The regulations in 7 CFR part 301 are designed to prevent the interstate spread of plant pests that are new to or not widely distributed within the United States. Subparts C through X (§§ 301.32 through 301.92-12, referred to below as the regulations) each address a specific plant pest and contain criteria for designating certain areas of the United States as quarantined areas  1 for the specific plant pest. The regulations restrict the interstate movement of certain regulated articles from quarantined areas in order to prevent the spread of plant pests to noninfected areas of the United States.

On December 29, 2022, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) published in the Federal Register a final rule (Docket No. APHIS-2019-0035, 87 FR 80002-80019), effective January 30, 2023, that moved certain lists of quarantined areas and regulated articles from the regulations to web pages maintained by APHIS. In accordance with the final rule, APHIS keeps updated lists of quarantined areas on the relevant plant pest programs' websites, which are listed in the relevant subpart of the regulations. When a change to the status of a plant pest threat occurs, APHIS takes appropriate action to add, expand, remove, or reduce a quarantined area, and the relevant APHIS plant pest program updates the web-based list of quarantined areas for their program. APHIS also publishes a yearly notice informing the public of all updates to quarantined areas that have occurred since publication of the last notice informing the public of such updates.

Since our last action  2 informing the public of updates to our lists of quarantined areas, the following actions revising our lists of quarantined areas have been taken. Updated lists of quarantined areas are available on the relevant plant pest programs' websites.

This notice serves as an official record and public notification of these actions.

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7701-7772 and 7781-7786; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3. Section 301.75-15 issued under Sec. 204, Title II, Public Law 106-113, 113 Stat. 1501A-293; sections 301.75-15 and 301.75-16 issued under Sec. 203, Title II, Public Law 106-224, 114 Stat. 400 (7 U.S.C. 1421 note).

FSA, on behalf of Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), is announcing the availability of FSCSC to assist specialty crop operations that incurred eligible on-farm food safety certification and related expenses in order to obtain or renew a:

• 2024 food safety certification issued between June 26, 2024 and December 31, 2024; or

• 2025 food safety certification issued at any time during the 2025 calendar year.

For each year, FSCSC will cover a portion of the specialty crop operation's cost of obtaining or renewing their certification, as well as a portion of their related costs as described in this NOFA.

FSA will administer FSCSC for 2024 and 2025 in a similar manner as the previous FSCSC NOFA for 2022 and 2023 published on June 21, 2022 (87 FR 36816-36820); however, FSA has made changes to FSCSC as noted in this NOFA, including revising the definition of “small business” for 2024 and 2025 to mean an applicant that had an average annual monetary value of specialty crops sold during the applicable 3-year period not to exceed $500,000. FSA is adding eligibility for medium size business, by adding the definition of “medium size business” which means the average annual monetary value of specialty crops sold during the applicable 3-year period from $500,001 to $1,000,000. Medium size businesses are included as eligible in order to allow broader participation of diverse specialty crop operations that can qualify for FSCSC. FSA has also increased the maximum payment amounts for maintaining or updating a Food Safety Plan and Training due to additional certification compliance requirements included in the Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and holding of Produce for Human Consumption Relating to Agricultural Water final rule, which was published on May 6, 2024 (89 FR 37448-37519). Based on feedback following the publication of the 2022 FSCSC NOFA, all payment categories will be paid at a higher rate due to the program being beneficial to the applicant.

Specialty crops intended for human consumption are subject to concerns about safety, particularly since specialty crops sold as raw agricultural commodities do not undergo a “kill step” like cooking, canning, or pasteurizing used for other agricultural commodities such as meat or dairy products. As a result, specialty crop operations face increasing demand from grocery stores, schools, and other institutional buyers and retailers to obtain certification through programs that address the safe growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of their crops. The need to develop, implement, and maintain on-farm food safety programs has resulted in additional costs for many specialty crop operations that seek alternate markets for their products due to changes in demand from traditional markets such as restaurants and food service. As they identify new markets, many specialty crop operations also find they need to undergo food safety audits and absorb the additional costs to achieve food safety certification through a private or government-based certification program in order to meet buyers' requirements to sell their products.

FSCSC funding of $19 million is provided through the CCC Charter Act, which authorizes CCC to increase the domestic consumption of agricultural commodities (other than tobacco) by expanding or aiding in the expansion of domestic markets or by developing or aiding in the development of new and additional markets, marketing facilities, and uses for such commodities (15 U.S.C. 714c(e)). FSCSC will aid in the expansion of domestic markets and development of new and additional markets by assisting specialty crop operations with costs that they incur to obtain or renew food safety certifications in order to comply with government and retail buyers' demands for food safety certification, ultimately expanding the markets available to those operations and increasing domestic consumption of specialty crops. To that end, only producers that successfully obtain or renew a food safety certification after publication of this notice are eligible to be compensated for a portion of the cost of that certification, as explained further below.

The following definitions apply to this notice:

Certification upload fee means the fee paid by a specialty crop operation to upload reports and other documentation to a commercial database.

Certifier means either a private entity accredited for the purpose of providing food safety certification or a government-based certifier.

Deputy Administrator means the FSA Deputy Administrator for Farm Programs.

Food safety certification means certification that a specialty crop operation meets regulatory or market-driven food safety standards.

Food safety management system means a documented system developed by a group of specialty crop operations to obtain food safety certification, also referred to as a “quality management system.”

FSMA means the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (Pub. L. 111-353).

Food safety plan means a documented plan implemented by a specialty crop operation to obtain food safety certification.

Medium size business means an applicant that had an average annual monetary value of specialty crops the applicant sold during the 3-year period preceding the program year of at least $500,001 but not more than $1,000,000.

Produce Safety Rule means the final rule titled “Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption” published on November 27, 2015 (80 FR 74354-74568).

Program year means the calendar year in which the applicant's food safety certification is issued (that is, 2024 or 2025).

Raw agricultural commodity means any food in its raw or natural state, including all fruits that are washed, colored, or otherwise treated in their unpeeled natural form prior to marketing.

Small business means an applicant that had an average annual monetary value of specialty crops the applicant sold during the 3-year period preceding the program year of not more than $500,000.

Specialty crop means any fruit or vegetable (including mixes of intact fruits and vegetables) and includes mushrooms, sprouts (irrespective of seed source), tree nuts, and herbs. A fruit is the edible reproductive body of a seed plant or tree nut (such as apple, orange, and almond) such that fruit means the harvestable or harvested part of a plant developed from a flower. A vegetable is the edible part of an herbaceous plant (such as cabbage or potato) or fleshy fruiting body of a fungus (such as white button or shiitake) grown for an edible part such that vegetable means the harvestable or harvested part of any plant or fungus whose fruit, fleshy fruiting bodies, seeds, roots, tubers, bulbs, stems, leaves, or flower parts are used as food and includes mushrooms, sprouts, and herbs (such as basil or cilantro). “Specialty crop” does not include peanuts or food grains, meaning the small, hard fruits or seeds of arable crops, or the crops bearing these fruits or seeds, which are primarily grown and processed for use as meal, flour, baked goods, cereals, and oils rather than for direct consumption as small, hard fruits or seeds (including cereal grains, pseudo cereals, oilseeds, and other plants used in the same fashion). Examples of food grains include barley, dent- or flint-corn, sorghum, oats, rice, rye, wheat, amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat, and oilseeds (for example, cotton seed, flax seed, rapeseed, soybean, and sunflower seed).

Specialty crop operation means a farming operation that produces specialty crops that are raw agricultural commodities. It includes both individuals and legal entities.

To be eligible for FSCSC, the applicant must meet all of the following:

• Be a specialty crop operation;

• Be a small business or medium size business;

• Have obtained or renewed a:

○ 2024 food safety certification that was issued between June 26, 2024 and December 31, 2024; or

○ 2025 food safety certification issued during the 2025 calendar year; and

• Have paid eligible expenses as described in the following.

FSCSC is available to specialty crop operations located in the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

FSCSC provides assistance for eligible expenses that the applicant both incurs and pays in order to obtain or renew a 2024 or 2025 food safety certification. Expenses that have been incurred by an applicant who does not ultimately obtain a 2024 or 2025 food safety certification are not eligible for assistance through FSCSC.

Some specialty crop operations obtain food safety certification through a group model, which enables multiple producers to form a group that develops a food safety management system and is audited and certified as one unit. This approach enables group members to pool resources to implement food safety training programs and share the cost of certification. Specialty crop operations that obtain certification through a group model are eligible to apply for assistance for their share of eligible expenses paid by the group, in addition to any eligible expenses they incur individually.

Specialty crop operations may receive assistance for the costs that are described in the following six items, including any associated postage costs.

Developing a food safety plan for first-time food safety certification. A food safety plan is a requirement for any specialty crop operation or group undergoing formal food safety certification, and the majority of costs associated with food safety plan development occur the first year an operation undergoes food safety certification. There are 2 general approaches to plan development—the specialty crop operation may develop its own plan, hire a consultant, or a combination of both. FSCSC will cover a percentage of the costs of seminars and tools used by specialty crop operations to create a food safety plan. FSCSC will also cover a percentage of the consulting fees and other associated expenses incurred if the specialty crop operation hires a consultant to develop a food safety plan. For specialty crop operations certified through a group, this category of expenses will cover a percentage of their share of the cost for developing a food safety or quality management system for the group.

Maintaining or updating an existing food safety plan. Certification programs typically require an annual review of the food safety plan to ensure it is current and addresses any new audit or regulatory requirements, as well as incorporates any new hazards. FSCSC will cover a percentage of the costs of maintaining and updating existing food safety plans. For specialty crop operations certified through a group, this category of expenses will cover a percentage of their share of the cost for maintaining or updating an existing food safety management system for the group.

Food safety certification. FSCSC will cover a percentage of the cost of obtaining food safety certification issued by a certifier, including application fees, inspection costs, inspection fees (including travel costs and per diem for certifiers), and user fees or certifier sales assessments.

Certification upload fees. FSCSC will cover a percentage of the cost to upload audit reports and certification documentation into commercial audit databases, which may be required by buyers of specialty crops.

Microbiological testing. FSCSC will cover a percentage of the cost of microbiological testing for products, soil amendments, and water as specified by a food safety plan or food safety management system. The FSMA Produce Safety Rule requires covered farms to test their agricultural water, and commercial food safety standards may require additional testing to determine if water meets the microbial requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency's drinking water standard (40 CFR part 141). Retail, food service, and institutional buyers are also increasingly requiring microbiological testing of finished products. Testing of soil amendments, particularly amendments of animal origin (composting), is also required by many food safety audit programs.

Training. FSCSC will cover the cost of food safety training for the specialty crop operation. The FSMA requires all covered operations to take a training course annually. Additionally, most certification programs require training as well.

Any expenses not listed above are not covered by FSCSC. The following expenses are examples of costs that are not eligible for cost share under FSCSC:

• Infrastructure improvements (such as improvements to buildings, cold storage, flooring, restrooms, and handwashing stations);

• Equipment (such as grading or packing lines and sanitation equipment);

• Supplies (such as sanitation and cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment);

• Salaries and benefits of employees or other costs for labor, except for expenses for consultants described above; and

• Fees or penalties for late payment.

The application periods will be:

• for 2024, the application period will begin at a date to be announced by the Deputy Administrator for Farm Programs and go through January 31, 2025; and

• for 2025, January 1, 2025, through January 31, 2026.

Applicants may apply for FSCSC at any USDA Service Center. 1 Each applicant must submit Form FSA-888-1, Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program (FSCSC) For Program Years 2024 and 2025, by the application deadline. Applications may be submitted in person or by mail, email, facsimile, or other methods announced by FSA. Applicants must also submit the following forms if not already on file with FSA:

• Form AD-2047, Customer Data Worksheet; and

• Form SF-3881, ACH Vendor/Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form. 2

Eligible expenses are based on the applicant's certification and are subject to spot check. Applicants may be required to provide additional documentation to FSA, if requested by FSA, to verify eligibility or issue payment. Specialty crop operations certified as part of a group under a food safety management system must provide documentation of the applicant's portion of the group's expenses from the entity responsible for maintaining the group's certification if requested by FSA. Additional documentation must be received within 30 days of the request or the application will not be processed.

FSCSC payments are calculated separately for each category of eligible costs based on the percentages and maximum payment amounts in the following table. An applicant may receive the specified percentage of their eligible costs, up to the maximum per category, for each program year.

Payments will be equal to the applicant's eligible expenses multiplied by the percentage for the applicable category in the table above, not to exceed the maximum payment amount for the category, if applicable. An applicant must report any previous cost share assistance received from any source for the expenses included on their application. The amount of the applicant's FSCSC payment plus the reported additional cost share assistance cannot exceed the total amount of eligible expenses for each category. If the amount of the additional cost share plus the calculated FSCSC payment exceed the total amount of eligible expenses for a category, the FSCSC payment for that category will be equal to the total amount of eligible expenses minus the additional reported cost share assistance.

FSA will issue payments for the 2024 program year as applications are processed and approved. Due to the limited amount of funding, FSA will issue 50 percent of the calculated amount for 2025 program year payments as applications are processed and approved, and an additional payment after the end of the 2025 application period. If total calculated payments exceed the amount of available funding for 2025, the additional payments will be prorated.

Participants are required to retain documentation in support of their application for 3 years after the date of approval. Participants receiving FSCSC payments or any other person who furnishes such information to USDA must permit authorized representatives of USDA or the Government Accountability Office, during regular business hours, to enter the operation and to inspect, examine, and to allow representatives to make copies of books, records, or other items for the purpose of confirming the accuracy of the information provided by the participant.

Applicants have a right to a decision in response to their application. If an applicant files an application with an FSA county office after the application deadline, the application will be considered a request to waive the deadline.

Requests to waive or modify program provisions, including requests to waive the deadline, are at the discretion of the Deputy Administrator. The Deputy Administrator has the authority to waive or modify application deadlines and other requirements or program provisions not specified in law, in cases where the Deputy Administrator determines it is:

(1) equitable to do so; and

(2) where the lateness or failure to meet such other requirements or program provisions do not adversely affect the operation of FSCSC.

Applicants who request to waive or modify FSCSC provisions do not have a right to a decision on those requests, and the Deputy Administrator's refusal to exercise discretion on requests to waive or modify FSCSC provisions will not be considered an adverse decision and is, by itself, not appealable.

Equitable relief and finality provisions specified in 7 CFR part 718, subpart D, apply to determinations under FSCSC. Persons and legal entities who file an application with FSA have the right to an administrative review of any FSA adverse decision with respect to the application under the appeals procedures at 7 CFR parts 780 and 11. The determination of matters of general applicability that are not in response to, or do not result from, an individual set of facts in an individual participant's application for payment are not matters that can be appealed. Such matters of general applicability include, but are not limited to, the determination of eligible categories of expenses and payment rates.

Any payment under FSCSC will be made without regard to questions of title under State law and without regard to any claim or lien. The regulations governing offsets in 7 CFR part 3 apply to FSCSC payments.

If an FSCSC payment resulted from erroneous information provided by a participant, or any person acting on their behalf, the payment will be recalculated and the participant must refund any excess payment with interest calculated from the date of the disbursement of the payment. If FSA determines that the applicant intentionally misrepresented information provided on their application, the application will be disapproved and the applicant must refund the full payment to FSA with interest from the date of disbursement.

In either applying for or participating in FSCSC, or both, the applicant is subject to laws against perjury (including but not limited to 18 U.S.C. 1621). If the applicant willfully makes and represents as true any verbal or written declaration, certification, statement, or verification that the applicant knows or believes not to be true, in the course of either applying for or participating in FSCSC, or both, then the applicant may be found to be guilty of perjury. Except as otherwise provided by law, if guilty of perjury the applicant may be fined, imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both, regardless of whether the applicant makes such verbal or written declaration, certification, statement, or verification within or outside the United States.

For the purposes of the effect of a lien on eligibility for Federal programs (28 U.S.C. 3201(e)), USDA waives the restriction on receipt of funds under FSCSC but only as to beneficiaries who, as a condition of the waiver, agree to apply the FSCSC payments to reduce the amount of the judgment lien.

In addition to any other Federal laws that apply to FSCSC, the following laws apply: 18 U.S.C. 286, 287, 371, and 1001.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), there are no changes to the approved information collection under OMB control number of 0560-0311.

The environmental impacts of this notice have been considered in a manner consistent with the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321-4347), the regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and the FSA regulations for compliance with NEPA (7 CFR part 799).

The purpose of FSCSC is to provide assistance to specialty crop operations for eligible costs related to food safety certification. The Categorical Exclusions in 7 CFR 799.31 apply, specifically 7 CFR 799.31(b)(6)(iii) (that is, financial assistance to supplement income). No Extraordinary Circumstances (7 CFR 799.33) exist. FSA has determined that this notice does not constitute a major Federal action that would significantly affect the quality of the human environment, individually or cumulatively. Therefore, FSA will not prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement for this regulatory action.

The title and number of the Federal assistance program, as found in the Assistance Listings, to which this document applies are 10.142, Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) Program.

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family or parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Individuals who require alternative means of communication for program information (for example, braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or the USDA TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and text telephone (TTY)) or dial 711 for Telecommunications Relay Service (both voice and text telephone users can initiate this call from any telephone). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at https://www.usda.gov/oascr/how-to-file-a-program-discrimination-complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail to: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

This meetings will take place in Spanish with English interpretation. Committee meetings are available to the public through the registration link above. Any interested member of the public may listen committee meetings. For all meetings, open comment periods are provided to allow members of the public to make statements as time allows. Per the Federal Advisory Committee Act, public minutes of meetings will include a list of persons who are present at meetings. If joining via phone, callers can expect to incur regular charges for calls they initiate over wireless lines, according to their wireless plan. The Commission will not refund any incurred charges. Callers will incur no charge for calls they initiate over land-line connections to the toll-free telephone number. Closed captioning will be available for individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or who have certain cognitive or learning impairments. To request additional accommodations, please email ebohor@usccr.gov at least 10 business days prior to meeting dates.

Members of the public are entitled to submit written comments; the comments must be received in the regional office within 30 days following meeting dates. Written comments may be emailed to Victoria Moreno at vmoreno@usccr.gov. Persons who desire additional information may contact the Regional Programs Coordination Unit at 1-312-353-8311.

Records generated from meetings may be inspected and reproduced at the Regional Programs Coordination Unit Office, as they become available, both before and after meetings. Records of meetings will be available via www.facadatabase.gov under the Commission on Civil Rights, Puerto Rico Advisory Committee link. Persons interested in the work of this Committee are directed to the Commission's website, http://www.usccr.gov, or may contact the Regional Programs Coordination Unit at ebohor@usccr.gov.

Background

On August 23, 2023, Commerce published in the Federal Register the final affirmative determination of circumvention with respect to Malaysia. 1 On May 6, 2024, Hanwha Q CELLS Sdn. Bhd. and Hanwha Q Cells USA, Inc. (collectively, Hanwha) requested, through a CCR request, that Commerce amend the certification requirements for Hanwha, pursuant to section 751(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), 19 CFR 351.216(b), and 19 CFR 351.221(c)(3). 2 Specifically, Hanwha requested a CCR to amend the Appendix V certification for Hanwha, provided in the Solar Cells Circumvention, to add additional wafer suppliers. 3 No interested parties filed comments opposing the CCR request.

The merchandise covered by these Orders is crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, and modules, laminates, and panels, consisting of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, whether or not partially or fully assembled into other products, including, but not limited to, modules, laminates, panels and building integrated materials. 4

These Orders cover crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells of thickness equal to or greater than 20 micrometers, having a p/n junction formed by any means, whether or not the cell has undergone other processing, including, but not limited to, cleaning, etching, coating, and/or addition of materials (including, but not limited to, metallization and conductor patterns) to collect and forward the electricity that is generated by the cell.

