[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 165 (Thursday, August 26, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52490-52492]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-19559]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No. 040820243-4243-01; I.D. 071204A]


Western Pacific Demonstration Projects

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of funding availability for Western Pacific 
Demonstration Project applications.

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SUMMARY: NMFS is soliciting applications for financial assistance for 
Western Pacific Demonstration Projects. Eligible applicants are 
encouraged to submit projects intended to foster and promote the use of 
traditional indigenous fishing practices and/or to develop or enhance 
western Pacific community-based fishing opportunities that benefit the 
island communities in American Samoa, Guam, Hawaii, and the Northern 
Mariana Islands. Projects may also request support for research and the 
acquisition of materials and equipment necessary to carry out such 
project proposals.

DATES: Project proposals and completed grant applications must be 
received by 5 p.m. Hawaii standard time on October 25, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Project proposals and grant applications must be sent to: 
Federal Program Officer for Western Pacific Demonstration Projects, 
Pacific Islands Region, National Marine Fisheries Service, 1601 
Kapiolani Boulevard, Suite 1110, Honolulu, HI 96814.
    The full text of the funding opportunity announcement for this NMFS 
program can be accessed via the Grants.gov web site: http://www.grants.gov. This announcement will also be available at the NOAA 
web site: http://www.ofa.noaa.gov/%7Eamd/SOLINDEX.HTML or by contacting 
the program official identified in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Bloom (NMFS) at 808-973-2937, or 
by e-mail at [email protected]; or Charles Ka'ai'ai (Western Pacific 
Fishery Management Council), 808-522-8220 or by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS is soliciting competitive applications 
for grants to eligible western Pacific communities to support fishery 
demonstration projects to foster and promote traditional indigenous 
fishing

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practices. Funding priorities for Fiscal Years 2004 and 2005 are: (1) 
community education; (2) processing of fishery products and byproducts; 
(3) feasibility studies for participation in fishery and fishery 
related activities; (4) increase opportunities for participation in the 
Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) activities and 
process; and (5) demonstrate traditional, cultural fishing practices. A 
detailed description for each program priority is in the funding 
opportunity announcement which can be accessed via the Grants.gov web 
site, the NOAA web site at http://www.ofa.noaa.gov/%7Eamd/SOLINDEX.HTML 
, or by contacting the program official identified in FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT. Applications must address one or more of the 
funding priorities identified above.
    The Department of Commerce Pre-award Notification Requirements for 
Grants and Cooperative Agreements contained in the Federal Register 
notice of October 1, 2001 (66 FR 49917), as amended by the Federal 
Register notice published on October 30, 2002 (67 FR 66109), are 
applicable to this solicitation.

Electronic Access

    The full text of the funding opportunity announcement for this NMFS 
program can be accessed via the Grants.gov web site. This announcement 
will also be available at the NOAA web site: http://www.ofa.noaa.gov/%7Eamd/SOLINDEX.HTML or by contacting the program official identified 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. This Federal Register notice is 
available through the NMFS Pacific Islands Region (PIR) home page at: 
http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/pir/index.htm, and the Western Pacific Council 
home page at: http://www.wpcouncil.org.

Funding Availability

    This solicitation announces the availability of $500,000 for Fiscal 
Year 2004 and prospective funding in the amount of $500,000 that may be 
available for Fiscal Year 2005. NMFS will select not less than three 
and not more than five applicants for each fiscal year. Applicants will 
be selected by NMFS on a competitive basis, as recommended by the 
Western Pacific Fishery Management Council. Funding for Fiscal Year 
2005 is contingent upon the availability of appropriations.

Statutory Authority

    The Secretary is authorized to make direct grants to eligible 
western Pacific communities pursuant to section 111(b) of Pub. L. 104-
297, as amended, and published within 16 U.S.C. 1855 note.

CFDA

    11.452, Unallied Industry Projects.

