34648 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 122 /Thursday, June 25, 1998 / Notices

Project No. Project name Applicant

11563–000 ............................................................... Upper Utica .............................................................. Northern California Power Agency.

The projects are located in Calaveras,

Alpine, and Toulumne Counties,

California. The Commission will hold

agency and public scoping meetings on

July 22, and 23, 1998, for preparation of

an Environmental Assessment (EA)

under the National Environmental

Policy Act (NEPA) for the issuance of

licenses for the projects.

Scoping Meetings

FERC staff will conduct one agency

scoping meeting and two public

meetings. The agency scoping meeting

will focus on resource agencies and

non-governmental organizations (NGO)

concerns, while the public scoping

meetings are primarily for public input.

All interested individuals,

organizations, and agencies are invited

to attend one or all the meetings, and to

assist the staff in identifying the scope

of the environmental issues that should

be analyzed in the EA. The times and

locations of these meetings are as

follows:

Agency Meeting

Wednesday, July 22, 1998, 10:00 am,

Bret Harte High School, Music Room,

364 Murphys Grade Road, Angels

Camp, California

Public Meetings

Wednesday, July 22, 1998 7:00 pm, Bret

Harte High School Music Room, 364

Murphys Grade Road, Angels Camp,

California

Thursday, July 23, 1998, 7:00 pm, Bear

Valley Lodge, 3 Bear Valley Road,

Bear Valley, California

To help focus discussions, we will

distribute a Scoping Document (SD1)

outlining the subject areas to be

addressed at the meetings to the parties

on the Commission’s mailing list.

Copies of the SD1 also will be available

at the scoping meetings.

Site Visit

The applicants and Commission staff

will conduct project site visits as

follows:

Angels and Utica Projects

Tuesday, July 21, 1998 9:00 am.

Meet in front of the Utica Power

Authority Building, 1168 Booster Way,

Angels Camp, California.

Those interested in participating

should contact Mr. Dennis Dickman at

(209) 754–4230 in advance.

Upper Utica Project

Thursday, July 23, 1998 10:00 am.

Meet in front of the Bear Valley

Lodge, 3 Bear Valley Road, Bear Valley,

California.

Those interested in participating

should contact: Mr. Hari Modi at (916)

781–4204 in advance.

All interested individuals,

organizations, and agencies are invited

to attend. All participants are

responsible for their own transportation

to the sites.

Objectives

At the scoping meetings, the staff will:

(1) summarize the environmental issues

tentatively identified for analysis in the

EA; (2) solicit from the meeting

participants all available information,

especially quantifiable data, on the

resources at issue; (3) encourage

statements from experts and the public

on issues that should be analyzed in the

EA, including viewpoints in opposition

to, or in support of, the staff’s

preliminary views; (4) determine the

relative depth of analysis for issues to be

addressed in the EA; and (5) identify

resources issues that are of lesser

importance, and, therefore, do not

require detailed analysis.

Procedures

The meetings will be recorded by a

stenographer and will become part of

the formal record of the Commission

proceeding on the projects. Individuals

presenting statements at the meetings

will be asked to sign in before the

meeting starts and to clearly identify

themselves for the record. Speaking

time for attendees at the meetings will

be determined before the meeting, based

on the number of persons wishing to

speak and the approximate amount of

time available for the session. All

speakers will be provided at least 5

minutes to present their views.

Individuals, organizations, and

agencies with environmental expertise

and concerns are encouraged to attend

the meetings and to assist the staff in

defining and clarifying the issues to be

addressed in the EA.

Persons choosing not to speak at the

meetings, but who have views on the

issues, may submit written statements

for inclusion in the public record at the

meeting. In addition, written scoping

comments may be filed with the

Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission, 888 First Street, N.E.,

Washington, D.C. 20426, not later than

August 24, 1998. All filings should

contain an original and eight copies,

and must clearly show at the top of the

first page the project names(s) and

project number(s).

For further information, please contact

Hector M. Perez at (202) 219–2843.

David P. Boergers,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 98–16880 Filed 6–24–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6717–01–M

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY

[OW–FRL–6116–6]

Notice of National Strategy for the

Development of Regional Nutrient

Criteria

AGENCY: Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of National Strategy for

the Development of Regional Nutrient

Criteria, and request for comments.

