16210 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 65 / Friday, April 4, 1997 / Notices

We intend to test the full process

model in a Federal processing center.

The location for this test will be: Social

Security Administration, Western

Program Service Center, 2121 Nevin

Avenue, Richmond, California, 94802.

We may add other Federal sites later.

If we add other Federal sites, we will

publish another notice in the Federal

Register identifying the added sites. The

test in Richmond will involve claims by

individuals who wish to file by

telephone. These cases will be referred

to the Richmond processing center by

teleservice centers that service residents

of Arizona.

This test will combine the four

process modifications mentioned above,

plus two features designed to maximize

the resources of a Federal processing

center: having a two-person team

complete the application interview by

telephone; and effectuating, in the

processing center, the payment of

benefits to claimants who are found

disabled. We will begin selecting cases

for processing in this test on or about

April 28, 1997, will continue to select

cases for approximately one year, and

may continue to have cases processed

for an additional six months. In

addition, we may choose to extend the

test to obtain additional data. We will

publish another notice in the Federal

Register if we extend the duration of the

test. The adjudication officers under this

model will process cases as they are

doing in those States in which that

feature is being tested separately. (Refer

to 20 CFR §§ 404.943 and 416.1443.)

The single decisionmaker will process

cases as single decisionmakers are doing

in those States in which that feature is

being tested separately (see 20 CFR

§§ 404.906(b)(2) and 416.1406(b)(2)),

except that the single decisionmaker in

this model also will assist in the claims

interview and will offer a predecisional

interview to a claimant for whom a fully

favorable determination cannot be made

based on the initial information

obtained. If a claimant is dissatisfied

with the initial determination, he or she

may appeal directly to an administrative

law judge. The adjudication officer will

be the claimant’s primary point of

contact before a hearing is held with an

administrative law judge. Claims

authorizers will participate in the

telephone claims interview and will

effectuate payment to claimants who are

found disabled.

Dated: March 28, 1997.

Carolyn W. Colvin,

Deputy Commissioner for Programs and

Policy.

[FR Doc. 97–8711 Filed 4–3–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4190–29–P

Testing Modifications to the Disability

Determination Procedures; Disability

Determination Services Full Process

Model

AGENCY: Social Security Administration.

ACTION: Notice of the additional test

sites and the duration of tests involving

modifications to the disability

determination procedures.

SUMMARY: The Social Security

Administration (SSA) is announcing the

locations and the duration of additional

tests that it will conduct under the

current rules at §§ 404.906, 404.943,

416.1406, and 416.1443. Those rules

authorize the testing of several

modifications to the disability

determination procedures that we

normally follow in adjudicating claims

for disability insurance benefits under

title II of the Social Security Act (the

Act) and claims for supplemental

security income (SSI) payments based

on disability under title XVI of the Act.

This notice announces the test sites and

duration of tests involving a

combination of features of the proposed

redesigned disability process.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Harry Pippin, Disability Models Team

Leader, Office of Disability, Disability

Process Redesign Staff, Social Security

Administration, 6401 Security

Boulevard, Baltimore, Maryland 21235,

410–965–9203.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Current

regulations at §§ 404.906, 404.943,

416.1406, and 416.1443 authorize us to

test different modifications to the

disability determination procedures.

The tests are designed to provide us

with information so that we can

determine the effectiveness of the

models in improving the disability

process. On or about April 7, 1997, we

will begin tests of a full process model

that combines four features of the

proposed redesigned disability process.

These features are: The use of a single

decisionmaker who may make the

disability determination without

requiring the signature of a medical

consultant; the conducting of a

predecisional interview in which a

claimant, for whom SSA does not have

sufficient information to make a fully

favorable determination or the evidence

requires an initial determination

denying the claim, can present

additional information to the

decisionmaker; the elimination of the

reconsideration step in the

administrative review process; and the

use of an adjudication officer who will

conduct prehearing procedures and, if

appropriate, issue a decision wholly

favorable to the claimant. We plan to

test this model in eight States. We will

select cases for evaluation of these tests

for approximately nine months, and

may continue to have cases processed

for another six months. In addition, we

may choose to extend the test to obtain

additional data. We will publish another

notice in the Federal Register if we

extend the duration of the test. For the

purpose of these tests, the single

decisionmaker will be an employee of

the State agency that makes disability

determinations for us, while the

adjudication officer will be either a

State employee or a Federal employee.

