49582 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 163 / Wednesday, August 24, 2005 / Notices 

facilities, and administrative resources 

to accomplish the project; (4) Project 

Costs - This criterion evaluates the 

budget to determine if it is realistic and 

commensurate with the project needs 

and time-frame; and (5) Outreach, 

Education, and Community 

Involvement - NOAA assesses whether 

the project provides a focused and 

effective education and outreach 

strategy regarding NOAA’s mission. 

Information on how these criteria are 

specifically applied in the context of 

Community-based Restoration Program 

application evaluation are described 

each year in the FFO, and are currently 

available for the Program for FY 2006 on 

www.grants.gov (funding opportunity 

number NMFS-HCPO–2006–2000334).

Funding Ranges

In 2005, the Restoration Center 

accepted proposals requesting between 

$30,000 and $250,000; typical 

restoration project awards range from 

$50,000 to $200,000. This represents an 

increase in upper and lower funding 

ranges for projects from earlier Program 

Guidelines. Funding at lower levels 

(<$15,000) is no longer cost-effective 

due to increasing operational costs 

necessary to ensure environmental 

compliance; funding fewer projects at 

higher dollar amounts has also led to 

increases in Program efficiency.

Awards for establishing multi-year, 

National and Regional Habitat 

Restoration ‘‘umbrella’’ Partnerships, 

under which individual projects will be 

jointly reviewed and prioritized for 

funding, are anticipated to range 

between $100,000 and $2.0 million, 

with that range of funding anticipated to 

be provided to successful partnerships 

annually during a partnership’s 

duration. Subsequent allocation of 

funding during the multi-year award 

period will be dependent on the 

satisfactory performance of the partner 

organization.

Project and Partnership solicitations 

(FFO’s) will contain information on 

funding ranges, the weighting of 

NOAA’s standard evaluation criteria, 

and additional factors that may be used 

by the selecting official to recommend a 

slate of projects to the Grants 

Management Division to receive awards. 

The number of awards and funding 

ranges to be made in FY 2006 and 

beyond will depend on the amount of 

funds appropriated to the Program 

annually by Congress.

Examples of Previously Funded Projects

The following examples are 

community-based restoration projects 

that have been funded with assistance 

from the Restoration Center. These 

examples are only illustrative and are 

not intended to limit the scope of future 

proposals in any way.

Fish Ladder Construction

An impediment to fish passage was 

corrected through the design and 

construction of a step-pool fish ladder, 

which now allows native steelhead trout 

to reach their historic spawning 

grounds.

Invasive Plant Removal

A coalition of volunteer groups called 

‘‘Pepper busters’’ worked to remove 

exotic Brazilian pepper plants and 

replant native shoreline vegetation.

Salt Marsh Restoration

An undersized culvert was replaced 

to increase the mean high water level in 

the restricted portion of a marsh and 

restore tidal flushing to 20 acres of salt 

marsh.

Oyster Reef Restoration

Oyster reef habitat was increased by 

reconstructing historic reefs and seeding 

them with hatchery-produced seed 

oysters grown in floating cages by 

students.

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation 

Restoration

An evaluation of the feasibility of 

using volunteer divers to restore 

seagrass was developed. A protocol was 

created to train volunteers in water 

quality monitoring and seagrass 

transplantation techniques.

Kelp Forest Restoration

Community dive groups were trained 

in kelp reforestation activities, 

including the preparation, planting and 

maintenance of kelp sites, 

documentation of growth patterns, and 

changes in marine life attracted to the 

newly planted kelp areas.

Wetland Plant Nursery

An innovative wetland nursery 

program was implemented in local high 

schools, where science and ecology 

classes build wetland nurseries on 

campus to grow salt marsh grasses for 

local restoration efforts.

Derelict Fishing Gear Removal

A pilot project consisted of 

developing protocols and conducting 

initial removal efforts. After surveying, 

locating, and mapping derelict fishing 

gear, a minimum of 11 tons of lost and 

abandoned fishing gear was removed by 

licensed and certified divers.

