Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 115 / Thursday, June 13, 1996 / Notices 30109

1The ICC Termination Act of 1995, Pub. L. No.

104–88, 109 Stat. 803, which was enacted on

December 29, 1995, and took effect on January 1,

1996, abolished the Interstate Commerce

Commission and transferred certain functions to the

Surface Transportation Board (Board). This notice

relates to functions that are subject to Board

jurisdiction pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 10901.

354 I.C.C. 605 (1978), as modified in

Mendocino Coast Ry., Inc.—Lease and

Operate, 360 I.C.C. 653 (1980).

Decided: June 6, 1996.

By the Board, David M. Konschnik,

Director, Office of Proceedings.

Vernon A. Williams,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 96–15047 Filed 6–12–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4915–00–P

[STB Finance Docket No. 32972]

K & E Railway Company—Acquisition

and Operation Exemption—The

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe

Railway Company

K & E Railway Company, a noncarrier,

has filed a verified notice of exemption

under 49 CFR 1150.31 to acquire and

operate over approximately 57.69 miles

of rail lines of The Atchison, Topeka

and Santa Fe Railway Company as

follows: (i) Between milepost 0.6, at or

near Kiowa, KS, and milepost 56.98, at

or near Blanton, OK; and (ii) between

mileposts 299.88 and 301.19 near

Cherokee, OK.

The transaction was expected to be

consummated on or after May 30, 1996.

If the verified notice contains false or

misleading information, the exemption

is void ab initio. Petitions to reopen the

proceeding to revoke the exemption

under 49 U.S.C. 10502(d) may be filed

at any time. The filing of a petition to

revoke will not automatically stay the

transaction.

An original and 10 copies of all

pleadings, referring to STB Finance

Docket No. 32972, must be filed with

the Surface Transportation Board, Office

of the Secretary, Case Control Branch,

1201 Constitution Avenue, NW.,

Washington, DC 20423. In addition, a

copy of each pleading must be served on

Karl Morell, Ball, Janik & Novack, 1455

F Street, NW., Suite 225, Washington,

DC 20005.

Decided: June 6, 1996.

By the Board, David M. Konschnik,

Director, Office of Proceedings.

Vernon A. Williams,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 96–15048 Filed 6–12–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4915–00–P

UNITED STATES INFORMATION

AGENCY

Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship

Program

ACTION: Notice; request for proposals.

SUMMARY: The Office of Academic

Programs of the United States

Information Agency’s Bureau of

Educational and Cultural Affairs

announces an open competition for an

assistance award. Washington-based

public and private non-profit

organizations meeting the provisions

described in IRS regulation 26 CFR

1.501(c)(3)–1 may apply to assist USIA

in the administration of the Hubert H.

Humphrey Fellowship Program

Washington Workshop. The

organization will plan and implement a

conference up to four days for

approximately 117 mid-career

professionals from developing

countries, Central/Eastern Europe, and

the NIS between the dates of May 3 to

May 21, 1997 (final dates to be

determined).

Overall grant making authority for

this program is contained in the Mutual

Educational and Cultural Exchange Act

of 1961, Public Law 87–256, as

amended, also known as the FulbrightHays Act. The purpose of the Act is ‘‘to

enable the Government of the United

States to increase mutual understanding

between the people of the United States

and the people of other countries * * *;

to strengthen the ties which unite us

with other nations by demonstrating the

educational and cultural interests,

developments, and achievements of the

people of the United States and other

nations * * * and thus to assist in the

development of friendly, sympathetic

and peaceful relations between the

United States and the other countries of

the world.’’ Programs and projects must

conform with Agency requirements and

guidelines outlined in the Solicitation

Package. USIA projects and programs

are subject to the availability of funds.

ANNOUNCEMENT TITLE AND NUMBER: All

communications with USIA concerning

this announcement should refer to the

above title and reference number E/

ASU–96–05.

DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS: All copies

must be received at the U.S. Information

Agency by 5 p.m. Washington, DC time

on Thursday, July 11, 1996. Faxed

documents will not be accepted, nor

will documents postmarked July 11 but

received at a later date. It is the

responsibility of each applicant to

ensure that proposals are received by

the above deadline. Grant should begin

on or about September 16, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ms. Leigh Rieder, Specialized Programs

Unit, E/ASU, Room 349, U.S.

