Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 245 / Thursday, December 20, 2001 / Notices 65681

Alaska for purposes of conservation of

the fisheries.

II. Method of Collection

Daily logbooks and paper forms are

required from participants, and methods

of submittal include paper logbooks,

facsimile transmission of paper forms,

and electronic reporting. The specific

types of reporting required are

identified below in the section for

‘‘Estimated Time Per Response.’’

III. Data

OMB Number: 0648–0213.

Form Number: None.

Type of Review: Regular submission.

Affected Public: Individuals or

households, business or other for-profit

organizations.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

1,033.

Estimated Time Per Response: 35

minutes for Weekly Cumulative

Mothership ADF&G Fish Tickets; 14

minutes for U.S. Vessel Activity Report;

18 minutes for Catcher Vessel trawl gear

daily fishing logbook (DFL); 28 minutes

for Catcher Vessel longline and pot gear

DFL; 30 minutes for Catcher/processor

trawl gear daily cumulative production

logbook (DCPL); 41 minutes for Catcher/

processor longline and pot gear DCPL;

31 minutes for Shoreside processor

DCPL; 31 minutes for Mothership DCPL;

8 minutes for Shoreside Processor

Check-in/Check-out Report; 7 minutes

for Mothership or Catcher/processor

Check-in/Check-out Report; 11 minutes

for Product transfer report; 17 minutes

for Weekly Production Report; 11

minutes for Daily Production Report;

estimated time to electronically submit

the weekly production report (5 min./

report); 5 minutes to electronically

submit the check-in/check-out report;

23 minutes for buying station report.

Estimated Total Annual Burden

Hours: 45,086.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to

Public: $215,786.

IV. Request for Comments

Comments are invited on: (a) whether

the proposed collection of information

is necessary for the proper performance

of the functions of the agency, including

whether the information shall have

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the

agency’s estimate of the burden

(including hours and cost) of the

proposed collection of information; (c)

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the

burden of the collection of information

on respondents, including through the

use of automated collection techniques

or other forms of information

technology.

Comments submitted in response to

this notice will be summarized and/or

included in the request for OMB

approval of this information collection;

they also will become a matter of public

record.

Dated: December 13, 2001.

Gwellnar Banks,

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief

Information Officer.

[FR Doc. 01–31396 Filed 12–19–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Army; Corps of

Engineers

Intent To Prepare a Draft

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

for the Mississippi River Diversion

Near Benny’s Bay, Ecosystem

Restoration Analysis, Mississippi River

Delta, LA

AGENCY: Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

SUMMARY: Estimates show that

approximately 30 square miles of

coastal wetlands convert to open water

in Louisiana each year. The causes of

the wetland loss are varied and

complex, depending upon wetland

location and type. Wetland loss has

been attributed to the loss of freshwater,

nutrient, and sediment input from the

Mississippi River due the construction

of flood protection levees, salt water

intrusion, oil and gas access canals,

navigation channels, subsidence, and

sea level rise. The loss of wetlands has

serious negative impacts to fish and

wildlife populations, hurricane

protection, and the economy of

Louisiana and the nation. Many believe

that reestablishment of freshwater,

nutrient, and sediment flows from the

Mississippi River into degraded

wetlands would restore and sustain

coastal wetland ecosystem structure and

function that have been lost.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Questions concerning the EIS should be

addressed to Mr. Michael Salyer at (504)

862–2037. Mr. Salyer may also be

reached at fax number (504) 862–2572

or by e-mail at michael.r.salyer@

mvn02.usace.army.mil. Mr. Salyer’s

address is U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers, PM–RS, P.O. Box 60267,

New Orleans, Louisiana 70160–0267.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Authority. The U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers, New Orleans District, at the

direction of the Louisiana Coastal

Wetlands Conservation and Restoration

Task Force, is initiating this study under

the authority of the Coastal Wetlands

Planning, Protection and Restoration

Act, Pub. L. 101–646. This act includes

funds for the planning of measures for

the creation, restoration, protection and

enhancement of coastal wetlands.

2. Proposed Action. The proposed

action would restore, enhance, and

sustain the coastal wetlands ecosystem

east of the Mississippi River in

Mississippi River Delta, Louisiana. This

ecosystem is located in Region 2,

Mississippi River Delta, Plaquemines

Parish. The diversion inlet would be

located on the east bank of the

Mississippi River at Mile 7.5 above

Head of Passes. This action would likely

utilize the nutrients, freshwater, and

sediment of the Mississippi River for

this restoration. This proposed action is

intended to reestablish ecosystem

functions. This proposed action would

restore the wetland acreage and

biodiversity of the Mississippi River

Delta. Environmental analysis would be

used to determine the most practical

plan, which would provide for the

greatest overall public benefit. The

recommended plan would restore

degraded wetlands with the least

adverse impacts to stakeholder interests.

3. Alternatives. Alternatives

recommended for consideration

presently include the construction of a

river diversion structure in the vicinity

of Benny’s Bay, dedicated dredging to

construct wetlands, the construction of

outfall management structures, and

combinations of the above. Various

capacities for the diversion structure

would be investigated. Various

increments of dedicated dredging and

increments of long-term diversion

amounts would also be investigated.

4. Scoping. Scoping is the process for

determining the scope of alternatives

and significant issues to be addressed in

the EIS. For this analysis, a letter will

be sent to all parties believed to have an

interest in the analysis, requesting their

input on alternatives and issues to be

evaluated. The letter will also notify

interested parties of public scoping

meetings that will be held in the local

area. Notices will also be sent to local

news media. All interested parties are

invited to comment at this time, and

anyone interested in this study should

request to be included in the study

mailing list.

