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Improved Methods for Ballast Water Treatment and Management and Prevention of Small Boat Transport of Invasive Species: Request for Proposals for FY 2000
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: May 19, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 98)]
[Notices]
[Page 31880-31885]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19my00-37]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[Docket No. 000404094-0094-01]
RIN 0648-ZA84
Improved Methods for Ballast Water Treatment and Management and
Prevention of Small Boat Transport of Invasive Species: Request for
Proposals for FY 2000
AGENCIES: National Sea Grant College Program, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce and Fish and
Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior.
ACTION: Notice of request for proposals.
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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to advise the public that the
National Sea Grant College Program (Sea Grant) and the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service) are entertaining proposals to participate in
innovative research, outreach, and demonstration projects that address
the problems of aquatic invasive species in U.S. waters. In FY 2000
only, Sea Grant expects to make available about $700,000, and the
Service $300,000, to support projects to improve ballast water
treatment and management in the Chesapeake Bay and the Great Lakes in
particular (Sea Grant), and in U.S. coastal and Great Lakes waters in
general (Service). Also in FY 2000 only, Sea Grant expects to make
available about $40,000 to support projects to reduce the transport of
invasive species by small boats in the Lake Champlain Basin.
DATES: Proposals must be submitted before 5 p.m. EST on June 19, 2000.
ADDRESSES: Proposals must be submitted to the National Sea Grant Office
at: National Sea Grant College Program, R/SG, Attn: Invasive Species
Competition, Room 11841, NOAA, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring,
MD 20910.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Leon M. Cammen, Invasive Species
Coordinator, National Seat Grant College Program, R/SG, NOAA, 1315
East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910, or Mary Robinson,
Secretary, National Sea Grant Office, 301-713-2435; facsimile 301-713-
0799; or Sharon Gross, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 703-358-1718;
facsimile 703-358-2044.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Program Authority
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 4701 et seq.; 33 U.S.C. 1121-1131.
Catalog of Federal Assistance Number: 11.417, Sea Grant Support;
15.FFA, Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance.
II. Program Description
Background
Nonindigenous species introductions are increasing in frequency and
causing substantial damage to the Nation's environment and economy.
Although the most prominent of these introductions in the aquatic
environment has been the zebra mussel, many other nonindigenous species
have been introduced and have truly become
[[Page 31881]]
a nationwide problem that threatens many aquatic ecosystems. While some
intentional introductions may have been beneficial effects, many other
nonindigenous species already present in U.S. waters, or with the
potential to invade, may cause significant damage to coastal resources
and the economies that depend upon them. In response, the Nonindigenous
Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 4701 et
seq.) and the National Invasive Species Act of 1996 (16 U.S.C. 4711-
4714) established a framework for the Nation to address the problems of
aquatic nuisance species invasions of coastal and Great Lakes
ecosytems.
In addition, the Acts recognized the serious threat posed by
ballast water discharge in causing new invasions and called for ballast
water management demonstration programs. A 1996 National Research
Council study of the ballast water problem, ``Stemming the Tide,''
concluded that with the growth of global shipping, and the changes
modern shipping practices, introductions of nonindigenous species
through ballast water discharge were likely to remain a serious
problem. The study called for the development of improved technology
for the management of ballast water to eliminate this threat to the
Nation's ecosystems. A demonstration project testing filtration of
ballast water as a method of reducing introductions has been carried
out in the Great Lakes, but the possibility that there will be a single
solution that is acceptable for all modes of shipping operations and
classes of vessels is unlikely.
In addition, vessels that declare No Ballast On Board (NOBOB) may
still pose a potential risk for introducing nonindigenous species by
reballasting into tanks containing residual ballast (including
sediments) and subsequently discharging this mixture into the receiving
waters. Although the concern has been most strongly expressed with
respect to the Great Lakes, residual water and sediment also represent
a potential problem in other regions of the country.
In addition to the potential for introductions of nonindigenous
species from large ships, small recreational boats are a major vector
of movement of some invasive species. For example, recreational boating
has been identified as a major cause of the movement of zebra mussels
from larger bodies of water, such as the Great Lakes and Lake
Champlain, to smaller inland lakes. Outreach and educational activities
targeting the recreational boating community appear to be the most
effective means of addressing this problem.
