33630 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 118 / Friday, June 19, 1998 / Notices

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: We are advising the public

that an environmental assessment has

been prepared by the Animal and Plant

Health Inspection Service relative to the

proposed release into the environment

of nonindigenous weevils for use as

biological control agents to suppress

hound’s-tongue (Cynoglossum

officinale), an introduced weed. The

environmental assessment has been

prepared to provide the public with

documentation of APHIS’ review and

analysis of the environmental impact

and plant pest risk associated with

releasing these biological control agents

into the environment.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the environmental

assessment are available for public

inspection at USDA, room 1141, South

Building, 14th Street and Independence

Avenue SW., Washington, DC, between

8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through

Friday, except holidays. Persons

wishing to inspect those documents are

requested to call ahead on (202) 690–

2817 to facilitate entry into the reading

room.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.

Ronald D. Hennessey, Entomologist,

Biotechnology and Biological Analysis,

PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133,

Riverdale, MD 20737, (301) 734–7839;

or E-mail: rhenness@aphis.usda.gov. For

copies of the environmental assessment,

write to Dr. Ronald D. Hennessey at the

same address. Please refer to the title of

the environmental assessment when

ordering copies.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Animal and Plant Health Inspection

Service (APHIS) has received an

application from Montana State

University for a permit to release a

nonindigenous root-feeding weevil,

Mogulones cruciger (Coleoptera:

Curculionidae), for biological control of

hound’s-tongue, Cynoglossum officinale

(Boraginaceae). Hound’s-tongue is an

introduced weed that has been reported

in 36 of the 48 contiguous States. The

purpose of the proposed action is to

reduce the severity of infestations of

hound’s-tongue in the United States

through the introduction of M. cruciger.

Hound’s-tongue is an invasive weed

that significantly reduces forage and

whose barbed seeds stick to sheep,

reducing the value of wool, and stick to

cattle, causing skin irritation and

behavioral problems. Hound’s-tongue

also contains large quantities of

pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which are toxic

to cattle and horses. Distribution of

hound’s-tongue is currently increasing

in Montana and British Columbia.

The applicant is proposing to collect

the M. cruciger adults from Hungary and

Serbia and import them to the Insect

Quarantine Laboratory at Montana State

University in Boseman, MT, where their

species identity would be confirmed,

and examinations for diseases,

parasitoids, and other contaminants

would be made. The weevil would then

be released in infestations of hound’stongue at several selected sites in

western and central Montana.

After substantial weevil populations

are established, insects would be

collected and distributed to other sites

in Montana. Distribution would follow

in other affected States as soon as

possible. Eventually, the weevil is

expected to spread throughout many or

all of the 36 States in which hound’stongue occurs.

If a permit to release M. cruciger is

issued, this weevil will be the first

exotic biological control agent approved

for release against Hound’s-tongue in

the United States.

To provide the public with

documentation of APHIS’ review and

analysis of the environmental impact

and plant pest risk associated with

releasing these biological control agents

into the environment, we have prepared

an environmental assessment relative to

the release into the environment of M.

cruciger entitled ‘‘Field Release of

Mogulones cruciger (Coleoptera:

Curculionidae), a Nonindigenous

Weevil Proposed for Biological Control

of Hound’s-Tongue, Cynoglossum

officinale (Boraginaceae)’’ (May 1998).

The environmental assessment has

been prepared in accordance with: (1)

the National Environmental Policy Act

of 1969, as amended (NEPA) (42 U.S.C.

4321 et seq.), (2) regulations of the

Council on Environmental Quality for

implementing the procedural provisions

of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500–1509), (3)

USDA regulations implementing NEPA

(7 CFR part 1b), and (4) APHIS’ NEPA

Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part

372).

Done in Washington, DC, this 12th day of

June 1998.

Charles Schwalbe,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant

Health Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. 98–16280 Filed 6–18–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P

COMMITTEE FOR PURCHASE FROM

PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR

SEVERELY DISABLED

Procurement List; Proposed additions

AGENCY: Committee for Purchase From

People Who Are Blind or Severely

Disabled.

ACTION: Proposed additions to

Procurement List.

SUMMARY: The Committee has received

proposals to add to the Procurement List

services to be furnished by nonprofit

agencies employing persons who are

blind or have other severe disabilities.

Comments must be received on or

before: July 20, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Committee for Purchase

From People Who Are Blind or Severely

Disabled, Crystal Gateway 3, Suite 310,

1215 Jefferson Davis Highway,

Arlington, Virginia 22202–4302.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Beverly Milkman (703) 603–7740.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This

notice is published pursuant to 41

U.S.C. 47(a)(2) and 41 CFR 51–2.3. Its

purpose is to provide interested persons

an opportunity to submit comments on

the possible impact of the proposed

actions.

If the Committee approves the

proposed additions, all entities of the

Federal Government (except as

otherwise indicated) will be required to

procure the services listed below from

nonprofit agencies employing persons

who are blind or have other severe

disabilities.

I certify that the following action will

not have a significant impact on a

substantial number of small entities.

The major factors considered for this

certification were:

1. The action will not result in any

additional reporting, recordkeeping or

other compliance requirements for small

entities other than the small

organizations that will furnish the

services to the Government.

2. The action does not appear to have

a severe economic impact on current

contractors for the services.

3. The action will result in

authorizing small entities to furnish the

services to the Government.

4. There are no known regulatory

alternatives which would accomplish

the objectives of the Javits-WagnerO’Day Act (41 U.S.C. 46–48c) in

connection with the services proposed

for addition to the Procurement List.