Merchandise under consideration may be described at the time of importation as parts for final finished products that are assembled after importation, including, but not limited to, modules, laminates, panels, building-integrated modules, building-integrated panels, or other finished goods kits. Such parts that otherwise meet the definition of merchandise under consideration are included in the scope of the Orders.

Excluded from the scope of the Orders are thin film photovoltaic products produced from amorphous silicon (a-Si), cadmium telluride (CdTe), or copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS).

Also excluded from the scope of the Orders are crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, not exceeding 10,000 mm 2 in surface area, that are permanently integrated into a consumer good whose function is other than power generation and that consumes the electricity generated by the integrated crystalline silicon photovoltaic cell. Where more than one cell is permanently integrated into a consumer good, the surface area for purposes of this exclusion shall be the total combined surface area of all cells that are integrated into the consumer good.

Additionally, excluded from the scope of the Orders are panels with surface area from 3,450 mm 2 to 33,782 mm 2 with one black wire and one red wire (each of type 22 AWG or 24 AWG not more than 206 mm in length when measured from panel extrusion), and not exceeding 2.9 volts, 1.1 amps, and 3.19 watts. For the purposes of this exclusion, no panel shall contain an internal battery or external computer peripheral ports.

Also excluded from the scope of the Orders are:

1. Off grid CSPV panels in rigid form with a glass cover, with the following characteristics:

(A) a total power output of 100 watts or less per panel;

(B) a maximum surface area of 8,000 cm 2 per panel;

(C) do not include a built-in inverter;

(D) must include a permanently connected wire that terminates in either an 8mm male barrel connector, or a two-port rectangular connector with two pins in square housings of different colors;

(E) must include visible parallel grid collector metallic wire lines every 1-4 millimeters across each solar cell; and

(F) must be in individual retail packaging (for purposes of this provision, retail packaging typically includes graphics, the product name, its description and/or features, and foam for transport); and

2. Off grid CSPV panels without a glass cover, with the following characteristics:

(A) a total power output of 100 watts or less per panel;

(B) a maximum surface area of 8,000 cm 2 per panel;

(C) do not include a built-in inverter;

(D) must include visible parallel grid collector metallic wire lines every 1-4 millimeters across each solar cell; and

(E) each panel is

1. permanently integrated into a consumer good;

2. encased in a laminated material without stitching, or

3. has all of the following characteristics: (i) the panel is encased in sewn fabric with visible stitching, (ii) includes a mesh zippered storage pocket, and (iii) includes a permanently attached wire that terminates in a female USB-A connector.

In addition, the following CSPV panels are excluded from the scope of the Orders: Off-grid CSPV panels in rigid form with a glass cover, with each of the following physical characteristics, whether or not assembled into a fully completed off-grid hydropanel whose function is conversion of water vapor into liquid water:

(A) A total power output of no more than 80 watts per panel;

(B) A surface area of less than 5,000 cm 2 per panel;

(C) Do not include a built-in inverter;

(D) Do not have a frame around the edges of the panel;

(E) Include a clear glass back panel; and

(F) Must include a permanently connected wire that terminates in a two-port rectangular connector.

Additionally excluded from the scope of the Orders are off-grid small portable crystalline silicon photovoltaic panels, with or without a glass cover, with the following characteristics: (1) a total power output of 200 watts or less per panel; (2) a maximum surface area of 16,000 cm 2 per panel; (3) no built-in inverter; (4) an integrated handle or a handle attached to the package for ease of carry; (5) one or more integrated kickstands for easy installation or angle adjustment; and (6) a wire of not less than 3 meters either permanently connected or attached to the package that terminates in an 8mm diameter male barrel connector.

Modules, laminates, and panels produced in a third country from cells produced in China are covered by the Orders; however, modules, laminates, and panels produced in China from cells produced in a third country are not covered by the Orders.

Additionally excluded from the scope of this Order are off-grid small portable crystalline silicon photovoltaic panels, with or without a glass cover, with the following characteristics: (1) a total power output of 200 watts or less per panel; (2) a maximum surface area of 16,000 cm 2 per panel; (3) no built-in inverter; (4) an integrated handle or a handle attached to the package for ease of carry; (5) one or more integrated kickstands for easy installation or angle adjustment; and (6) a wire of not less than 3 meters either permanently connected or attached to the package that terminates in an 8mm diameter male barrel connector.

Also excluded from the scope of this Orders are off-grid crystalline silicon photovoltaic panels in rigid form with a glass cover, with each of the following physical characteristics, whether or not assembled into a fully completed off-grid hydropanel whose function is conversion of water vapor into liquid water:

(A) A total power output of no more than 180 watts per panel at 155 degrees Celsius;

(B) A surface area of less than 16,000 square centimeters (cm 2 ) per panel;

(C) Include a keep-out area of approximately 1,200 cm 2 around the edges of the panel that does not contain solar cells;

(D) Do not include a built-in inverter;

(E) Do not have a frame around the edges of the panel;

(F) Include a clear glass back panel;

(G) Must include a permanently connected wire that terminates in a two-port rounded rectangular, sealed connector;

(H) Include a thermistor installed into the permanently connected wire before the two-port connector; and

(I) Include exposed positive and negative terminals at opposite ends of the panel, not enclosed in a junction box.

Merchandise covered by the Orders is currently classified in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) under subheadings 8501.71.0000, 8501.72.1000, 8501.72.2000, 8501.72.3000, 8501.72.9000, 8501.80.1000, 8501.80.2000, 8501.80.3000, 8501.80.9000, 8507.20.8010, 8507.20.8031, 8507.20.8041, 8507.20.8061, 8507.20.8091, 8541.42.0010, and 8541.43.0010. These HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes; the written description of the scope of the Order is dispositive. 5

Hanwha requested that the Appendix V Certification provided for Hanwha in the Solar Cells Circumvention be amended to include additional unaffiliated wafer suppliers. 6 See the appendix to this notice for the amended version of the Appendix V Certification. 7

Pursuant to section 751(b)(1) of the Act, Commerce will conduct a CCR upon receipt of a request from an interested party that shows changed circumstances sufficient to warrant a review of the Orders. In accordance with 19 CFR 351.216(d), Commerce determines that the information submitted by Hanwha shows changed circumstances sufficient to warrant a review of the Orders.

Therefore, in accordance with section 751(b)(1) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.216(d), we are initiating a CCR based on the information contained in Hanwha's CCR request. In addition, Commerce's regulations at 19 CFR 351.221(c)(3)(ii) permit it to initiate a CCR and issue the preliminary results of that CCR simultaneously if it concludes that expedited action is warranted. We have on the record the information necessary to make a preliminary finding and therefore we find that expedited action is warranted. Consequently, we are combining the notice of initiation and the preliminary results of review into a single notice, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.221(c)(3)(ii).

In the Solar Cells Circumvention, Commerce made its negative circumvention determination for Hanwha based on a direct comparison between Hanwha and its affiliates in the country subject to the Orders when examining the criteria under section 781(b)(2) of the Act. As noted in the Solar Cells Circumvention Malaysia IDM, Hanwha reported that it sourced inputs solely from unaffiliated suppliers and did not have any upstream input affiliates in China. 8 Specifically, Hanwha reported that it purchased Chinese-origin wafers from unaffiliated suppliers from China. Thus, according to our analysis methodology, and because Hanwha did not source from upstream affiliates in China, we found that its level of investment, research and development, and the extent of production facilities in Malaysia were not minor or insignificant. 9 Additionally, Commerce's analysis methodology was performed on the particular supply chains reported by each mandatory respondent. Therefore, Commerce specifically stated in the underlying circumvention inquiry that that Hanwha's exports of inquiry merchandise produced with wafers exported by the specific parties reported in its questionnaire responses are not subject to the Orders. 10 Given our analysis noted above, Commerce established the certification under Appendix V to provide companies found not to be circumventing on a company-specific basis the ability to certify that their specific supply chain is not subject to the Orders.

In this CCR request, Hanwha is requesting two new input suppliers be added to Hanwha's Appendix V certification that were not previously examined in the circumvention inquiry. As noted by Hanwha in its CCR request, these new input suppliers are unaffiliated suppliers providing Chinese-origin wafers produced by themselves or other wafer producers unaffiliated with Hanwha for Hanwha's production in Malaysia. As a result, we find that the addition of these new wafer suppliers to the certification regime does not undermine the analysis and negative circumvention determination made in the underlying inquiry.

As such, because amending the certification with the new wafer suppliers requested by Hanwha in this CCR request would not change the underlying analysis of our circumvention inquiry, we preliminarily determine that it would be appropriate to amend the certification by adding the additional wafer suppliers identified by Hanwha.

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.309(c)(1)(ii), interested parties may submit case briefs to Commerce no later than 30 days after the publication of this notice in the Federal Register . Rebuttal briefs, limited to issues raised in case briefs, may be submitted no later than five days after the deadline for filing case briefs. 11 Interested parties who submit case briefs or rebuttal briefs in this proceeding must submit: (1) a table of contents listing each issue; and (2) a table of authorities. 12 All briefs must be filed electronically using Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). An electronically filed document must be received successfully in its entirety in ACCESS by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the established deadline.

As provided under 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2), in prior proceedings we have encouraged interested parties to provide an executive summary of their brief that should be limited to five pages total, including footnotes. In this CCR, we instead request that interested parties provide at the beginning of their briefs a public, executive summary for each issue raised in their briefs. 13 Further, we request that interested parties limit their public executive summary of each issue to no more than 450 words, not including citations. We intend to use the public executive summaries as the basis of the comment summaries included in the issues and decision memorandum that will accompany the final results in this CCR. We request that interested parties include footnotes for relevant citations in the public executive summary of each issue. Note that Commerce has amended certain of its requirements pertaining to the service of documents in 19 CFR 351.303(f). 14

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to request a hearing must submit a written request to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance, filed electronically via ACCESS by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time within 30 days after the date of publication of this notice. Requests should contain: (1) the party's name, address, and telephone number; (2) the number of participants; and (3) a list of issues to be discussed. Issues raised in the hearing will be limited to those raised in the respective case briefs. If a request for a hearing is made, Commerce will inform parties of the scheduled date for the hearing. 15 Parties should confirm the date and the time of the hearing two days before the scheduled date.

Unless the deadline is extended, pursuant to 19 CFR 351.216(e), Commerce intends to issue the final results of this CCR no later than 270 days after the date on which this review was initiated or 45 days if all parties agree to the outcome of the review.

This initiation notice and preliminary results are published in accordance with section 751(b)(1) of the Act, 19 CFR 351.221(b)(1), and 19 CFR 351.221(c)(3)(ii).

On May 10, 2012, Commerce published the antidumping duty orders on OBAs from Taiwan and China in the Federal Register . 1 On October 3, 2022, Commerce initiated the sunset reviews of the Orders. 2

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.218(d), the publication of a sunset review notice of initiation in the Federal Register establishes two deadlines: a 15-day notice of intent to participate; and a 30-day submission of “complete substantive responses.” On October 24, 2022, six days after the 15-day deadline ( i.e., October 18, 2022), Archroma submitted its notice of intent to participate in the sunset reviews of the Orders ; Archroma submitted its substantive response by the requisite deadline. Consequently, Commerce rejected Archroma's notice of intent to participate because it was untimely, and consequently rejected Archroma's substantive response as unsolicited due to Archroma's failure to submit a timely notice of intent to participate. 3 Despite Archroma's subsequent requests for reconsideration, 4 Commerce made no change to its decisions in this regard. 5

On December 29, 2022, Commerce issued its final results in the sunset reviews of the Orders. 6 Because no domestic interested party responded to Commerce's notice of initiation by the applicable deadline, Commerce revoked the Orders consistent with section 751(c)(3)(A) of the Act. 7 Archroma subsequently challenged Commerce's Final Results at the CIT on that same day.

The CIT held that Commerce could not lawfully revoke the Orders solely due to a domestic interested party's untimely filing of a notice of intent to participate. 8 The CIT elaborated that section 751(c) of the Act allows for Commerce to revoke an order only if no domestic interested party provides an “answer to a solicitation for the substantive content that {section 751(c)(2) of the Act} instructs the agency to seek.”  9 According to the CIT, because Archroma's timely substantive response satisfied the request for substantive material pursuant to section 751(c)(2)(B) of the Act, the agency was obligated to conduct the sunset reviews of the Orders. 10 Additionally, the CIT held that Commerce's regulations at 19 CFR 351.218(d)(1), which sets the 15-day procedural deadline for a notice of intent to participate, violates section 751(c)(2)-(3) of the Act, because it removes from domestic interested parties the statutory right to submit substantive information in a sunset review if, as here, a timely notice of intent is not filed. 11 Consequently, the CIT issued a declaratory judgment and injunction, ordering Commerce to accept Archroma's substantive response, and conduct full sunset reviews of the Orders.

In its decision in Timken, 12 as clarified by Diamond Sawblades, 13 the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit held that, pursuant to section 516A(c) and (e) of the Act, Commerce must publish a notice of court decision that is not “in harmony” with an agency determination and must suspend liquidation of entries pending a “conclusive” court decision. The CIT's May 28, 2024, judgment constitutes a final decision that is not in harmony with Commerce's Final Results. Thus, this notice is published in fulfillment of the publication requirements of Timken.

Pursuant to the CIT's May 28, 2024, final decision, Commerce is reinstating the Orders.

Through this notice, we are notifying the public that Commerce is reconducting its sunset reviews of the Orders in accordance with the CIT's judgment. Commerce will begin reconducting the sunset review on July 1, 2024, to coordinate with the U.S. International Trade Commission's sunset reviews, pursuant to section 751(c) of the Act.

At this time, Commerce remains enjoined by CIT order from liquidating entries of OBAs China and Taiwan that are or were entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after November 27, 2022. These entries will remain enjoined pursuant to the terms of the injunction during the pendency of any appeals process. In the event the CIT's ruling is not appealed, or, if appealed, upheld by a final and conclusive court decision, Commerce intends to instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to assess antidumping duties on unliquidated entries of OBAs China and Taiwan that are or were entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after November 27, 2022, as appropriate.

At this time, Commerce remains enjoined by CIT order to require cash deposits at a rate of zero percent for entries of OBAs from China and Taiwan that are or were entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after November 27, 2022. Upon a final and conclusive court decision in the litigation, Commerce intends to issue revised cash deposit instructions to CBP as appropriate.

This notice is issued and published in accordance with sections 516A(c) and (e) and 777(i)(1) of the Act.

The final determination was published in the Federal Register on May 10, 2024 (89 FR 40467). The USMCA Secretariat has assigned case number USA-MEX-2024-10.12-03 to this request.

Article 10.12 of Chapter 10 of USMCA provides a dispute settlement mechanism involving trade remedy determinations issued by the Government of the United States, the Government of Canada, and the Government of Mexico. Following a Request for Panel Review, a Binational Panel is composed to review the trade remedy determination being challenged and issue a binding Panel Decision. There are established USMCA Rules of Procedure for Article 10.12 (Binational Panel Reviews), which were adopted by the three governments for panels requested pursuant to Article 10.12(2) of USMCA which requires Requests for Panel Review to be published in accordance with Rule 40. For the complete Rules, please see https://can-mex-usa-sec.org/secretariat/agreement-accord-acuerdo/usmca-aceum-tmec/rules-regles-reglas/article-article-articulo_10_12.aspx?lang=eng.

The Rules provide that:

(a) A Party or interested person may challenge the final determination in whole or in part by filing a Complaint in accordance with Rule 44 no later than 30 days after the filing of the first Request for Panel Review (the deadline for filing a Complaint is July 8, 2024);

(b) A Party, an investigating authority or other interested person who does not file a Complaint but who intends to participate in the panel review shall file a Notice of Appearance in accordance with Rule 45 no later than 45 days after the filing of the first Request for Panel Review (the deadline for filing a Notice of Appearance is July 22, 2024);

(c) The panel review will be limited to the allegations of error of fact or law, including challenges to the jurisdiction of the investigating authority, that are set out in the Complaints filed in the panel review and to the procedural and substantive defenses raised in the panel review.

The Gulf of Mexico, South Atlantic, and Caribbean Fishery Management Councils, in conjunction with NOAA Fisheries and the Atlantic and Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commissions have implemented the Southeast Data, Assessment and Review (SEDAR) process, a multi-step method for determining the status of fish stocks in the Southeast Region. SEDAR is a multi-step process including: (1) Data Workshop, (2) a series of assessment webinars, and (3) A Review Workshop. The product of the Data Workshop is a report that compiles and evaluates potential datasets and recommends which datasets are appropriate for assessment analyses. The assessment webinars produce a report that describes the fisheries, evaluates the status of the stock, estimates biological benchmarks, projects future population conditions, and recommends research and monitoring needs. The product of the Review Workshop is an Assessment Summary documenting panel opinions regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the stock assessment and input data. Participants for SEDAR Workshops are appointed by the Gulf of Mexico, South Atlantic, and Caribbean Fishery Management Councils and NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office, HMS Management Division, and Southeast Fisheries Science Center. Participants include data collectors and database managers; stock assessment scientists, biologists, and researchers; constituency representatives including fishermen, environmentalists, and NGO's; International experts; and staff of Councils, Commissions, and state and federal agencies.

The items of discussion during the Assessment webinar are as follows: Panelists will review and discuss assessment modeling to date.

Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come before this group for discussion, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. Action will be restricted to those issues specifically identified in this notice and any issues arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the intent to take final action to address the emergency.

The meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to the Council office (see ADDRESSES ) at least 5 business days prior to each workshop.

Note: The times and sequence specified in this agenda are subject to change.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

The Gulf of Mexico, South Atlantic, and Caribbean Fishery Management Councils, in conjunction with NOAA Fisheries and the Atlantic and Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commissions, have implemented the Southeast Data, Assessment and Review (SEDAR) process, a multi-step method for determining the status of fish stocks in the Southeast Region. SEDAR is a three-step process including: (1) Data Workshop; (2) Assessment Process utilizing webinars; and (3) Review Workshop. The product of the Data Workshop is a data report which compiles and evaluates potential datasets and recommends which datasets are appropriate for assessment analyses. The product of the Assessment Process is a stock assessment report which describes the fisheries, evaluates the status of the stock, estimates biological benchmarks, projects future population conditions, and recommends research and monitoring needs. The assessment is independently peer reviewed at the Review Workshop. The product of the Review Workshop is a Summary documenting panel opinions regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the stock assessment and input data. Participants for SEDAR Workshops are appointed by the Gulf of Mexico, South Atlantic, and Caribbean Fishery Management Councils and NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office, Highly Migratory Species Management Division, and Southeast Fisheries Science Center. Participants include: data collectors and database managers; stock assessment scientists, biologists, and researchers; constituency representatives including fishermen, environmentalists, and non-governmental organizations; international experts; and staff of Councils, Commissions, and state and Federal agencies.

The items of discussion at the SEDAR 95 Atlantic Migratory Cobia Indices Webinar II are as follows: review available indices of abundance and provide recommendations for their use in the assessment.

Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come before this group for discussion, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. Action will be restricted to those issues specifically identified in this notice and any issues arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the intent to take final action to address the emergency.

This meeting is accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for auxiliary aids should be directed to the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council office (see ADDRESSES ) at least 10 business days prior to the meeting.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

I. Abstract

This is a request for renewal of an approved information collection. NOAA's Office for Coastal Management (OCM) is proposing a renewal for information collection that allows interested parties to submit requests for revisions to update the Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS). CMECS was approved by the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) in August 2012 and provides a national standard for consistent descriptions of coastal and marine ecological features. The FGDC requires periodic reviews and maintenance of federal standards. Collection of information from users is critical to this process.