A public scoping meeting will be held

in the early part of 2002. The meeting

will be held in Plaquemines parish,

Louisiana. Additional meetings could be

held, depending upon interest and if it

65682 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 245 / Thursday, December 20, 2001 / Notices

is determined that further public

coordination is warranted.

5. Significant Issues. The tentative list

of resources and issues to be evaluated

in the EIS includes tidal wetlands

(marshes and swamps), aquatic

resources, commercial and recreational

fisheries, wildlife resources, essential

fish habitat, water quality, air quality,

threatened and endangered species,

recreation resources, and cultural

resources. Socioeconomic items to be

evaluated in the EIS include navigation,

flood protection, business and industrial

activity, employment, land use,

property values, public/community

facilities and services, tax revenues,

population, community and regional

growth, transportation, housing,

community cohesion, and noise.

6. Environmental Consultation and

Review. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service (USFWS) will be assisting in the

documentation of existing conditions

and assessment of effects of project

alternatives through Fish and Wildlife

Coordination Act consultation

procedures. The USFWS will also

provide a Fish and Wildlife

Coordination Act report. Consultation

will also be accomplished with the

USFWS and the National Marine

Fisheries Service (NMFS) concerning

threatened and endangered species and

their critical habitat. The NMFS will be

consulted on the effects of this proposed

action on Essential Fish Habitat. The

draft EIS or a notice of its availability

will be distributed to all interested

agencies, organizations, and

individuals.

7. Estimated Date of Availability.

Funding levels will dictate the date

when the draft EIS is available. The

earliest that the draft EIS is expected to

be available is summer of 2002.

Dated: December 11, 2001.

Michael R. Burt,

Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, Acting District

Engineer.

[FR Doc. 01–31358 Filed 12–19–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3710–84–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Science; Continuation of

Solicitation for the Office of Science

Financial Assistance Program—Notice

02–01

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy.

ACTION: Annual notice of continuation

of availability of grants and cooperative

agreements.

SUMMARY: The Office of Science of the

Department of Energy hereby announces

its continuing interest in receiving grant

applications for support of work in the

following program areas: Basic Energy

Sciences, High Energy Physics, Nuclear

Physics, Advanced Scientific

Computing, Fusion Energy Sciences,

Biological and Environmental Research,

and Energy Research Analyses. On

September 3, 1992, (57 FR 40582), DOE

published in the Federal Register the

Office of Energy Research Financial

Assistance Program (now called the

Office of Science Financial Assistance

Program), 10 CFR part 605, Final Rule,

which contained a solicitation for this

program. Information about submission

of applications, eligibility, limitations,

evaluation and selection processes and

other policies and procedures are

specified in 10 CFR part 605.

DATES: Applications may be submitted

at any time in response to this Notice of

Availability.

ADDRESSES: Applications must be sent

to: Director, Grants and Contracts

Division, Office of Science, SC–64, U.S.

Department of Energy, 19901

Germantown Road, Germantown, MD

20874–1290. When preparing

applications, applicants should use the

Office of Science Financial Assistance

Program Application Guide and Forms

located on the World Wide Web at

http://www.science.doe.gov/production/

grants/grants.html. Applicants without

Internet access may call 301–903–5212

for information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This

notice is published annually and

remains in effect until it is succeeded by

another issuance by the Office of

Science, usually published after the

beginning of the fiscal year. This annual

Notice 02–01 succeeds Notice 01–01,

which was published December 7, 2000.

It is anticipated that approximately

$400 million will be available for grant

and cooperative agreement awards in

FY 2002. The DOE is under no

obligation to pay for any costs

associated with the preparation or

submission of an application. DOE

reserves the right to fund, in whole or

in part, any, all, or none of the

applications submitted in response to

this Notice.

The following program descriptions

are offered to provide more in-depth

information on scientific and technical

areas of interest to the Office of Science:

1. Basic Energy Sciences

The Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

program supports fundamental research

in the natural sciences and engineering

leading to new and improved energy

technologies and to understanding and

mitigating the environmental impacts of

energy technologies. The science areas

and their objectives are as follows:

(a) Materials Sciences

The objective of this program is to

increase the understanding of

phenomena and properties important to

materials behavior that will contribute

to meeting the needs of present and

future energy technologies. It is

comprised of the subfields metallurgy,

ceramics, condensed matter physics,

materials chemistry, and related

disciplines where the emphasis is on

the science of materials.

Program Contact: (301) 903–3427.

(b) Chemical Sciences

The objective of this program is to

expand, through support of basic

research, knowledge of various areas of

chemistry, chemical engineering and

atomic molecular and optical physics

with a goal of contributing to new or

improved processes for developing and

using domestic energy resources in an

efficient and environmentally sound

manner. Disciplinary areas where

research is supported include atomic

molecular and optical physics; physical,

inorganic and organic chemistry;

chemical physics; photochemistry;

radiation chemistry; analytical

chemistry; separations science; actinide

chemistry; and chemical engineering

sciences. Program Contact: (301) 903–

5804.

(c) Engineering Research

This program’s objectives are: (1) To

extend the body of knowledge

underlying current engineering practice

in order to open new ways for

enhancing energy savings and

production, prolonging useful

equipment life, and reducing costs

while maintaining output performance,

and environmental quality; and (2) to

broaden the technical and conceptual

base for solving future engineering

problems in the energy technologies.

Program Contact: (301) 903–3427.

(d) Geosciences

The goal of this program is to develop

a quantitative and predictive

understanding of geologic processes

related to energy and environmental

quality. The program emphasizes crosscutting basic research that will improve

understanding of reactive geochemical

transport and other subsurface processes

and properties and how to image them

using techniques ranging from electrons,

x-rays or neutrons to electromagnetic

and seismic waves. Applications of this

fundamental understanding might

include transport of contaminant fluids,

hydrocarbons, sequestered CO2 or