11642 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 41 / Thursday, March 2, 1995 / Proposed Rules

Compliance With the Paperwork

Reduction Act

This rule does not contain

information collection requirements that

require approval by the Office of

Management and Budget under the

Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C.

3507 et seq.

List of Subjects in 30 CFR Part 925

Intergovernmental relations, Surface

mining, Underground mining.

Dated: February 23, 1995.

Russell F. Price,

Acting Assistant Director, Western Support

Center.

[FR Doc. 95–5151 Filed 3–1–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–05–M

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

32 CFR Part 209

University Research Initiative Support

Program (URISP)

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DoD.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

SUMMARY: This proposed rule is to

comply with section 802 of the National

Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal

Year 1994 (Pub. L. 103–160), which

requires the Department of Defense to

establish URISP, and prescribe a

regulation for carrying out the program.

URISP is required to be a competitive

university research program for research

and development that is relevant to the

requirements of the Department of

Defense, that is set aside for Colleges

and Universities that have received less

than $2 million dollars from the

Department of Defense over the two

previous fiscal years. URISP is oriented

toward assisting institutions build

university research infrastructure in the

fields of science, engineering, and

mathematics, so they may become more

competitive.

DATES: Written comments on this

proposed rule must be received by May

1, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Forward comments to the

Office of Director of Defense Research

and Engineering, Pentagon—3E1045,

Washington, DC 20301–3080.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

Art McGregor (703) 614–0205.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Executive Order 12866, ‘‘Regulatory

Planning and Review’’

It has been determined that 32 CFR

part 209 is not a significant regulation

action. The rule does not:

(1) Have an annual effect on the

economy of $100 million or more or

adversely affect in a material way the

economy; a sector of the economy;

productivity; competition; jobs; the

environment; public health or safety;

State, local, or tribal governments or

communities;

(2) Create a serious inconsistency or

otherwise interfere with an action taken

or planned by another Agency; (3)

Materially alter the budgetary impact of

entitlements, grants, user fees, or loan

programs, or rights and obligations of

recipients thereof; or (4) Raise novel

legal or policy issues arising out of legal

mandates, the President’s priorities, or

the principles set forth in this Executive

Order.

Public Law 96–354, ‘‘Regulatory

Flexibility Act’’ (5 U.S.C. 601)

It has been certified that this rule is

not subject to the Regulatory Flexibility

Act (5 U.S.C. 601) because it would not,

if promulgated, have a significant

economic impact on a substantial

number of small entities. The proposed

rule does not place any economic

burdens on small entities. The primary

effect on grantees administering this

rule will be a reduction in

administrative cost and other burdens

resulting from the simplification and

clarification of certain policies and the

elimination of policy differences among

the Federal Agencies promulgating this

proposed rule.

Public Law 96–511, ‘‘Paperwork

Reduction Act’’ (44 U.S.C. Chapter 44)

It has been certified that 32 CFR part

209 does not impose any reporting or

record keeping requirements under the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (44

U.S.C. 3501–3520).

List of Subjects in 32 CFR Part 209

Education, Grants, Institutions, and

Universities.

Accordingly, title 32, chapter I,

subchapter M is proposed to be

amended to add part 209 to read as

follows:

PART 209—UNIVERSITY RESEARCH

INITIATIVE SUPPORT PROGRAM

(URISP)

Sec.

209.1 Purpose.

209.2 Applicability.

209.3 Definitions.

209.4 Policy.

209.5 Responsibilities.

Authority: Sec. 802 of Pub. L. 103–160 (see

10 U.S.C. 2358 note)

§ 209.1 Purpose.

This part establishes policy and

assigns responsibilities under section

802 of Public Law 103–160 (see 10

U.S.C. 2358 note).

§ 209.2 Applicability.

This part applies to the Office of the

Secretary of Defense, the Military

Departments, and Defense Agencies

responsible for the majority of the

university basic research grants in the

Department of Defense.

§ 209.3 Definitions.

(a) American Association of State

Colleges and Universities (AASCU).

Institutions that are members of AASCU

during the period that peers are

selected.

(b) Eligible Institutions. Institutions

that may compete for URISP funding are

those that have received a total of less

than $2 million in obligations from the

Department of Defense, over the two

previous fiscal years (FYs). A list of

ineligible institutions will be attached

as an appendix to the URISP

announcement, and institutions not on

the list are eligible to participate.

(c) Institutions. Institutions of Higher

Education that have accredited, degreegranting programs in science,

engineering or mathematics.

(d) Merit-based selection process. A

university-based review using peers

who are members of the faculty or staff

of an institution of higher education that

is a member of NASULGC or AASCU

(section 802 of Pub. L. 103–160).

(e) National Association of State

Universities and Land Grant Colleges

(NASULGC). Institutions that are

members of NASULGC during the

period that peers are selected.

(f) Research Offices. The research

office under the Military Services and

Defense Agencies that are responsible

for the majority of the university basic

research grants in the Department of

Defense. These are:

(1) Advanced Research Projects

Agency.

(2) Air Force Office of Scientific

Research.

(3) Army Research Office.

(4) Ballistic Missile Defense

Organization.

(5) Office of Naval Research.

§ 209.4 Policy.

It is DoD policy that:

(a) The purpose of URISP is to help

build the infrastructure in the fields of

science, engineering, and mathematics
Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 41 / Thursday, March 2, 1995 / Proposed Rules 11643

that are important to the Department of

Defense, through the use of competitive,

multi-year grants to support the conduct

of research and development relevant to

requirements of the Department of

Defense, at institutions that have

received less than $2.0 million from the

Department of Defense over the 2

previous FYs (section 802 of Pub. L.