The primary uses of CMECS are in mapping and classifying the geological, physical, biological, and chemical components of the environment. Among other applications, the CMECS framework can be used to integrate data from disparate sources, facilitate comparisons among sites, and organize data for regional assessment. Since its publication in 2012, the CMECS has been used to characterize habitats ranging from coastal wetlands and estuaries to the deep ocean and at local to global scales. Benefits of CMECS include: data collected by different sensors and methods can be integrated into a single database; all the physical, biological, and chemical-forcing functions that collectively determine a habitat type can be captured; and the system has the flexibility to accommodate new units as additional information becomes available.

The CMECS was developed as a dynamic standard to allow periodic revisions to continue to meet the needs of the user community and as such, the CMECS can be updated to accommodate the requirements of evolving scientific practices, technology, and coastal and marine resource management. The review process allows the CMECS to retain its consistency, credibility, and rigor through periodic reviews and an orderly, authoritative, and transparent updating process as required by the Federal Geographic Data Committee. Anyone can propose changes, which can include minor edits, such as grammatical or typographical corrections, clarifications of definitions and meaning, or more substantial changes to the hierarchy within components. We are soliciting recommendations for revisions to the CMECS through a form to be posted on the CMECS website. All recommendations collected will be reviewed and revisions will be made to the CMECS to reflect those recommendations found to be valuable for implementation of the CMECS and supportive of the user community needs.

Information is compiled quarterly by the CMECS Implementation Working Group, an interagency group of CMECS technical experts. This information is used to assess needs for revisions to the CMECS. Information is not disseminated to the public.

This information is collected by an electronic form posted on the CMECS website. However, we also accept paper format for anyone unable to access the form through the internet. Some follow up interviews may occur to better understand recommendations as needed.

OMB Control Number: 0648-0799.

Form Number(s): None.

Type of Review: Regular (Extension of current information collection.)

Affected Public: Not-for-profit institutions; State, Local, or Tribal government; Federal government.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 100.

Estimated Time per Response: 1.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 100.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: 0.

Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.

Legal Authority: The FGDC requires periodic reviews and maintenance of federal standards. Collection of information from users is critical to this process.

We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Approving the EFP applications would be authorized under the Coastal Pelagic Species (CPS) Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and regulations at 50 CFR 600.745, which allow NMFS Regional Administrators to authorize EFPs for fishing activities that would otherwise be prohibited.

At its April 2024 meeting, the Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) recommended that NMFS approve two EFP applications for the 2024-2025 Pacific sardine fishing year. Both applications are from the CWPA and are renewal requests for an exemption from the expected prohibition on primary directed fishing for Pacific sardine during the 2024-2025 fishing year; the purpose of the requests are to collect Pacific sardine as part of industry-based scientific research. The Council considered these EFP applications concurrently with the 2024-2025 annual harvest specifications for Pacific sardine because Pacific sardine catch under each EFP would be accounted for under the proposed 2024-2025 annual catch limit (ACL), which is 6,005 metric tons (mt). A summary of each EFP application is provided below:

(1) Request renewal of exempted fishery permit (EFP) to allow take of Pacific sardine in point sets in 2024-2025 in support of the CPS-NCA research program: The CWPA submitted a renewal application for their CPS Nearshore Cooperative Survey (NCS) program. The purpose of this EFP project is to collect data for estimating CPS biomass in shallow waters that are not accessible to NOAA ships. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife, in partnership with the CWPA, has been conducting aerial surveys to estimate the biomass and distribution of Pacific sardine and certain other CPS in nearshore waters in the Southern California Bight since 2012, and in the Monterey-San Francisco area since the summer of 2017. The CPS-NCS survey would capture CPS schools identified by aerial spotter pilots, and weigh and sample the catch onshore to validate the biomass and species composition of the schools observed in the nearshore aerial survey. If approved, this EFP would allow up to eight participating vessels to directly harvest a total of 150 mt of Pacific sardine during the 2024-2025 fishing year. A portion of each point set ( i.e., an individual haul of fish captured with a purse seine net) would be retained for biological sampling, and the remainder would be sold by participating fishermen and processors to offset research costs and avoid unnecessary discard.

(2) Request renewal of exempted fishery permit (EFP) to allow fishing of Pacific sardine for biological samples in 2024-2025 nearshore research program: The CWPA submitted a renewal application for their biological sampling EFP project. The primary directed fishery for Pacific sardine has been closed since 2015 and, consequently, scientists at the Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) have a limited amount of fishery-dependent data to use in their stock assessment. The goal of this EFP project is to provide fishery-dependent catch data, including biological data ( i.e., age and length data from directed harvest), for potential use in Pacific sardine stock assessments. If approved, this EFP would allow up to eight participating vessels to directly harvest up to 520 mt of Pacific sardine during the 2024-2025 fishing year. A portion of each landing would be retained for biological sampling by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the remainder would be sold by participating fishermen and processors to offset research costs and avoid unnecessary discard.

Altogether, these EFP projects total 670 mt. If NMFS does not issue one or more of these EFPs, the requested tonnage would be available for harvest by other permissible fishing activities during the 2024-2025 fishing year ( e.g., live bait or minor directed harvest).

After publication of this notice in the Federal Register , NMFS may approve and issue permits to participating vessels after the close of the public comment period. NMFS will consider comments submitted in deciding whether to approve the applications as requested. NMFS may approve the applications in their entirety or may make any alterations needed to achieve the goals of the EFP projects and the FMP. NMFS may also approve different amounts of Pacific sardine allocation for each EFP project if any changes are made to the 2024-2025 proposed sardine harvest specifications before final implementation.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

Title; Associated Form; and OMB Number: Civil Aircraft Landing Permit System Forms; DD Forms 2400, 2401, and 2402; OMB Control Number 0701-0050.

Type of Request: Revision.

Number of Respondents: 5,400.

Responses per Respondent: 1.

Annual Responses: 5,400.

Average Burden per Response: 10 minutes.

Annual Burden Hours: 900.

Needs and Uses: The Federal Aviation Act of 1958 (Pub. L. 85-726, sec. 1107) authorized government agencies to regulate public use of government-owned airfields. The military departments have made military airfields available to civil aircraft operators, primarily to conduct official government business; however, use for other purpose is also occasionally accommodated (see Air Force Instruction 10-1001, Army Regulation 95-2, and Secretary of the Navy Instruction 3770-IC). Access must be managed to ensure that security and operational integrity are maintained and that the government is not held liable if the civil aircraft becomes involved in an accident or incident while using military airfields, facilities, and services. The collection of information is necessary to identify the aircraft operator and the aircraft to be operated; establish the purpose for use of military airfields; and protect the U.S. Government against litigation.

The respondents for this collection include any civil aircraft operator applying for landing rights on a DoD airfield. The Air Force processes three times more requests than other military branches of service, thus the Air Force is the owner of the Civil Aircraft Landing Permit System program and DD Forms 2400, 2401, and 2402. The respondents may access the collection instruments via the DoD Forms website or by contacting the base of interest to obtain info on how to request forms for landing approval. Respondents must complete DD Form 2401 to identify themselves, indicate where they want to operate, state their purpose for use, and list their aircraft. DD Form 2402 is used to ensure that the respondent agrees to hold the government harmless and notify their insurance company to complete the DD Form 2400 to show evidence of third-party liability insurance coverage. The forms are provided at no cost to the individual or company, and when use is for official government business, there is no charge for use of the airfield. The military departments also use the information to advise installation commanders of approved users, aircraft registration numbers, and purpose for use.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; individuals or households.

Frequency: On occasion.

Respondent's Obligation: Required to retain or obtain benefits.

OMB Desk Officer: Ms. Jasmeet Seehra.

You may also submit comments and recommendations, identified by Docket ID number and title, by the following method:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name, Docket ID number, and title for this Federal Register document. The general policy for comments and other submissions from members of the public is to make these submissions available for public viewing on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov as they are received without change, including any personal identifiers or contact information.

DOD Clearance Officer: Mr. Reginald Lucas.

Requests for copies of the information collection proposal should be sent to Mr. Lucas at whs.mc-alex.esd.mbx.dd-dod-information-collections@mail.mil.

In the Federal Register on June 12, 2024 at 89 FR 49864, in the first column, correct the SUMMARY and SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION to read, respectively:

The Department of the Army announces the following committee meeting:

Name of Committee: U.S. Army Science Board (ASB) Summer Voting Session.

Date: Friday, July 12, 2024.

Time: 08:30 a.m.-3:15 p.m.

Location: The Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center of the National Academies of Sciences and Engineering, 100 Academy Way, Irvine, CA 92617.

Purpose of Meeting: The purpose of the meeting is for ASB members to review, deliberate, and vote on the findings and recommendations presented for four Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 studies.

Agenda: The board will present findings and recommendations for deliberation and vote on the following studies:

“Enhancing Beneficial Use of Dredged Materials via US Army Corps of Engineers Programs and Projects.” This FY24 study is unclassified and will be presented in an open session at 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

“Nature-Based Solutions via US Army Corps of Engineers Programs and Projects.” This FY24 study is unclassified and will be presented in an open session at 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

“Transformation of Intelligence Processing, Exploitation, Dissemination (PED); an Analysis Engine to Enhance Theater Army's and Warfighting Requirements.” This FY24 study is classified and will be presented in a closed session at from 12:15 p.m.-1:45 p.m.

“Future Human Machine Integration (HMI) in the Army.” This FY24 study is unclassified and will be presented in an open session at 2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.

Public Accessibility to the Meeting: Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended, and 41 CFR 102-3.140 through 102-3.165, and subject to the availability of space, this meeting is partially closed to the public. Registration of members of the public who wish to attend the open portion of the meeting will begin at 8:00 a.m. on the day of the meeting. Seating is limited and is on a first-to-arrive basis. Attendees will be asked to provide their name, title, affiliation, and contact information to include email address and daytime telephone number at registration. Any interested person may attend the meeting, file written comments or statements with the committee, or make verbal comments from the floor during the public meeting, at the times, and in the manner, permitted by the committee, as set forth below.

Special Accommodations: The meeting venue is fully handicap accessible, with wheelchair access. Individuals requiring special accommodations to access the public meeting or seeking additional information about public access procedures, should contact Mr. Vince Bullard, the Alternate Designated Federal Official (ADFO) for the ASB, at the email addresses or telephone numbers listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section, at least five (5) business days prior to the meeting so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

Written Comments or Statements: Pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.105(j) and 102-3.140(c) and 5 U.S.C. 1009(a)(3), the public or interested organizations may submit written comments or statements to the ASB about its mission and/or the topics to be addressed in this public meeting. Written comments or statements should be submitted to Mr. Vince Bullard, the ADFO of the ASB, via electronic mail, the preferred mode of submission, at the addresses listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section in the following formats: Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Word. The comment or statement must include the author's name, title, affiliation, address, and daytime telephone number. Written comments or statements being submitted in response to the agenda set forth in this notice must be received by the ADFO at least five (5) business days prior to the meeting so that they may be made available to the ASB for its consideration prior to the meeting. Written comments or statements received after this date may not be provided to the ASB until its next meeting. Please note that because the ASB operates under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, all written comments will be treated as public documents and will be made available for public inspection.

This meeting is being held under the provisions of chapter 10 of title 5 United States Code (U.S.C.) (commonly known as the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C., App.) or “FACA”), the Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended), and 41 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 102-3.140 and 102-3.50.

Due to circumstances beyond the control of the Designated Federal Officer, the Defense Advisory Committee on Investigation, Prosecution, and Defense of Sexual Assault in the Armed Forces was unable to provide public notification required by 41 CFR 102-3.150(a) concerning its June 27, 2024 meeting. Accordingly, the Advisory Committee Management Officer for the Department of Defense, pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.150(b), waives the 15-calendar day notification requirement.

Purpose of the Meeting: In section 546 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Pub. L. 113-291), as modified by section 537 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (Pub. L. 114-92), Congress tasked the DAC-IPAD to advise the Secretary of Defense on the investigation, prosecution, and defense of allegations of rape, sexual assault, and other sexual misconduct involving members of the Armed Forces. This will be the thirty-sixth public meeting held by the DAC-IPAD. At this meeting the Committee will conduct deliberations on the draft DAC-IPAD Report on Exploring the Race, Ethnicity, and Gender of Military Panels at Courts-Martial, and a draft DAC-IPAD letter to the DoD General Counsel on concerns in the field regarding Office of Special Trial Counsel and Trial Defense Service staffing.

Agenda: 3:00 p.m.-3:05 p.m. Welcome and Introduction to the Public Meeting; 3:05 p.m.-3:45 p.m. Committee Deliberations—Draft Report on Exploring the Race, Ethnicity, and Gender of Military Panels at Courts-Martial; 3:45 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Committee Deliberations—Draft Letter to the DoD General Counsel on Staffing Issues Regarding the Office of Special Trial Counsel and Trial Defense Service; 4:00 p.m. Meeting Adjourn.

Meeting Accessibility: Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552b and 41 CFR 102-3.140 through 102-3.165, this meeting is open to the public from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on June 27, 2024. All members of the public who wish to participate virtually must register by contacting DAC-IPAD at whs.pentagon.em.mbx.dacipad@mail.mil or by contacting Mr. Pete Yob at (703) 693-3857 no later than Wednesday, June 26, 2024. Once registered, the web address and/or audio number will be provided.

Special Accommodations: Individuals requiring special accommodations to access the public meeting should contact Mr. Pete Yob at (703) 693-3857 no later than June 26, 2024 so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

Written Statements: Pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.140 and 10(a)(3) of the FACA, the public or interested organizations may submit written comments to the Committee about its mission and topics pertaining to this public session. Written comments must be received by the DAC-IPAD prior to the meeting date so that they may be made available to the Committee members for their consideration prior to the meeting. Written comments not received by the DAC-IPAD prior to the meeting date will be provided to the Chair of the DAC-IPAD for consideration. Written comments may be submitted via email to the DAC-IPAD at whs.pentagon.em.mbx.dacipad@mail.mil in the following formats: Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Word. Written comments may also be mailed to the address listed in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT . Please note that since the DAC-IPAD operates under the provisions of the FACA, all written comments received will be treated as public documents and will be made available for public inspection.

Title; Associated Form; and OMB Number: Secondary Dependency Application; DD Form 137; OMB Control Number 0730-0014.

Type of Request: Revision.

Number of Respondents: 20,000.

Responses per Respondent: 1.

Annual Responses: 20,000.

Average Burden per Response: 60 minutes.

Annual Burden Hours: 20,000.

Needs and Uses: The information collection requirement is necessary to certify dependency or obtain information to determine entitlement to the following entitlements: Basic Allowance for Housing, Uniformed Services Identification and Privilege card, travel allowances, morale, welfare, and recreation privileges, and commissary and exchange. Information regarding a claimed individual is provided by the service member or other sponsor. A medical doctor or psychiatrist, college administrator, or a dependent's employer may need to provide information for claims. Pursuant to 37 United States Code (U.S.C.) 401, 403, 476, and 10 U.S.C. 1072 and 1076, the sponsor must provide more than one half of the claimed dependent's monthly expenses. DoD Financial Management Regulation (DoD FMR) 7000.14-R, Vol. 7A defines dependency and directs that dependency be proven. Dependency claim examiners use the information from the DD Form 137 to determine benefit eligibility. The new, consolidated DD Form 137 is in direct support of the updated DoD FMR Volume 7A, chapter 26: “Housing Allowances,” which published in May 2024. Since DoD adopted the definition of support (October 2022) consistent with Treasury regulations, tax returns can be utilized as evidence of support. However, the Secondary Dependent must still meet the other definitions of a “dependent” under 10 U.S.C. 1072. If the member refuses or is unable to provide a tax return, the member can complete a worksheet (similar to that used by the IRS) that substantiates support.

Affected Public: Individuals or households.

Frequency: On occasion.

Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.

OMB Desk Officer: Ms. Jasmeet Seehra.

You may also submit comments and recommendations, identified by Docket ID number and title, by the following method:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name, Docket ID number, and title for this Federal Register document. The general policy for comments and other submissions from members of the public is to make these submissions available for public viewing on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov as they are received without change, including any personal identifiers or contact information.

DOD Clearance Officer: Mr. Reginald Lucas.

Requests for copies of the information collection proposal should be sent to Mr. Lucas at whs.mc-alex.esd.mbx.dd-dod-information-collections@mail.mil.

Title; Associated Form; and OMB Number: Request for Information Regarding Deceased Debtor, DD Form 2840; OMB Control Number 0730-0015.

Type of Request: Revision.

Number of Respondents: 150.

Responses per Respondent: 1.

Annual Responses: 150.

Average Burden per Response: 5 minutes.

Annual Burden Hours: 13.

Needs and Uses: The information collection requirement is necessary to obtain information on deceased debtors from probate courts. Probate courts review their records to see if an estate was established. They provide the name and address of the executor or lawyer handling the estate. From the information obtained, Defense Finance and Accounting Service submits a claim against the estate for the amount due to the United States.

Affected Public: State, local, or tribal government.

Frequency: On occasion.

Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.

OMB Desk Officer: Ms. Jasmeet Seehra.

You may also submit comments and recommendations, identified by Docket ID number and title, by the following method:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name, Docket ID number, and title for this Federal Register document. The general policy for comments and other submissions from members of the public is to make these submissions available for public viewing on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov as they are received without change, including any personal identifiers or contact information.

DOD Clearance Officer: Ms. Reginald Lucas.

Requests for copies of the information collection proposal should be sent to Mr. Lucas at whs.mc-alex.esd.mbx.dd-dod-information-collections@mail.mil.

Title; Associated Form; and OMB Number: Women's Reproductive Health Care Provider Survey (WRHCPS); OMB Control Number 0720-WRHS.

Type of Request: New.

Number of Respondents: 2,129.

Responses per respondent: 1.

Annual Responses: 2,129.

Average Burden per Response: 20 minutes.

Annual Burden Hours: 710.

Needs and Uses: Health care provider knowledge, beliefs, and practices may have an impact on active-duty service women's (ADSW) access to contraception and overall reproductive health. The proposed survey is devised to be a sufficiently large and representative sample of the diverse professionals who provide reproductive and contraceptive care to ADSW at health care visits ( e.g., readiness visits, pre-deployment, and during deployment). The survey will be designed to capture provider self-reported beliefs, clinical knowledge on reproductive health care (including contraceptive counseling) and prescribing and providing contraception care for and during deployment. Data and analysis from the survey will enable DoD to evaluate, enhance, and where needed, improve reproductive services delivery and educational interventions; provide a strong basis for planning policy and services related to ADSWs reproductive and contraceptive health; and provide data, programs, and details necessary for replication and peer review. In addition, the proposed one-time survey meets a Congressional mandate and serves as an appropriate follow-up to the WRHS by determining whether identified gaps in contraceptive access are the result of provider knowledge and attitudes. The 116-48 SASC Report for FY2020 required DoD to conduct a survey to better understand provider knowledge and beliefs related to provision of contraceptives to ADSW. The target population of the survey includes uniformed (active component only) and civilian MHS personnel.

Affected Public: Federal government employees.

Frequency: On occasion.

Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.

OMB Desk Officer: Mr. Matt Eliseo.

You may also submit comments and recommendations, identified by Docket ID number and title, by the following method:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name, Docket ID number, and title for this Federal Register document. The general policy for comments and other submissions from members of the public is to make these submissions available for public viewing on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov as they are received without change, including any personal identifiers or contact information.

DOD Clearance Officer: Mr. Reginald Lucas.

Requests for copies of the information collection proposal should be sent to Mr. Lucas. at whs.mc-alex.esd.mbx.dd-dod-information-collections@mail.mil.

These meetings are being held under the provisions of chapter 10 of title 5, United States Code (U.S.C.) (commonly known as the “Federal Advisory Committee Act” or “FACA”), 5 U.S.C. 552b(c) (commonly known as the “Government in the Sunshine Act”), and 41 Code of Fedeal Regulations (CFR) 102-3.140 and 102-3.150.