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) announces the

availability of a National Strategy for the

Development of Regional Nutrient

Criteria. The Strategy describes the

aspproach the Agency is taking to

develop scientific information relating

to nutrient overenrichment of the

Nation’s surface waters and to working

with States to assure that State water

quality standards reflect this nutrient

information.

This Strategy has been through

Agency review and external peer

review. If you have comments on this

document please provide them to the

address below. They will be addressed

in future updates of the Strategy.

DATES: Written comments should be

submitted to the person listed by August

24, 1998.

Comments should be sent to: Nicholas

A. Baer, Health and Ecological Criteria

Division (4304), Office of Science and

Technology, Office of Water, U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency, 401

M Street SW, Washington, DC 20460.

ADDRESSES: This notice contains a

summary of the National Strategy for the

Development of Regional Nutrient

Criteria. Copies of the complete

document or a fact sheet summarizing

the Strategy may be obtained from the

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 122 /Thursday, June 25, 1998 / Notices 34649

National Center for Environmental

Publication and Information, 11029

Kenwood Road, Bldg. 5, Cincinnati,

Ohio 45242; fax 1–513–489–8695 or 1–

800–490–9198. The fact sheet and the

Strategy are also available on the

Internet at http://www.epa.gov/

ncepihom/orderpub.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robert Cantilli, Health and Ecological

Criteria Division (4304), Office of

Science and Technology, Office of

Water, U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency, 401 M Street SW, Washington,

DC 20460, (202) 260–5546, Fax (202)

260–1036, email:

cantilli.robert@epamail.epa.gov

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Nutrients are essential to the health

and diversity of surface waters. In

excess amounts, however, nutrients

cause hypereutrophication resulting in

an overabundance of primary producers

and decline of the biological community

as well as potential human health risks.

The National Water Quality Inventory

1996 Report to Congress cites nutrients

(nitrogen and phosphorus) as one of the

leading causes of water quality

impairment in our Nation’s rivers, lakes

and estuaries. Nutrients have also been

implicated with the large hypoxic zone

in the Gulf of Mexico, and Pfiesteriainduced fish kills and human health

problems in the coastal waters of several

East Coast States as well as events in the

Gulf States.

Nutrient Strategy

A number of States have identified

the specific concentration levels at

which nutrient overenrichment occurs

in their waters, but many States have

not adopted such nutrient criteria into

their State water quality standards. As a

result, nutrient overenrichment

problems are underestimated and the

response authorities of the Clean Water

Act and other laws are not fully

engaged. This Strategy describes the

approach EPA will take for development

of scientific information relating to

nutrients (i.e., water quality criteria

pursuant to Section 304(a) of the Clean

Water Act) and to working with States

to assure adoption of nutrient criteria

into State water quality standards

pursuant to Section 303(c) of the Clean

Water Act.

The major elements of this strategy

include:

• Use of regional and waterbody-type

approach for the development of

nutrient water quality criteria.

• Development of technical guidance

documents that will serve as ‘‘user

manuals’’ for assessing trophic state and

developing nutrient criteria specific to a

region and waterbody-type. These

guidance documents will establish

nutrient water quality criteria in the

form of numerical regional target ranges.

EPA expects States and Tribes to use

these criteria as a basis for the

development of nutrient provision of

water quality standards. These water

quality standards will provide a basis

for a range of pollution control activities

including NPDES permits and total

maximum daily loads (TMDLs).

• Establishment of a EPA National

Nutrient Team with Regional Nutrient

Coordinators to development regional

databases and to promote State and

Tribal involvement.

• Monitoring and evaluation of the

effectiveness of nutrient management

programs as they are implemented.

Regional and Waterbody-Type

Approach

There is a great deal of variability in

nutrient levels and nutrient responses

throughout the country. This natural

variability is due to differences in

geology, climate and waterbody type.

For these reasons, EPA’s custom of

developing water quality criteria

guidance in the form of single numbers

for nationwide application is not

appropriate for nutrients. EPA believes

that distinct geographic regions and

types of aquatic ecosystems need to be

evaluated differently and that criteria

specific to those regions and ecosystems

need to be developed.