Information Agency, 301 4th Street,

SW., Washington, DC 20547, telephone:

(202) 619–5289, fax: (202) 401–1433,

Internet address: lrieder@usia.gov, to

request a Solicitation Package

containing more detailed award criteria,

required application forms, and

standard guidelines for preparing

proposals, including specific criteria for

preparation of the proposal budget.

To Download a Solicitation Package via

Internet

The Solicitation Package may be

downloaded from USIA’s website at

http://www.usia.gov/ or from the

Internet Gopher at gopher.usia.gov.

Under the heading ‘‘International

Exchange/Training,’’ select ‘‘Request for

Proposals.’’ Please read ‘‘About the

Following RFPs’’ before downloading.

Please specify USIA Program Officer

Leigh Rieder on all inquiries and

correspondences. Interested applicants

should read the complete Federal

Register announcement before sending

inquiries or submitting proposals. Once

the RFP deadline has passed, Agency

staff may not discuss this competition in

any way with applicants until the

Bureau proposal review process has

been completed.

Submissions

Applicants must follow all

instructions given in the Solicitation

Package. The original and six copies of

the proposal should be sent to: U.S.

Information Agency, Ref.: E/ASU–96–

05, Office of Grants Management, E/XE,

Room 326, 301 4th Street, SW.,

Washington, DC 20547.

Diversity Guidelines

Pursuant to the Bureau’s authorizing

legislation, programs must maintain a

non-political character and should be

balanced and representative of the

diversity of American political, social,

and cultural life. ‘‘Diversity’’ should be

interpreted in the broadest sense and

encompass differences including, but

not limited to ethnicity, race, gender,

religion, geographic location, socioeconomic status, and physical

challenges. Applicants are strongly

encouraged to adhere to the

advancement of this principle both in

program administration and in program

content. Please refer to the review

criteria under the ‘Support for Diversity’

section for specific suggestions on

incorporating diversity into the total

proposal.
30110 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 115 / Thursday, June 13, 1996 / Notices

Overview

The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship

Program provides a year of non-degree,

graduate level study and related

professional experiences to mid-level

professionals from developing

countries, Central/Eastern Europe, and

the NIS. Fellowships are granted

competitively to public and private

sector candidates with a commitment to

public service in the fields of natural

resources/environmental management,

public policy analysis/administration,

economic development, agricultural

development/economics, finance/

banking, human resource management/

personnel, urban and regional planning,

public health policy/management,

technology policy/management,

educational planning, and

communications/journalism. Fellows

are placed by professional field in

groups of seven to 13 at one of 11

participating host universities around

the country. The Agency is assisted in

the administration of the program by the

Institute of International Education (IIE)

under a cooperative agreement with the

Agency. Fellows are nominated for the

program by USIA overseas posts or

Fulbright commissions based on their

potential for national leadership,

commitment to public service, and

professional and academic

qualifications. By providing these future

leaders with exposure to U.S. society,

and to current U.S. approaches to the

fields in which they work, the program

provides a basis for establishing lasting

ties among U.S. citizens and their

professional counterparts in other

countries.

The objectives of the workshop are to:

• Enhance fellows’ understanding of

U.S. social, cultural, and political

processes and institutions, including the

unique political environment of

Washington, D.C.

• Emphasize opportunities for

regional and professional networking

among fellows.

• Highlight fellows’ contributions to

U.S. communities with U.S. decision

makers.

Guidelines

Non-profit organizations with key

program staff based in the Washington,

D.C. metropolitan area and available for

frequent meetings with USIA staff are

invited to submit proposals.

Organizations also must have

experience in conference management,

professional exchanges, and

international exchanges. Only

organizations with at least four years of

experience in international exchange

activities are eligible to apply for this

award.

The Agency encourages proposals

from organizations whose staffs reflect a

broad variety of ethnic backgrounds,

whose programs encompass a range of

diversity interests, and/or whose

mission includes furthering the interest

of traditionally under-represented

groups.

The recipient organization will be

responsible for most arrangements

associated with this workshop. These

include organizing a coherent schedule

of activities, making lodging and

transportation arrangements for

participants, preparing all necessary

support materials, working with

Humphrey Coordinators from host

universities and IIE staff to achieve

maximum workshop effectiveness,

conducting a final evaluation, and other

details which are outlined in the

solicitation package. Drafts of all printed

materials developed for the workshop

should be submitted to the Agency for

review and approval. All official

documents should highlight the U.S.