Due to circumstances beyond the control of the DFO and the DoD, the DoDWC was unable to provide public notification required by 41 CFR 102-3.150(a) concerning its June 25, 2024 meeting. Accordingly, the Advisory Committee Management Officer for the DoD, pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.150(b), waives the 15-calendar day notification requirement.

Purpose of the Meeting: The purpose of these meetings is to provide independent advice and recommendations on matters relating to the conduct of wage surveys and the establishment of wage schedules for all appropriated fund and non-appropriated fund areas of blue-collar employees within the DoD.

June 25, 2024: Opening Remarks by Chair, Mr. Eric Clayton, and DFO, Mr. Karl Fendt. Reviewing survey results and/or survey specifications for the following Nonappropriated Fund areas:

1. Any items needing further clarification or action from the previous meeting.

2. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Cumberland, Pennsylvania wage area (AC-092).

3. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the York, Pennsylvania wage area (AC-093).

4. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Honolulu, Hawaii wage area (AC-106).

5. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Norfolk-Portsmouth-Virginia Beach, Virginia wage area (AC-111).

6. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Hampton-Newport News, Virginia wage area (AC-112).

7. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Harford, Maryland wage area (AC-148).

8. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the McLennan, Texas wage area (AC-022).

9. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Jefferson, New York wage area (AC-101).

10. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Orange, New York wage area (AC-103).

11. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Macomb, Michigan wage area (AC-162).

12. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Niagara, New York wage area (AC-163).

Reviewing survey results and/or survey specifications for the following appropriated fund areas:

13. Survey Specifications for the San Bernardino-Riverside-Ontario, California wage area (AC-016).

14. Survey Specifications for the Chicago, Illinois wage area (AC-047).

15. Survey Specifications for the Seattle-Everett-Tacoma, Washington wage area (AC-143).

16. Special Rates—Washington, District of Columbia TV Systems/Electrical Equipment

17. Any items needing further clarification from this agenda may be discussed during future scheduled meetings.

Closing Remarks by Chair, Mr. Eric Clayton.

July 9, 2024: Opening Remarks by Chair, Mr. Eric Clayton, and DFO, Mr. Karl Fendt.

Reviewing survey results and/or survey specifications for the following appropriated fund areas:

1. Any items needing further clarification or action from the previous meeting.

2. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Shreveport, Louisiana wage area (AC-062).

3. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Central North Carolina wage area (AC-099).

4. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Columbia, South Carolina wage area (AC-120).

5. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Norfolk-Portsmouth-Newport News-Hampton, Virginia (AC-140).

6. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Atlanta, Georgia wage area (AC-037).

7. Survey Specifications for the Fort Wayne-Marion, Indiana wage area (AC-049).

8. Survey Specifications for the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas wage area (AC-131).

9. Any items needing further clarification from this agenda may be discussed during future scheduled meetings.

Closing Remarks by Chair, Mr. Eric Clayton.

July 23, 2024: Opening Remarks by Chair, Mr. Eric Clayton, and DFO, Mr. Karl Fendt.

Reviewing survey results and/or survey specifications for the following non-appropriated fund areas:

1. Any items needing further clarification or action from the previous meeting.

2. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Pennington, South Dakota wage area (AC-086).

3. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Nueces, Texas wage area (AC-115).

4. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Bexar, Texas wage area (AC-117).

5. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Anchorage, Alaska wage area (AC-118).

6. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Kitsap, Washington wage area (AC-142).

7. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Dallas, Texas wage area (AC-152).

8. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Tarrant, Texas wage area (AC-156).

9. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Orleans, Louisiana wage area (AC-006).

10. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Bell, Texas wage area (AC-028).

11. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Curry, New Mexico wage area (AC-030).

12. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Tom Green, Texas wage area (AC-032).

13. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Cobb, Georgia wage area (AC-034).

14. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Columbus, Georgia wage area (AC-067).

Reviewing survey results and/or survey specifications for the following appropriated fund areas:

15. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Augusta, Maine wage area (AC-063).

16. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Savannah, Georgia wage area (AC-042).

17. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Western Texas wage area (AC-127).

18. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Waco, Texas wage area (AC-137).

19. Survey Specifications for the St. Louis, Missouri wage area (AC-081).

20. Special Pay—Western Texas Special Rates

21. Any items needing further clarification from this agenda may be discussed during future scheduled meetings.

Closing Remarks by Chair, Mr. Eric Clayton.

August 6, 2024: Opening Remarks by Chair, Mr. Eric Clayton, and DFO, Mr. Karl Fendt.

Reviewing survey results and/or survey specifications for the following appropriated fund areas:

1. Any items needing further clarification or action from the previous meeting.

2. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Hawaii wage area (AC-044).

3. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Central and Western Massachusetts wage area (AC-069).

4. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Southwestern Wisconsin wage area (AC-149).

5. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Augusta, Georgia wage area (AC-038).

6. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Macon, Georgia wage area (AC-041).

7. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Southeastern Washington-Eastern Oregon wage area (AC-144).

8. Survey Specifications for the Bloomington-Bedford-Washington, Indiana wage area (AC-048).

9. Survey Specifications for the Indianapolis, Indiana wage area (AC-050).

10. Survey Specifications for the Kansas City, Kansas wage area (AC-080).

11. Survey Specifications for the Southern Missouri wage area (AC-082).

12. Survey Specifications for the Omaha, Nebraska wage area (AC-084).

13. Special Pay—Macon, Georgia Special Rates

14. Any items needing further clarification from this agenda may be discussed during future scheduled meetings.

Closing Remarks by Chair, Mr. Eric Clayton.

August 20, 2024: Opening Remarks by Chair, Mr. Eric Clayton, and DFO, Mr. Karl Fendt.

Reviewing survey results and/or survey specifications for the following non-appropriated fund areas:

1. Any items needing further clarification or action from the previous meeting.

2. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Arapahoe-Denver, Colorado wage area (AC-084).

3. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the El Paso, Colorado wage area (AC-085).

4. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Laramie, Wyoming wage area (AC-087).

5. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the New London, Connecticut wage area (AC-136).

6. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Snohomish, Washington wage area (AC-141).

7. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Pierce, Washington wage area (AC-143).

8. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Newport, Rhode Island wage area (AC-167).

9. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Hennepin, Minnesota wage area (AC-015).

10. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Grand Forks, North Dakota wage area (AC-017).

11. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Davis-Weber-Salt Lake, Utah wage area (AC-018).

12. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Ada-Elmore, Idaho wage area (AC-038).

13. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Cascade, Montana wage area (AC-040).

14. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Spokane, Washington wage area (AC-043).

Reviewing survey results and/or survey specifications for the following Appropriated Fund areas:

15. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Central and Northern Maine wage area (AC-064).

16. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Asheville, North Carolina wage area (AC-098).

17. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Southwestern Oregon wage area (AC-113).

18. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Austin, Texas wage area (AC-129).

19. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Corpus Christi, Texas wage area (AC-130).

20. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Duluth, Minnesota wage area (AC-074).

21. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the San Antonio, Texas wage area (AC-135).

22. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Milwaukee, Wisconsin wage area (AC-148).

23. Survey Specifications for the New Orleans, Louisiana wage area (AC-061).

24. Survey Specifications for the Richmond, Virginia wage area (AC-141).

25. Special Pay—Southwestern Oregon Special Rates

26. Any items needing further clarification from this agenda may be discussed during future scheduled meetings.

Closing Remarks by Chair, Mr. Eric Clayton.

September 3, 2024: Opening Remarks by Chair, Mr. Eric Clayton, and DFO, Mr. Karl Fendt.

Reviewing survey results and/or survey specifications for the following non-appropriated fund areas:

1. Any items needing further clarification or action from the previous meeting.

2. Survey Specifications for the Brevard, Florida wage area (AC-061).

3. Survey Specifications for the Hillsborough, Florida wage area (AC-119).

4. Survey Specifications for the Miami-Dade, Florida wage area (AC-158).

5. Survey Specifications for the Duval, Florida wage area (AC-159).

6. Survey Specifications for the Monroe, Florida wage area (AC-160).

Reviewing survey results and/or survey specifications for the following Appropriated Fund areas:

7. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Boise, Idaho wage area (AC-045).

8. Any items needing further clarification from this agenda may be discussed during future scheduled meetings.

Closing Remarks by Chair, Mr. Eric Clayton.

September 17, 2024: Opening Remarks by Chair, Mr. Eric Clayton, and DFO, Mr. Karl Fendt.

Reviewing survey results and/or survey specifications for the following non-appropriated fund areas:

1. Any items needing further clarification or action from the previous meeting.

2. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Frederick, Maryland wage area (AC-088).

3. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Washington, District of Columbia wage area (AC-124).

4. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Alexandria-Arlington-Fairfax, Virginia wage area (AC-125).

5. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Prince William, Virginia wage area (AC-126).

6. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Prince George's-Montgomery, Maryland wage area (AC-127).

7. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Charles-St. Mary's, Maryland wage area (AC-128).

8. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Anne Arundel, Maryland wage area (AC-147).

9. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Burlington, New Jersey wage area (AC-071).

10. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Kent, Delaware wage area (AC-076).

11. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Richmond-Chesterfield, Virginia wage area (AC-082).

12. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Morris, New Jersey wage area (AC-090).

Reviewing survey results and/or survey specifications for the following Appropriated Fund areas:

13. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Alaska wage area (AC-007).

14. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Montana wage area (AC-083).

15. Wage Schedule (Full Scale) for the Charleston, South Carolina wage area (AC-119).

16. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Utah wage area (AC-139).

17. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Spokane, Washington wage area (AC-145).

18. Wage Schedule (Wage Change) for the Puerto Rico wage area (AC-151).

19. Special Pay—Puerto Rico Special Rates

20. Any items needing further clarification from this agenda may be discussed during future scheduled meetings.

Closing Remarks by Chair, Mr. Eric Clayton.

Meeting Accessibility: Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(4), the DoD has determined that the meetings shall be closed to the public. The USD(P&R), in consultation with the DoD Office of General Counsel, has determined in writing that each of these meetings is likely to disclose trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person and privileged or confidential.

Written Comments and Statements: Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 1009(a)(3) and 41 CFR 102-3.140, interested persons may submit written statements to the DFO for the DoDWC at any time. Written statements should be submitted to the DFO at the email or mailing address listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section. If statements pertain to a specific topic being discussed at a planned meeting, then these statements must be submitted no later than five (5) business days prior to the meeting in question. Written statements received after this date may not be provided to or considered by the DoDWC until its next meeting. The DFO will review all timely submitted written statements and provide copies to all the committee members before the meetings that are the subject of this notice.

The DoD is renewing the E4SAB in accordance with chapter 10 of title 5 United States Code (U.S.C.) (commonly known as the “Federal Advisory Committee Act” or “FACA”)) and 41 CFR 102-3.50(d). The charter and contact information for the E4SAB's Designated Federal Officer (DFO) are found at https://www.facadatabase.gov/FACA/apex/FACAPublicAgencyNavigation .

The E4SAB provides the Secretary of Defense and the Deputy Secretary of Defense (“DoD Appointing Authority”), through the Secretary of the Navy, with independent advice and recommendations on matters relating to the Naval University System, and specifically, the U.S. Naval Community College, the Naval Postgraduate School, and the Naval War College. The E4SAB shall: (a) Provide advice on naval education strategy and implementation thereof; (b) provide advice on organizational management, curricula and methods of instruction, facilities, other issues of accreditation, and other matters of interest.

The E4SAB shall be composed of no more than 15 members appointed in accordance with DoD policies and procedures, who are imminent authorities in the fields of academia, business, national defense and security, the defense industry, and research and analysis. Not less than 50 percent of E4SAB members shall be eminent authorities in the field of academia. The Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Manpower, Personnel, Training and Education, the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Development, and the Commanding General, U.S. Marine Corps Training and Education Command shall serve as ex-officio members of the Board, having voting rights and counting toward the E4SAB's total membership.

Individual members are appointed according to DoD policy and procedures, and serve a term of service of one-to-four years with annual renewals. One member will be appointed as Chair of the E4SAB. No member, unless approved according to DoD policy and procedures, may serve more than two consecutive terms of service on the E4SAB, or serve on more than two DoD Federal advisory committees at one time.

E4SAB members who are not full-time or permanent part-time Federal civilian officers or employees, or active duty members of the Uniformed Services, are appointed as experts or consultants, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 3109, to serve as special government employee members. E4SAB members who are full-time or permanent part-time Federal civilian officers or employees, or active duty members of the Uniformed Services are appointed pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.130(a), to serve as regular government employee members.

All E4SAB members are appointed to provide advice based on their best judgment without representing any particular point of view and in a manner that is free from conflict of interest. Except for reimbursement of official E4SAB-related travel and per diem, members serve without compensation.

The public or interested organizations may submit written statements about the E4SAB's mission and functions. Written statements may be submitted at any time or in response to the stated agenda of planned meeting of the E4SAB. All written statements shall be submitted to the DFO for the E4SAB, and this individual will ensure that the written statements are provided to the membership for their consideration.

Title; Associated Form; and OMB Number: Personal Check Cashing Agreement; DD Form 2761; OMB Control Number 0730-0005.

Type of Request: Extension.

Number of Respondents: 1,020.

Responses per Respondent: 1.

Annual Responses: 1,020.

Average Burden per Response: 15 minutes.

Annual Burden Hours: 255.

Needs and Uses: The information collection requirement is necessary to meet the DoD's requirement for cashing personal checks overseas and afloat by DoD disbursing activities, as provided in 31 United States Code 3342. The DoD Financial Management Regulation, Volume 5, provides guidance to DoD disbursing officers in the performance of this information collection. This allows the DoD disbursing officer or authorized agent the authority to offset the pay without prior notification in cases where this form has been signed subject to conditions specified within the approved procedures.

Affected Public: Individuals or households.

Frequency: On occasion.

Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.

OMB Desk Officer: Ms. Jasmeet Seehra.

You may also submit comments and recommendations, identified by Docket ID number and title, by the following method:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name, Docket ID number, and title for this Federal Register document. The general policy for comments and other submissions from members of the public is to make these submissions available for public viewing on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov as they are received without change, including any personal identifiers or contact information.

DOD Clearance Officer: Mr. Reginald Lucas.

Requests for copies of the information collection proposal should be sent to Mr. Lucas at whs.mc-alex.esd.mbx.dd-dod-information-collections@mail.mil.

Title; Associated Form; and OMB Number: TRICARE Plus Enrollment and Disenrollment Application Forms; DD Forms 2853 and 2854; OMB Control Number 0720-0028.

Type of Request: Revision.

Number of Respondents: 6,134.

Responses per Respondent: 1.

Annual Responses: 6,134.

Average Burden per Response: 7 minutes.

Annual Burden Hours: 716.

Needs and Uses: These collection instruments serve as an application for enrollment and disenrollment in the DoD's TRICARE Plus Health Plan established in accordance with Title 10 U.S.C. 1099. The information collected provides the TRICARE contractors with the necessary data to determine beneficiary eligibility and identify the selection of a health care option.

Affected Public: Individuals or households.

Frequency: On occasion.

Respondent's Obligation: Required to Obtain or Retain Benefits.

OMB Desk Officer: Mr. Matt Eliseo.

You may also submit comments and recommendations, identified by Docket ID number and title, by the following method:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name, Docket ID number, and title for this Federal Register document. The general policy for comments and other submissions from members of the public is to make these submissions available for public viewing on the internet at http://www.regulations.gov as they are received without change, including any personal identifiers or contact information.

DOD Clearance Officer: Mr. Reginald Lucas.

Requests for copies of the information collection proposal should be sent to Mr. Lucas at whs.mc-alex.esd.mbx.dd-dod-information-collections@mail.mil.

This meeting is being held under the provisions of chapter 10 of title 5, United States Code (U.S.C.) (commonly known as the “Federal Advisory Committee Act” or “FACA”), 5 U.S.C. 552b (commonly known as the “Government in the Sunshine Act”), and sections 102-3.140 and 102-3.150 of title 41, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

Due to circumstances beyond the control of the DFO and the DoD, the Defense Policy Board was unable to provide public notification required by 41 CFR 102-3.150(a) concerning its June 26-27, 2024 meeting. Accordingly, the Advisory Committee Management Officer for the DoD, pursuant to 41 CFR 102-3.150(b), waives the 15-calendar day notification requirement.

Purpose of the Meeting: To obtain, review, and evaluate classified information related to the DPB's mission to advise on: (a) issues central to strategic DoD planning; (b) policy implications of U.S. force structure and modernization on DoD's ability to execute U.S. defense strategy; (c) U.S. regional defense policies; and (d) other defense policy topics of special interest to the DoD, as determined by the Secretary of Defense, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, or the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.

Agenda: On June 26 and 27, 2024, the DPB will receive classified briefings to evaluate DoD's readiness to execute a full or total mobilization in a protracted high-intensity conflict. James Benkowski, Designated Federal Office, will provide opening remarks; Ms. Amanda Dory, Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, and Dr. Janine Davidson, Chair of the Defense Policy Board, will welcome the DPB and explain the meeting's key objectives; Ms. Madeline Mortelmans, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy Plans and Capabilities, and Ms. Rebecca Zimmerman, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs, will discuss DoD's planning for high-intensity protracted conflicts and associated mobilization readiness requirements; HON Mr. Lloyd James Austin III, Secretary of Defense, will provide a strategic overview of DoD's preparedness to execute a large-scale mobilization during a protracted high-intensity conflict; Ms. Shawn Skelly, Performing the Duties of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, will provide a briefing on DoD's approach to large-scale mobilization with a focus on personnel; HON Dr. William LaPlante will discuss DoD's ability to produce and sustain the materiel and equipment required by the Joint Force during a large-scale mobilization; Lieutenant General Jon Jensen, Acting Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau and Director, Army National Guard, will discuss the requirements, plans, and policies for mobilizing the National Guard during a protracted high-intensity conflict; Lieutenant General Dagvin Anderson, Director for Joint Force Development, J7, will provide Joint Staff perspectives on DoD's readiness for large-scale mobilization; Vice Admiral Eugene Black III, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans, and Strategy, and Lieutenant General Patrick Matlock, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army for Operations, Plans, and Training, will provide Service perspectives on large-scale mobilization planning and readiness; Admiral Samuel Paparo, Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, will discuss planning for, and expectations regarding, large-scale mobilization during a protracted high-intensity conflict; Dr. Janine Davidson, the DPB Chair, will then lead the DPB in discussions and deliberations on U.S. mobilization readiness. Day One will conclude. Day Two will begin with Dr. Janine Davidson, the DPB Chair, leading the DPB through discussions and deliberations on U.S. mobilization readiness; the DPB will then provide its advice and recommendations to Ms. Amanda Dory, Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, after which the meeting will conclude.

Meeting Accessibility: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 1009(d) and 41 CFR 102-3.155, the DoD has determined that this meeting shall be closed to the public. The Acting Under Secretary of Defense (Policy), in consultation with the DoD FACA Attorney, has determined in writing that this meeting is closed to the public because the discussions fall under the purview of 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(1) and are so inextricably intertwined with unclassified material that they cannot reasonably be segregated into separate discussions without disclosing classified material.

Written Statements: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 1009(a)(3) and 41 CFR 102-3.105(j) and 102-3.140(c), the public or interested organizations may submit written statements to the membership of the DPB at any time regarding its mission or in response to the stated agenda of a planned meeting. Written statements should be submitted to the DPB's DFO, who's information is listed in this notice in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section or can be obtained from the GSA's FACA Database— http://www.facadatabase.gov/. Written statements that do not pertain to a scheduled meeting of the DPB may be submitted at any time. However, if individual comments pertain to a specific topic being discussed at a planned meeting, then these statements must be submitted no later than one business day prior to the meeting in question. The DFO will review all submitted written statements and provide copies to all members.

