Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 112 / Monday, June 11, 2001 / Notices 31247

3The OIG has issued compliance program

guidance for the following nine industry sectors:

hospitals, clinical laboratories, home health

agencies, durable medical equipment suppliers,

third-party medical billing companies, hospices,

Medicare+Choice organizations offering

coordinated care plans, nursing facilities, and

individual and small group physician practices.

The compliance program guidances for these

industry sectors can be found on the OIG web site

at http://www.hhs.gov/oig or by calling the OIG

Public Affairs office at (202) 619–1343.

through Friday of each week from 8 a.m.

to 4:30 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mary E. Riordan or Nicole C. Hall,

Office of Counsel to the Inspector

General, (202) 619–2078.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

development of compliance program

guidances has become a major initiative

of the OIG in its effort to engage the

private health care industry in

addressing and combating fraud and

abuse. Over the past several years, the

OIG has developed and issued

compliance program guidances directed

at various segments of the health care

industry.3 These guidances are designed

to provide clear direction and assistance

to specific sections of the health care

industry that are interested in reducing

and eliminating fraud and abuse within

their organizations.

The guidances have represented the

culmination of the OIG’s suggestions on

how providers can most effectively

establish internal controls and

implement monitoring procedures to

identify, correct and prevent fraudulent

or wasteful activities. The suggestions

contained in the guidances are not

mandatory for providers, nor do they

represent an exclusive discussion of the

advisable elements of a compliance

program.

The compliance program guidance for

the pharmaceutical industry will be

designed to reach segments of the health

care industry which have not been

covered by previous guidances, but

which have recently been the subject of

increasing scrutiny, such as

pharmaceutical manufacturers and retail

pharmacy chains. As the public debate

about prescription drug costs and a

potential expansion of the Medicare

drug benefit continues, this scrutiny is

likely to intensify.

Through this Federal Register notice,

the OIG is seeking input from interested

parties as the OIG considers developing

a compliance program guidance

directed at the pharmaceutical industry.

The OIG will consider all comments,

recommendations and suggestions

received within the time frame

indicated above.

We anticipate that the guidance for

the pharmaceutical industry will

contain the seven elements that we

consider necessary for a comprehensive

compliance program. These seven

elements have been discussed in our

previous guidances and include:

• The development of written

policies and procedures;

• The designation of a compliance

officer and other appropriate bodies;

• The development and

implementation of effective training and

education programs;

• The development and maintenance

of effective lines of communication;

• The enforcement of standards

through well-publicized disciplinary

guidelines;

• The use of audits and other

evaluation techniques to monitor

compliance; and

• The development of procedures to

respond to detected offenses and initiate

corrective action.

The OIG would appreciate specific

comments, recommendations and

suggestions on (1) risk areas for the

pharmaceutical industry, and (2) aspects

of the seven elements contained in the

previous guidances that may need to be

modified to reflect the unique

characteristics of the pharmaceutical

industry. Detailed justifications and

empirical data supporting any

suggestions would be appreciated.

We request that any comments,

recommendations and suggestions be

submitted in a format that addresses the

topics outlined above in a concise

manner, rather than in the form of a

comprehensive draft guidance that

mirrors previous guidances.

Dated: May 31, 2001.

Michael F. Mangano,

Acting Inspector General,

[FR Doc. 01–14598 Filed 6–8–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4152–01–U

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

Notice of Intent To Prepare a

Comprehensive Conservation Plan

AGENCY: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,

Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a

Comprehensive Conservation Plan and

Associated National Environmental

Policy Act Document for the

Sacramento River National Wildlife

Refuge, Butte, Glenn, and Tehama

Counties, California.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service (Service) is preparing a

Comprehensive Conservation Plan

(CCP) and National Environmental

Policy Act (NEPA) document for

Sacramento River National Wildlife

Refuge (NWR). This notice advises the

public that the Service intends to gather

information necessary to prepare a CCP

and environmental documents pursuant

to the National Wildlife Refuge System

Administration Act of 1966, as

amended, and NEPA. The public is

invited to participate in the planning

process. The Service is furnishing this

notice in compliance with the Service

CCP policy:

1. To advise other agencies and the

public of our intentions, and

2. To obtain suggestions and

information on the scope of issues to

include in the environmental

documents.

3. To announce a series of public

open houses to occur in May and June

2001. Information about the time and

location of the open house is available

by contacting the Refuge.

DATES: To ensure that the Service has

adequate time to evaluate and

incorporate suggestions and other input

into the planning process, comments

should be received on or before July 11,

2001.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments or

requests to be added to the mailing list

to the following address: Planning Team

Leader—Sacramento River NWR,

California / Nevada Refuge Planning

Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,

2800 Cottage Way, W–1916,

Sacramento, California, 95825.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Miki Fujitsubo, Planning Team Leader,

(916) 414–6507.

History and Background

The Refuge was established in 1989

by the authority provided under the

Endangered Species Act of 1973 and the

Emergency Wetlands Resources Act of

1986, using monies made available

through the Land and Water

Conservation Fund Act of 1965. The

Service proposed acquisition of 18,000

acres of land for establishment of the

multi-unit Sacramento River NWR. The

multiple units of the refuge are located

along both banks of the Sacramento

River between Red Bluff and Princeton

in Glenn, Butte, and Tehama Counties,

California. A combination of fee title

and conservation easement acquisitions

was used to protect this habitat.