Government’s role as program director

and funding source. Please refer to

program guidelines in the solicitation

package for further details.

Proposed Budget

The award for this project may not

exceed $158,000, and cost sharing is

strongly encouraged. Applicants must

submit a comprehensive, line-item

budget for the entire workshop. There

must be a summary budget as well as

separate break downs of administrative

and program costs. Please refer to the

solicitation package for complete budget

guidelines and formatting instructions.

Review Process

USIA will acknowledge receipt of all

proposals and will review them for

technical eligibility. Proposals will be

deemed ineligible if they do not fully

adhere to the guidelines stated herein

and in the solicitation package. All

eligible proposals will be reviewed by

the program office and forwarded to a

panel of USIA officers for advisory

review. Proposals may be reviewed by

the Office of the General Counsel or by

other Agency elements. Funding

decisions are at the discretion of the

USIA Associate Director for Educational

and Cultural Affairs. Final technical

authority for assistance awards (grants

or cooperative agreements) resides with

the USIA grants officer.

Review Criteria

Technically eligible applications will

be competitively reviewed according to

the criteria stated below. These criteria

are not rank ordered, and all carry equal

weight in the proposal evaluation:

1. Quality/responsiveness of the

program idea. Proposals should exhibit

originality, substance, precision,

cultural sensitivity and responsiveness

to the material set forth herein and in

the solicitation package. Proposals

should clearly demonstrate how the

institution will meet the workshop’s

objectives.

2. Multiplier effect/impact. Proposed

program should strengthen long-term

mutual understanding and encourage

collaboration among fellows after the

fellowship year.

3. Support of diversity. Proposals

should demonstrate the recipient’s

commitment to promoting the

awareness and understanding of

diversity.

4. Institutional Capacity. Proposed

personnel and institutional resources

should be adequate and appropriate to

achieve the workshop’s goals.

5. Institution’s Record/Ability.

Proposals should demonstrate past

success in administering workshops for

international professional participants.

The Agency will consider the past

performance of prior recipients and the

demonstrated potential of new

applicants.

6. Project Evaluation. Proposals

should include a plan to evaluate the

workshop’s success, both as the

activities unfold and at the end of the

program. A draft survey questionnaire

or other technique plus description of a

methodology to link outcomes to

original workshop objectives is

recommended.

7. Cost-effectiveness. Staff salaries,

levels of staff support, and overhead

should be kept as low as possible. The

proposal will be judged on its

responsiveness to achieving effective

administration at reduced funding

levels.

8. Cost-sharing. Proposals should

maximize cost-sharing through other

private sector support and institutional

direct funding contributions.

Notice

The terms and conditions published

in this RFP are binding and may not be

modified by any USIA representative.

Explanatory information provided by

the Agency that contradicts published

language will not be binding. Issuance

of the RFP does not constitute an award

commitment on the part of the

Government. The Agency reserves the

right to reduce, revise, or increase

proposal budgets in accordance with the

needs of the program and the

availability of funds. Awards made will

be subject to periodic reporting and

evaluation requirements.
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 115 / Thursday, June 13, 1996 / Notices 30111

Notification

Final awards cannot be made until

funds have been allocated and

committed through internal USIA

procedures.

Dated: June 5, 1996.

Dell Pendergrast,

Deputy Associate Director for Educational

and Cultural Affairs.

[FR Doc. 96–14728 Filed 6–12–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8230–01–M

UTAH RECLAMATION MITIGATION

AND CONSERVATION COMMISSION

Provo River Restoration Project

AGENCIES: The Utah Reclamation

Mitigation and Conservation

Commission (Commission) and the

Department of the Interior (Department).

ACTION: Notice of availability of the

Draft Environmental Impact Statement

(DEIS).

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(C)

of the National Environmental Policy

Act of 1969, as amended, the

Commission and the Department have

issued a joint Draft Environmental

Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Provo

River Restoration Project (PRRP). The

DEIS analyzes alternatives and impacts

associated with measures to restore and

improve the fish habitat, riparian

habitat, and natural functioning of the

Provo River between Jordanelle Dam

and Deer Creek Reservoir, Wasatch

County, Utah. These measures are

required by the 1988 Aquatic Mitigation

Plan for the Strawberry Aqueduct and

Collection System (SACS) of the

Bonneville Unit of CUP as partial

mitigation for past impacts of the CUP

to this and other reaches of the Provo

River and to other streams within the

Bonneville Unit area. The Central Utah

Project Completion Act (CUPCA) also

authorizes additional fish habitat

improvements, riparian habitat

rehabilitation, and recreational facilities

on the Provo River. The Provo River

Restoration Project plan presents three

action alternatives which meet, to a

greater or lesser degree depending on

the alternative selected, the

Commission’s habitat restoration and

improvement mitigation and

conservation responsibilities associated

with the Provo River corridor in Heber

Valley.

