Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 122 /Thursday, June 25, 1998 / Notices 34667

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

Section 503 of ERISA provides that,

pursuant to regulations promulgated by

the Secretary of Labor, each employee

benefit plan must provide adequate

notice in writing to any participant or

beneficiary whose claim for benefits

under the plan has been denied. This

notice must set forth the specific

reasons for the denial and must be

written in a manner calculated to be

understood by the claimant. Each plan

must also afford a reasonable

opportunity for any participant or

beneficiary whose claim has been

denied to obtain a full and fair review

of the denial by the appropriate named

fiduciary of the plan. The Department previously issued a

regulation pursuant to section 503 that

establishes certain minimum

requirements for employee benefit plan

procedures pertaining to claims. The

ICR included in the claims procedure

regulation generally requires timely

written disclosures to participants and

beneficiaries of employee benefit plans

of information concerning the plan’s

claims procedures, the basis for the

denial of a claim, and time limits for

addressing or appealing the denial of a

claim. These requirements are intended

to ensure that plan administrators

provide for a full and fair review of

claims, and that plan participants and

beneficiaries have information which is

sufficient to allow them to exercise their

rights under the plan.

II. Current Actions

The Office of Management and

Budget’s approval of this ICR will expire

on September 30, 1998. On September

8, 1997, the Department published a

Request for Information (September 8

RFI) (62 FR 47261) concerning the

advisability of amending the existing

regulation that establishes minimum

requirements for employee benefit plan

claims procedures. In the Department’s

Semiannual Regulatory Agenda

published on April 27, 1998, the

Pension and Welfare Benefits

Administration indicated its intention

to publish a Notice of Proposed

Rulemaking with respect to employee

benefit plan claims procedures in June,

1998 (63 FR 22240). While certain

modifications to the claims procedure

ICR may be anticipated in connection

with proposed revision of these rules,

estimates of burden associated with

modifications currently under

consideration are not yet available. The

burden estimates shown in this notice

are, therefore, based on the existing ICR. To avoid unnecessary duplication of

public comments, however, those

comments received in response to the

September 8 RFI that address burden

associated with the claims procedure

regulation will be treated as comments

on this ICR.

Agency: Department of Labor, Pension

and Welfare Benefits Administration.

Title: Benefit Claims Procedure

regulation pursuant to 29 CFR

2560.503–1.

Type of Review: Extension of a

currently approved collection. OMB Numbers: 1210–0053.

Affected Public: Individuals or

households; Business or other for-profit;

Not-for-profit institutions. Total Respondents: 23,454.

Total Responses: 23,454.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Total Annual Burden: 7,063 hours.

Comments submitted in response to

this comment request will be

summarized and/or included in the

request for Office of Management and

Budget approval of the information

collection request; they will also

become a matter of public record.

Dated: June 22, 1998.

Gerald B. Lindrew,

Deputy Director, Pension and Welfare

Benefits Administration, Office of Policy and

Research.

[FR Doc. 98–16939 Filed 6–24–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–29–M

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

Special Emphasis Panel in Social,

Behavioral, and Economic Sciences;

Notice of Meeting

In accordance with the Federal

Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–

463, as amended), the National Science

Foundation announces the following

meeting:

Name: Special Emphasis Panel in Social,

Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (1766).

Dates: July 27–29, 1998 and August 3–5,

1998.

Time: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Place: National Science Foundation, 4201

Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22230, Room

1235.

Type of Meeting: Closed.

Contact Person: Mike McCloskey, Program

Director, Division of Social, Behavioral, and

Economic Research, National Science

Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 995,

Arlington, VA 22230. Telephone: (703) 306–

1732.

Purpose of Meeting: To provide advice and

recommendations concerning proposals

submitted to NSF for financial support.

Agenda: To review and evaluate proposals

submitted to the Knowledge and Distributed

Intelligence (KDI) Program Solicitation as

part of the selection process for awards.

Reason for Closing: The proposals being

reviewed include information of a

proprietary or confidential nature, including

technical information; financial data, such as

salaries, and personal information

concerning individuals associated with the

proposals. These matters are exempt under 5

USC 552b(c) (4) and (6) of the Government

in the Sunshine Act.

Dated: June 22, 1998.

M. Rebecca Winkler,

Committee Management Officer.

[FR Doc. 98–16926 Filed 6–24–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7555–01–M

NUCLEAR REGULATORY

COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50–410]

Central Hudson Gas & Electric

Corporation (Nine Mile Point Nuclear

Station, Unit 2); Environmental

Assessment and Finding of No

Significant Impact

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission (the Commission) is

considering the issuance of an Order

approving, under 10 CFR 50.80, an

application regarding a transfer of

control of possessory rights held by

Central Hudson Gas & Electric

Corporation (Applicant) under the

operating license for Nine Mile Point

Nuclear Station, Unit No. 2 (NMP2). The

transfer would be to a holding company,

not yet named, to be created over

Applicant in accordance with a New

York State Public Service Commission

order, issued and effective February 19,

1998 (Case 96–E–0909), and related

documents entitled ‘‘Amended and

Restated Settlement Agreement’’ dated

January 2, 1998, and ‘‘Modifications to

Amended and Restated Settlement

Agreement’’ dated February 26, 1998

(see Exhibits G–G2 in the application).

Applicant is licensed by the

Commission to own and possess a 9

percent interest in NMP2, located in the

town of Scriba, Oswego County, New

York.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

The proposed action would consent to

the transfer of control of the license to

the extent effected by Applicant

becoming a subsidiary of the newly

formed holding company in connection

with a proposed plan of restructuring.

