102, Camp

Counselor Exchanges’’. This request for

comment is being made pursuant to the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

[Public Law 104–13; 44 U.S.C.

3506(c)(2)(A)].

The information collection activity

involved with this program is

conducted pursuant to the mandate

given to the United States Information

Agency under the terms and conditions

of the Mutual Educational and Cultural

Exchange Act of 1961, as amended.

USIA has been delegated the authority

to designate exchange visitor programs

for U.S. Government agencies, public

and private education and Cultural

exchange. In addition, 22 Code of

Federal Regulations (CFR), part 514.30,

Camp Counselors; Limitation of

Program Participation.

DATES: Comments are due on or before

May 5, 1997.

COPIES: Copies of the Request for

Clearance (OMB 83–I), supporting

statement, and other documents that

will be submitted to OMB for approval

may be obtained from the USIA

Clearance Officer. Comments should be

submitted to the Office of Information

and Regulatory Affairs of OMB,

Attention: Desk Officer for USIA, and

also to the USIA Clearance Officer.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Agency Clearance Officer, Ms. Jeannette

Giovetti, United States Information

Agency, M/ADD, 301 Fourth Street,

S.W., Washington, D.C. 20547,

telephone (202) 619–4408; and OMB

review: Ms. Victoria Wassmer, Office of

Information And Regulatory Affairs,

Office of Management and Budget, New

Executive Office Building, Docket

Library, Room 10202, NEOB,

Washington, D.C. 20503, Telephone

(202) 395–3176.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public

reporting burden for this collection of

information (Paper Work Reduction

Project: OMB No. 3116–0213) is

estimated to average 5 minutes per

response, including the time for

reviewing instructions, searching

existing data sources, gathering and

maintaining the data needed, and

completing and reviewing the collection

of information.

Responses are required to obtain

benefits and respondents will be

required to respond only one time.

Comments are requested on the

proposed information collection

concerning (a) Whether the proposed

collection of information is necessary

for the proper performance of the

agency, including whether the

information has practical utility; (b) the

accuracy of the Agency’s burden

estimates; (c) ways to enhance the

quality, utility, and clarity of the

information collected and (d) ways to

minimize the burden of the collection of

information on the respondents,

including the use of automated

collection techniques or other forms of

information technology. Send comments

regarding this burden estimate or any

other aspect of this collection of

information to the United States

Information Agency, M/ADD, 301

Fourth Street, S.W., Washington, D.C.

20547; and to the Office of Information

and Regulatory Affairs, Office of

Management and Budget, New

Executive Office Building, Docket

Library, Room 10202, NEOB,

Washington, D.C. 20503.

Current Actions: USIA is requesting

an extension of this collection for a

three-year period.

Title: Rulemaking No. 102, Camp

Counselor Exchanges.

Abstract: Approximately 10 Agencydesignated for profit and non-profit

entities will submit a report listing the

names of aliens who have participated

in camp counselor exchanges more than

twice. This report will be the basis of

the Agency’s efforts to monitor these

exchanges, to prevent inappropriate

staffing with alien labor, and to ensure

compliance with the articulated policy.

Proposed Frequency of Response:

No. of Respondents—10.

Recordkeeping Hours—.08.

Total Annual Burden—1.0.

Dated: February 28, 1997.

Rose Royal,

Federal Register Liaison.

[FR Doc. 97–5429 Filed 3–4–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8230–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS

AFFAIRS

Cost-of-Living Adjustments for

Service-Connected Benefits

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: As required by the Veterans’

Compensation Cost-of-Living

Adjustment Act of 1996, Public Law

104–263, the Department of Veterans

Affairs (VA) is hereby giving notice of

cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) in

certain benefit rates. These COLAs affect

the compensation and dependency and

indemnity compensation (DIC)

programs.

DATES: These COLAs are effective

December 1, 1996, the date provided by

Public Law 104–263.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul

Trowbridge, Consultant, Compensation

and Pension Service (213B), Veterans

Benefit Administration, Department of

Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue,

NW, Washington, DC 20420, (202) 273–

7218.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living

Adjustment Act of 1996, Public Law

104–263, provides for a COLA for each

of the rates in sections 1114, 1115(1),

1162, 1311, 1313, and 1314 of title 38,

United States Code. VA is required to

increase these benefit rates by the same

percentage as increases in the benefit

amounts payable under title II of the

Social Security Act. In computing

increased rates in the cited title 38

sections, fractions of a dollar equaling

$.50 or more are rounded to the next

higher dollar amount. The increased

rates are required to be published in the

Federal Register.

The Social Security Administration

has announced that there will be a 2.9

percent cost-of-living increase in Social