Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 85 / Wednesday, May 1, 1996 / Notices 19307

1The NTP uses five categories of evidence of

carcinogenic activity observed in each animal

study: two categories for positive results (‘‘clear

evidence’’ and ‘‘some evidence’’), one category for

uncertain findings (‘‘equivocal evidence’’), one

category for no observable effect (‘‘no evidence’’),

and one category for studies that cannot be

evaluated because of major flaws (‘‘inadequate

study’’).

methylphenidate hydrochloride in male

or female F344/N rats receiving 100,

500, or 1,000 ppm. There was some

evidence of carcinogenic activity in

male and female B6C3F1 mice, based on

the occurrence of hepatochellular

neoplasms.

Treatment of female rats with

methylphenidate hydrochloride was

associated with a decrease in the

incidence of mammary gland

fibroadenomas. Administration of

methylphenidate hydrochloride to male

and female mice resulted in increased

incidence of eosinophilic foci in the

liver.

Questions or comments about the

Technical Report should be directed to

Central Data Management at P.O. Box

12233, Research Triangle Park, NC

27709 or telephone (919) 541–3419.

Copies of Toxicology and

Carcinogenesis Studies of

Methylphenidate Hydrochloride (CAS

No. 298–59–9) (TR–439) are available

without charge from Central Data

Management, NIEHS, MD E1–02, P.O.

Box 12233, Research Triangle Park, NC

27709; telephone (919) 541–3419.

Dated: March 27, 1996.

Kenneth Olden,

Director, National Toxicology Program.

[FR Doc. 96–10836 Filed 4–30–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4140–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND

URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR–3917–N–69]

Government National Mortgage

Association; Notice of Proposed

Information Collection for Public

Comment

AGENCY: Government National Mortgage

Association, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The proposed information

collection requirement described below

will be submitted to the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) for

review, as required by the Paperwork

Reduction Act. The Department is

soliciting public comments on the

subject proposal.

DATES: Comments due: May 8, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are

invited to submit comments regarding

this proposal. Comments must be

received within seven (7) days from the

date of this Notice. Comments should

refer to the proposal by name and/or

OMB Control Number and should be

sent to: Joseph F. Lackey, Jr., OMB Desk

Officer, Office of Management and

Budget, Room 10235, New Executive

Office Building, Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kay F. Weaver, Reports Management

Officer, Department of Housing and

Urban Development, 451 7th Street,

Southwest, Washington, DC 20410,

telephone (202) 708–0050. This is not a

toll-free number. Copies of the proposed

forms and other available documents

submitted to OMB may be obtained

from Ms. Weaver.

The Notice is soliciting comments

from members of the public and affected

agencies concerning the proposed

collection of information to: (1) Evaluate

whether the proposed collection of

information is necessary for the proper

performance of the functions of the

agency, including whether the

information will have practical utility;

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency’s

estimate of the burden of the proposed

collection of information; (3) Enhance

the quality, utility, and clarity of the

information to be collected; and (4)

Minimize the burden of the collection of

information on those who are to

respond; including through the use of

appropriate automated collection

techniques or other forms of information

technology, e.g., permitting electronic

submission of responses.

This Notice also lists the following

information:

Title of Proposal: Application for

Approval—FHA Lender and/or Ginnie

Mae Mortgage-Backed Securities Issuer.

OMB Control Number: 2503–0012

Description of the need for the

information and proposed use: This

form is used by mortgage lenders who

wish to apply to become a FHAapproved lender or loan correspondent

under Title I and/or Title II program

and/or an approved issuer with Ginnie

Mae. The form requires lenders to

provide specific information about their

mortgage lending operations, business

background and experience. It sets out

the information FHA/Ginnie Mae

requires to determine if the applicant

meets FHA/Ginnie Mae eligibility

requirements.

Agency form numbers: HUD 11702/

92001.

Members of affected public: Business

or other for-profit and the Federal

Government.

Respondents: FHA–1800; Ginnie

Mae–50.

Frequency of response: one time

application.

Reporting Burden:

Number

of respondents

×

Frequency of

responses

× Hours per

response = Burdenhours

FHA ............................................................................................................................. 1800 1 .50 900

Ginnie Mae .................................................................................................................. 50 1 .75 38
19308 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 85 / Wednesday, May 1, 1996 / Notices

Total Estimated Burden Hours: 938.

Status: Revision of a currently

approved collection.

Contact: Sonya K. Suarez, HUD, (202)

708–2884; Joseph F. Lackey, Jr., OMB,

(202) 395–7316.

The Department has submitted the

proposal for the collection of

information to OMB for emergency

review, as required by the Paperwork

Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

May 2, 1996 is requested for OMB

approval.

Authority: Section 3507 of the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35,

as amended.

Dated: April 24, 1996.

David S. Cristy,

Director, IRM Policy and Management

Division.

