Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Notices 55631 

enable NSF to identify any prudent 

conservation practices and mitigation 

measures that may be applied across the 

entire program. The site-specific 

information is required by NMFS (and 

sometimes the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service) for purposes of preparing 

Biological Opinions and Incidental Take 

Statements required by ESA. 

The main focus of the Programmatic 

EIS/OEIS will be on the seismic 

operations to be conducted from NSF’s 

primary seismic ship, soon to be the 

R/V Marcus G. Langseth. The 

Programmatic EIS/OEIS will address the 

variety of airgun configurations to be 

operated from the Langseth, as well as 

the multi-beam bathymetric sonar, subbottom profiler, and other acoustic 

sources to be deployed as standard 

equipment. In addition, the 

Programmatic EIS/OEIS will deal with 

the generally small airgun sources 

occasionally operated from other vessels 

under NSF sponsorship. 

Major environmental issues that will 

be addressed in the Programmatic EIS/ 

OEIS include marine biological 

resources including Essential Fish 

Habitat (EFH), acoustic impacts to 

marine mammals, fish, sea turtles, 

invertebrates, and threatened and 

endangered species; cultural resources; 

human health and safety; 

socioeconomics and land use (i.e., 

commercial, private, and recreational 

uses of the marine environment); and 

water quality. 

NSF is initiating this scoping process 

for the purpose of determining the 

extent of issues to be addressed and 

identifying the significant issues related 

to this action. NSF will hold public 

scoping meetings as identified in the 

DATES AND ADDRESSES section of this 

notice. These meetings will also be 

advertised in area newspapers. NSF and 

NMFS representatives will be available 

at these meetings to receive comments 

from the public regarding issues of 

concern to the public. Federal, state, 

and local agencies and interested 

individuals are encouraged to take this 

opportunity to identify environmental 

concerns that should be addressed 

during the preparation of the 

Programmatic EIS/OEIS. Agencies and 

the public are also invited and 

encouraged to provide written 

comments on scoping issues in addition 

to, or in lieu of, oral comments at the 

public meeting. To be most helpful, 

scoping comments should clearly 

describe issues or topics that the 

commenter believes the Programmatic 

EIS/OEIS should address. 

We invite you to learn about the NSF 

seismic research program at an 

informational open house, and to assist 

NSF in defining the alternatives and the 

scope of environmental issues related to 

the seismic research program. All our 

public meeting locations are 

wheelchair-accessible. If you plan to 

attend a scoping meeting/open house, 

and need special assistance such as sign 

language interpretation or other 

reasonable accommodation, please 

notify NSF (see FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT) at least 3 

business days in advance. Include your 

contact information as well as 

information about your specific needs. 

We request public comments or other 

relevant information on environmental 

issues related to the NSF seismic 

research program. The public meetings 

are not the only opportunity you have 

to comment. In addition to or in place 

of attending a meeting, you can submit 

comments to Dr. Alexander Shor by 

October 28, 2005 (see FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT). We will consider 

all comments received during the 

comment period. We request that you 

include in your comments: 

• Your name and address (especially 

if you would like to receive a copy of 

the Draft Programmatic EIS/OEIS upon 

completion); 

• An explanation for each comment; 

and 

• Include any background materials 

to support your comments as you feel 

necessary. 

You may mail, e-mail, or hand deliver 

your comments to NSF (see FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT). All comment 

submissions must be unbound, no larger 

than 81⁄2 by 11 inches, and suitable for 

copying and electronic scanning. Please 

note that regardless of the method used 

for submitting comments or material, all 

submissions will be publicly available 

and, therefore, any personal information 

you provide in your comments will be 

open for public review. In addition, if 

you wish to receive a copy of the Draft 

Programmatic EIS/OEIS, please indicate 

this in your comment. No decision will 

be made to implement any alternative 

until the NEPA process is completed. 

Dated: September 19, 2005. 

Alexander Shor, 

Program Director, Division of Ocean Sciences, 

National Science Foundation. 

[FR Doc. 05–18962 Filed 9–21–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7555–01–M 

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 

Sunshine Act Meeting 

AGENCY HOLDING MEETING: National 

Science Foundation, National Science 

Board and its Subdivisions 

DATE AND TIME: September 28–29, 2005. 

September 28, 2005, 8:15 a.m.–5 p.m. 