The sites selected represent a mix of

geographic areas, case loads, and both

Federal and State employees. The

adjudication officer under this model

will process cases as adjudication

officers are doing in those States in

which that feature is being tested

separately. (Refer to Federal Register,

February 1, 1996 (61 FR 3757).) The

single decisionmaker will process cases

as single decisionmakers are doing in

those States in which that feature is

being tested separately (see Federal

Register, May 3, 1996 (61 FR 19969)),

except that the single decisionmaker in

this combined model will offer a

predecisional interview to a claimant for

whom a fully favorable determination

cannot be made based on the initial

information obtained. If a claimant is

dissatisfied with the initial

determination, he or she may appeal

directly to an administrative law judge.

The adjudication officer will be the

claimant’s primary point of contact

before a hearing is held with an

administrative law judge. Tests of the

model will be held at the following

locations: *COM007*

• Disability Determination Services,

Division of Rehabilitation Services,

Department of Social Services, 10065

Harvard Avenue, Denver, CO 80231–

5941;

• Disability Adjudication Section,

Division of Rehabilitation, Clark

Harrison Building, 330 W. Ponce De

Leon Avenue, Decatur, GA 30030;

• Office of Disability Determinations,

New York State Department of Social

Services, 99 Washington Avenue, Room

1239, Albany, NY 12260;

• Office of Disability Determinations,

New York State Department of Social

Services, 300 Cadman Plaza West, 13th

Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201–2701;

• Office of Disability Determinations,

New York State Department of Social

Services, Ellicott Square Building, Room

664, 295 Main Street, Buffalo, NY

14203–2412;

• Bureau of Disability Determination,

Office for Collections and

Compensation, Room 220—Central
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 65 / Friday, April 4, 1997 / Notices 16211

Operations, 1171 South Cameron Street,

Harrisburg, PA 17104–2594;

• Disability Determination Division,

South Carolina Vocational

Rehabilitation Department, 1709 Mobile

Avenue, West Columbia, SC 29170;

• Disability Determination Section,

Division of Rehabilitation Services,

Department of Human Services, Citizens

Plaza Building, 400 Deaderick Street,

Nashville, TN 37248–1000;

• Disability Determination Services

for SSA, Office of Rehabilitation, Utah

State Office of Education, 555 E. 300

South, Salt Lake City, UT 84102; and

• Disability Determination Bureau,

Division of Health, Department of

Health and Family Services, 722

Williamson Street, Madison, WI 53703.

All cases processed under the full

process model in the State of

Pennsylvania will be adjudicated at the

initial level by single decisionmakers at

the Harrisburg site mentioned above.

However, appeals of these cases will be

processed by adjudication officers at

one of two locations. One location is the

Harrisburg site. The other site is:

• Bureau of Disability Determination,

Office for Collections and

Compensation, 264 Highland Park

Boulevard, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702.

Not all cases received in the test sites

listed above will be handled under the

test procedures. However, if a claim is

selected to be handled as part of the test,

the claim will be processed under the

procedures established under the final

rules cited above.

Dated: March 28, 1997.

Carolyn W. Colvin,

Deputy Commissioner for Programs and

Policy.

[FR Doc. 97–8712 Filed 4–3–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4190–29–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Docket 37554]

Notice of Order Adjusting the Standard

Foreign Fare Level Index

Section 41509(e) of Title 49 of the

United States Code requires that the

Department, as successor to the Civil

Aeronautics Board, establish a Standard

Foreign Fare Level (SFFL) by adjusting

the SFFL base periodically by

percentage changes in actual operating

costs per available seat-mile (ASM).

