Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 194 / Monday, October 6, 2008 / Notices 58127 

SUMMARY: The National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration’s 

(NOAA’s) Office of National Marine 

Sanctuaries (ONMS) is announcing the 

establishment of new indirect cost rates 

on the recovery of indirect costs for its 

component organizations involved in 

natural resource damage assessment and 

restoration activities for fiscal year (FY) 

2006. The indirect cost rates for this 

fiscal year and dates of implementation 

are provided in this notice. More 

information on these rates and the 

NMSP policy can be obtained from the 

address provided below. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Harriet Sopher, 301–713–3125, ext. 271; 

(FAX: 301–713–0404; e-mail: 

Harriet.Sopher@noaa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

mission of the ONMS with respect to 

Natural Resource Damage Assessment is 

to restore injuries to sanctuary resources 

caused by releases of hazardous 

substances or oil under the 

Comprehensive Environmental 

Response, Compensation, and Liability 

Act (CERCLA) (42 U.S.C., 9601 et seq.) 

or the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA) 

(33 U.S.C., 2701 et seq.), or physical 

injuries under the National Marine 

Sanctuaries Act (NMSA) (16 U.S.C., 

1431 et seq.). The NOAA ONMS 

consists of the following component 

organizations: Thirteen National Marine 

Sanctuaries and one National 

Monument within NOAP’s National 

Ocean Service. The ONMS conducts 

Natural Resource Damage Assessments 

(NRDA) as a basis for recovering 

damages from responsible parties and 

uses the funds recovered to restore 

injured sanctuary resources. 

When addressing NRDA incidents, 

the costs of the damage assessment are 

recoverable from responsible parties 

who are potentially liable for an 

incident. Costs include direct and 

indirect costs. Direct costs are costs for 

activities that are clearly and readily 

attributable to a specific output. In the 

context of the ONMS, outputs may be 

associated with damage assessment 

cases, or may be represented by other 

program products such as damage 

assessment regulations. In contrast, 

indirect costs reflect the costs for 

activities that collectively support the 

ONMS’s mission and operations. For 

example, indirect costs include general 

administrative support and traditional 

overheads. Although these costs may 

not be readily traced back to a specific 

direct activity, indirect costs may be 

allocated to direct activities using an 

indirect cost distribution rate. 

Consistent with standard Federal 

accounting requirements, the ONMS is 

required to account for and report the 

full costs of its programs and activities. 

Further, the ONMS is authorized by law 

to recover reasonable costs of damage 

assessment and restoration activities 

under CEROLA, OPA, and the NMSA. 

Within the constraints of these legal 

provisions and their regulatory 

applications, the ONMS has the 

discretion to develop indirect cost rates 

for its component organizations and 

formulate policies on the recover of 

indirect cost rates subject to its 

requirements. 

The ONMS Indirect Cost Effort 

In October 2002, the ONMS hired the 

public accounting firm Cotton & 

Company (C&C) to: (1) Evaluate the cost 

accounting system and allocation 

practices; (2) recommend the 

appropriate indirect cost allocation 

methodology; and, (3) determine the 

indirect cost rates for the organizations 

that comprise the ONMS. 

The ONMS requested an analysis of 

its indirect costs for fiscal year 2002. 

The goal was to develop the most 

appropriate indirect cost rate allocation 

methodology and rates for the ONMS 

component organizations. C&C has 

continued its assessment of the ONMS 

indirect cost rate system and structure 

annually from FY2002 through FY2006. 

C&C concluded that the cost 

accounting system and allocation 

practices of the ONMS component 

organizations are consistent with 

Federal accounting requirements. C&C 

also determined that the most 

appropriate indirect allocation method 

was the Direct Labor Cost Base for all 

ONMS component organizations. The 

Direct Labor Cost Base is computed by 

allocating total indirect costs over the 

sum of direct labor dollars plus the 

application of NOAA’s leave surcharge 

and benefits rates to direct labor. The 

indirect cost rates that C&C has 

computed for the ONNS component 

organizations were further assessed as 

being fair and equitable. A report on 

C&C’s effort, their assessment of the 

ONMS’s cost accounting system and 

practice, and their determination 

respecting the most appropriate indirect 

cost methodology and rates can be 

obtained from: Harriet Sopher, ONMS 

1305 East West Highway, Silver Spring, 

MD 20910. 

C&C reaffirmed that the Direct Labor 

Cost Base is the most appropriate 

indirect allocation method for the 

development of the FY 2006 indirect 

cost rates. 

The ONMS Indirect Cost Rates and 

Policies 

The ONMS will apply the indirect 

cost rates for FY 2006 as recommended 

by C&C for each of the ONMS 

component organizations as provided in 

the following table: 

ONMS component 

organization 

FY 2006 

indirect rate 

(percent) 

Office of National Marine 

Sanctuaries (ONMS) ......... 137.35 

ONMS Florida Keys National 

Marine Sanctuary 

(FKNMS) ........................... 216.43 

The FY 2006 rates identified in this 

policy will be applied to all damage 

assessment and restoration case costs 

incurred between October 1, 2005 and 

present, using the Direct Labor Cost base 

allocation methodology. The ONMS will 

use the FY 2006 rates for future fiscal 

years until year-specific rates can be 

developed. For cases that have been 

settled and for costs claims paid prior to 

the effective date of the fiscal year in 

question, the ONMS will not re-open 

any resolved matters for the purpose of 

applying the rates in this policy. For 

cases not settled and cost claims not 

paid prior to the effective date of the 

fiscal year in question, costs will be 

recalculated using the rates in this 

policy. 

Dated: September 25, 2008. 

Daniel J. Basta, 

Director, Office of National Marine 

Sanctuaries. 