Funding Availability and Priorities
(1) Ballast Water Treatment and Management
The National Sea Grant College Program of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the Department of Commerce (DOC)
and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the
Interior (DOI) encourage proposals that address one of the following
three program areas:
(a) Research to develop workable and effective methods to eliminate
nonindigenous species introductions from ballast water without imposing
undue hardships on the shipping industry. Possible approaches include
(but are not limited to) development and/or demonstration of ship-board
or on-shore technologies for treatment or management of ballast water.
Projects that include on-vessel demonstrations of feasibility will be
given priority.
(b) Research and/or synthesis of existing information and
measurement to develop a set of ballast water effluent standards and/or
test methods that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of ballast
water exchange and other technologies or treatments that may be
developed, such that by meeting such a standard, any ballast water
pumped into the environment would not pose an unacceptable risk of
introduction on nonindigenous species to the receiving waters.
(c) Research and/or synthesis of information and measurements to
determine the risk of the introduction of nonindigenous species to the
receiving waters from vessels carrying residual ballast (also known as
vessels declaring No Ballast On Board, or NOBOB). Research should
include consideration of vessels that have reballasted into tanks
containing residual ballast and subsequently discharged this mixture
into the receiving waters. Studies that examine the risk of
introductions by NOBOBs, through analyses of shipping patterns and
biological components, would be useful in developing preventative
technology and practices. An approach that compared NOBOB patterns and
risks of the Great Lakes and Chesapeake Bay would be very useful, as
the Chesapeake could serve as a model for other U.S. coastal port
systems.
The National Sea Grant College Program will support only those
ballast water projects that clearly target ballast water management
issues in the Chesapeake Bay and/or the Great Lakes, but investigators
located outside those regions may participate if all demonstrations are
carried out in the targeted regions. About $700,000 is available from
Sea Grant to support these activities in FY 2000. The Federal funding
requested for individual projects may not exceed $350,000; matching
funds may also be included, but are not required. Proposals are limited
to one year of funding, but activities may extend for up to two years;
an annual report showing satisfactory progress must be submitted at the
end of the first year. Project activities should include identified
milestones for each project year. Regardless of any approved indirect
cost rate applicable to the award, the maximum dollar amount of
allocable indirect costs for which the Department of Commerce will
reimburse the recipient shall be the lesser of: (a) The Federal share
of the total allocable indirect costs of the award based on the
negotiated rate with the cognizant Federal agency as established by
audit or negotiation; or (b) the line item amount for the Federal share
of indirect costs contained in the approved budget of the award.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will support projects that
address ballast water management issues anywhere in coastal waters of
the United States. About $300,000 is available to support these
activities in FY 2000. The Federal funding requested for individual
projects may not exceed $150,000; matching funds may also be included,
but are not required. The indirect cost rate may not exceed 15 percent
of direct costs. Proposals are limited to one year of funding, but
activities may extend for up to two years; an annual report showing
satisfactory progress must be submitted at the end of the first year.
Project activities should include identified milestones for each
project year.
(2) Small Boat Transport of Zebra Mussels and Other Aquatic Nuisance
Species From Lake Champlain
The National Sea Grant College Program encourages proposals that
address the following program area:
(a) Outreach and education to prevent the spread of aquatic
nuisance species from Lake Champlain to nearby waters. Project
activities should be consistent with the Recreational Activities
Guidelines developed by the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force
[Federal Register, April 13, 2000, Volume 65, Number 72, Pages 19953-
19957].
About $40,000 is available from Sea Grant to support the ``Small
Boat Transport'' program area in FY 2000; matching funds may also be
included,
[[Page 31882]]
but are not required. Proposals are limited to one year of funding, but
activities may extend for up to two years; an annual report showing
satisfactory progress must be submitted at the end of the first year.
Project activities should include identified milestones for each
project year. Regardless of any approved indirect cost rate applicable
to the award, the maximum dollar amount of allocable indirect costs for
which the Department of Commerce will reimburse the recipient shall be
the lesser of: (a) The Federal share of the total allocable indirect
costs of the award based on the negotiated rate with the cognizant
Federal agency as established by audit or negotiation; or (b) the line
item amount for the Federal share of indirect costs contained in the
approved budget of the award.
III. Eligibility
Any person may apply for funding in response to this announcement.