Waterbody-Type Technical Guidance

An essential technical element of this

strategy will be waterbody-type

guidance documents describing the

techniques for assessing the trophic

state of a waterbody and methodologies

for developing regional nutrient criteria.

In addition, each technical document

will provide criteria guidance under

section 304(a) of the Clean Water Act in

the form of Regional numerical target

ranges for phosphorus, nitrogen, and

other nutrient endpoints. EPA expects

States and Tribes to use these target

ranges as the basis for adopting nutrient

criteria into water quality standards in

the absence of more site-specifically

developed water quality criteria and

standards. EPA intends to use State

databases to develop these regional

target ranges, supplemented with new

regional case studies and demonstration

projects to provide additional

information. EPA intends to complete

these technical guidance documents by

the end of the year 2001.

Revision of State Water Quality

Standards

As technical guidance is developed

and regional nutrient ranges are

established, EPA expects States and

Tribes to revise water quality standards

to include appropriate regional nutrient

criteria by waterbody type. Once

adopted as part of State or Tribal water

quality standards, the nutrient values

become the basis for making many

management decisions to reduce the

overenrichment of our nation’s waters,

e.g., through the TMDL and NPDES

permitting processes. These values used

together with best management

practices (BMPs) and other management

techniques should form the basis of a

State management program for

nutrients.

EPA expects all States and Tribes to

adopt and implement numerical

nutrient criteria into their water quality

standards by December 31, 2003. States

and Tribes may accomplish this by

developing their own regional criteria

values in watersheds where applicable

data are available or by using the EPA

target nutrient ranges. EPA will review

the new or revised standards under

Section 303(c)(3) of the Clean Water

Act. If EPA disapproves the new or

revised standard submitted by a State or

Tribe (e.g., because EPA determines that

it is not scientifically defensible or is

not protective of designated uses), or if

EPA determines that a new or revised

nutrient standard is necessary for a State

or Tribe (e.g., because EPA determines

that the State or Tribe has not

demonstrated reasonable progress

toward developing numerical nutrient

standards), EPA will initiate rulemaking

to promulgate nutrient criteria

appropriate to the region and waterbody

types. Any resulting water quality

standard would apply until the State or

Tribe adopts and EPA approves a

revised standard.

National and Regional Nutrient Teams

EPA will provide additional technical

and financial assistance to the Regions

and States to accelerate the

development of nutrient criteria. This

will include the establishment of a

National Nutrient Team which includes

coordinators from each EPA Region. The

Regional Coordinator will foster the

development and implementation of

State projects, databases, nutrient

criteria and standards, and the award of

financial assistance to States and Tribes

to support these endeavors. Each

coordinator will be responsible for

nutrient management activities for her/

his Region and its member States and

Tribes consistent with decisions of the
34650 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 122 /Thursday, June 25, 1998 / Notices

national nutrient program. It is expected

that each Regional coordinator will form

their own teams which include State

and Tribal representatives and other

federal and local representatives, as

needed, to develop nutrient databases

and nutrient target ranges.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Once regulatory controls are in place,

EPA and the States/Tribes will need to

evaluate their effectiveness. The

databases and monitoring systems,

together with the derived criteria,

should be used to assess actual progress

toward eliminating overenrichment

conditions.

Dated: June 18, 1998.

Robert Perciasepe,

Assistant Administrator for Water.

[FR Doc. 98–16941 Filed 6–24–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560–50–M

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS

COMMISSION

Notice of Public Information

Collections; Comments Requested

June 18, 1998.

SUMMARY: The Federal Communications

Commission, as part of its continuing

effort to reduce paperwork burden

invites the general public and other

Federal agencies to take this

opportunity to comment on the

following proposed and/or continuing

information collections, as required by

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,

Public Law 104–13. An agency may not

conduct or sponsor a collection of

information unless it displays a

currently valid control number. No

person shall be subject to any penalty

for failing to comply with a collection

of information subject to the Paperwork

Reduction Act (PRA) that does not

display a valid control number.