Purpose of Program: The purpose of the SCTAC grant program is to advance the mental health and well-being of early learners (as defined in this notice), school-age children and youth, and educators and other school staff, by making grants to State educational agencies (SEAs) to provide technical assistance and capacity building to high-need local educational agencies (LEAs) (as defined in this notice).

Assistance Listing Number (ALN): 84.424H.

OMB Control Number: 1894-0006.

Background: The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) allocated $1 billion in funding to States through the Stronger Connections Grant (SCG) program; SEAs, in turn, subgranted these funds competitively to high-need LEAs to design and enhance initiatives to promote safer, more inclusive, and positive school environments for all students, educators, and school staff including through personnel and programs to support student mental health.

The SCTAC grant program is being established with BSCA funds from the two percent reservation for technical assistance and capacity building under section 4103(a)(3) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). This funding is available to SEAs to provide technical assistance and capacity building services to high-need LEAs for evidence-based (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1) and culturally and linguistically inclusive programs and activities related to mental health and well-being for early learners, school-age children and youth, and educators and other school staff. We encourage SEAs receiving SCTAC funds to prioritize high-need LEAs that did not receive a Stronger Connections subgrant from the SEA for technical assistance and capacity building services under this program.

“Raise the Bar: Lead the World” is the Department's call to action to transform education and unite around what works—based on decades of experience and research—to advance educational equity and excellence. As part of our Raise the Bar efforts to boldly improve learning conditions, the Department continues to invest in every student's mental health and well-being.

Recent studies show that children who experience unaddressed mental health issues are more likely to face challenges in school, such as being more likely to repeat a grade and experience chronic absenteeism, and less likely to graduate high school. 1 Amid the pandemic, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that 1 in 3 high school students experienced poor mental health, 1 in 6 adolescents experienced a major depressive episode, and 20 percent of teens seriously considered suicide. 2 The suicide rate among Black youth similarly is increasing faster than for any other race or ethnic group. 3 Of teens seriously considering suicide, rates are alarmingly high for LGBTQ students, with 45% of LGBTQ youth surveyed indicating they seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year. 4

These data are consistent with research findings about the mental health and well-being of early learners as well. According to the CDC, 17.4 percent of children aged 2-8 years had a diagnosed mental, behavior, or developmental disorder. 5 This same report showed an increase to 22 percent for children living below 100 percent of the Federal poverty level.

Educators and other school staff are also facing mental health and well-being challenges. According to the Department's National Center for Education Statistics February 2024 School Pulse Panel, 91 percent of public school principals or vice principals reported some level of concern about the mental health of the teachers or staff at their school and 41 percent reported being “moderately” or “extremely” concerned about this issue. 6

Educator mental health and well-being carry implications for educator retention, and thus downstream effects on student educational opportunity and achievement, making it a critical priority for States and LEAs. A recent study found that 23 percent of teachers said they were likely to leave their job by the end of the 2022-2023 school year and Black teachers, who are more likely to teach in under resourced schools without the necessary student and educator support, were significantly more likely to intend to leave than their peers. 7 The same study found that teachers who reported poor well-being as a reason for likely leaving their job were more likely than their counterparts to say that they intended to leave their job.

The SCTAC program is designed to build SEA capacity to address the particular needs of the high-need LEAs in their State. In responding to the areas identified in the absolute priority, we encourage projects that provide technical assistance and capacity building to high-need LEAs to address chronic absenteeism and increase student engagement and school belonging, for example, by implementing strong student connection and engagement activities or school climate improvement strategies. One evidence-based example that SEAs may consider, for example, is mentorship programs that focus on small-group counseling and help youth to build skills and competencies on choosing non-violent behaviors and using de-escalation and violence reduction strategies. 8 The Department is also interested in activities that enhance supportive services for youth impacted by community violence such as through trauma recovery, restorative practices, and community violence intervention and prevention strategies. For example, programs that use a trauma-informed approach to support social emotional wellbeing have been reported to decrease depression and increase self-confidence in participants. 9 When considering these different programs and activities, we encourage applicants to propose projects that include strategies specific to supporting young people, with a focus on those most historically underserved. 10

Applicants may propose projects that also support the mental health, well-being, and academic development of early learners, for example, by providing technical assistance and capacity building services on how to remove barriers and increase access to social, emotional, and mental health supports; provide support to caregivers; strengthen family engagement activities; enhance home visits to encourage school and attendance readiness; and establish participatory approaches with families and community partners. 11

We also welcome applications that propose to support educator mental health and well-being so that they are well positioned to support their students. For example, SEAs may consider proposing projects to better understand and address experiences, particularly in the school building, that impact educator mental health and well-being.

SEAs may also propose projects that provide technical assistance and capacity building to high-need LEAs on youth mental health programs that include peer-to-peer support programs, such as mental health “first aid” programs (as defined in this notice). Studies of youth mental health first aid have shown positive results in terms of providing youth peers, and adults who work closely with youth, the ability to recognize the signs, symptoms, and risk factors of mental health and substance use challenges. 12 Additionally, youth peer-to-peer support programs, such as peer counseling, youth mental health peer ambassadors, student-led clubs, and restorative justice programs, are additional promising practices. Broader studies of peer-to-peer programs show a variety of positive outcomes including reduced re-hospitalization rates, better quality of life outcomes, higher engagement rates, and improved whole health. 13

These important activities can help high-need LEAs create safe, welcoming, and inclusive learning environments that support student mental health and wellbeing which is foundational to improving academic and other outcomes for all students.

This notice invites applications for SCTAC grants. The Department developed budget ranges for each potential applicant by ranking every State according to the State's share of their Stronger Connections Grant, Title IV, Part A funds (see the “Award Information” section of this notice for more information). SEAs should develop budgets that are appropriate to their proposed projects and consistent with the budget range established for their State. Department staff will review applications to determine if an SEA met the absolute priority, addressed the application requirements, and proposed a budget consistent with their State's established budget range. Peer reviewers will review applications to determine the extent to which applicants met the established selection criteria.

Priorities: This competition has one absolute priority. We are establishing this priority for this grant competition in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1).

Absolute Priority: For FY 2024 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.

This priority is:

Projects to provide technical assistance and capacity building to high-need LEAs to support inclusive, evidence-based programs and activities related to mental health and well-being for early learners, school-age children and youth, or educators and other school staff.

To meet this priority, applicants must propose a project that would provide technical assistance and capacity building to high-need LEAs to help them establish or expand evidence-based, inclusive practices in one or more of the following areas:

(a) Student attendance and engagement programs designed to reduce rates of chronic absenteeism and improve attendance, engagement, connectedness, and wellbeing that include, for example:

(1) Increasing family engagement and communication, including through a variety of approaches to communication, such as through the use of texting to share real-time data on attendance, to more targeted engagement, such as through home visits to identify additional student and family supports that might be needed;

(2) Improving school climate and implementing anti-bullying efforts;

(3) Providing student mentorship programs, such as student success coaches and mentors, and supportive peer groups;

(4) Adopting early warning intervention systems and multi-tiered systems of support; and

(5) Establishing school and local educational agency attendance and engagement teams and providing them with real time and actionable data.

(b) Programs for early learners that support their mental health, well-being, and academic development through activities such as—

(1) Increasing access for early learners to social, emotional, and mental health supports, and reducing barriers to access for underserved students; and

(2) Building strong partnerships among parents, families, caregivers, social service organizations, mental health care personnel, personnel providing services to students served under section 619 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and community-based organizations serving pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and early grade students to improve the environment, relationships, engagement, attendance, and experiences that impact children's early development.

(c) Programs to improve educator and school staff mental health and wellbeing, so that these individuals may better support students and are more likely to remain in the profession, through activities such as—

(1) Developing methods, measurement tools, or interventions for high-need LEAs to understand, and to address the factors, including school-related factors, that impact educator mental health and well-being. This includes developing the methods and tools for disaggregating data by, for example, teacher race/ethnicity and years of experience), to get a complete understanding of the factors and who is impacted.

(2) Strengthening social, emotional, and behavioral competencies among adults;

(d) Peer-to-peer mental health or youth mental health programs supported by schools or qualified local organizations to reduce the impact of unaddressed mental health challenges such as those caused by exposure to community violence and to increase student belonging and connection, including, for example—

(1) Implementing peer-to-peer programs that raise awareness around core mental health concepts and destigmatize mental health care, provide training for students to identify protective  14 and risk factors related to mental health and well-being, and connect students to resources and professionals for additional support; and

(2) Implementing youth mental health first aid programs to train students on how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of common mental health and well-being challenges.

(e) Improving data collection, use, and reporting as it relates to implementation and performance management of an SEA's SCG program.

Definitions: The following definitions apply to the FY 2024 SCTAC grant program competition and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications for this competition.

We are establishing definitions of “high-need LEA,” “early learner,” and “mental health first aid” in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1). The definitions of “local educational agency” and “State educational agency” are from section 8101 of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7801). The definitions “baseline,” “demonstrates a rationale,” “evidence-based,” “experimental study,” “logic model,” “moderate evidence,” “project component,” “quasi-experimental design study,” “relevant outcome,” and “What Works Clearinghouse Handbooks (WWC Handbooks)” are from 34 CFR 77.1. These definitions apply to the FY 2024 SCTAC grant program competition and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications for this competition.

Baseline means the starting point from which performance is measured and targets are set.

Demonstrates a rationale means a key project component included in the project's logic model is informed by research or evaluation findings that suggest the project component is likely to improve relevant outcomes.

Early learner means any person from birth to age 8 who is eligible for a free public education in the State.

Evidence-based means the proposed project component is supported by one or more of strong evidence, moderate evidence, promising evidence, or evidence that demonstrates a rationale.

Experimental study means a study that is designed to compare outcomes between two groups of individuals (such as students) that are otherwise equivalent except for their assignment to either a treatment group receiving a project component or a control group that does not. Randomized controlled trials, regression discontinuity design studies, and single-case design studies are the specific types of experimental studies that, depending on their design and implementation ( e.g., sample attrition in randomized controlled trials and regression discontinuity design studies), can meet What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) standards without reservations as described in the WWC Handbooks (as defined in this notice):

(i) A randomized controlled trial employs random assignment of, for example, students, teachers, classrooms, or schools to receive the project component being evaluated (the treatment group) or not to receive the project component (the control group).

(ii) A regression discontinuity design study assigns the project component being evaluated using a measured variable ( e.g., assigning students reading below a cutoff score to tutoring or developmental education classes) and controls for that variable in the analysis of outcomes.

(iii) A single-case design study uses observations of a single case ( e.g., a student eligible for a behavioral intervention) over time in the absence and presence of a controlled treatment manipulation to determine whether the outcome is systematically related to the treatment.

High-need LEA has the meaning ascribed it by the SEA under its Stronger Connections Grant program.

Local educational agency means a public board of education or other public authority legally constituted within a State for either administrative control or direction of, or to perform a service function for, public elementary schools or secondary schools in a city, county, township, school district, or other political subdivision of a State, or of or for a combination of school districts or counties that is recognized in a State as an administrative agency for its public elementary schools or secondary schools.

(a) The term includes any other public institution or agency having administrative control and direction of a public elementary school or secondary school.

(b) The term includes an elementary or secondary school funded by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) but only to the extent that including the school makes the school eligible for programs for which specific eligibility is not provided to the school in another provision of law and the school does not have a student population that is smaller than the student population of the LEA receiving assistance under the ESEA with the smallest student population, except that the school shall not be subject to the jurisdiction of any SEA other than the BIE.

(c) The term includes educational service agencies and consortia of those agencies.

(d) The term includes the SEA in a State in which the SEA is the sole educational agency for all public schools.

Logic model (also referred to as a theory of action) means a framework that identifies key project components of the proposed project ( i.e., the active “ingredients” that are hypothesized to be critical to achieving the relevant outcomes) and describes the theoretical and operational relationships among the key project components and relevant outcomes.

Mental health first aid means the skills needed to recognize and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges and know how to connect individuals to additional resources, including professional help.

Moderate evidence means that there is evidence of effectiveness of a key project component in improving a relevant outcome for a sample that overlaps with the populations or settings proposed to receive that component, based on a relevant finding from one of the following:

(i) A practice guide prepared by the WWC using version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks reporting a “strong evidence base” or “moderate evidence base” for the corresponding practice guide recommendation;

(ii) An intervention report prepared by the WWC using version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks reporting a “positive effect” or “potentially positive effect” on a relevant outcome based on a “medium to large” extent of evidence, with no reporting of a “negative effect” or “potentially negative effect” on a relevant outcome; or

(iii) A single experimental study (as defined in this notice) or quasi-experimental design study (as defined in this notice) reviewed and reported by the WWC using version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks, or otherwise assessed by the Department using version 4.1 of the WWC Handbook, as appropriate, and that—

(A) Meets WWC standards with or without reservations;

(B) Includes at least one statistically significant and positive ( i.e., favorable) effect on a relevant outcome;

(C) Includes no overriding statistically significant and negative effects on relevant outcomes reported in the study or in a corresponding WWC intervention report prepared under version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks; and

(D) Is based on a sample from more than one site ( e.g., State, county, city, school district, or postsecondary campus) and includes at least 350 students or other individuals across sites. Multiple studies of the same project component that each meet requirements in paragraphs (iii)(A), (B), and (C) of this definition may together satisfy this requirement.

Project component means an activity, strategy, intervention, process, product, practice, or policy included in a project. Evidence may pertain to an individual project component or to a combination of project components ( e.g., training teachers on instructional practices for English learners and follow-on coaching for these teachers).

Promising evidence means that there is evidence of the effectiveness of a key project component in improving a relevant outcome, based on a relevant finding from one of the following:

(i) A practice guide prepared by WWC reporting a “strong evidence base” or “moderate evidence base” for the corresponding practice guide recommendation;

(ii) An intervention report prepared by the WWC reporting a “positive effect” or “potentially positive effect” on a relevant outcome with no reporting of a “negative effect” or “potentially negative effect” on a relevant outcome; or

(iii) A single study assessed by the Department, as appropriate, that—

(A) Is an experimental study, a quasi-experimental design study, or a well-designed and well-implemented correlational study with statistical controls for selection bias ( e.g., a study using regression methods to account for differences between a treatment group and a comparison group); and

(B) Includes at least one statistically significant and positive ( i.e., favorable) effect on a relevant outcome.

Quasi-experimental design study means a study using a design that attempts to approximate an experimental study by identifying a comparison group that is similar to the treatment group in important respects. This type of study, depending on design and implementation ( e.g., establishment of baseline equivalence of the groups being compared), can meet WWC standards with reservations, but cannot meet WWC standards without reservations, as described in the WWC Handbooks.

Relevant outcome means the student outcome(s) or other outcome(s) the key project component is designed to improve, consistent with the specific goals of the program.

State educational agency (SEA) means the agency primarily responsible for the State supervision of public elementary schools and secondary schools.

Strong evidence means that there is evidence of the effectiveness of a key project component in improving a relevant outcome for a sample that overlaps with the populations and settings proposed to receive that component, based on a relevant finding from one of the following:

(i) A practice guide prepared by the WWC using version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks reporting a “strong evidence base” for the corresponding practice guide recommendation;

(ii) An intervention report prepared by the WWC using version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks reporting a “positive effect” on a relevant outcome based on a “medium to large” extent of evidence, with no reporting of a “negative effect” or “potentially negative effect” on a relevant outcome; or

(iii) A single experimental study reviewed and reported by the WWC using version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks, or otherwise assessed by the Department using version 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks, as appropriate, and that—

(A) Meets WWC standards without reservations;

(B) Includes at least one statistically significant and positive ( i.e., favorable) effect on a relevant outcome;

(C) Includes no overriding statistically significant and negative effects on relevant outcomes reported in the study or in a corresponding WWC intervention report prepared under version 2.1, 3.0, 4.0, or 4.1 of the WWC Handbooks; and

(D) Is based on a sample from more than one site ( e.g., State, county, city, school district, or postsecondary campus) and includes at least 350 students or other individuals across sites. Multiple studies of the same project component that each meet requirements in paragraphs (iii)(A), (B), and (C) of this definition may together satisfy the requirement in this paragraph (iii)(D).

What Works Clearinghouse Handbooks (WWC Handbooks) means the standards and procedures set forth in the WWC Standards Handbook, Versions 4.0 or 4.1, and WWC Procedures Handbook, Versions 4.0 or 4.1, or in the WWC Procedures and Standards Handbook, Version 3.0 or Version 2.1 (all incorporated by reference, see § 77.2). Study findings eligible for review under WWC standards can meet WWC standards without reservations, meet WWC standards with reservations, or not meet WWC standards. WWC practice guides and intervention reports include findings from systematic reviews of evidence as described in the WWC Handbooks documentation.

Note: The What Works Clearinghouse Procedures and Standards Handbook (Version 4.1), as well as the more recent What Works Clearinghouse Handbooks released in August 2022 (Version 5.0), are available at https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Handbooks.

Application Requirements: We are establishing the following application requirements for the FY 2024 grant competition and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications for this competition, in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1).

Applicants must include the following in their applications:

(1) A description of the criteria the SEA will use to identify the high-need LEAs that will receive technical assistance and capacity building services under this program.

(2) A plan ( i.e., description of key activities, milestones, timeline, resources, performance measures, and partnerships) for providing the proposed technical assistance and capacity building services to high-need LEAs.

(3) A plan for developing and disseminating the technical assistance and capacity building products and resources the SEA develops, as applicable.

Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553), the Department generally offers interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities, requirements, and definitions. Section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, however, allows the Secretary to exempt from rulemaking requirements regulations governing the first grant competition under a new or substantially revised program authority. This is the first grant competition for this program under section 4103(a)(3) of the ESEA and therefore qualifies for this exemption. In order to ensure timely grant awards, the Secretary has decided to forgo public comment on the priority, requirements, and definitions under section 437(d)(1) of GEPA. These requirements and definitions will apply to the FY 2024 grant competition and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.

Program Authority: Section 4103(a)(3) of the ESEA; Public Law 117-159 (enacted June 25, 2022), Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, Division B, Title II, School Improvement Programs.

Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474.

Note: The Department will implement the provisions included in the OMB final rule, OMB Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance, which amends 2 CFR parts 25, 170, 175, 176, 180, 182, 183, 184, and 200, on October 1, 2024. Grant applicants that anticipate a performance period start date on or after October 1, 2024 should follow the provisions stated in the OMB Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance (89 FR 30046) when preparing an application. For more information about these updated regulations please visit: https://www.cfo.gov/resources/uniform-guidance/.

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants except federally recognized Indian Tribes.

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.

Available Funds: $10,930,000.

Project Period: Up to 36 months. Budgets should be developed for a single project period of up to 36 months.

Maximum Awards: An SEA may initially request no more than the maximum amount (as noted below in the designated category ranges) for its project period. If funds remain available after funding each successful applicant at its requested amount, the Department may, to the extent appropriate, increase the awards for successful applicants. If available funds are insufficient to fully award each successful applicant at its requested amount, the Department will ratably reduce the awards for all successful applicants. The budget ranges are as follows:

Category 1—$500,000-$1,000,000: California, Texas, New York, Florida.

Category 2—$250,000-$500,000: Illinois, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Ohio, North Carolina, Michigan, New Jersey.

Category 3—$120,000-250,000: Arizona, Louisiana, Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland, South Carolina, Alabama, Kentucky, Indiana, Washington, Missouri, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Wisconsin, Oklahoma.

Category 4—$60,000-$150,000: Arkansas, Minnesota, Colorado, Nevada, Connecticut, Oregon, New Mexico, Kansas, Iowa, West Virginia.

Category 5—$50,000-$100,000: Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Wyoming, Bureau of Indian Education, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico.

Category 6—$25,000-$50,000: The Outlying Areas of Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, the United States Virgin Islands.