Sessions: 

8:15 a.m.–9 a.m., Open; 

9 a.m.–9:30 a.m., Closed; 

9:30 a.m.—10:30 a.m., Open; 

10:30 a.m.–11 a.m., Open; 

11 a.m.–11:45 a.m., Open; 

11:45 a.m.–12:05 p.m., Open; 

12:05 p.m.–12:15 p.m., Closed; 

12:45 p.m.–12:55 p.m., Closed; 

12:55 p.m.–3 p.m., Open; 

3 p.m.–5 p.m., Open. 

September 29, 2005, 8 a.m.–3:30 p.m., 

Sessions: 

8:30 a.m.–10 a.m., Open; 

10 a.m.–10:30 a.m., Closed; 

10:30 a.m.–11 a.m., Open; 

11 a.m.–11:15 a.m., Closed; 

1 p.m.–1:15 p.m., Executive Closed; 

1:15 p.m.–1:30 p.m., Closed; 

1:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m., Open. 

PLACE: National Science Foundation, 

4201 Wilson Blvd, Room 1235, 

Arlington, VA 22230. 

PUBLIC MEETING ATTENDANCE: All visitors 

must report to the NSF’s visitor’s desk 

at the 9th and N. Stuart Streets entrance 

to receive a visitor’s badge. 

CONTACT INFORMATION: Please refer to the 

National Science Board Web site 

(www.nsf.gov/nsb) for updated 

schedule. NSB Office: (703) 292–7000. 

STATUS: Part of this meeting will be 

closed to the public. Part of this meeting 

will be open to the public. 

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: 

Wednesday, September 28, 2005 

Open 

Committee on Programs and Plans 

Subcommittee on Polar Issues (8:15 

a.m.–9 a.m.), Room 1235 

• Chair’s Remarks and Approval of 

Minutes 

• OPP Director’s Report 

• Update on Icebreaker Issues 

• Antarctic Geological Drilling Project 

• Collaboration of Researchers with 

Native Communities: King Island, 

Alaska 

Education and Human Resources 

Subcommittee on S&E Indicators 

(9:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m.), Room 1235 

• Approval of Minutes 

• Chairman’s Remarks 

• Brief Progress Report on Science 

and Engineering Indicators 2006 

• Discussion of Draft Companion 

Piece 

• Contractor Presentation on 

Indicators 

Committee on Programs and Plans Task 

Force on Transformative Research 

(10:30 a.m.–11 a.m.), Room 1235 

• Approval of Minutes 

• Brief Overview of Workshop I: 

August 12, 2005 

55632 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Notices 

• Discussion on Workshop II: 

December 16, 2005 

Joint Session: Committee on Strategy 

and Budget and Committee on 

Programs and Plans (11 a.m.–11:45 

a.m.), Room 1235 

• Centers and the NSF Portfolio 

• Funding Rates, Award Size and 

Duration 

• FY 2004 Funding for Highly 

Successful PIs 

Committee on Strategy and Budget 

(11:45 a.m.–12:05 p.m.), Room 1235 

• Approval of August 2005 Minutes 

• Discussion of CSB Contribution to 

Vision for NSF Document 

• Status of FY 2006 Budget Request to 

Congress 

Committee on Programs and Plans 

(12:55 p.m.–3 p.m.), Room 1235 

• Approval of Minutes 

• Charge to the International Science 

Effort 

• Status Reports 

Æ Long-Lived Digital Data 

Collections: Enabling Research and 

Education in the 21st Century 

Æ Transformative Research Task 

Force 

Æ Subcommittee on Polar Issues 

• Process for Sending Information 

and Actions to CPP & NSB—

Revised Guidelines 

• Major Research Facilities: 

Æ Setting Priorities for Large Research 

Facilities Projects Supported by the 

National Science Foundation: Final 

document 

Æ Facilities Plan 

Æ Timeline 

• Cyberinfrastructure Vision: 

Continuing Discussion 

• Hurricane Research and the Federal 

Government 

• Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 

Committee on Education and Human 

Resources (3 p.m.–5 p.m.), Room 

1235 

• Approval of August 2005 Minutes 

• CEOSE Summary: Decennial and 

2004 Biennial Reports to Congress 

• NSF Integration of Research and 

Education 

• NSB Commission on Education 

• NSB/EHR Committee’s 

Contribution to Board’s Vision for 

NSF 

• NSB Items 

• Subcommittee on Science and 

Engineering Indicators 

• Update on Workshop on 

‘‘Engineering Workforce Issues and 

Engineering Education: What are 

the Linkages?’’