Public participation has occurred

throughout the EIS process. A Notice of

Intent was filed in the Federal Register

in December 1992. Since that time, open

houses, public meetings, and mail-outs

have been conducted to solicit

comments and ideas. Any comments

received throughout the process have

been considered.

DATES: Written comments on the DEIS

must be submitted or postmarked no

later than August 13, 1996. Comments

on the DEIS may also be presented

verbally or submitted in writing at the

public hearings to be held at the

following times and locations:

• 6:00 p.m., July 16, 1996; Wasatch

County Middle School, 800 South 200

East, Heber City, Utah

• 6:30 p.m., July 17, 1996; Salt Lake

County Commission Chambers, 2001

South State, Salt Lake City, Utah

The public hearings are being held to

address two separate actions: (1) The

Wasatch County Water Efficiency

Project and Daniel Replacement Project,

and (2) the Provo River Restoration

Project. Each action should be

addressed separately. Testimony may be

given on each of the two actions but

should be made and identified as two

separate presentations. In order to be

included as part of the hearing record,

written testimony must be submitted at

the time of the hearing. Verbal

testimony will be limited to 5 minutes

for each DEIS. Those wishing to give

testimony at a hearing should submit a

registration form, included at the end of

the DEIS, to the address listed below by

July 15, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the DEIS

should be addressed to: Michael C.

Weland, Executive Director, Utah

Reclamation Mitigation and

Conservation Commission, 355 West

1300 South, Orem, Utah 84058.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Additional

copies of the DEIS, copies of the

resources technical reports, or

information on matters related to this

notice can be obtained on request from:

Ms. Nancy Hardman, Central Utah

Water Conservancy District, 355 West

1300 South, Orem, Utah 84058,

Telephone: (801) 226–7187, Fax: (801)

226–7150.

Copies are also available for

inspection at:

Central Utah Water Conservancy

District, 355 West 1300 South, Orem,

Utah 84058.

Utah Reclamation Mitigation and

Conservation Commission, 111 East

Broadway, Suite 310, Salt Lake City,

Utah 84111.

Department of the Interior, Natural

Resource Library, Serials Branch, 18th

and C Streets, NW, Washington, D.C.

20240.

Department of the Interior, Central Utah

Project Completion Act Office, 302

East 1860 South, Provo, Utah 84606.

Dated: June 10, 1996.

Michael C. Weland,

Executive Director, Utah Reclamation

Mitigation and Conservation Commission.

[FR Doc. 96–15007 Filed 6–12–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–05–P

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS

AFFAIRS

A Child Development Center at the

VAMC, Reno, NV

AGENCY: Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice of designation.

SUMMARY: The Secretary of the

Department of Veterans Affairs is

designating the Reno, NV, Department

of Veterans Affairs Medical Center

(VAMC) for Enhanced-Use

development. The Department intends

to enter into a long-term lease of real

property with the developer whose

proposal will provide the best quality

child development and care at the

greatest economic advantage for

children of VAMC employees. The

developer will be responsible for all

aspects of construction, ownership,

maintenance, and operation of the Child

Development Center.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Brian A. McDaniel, Office of Asset and

Enterprise Development (189), Veterans

Health Administration, Department of

Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue,

NW., Washington, DC 20420, (202) 565–

4307.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 38 U.S.C.

8161 et seq., specifically provides that

the Secretary may enter into an

Enhanced-Use lease, if the Secretary

determines that at least part of the use

of the property under the lease will be

to provide appropriate space for an

activity contributing to the mission of

the Department; the lease will not be

inconsistent with and will not adversely

affect the mission of the Department;

and the lease will enhance the property.

This project meets these requirements.

Approved: May 10, 1996.

Jesse Brown,

Secretary, Veterans Affairs.

[FR Doc. 96–14983 Filed 6–12–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8310–01–M