1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs, as defined in 20 U.S.C. 7801(49); and the Bureau of Indian Education. (Section 437(d)(1) of GEPA)

2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost sharing or matching.

b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This competition involves supplement-not-supplant funding requirements. Grantees must use SCTAC funds to supplement, and not supplant, other non-Federal funds that would otherwise be used to pay for activities authorized under the SCTAC program.

c. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This program uses a restricted indirect cost rate. For more information regarding indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated indirect cost rate, please see www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/intro.html.

d. Administrative Cost Limitation: This program does not include any program-specific limitation on administrative expenses. All administrative expenses must be reasonable and necessary and conform to Cost Principles described in 2 CFR part 200 subpart E of the Uniform Guidance.

3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may not award subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities described in its application.

4. Equitable Services: (a) Grantees must ensure that equitable services are provided to eligible students and teachers in non-public schools as required under section 8501 of the ESEA, including through timely and meaningful consultation with representatives of non-public schools.

(b) The SEA must ensure that a public agency will maintain control of SCTAC funds used to provide services and assistance to non-public school students and teachers.

(c) The SEA must ensure that a public agency will have title to materials, equipment, and property purchased with SCTAC funds.

(d) The SEA must ensure that services to non-public school students and teachers with SCTAC funds will be provided by a public agency directly, or through contract with, another public or private entity.

Note: This section (4) is not applicable to the BIE.

5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice. In addition, we remind applicants that sections 4001(a) and 4001(b) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7101) apply to this program. Section 4001(a) requires entities receiving funds under this program to obtain prior, written, informed consent from the parent of each child who is under 18 years of age to participate in any mental-health assessment or service that is funded under this program and conducted in connection with an elementary or secondary school. Section 4001(b) prohibits the use of funds for medical services or drug treatment or rehabilitation, except for integrated student supports, specialized instructional support services, or referral to treatment for impacted students, which may include students who are victims of, or witnesses to, crime or who illegally use drugs. This prohibition does not preclude the use of funds to support mental health counseling and support services, including those provided by a mental health services provider outside of school, so long as such services are not medical.

1. Application Submission Instructions: Applicants are required to follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045) and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs, which contain requirements and information on how to submit an application.

2. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this competition.

3. Recommended Page Limit: The project narrative is where you, the applicant, address the absolute priority and application requirements. We recommend that you (1) limit the application narrative to the equivalent of no more than 10 pages and (2) use the following standards:

• A “page” is 8.5″ × 11″, on one side only, with 1″ margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.

• Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs.

• Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).

• Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial.

The recommended page limit applies to the project narrative.

1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are from 34 CFR 75.210. The maximum score for all selection criteria is 100 points. The points assigned to each criterion are indicated in parentheses. Non-Federal peer reviewers will evaluate and score each application program narrative against the following selection criteria:

(a) Quality of the project design (up to 60 points)

The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed project. In determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(1) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable. (Up to 30 points)

(2) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target population or other identified needs. (Up to 30 points)

(b) Quality of the management plan (Up to 30 points)

The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project. In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project tasks.

(c) Adequacy of resources (Up to 10 points)

The Secretary considers the adequacy of the resources for the proposed project. In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the potential for continued support of the project after Federal funding ends, including, as appropriate, the demonstrated commitment of appropriate entities to such support.

2. Review and Selection Process: Non-Federal peer reviewers will review applications to determine the extent to which the applications address the selection criteria.

We remind potential applicants that, in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or submitted a report of unacceptable quality.

In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary requires various assurances including those applicable to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

3. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 200.205, before awarding grants under this program, the Department conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR 3474.10, the Secretary may impose specific conditions, and, in appropriate circumstances, high-risk conditions on a grant if the applicant or grantee is not financially stable; has a history of unsatisfactory performance; has a financial or other management system that does not meet the standards in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not responsible.

4. Integrity and Performance System: If you receive an award under this grant program that, over the course of the project period, may exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently $250,000), under 2 CFR 200.205(a)(2), we must make a judgment about your integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards—that is, the risk posed by you as an applicant—before we make an award. In doing so, we must consider any information about you that is in the integrity and performance system (currently referred to as the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)), accessible through the System for Award Management. You may review and comment on any information about yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and that is currently in FAPIIS.

Please note that, if the total value of your currently active grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.

5. In General: In accordance with the Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance located at 2 CFR part 200, all applicable Federal laws, and relevant Executive guidance, the Department will review and consider applications for funding pursuant to this notice inviting applications in accordance with:

(a) Selecting recipients most likely to be successful in delivering results based on the program objectives through an objective process of evaluating Federal award applications (2 CFR 200.205);

(b) Prohibiting the purchase of certain telecommunication and video surveillance services or equipment in alignment with section 889 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 (Pub. L. 115-232) (2 CFR 200.216);

(c) Providing a preference, to the extent permitted by law, to maximize use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United States (2 CFR 200.322); and

(d) Terminating agreements in whole or in part to the greatest extent authorized by law if an award no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities (2 CFR 200.340).

1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award Notification (GAN), or we may send you an email containing a link to access an electronic version of your GAN. We also may notify you informally.

If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, we notify you.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify administrative and national policy requirements in the application package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice. We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of a grant in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice. The Grant Award Notification (GAN) also incorporates your approved application as part of your binding commitments under the grant.

3. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition, you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 should you receive funding. This does not apply if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).

(b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final performance report, including financial information, as directed by the Secretary. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.

4. Performance Measures: For the purpose of Department reporting under 34 CFR 75.110, we have established the following performance measures for the SCTAC grant program:

(a) The number of technical assistance and capacity-building services provided to assist high-need LEAs.

(b) The number and percentage of high-need LEAs reporting that the technical assistance provided was high-quality, relevant, and useful.

(c) The number and percentage of high-need LEAs reporting an increase in capacity as a result of technical assistance and capacity building services provided.

These measures constitute the Department's indicators of success for this program. Consequently, we advise an applicant for a grant under this program to consider these measures in conceptualizing the approach and evaluation for its proposed project. Each grantee must provide, in its performance reports, data about its progress in meeting these measures.

Consistent with 34 CFR 75.591, grantees funded under this program must comply with the requirements of any evaluation of the program conducted by the Department or an evaluator selected by the Department.

Accessible Format: On request to the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT , individuals with disabilities can obtain this document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format. The Department will provide the requestor with an accessible format that may include Rich Text Format (RTF) or text format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 file, braille, large print, audiotape, compact disc, or other accessible format.

Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register . You may access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations at www.govinfo.gov. At this site, you can view this document, as well as all other Department documents published in the Federal Register , in text or PDF. To use PDF, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the site.

You may also access Department documents published in the Federal Register by using the article search feature at www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published by the Department.

On March 19, 2024, we published in the Federal Register (89 FR 19572) the NIA for the National Center on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, and Other Minority Serving Institutions to Diversify the Workforce Serving Children with Disabilities. Under the NIA, applications were due on May 15, 2024. No applications received in response to the NIA were funded because the applicants did not adequately address the selection criteria for the competition and did not have the necessary partners in place to adequately carryout the technical assistance described in the NIA. Therefore, we are reopening the competition to allow applicants to submit or resubmit applications that meet the requirements in the NIA, in order to ensure that Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, and other Minority Serving Institutions that offer high-quality degree or certification programs in early intervention, early childhood special education, special education, or related services receive the technical assistance necessary to implement high-quality personnel preparation programs.

OSEP will host a virtual office hours session for interested applicants in early July. Please see https://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/osep/new-osep-grants.html for the pre-recorded webinar and further information on the office hours.

Applicants that have already submitted applications under the FY 2024 competition are encouraged to review their applications and determine whether they have met all eligibility requirements and adequately addressed the selection criteria in the NIA and the application package, which is available at www.grants.gov.

Applications that were previously submitted for this competition, including those deemed ineligible for review, must be resubmitted to be considered for review.

Eligibility: The extended application deadline applies to all eligible applicants under the National Center on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, and Other Minority Serving Institutions to Diversify the Workforce Serving Children with Disabilities competition. An eligible applicant for this competition is defined in the NIA.

Note: All information in the NIA remains the same, except for the extended date for the transmittal of applications and the deadline for intergovernmental review.

Assistance Listing Number: 84.325B.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1462 and 1481.

Accessible Format: On request to the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT , individuals with disabilities can obtain this document, the NIA, and a copy of the application package in an accessible format. The Department will provide the requestor with an accessible format that may include Rich Text Format (RTF) or text format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 file, braille, large print, audiotape, compact disc, or other accessible format.

Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register . You may access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations at www.govinfo.gov. At this site you can view this document, as well as all other Department documents published in the Federal Register , in text or Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the site.

You may also access Department documents published in the Federal Register by using the article search feature at www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published by the Department.

Under the PRA of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13; 44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), Federal agencies must obtain approval from OMB for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. This request for comment is being made pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA. With respect to the following collection of information, DOE invites comments on: (a) Whether the extended 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 of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (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.

This information collection request contains:

(1) OMB No.: 1910-NEW.

(2) Information Collection Request Title: Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science (SC) Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (RENEW) Longer-Term Follow-up Study.

(3) Type of Request: New.

(4) Purpose: The SC RENEW Longer-Term Follow-up Study will examine the longer-term impact of RENEW investment on participants' educational and career outcomes. This will allow for portfolio development based on longer-term program outcomes. Respondents will be RENEW participants.

(5) Annual Estimated Number of Respondents: 460.

(6) Annual Estimated Number of Total Responses: 184.

(7) Annual Estimated Number of Burden Hours: 92.

(8) Annual Estimated Reporting and Recordkeeping Cost Burden: $2760.

Section 646 of Public Law 95-91, U.S. Department of Energy Organization Act; section 901, et seq. of Public Law 109-58, Energy Policy Act of 2005.

This document of the Department of Energy was signed on June 21, 2024, by Harriet Kung, Acting Director, Office of Science, pursuant to delegated authority from the Secretary of Energy. The document with the original signature and date is maintained by DOE. For administrative purposes only, and in compliance with requirements of the Office of the Federal Register, the undersigned DOE Federal Register Liaison Officer has been authorized to sign and submit the document in electronic format for publication, as an official document of the Department of Energy. This administrative process in no way alters the legal effect of this document upon publication in the Federal Register .

This action is directed to the public in general. This action may, however, be of interest to all who manufacture, process, or distribute industrial chemicals. Since other entities may also be interested, the Agency has not attempted to describe all the specific entities that may be affected by this action.

The docket for this action, identified by docket identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2003-0004 is available at https://www.regulations.gov or at the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics Docket (OPPT Docket), Environmental Protection Agency Docket Center (EPA/DC), West William Jefferson Clinton Bldg., Rm. 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC. The Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the OPPT Docket is (202) 566-0280. Please review the visitor instructions and additional information about the docket available at https://www.epa.gov/dockets .

Under EPA contract number GS-00F-079CA/68HERH24P0148, contractor ERG of 561 Virginia Road, Building 4, Suite 300, MA 017422767/14555 Avion Parkway, Suite 200 Chantilly, VA will assist the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) in supporting in engineering assessments for the exposure evaluation and assessment of chemical substances and related regulatory actions.

In accordance with 40 CFR 2.306(j), EPA has determined that under EPA contract number GS-00F-079CA/68HERH24P0148, ERG will require access to CBI submitted to EPA under all section(s) of TSCA to perform successfully the duties specified under the contract. ERG personnel will be given access to information submitted to EPA under all section(s) of TSCA. Some of the information may be claimed or determined to be CBI.

EPA is issuing this notice to inform all submitters of information under all sections of TSCA that EPA may provide ERG access to these CBI materials on a need-to-know basis only. All access to TSCA CBI under this contract will take place at EPA Headquarters and ERG's sites located at 561 Virginia Road, Building 4, Suite 300, MA 017422767 and 14555 Avion Parkway, Suite 200, Chantilly, VA, in accordance with EPA's TSCA CBI Protection Manual .

Access to TSCA data, including CBI, will continue until October 29, 2024. If the contract is extended, this access will also continue for the duration of the extended contract without further notice.

ERG personnel will be required to sign nondisclosure agreements and will be briefed on appropriate security procedures before they are permitted access to TSCA CBI.

Authority: 15 U.S.C. 2601 et seq.

For thirty (30) days following the date of publication of this document, the Agency will receive written comments relating to the agreement. The Agency will consider all comments received and may modify or withdraw its consent to the agreement if comments received disclose facts or considerations that indicate that the agreement is inappropriate, improper, or inadequate.

On May 9, 2024, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) published a proposal to expand the operating hours of the Fedwire® Funds Service and the National Settlement Service (NSS) in the Federal Register . The Board proposed to expand the operating hours of the Fedwire Funds Service to 22 hours per day, 7 days per week, every day of the year (22x7x365) and to correspondingly expand the operating hours of the NSS, with the NSS closing 30 minutes earlier than the Fedwire Funds Service. 1

The proposal provided for a comment period ending on July 8, 2024. The Board is extending the comment period for 60 days, until September 6, 2024. Since the publication of the proposal, the Board has received comments requesting an extension of the comment period. An extension of the comment period will provide additional opportunity for interested parties to analyze the proposal and prepare and submit comments. Therefore, the Board is extending the end of the comment period for the proposal from July 8, 2024, to September 6, 2024.

FDA is announcing the availability of a request for comment on its strategies entitled “FDA Information Technology Strategy” and “Customer Experience Strategy.”

As part of FDA's fulfillment of requirements in section 3627 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Pub. L. 117-328), and commitments described in section IV.A.2. of the “PDUFA Reauthorization Performance Goals and Program Enhancements Fiscal Years 2023-2027” (PDUFA VII commitment letter), FDA is developing a comprehensive framework for guiding the Agency's work and allocating annual technology budgets and resources. The announcement of the availability of the first Agency-wide IT Strategy was published in the Federal Register on September 13, 2023 (88 FR 64435). As part of an annual strategic planning process, FDA reviewed the strategy and made minor updates to align with internal and external changes. FDA's 2024 refresh of the IT Strategy required no change to its IT goals and minimal changes listed below:

• Updated 14 objectives to increase clarity;

• Highlighted our commitment to working with global public health partners and advocating for global standards;

• Clarified mission outcomes the IT Strategy aims to drive; and

• Promoted alignment to relevant strategies, e.g., those of the Department of Health and Human Services.

For additional context on how the IT Strategy will be executed, FDA suggests reading the IT Operating Plan, a companion document to the IT Strategy. The IT Operating Plan, published in February 2024, is a blueprint designed to guide FDA's technological growth and development in accordance with the IT strategic goals. It encompasses an IT strategic roadmap, governance, and organization construct as well as a performance measurement process designed to advance public health outcomes.

One of FDA's IT strategic goals is to “Modernize Enterprise Services and Capabilities” which includes an objective to improve customer experience. This objective is focused on creating customer-centric solutions that enhance satisfaction by improving accessibility to IT solutions, streamlining processes, and easing adoption. The CX Strategy was developed to outline FDA's approach to make progress against this objective. The CX Strategy introduces the Agency's CX framework and is written with the perspective of interested parties from the public, employees, and industry in mind.

The Agency continues to take a collaborative approach to strategy development by gathering input from numerous internal and external interested parties. This input is crucial for developing an updated comprehensive plan that best meets the needs and goals of industry and the Agency. Comments on the IT Strategy as well as the CX Strategy will be considered for future iterations.

Interested persons are invited to provide detailed comments to the Office of Digital Transformation (see ADDRESSES ) on the specific IT Strategy Goals and Objectives within FDA's Agency-wide IT Strategy as well as the CX Strategy. To facilitate comment, FDA has developed a series of questions in this section. The questions are not meant to be exhaustive, and FDA is also interested in any other pertinent information interested parties would like to share on this topic. FDA encourages interested parties to provide the specific rationale and basis for their comments, including any available supporting data and information.

This annual update to the IT Strategy contains minimal changes per the summary above. If you previously responded to the Agency's Federal Register notice published on September 13, 2023 (88 FR 64435), soliciting feedback, you will see some similar questions. You may choose to refer to your prior response or to provide additional feedback based on your experience since the first IT Strategy publication as well as context provided in our IT Operating Plan, a companion guide to the IT Strategy.

1. Which goals and objectives are most important to you? Why?

2. What are up to three outcomes the IT Strategy has helped or will help you achieve? Please provide examples.

3. What gaps do you see in the IT Strategy?

4. What challenges or risks do you foresee in executing the IT Strategy beyond those captured in the IT Operating Plan?

5. How have you leveraged the IT Strategy and/or IT Operating Plan since they were published in 2023?

6. How might FDA continue to communicate and engage interested parties in developing and implementing the strategy?

1. Which goals and objectives are most important to you? Why?

2. What gaps do you see in the CX Strategy's goals or objectives?

3. What has been your customer experience when interacting with FDA?

4. What is one thing FDA can do to improve your customer experience?

Persons with access to the internet may obtain electronic versions of the IT Strategy and CX Strategy at https://www.regulations.gov and the IT Operating Plan at https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/office-digital-transformation/odt-reports .

In the Federal Register of December 18, 2023 (88 FR 87433), FDA published the notice of availability for a draft GFI #283 entitled “Priority Zoonotic Animal Drug Designation and Review Process” giving interested persons until February 16, 2024, to comment on the draft guidance. FDA received several comments on the draft guidance and those comments were considered as the guidance was finalized. Changes to the final guidance include the following: providing examples of preliminary clinical evidence for the purposes of PZAD designation; confirming that PZAD indications may appear on the same product labeling as non-PZAD indications; and confirming that PZAD designation does not impact potential qualification for other review incentive programs within or outside of the Center for Veterinary Medicine. In addition, editorial changes were made to improve clarity. The guidance announced in this notice finalizes the draft guidance dated December 2023.

This level 1 guidance is being issued consistent with FDA's good guidance practices regulation (21 CFR 10.115). The guidance represents the current thinking of FDA on the Priority Zoonotic Animal Drug Designation and Review Process. It does not establish any rights for any person and is not binding on FDA or the public. You can use an alternative approach if it satisfies the requirements of the applicable statutes and regulations.

While this guidance contains no collection of information, it does refer to previously approved FDA collections of information. The previously approved collections of information are subject to review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521). The collections of information in 21 CFR part 514 have been approved under OMB control number 0910-0032; the collections of information in 21 CFR 511.1 have been approved under OMB control number 0910-0117.

Persons with access to the internet may obtain the guidance at https://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/GuidanceComplianceEnforcement/GuidanceforIndustry/default.htm, https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents, or https://www.regulations.gov.

In the Federal Register of November 30, 2022 (87 FR 73560), FDA announced the availability of draft GFI #276, entitled “Effectiveness of Anthelmintics: Specific Recommendations for Products Proposed for the Prevention of Heartworm Disease in Dogs,” giving interested persons until January 30, 2023, to comment on the draft guidance. In response to a request for an extension, the comment period was extended to May 1, 2023 (88 FR 3744). FDA received eight comment submissions on the draft guidance, some with numerous discrete comments within the submission; all comments were considered as the guidance was finalized. We clarified our discussion and recommendations related to geographic locations, laboratory dose confirmation studies, and field effectiveness studies. We also clarified that the recommendations in this guidance are based on current technology and veterinary epidemiology, including available diagnostic methodologies. Individuals are encouraged to discuss deviations from these recommendations with FDA, especially as advances in veterinary medicine related to heartworm disease, including disease epidemiology, isolate characterization, or diagnostic testing are identified.

This guidance is being issued consistent with FDA's good guidance practices regulation (21 CFR 10.115). The guidance represents the current thinking of FDA on “Effectiveness of Anthelmintics: Specific Recommendations for Products Proposed for the Prevention of Heartworm Disease in Dogs.” It does not establish any rights for any person and is not binding on FDA or the public. You can use an alternative approach if it satisfies the requirements of the applicable statutes and regulations.