[FR Doc. E8–23453 Filed 10–3–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–NK–M 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN: 0648–XK87 

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meetings 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of a public meeting. 

SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery 

Management Council will convene a 

public meeting of the Ad Hoc 

Recreational Red Snapper Advisory 

Panel (AP). 

DATES: The meeting will convene at 9 

a.m. on Monday, October 20, 2008 and 

conclude no later than 3 p.m. on 

Tuesday, October 21, 2008. 


jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
58128 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 194 / Monday, October 6, 2008 / Notices 

ADDRESSES: This meeting will be held at 

the LaQuinta Inn, 2610 Williams 

Boulevard, Kenner, LA 70062; 

telephone: (504) 466–1401. 

Council address: Gulf of Mexico 

Fishery Management Council, 2203 

North Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, 

FL 33607. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Steven Atran, Population Dynamics 

Statistician; Gulf of Mexico Fishery 

Management Council; telephone: (813) 

348–1630. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Council previously reviewed 27 

recommendations from the AP for 

improving recreational red snapper 

management, and selected four of the 

recommendations for further review. 

Those recommendations include: (1) 

regional management of recreational red 

snapper fishing; (2) recreational reef fish 

permitting system with red snapper 

endorsement; (3) limited access 

privilege programs in the for-hire and 

private recreational sectors; and (4) 

catch cards and fish tag systems. At this 

meeting, the AP will discuss issues and 

possible alternatives to consider for 

each of these ideas, and will provide 

recommendations back to the Council 

for possible further development. 

Although other non-emergencyissues 

not on the agenda may come before the 

panel for discussion, in accordance with 

the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act 

(Magnuson-Stevens Act), those issues 

may not be the subject of formal panel 

action during this meeting. Panel action 

will be restricted to those issues 

specifically identified in the agenda and 

any issues arising after publication of 

this notice that require emergency 

action under Section 305(c) of the 

Magnuson-Stevens Act, provided the 

public has been notified of the Council’s 

intent to take action to address the 

emergency. 

A copy of the agenda can be obtained 

by calling (813) 348–1630. 

Special Accommodations 

This meeting is physically accessible 

to people with disabilities. Requests for 

sign language interpretation or other 

auxiliary aids should be directed to Tina 

O’Hern at the Council (see ADDRESSES) 

at least 5 working days prior to the 

meeting. 

Dated: October 1, 2008. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. E8–23545 Filed 10–3–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN: 0648–XK88 

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management 

Council (Council); Public Meetings 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of a public meeting. 

SUMMARY: The Gulf of Mexico Fishery 

Management Council to convene its 

Standing SSC via conference call. 

DATES: The conference call will be held 

October 21, 2008, at 9:30 a.m. EDT. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held 

via conference call and listening 

stations will be available. For specific 

locations, see SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION. 

Council address: Gulf of Mexico 

Fishery Management Council, 2203 

North Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, 

FL 33607. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. 

Richard Leard, Interim Executive 

Director, Gulf of Mexico Fishery 

Management Council; telephone: (813) 

348–1630. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Standing SSC will discuss and develop 

recommendations for the Council on a 

5-year research plan for fisheries 

managed by the Council. Once approved 

by the Council at its October 2008 

meeting, the 5-year research plan will be 

submitted to the NMFS for 

implementation and funding. 

Although other non-emergency issues 

not on the agenda may come before the 

Standing SSC for discussion, in 

accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens 

Fishery Conservation and Management 

Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), those 

issues may not be the subject of formal 

action during the meeting. Actions will 

be restricted to the issue specifically 

identified in the agenda and any issues 

arising after publication of this notice 

that require emergency action under 

Section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens 

Act, provided the public has been 

notified of the Standing SSC’s intent to 

take action to address the emergency. 

The conference call will begin at 9:30 

a.m. EDT and conclude no later than 

12:30 p.m. EDT. Listening stations are 

available at the following locations: 

The Gulf Council office (see 

ADDRESSES), and the National Marine 

Fisheries Service (NMFS) offices as 

follows: 

St. Petersburg, FL 

263 13th Ave. S., St Petersburg, FL 

33701, Contact: Karolyn Potter, 

telephone: (727) 551–5705; 

Miami, FL 

75 Virginia Beach Dr., Miami, FL 

33149, Contact: Sonia Prevo, telephone: 

(305) 361–4200; and 

Panama City, FL 

3500 Delwood Beach Rd., Panama 

City, FL 32408, Contact: Janice Hamm, 

telephone: (850) 234–6541. 

Special Accommodations 

The listening stations are physically 

accessible to people with disabilities. 

Requests for sign language 

interpretation or other auxiliary aids 

should be directed to Tina O’Hern at the 

Council (see ADDRESSES) at least 5 

working days prior to the meeting. 

Dated: October 1, 2008. 

Tracey L. Thompson, 

Acting Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. E8–23546 Filed 10–3–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN: 0648–XK89 

Pacific Fishery Management Council; 

Public Hearings 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), NationalOceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public hearings. 

SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery 

Management Council (Council) will 

hold public hearings on draft 

Amendment 20 (Trawl Rationalization) 

to its groundfish fishery management 

plan (FMP). These hearings are 

preparatory to the final Council decision 

on Amendment 20, scheduled for the 

November 2–7, 2008 Council meeting, 

in San Diego, CA. 

DATES: The hearings will be held on 

October 27–29, 2008. 

ADDRESSES: Hearing locations will be 

held in Newport, OR, Olympia, WA, 

Eureka, CA, Astoria, OR, and Santa 

Cruz, CA. See SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION for specific addresses. 

Council address: Pacific Fishery 

Management Council, 7700 NE 

Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, 

OR 97220. 


jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES