[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 74 (Friday, April 16, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20604-20605]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-8706]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research 
(NIDRR); Notice of Extension

AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, 
Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of extension of project period and waiver for the 
National Center for the Dissemination of Disability Research (NCDDR) 
Project.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary waives the requirements in Education Department 
General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), at 34 CFR 75.250 and 
75.261(a) and (c)(2), respectively, that generally prohibit project 
periods exceeding 5 years and project period extensions involving the 
obligation of additional Federal funds. This extension of project 
period and waiver will enable a Disability and Rehabilitation Research 
Project (DRRP) that conducts research on issues relating to the 
dissemination and utilization of research results developed through 
NIDRR grants and contracts to receive funding from October 1, 2004, 
until September 30, 2005.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This notice is effective May 17, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna Nangle, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3412, Switzer Building, 
Washington, DC 20202-2645. Telephone: (202) 205-5880 or via Internet: 
[email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the TDD number at (202) 205-4475.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an 
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer 
diskette) on request to the contact person listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NIDRR supports the goals of the President's 
New Freedom Initiative (NFI) and the National Institute on Disability 
and Rehabilitation Research Long Range Plan (Plan) to improve 
rehabilitation services and outcomes for individuals with disabilities.

    Note: The NFI can be accessed on the Internet at the following 
site: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/freedominitiative/freedominitiative.htm.
    The Plan can be accessed on the Internet at the following site: 
http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/index.html.

    In accordance with the goals of the NFI and the Plan, and as 
authorized under section 204(a)(1) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 
as amended, through NIDRR, the Department provides funding for projects 
to improve services and outcomes for individuals with disabilities. In 
order to foster more efficient use of Federal funds for the DRRP 
program, the Secretary intends to refocus the priorities for 
dissemination and utilization of research results and provide funding 
for new awards in fiscal year (FY) 2005.
    The grant for the NCDDR currently administered by the Southwest 
Educational Development Laboratory, Austin, Texas, is scheduled to 
expire September 30, 2004. It would be contrary to the public interest, 
however, to have any lapse in the research and related activities 
conducted by NCDDR before the refocused priorities can be implemented 
and new awards granted for FY 2005.
    To avoid any lapse in research and related activities before the 
refocused priorities can be implemented, therefore, the Secretary has 
decided to fund this project until September 30, 2005. Accordingly, the 
Secretary waives the requirements in 34 CFR 75.250 and 75.261(a) and 
(c)(2), which prohibit project periods exceeding 5 years and extensions 
of project periods that involve the obligation of additional Federal 
funds.

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 regulations. However, the waiver of the 
requirements in 34 CFR 75.250 and 75.261 applicable to the maximum 
project period and extension of the project period for these grants on 
a one-time only basis is procedural and does not establish new 
substantive policy. Therefore, under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A), proposed 
rulemaking is not required.
    In addition, given the fact that the additional period of funding 
is only for

[[Page 20605]]

a period of 12 months from the expiration of the existing grant 
agreement in September 2004, and affects only the potential lapse in 
funding for the above-mentioned project, the Secretary has determined 
that proposed rulemaking on this waiver is impracticable, unnecessary, 
and contrary to the public interest. Thus, proposed rulemaking also is 
not required under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B).

Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification

    The Secretary certifies that this extension of the project period 
and waiver will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial 
number of small entities.
    Electronic Access to This Document: You may view this document, as 
well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal 
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the 
Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
    To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. 
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in 
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.

    Note: The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the 
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal 
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.133A, Disability 
Rehabilitation Research Project.)

    Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 762(g) and 764(a).

    Dated: April 12, 2004.
Troy R. Justesen,
Acting Deputy Assistant, Secretary for Special Education and 
Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 04-8706 Filed 4-15-04; 8:45 am]
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