Nuisance Dam Removal

Two small stone dams blocked fish 

migration, and degraded water quality 

and prey habitat conditions for 

anadromous fish. The dams, while only 

several feet high, also presented a public 

safety hazard. This project resulted in 

opening stream habitat to anadromous 

fish, restoring acres of tidal wetlands, 

and removal of a public safety hazard.

Riparian Habitat Restoration

Youth corps members were trained in 

the use of biorestoration and 

stabilization techniques to restore 

eroding riverbanks and improve habitat 

for salmon smolt and other fish species.

Diadromous Fish Habitat Restoration

Highly functional salmonid and 

wildlife habitat was restored with the 

cooperation of private landowners by 

opening silted enclosures along a slough 

to provide refuge for juvenile salmonids 

during the winter flood flows.

Dated: August 19, 2005.

William T. Hogarth,

Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, 

National Marine Fisheries. Service.

[FR Doc. 05–16844 Filed 8–23–05; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S

CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND 

COMMUNITY SERVICE 

Information Collection; Submission for 

OMB Review; Comment Request

AGENCY: Corporation for National and 

Community Service.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Corporation for National 

and Community Service (hereinafter the 

‘‘Corporation’’), has submitted a public 

information collection request (ICR) 

entitled AmeriCorps*VISTA Progress 

Report to the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) for review and approval 

in accordance with the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995, Pub. L. 104–13, 

(44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). Copies of this 

ICR, with applicable supporting 

documentation, may be obtained by 

calling the Corporation for National and 

Community Service, Ms. Carol Rogers at 

(202) 606–6815 or e-mail at 

crogers@cns.gov. Individuals who use a 

telecommunications device for the deaf 

(TTY–TDD) may call (202) 565–2799 

between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. eastern 

time, Monday through Friday.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be 

submitted, identified by the title of the 

information collection activity, to the 

Office of Information and Regulatory 

Affairs, Attn: Ms. Katherine Astrich, 

OMB Desk Officer for the Corporation 

for National and Community Service, by 

any of the following two methods 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 163 / Wednesday, August 24, 2005 / Notices 49583

within 30 days from this date of 

publication in this Federal Register:

(1) By fax to: (202) 395–6974, 

Attention Ms. Katherine Astrich, OMB 

Desk Officer for the Corporation for 

National and Commuity Service; and 

(2) Electronically by e-mail to: 

Katherine_T._Astrich@omb.eop.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The OMB 

is particularly interested in comments 

which: 

• Evaluate whether the proposed 

collection of information is necessary 

for the proper performance of the 

functions of the Corporation, including 

whether the information will have 

practical utility; 

• Evaluate the accuracy of the 

agency’s estimate of the burden of the 

proposed collection of information, 

including the validity of the 

methodology and assumptions used; 

• Propose ways to enhance the 

quality, utility and clarity of the 

information to be collected; and 

• Propose 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, e.g., permitting electronic 

submission of responses. 

Comments: A 60-day comment Notice 

was published in the Federal Register

on March 3, 2005. This comment period 

ended May 2, 2005 and resulted in no 

comments being received. 

Description: The Corporation requests 

reinstatement, with changes, of its 

AmeriCorps*VISTA Project Progress 

Report which reflects the Corporation’s 

intention to modify selected sections of 

the collection instrument to reflect 

changes in data considered ‘‘core 

reporting’’ information to meet a variety 

of needs, including modification of data 

elements, including adding new data 

elements as needed to ensure 

information collection captures 

appropriate data for the Corporation’s 

required performance measurement and 

other reporting. 

The Project Progress Report (PPR) was 

designed to assure that 

AmeriCorps*VISTA sponsors address 

and fulfill legislated program purposes, 

meet agency program management and 

grant requirements, and assess progress 

toward work plan objectives agreed 

upon in the granting of the 

memorandum of agreement. 