Riparian habitat along the Sacramento

River has been identified as critically

important for various threatened and

endangered species, fish, migratory

birds, plants, and to the natural

ecosystem of the River itself. There has

been an 89 percent reduction of riparian

vegetation throughout the Sacramento

31248 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 112 / Monday, June 11, 2001 / Notices

Valley and foothills region, and

probably in excess of a 95 percent

reduction along the Valley’s major river

systems. The relatively small amount of

remaining riparian woodland provides a

strikingly disproportionate amount of

habitat value for wildlife.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

National Wildlife Refuge System

Administration Act of 1966, as

amended, mandates that all lands

within the National Wildlife Refuge

System are to be managed in accordance

with an approved CCP. The CCP will

guide management decisions and

identify refuge goals, long-range

objectives and management strategies

for achieving refuge purposes. The

planning process will consider many

elements, including habitat and wildlife

management, habitat protection,

cultural resources, and environmental

effects. Public input into this planning

process is very important. The CCP will

provide other agencies and the public

with a clear understanding of the

desired conditions for the refuges and

how the Service will implement

management strategies.

The Service is soliciting information

from the public via written comments.

The Service will send out special

mailings, newspaper articles, and

announcements to people who are

interested in the refuge. These mailings

will provide information on how to

participate in public involvement for

the CCP. Comments received will be

used to develop goals, key issues, and

habitat management strategies.

Additional opportunities for public

participation will occur throughout the

process, which is expected to be

completed in mid-2002. Data collection

has been initiated to create

computerized mapping, including

vegetation, topography, habitat types

and existing land uses.

The outcome of this planning process

will be a CCP to guide refuge

management for the next 15 years and

accompanying NEPA document.

We have estimated that a draft CCP

and NEPA document will be made

available for public review in early

2002.

Dated: May 17, 2001.

John Engbring,

Acting California/Nevada Operations

Manager,U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service,Sacramento, California.

[FR Doc. 01–14577 Filed 6–8–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

Education Facilities Replacement

Construction

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs,

Interior.

ACTION: Call for applications and notice

of revised instructions and ranking

criteria.

SUMMARY: This Notice is the official call

for applications for Bureau-funded

education facilities replacement

construction. It also explains how to

obtain copies of the publication,

‘‘Instructions and Application for

Replacement School Construction

2001,’’ which describes the process the

Bureau is using in 2001 to rate and rank

applications submitted for education

facilities replacement construction

projects. Applications for construction

of Bureau-funded replacement

education facilities may be submitted in

accordance with the 2001 instructions.

DATES: New applications and requests to

reevaluate applications from the

previous application process, conducted

in 1999, must be received on or before

August 21, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the instructions

and ranking criteria are available upon

request from the BIA Office of Indian

Education Programs at 1849 C Street

NW., MS–3512 MIB, Washington, DC

20240 or from 201 Third St. NW., Suite

510, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87102.

The instructions are also available from

BIA Area and Education line offices and

from the BIA Office of Facilities

Management and Construction, 201

Third St. N.W., Suite 500, Albuquerque,

New Mexico, 87102.

All applications must be submitted to

the BIA Office of Indian Education

Programs at 201 Third St., NW., Suite

510, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87102.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Questions regarding applications may

be submitted to the attention of Dr.

Kenneth G. Ross, Special Assistant to

the Director, Office of Indian Education

Programs, 201 Third St. N.W., Suite 510,

Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87102, (505)

346–6544, Fax (505) 346–6553 or to

applicable Education Line Officers

whose addresses and phone numbers

are available in Appendix A of the

application document.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This

Notice is the official call for

applications for construction of Bureaufunded replacement education facilities.

The 2001 application evaluation and

ranking process was developed in

consultation with Tribal organizations

and incorporates revisions to the 1999

application instructions.

In August 1999, we used a process

described in ‘‘Instructions and

Application for Replacement School

Construction 1999 Revision 6—2/26/99’’

to evaluate, rate, and rank applications

for education facilities replacement

construction projects. As a result of that

process, we published a notice in the

Federal Register on January 31, 2000

(65 FR 4623), establishing the Education

Facilities Replacement Construction

Priority List as of FY 2000 (List). On

January 9, 2001, we published a notice

in the Federal Register (66 FR 1689),

expanding the FY 2000 List by adding

seven more schools. These seven

schools received the next highest

rankings after the 10 educational

facilities that were identified in the

1999 application process that

established the FY 2000 Priority List.

We sent copies of the Draft 2001

Instructions and Application for

Replacement School Construction 2001,

in March 2001 to all BIA schools and to

schools that receive BIA funds under

contract or grant (Catalog of Federal

Domestic Assistance Program Number:

15.062 ‘‘Replacement and Repair of

Indian Schools.’’) and conducted tribal

consultation on the draft document in

May 2001. We have considered all

verbal comments and have reviewed all

written comments received, and we

have incorporated some of the

comments in the revised instructions

referred to in this notice. The revised

instructions entitled, ‘‘Instructions and

Application for Replacement School

Construction 2001, May 2001’’ is

available at the address provided in the

ADDRESSES section. We will send copies

of the revised instructions to all BIA

schools and schools that receive BIA

funds under contract or grant.

Applications for construction of

Bureau-funded replacement education

facilities may be submitted in

accordance with the 2001 revised

instructions. In lieu of submitting a new

application for an education facility

replacement school construction

project, a tribe may revise and update

the application it submitted in the 1999

process.

The process will not provide for new

school starts, grade level expansions,

charter schools, nor satellite extensions.

The procedures will continue to provide

continuity, objectivity and

accountability in the priority rankings

for construction of replacement

education facilities; address the

handling of emergency needs; and

accommodate Federal/Tribal financial

partnerships for education construction

projects. As in the 1999 application