[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 2, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 96-98]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-31539]




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Part III





Department of Agriculture





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Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service



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Rangeland Research Grants Program for Fiscal Year 1996; Solicitation of 
Applications; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 1 / Tuesday, January 2, 1996 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service


Rangeland Research Grants Program for Fiscal Year 1996; 
Solicitation of Applications

    Notice is hereby given that under the authority in section 1480 of 
the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act 
of 1977, as amended (7 U.S.C. 3333), the Cooperative State Research, 
Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) of the United States 
Department of Agriculture (USDA) will award standard grants for basic 
studies in certain areas of rangeland research. No more than $80,000 
will be awarded for the support of any one project, regardless of the 
amount requested. The total amount of funds available for grants under 
the Rangeland Research Grants Program during fiscal year 1996 is 
$451,535.

Eligibility and Limitations on Use of Funds

    Under this program, subject to the availability of funds, the 
Secretary may award grants to land-grant colleges and universities, 
State agricultural experiment stations, and to colleges, universities, 
and Federal laboratories having a demonstrable capacity in rangeland 
research, as determined by the Secretary. Except in the case of Federal 
laboratories, each grant recipient shall match the Federal funds 
expended on a research project based on a formula of 50 percent Federal 
and 50 percent non-Federal funding. Proposals received from scientists 
at non-United States organizations or institutions will not be 
considered for support. Section 712 of the Agriculture, Rural 
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Act, 1996, Pub. L. No. 104-37, prohibits CSREES from 
paying indirect costs on research grants that exceed 14 percent of 
total Federal funds provided under each award. In addition, section 716 
of that Act provides that, in the case of any equipment or product that 
may be authorized to be purchased with funds appropriated under that 
Act, entities receiving such funds are encouraged to use such funds to 
purchase only American-made equipment or products.
    Pursuant to section 1473 of the National Agricultural Research, 
Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977, as amended (7 U.S.C. 3319), 
funds made available under this program to recipients other than 
Federal laboratories shall not be subject to reduction for indirect 
costs or for tuition remission costs. Since these costs are not 
allowable costs for purposes of this program, such costs incurred by a 
grant recipient may not be used to meet the matching fund requirement.

Applicable Regulations

    This program is subject to the provisions found in 7 CFR part 3401, 
as amended (58 FR 21852, April 23, 1993), which sets forth procedures 
to be followed when submitting grant proposals, rules governing the 
evaluation of proposals, processes regarding the awarding of grants, 
and regulations relating to the post-award administration of grant 
projects. In addition, the USDA Uniform Federal Assistance Regulations, 
7 CFR part 3015, as amended; the Uniform Administrative Requirements 
for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments, 7 
CFR part 3016, as amended; the regulations governing Governmentwide 
Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) and the Governmentwide 
Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Grants), 7 CFR part 3017, as 
amended; the New Restrictions on Lobbying, 7 CFR part 3018; the Uniform 
Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions 
of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Nonprofit Organizations, 7 
CFR part 3019; the Audits of Institutions of Higher Education and Other 
Nonprofit Institutions, 7 CFR part 3051; and the CSREES regulations 
implementing the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, 7 CFR part 
3407, apply to this program.

Specific Areas of Research To Be Supported in Fiscal Year 1996

    Standard grants will be awarded to support basic research in 
certain areas of rangeland research. Proposals will be considered in 
the following specific areas: (1) Management of rangelands and 
agricultural land as integrated systems for more efficient utilization 
of crops and waste products in the production of food and fiber; (2) 
methods of managing rangeland watersheds to maximize efficient use of 
water and improve water yield, water quality, and water conservation, 
to protect against onsite and offsite damage to rangeland resources 
from floods, erosion, and other detrimental influences, and to remedy 
unsatisfactory and unstable rangeland conditions; and (3) revegetation 
and rehabilitation of rangelands including the control of undesirable 
species of plants.
    For Further Information Contact: Program related questions should 
be directed to Dr. Paul F. McCawley, CSREES-USDA; telephone: (202) 401-
5351.

Compliance With the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

    As outlined in 7 CFR part 3407 (the CSREES regulations implementing 
the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969), environmental data for 
any proposed project is to be provided to CSREES so that CSREES may 
determine whether any further action is needed. The applicant shall 
review the following categorical exclusions and determine if the 
proposed project may fall within one or more of the categories.

(1) Department of Agriculture Categorical Exclusions (7 CFR 1b.3)

    (i) Policy development, planning and implementation which are 
related to routine activities such as personnel, organizational 
changes, or similar administrative functions;
    (ii) Activities which deal solely with the functions of programs, 
such as program budget proposals, disbursements, and transfer or 
reprogramming of funds;
    (iii) Inventories, research activities, and studies, such as 
resource inventories and routine data collection when such actions are 
clearly limited in context and intensity;
    (iv) Educational and informational programs and activities;
    (v) Civil and criminal law enforcement and investigative 
activities;
    (vi) Activities which are advisory and consultative to other 
agencies and public and private entities; and
    (vii) Activities related to trade representation and market 
development activities abroad.