Applications from non-Federal and eligible Federal applicants will be
competed against each other. Proposals selected for funding from non-
Federal applicants will be funded through a project grant or
cooperative agreement under the terms of this notice. Federal agencies
will be funded through an inter-agency transfer.
Please Note: A Federal applicant will be considered eligible
only if it can demonstrate that it has legal authority to receive
funds from another federal agency in excess of its appropriation.
The Economy Act (31 U.S.C. 1535) will not be considered as legal
authority to transfer funds since awards issued under this
announcement will not constitute a purchase of goods or services by
DOC or DOI.
IV. Evaluation Criteria
The evaluation criteria for proposals submitted for support under
this announcement are as follows:
(1) Impact of Proposed Project (65%): The effect this activity will
have on reducing the impact of invasive species on the environment and/
or the economy, or the need for this activity as a necessary step
toward such a reduction in impact; inclusion of field-scale
demonstration for projects proposing to develop ballast water treatment
technologies or practices; and the degree to which potential users of
the results of the proposed activity have been involved in planning the
activity and will be involved in the execution of the activity as
appropriate.
(2) Scientific or Professional Merit (35%): Degree to which the
activity will advance the state of the science or discipline through
synthesis of existing information and use and extension of cutting edge
as well as state-of-the-art methods; degree to which new approaches to
solving problems and exploiting opportunities in resource management or
development, or in public outreach on such issues will be employed;
degree to which investigators are qualified by education, training and/
or experience to execute the proposed activity; and record of
achievement with previous funding.
V. Selection Procedures
Proposals will be subjected to peer review and ranked in accordance
with the assigned weights of the above evaluation criteria by an
independent panel consisting of government, academic, and industry
experts. Panel members will provide individual evaluations on each
proposal, but there will be no consensus advice. Their recommendations
and evaluations will be considered by the Federal Program Officers for
Sea Grant and the Service who will: (a) Ascertain which proposals best
meet the program priorities, as described in Section II under Funding
Availability and Priorities, giving consideration to geographic
distribution and representation, maintaining a balanced program of
research, and not substantially duplicating other projects that are
currently funded or are approved for funding by NOAA, DOI, and other
State and Federal agencies (hence, awards may not necessarily be made
to the highest-scored proposal); (b) select the proposals to be funded;
(c) determine which components of the selected projects will be funded;
(d) determine the total duration of funding for each proposal; and (e)
determine the amount of funds available for each proposal.
Investigators may be asked to modify objectives, work plans, or
budgets prior to final approval of the award. Subsequent grant
administration procedures will be in accordance with current DOC or DOI
grants procedures. A summary statement of the scientific review by the
peer panel will be provided to each applicant.
VI. Instructions for Application
Timetable
June 19, 2000, 5 p.m. EST--Full proposals due at NSGO.
July 15, 2000 (approximate)--Successful applicants notified.
October 1, 2000 (approximate)--Funds awarded to successful
applicants; projects begin.
General Guidelines
The ideal proposal attacks a well-defined problem that will be or
is a significant societal issue. The organization or people whose task
it will be to make related decisions, or who will be able to make
specific use of the project's results, will have been identified and
contacted by the Principal Investigator(s). The project will show an
understanding of what constitutes necessary and sufficient information
for responsible decision-making or for applied use, and will show how
that information will be provided by the proposed activity, or in
concert with other planned activities.
Research projects are expected to have: A rigorous, hypothesis-
based scientific work plan, or a well-defined, logical approach to
address an engineering problem; a strong rationale for the proposed
research; and a clear and established relationship with the ultimate
users of the information. Their contribution to the research may be in
the form of collaboration, in-kind services, or dollar support.
Projects that are solely monitoring efforts are not appropriate for
funding.
What To Submit
Each proposal must include the first seven items listed below; the
standard forms included as Item 8 will be required only for proposals
selected for funding. All pages should be single- or double-spaced,
typewritten in at least a 10-point font, printed on metric A4 (210 mm x
297 mm) or 8.5" x 11" paper. Brevity will assist reviewers and program
staff in dealing effectively with proposals. Therefore, the Project
Description may not exceed 15 pages. Tables and visual materials,
including figures, charts, graphs, maps, photographs, and other
pictorial presentations, are included in the 15-page limitation for the
Project Description; letters of support, if any, are not included in
the 15-page limitation. Conformance to the 15-page limitation will be
strictly enforced. All information needed for review of the proposal
should be included in the main text; no appendices, other than support
letters, if any, are permitted. Failure to adhere to the above
limitations will result in the proposal being rejected without review.
