Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 101 /Wednesday, May 27, 1998 / Notices 28985

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting

burden for this collection of information

is estimated to average 11 hours per

response.

Respondents: Farms, Not-for-profit

Institutions, and State, Local or Tribal

Government.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

100.

Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: 7.5.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 8,610 hours.

Copies of this information collection

can be obtained from Michele Brooks,

Regulations and Paperwork

Management Branch, Support Services

Division, at (202) 692–0036.

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether

the proposed collection of information

is necessary for the proper performance

of the functions of RHS, including

whether the information will have

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of

RHS’s estimate of the burden of the

proposed collection of information

including the validity of the

methodology and assumptions used; (c)

ways to enhance the quality, utility and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the

burden of the collection of information

on those who are to respond, including

through the use of appropriate

automated, electronic, mechanical, or

other technological collection

techniques or other forms of information

technology. Comments may be sent to

Michele Brooks, Regulations and

Paperwork Management Branch, U.S.

Department of Agriculture, Rural

Development, STOP 0743, 1400

Independence Ave. SW, Washington,

DC 20250. All responses to this notice

will be summarized and included in the

request for OMB approval. All

comments will also become a matter of

public record.

Dated: May 14, 1998.

Jan E. Shadburn,

Administrator, Rural Housing Service.

[FR Doc. 98–14008 Filed 5–26–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–XV–U

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Economics and Statistics

Administration

Secretary’s 2000 Census Advisory

Committee

AGENCY: Economics and Statistics

Administration, Department of

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal

Advisory Committee Act (P.L. 92–463,

as amended by P.L. 94–409, P.L. 96–

523, and P.L. 97–375), we are giving

notice of a meeting of the Commerce

Secretary’s 2000 Census Advisory

Committee. The meeting will convene

on June 11–12, 1998, in the Francis

Amasa Walker Conference Center,

Bureau of the Census, 4700 Silver Hill

Road, Suitland, MD 20746. The

Committee will continue to review and

discuss Dress Rehearsal operations and

procedures as well as Census

2000,including plans for data products.

The Committee also will discuss the

results of the June 3 Joint Advisory

Committee Meeting on the tabulation of

racial data from Census 2000.

DATES: On Thursday, June 11, 1998, the

meeting will begin at 8:45 a.m. and

adjourn for the day at 4:30 p.m. On

Friday, June 12, 1998, the meeting will

begin at 8:45 a.m. and adjourn at 4:15

p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will take place

in the Francis Amasa Walker

Conference Center, Bureau of the

Census, 4700 Silver Hill Road, Suitland,

MD 20746.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Anyone wishing additional information

about this meeting, or who wishes to

submit written statements or questions,

may contact Maxine Anderson-Brown,

Committee Liaison Officer, Department

of Commerce, Bureau of the Census,

Room 3039, Federal Building 3,

Washington, DC 20233, telephone 301–

457–2308, TDD 301–457–2540.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Committee is composed of a Chair, ViceChair, and up to thirty-five member

organizations, all appointed by the

Secretary of Commerce. The Committee

will consider the goals of Census 2000

and user needs for information provided

by that census. The Committee will

provide an outside user community

perspective about how operational

planning and implementation methods

proposed for Census 2000 will realize

those goals and satisfy those needs. The

Committee shall consider all aspects of

the conduct of the Census 2000 of

Population and Housing and shall make

recommendations for improving that

census.

A brief period will be set aside on

Friday afternoon for public comment

and questions. However, individuals

with extensive questions or statements

for the record must submit them in

writing to the Commerce Department

official named above at least three

working days prior to the meeting.

The meeting is physically accessible

to people with disabilities. Requests for

sign language interpretation or other

auxiliary aids should be directed to

Kathy Maney at 301–457–2308, TDD

301–457–2540.

Dated: May 19, 1998.

Robert J. Shapiro,

Under Secretary for Economic Affairs,

Economics and Statistics Administration.

[FR Doc. 98–14004 Filed 5–26–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–07–M

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and

Technology

Malcolm Baldrige National Quality

Award’s Board of Overseers

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards

and Technology, 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 there will

be a meeting of the Board of Overseers

of the Malcolm Baldrige National

Quality Award on Monday, June 8,

1998, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The

Board of Overseers consists of ten

members prominent in the field of

quality management and appointed by

the Secretary of Commerce, assembled

to advise the Secretary of Commerce on

the conduct of the Baldrige Award. The

purpose of the meeting on June 8, 1998,

will be for the Board of Overseers to

discuss and review information received

from the National Institute of Standards

and Technology with the members of

the Judges Panel of the Malcolm

Baldrige National Quality Award. The

Agenda will include reviewing the roles

and responsibilities of Judges and

Overseers; Award marketing efforts;

discussion of proposed program changes

to include two award/category cap;

health care and education awards

including fund raising and 1999 criteria;

and 1998 Award criteria changes and

future criteria evolution.

DATE: The meeting will convene June 8,

1998 at 8:30 a.m., and adjourn at 4 p.m.

on June 8, 1998.

ADDRESS: 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, National

Quality Program, National Institute of

Standards and Technology,

Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899,

telephone number (301) 975–2361.
28986 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 101 /Wednesday, May 27, 1998 / Notices

Dated: May 19, 1998.

Robert E. Hebner,

Acting Deputy Director.