[FR Doc. 96–10688 Filed 4–30–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4210–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Environmental Policy Act

Revised Implementing Procedures

AGENCY: Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice of proposed revised

procedures for the Fish and Wildlife

Service (Service).

SUMMARY: This notice announces

proposed revised procedures for

implementing the National

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

within the Fish and Wildlife Service.

The proposed revisions will update the

agency’s procedures, originally

published in 1984, based on changing

trends, laws, and public concerns. Most

importantly, the revisions reflect new

initiatives and Congressional mandates

for the Service, particularly involving

new authorities for land acquisition

activities, expansion of grant programs

and other private land activities, and

increased Endangered Species Act

permit and recovery activities. The

revisions provide information on being

a cooperating agency with other Federal

agencies; early coordination techniques

for streamlining the NEPA process with

other Federal agencies, the States, and

the private sector; and integrating the

NEPA process with other environmental

laws and executive orders.

DATES: Comments must be received no

later than June 17, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to

Jamie Clark, Assistant Director for

Ecological Services, U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service, Room 3024, 1849 C

Street, N.W., Washington D.C. 20240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Don Peterson, Environmental

Coordinator, Fish and Wildlife Service,

at (703) 358–2183.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Service’s existing procedures for

implementing the National

Environmental Policy Act appear in

Appendix 1 to Chapter 6, Part 516, of

the Departmental Manual (516 DM 6,

Appendix 1). These procedures are

consistent with the Council on

Environmental Quality’s (CEQ)

regulations for implementing NEPA.

These procedures were previously

published in the Federal Register on

July 1, 1982 (47 FR 28841), and were

incorporated into the Departmental

Manual on April 30, 1984.

The revisions proposed in this notice

will update organizational changes in

the Service (Section 1.1); provide

general Service NEPA guidance (Section

1.2); update guidance to State, local, and

private applicants for permits and

Federal assistance provided through

Service-administered programs (Section

1.3); update and expand the categorical

exclusions to reflect increased

responsibilities, including the

implementation of several new

programs (Section 1.4); add a new

section that identifies actions normally

requiring an environmental assessment

(EA) (Section 1.5); and revise the list of

major actions normally requiring the

development of an environmental

impact statement (EIS) (Section 1.6).

The major changes in the revisions are

listed below.

Section 1.1 NEPA Responsibility

This section is updated to reflect the

current organizational structure of the

Service. The Division of Habitat

Conservation provides internal control

for ensuring compliance with NEPA,

including developing and conducting

specialized NEPA training courses for

Service personnel. The revisions

provide greater flexibility to the

Regional Directors for coordinating the

management of NEPA compliance

responsibilities with all program areas

in the Region.

1.2 General Service Guidance

This new section lists Service NEPA

guidance documents. These documents

include information on being a

cooperating agency with other Federal

agencies, early coordination techniques

for streamlining the NEPA process, and

integrating the NEPA process and

documents with other environmental

laws and executive orders to reduce

duplication.

Section 1.3 Guidance to Applicants

This section is updated to reflect new

laws, regulations, and changes in

internal procedures for providing

permits and Federal assistance to

applicants. Most importantly, this

section recognizes new authorities for

land acquisition and technical

assistance activities, and expansion of

grant programs and other activities for

State, local, and private entities. Since

1984, new grant and technical

assistance programs were established,

including the North American Wetlands

Conservation Act; Food Security Act of

1985; Food, Agriculture, Conservation,

and Trade Act of 1990; Consolidated

Farm and Rural Development Act of

1990; Coastal Wetlands Planning

Protection and Restoration Act; and

Clean Vessel Act of 1992. This section

is reorganized to more clearly provide

applicants with addresses on how to

obtain information, where to request

funds and assistance, and how to assist

the Service in NEPA compliance

matters.

Section 1.4 Categorical Exclusions

Numerous revisions are made in this

section to reflect changing laws and

program activities. Additional general

language is inserted at the beginning of

the section to clarify what constitutes a

categorical exclusion, and the

exceptions to categorical exclusions.

When an exception is applicable (such

as a high degree of controversy over

environmental effects), the proposed

action would require the preparation of

an EA or EIS. Major revisions to the

categorical exclusions are indicated

below.

A(4). The phrase ‘‘continuance of

essentially the existing land use is

planned’’ is deleted and replaced by the

phrase ‘‘continuance of or minor

modifications to the existing land use is

planned’’ to recognize that land

acquisition actions often involve small

parcels that result in a change in land

use (such as from a soybean field to a

wet meadow) that routinely have no or

negligible environmental effects. Small

land acquisition actions are increasing

due to a number of factors, primarily the

increasing unavailability of large

parcels. Following acquisition of land, if

large wetlands restoration developments

are planned, such as the construction of

major dikes and water control

structures, an EA or EIS would be

prepared.

B(3). The existing categorical

exclusion for small construction

activities is revised to clarify that it

includes new construction in

unimproved areas as well as the