Comments are requested concerning

whether the proposed collection of

information is necessary for the proper

performance of the functions of the

Commission, including whether the

information shall have practical utility;

the accuracy of the Commissions burden

estimates; ways to enhance the quality,

utility, and clarity of the information

collected and 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.

The FCC is reviewing the following

information collection requirements for

possible 3-year extension under

delegated authority 5 CFR 1320,

authority delegated to the Commission

by the Office of Management and

Budget (OMB).

DATES: Written comments should be

submitted on or before August 24, 1998.

If you anticipate that you will be

submitting comments, but find it

difficult to do so within the period of

time allowed by this notice, you should

advise the contact listed below as soon

as possible.

ADDRESSES: Direct all comments to Jerry

Cowden Conway, Federal

Communications Commission, Room

234, 1919 M St., N.W., Washington, DC

20554 or via internet to

jcowden@fcc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

additional information or copies of the

information collections contact Jerry

Cowden at 202–418–0447 or via internet

at jcowden@fcc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Approval Number: 3060–0228.

Title: Section 80.59 Compulsory ship

station.

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of existing

collection.

Respondents: Business or other forprofit, individuals or households, nonprofit institutions, state and local

governments.

Number of Respondents: 200.

Estimated Time Per Response: 2

hours.

Total Annual Burden: 400 hours.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Total Annual Cost: 0.

Needs and Uses: The requirement

contained in this rule section is

necessary to implement the provisions

of section 362(b) of the Communications

Act of 1934, as amended, which permits

the Commission to waive the required

annual inspection of certain oceangoing

ships for up to 30 days beyond the

expiration date of a vessel’s radio safety

certificate, upon a finding that the

public interest would be served. The

information is used by the Engineer in

Charge of FCC Field Offices to

determine the eligibility of a vessel for

a waiver of the required annual radio

station inspection.

OMB Approval Number: 3060–0265.

Title: Section 80.868 Card of

instructions.

Form No.: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of existing

collection.

Respondents: Businesses or other forprofit, state, local or tribal government,

not-for-profit institutions.

Number of Respondents: 3,000.

Estimated Time Per Response: 1 hour

per response.

Total Annual Burden: 300 hours.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Needs and Uses: The recordkeeping

requirement contained in this rule

section is necessary to insure that

radiotelephone distress procedures are

readily available to the radio operator

on board certain vessels (300–1600 gross

tons) required by the Communications

Act of 1934, as amended, or the

International Convention for Safety of

Life at Sea to be equipped with a

radiotelephone station. The information

is used by a vessel radio operator during

an emergency situation, and is designed

to assist the radio operator to utilize

proper distress procedures during a time

when he or she may be subject to

considerable stress or confusion.

Federal Communications Commission.

William F. Caton,

Deputy Secretary.

[FR Doc. 98–16829 Filed 6–24–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6712–01–P

FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE

CORPORATION

Sunshine Act Meeting

Pursuant to the provisions of the

‘‘Government in the Sunshine Act’’ (5

U.S.C. 552b), notice is hereby given that

at 10:31 a.m. on Monday, June 22, 1998,

the Board of Directors of the Federal

Deposit Insurance Corporation met in

closed session to consider matters

relating to the Corporation’s corporate

activities.

In calling the meeting, the Board

determined, on motion of Vice

Chairman Andrew C. Hove, Jr.,

seconded by Director Julie L. Williams

(Acting Comptroller of the Currency),

and concurred in by Chairman Donna

Tanoue, that Corporation business

required its consideration of the matters

on less than seven days’ notice to the

public; that no earlier notice of the

meeting was practicable; that the public

interest did not require consideration of

the matters in a meeting open to public

observation; and that the matters could

be considered in a closed meeting by

authority of subsections (c)(9)(B) and

(c)(10) of the ‘‘Government in the

Sunshine Act’’ (5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(9)(B)

and (c)(10)).

The meeting was held in the Board

Room of the FDIC Building located at

550—17th Street, N.W., Washington,

D.C.

Dated: June 22, 1998.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Valerie J. Best,

Assistant Executive Secretary.

[FR Doc. 98–17024 Filed 6–22–98; 4:57 am]

BILLING CODE 6714–01–M