(1) Signed Title Page: The title page should be signed by the
Principal Investigator and the institutional representative. The
Principal Investigators and collaborators and the institutional
representative should be identified by affiliation and contact
information. The total amount of
[[Page 31883]]
Federal funds being requested should be listed for each budget period;
for projects involving multiple institutions, the total should include
all subrecipient budgets.
(2) Project Summary: This information is very important. Prior to
attending the peer review panel meetings, some of the panelists may
read only the project summary. Therefore, it is critical that the
project summary accurately describes the research being proposed and
conveys all essential elements of the research. Applicants are
encouraged to use the Sea Grant Project Summary Form 90-2, but may use
their own form as long as it provides the following information:
1. Title: Use the exact title as it appears in the rest of the
application.
2. Investigators: List the names and affiliations of each
investigator who will significantly contribute to the project. Start
with the Principal Investigator.
3. Funding: Funding request for each year of the project, including
matching funds if appropriate.
4. Project Period: Start and competition dates. Proposals should
request a start date of September 1, 2000, or later.
5. Project Summary: This should be a brief statement of the
rationale for the project, the scientific or technical objectives and/
or hypotheses to be tested, and a summary of work to be completed.
(3) Project Description (15-Page Limit)
(a) Introduction/Background/Justification: Subjects that the
investigator(s) may wish to include in this section are: (i) current
state of knowledge; (ii) contributions that the study will make to the
particular discipline or subject area; (iii) contributions and impacts
the study will make toward reducing the problem of aquatic invasive
species; and (iv) as appropriate, contributions of investigator's
previously funded research results to current proposal.
(b) Research or Technical Plan: (i) Objectives to be achieved,
hypotheses to be tested; (ii) plan of work--discuss how stated project
objectives will be achieved; and (iii) role of project personnel.
(c) Output: Describe the project outputs and impacts that will
enhance the Nations's ability to reduce the impacts of aquatic invasive
species.
(d) Coordination with other Program Elements: Describe any
coordination with other agency programs or ongoing research efforts.
Describe any other proposals that are essential to the success of this
proposal.
(e) Vessel Selection (if appropriate): Applications proposing on-
board demonstrations of ballast water management should address the
requirements and priorities listed in the National Invasive Species Act
of 1996 (16 U.S.C. 4711-4714) for selecting vessels for demonstration
projects. These requirements are available through the Sea Grant web
site (www.mdsg.umd.edu/NSGO/research/nonindigenous/RFPOO.html) or from
Dr. Leon Cammen at the National Sea Grant Office (phone: 301-713-2435
x136 or e-mail: leon.cammen@noaa.gov).
(4) Literature Cited
(5) Budget and Budget Justification: There should be a separate
budget for each year of the project as well as a cumulative annual
budget for the entire project. Applicants are encouraged to use the Sea
Grant Budget Form 90-4, but may use their own form as long as it
provides the same information as the Sea Grant form. Subcontracts
should have a separate budget page. Matching funds must be indicated if
provided. Applicants should provide justification for all budget items
in sufficient detail to enable the reviewers to evaluate the
appropriateness of the funding requested. For those applications to be
supported by the Service, the indirect cost rate may not exceed 15
percent of direct costs. For those applications to be supported by Sea
Grant, regardless of any approved indirect cost rate applicable to the
award, the maximum dollar amount of allocable indirect costs for which
the Department of Commerce will reimburse the Recipient shall be the
lesser of: (a) The Federal share of the total allocable indirect costs
of the award based on the negotiated rate with the cognizant Federal
agency as established by audit or negotiation; or (b) the line item
amount for the Federal share of indirect costs contained in the
approved budget of the award.
(6) Current and Pending Support: Applicants must provide
information on all current and pending support for ongoing projects and
proposals, including subsequent funding in the case of continuing
grants. All current project support from whatever source (e.g.,
Federal, State, or local government agencies, private foundations,
industrial or other commercial organizations) must be listed. The
proposed project and all other projects or activities requiring a
portion of time of the Principal Investigator and other senior
personnel must be included, even if they receive no Federal salary
support from the project(s). The number of person-months per year to be
devoted to the projects must be stated, regardless of source of
support. Similar information must be provided for all proposals already
submitted or submitted concurrently to other possible sponsors,
including those within the Departments of Commerce and the Interior.