While this guidance contains no collection of information, it does refer to previously approved FDA collections of information. The previously approved collections of information are subject to review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521). The collections of information in 21 CFR part 511 have been approved under OMB control number 0910-0117; the collections of information in 21 CFR part 514 have been approved under OMB control number 0910-0032.

Persons with access to the internet may obtain the guidance at https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/guidance-regulations/guidance-industry, https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents, or https://www.regulations.gov .

In compliance with 44 U.S.C. 3507, FDA has submitted the following proposed collection of information to OMB for review and clearance.

This information collection supports the TPLC TAP. FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health launched the voluntary TAP Pilot in 2023 (87 FR 61605; October 12, 2022). The TAP Pilot is one of the commitments agreed to between FDA and industry as part of the reauthorization of the Medical Device User Fee Amendments for fiscal year (FY) 2023 through FY 2027  1 (MDUFA V). 2 The long-term vision for TAP is to help spur more rapid development and more rapid and widespread patient access to safe, effective, high-quality medical devices of public health importance. Over the course of MDUFA V, the voluntary TAP Pilot is intended to demonstrate the feasibility and benefits of process improvements to FDA's early interactions with participants and of FDA's facilitation of interactions between participants and stakeholders that support the vision for TAP.

A key goal of the TAP Pilot is to improve various aspects of medical device development and to increase the predictability and reduce the time from concept to commercialization, in part, by facilitating robust engagement early in the process with FDA, industry, and key stakeholders.

The MDUFA V commitment letter states that FDA will conduct an assessment of the overall outcomes of the TAP Pilot that will include a participant satisfaction survey and quantitative and qualitative success metrics that include, but are not limited to: (1) the extent to which FDA is successful at meeting the quantitative goals described in V.J.3.b  3 of the MDUFA V commitment letter; (2) participant satisfaction with the timeliness, frequency, quality, and efficiency of interactions with and written feedback from FDA; (3) participant satisfaction with the timeliness, frequency, quality, and efficiency of voluntary interactions with non-FDA stakeholders facilitated by FDA (if utilized); and (4) an overall assessment of the outcomes of the TAP Pilot and opportunities for improvement.

In the Federal Register of March 21, 2024 (89 FR 20209), FDA published a 60-day notice requesting public comment on the proposed collection of information. No comments were received.

FDA estimates the burden of this collection of information as follows:

Upon further review of the proposed information collection, we updated the burden table to include a distinct line item for Passive Observations for the TAP Pilot and to adjust the estimated number of respondents expected for the Pulse Survey.

FDA estimates that approximately 225 manufacturers will submit a request to participate in the TAP Pilot. Any sponsors who participate in the TAP Pilot will be invited to take the survey. As such, there is no sampling plan; the whole population of TAP Pilot participants will be invited to participate. TAP Pilot participants consist of both applicants and external stakeholders, such as professional societies, payers, and patient advocacy groups.

We estimate that approximately 200 manufacturers will qualify and therefore will be surveyed 2 times per year. In addition, around 60 manufacturers will be interviewed after completing an application to participate. Manufacturers will also be surveyed 1 additional time per year just to gage satisfaction over time with their experience interacting with FDA. This equates to 251 burden hours per year (rounded).

FDA is developing a software portal mechanism through which sponsors interested in device enrollment into the TAP Pilot program can submit an application to join.

This assessment includes a participant survey utilizing quantitative and qualitative success metrics. Data collected under this survey will help FDA evaluate the TAP Pilot. Specifically, FDA seeks to evaluate:

• participant satisfaction with the timeliness, frequency, quality, and efficiency of interactions with and written feedback from FDA;

• participant satisfaction with the timeliness, frequency, quality, and efficiency of voluntary interactions with non-FDA stakeholders facilitated by FDA (if utilized); and

• other outcomes of the TAP Pilot and opportunities for improvement.

Any sponsors who participate in the TAP Pilot will be invited to take the survey.

In support of qualitative success metrics and sentiments around the operation of the TAP Pilot, FDA seeks to conduct interviews with TAP Pilot participants, including applicants and external stakeholders, such as professional societies, payers, and patient advocacy groups. The purpose of these interviews is to better understand individual participants' experiences in the TAP Pilot. Data collected in these interviews will help FDA understand the impact of the TAP Pilot and potential opportunities for improvement in TAP processes and operations. All TAP Pilot participants will make up the potential group of respondents for the interviews, however, FDA intends to interview only a stratified sample of all potential participants.

FDA would like to obtain interaction-related data by passively observing meetings between FDA staff, applicants, and external stakeholders. Passive observations impose no burden on respondents, as they are solely conducted by FDA staff without requiring any input or action from the respondents. We plan to use a structured observational meeting form or checklist to standardize data collection. The purpose of these observations is to evaluate meeting attendance, level of collaboration, and the degree to which key processes and activities are being adhered. Data collected may also support identification of improvement opportunities to the TAP Pilot. We do not intend to actively collect information from meeting participants directly ( e.g., by asking questions or collecting documents).

FDA seeks to obtain quantitative satisfaction ratings and free-response data from TAP Pilot participants using a 2-question survey deployed closely following TAP Pilot interactions ( e.g., teleconferences, written feedback). The same pulse survey will be administered after each interaction. The purpose of these surveys is to measure level of satisfaction with the interaction and allow for an opportunity for participants to provide feedback regarding the interaction.

Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including any of the following subjects: (1) The necessity and utility of the proposed information collection for the proper performance of the agency's functions; (2) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology to minimize the information collection burden.

Title of the Collection: Protection of Human Subjects: Assurance Identification/IRB Certification/Declaration of Exemption Form.

Type of Collection: Renewal, 3-year extension with non-substantive changes for the Protection of Human Subjects: Assurance Identification/IRB Certification/Declaration of Exemption Form OMB No. 0990-0263 Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Office for Human Research Protections

Abstract: The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Office for Human Research Protections is requesting is requesting a three-year extension with non-substantive changes of the Protection of Human Subjects: Assurance Identification/IRB Certification/Declaration of Exemption Form, OMB No. 0990-0263.

The information collected on the form is to provide a simplified method for institutions engaged in research conducted or supported by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to satisfy the requirements of HHS regulations for the protection of human subjects at 45 CFR 46.103 for assurance identification and institutional review board (IRB) certification and declare exemption status. Non-substantive changes include adding instructions that, if additional assurances apply, those details can be indicated in the “Comments” section and clarifying that the form element for IRB expiration date does not apply to all projects.

Likely Respondents: Institutions engaged in research involving human subjects where the research is supported by HHS. Institutional use of the form is also relied upon by other federal departments and agencies that have codified or follow the Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects (Common Rule), which is codified for HHS at 45 CFR part 46, subpart A.

I. Table of Abbreviations CRADA Cooperative Research and Development Agreement DHS Department of Homeland Security MDA Maritime Domain Awareness U.S.C. United States Code II. Background and Purpose

The Coast Guard Research and Development Center (R&D Center) is the Coast Guard's sole facility performing research, development, and test and evaluation in support of the service's major missions. The R&D Center supports the evaluation of feasibility and affordability of mission execution solutions. When appropriate, the R&D Center collaborates with relevant professionals in the public and private sectors on technology evaluation and/or technology advancement.

Persistent surveillance can be defined as a collection strategy that emphasizes the ability of some collection systems to linger on demand in an area to detect, locate, characterize, identify, track, target, in near or real-time. Persistent surveillance requires an operationally focused surveillance approach that uses a full range of strategic, operational, and tactical collection methods to dwell on and revisit a target.

In the Coast Guard Strategic Plan, rapidly advancing technologies, including those in uncrewed platforms, data analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning need to be harnessed for possible use in mission execution. The ability to detect, locate, characterize, identify, and track people or objects in the water in near or real-time and to apply that technology to Coast Guard sensors and systems has the potential to improve mission support to meet the needs of the Coast Guard today and in the foreseeable future.

In the Coast Guard Strategic Plan, two major goals are to direct efforts to encourage developing innovative ways to increase delivery and efficiency of mission support functions; and to strengthen or expedite acquisition process to adopt new technologies that will enhance frontline operations. The ability to enhance our existing systems to incorporate innovative track processing capabilities that may incorporate computer vision and/or machine learning technology for search and rescue missions may greatly increase mission performance on select platforms and improve Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA).

We request public comments on this notice. Although we do not plan to respond to comments in the Federal Register , we will respond directly to commenters and may modify our proposal in light of comments.

We encourage you to submit comments in response to this notice of inquiry through the Federal Decision Making portal at https://www.regulations.gov. To do so, go to https://www.regulations.gov, type USCG-2024-0383 in the search box and click “Search.” Next, look for this document in the Search Results column, and click on it. Then click on the Comment option. In your submission, please include the docket number for this notice of intent and provide a reason for each suggestion or recommendation. If your material cannot be submitted using https://www.regulations.gov, contact the person in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate instructions. To view documents mentioned in this notice of intent as being available in the docket, find the docket as described in the previous paragraph, and then select “Supporting & Related Material” in the Document Type column. Public comments will also be placed in our online docket and can be viewed by following instructions on the https://www.regulations.gov Frequently Asked Questions web page. We review all comments received, but we may choose not to post off-topic, inappropriate, or duplicate comments that we receive.

We accept anonymous comments. Comments we post to https://www.regulations.gov will include any personal information you have provided. For more about privacy and submissions in response to this document, see DHS's eRulemaking System of Records notice (85 FR 14226, March 11, 2020).

Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) are authorized under 15 U.S.C. 3710a. 1 A CRADA promotes the transfer of technology to the private sector for commercial use, as well as specified research or development efforts that are consistent with the mission of the Federal parties to the CRADA. The Federal party or parties agree with one or more non-Federal parties to share research resources, but the Federal party does not contribute funding.

CRADAs are not procurement contracts. Care is taken to ensure that CRADAs are not used to circumvent the contracting process. CRADAs have a specific purpose and should not be confused with procurement contracts, grants, and other type of agreements.

Under the proposed CRADA, the R&D Center will collaborate with one non-Federal participant. Together, the R&D Center and the non-Federal participant will evaluate payloads and software incorporating computer vision and machine learning systems designed for autonomous detection and tracking to determine their potential for search and rescue planning that may greatly increase mission performance on select USCG platforms and improve MDA capability.

We anticipate that the Coast Guard's contributions under the proposed CRADA will include the following:

1. In conjunction with the non-Federal participant(s), develop the demonstration a test plan to be executed under the CRADA;

2. Provide access to and coordinate the use of necessary Coast Guard facilities, surface assets, and R&D Center equipment to facilitate assessments and ensure that all necessary approvals have been obtained before the execution of the test plan;

3. Collaboratively collect and analyze demonstration test plan data; and

4. Collaboratively develop a summary documenting the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of this CRADA work.

We anticipate that the non-Federal participants' contributions under the proposed CRADA will include the following:

1. Provide and integrate the payload and imagery software equipment to conduct the demonstration described in the demonstration test plan;

2. Provide engineering support, including all required operators and technicians to conduct the demonstration

3. Provide shipment and delivery of all payload and software equipment required for the demonstration;

4. Provide travel and associated personnel and other expenses as required; and

5. Assist with compiling the results of the demonstration(s) with the R&D Center that documents the findings, conclusions, and recommendations under this CRADA

The Coast Guard reserves the right to select for CRADA participants all, some, or no proposals submitted for this CRADA. The Coast Guard will provide no funding for reimbursement of proposal development costs. Proposals and any other material submitted in response to this notice will not be returned. Proposals submitted are expected to be unclassified and have not more than five single-sided pages (excluding cover page, DD 1494, JF-12, etc.). The Coast Guard will select proposals at its sole discretion on the basis of:

1. How well they communicate an understanding, of and ability to meet, the proposed CRADA's goal; and

2. How well they address the following criteria:

a. Technical capability to support the non-Federal party contributions described, and

b. Resources available for supporting the non-Federal party contributions described.

Currently, the Coast Guard is considering AeroVironment, Inc. for participation in this CRADA. This consideration is because AeroVironment Inc. has a solution in place that is designed for seamless integration with existing R&D Center systems with potential for increased mission performance. However, we do not wish to exclude other viable participants from this or similar CRADAs in the future.

This is a technology assessment effort. The goal of the Coast Guard for this CRADA is to evaluate new payloads on current systems in conjunction with software tools using computer vision and machine learning models to determine how they can be utilized in the field, while providing user feedback and use cases in a maritime environment. The software tools can not only utilize AV optical sensors but also pull additional input from other optical sensors across multiple platforms that have feeds with different inputs and resolutions, as well as connect everything to a common operating picture. The ability for the equipment to locate, characterize, identify, and track objects in the water in different scenarios will be tested. Special consideration will be given to small business firms and consortia, and preference will be given to business units located in the U.S.

This notice is issued under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 552(a).

I. Table of Abbreviations BWC Body-worn cameras CRADA Cooperative Research and Development Agreement DHS Department of Homeland Security LEOs Law enforcement officers U.S.C. United States Code II. Background and Purpose

The Coast Guard is developing a material solution to meet the requirements for body-worn cameras (BWC) as specified in Executive Order 14074 of May 25, 2022, and DHS's BWC Policy 045-47 (2023). The BWC policy mandates the use of body cameras for Law Enforcement Officer's (LEO's) while engaged in interactions with the public, pre-planned arrest warrants, and during the execution of search and seizure warrants or orders. The BWC program has limited implementation within the Coast Guard and is currently utilized by select operational units on a small scale. The Research and Development Center is supporting a technology understanding of the Coast Guard's interest in expanding BWC usage to all LEO's.

We request public comments on this notice. Although we do not plan to respond to comments in the Federal Register , we will respond directly to commenters and may modify our proposal in light of comments.

We encourage you to submit comments in response to this notice of inquiry through the Federal Decision Making portal at https://www.regulations.gov. To do so, go to https://www.regulations.gov, type USCG-2024-0339 in the search box and click “Search.” Next, look for this document in the Search Results column, and click on it. Then click on the Comment option. In your submission, please include the docket number for this notice of inquiry and provide a reason for each suggestion or recommendation. If your material cannot be submitted using https://www.regulations.gov, contact the person in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this document for alternate instructions. Public comments will also be placed in our online docket and can be viewed by following instructions on the https://www.regulations.gov Frequently Asked Questions web page. We review all comments received, but we may choose not to post off-topic, inappropriate, or duplicate comments that we receive.

We accept anonymous comments. Comments we post to https://www.regulations.gov will include any personal information you have provided. For more about privacy and submissions in response to this document, see DHS's eRulemaking System of Records notice (85 FR 14226, March 11, 2020).

Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) are authorized under 15 U.S.C. 3710a. 1 A CRADA promotes the transfer of technology to the private sector for commercial use, as well as specified research or development efforts that are consistent with the mission of the Federal parties to the CRADA. The Federal party or parties agree with one or more non-Federal parties to share research resources, but the Federal party does not contribute funding.

CRADAs are not procurement contracts. Care is taken to ensure that CRADAs are not used to circumvent the contracting process. CRADAs have a specific purpose and should not be confused with procurement contracts, grants, and other type of agreements.

Under the proposed CRADA, the R&D Center will collaborate with one non-Federal participant. Together, the R&D Center and the non-Federal participant will conduct an evaluation of the BWC technology and support systems in various test scenarios to determine the technology's performance and suitability to Coast Guard LEO missions.

We anticipate that the Coast Guard's contributions under the proposed CRADA will include the following:

1. Provide appropriate staff with pertinent expertise to take the lead in accomplishing the required tasks;

2. Provide information regarding the ensemble items and parameters needed for creating the test plan;

3. Provide all support resources, including travel, for Coast Guard staff that supports this CRADA;

4. Obtain, transport and provide all of the ensemble items to be used during the testing;

5. Provide personnel support to non-Federal participant to assist with setting up and execute testing in accordance with the agreed upon test plan; and

6. Work with non-Federal participant to develop a Final Report, which will document the methodologies, findings, conclusions, and recommendations of this CRADA work.

We anticipate that the non-Federal participants' contributions under the proposed CRADA will include the following:

1. Provide appropriate staff with pertinent expertise to support the above mentioned tasks;

2. Provide necessary technology equipment and services needed to conduct test scenarios;

3. Provide technical assistance for the test plan;

4. Provide support services during the Coast Guard's test scenarios in accordance with the agreed upon test plan; and

5. Provide test data review and feedback as agreed upon completion of testing.

The Coast Guard reserves the right to select for CRADA participants all, some, or no proposals submitted for this CRADA. The Coast Guard will provide no funding for reimbursement of proposal development costs. Proposals and any other material submitted in response to this notice will not be returned. Proposals submitted are expected to be unclassified and have not more than five single-sided pages (excluding cover page, DD 1494, JF-12, etc.). The Coast Guard will select proposals at its sole discretion on the basis of:

1. How well they communicate an understanding, of and ability to meet, the proposed CRADA's goal; and

2. How well they address the following criteria:

a. Technical capability to support the non-Federal party contributions described, and

b. Resources available for supporting the non-Federal party contributions described.

Currently, the Coast Guard is considering Axon Enterprise, Inc. for participation in this CRADA. This consideration is based on the fact that Axon Enterprise, Inc. has demonstrated its technical capability and ability to comply with DHS and DoD requirements for BWC implementation. However, we do not wish to exclude other viable participants from this or similar CRADAs in the future.

This is a technology evaluation effort. The goal of this CRADA is to evaluate technology for its potential compatibility, integration, and ease of use with Coast Guard uniforms, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and enforcement gear used by Coast Guard personnel as well as the compatibility, integration, and ease of use with Coast Guard Information Technology (IT) systems. Special consideration will be given to small business firms and consortia, and preference will be given to business units located in the U.S.

This notice is issued under the authority of 5 U.S.C. 552(a).

CISA serves as “a Federal civilian interface for the multi-directional and cross-sector sharing of information related to cyber threat indicators, defensive measures, cybersecurity risks, incidents, analysis, and warnings for Federal and non-Federal entities.” 6 U.S.C. 659(c)(1).

CISA is responsible for performing, coordinating, and supporting response to information security incidents, which may originate outside the Federal community and affect users within it, or originate within the Federal community and affect users outside of it. CISA uses the information from incident reports to develop timely and actionable information for distribution to federal departments and agencies; state, local, tribal and territorial (SLTT) governments; critical infrastructure owners and operators; private industry; and international organizations. Often, the effective handling of security incidents relies on information sharing among individual users, industry, and the Federal Government, which may be facilitated by and through CISA.

Pursuant to the Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 (FISMA), 44 U.S.C. 3552 et seq. , CISA operates the federal information security incident center for the United States Federal Government. 44 U.S.C. 3556. Federal agencies notify and consult with CISA regarding information security incidents involving federal information systems. CISA provides federal agencies with technical assistance and guidance on detecting and handling security incidents, compile and analyze incident information that threatens information security, inform agencies of current and potential threats and vulnerabilities, and provide intelligence or other information about cyber threats, vulnerabilities, and incidents to agencies. 44 U.S.C. 3556(a). CISA also receives voluntary incident reports from non-federal entities.

CISA's website (at https://www.cisa.gov/ ) is a primary tool used by constituents to report incident information, access information sharing products and services, and interact with CISA. Constituents, which may include anyone or any entity in the public, use forms located on the website to complete these activities. Incident reports are primarily submitted using CISA's internet reporting system, available at https://www.cisa.gov/forms/report. CISA collects cyber threat indicators and defensive measures in accordance with the requirements of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 through CISA's Cyber Threat Indicator and Defensive Measure Submission System, https://www.cisa.gov/forms/share-indicators. CISA shares cyber threat indicators and defensive measures it receives with certain federal entities in an automated and real-time manner. 6 U.S.C. 1504(c).