Under the restructuring plan, the

outstanding shares of Applicant’s

common stock are to be exchanged on

a share-for-share basis for common stock

of the holding company, such that the

holding company will own all of the

outstanding common stock of

Applicant. In addition, the holding
34668 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 122 /Thursday, June 25, 1998 / Notices

company will own, directly or

indirectly, the stock of any current nonutility subsidiaries of applicant except

that Applicant will continue to own one

unregulated subsidiary. Under this

restructuring, Applicant will sell at

auction its fossil-fueled electric

generation facilities at its Danskammer

Steam Generating Plant and its partial

interest in the Roseton Electric

Generation Plant (hereafter, collectively

referred to as ‘‘Generation Assets’’).

However, Applicant will continue to be

an ‘‘electric utility’’ as defined in 10

CFR 50.2 engaged in the transmission,

distribution, and generation of

electricity at NMP2, combustion turbine

facilities, hydroelectric facilities, and

(until structurally separated or

divested), the Generation Assets.

Applicant would retain its ownership

interest in NMP2 and continue to be a

licensee of NMP2. No direct transfer of

the operating license or ownership

interests in the station will result from

the proposed restructuring. The

transaction would not involve any

change to either the management

organization or technical personnel of

Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation,

which is responsible for operating and

maintaining NMP2 and is not involved

in the restructuring of Applicant. The

proposed action is in accordance with

Applicant’s application dated April 8,

1998, as supplemented April 22, 1998.

The Need for the Proposed Action

The proposed action is required to

enable Applicant to restructure as

described above.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed

Action

The Commission has completed its

evaluation of the proposed corporate

restructuring and concludes that it is an

administrative action unrelated to plant

operation; therefore, there will be no

resulting physical or operational

changes to NMP2. The corporate

restructuring will not affect the

qualifications or organizational

affiliation of the personnel who operate

and maintain the facility, as NMPC will

continue to be responsible for the

maintenance and operation of NMP2

and is not involved in the restructuring

of NYSEG.

The proposed action will not increase

the probability or consequences of

accidents, no changes are being made in

the types of any effluents that may be

released offsite, and there is no

significant increase in occupational or

offsite radiation exposure. Accordingly,

the Commission concludes that there

are no significant radiological

environmental impacts associated with

the proposed action.

With regard to potential

nonradiological impacts, the

restructuring would not affect

nonradiological plant effluents and

would have no other nonradiological

environmental impact.

Accordingly, the Commission

concludes that there are no significant

environmental impacts associated with

the proposed action.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

Since the Commission has concluded

there are no significant environmental

impacts that would result from the

proposed action, any alternatives with

equal or greater environmental impact

need not be evaluated.

As an alternative to the proposed

action, the staff considered denial of the

proposed action. Denial of the

application would result in no change

in current environmental impacts. The

environmental impacts of the proposed

action and the alternative action are

similar.

Alternative Use of Resources

This action does not involve the use

of any resources not previously

considered in the Final Environmental

Statements Related to the Operation of

Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station, Unit

No. 2, (NUREG–1085) dated May 1985.

Agencies and Persons Contacted

In accordance with its stated policy,

on June 19, 1998, the staff consulted

with the New York State official, Mr.

Jack Spath, regarding the environmental

impact of the proposed action. The State

official had no comments.

Finding of No Significant Impact

Based upon the environmental

assessment, the Commission concludes

that the proposed action will not have

a significant effect on the quality of the

human environment. Accordingly, the

Commission has determined not to

prepare an environmental impact

statement for the proposed action.

For further details with respect to the

proposed action, see Applicant’s

application dated April 8, as

supplemented by letter dated April 22,

1998, which are available for public

inspection at the Commission’s Public

Document Room, the Gelman Building,

2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC,

and at the local public document room

located at the Reference and Documents

Department, Penfield Library, State

University of New York, Oswego, New

York 13126.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 19th day

of June 1998.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Guy S. Vissing,

Acting Director, Project Directorate I–1,

Division of Reactor Projects—I/II, Office of

Nuclear Reactor Regulation.

[FR Doc. 98–16909 Filed 6–24–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7590–01–P

NUCLEAR REGULATORY

COMMISSION

[Docket No. 50–010]

Commonwealth Edison Co.; Dresden

Nuclear Power Station, Unit 1; Notice

of Public Meeting

The NRC will conduct a public

meeting at Grundy County

Administration Center, 1320 Union

Street, Morris, Illinois, on July 23, 1998,

to discuss plans developed by

Commonwealth Edison Company

(ComEd, the licensee) to decommission

the Dresden Nuclear Power Station,

Unit 1, near Morris, Illinois. The

meeting is scheduled for 7:00–9:00 p.m.

and will be chaired by Mr. Donald

Kauffman, Chairman, Grundy County

Board. The meeting will include a short

presentation by the NRC staff on the

decommissioning process and NRC

programs for monitoring

decommissioning activities, with

attention being given to the licensee’s

updated Post-Shutdown

Decommissioning Activities Report

(PSDAR) dated June 1, 1998. There will

be a presentation by ComEd on their

planned decommissioning activities,

and there will be an opportunity for

members of the public to make

comments and question the NRC staff

and ComEd representatives. The

meeting will be transcribed.

The licensee’s update to the PSDAR

provides a short discussion of the plant

history, and a description and schedule

of planned decommissioning activities.

The PSDAR update also comments

briefly on anticipated decommissioning

costs and environmental impacts.

The PSDAR update is available for

public inspection at the local public

document room, located at the Morris

Area Public Library District, 604 Liberty

Street, Morris, Illinois 60450, and the

Commission’s Public Document Room,

2120 L Street, NW., Washington, D.C.

20037. The NRC document accession

number is 9806080055.

For more information, contact Mr.

Ronald A. Burrows, Project Manager,

Non-Power Reactors and

Decommissioning Project Directorate,

Division of Reactor Program

Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor

Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory

Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555–