Comments on this certification are

invited. Commenters should identify the

statement(s) underlying the certification

on which they are providing additional

information.
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 118 / Friday, June 19, 1998 / Notices 33631

The following services have been

proposed for addition to Procurement

List for production by the nonprofit

agencies listed.

Administrative Services

General Services Administration,

Federal Protective Service Division,

450 Golden Gate Avenue, San

Francisco, California

NPA: Jewish Vocational and Career

Counseling Service, Inc., San

Francisco, California

Facilities Services Support

White Sands Missile Range, White

Sands, New Mexico

NPA: Tresco, Inc., Las Cruces, New

Mexico

Food Service

U.S. Marine Corps Base Dining

Facilities, Quantico, Virginia

NPA: Fairfax Opportunities Unlimited,

Inc., Alexandria, Virginia

Beverly L. Milkman,

Executive Director.

[FR Doc. 98–16393 Filed 6–18–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6353–01–P

COMMITTEE FOR PURCHASE FROM

PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR

SEVERELY DISABLED

Procurement List; Addition

AGENCY: Committee for Purchase From

People Who Are Blind or Severely

Disabled.

ACTION: Addition to the Procurement

List.

SUMMARY: This action adds to the

Procurement List a service to be

furnished by nonprofit agencies

employing persons who are blind or

have other severe disabilities.

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 20, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Committee for Purchase

From People Who Are Blind or Severely

Disabled, Crystal Gateway 3, Suite 310,

1215 Jefferson Davis Highway,

Arlington, Virginia 22202–4302.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Beverly Milkman (703) 603–7740.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 1,

1998, the Committee for Purchase From

People Who Are Blind or Severely

Disabled published a notice (63 FR

24153) of proposed addition to the

Procurement List. After consideration of

the material presented to it concerning

capability of qualified nonprofit

agencies to provide the service and

impact of the addition on the current or

most recent contractors, the Committee

has determined that the service listed

below are suitable for procurement by

the Federal Government under 41 U.S.C.

46–48c and 41 CFR 51–2.4. I certify that

the following action will not have a

significant impact on a substantial

number of small entities. The major

factors considered for this certification

were:

1. The action will not result in any

additional reporting, recordkeeping or

other compliance requirements for small

entities other than the small

organizations that will furnish the

service to the Government.

2. The action will not have a severe

economic impact on current contractors

for the service.

3. The action will result in

authorizing small entities to furnish the

service to the Government.

4. There are no known regulatory

alternatives which would accomplish

the objectives of the Javits-WagnerO’Day Act (41 U.S.C. 46–48c) in

connection with the service proposed

for addition to the Procurement List.

Accordingly, the following service is

hereby added to the Procurement List.

Janitorial/Custodial

Federal Building and Courthouse, 1

North Palafox Street, Pensacola,

Florida

This action does not affect current

contracts awarded prior to the effective

date of this addition or options that may

be exercised under those contracts.

Beverly L. Milkman,

Executive Director.

[FR Doc. 98–16394 Filed 6–19–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6353–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

Under Secretary David Aaron’s HighTechnology Trade Mission to

Southeast Asia

AGENCY: International Trade

Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: This notice serves to inform

the public that Ambassador David L.

Aaron, Under Secretary for International

Trade, will lead a High-Technology

Trade Mission to Malaysia, Singapore,

Thailand and the Philippines,

September 7–19, 1998. This notice also

sets forth mission objectives,

application procedures, and

participation criteria.

DATES: Applications should be

submitted to Alain de Sarran by Friday,

July 31, 1998, in order to ensure

sufficient time to obtain in-country

appointments for applicants selected to

participate in the mission. Applications

received after that date will be

considered only if space and scheduling

constraints permit.

ADDRESSES: Request for and submission

of applications—Applications are

available from Alain de Sarran, Deputy

Director, Office of International

Operations, East Asia and the Pacific, at

(202) 482–2422 or via facsimile at (202)

501–6165. Numbers listed in this notice

are not toll-free. An original and two

copies of the required application

materials should be sent to the project

officer noted above. Applications sent

by facsimile must be immediately

followed by submission of the original

application to Mr. de Sarran at the

following address: Office of

International Operations, East Asia and

the Pacific, Room 1223, U.S.

Department of Commerce, 14th Street

and Constitution Ave., NW,

Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Alain de Sarran or Paul Kullman at

(202) 482–2422. Information is also

available via the International Trade

Administration’s (ITA) Internet home

page at ‘‘http://www.ita.doc.gov’’

Trade Mission Description

This trade mission is designed to lend

high-profile U.S. Government advocacy

to American companies, particularly

small and medium-sized firms, seeking

business opportunities in hightechnology sectors in Southeast Asia,

and to demonstrate U.S. support of

countries in the region recovering from

the financial crisis. The current

financial problems affecting Southeast

Asia are slowing growth in the short

term. However, as these economies

implement financial reforms, their rates

of economic growth can be expected to

resume a more dynamic pace, thereby

providing U.S. companies with

exceptional high-tech export

opportunities.

Government leaders of Malaysia,

Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines

place many of their hopes for industrial

modernization, increased

competitiveness, and economic recovery

in their high-tech sectors, and they often

look to the United States first to help

fulfill these hopes because U.S.

companies possess cutting-edge

technology and know-how. Guided by

reporting on best export prospects from

the Department’s overseas offices, this

mission endeavors to meet foreign

demand for information technology,

telecommunications and environmental

technology.

The mission will visit Kuala Lumpur

and Penang, September 7–10 ;