By accepting incident reports and feedback, and interacting among federal agencies, industry, the research community, state and local governments, and others to disseminate reasoned and actionable cybersecurity information to the public, CISA has provided a way for citizens, businesses, and other institutions to communicate and coordinate directly with the Federal Government about cybersecurity. The information is collected via the following forms:

1. The Incident Reporting Form, DHS Cyber Threat Indicator and Defensive Measure Submission System, and Malware Analysis Submission Form enable end users to report incidents and indicators as well as submit malware artifacts associated with incidents to CISA. This information is used by DHS to conduct analyses and provide warnings of system threats and vulnerabilities, and to develop mitigation strategies as appropriate. These forms also request the user's name, email address, organization, and infrastructure sector. The primary purpose for the collection of this information is to allow DHS to contact requestors regarding their request.

2. The Mail Lists Form enables end users to subscribe to the National Cyber Awareness System's mailing lists, which deliver the content of and links to CISA's information sharing products. The user must provide an email address in order to subscribe or unsubscribe, though subscribing or unsubscribing are optional. The primary purpose for the collection of this information is to allow DHS to contact requestors regarding their request.

3. The Cyber Security Evaluation Tool (CSET) Download Form, which requests the name, email address, organization, infrastructure sector, country, and intended use of those seeking to download the CSET. All requested fields are optional. The primary purpose for the collection of this information is to allow DHS to contact requestors regarding their request.

Web form submission is also used as the collection method for the other forms listed. In addition to web-based electronic forms, information may be collected through email or telephone. These methods enable individuals, private sector entities, personnel working at other federal or state agencies, and international entities, including individuals, companies and other nations' governments to submit information.

This information collection request is a renewal of an existing collection of information. There are minor changes to the forms, questions, or other collection instruments. These changes reflect the addition of questions for reporting purposes. With this renewal, CISA is replacing the current Advanced Malware Analysis Capability (AMAC) submission form with the Malware Analysis Submission Form (“Malware Next-Gen”), but that form's questions will not change. CISA is also updating the Incident Reporting Form by removing one question, modifying some of the existing questions, and adding questions in order to both improve user experience and help the agency efficiently categorize incident reporting data. To review the developmental digital copy of this updated information collection, please contact the POC listed above in this notice request.

This collection of information will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. Due to increases in wage rates, the changes to the collection since the previous OMB approval include updated burden and cost estimates. The annual burden cost increased by $42,540, from $543,401 to $585,941. The annual government cost increased by $610,548, from $1,886,112 to $2,496,660.

The Office of Management and Budget is particularly interested in comments which:

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, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

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, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses.

Agency: Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Title: Clearance for the Collection of Information through CISA Reporting Forms.

OMB Number: 1670-0037.

Frequency: Annually.

Affected Public: State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Governments, Private Sector, and Academia.

Number of Respondents: 139,125.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 0.3333 hours, 0.1667 hours, or 0.0167 hours.

Total Burden Hours: 13,852 hours.

Annualized Respondent Cost: $585,941.

Total Annualized Respondent Out-of-Pocket Cost: $0.

Total Annualized Government Cost: $2,496,660.

This notice informs the public that HUD is seeking approval from OMB for the information collection described in Section A.

Title of Information Collection: Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan—HUD 935.2A, HUD 935.2B, and HUD 935.2C.

OMB Approval Number: 2529-0013.

Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Form Number: HUD 935.2A, HUD 935.2B, HUD 935.2C.

Description of the need for the information and proposed use:

HUD is requesting that the OMB approve the revision of forms: HUD-935.2A Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan—Multifamily Housing, HUD-935.2B Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan—Single Family Housing, and HUD-935.2C Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Plan—Condominiums or Cooperatives. These forms assist HUD in fulfilling its duty under the Fair Housing Act to administer its programs and activities relating to housing and urban development in a manner that affirmatively furthers fair housing, by promoting a condition in which individuals of similar income levels in the same housing market area have available a like range of housing choices, regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), disability, or familial status. These forms assist HUD grantees and insured housing with their compliance with the Fair Housing Act and other civil rights requirements. This collection also promotes compliance with Executive Order 11063, which requires Federal agencies to take all necessary and appropriate action to prevent discrimination in federally insured and subsidized housing. Under the Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing Regulations (24 CFR part 200, subpart M), an AFHMP must be submitted by all applicants for participation in Federal Housing Administration (FHA) subsidized and unsubsidized housing programs that involve the development or rehabilitation of the following types of housing: (1) multifamily projects or manufactured home parks of five or more lots, units, or spaces; (2) a single family property, where the property is located in a subdivision and the builder or developer intends to sell five or more properties in the subdivision, and a lender is making an initial application for mortgage insurance; or (3) dwelling units, when the applicant's participation in FHA housing programs had exceeded or would thereby exceed the development of five or more of such dwelling units during the year preceding the application (not counting the development of single family dwelling units for occupancy by a mortgagor on property owned by the mortgagor and in which the applicant had no interest prior to entering into the contract for construction or rehabilitation). The regulations require applicants to submit the AFHMP on a form prescribed by the Department ( i.e., HUD-935A; HUD-935B and HUD 935-C). If this information was not collected, it would prevent HUD from ensuring compliance with affirmative fair housing marketing requirements.

HUD is revising the HUD-935.2A to clarify the instructions involving marketing activities and reduce the need to provide information that has already been reported to HUD. The revision also substantially reduces the burden hours of completing the form using Microsoft Excel to automate the retrieval of project demographics and geocoded Census data once users enter an existing nine-digit Property ID.

Respondents: Applicants for FHA subsidized and unsubsidized housing programs.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 5,703 For the HUD 935.2A: On an annual basis, there are approximately 303 respondents that submit new plans and 1,080 respondents that review their existing plans and submit updated plans. There are 4,320 respondents who will review their AFHMP and determine that it does not need to be submitted for HUD approval.

For HUD 935.2.B & C: On an annual basis, there are approximately 30 respondents that submit new plans.

Estimated Number of Responses: 5,733.

Frequency of Response: 1 per annum.

Average Hours per Response: The average hours per response is 2.7 hours. (For HUD-935.2A, the hours per response are: 4 hours (new plans) and 2 hours (to review and update plans. Census data needed for updates are now automated) and 2 hours (review only, i.e., those who review and determine that an update is not needed). For HUD-935.2B & C, the hours per response is 3 hours (average hours between those that will certify that they do not need to complete the form and those that will complete the form).

Total Estimated Burden: 12,102 hours.

In accordance with 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), HUD is specifically soliciting comment from members of the public and affected parties concerning the collection of information described in Section A on the following:

(1) 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) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information;

(3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(4) Ways to 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.

HUD encourages interested parties to submit comments in response to these questions.

The 15-member RAC advises the Secretary of the Interior, through the BLM, on a variety of public land issues in the Southwest District, which consists of the Gunnison, Tres Rios, and Uncompahgre field offices.

The RAC will participate in a field tour on August 7, 2024, to view proposed Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs) being considered for designation through the Uncompahgre Field Office resource management plan (RMP) amendment process. Planned agenda items for the August 8, 2024, meeting include field manager updates, a presentation and discussion of the Uncompahgre Field Office RMP amendment, and the evaluation process for considering ACECs.

The RAC will participate in a field tour on November 13, 2024, to view areas being analyzed in the Tres Rios Field Office Transportation and Access Plan for Travel Area 2, Dolores, Montrose, and San Miguel Counties (TAP2). Planned agenda items for the November 14, 2024, meeting include field manager updates and presentations, discussions on TAP2 and a proposed trail interpreting the area's uranium-vanadium mining history.

Participants wishing to attend virtually must register in advance. Registration, participation information, and final agendas will be posted on the RAC's web page at https://www.blm.gov/getinvolved/resource-advisory-council/near-you/colorado/southwest-rac at least 2 weeks prior to the meetings.

Members of the public planning to attend field tours must provide their own meals and transportation and RSVP 1 week in advance to the Southwest District contact listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice. Please make requests in advance for sign language interpreter services, assistive listening devices, language translation services, or other reasonable accommodations. We ask that you contact the person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice at least 7 business days prior to the meeting to give the BLM sufficient time to process your request. All reasonable accommodation requests are managed on a case-by-case basis.

A 30-minute public comment period is scheduled for 2 p.m. MT during each of the meetings. Depending on the number of people who wish to comment during the public comment period, time for individual comments may be limited. Written comments may be submitted in advance to the contact listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice. Comments received at least 1 week in advance of the meeting will be provided to RAC members prior to the meeting. Please include “RAC Comment” in your submission. Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, please be aware that your entire comment—including your personally identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While individuals may request their personally identifying information to be withheld from public view, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Detailed summary minutes of the RAC meetings will be maintained in the Southwest District Office and will be available for public inspection and reproduction during regular business hours within 90 days following the meeting. Minutes and agendas will also be posted on the RAC's web page.

Background. —These investigations are being instituted, pursuant to sections 703(a) and 733(a) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1671b(a) and 1673b(a)), in response to these petitions filed on June 20, 2024, by the American Personal Transportation Vehicle Manufacturers Coalition. 1

For further information concerning the conduct of these investigations and rules of general application, consult the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, part 201, subparts A and B (19 CFR part 201), and part 207, subparts A and B (19 CFR part 207).

Participation in the investigations and public service list. —Persons (other than petitioners) wishing to participate in the investigations as parties must file an entry of appearance with the Secretary to the Commission, as provided in §§ 201.11 and 207.10 of the Commission's rules, not later than seven days after publication of this notice in the Federal Register . Industrial users and (if the merchandise under investigation is sold at the retail level) representative consumer organizations have the right to appear as parties in Commission antidumping duty and countervailing duty investigations. The Secretary will prepare a public service list containing the names and addresses of all persons, or their representatives, who are parties to these investigations upon the expiration of the period for filing entries of appearance.

Limited disclosure of business proprietary information (BPI) under an administrative protective order (APO) and BPI service list. —Pursuant to § 207.7(a) of the Commission's rules, the Secretary will make BPI gathered in these investigations available to authorized applicants representing interested parties (as defined in 19 U.S.C. 1677(9)) who are parties to the investigations under the APO issued in the investigations, provided that the application is made not later than seven days after the publication of this notice in the Federal Register . A separate service list will be maintained by the Secretary for those parties authorized to receive BPI under the APO.

Conference. —The Office of Investigations will hold a staff conference in connection with the preliminary phase of these investigations beginning at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 11, 2024. Requests to appear at the conference should be emailed to preliminaryconferences@usitc.gov (DO NOT FILE ON EDIS) on or before Tuesday, July 9, 2024. Please provide an email address for each conference participant in the email. Information on conference procedures, format, and participation, including guidance for requests to appear as a witness via videoconference, will be available on the Commission's Public Calendar (Calendar (USITC) | United States International Trade Commission). A nonparty who has testimony that may aid the Commission's deliberations may request permission to participate by submitting a short statement.

Please note the Secretary's Office will accept only electronic filings during this time. Filings must be made through the Commission's Electronic Document Information System (EDIS, https://edis.usitc.gov ). No in-person paper-based filings or paper copies of any electronic filings will be accepted until further notice.

Written submissions. —As provided in §§ 201.8 and 207.15 of the Commission's rules, any person may submit to the Commission on or before 5:15 p.m. on July 16, 2024, a written brief containing information and arguments pertinent to the subject matter of the investigations. Parties shall file written testimony and supplementary material in connection with their presentation at the conference no later than noon on July 10, 2024. All written submissions must conform with the provisions of § 201.8 of the Commission's rules; any submissions that contain BPI must also conform with the requirements of §§ 201.6, 207.3, and 207.7 of the Commission's rules. The Commission's Handbook on Filing Procedures, available on the Commission's website at https://www.usitc.gov/documents/handbook_on_filing_procedures.pdf, elaborates upon the Commission's procedures with respect to filings.

In accordance with §§ 201.16(c) and 207.3 of the rules, each document filed by a party to the investigations must be served on all other parties to the investigations (as identified by either the public or BPI service list), and a certificate of service must be timely filed. The Secretary will not accept a document for filing without a certificate of service.

Certification. —Pursuant to § 207.3 of the Commission's rules, any person submitting information to the Commission in connection with these investigations must certify that the information is accurate and complete to the best of the submitter's knowledge. In making the certification, the submitter will acknowledge that any information that it submits to the Commission during these investigations may be disclosed to and used: (i) by the Commission, its employees and Offices, and contract personnel (a) for developing or maintaining the records of these or related investigations or reviews, or (b) in internal investigations, audits, reviews, and evaluations relating to the programs, personnel, and operations of the Commission including under 5 U.S.C. appendix 3; or (ii) by U.S. Government employees and contract personnel, solely for cybersecurity purposes. All contract personnel will sign appropriate nondisclosure agreements.

Authority: These investigations are being conducted under authority of title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930; this notice is published pursuant to § 207.12 of the Commission's rules.

Background. —These investigations are being instituted, pursuant to sections 703(a) and 733(a) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1671b(a) and 1673b(a)), in response to a petition filed on June 20, 2024, by Webb Wheel Products, Inc., Cullman, Alabama.

For further information concerning the conduct of these investigations and rules of general application, consult the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, part 201, subparts A and B (19 CFR part 201), and part 207, subparts A and B (19 CFR part 207).

Participation in the investigations and public service list. —Persons (other than petitioners) wishing to participate in the investigations as parties must file an entry of appearance with the Secretary to the Commission, as provided in §§ 201.11 and 207.10 of the Commission's rules, not later than seven days after publication of this notice in the Federal Register . Industrial users and (if the merchandise under investigation is sold at the retail level) representative consumer organizations have the right to appear as parties in Commission antidumping duty and countervailing duty investigations. The Secretary will prepare a public service list containing the names and addresses of all persons, or their representatives, who are parties to these investigations upon the expiration of the period for filing entries of appearance.

Limited disclosure of business proprietary information (BPI) under an administrative protective order (APO) and BPI service list. —Pursuant to § 207.7(a) of the Commission's rules, the Secretary will make BPI gathered in these investigations available to authorized applicants representing interested parties (as defined in 19 U.S.C. 1677(9)) who are parties to the investigations under the APO issued in the investigations, provided that the application is made not later than seven days after the publication of this notice in the Federal Register . A separate service list will be maintained by the Secretary for those parties authorized to receive BPI under the APO.

Conference. —The Office of Investigations will hold a staff conference in connection with the preliminary phase of these investigations beginning at 9:30 a.m. on July 11, 2024. Requests to appear at the conference should be emailed to preliminaryconferences@usitc.gov (DO NOT FILE ON EDIS) on or before 5:15 p.m. on July 9, 2024. Please provide an email address for each conference participant in the email. Information on conference procedures, format, and participation, including guidance for requests to appear as a witness via videoconference, will be available on the Commission's Public Calendar (Calendar (USITC) | United States International Trade Commission). A nonparty who has testimony that may aid the Commission's deliberations may request permission to participate by submitting a short statement.

Please note the Secretary's Office will accept only electronic filings during this time. Filings must be made through the Commission's Electronic Document Information System (EDIS, https://edis.usitc.gov ). No in-person paper-based filings or paper copies of any electronic filings will be accepted until further notice.

Written submissions. —As provided in §§ 201.8 and 207.15 of the Commission's rules, any person may submit to the Commission on or before 5:15 p.m. on July 16, 2024, a written brief containing information and arguments pertinent to the subject matter of the investigations. Parties shall file written testimony and supplementary material in connection with their presentation at the conference no later than noon on July 10, 2024. All written submissions must conform with the provisions of § 201.8 of the Commission's rules; any submissions that contain BPI must also conform with the requirements of §§ 201.6, 207.3, and 207.7 of the Commission's rules. The Commission's Handbook on Filing Procedures, available on the Commission's website at https://www.usitc.gov/documents/handbook_on_filing_procedures.pdf, elaborates upon the Commission's procedures with respect to filings.

In accordance with §§ 201.16(c) and 207.3 of the rules, each document filed by a party to the investigations must be served on all other parties to the investigations (as identified by either the public or BPI service list), and a certificate of service must be timely filed. The Secretary will not accept a document for filing without a certificate of service.

Certification. —Pursuant to § 207.3 of the Commission's rules, any person submitting information to the Commission in connection with these investigations must certify that the information is accurate and complete to the best of the submitter's knowledge. In making the certification, the submitter will acknowledge that any information that it submits to the Commission during these investigations may be disclosed to and used: (i) by the Commission, its employees and Offices, and contract personnel (a) for developing or maintaining the records of these or related investigations or reviews, or (b) in internal investigations, audits, reviews, and evaluations relating to the programs, personnel, and operations of the Commission including under 5 U.S.C. appendix 3; or (ii) by U.S. Government employees and contract personnel, solely for cybersecurity purposes. All contract personnel will sign appropriate nondisclosure agreements.

Authority: These investigations are being conducted under authority of title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930; this notice is published pursuant to § 207.12 of the Commission's rules.

On January 16, 2024, the Commission instituted this investigation based on a complaint filed by Future Motion, Inc. of Santa Cruz, California (“Future Motion,” or “Complainant”). 89 FR 2644-45 (Jan. 16, 2024). The complaint alleged violations of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, 19 U.S.C. 1337, based upon the importation into the United States, the sale for importation, or sale within the United States after importation of certain self-balancing electric skateboards and components thereof by reason of infringement of one or more of claims 1, 2, 4-6, 8-10, 13-15, and 17-19 of U.S. Patent No. 9,400,505 (“the '505 patent”). Id. at 2644. The Commission's notice of investigation named as respondents Floatwheel; Changzhou Smilo Motors Co., Ltd. of Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, China (”Smilo”); Changzhou Gaea Technology Co., Ltd. of Changzhou, Jiangsu, China (“Gaea”); and Shanghai Loyal Industry Co., Ltd., d/b/a “SoverSky” of Shanghai, China (“SoverSky”). Id. at 2645. The Office of Unfair Import Investigations was also named as a party in this investigation. Id.

On March 12, 2024, Complainant moved to withdraw its complaint and terminate this investigation with respect to respondents Smilo, Gaea, and SoverSky. Motion Docket No. 1386-06 (EDIS Doc. ID 815981). On March 13, 2024, the ALJ granted the unopposed motion. Order No. 13 (Mar. 13, 2024); unreviewed by Notice (April 12, 2024).

The complaint and notice of investigation were served on Floatwheel on January 17, 2024. See Order No. 8 at 5 (Feb. 6, 2024). Floatwheel failed to respond to the complaint and notice of investigation.

On February 23, 2024, the presiding ALJ issued Order No. 10, ordering, inter alia, Floatwheel to show cause why it should not be found in default and why judgment should not be rendered against it for failing to respond to the complaint and notice of investigation. No response was filed to the show cause order.

On March 13, 2024, the ALJ issued an ID (Order No. 15) finding Floatwheel in default under Commission Rule 210.16 (19 CFR 210.16). On April 12, 2024, the Commission determined not to review and issued a Federal Register Notice to that effect. 89 FR 27450-27451 (Apr. 17, 2024). The Commission also requested briefing from the parties and the public on the issues of remedy, the public interest, and bonding. Id. at 42938.

The Commission has determined that the appropriate form of relief in this investigation is an LEO prohibiting the unlicensed entry of self-balancing electric skateboards and components thereof by reason of the infringement of one or more of claims 1, 2, 4-6, 8-10, 13-15, and 17-19 of the '505 patent and that are manufactured abroad by or on behalf of, or imported by or on behalf of, Respondent. The Commission has further determined that the public interest factors enumerated in section 337(g)(l) (19 U.S.C. 1337(g)(l)) do not preclude issuance of the LEO. The Commission has determined that the bond for importation during the period of Presidential review shall be in the amount of one hundred percent (100%) of the entered value of the imported subject articles of Respondent. 1 The Commission's order was delivered to the President and the United States Trade Representative on the day of the issuance.

The authority for the Commission's determination is contained in section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1337), and in part 210 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR part 210).