(7) Vitae (2 pages maximum per investigator).
(8) Standard Application Forms: These forms will be required only
for those proposals selected for funding following the review process.
Applicants may obtain all required application forms through the Sea
Grant web site: (http://www.nsgo.seagrant. org/research/rfp/index.
html#3) or from Dr. Leon M. Cammen at the National Sea Grant Office
(phone: 301-713-2435 x136 or e-mail: leon.cammen@noaa.gov).
(a) Standard Forms 424, Application for Federal Assistance, and
424B, Assurances--Non-Construction Programs, (Rev 4-88). Please note
that both the Principal Investigator and an administrative contact
should be identified in Section 5 of the SF424. For Section 10,
applicants should enter either ``11.417'' for the CFDA Number and ``Sea
Grant Support'' for the title or ``15.FFA'' for the CFDA Number and
``Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance'' for the title depending on
the agency that will be supporting the project. The form must contain
the original signature of an authorized representative of the applying
institution.
(b) Primary Applicant Certifications. All primary applicants must
submit a completed Form CD-511, ``Certifications Regarding Debarment,
Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace
Requirements and Lobbying'', and the following explanations are hereby
provided:
(i) Non-Procurement Debarment and Suspension. Prospective
participants (as defined at 15 CFR part 26, Section 105) are subject to
15 CFR part 26, ``Non-Procurement Debarment and Suspension'' and the
related section of the certification form prescribed above applies;
(ii) Drug-Free Workplace. Grantees (as defined at 15 CFR part 26,
Section 605) are subject to 15 CFR part 26, Subpart F, ``Government-
wide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Grants)'' and the related
section of the certification form prescribed above applies;
(iii) Anti-Lobbying. Persons (as defined at 15 CFR part 28, Section
105) are subject to the lobbying provisions of 31 U.S.C. 1352,
``Limitation on use of appropriated funds to influence certain Federal
contracting and financial transactions'', and the lobbying section of
the certification form prescribed above applies to applications/bids
for
[[Page 31884]]
grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts for more than $100,000,
and loans and loan guarantees for more than $150,000, or the single-
family maximum mortgage limit for affected programs, whichever is
greater; and
(iv) Anti-Lobbying Disclosures. Any applicant that has paid or will
pay for lobbying using any funds must submit an SF-LLL, ``Disclosure of
Lobbying Activities'', as required under 15 CFR part 28, Appendix B.
(c) Lower Tier Certifications. Recipients shall require applicants/
bidders for subgrants, contracts, subcontracts, or other lower tier
covered transactions at any tier under the award to submit, if
applicable, a completed Form CD-512, ``Certifications Regarding
Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion-Lower Tier
Covered Transactions and Lobbying'' and disclosure form, SF-LLL,
``Disclosure of Lobbying Activities''. Form CD-512 is intended for the
use of recipients and should not be transmitted to DOC. SF-LLL
submitted by any tier recipient or subrecipient should be submitted to
DOC in accordance with the instructions contained in the award
document.
VII. How To Submit
Proposals must be submitted to the National Sea Grant Office
according to the schedule outlined above. Although investigators are
not required to submit more than 3 copies of each proposal, the normal
review process requires 10 copies. Investigators are encouraged to
submit sufficient copies for the full review process, if it does not
cause a financial hardship, if they wish all reviewers to receive
color, unusually sized (not 8.5" x 11"), or otherwise unusual materials
submitted as part of the proposal. Only three copies of the Federally
required forms are needed. Proposals should be addressed to: National
Sea Grant Office, R/SG, Attn.: Mrs. Geraldine Taylor, Invasive Species
Competition, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 11806, Silver Spring, MD
20910 (phone number for express mail applications is 301-713-2435).
Applications received after the deadline and applications that
deviate from the format described above or exceed the budget
limitations will be returned to the sender without review. Facsimile
transmissions and electronic mail submission of proposals will not be
accepted.
VIII. Other Requirements
(1) Federal Policies and Procedures--Recipients and subrecipients
are subject to all Federal laws and Federal, DOC, and DOI policies,
regulations, and procedures applicable to Federal financial assistance
awards.