Closed 

Committee on Programs and Plans 

Subcommittee on Polar Issues (9 

a.m.–9:30 a.m.), Room 1235 

• NSB Action Item 

Committee on Strategy and Budget 

(12:05 p.m.–12:15 p.m.), Room 1235 

• Status of FY 2007 Budget 

Submission to OMB 

Committee on Programs and Plans 

(12:45 p.m.–12:55 p.m.), Room 1235 

• NSB Action Item 

Thursday, September 29, 2005 

Open 

Committee on Audit and Oversight (8:30 

a.m.–10 a.m.), Room 1235 

• Approval of August 2005 Minutes 

• Discussion and Committee 

Approval of NSF Merit Review 

System Review 

• Discussion of NSF Vision 

Document: NSB Roles and 

Responsibilities 

• Committee Approval of NSB Policy 

Statement on Respective Roles of 

the OIG and NSF Management in 

the Pursuit and Settlement of 

Administrative Investigatory 

Matters 

• CFO Update 

• OIG FY 2006 Audit Plan 

Executive Committee (10:30 a.m.–11 

a.m.), Room 1235 

• Approval of August 2005 Minutes 

• Updates or New Business from 

Committee Members 

• Update on 2006 NSB Retreat and 

Off-Site Visit 

• Presentation on NSF Sexual 

Harassment Policies 

Closed Session 

Committee on Audit and Oversight (10 

a.m.–10:30 a.m.), Room 1235 

• Pending Investigations 

Executive Committee (11 a.m.–11:15 

a.m.), Room 1235 

• Board Member Proposal 

• Director’s Items 

Æ Specific Personnel Matters 

Æ Future Budgets 

Plenary Session of the Board (1 p.m.–

3:30 p.m.) 

Executive Closed Session (1 p.m.–1:15 

p.m.), Room 1235 

• Approval of August 2005 Executive 

Closed Minutes 

• Board Member Proposal 

Closed Session (1:15 p.m.–1:30 p.m.), 

Room 1235 

• Approval of August 2005 Closed 

Session Minutes 

• Closed Committee Reports 

Æ Awards and Resolutions 

Open Session (1:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m.), 

Room 1235 

• Approval of August 2005 Minutes 

• Resolution to Close November–

December 2005 

• Chairman’s Report 

• Director’s Report 

Æ NSF Congressional Update 

• Committee Reports 

Michael P. Crosby, 

Executive Officer and NSB Office Director. 

[FR Doc. 05–19083 Filed 9–20–05; 3:34 pm] 

BILLING CODE 7555–01–P 

NUCLEAR REGULATORY 

COMMISSION 

[Docket No. 50–285] 

Omaha Public Power District; Notice of 

Withdrawal of Application for 

Amendment to Facility Operating 

License 

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 

Commission (the Commission) has 

granted the request of Omaha Public 

Power District (the licensee) to 

withdraw its July 25, 2003, application 

for proposed amendment to Facility 

Operating License No. DPR–40 for the 

Fort Calhoun Station, Unit No. 1 (FCS), 

located in Washington County, 

Nebraska. 

The proposed amendment would 

have revised the facility technical 

specifications pertaining to FCS 

Technical Specification Section 3.0.2, 

Table 3–2, Table 3–5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, and 

the Definitions Section. This proposed 

change would have provided a riskinformed alternative to the existing 

surveillance interval for the integrated 

Engineered Safety Features (ESF) and 

Loss-of-Offsite Power testing required to 

be performed on each ESF equipment 

train during each outage. The proposed 

change would have modified the 

surveillance interval requirement for 

these refueling interval surveillance 

requirements to go to a staggered test 

basis scheme. Using a staggered test 

basis, only one train would be tested 

each refueling outage. Omaha Public 

Power District stated that this 

amendment was modeled after the 

Improved Standard Technical 

Specifications and is based on a study 

conducted by the Westinghouse Electric 

Company, LLC on behalf of the 

Combustion Engineering Owners Group 

in topical report WCAP–15830–P, 

‘‘Staggered Integrated ESF Testing,’’ and 

Technical Specification Task Force 450. 

The Commission had previously 

issued a Notice of Consideration of 

Issuance of Amendment published in 

the Federal Register on August 19, 2003 

(68 FR 49818). However, by letter dated 

September 9, 2005, the licensee 

withdrew the proposed change. 

For further details with respect to this 

action, see the application for 

amendment dated July 25, 2003, and the