Order 80–2–69 established the first

interim SFFL, and Order 97–02–06

established the currently effective twomonth SFFL applicable through March

31, 1997.

In establishing the SFFL for the twomonth period beginning April 1, 1997,

we have projected non-fuel costs based

on the year ended December 31, 1996

data, and have determined fuel prices

on the basis of the latest available

experienced monthly fuel cost levels as

reported to the Department.

By Order 97–3–45 fares may be

increased by the following adjustment

factors over the October 1979 level:

Atlantic—1.4871

Latin America—1.4755

Pacific—1.6093

For further information contact: Keith

A. Shangraw (202) 366–2439.

By the Department of Transportation.

Date: March 31, 1997.

Charles A. Hunnicutt,

Assistant Secretary for Aviation and

International Affairs.

[FR Doc. 97–8568 Filed 4–3–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–62–P

Federal Aviation Administration

Notice of Intent To Rule on Application

To Impose the Revenue From a

Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) at

Bradley International Airport, Windsor

Locks, CT

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of intent to rule on

application.

SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to rule and

invites public comment on the

application to impose the revenue from

a Passenger Facility Charge at Bradley

International Airport under the

provisions of the Aviation Safety and

Capacity Expansion Act of 1990 (Title

IX of the Omnibus Budget

Reconciliation Act of 1990) (Pub. L.

101–508) and Part 158 of the Federal

Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 158).

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before May 5, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments on this

application may be mailed or delivered

in triplicate to the FAA at the following

address: Federal Aviation

Administration, Airport Division, 12

New England Executive Park,

Burlington, Massachusetts 01803.

In addition, one copy of any

comments submitted to the FAA must

be mailed or delivered to Mr. Robert

Juliano, A.A.E., Bureau Chief,

Connecticut Department of

Transportation, Bureau of Aviation and

Ports at the following address: 2800

Berlin Turnpike, P.O. Box 317546,

Newington, CT. 06131–7546.

Air carriers and foreign air carriers

may submit copies of written comments

previously provided the State of

Connecticut under § 158.23 of part 158

of the Federal Aviation Regulations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Priscilla A. Scott, PFC Program

Manager, Federal Aviation

Administration, Airports Division, 12

New England Executive Park,

Burlington, Massachusetts 01803, (617)

238–7614. The application may be

reviewed in person at 16 New England

Executive Park, Burlington,

Massachusetts.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA

proposes to rule and invites public

comment on the application to impose

the revenue from a Passenger Facility

Charge (PFC) at Bradley International

Airport under the provisions of the

Aviation Safety and Capacity Expansion

Act of 1990 (Title IX of the Omnibus

Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990)

(Pub. L. 101–508) and part 158 of the

Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR

part 158).

On March 12, 1997, the FAA

determined that the application to

impose the revenue from a PFC

submitted by the State of Connecticut

was substantially complete within the

requirements of § 158.25 part 158 of the

Federal Aviation Regulations. The FAA

will approve or disapprove the

application, in whole or in part, no later

than June 30, 1997.

The following is a brief overview of

the impose application.

PFC Project #: 97–06–I–00–BDL.

Level of the proposed PFC: $3.00.

Proposed Charge effective date:

September 1, 1997.

Estimated charge expiration date:

April 1, 1999.

Estimated total net PFC revenue:

$12,602,000

Brief description of projects:

Construction of New Fire Station

Construction of Glycol Collection

Facility

Class or classes of air carriers which

the public agency has requested not be

required to collect PFCs: On demand Air

Taxi/Commercial Operators (ATCO).

Any person may inspect the

application in person at the FAA office

listed above under FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT.

In addition, any person may, upon

request, inspect the application, notice

and other documents germane to the

application in person at the Connecticut

Department of Transportation Building,

2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington,

Connecticut 06131–7546.