(2) Past Performance--Unsatisfactory performance under prior
Federal awards may result in an application not being considered for
funding.
(3) Pre-Award Activities--If applicants incur any costs prior to an
award being made, they do so solely at their own risk of not being
reimbursed by the Government. Notwithstanding any verbal or written
assurance that may have been received, there is no obligation on the
part of DOC or DOI to cover pre-award costs.
(4) No Obligation for Future Funding--If an application is selected
for funding, DOC and DOI have no obligation to provide any additional
future funding in connection with that award. Renewal of an award to
increase funding or extend the period of performance is at the total
discretion of DOC or DOI.
(5) Delinquent Federal Debts--No award of Federal funds shall be
made to an applicant who has an outstanding delinquent Federal debt
until either:
(a) The delinquent account is paid in full,
(b) A negotiated repayment schedule is established and at least one
payment is received, or
(c) Other arrangements satisfactory to DOC or DOI are made.
(6) Name Check Review--All non-profit and for-profit applicants are
subject to a name check review process. Name checks are intended to
reveal if any key individuals associated with the applicant have been
convicted of or are presently facing criminal charges such as fraud,
theft, perjury, or other matters that significantly reflect on the
applicant's management honesty or financial integrity.
(7) False Statements--A false statement on an application is
grounds for denial or termination of funds and grounds for possible
punishment by a fine or imprisonment as provided in 18 U.S.C. 1001.
(8) Intergovernmental Review--Applications for support from the
National Sea Grant College Program are not subject to Executive Order
12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs''.
(9) Purchase of American-Made Equipment and Products--Applicants
are hereby notified that they will be encouraged, to the greatest
extent practicable, to purchase American-made equipment and products
with funding provided under this program.
(10) Pursuant to Executive Orders 12876, 12900, and 13021, DOC/NOAA
is strongly committed to broadening the participation of Historically
Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), Hispanic Serving Institutions
(HSI), and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU) in its educational
and research programs. The DOC/NOAA vision, mission, and goals are to
achieve full participation by Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) in
order to advance the development of human potential, to strengthen the
Nation's capacity to provide high-quality education, and to increase
opportunities for MSIs to participate in and benefit from Federal
Financial Assistance programs. DOC/NOAA encourages all applicants to
include meaningful participation of MSIs. Institutions eligible to be
considered HBCU/MSIs are listed at the following Internet website:
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OCR/99minin.html.
(11) For awards receiving funding for the collection or production
of geospatial data (e.g., GIS data layers), the recipient will comply
to the maximum extent practicable with E.O. 12906, Coordinating
Geographic Data Acquisition and Access, The National Spatial Data
Infrastructure, 59 FR 17671 (April 11, 1994). The award recipient must
document all new geospatial data collected or produced using the
standard developed by the Federal Geographic Data Center and make that
standardized documentation electronically accessible. The standard can
be found at the following Internet website: (http://www.fgdc.gov/
standards/standards/html).
Classification
Prior notice and an opportunity for public comments are not
required by the Administrative Procedure Act or any other law for this
notice concerning grants, benefits, and contracts. Therefore, a
regulatory flexibility analysis is not required for purposes of the
Regulatory Flexibility Act.
This action has been determined to be not significant for purposes
of E.O. 12866.
This notice contains collection of information requirements subject
to the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Sea Grant Budget Form, 90-4, Sea
Grant Summary Form, 90-2, and Standard Forms 424 and 424b have been
approved under control numbers 0648-0362, 0648-0362, 0348-0043, and
0348-0040, respectively. Send comments on any aspect of these
collections to National Sea Grant College Program, R/SG, NOAA, 1315
East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (Attention: Francis S.
Schuler) and to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC 20503 (Attention: NOAA
Desk Officer). Notwithstanding
[[Page 31885]]
any other provision of the law, no person is required to respond to,
nor shall any person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply
with, a collection of information subject to the requirements of the
Paperwork Reduction Act, unless that collection of information displays
a currently valid OMB Control Number.
Dated: May 12, 2000.
Louisa Koch,
Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric
Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Dated: May 10, 2000.
Cathleen Short,
Assistant Director--Fisheries, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 00-12627 Filed 5-18-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-KA-M