103–160).

(b) All URISP funds shall be obligated

using a merit-based selection process.

The university peer reviewers shall be

from the faculty and staff of institutions

that are members of NASULGC and

ASSCU (section 802 of Pub. L. 103–

160).

(c) Institutions eligible to participate

in URISP will be determined using DoD

obligation data for the two previous

FYs.

§ 209.5 Responsibilities.

(a) The Director of Defense Research

and Engineering, under the Under

Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and

Technology, shall ensure that only

eligible institutions are allowed to

participate in URISP. The Director of

Defense Research and Engineering shall

oversee the approval of any selected

scientific topical areas to be included in

the URISP announcement, and the

allocation of funds among the research

offices. The URISP shall be reviewed

annually and modified as appropriate to

ensure that defense requirements are

being met.

(b) The Secretaries of the Military

Departments, and the Directors of the

Defense Agencies responsible for the

majority of the university basic research

grants, under OSD Principal Staff

Assistants, shall ensure that:

(1) All proposals chosen for URISP

funding shall have been selected

through a merit-based selection process

using university peer reviewers selected

only from the faculty and staff of

institutions that are members of the

NASULGC and AASCU (section 802 of

Pub. L. 103–160).

(2) Each project funded under URISP

is reviewed annually to determine if

defense requirements are being met.

Dated: February 24, 1995.

L.M. Bynum,

Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison

Officer, Department of Defense.

[FR Doc. 95–5079 Filed 3–1–95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 5000–04–M

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Saint Lawrence Seaway Development

Corporation

33 CFR Part 402

Tariff of Tolls

AGENCY: Saint Lawrence Seaway

Development Corporation, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of meetings.

SUMMARY: The Saint Lawrence Seaway

Development Corporation and the St.

Lawrence Seaway Authority of Canada

have jointly established and presently

administer the St. Lawrence Seaway

Tariff of Tolls. This Tariff sets forth the

level of tolls assessed on all

commodities and vessels transiting the

facilities operated by the Corporation

and the Authority. The Corporation and

the Authority currently are in

disagreement over the level and nature

of future tolls. The Corporation is

considering recommendations to be

made to the Authority that joint

rulemaking be undertaken to lower the

level of tolls or otherwise change the

Tariff. In order to determine whether

such a rulemaking is warranted, what

the substance should be, and what is the

scope of the issues involved, the

Corporation is holding five public

meetings to discuss the problems

encountered under the existing toll

structure and possible solutions. This

notice announces the dates, times, and

places of the meetings.

DATES: The meetings will be held on

March 7, 1995, in Duluth, Minnesota, on

March 14, 1995, in Milwaukee,

Wisconsin, on April 5, 1995, in Portage,

Indiana, on April 11, 1995, in Toledo,

Ohio, and on April 26, 1995, in

Ogdensburg, New York, each beginning

at 9:30 a.m. and concluding at 12 noon,

except the Duluth meeting which will

begin at 2 p.m. and conclude at 4:30

p.m., and the Milwaukee meeting which

will begin at 1 p.m. and conclude at

3:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held

in: the conference room of the Seaway

Port Authority of Duluth, 1200 Port

Terminal Drive, Duluth, Minnesota; the

conference room of the Port of

Milwaukee, 2323 South Lincoln

Memorial Drive, Milwaukee, Wisconsin;

in the conference room of Burns

International Harbor, 6600 U.S.

Highway 12, Portage, Indiana; the

conference room of the Port Authority

Office, 1 Maritime Plaza, Toledo, Ohio;

and the board room of the Ogdensburg

Bridge and Port Authority, Bridge Plaza,

Ogdensburg, New York.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Marc C. Owen, Chief Counsel, Saint

Lawrence Seaway Development

Corporation, P.O. Box 44090,

Washington, DC 20026–4090, (202) 366–

6823.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussions between the Corporation

and the Authority about the Seaway

Tariff of Tolls have resulted in

disagreement over future Tariff

amendments. It is necessary to take into

account prevailing market conditions

and not unduly restrict maritime

commerce or create additional barriers

to trade in the development of the

Tariff. Both parties wish to pursue

fairness among their primary goals and

strive for equal treatment for vessels and

cargoes using the Seaway, but disagree

on the current, fundamental economic

basis for new toll levels. In addition,

they believe that it is necessary to seek

simplicity in developing the Tariff as

complexity and ambiguity tend to

provide a disincentive to using the

Seaway. Lastly, both parties wish to

strive for stability so that those engaged

in commerce on the Seaway can make

long-term planning decisions with some

confidence of future conditions.

Based upon these mutual conclusions,

the Corporation is considering

recommending to the Authority that

joint rulemaking be undertaken to lower

the level of tolls or otherwise change the

Tariff. In order to determine whether

such a rulemaking is warranted, what

the substance should be, and what is the

scope of the issues involved, the

Corporation is holding five public

meetings to discuss the problems

encountered under the existing toll

structure and possible solutions. These

meetings will be open for discussion,

however, any person wishing to make a

formal presentation is requested to

notify the Corporation at least five

working days before the meetings and

provide the approximate time desired

for the presentation to Marc C. Owen,

Chief Counsel, Saint Lawrence Seaway

Development Corporation, P.O. Box

44090, Washington, DC 20026–4090

(202–366–6823). In addition, the

Corporation requests an original written

text of any formal presentation along

with five copies before, at, or within ten

working days after the time of the

meeting. Finally, if any person wishes to

present written comments, but not

participate in the meetings, they may

submit those comments to that same

address at any time before, at, or within

ten working days after the time of the

meetings.

The meetings are open to the public,

each beginning at 9:30 a.m. and