Further, the reinstatement of the 

previously used PPR will: (a) Enhance 

data elements collected via this 

information collection tool; (b) migrate 

the paper version of the form to the 

Corporation’s electronic grants 

management system, eGrants; and (c) 

establish reporting periods consistent 

with the Corporation’s integrated grants 

management and reporting policies. 

Type of Review: Revision of a 

currently-approved collection. 

Agency: Corporation for National and 

Community Service. 

Title: AmeriCorps*VISTA Project 

Progress Report. 

OMB Number: 3045–0043. 

Agency Number: None. 

Affected Public: AmeriCorps*VISTA 

sponsoring organizations, site 

supervisors, and members. 

Total Respondents: 1300. 

Frequency: Quarterly. 

Average Time Per Response: 14.7 

hours. 

Estimated Total Burden Hours: 19,110 

hours per submission. Total annual 

burden assuming quarterly submission 

is 74,440 hours. 

Total Burden Cost (capital/startup):

None. 

Total Burden Cost (operating/

maintenance): None.

Dated: August 18, 2005. 

Howard Turner, 

Acting Director, AmeriCorps*VISTA.

[FR Doc. 05–16765 Filed 8–23–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6050–$$–P

CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND 

COMMUNITY SERVICE 

Proposed Information Collection; 

Comment Request

AGENCY: Corporation for National and 

Community Service.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Corporation for National 

and Community Service (hereinafter the 

‘‘Corporation’’), as part of its continuing 

effort to reduce paperwork and 

respondent burden, conducts a preclearance consultation program to 

provide the general public and federal 

agencies with an opportunity to 

comment on proposed and/or 

continuing collections of information in 

accordance with the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA95) (44 

U.S.C. Sec. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This program 

helps to ensure that requested data can 

be provided in the desired format, 

reporting burden (time and financial 

resources) is minimized, collection 

instruments are clearly understood, and 

the impact of collection requirement on 

respondents can be properly assessed. 

Currently, the Corporation is 

soliciting comments concerning its 

Application Instructions for State 

Commissions. These applications are 

used by current and prospective 

grantees to apply for funds to support 

AmeriCorps States and Territories 

Competitive, Education Award Program, 

and Formula Grants. 

Copies of the information collection 

requests can be obtained by contacting 

the office listed in the address section 

of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be 

submitted to the individual and office 

listed in the ADDRESSES section by 

October 24, 2005.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, 

identified by the title of the information 

collection activity, by any of the 

following methods: 

(1) By mail sent to: Amy Borgstrom, 

Associate Director for Policy, 

AmeriCorps State and National, 1201 

New York Avenue NW., Washington, 

DC 20525. 

(2) By hand delivery or by courier to 

the Corporation’s mailroom at Room 

8410 at the mail address given in 

paragraph (1) above, between 9 a.m. and 

4 p.m. Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

(3) By fax to: (202) 606–3476, 

Attention Amy Borgstrom, Associate 

Director for Policy, AmeriCorps State 

and National. 

(4) Electronically through the 

Corporation’s e-mail address system: 

aborgstrom@cns.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Amy Borgstrom, (202) 606–6930, or by 

e-mail at aborgstrom@cns.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Corporation is particularly interested in 

comments that: 

• Evaluate whether the proposed 

collection of information is necessary 

for the proper performance of the 

functions of the Corporation, including 

whether the information will have 

practical utility; 

• Evaluate the accuracy of the 

agency’s estimate of the burden of the 

proposed collection of information, 

including the validity of the 

methodology and assumptions used; 

• Enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; and 

• Minimize the burden of the 

collection of information on those who 

are expected to respond, including the 

use of appropriate automated, 

electronic, mechanical, or other 

technological collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology 

(e.g., permitting electronic submissions 

of responses). 

Background: Since the President’s 

Call to Service, many Americans have 

expressed a renewed desire to serve 

their country by volunteering in their