[FR Doc. 98–13942 Filed 5–26–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–30–M

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and

Technology

Judges Panel of the Malcolm Baldrige

National Quality Award

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards

and Technology, Department of

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of closed meeting.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Federal

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

2, notice is hereby given that there will

be a closed meeting of the Judges Panel

of the Malcolm Baldrige National

Quality Award on Tuesday, June 9,

1998. The Judges Panel is composed of

nine members prominent in the field of

quality management and appointed by

the Secretary of Commerce. The purpose

of this meeting is to review final judging

interaction, survey of applicants and

judging process improvement

discussions, and to begin the review

process of the 1998 Award applicants to

be recommended as Award winners.

The applications under review contain

trade secrets and proprietary

commercial information submitted to

the Government in confidence.

DATES: The meeting will convene June

9, 1998, at 8:30 a.m. and adjourn at 3:00

p.m. on June 9, 1998. The entire meeting

will be closed.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at

the National Institute of Standards and

Technology, Administration Building

Conference Room, Gaithersburg,

Maryland 20899.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.

Harry Hertz, Director, National Quality

Program, National Institute of Standards

and Technology, Gaithersburg,

Maryland 20899, telephone number

(301) 975–2361.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Assistant Secretary for Administration,

with the concurrence of the General

Counsel, formally determined on May

19, 1998, that the meeting of the Judges

Panel will be closed pursuant to Section

10(d) of the Federal Advisory

Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. app. 2, as

amended by Section 5(c) of the

Government in the Sunshine Act, Pub.

L. 94–409. The meeting, which involves

examination of records and discussion

of Award applicant data, may be closed

to the public in accordance with Section

552b(c)(4) of Title 5, United States Code,

since the meeting is likely to disclose

trade secrets and commercial or

financial information obtained from a

person and privileged or confidential.

Dated: May 19, 1998.

Robert E. Hebner,

Acting Deputy Director.

[FR Doc. 98–13946 Filed 5–26–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–13–M

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[Docket No. 980324076–8076–01; I.D.

031798B]

RIN 0648–ZA38

Halibut and Sablefish Fisheries QuotaShare Loan Program; Final Program

Notice and Announcement of

Availability of Federal Assistance

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration,

Commerce.

ACTION: Announcement of availability of

Federal assistance.

SUMMARY: NMFS announces the

availability of long-term loans for

financing or refinancing the purchase

cost of quota share (QS) in the halibut

and sablefish fisheries off Alaska. Only

entry-level fishermen or fishermen who

fish from small vessels are eligible for

these loans.

DATES: NMFS will accept applications

only during an application open season.

The application open season will begin

on June 10, 1998 and will end on June

24, 1998. All loan funds available for FY

1998 must be committed before

September 30, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Applicants should send

loan applications to the Northwest

Financial Services Branch, National

Marine Fisheries Service, National

Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration, U.S. Department of

Commerce, 7600 Sand Point Way, NE

(BIN C15700), Building No. 1, Seattle,

WA 98115.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kimberly Berryhill at (206) 526–6122

(voice) or (206) 526–6306 (facsimile).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

A. Background

The Sustainable Fisheries Act (SFA)

(P.L. 104–297) amended section

1104A(a)(7) of Title XI of the Merchant

Marine Act (46 U.S.C. App. 1274) and

section 303(d)(4) of the MagnusonStevens Fishery Conservation and

Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens

Act) (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) to authorize

financing and refinancing the cost of

entry-level fishermen and fishermen

who fish from small boats purchasing

individual fishing quota (IFQ).

Although the SFA indicates that loans

are available for purchasing IFQ, the

basic fishing permit for the halibut and

sablefish fisheries is termed ‘‘QS’’ rather

than ‘‘IFQ.’’ In these fisheries, IFQ is an

annual allocation of the pounds of fish

that each QS holder may harvest.

Consequently, NMFS interprets the SFA

to allow loans for the cost of purchasing

basic fishing permits rather than annual

harvest allocations under those permits.

These loans will finance the purchase of

halibut and sablefish QS rather than

IFQ.

Title XI of the Merchant Marine Act,

1936, is the credit authority under

which NMFS will make these loans.

This authority is subject to the Federal

Credit Reform Act of 1990 (FRCA) (2

U.S.C. 661). This Act requires estimated

net loan losses (FCRA cost) to be

appropriated in cash at the time

Congress authorizes annual loan

ceilings.

FY 1998 appropriations for the U.S.

Department of Commerce included a

$100,000 advance to fund the FCRA cost

of this loan program during its first year

(from October 1, 1997, through

September 30, 1998).

The amount of annual FCRA credit

authority available is a ratio of the

FCRA cost rate and the FCRA cost

appropriated. NMFS preliminarily

estimates the FCRA cost rate of these

loans to be 2 percent. Consequently, the

$100,000 appropriated for this loan

program’s FY 1998 FCRA cost will

preliminarily support a $5,000,000

credit authority ($5,000,000 times 0.2

equals $100,000).

The FY 1998 credit authority may not

support more than 20 to 35 loans. FY

1998 loan demand will most likely

exceed supply. NMFS will, to the

maximum extent possible, process loan

applications (up to the maximum FY

1998 credit authority available) in the

order in which applicants submit them

during an application open season. For

the specific dates upon which the

application open season begins and

ends, see the DATES heading at the

beginning of this document. All

applications must be submitted by firstclass U.S. mail. No other form of

application submission is acceptable. To

reduce the open-season paperwork

burden, applicants need complete only

a small portion (Section A) of the