(2) CSREES Categorical Exclusions (7 CFR 3407.6(a)(2))

    Based on previous experience, the following categories of CSREES 
actions are excluded because they have been found to have limited scope 
and intensity and to have no significant individual or cumulative 
impacts on the quality of the human environment:
    (i) The following categories of research programs or projects of 
limited size and magnitude or with only short-term effects on the 
environment:
    (A) Research conducted within any laboratory, greenhouse, or other 
contained facility where research practices and safeguards prevent 
environmental impacts;
    (B) Surveys, inventories, and similar studies that have limited 
context and minimal intensity in terms of changes in the environment; 
and
    (C) Testing outside of the laboratory, such as in small isolated 
field plots, 

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which involves the routine use of familiar chemicals or biological 
materials.
    (ii) Routine renovation, rehabilitation, or revitalization of 
physical facilities, including the acquisition and installation of 
equipment, where such activity is limited in scope and intensity.
    In order for CSREES to determine whether any further action is 
needed with respect to NEPA, pertinent information regarding the 
possible environmental impacts of a particular project is necessary; 
therefore, Form CSREES-1234, ``NEPA Exclusions Form'' (copy enclosed), 
must be included in the proposal indicating whether the applicant is of 
the opinion that the project falls within one or more of the 
categorical exclusions and the reasons therefore. If it is the 
applicant's opinion that the proposed projects falls within one or more 
of the categorical exclusions, the specific exclusion(s) must be 
identified. The information submitted shall be identified in the Table 
of Contents as ``NEPA Considerations'' and Form CSREES-1234 and 
supporting documentation shall be placed after the Form CSREES-661, 
``Application for Funding,'' in the proposal.
    Even though a project may fall within one or more of the 
categorical exclusions, CSREES may determine that an Environmental 
Assessment or an Environmental Impact Statement is necessary for a 
proposed project if substantial controversy on environmental grounds 
exist or if other extraordinary conditions or circumstances are present 
that may cause such activity to have a significant environmental 
effect.
    Addresses:

How To Obtain Application Materials

    Copies of this solicitation, the Application Kit, and the 
Administrative Provisions for this program (7 CFR Part 3401) may be 
obtained by writing to the address or calling the telephone number 
which follows: Proposal Services; Grants Management Branch; Office of 
Extramural Programs; Cooperative State Research, Education, and 
Extension Service; U.S. Department of Agriculture; Room 303, Aerospace 
Center; Ag Box 2245; Washington, DC 20250-2245; Telephone: (202) 401-
5048.
    These materials may also be requested via Internet by sending a 
message with your name, mailing address (not e-mail) and phone number, 
to [email protected] which states that you want a copy of the 
application materials for the Fiscal Year 1996 Rangeland Research 
Grants Program. The materials will then be mailed to you (not e-mailed) 
as quickly as possible.

What To Submit

    An original and nine copies of each proposal must be submitted. 
This number of copies is necessary to permit thorough, objective merit 
evaluation of all proposals received before funding decisions are made.
    Every effort should be made to ensure that the proposal contains 
all pertinent information when submitted. Prior to mailing, compare 
your proposal with the guidelines contained in the Administrative 
Provisions which govern the Rangeland Research Grants Program, 7 CFR 
Part 3401. Proposals submitted by organizations other than Federal 
laboratories shall state that the 50 percent non-Federal funding 
requirement will be met.
    Each copy of each proposal must include a Form CSREES-661, 
``Application for Funding,'' Applicants should note that one copy of 
this form, preferably the original, must contain pen-and-ink signatures 
of the principal investigator(s) and the authorized organizational 
representative. (Form CSREES-661 and the other required forms and 
certifications are contained in the Application Kit).
    Grant proposals shall be limited to 10 pages (single-spaced and 
typed on one side of the page only), exclusive of required forms, 
bibliography and vitae of the principal investigator(s), senior 
associate(s), and other professional personnel.
    All copies of each proposal shall be mailed in one package. Please 
make sure that each copy of each proposal is stapled securely in the 
upper left-hand corner. DO NOT BIND.
    One copy of each proposal not selected for funding will be retained 
for a period of one year. The remaining copies will be destroyed.

Where and When To Submit Applications for Funding

    To be considered for funding during Fiscal Year 1996, proposals 
must be submitted by February 29, 1996.
    Proposals submitted through the regular mail must be postmarked by 
February 29, 1996, and should be sent to the following address: 
Proposal Services; Grants Management Branch; Office of Extramural 
Programs; Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service; 
U.S. Department of Agriculture; Room 303, Aerospace Center; Ag Box 
2245; Washington, D.C. 20250-2245. The telephone number is: (202) 401-
5048.
    Hand-delivered proposals, including those submitted by express mail 
or a courier service, must be received at the following address by 
February 29, 1996: Proposal Services; Grants Management Branch; Office 
of Extramural Programs; Cooperative State Research, Education, and 
Extension Service; U.S. Department of Agriculture; Room 303, Aerospace 
Center; 901 D Street, S.W.; Washington, D.C. 20024. The telephone 
number is: (202) 401-5048.
    Supplementary Information: The Rangeland Research Grants Program is 
listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance under No. 10.200. 
For reasons set forth in the Final Rule-related Notice to 7 CFR Part 
3015, subpart V (48 FR 29115, June 24, 1983), this program is excluded 
from the scope of Executive Order 12372, which requires 
intergovernmental consultation with State and local officials.
    Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, as 
amended (44 U.S.C. 3504(h)), the collection of information requirements 
contained in this notice have been approved under OMB Document Nos. 
0524-0022 and 0524-0033.

    Done at Washington, D.C., this 21st day of December 1995.
Colien Hefferan,
Acting Administrator, Cooperative State Research, Education, and 
Extension Service.

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[FR Doc. 95-31539 Filed 12-29-95; 8:45 am]
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