Eligibility

    Eligible applicants are limited to communities in the Western 
Pacific Regional Fishery Management Area, as defined at section 
305(i)(2)(D) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), 16 U.S.C. 1855(i)(2)(D). 
Applicants also must meet the standards for determining eligibility set 
forth in section 305(i)(2)(B) of the Act, 16 U.S.C. 1855(i)(2)(B). The 
eligibility criteria developed by the Council and approved by the 
Secretary to participate in western Pacific community development 
programs was published in the Federal Register on April 16, 2002 (67 FR 
18512 and 18513).

Cost Sharing Requirements

    None

Intergovernmental Review

    Applications under this program are subject to Executive Order 
12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.''

Limitation of Liability

    In no event will NOAA or the Department of Commerce be responsible 
for proposal preparation costs if this program is cancelled because of 
other agency priorities. Publication of this announcement does not 
oblige NOAA to award any specific project or to obligate any available 
funds. Applicants are hereby given notice that funding for the Fiscal 
Year 2005 program is contingent upon the availability of Fiscal Year 
2005 appropriations.

Universal Identifier

    Applicants should be aware that, they are required to provide a Dun 
and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number during the 
application process. See the October 30, 2002, Federal Register, (67, 
FR 66177) for additional information. Organizations can receive a DUNS 
number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free DUNS Number 
request line at 1-866-705-5711 or via the Internet at http://www.dunandbradstreet.com.

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

    NOAA must analyze the potential environmental impacts, as required 
by NEPA, for applicant projects or proposals which are seeking NOAA 
Federal assistance. Detailed information on NOAA compliance with NEPA 
can be found at the following web site: http://www.nepa.noaa.gov 
including NOAA Administrative Order 216-6 for NEPA at http://www.nepa.noaa.gov/NAO216_6_TOC.pdf, and the Council on Environmental 
Quality implementation regulations at http://ceq.eh.doe.gov/nepa/regs/ceq/toc_ceq.htm.
    Consequently, as part of an applicant's package, and under the 
description of their program activities, applicants are required to 
provide detailed information on the activities to be conducted, 
locations, sites, species, and habitat to be affected, possible 
construction activities, and any environmental concerns that may exist 
(e.g., the use and disposal of hazardous or toxic chemicals, 
introduction of non-indigenous species, impacts to endangered and 
threatened species, aquaculture projects, and impacts to coral reef 
systems). In addition to providing specific information that will serve 
as the basis for any required impact analysis, applicants may also be 
requested to assist NOAA in drafting an environmental assessment, if 
NOAA determines an assessment is required. Applicants will also be 
required to cooperate with NOAA in identifying and implementing 
feasible measures to reduce or avoid any identified adverse 
environmental impacts of their proposal. The failure to do so shall be 
grounds for the denial of an application.

Evaluation and Selection Procedures

    NOAA published its agency-wide solicitation entitled ``Omnibus 
Notice Announcing the Availability of Grant Funds for Fiscal Year 
2005'' for projects and fellowships/scholarship/internships for Fiscal 
Year 2005 in the Federal Register on June 30, 2004 (69 FR 39417). The 
evaluation criteria and selection procedures for projects contained in 
that omnibus notice are applicable to this solicitation. Copies of the 
notice are available on the internet at: http://www.ofa.noaa.gov%7Eamd/
SOLINDEX.HTML.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This document contains collection-of-information requirements 
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The use of Standard Forms 
424 and 424A, 424B, and SF-LLL, and CD-346 has been approved by the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the respective control 
numbers 0348-0043, 0348-0044, 0348-040, 0348-0046, and 0605-0001. 
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required to, 
nor shall a person be subject

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to a penalty for failure to comply with, a collection of information 
subject to the requirements of the PRA unless that collection of 
information displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Executive Order 12866

    This notice has been determined to be not significant for purposes 
of Executive Order 12866.

Executive Order 13132 (Federalism)

    It has been determined that this notice does not contain policies 
with Federalism implications as that term is defined in Executive Order 
13132.

Administrative Procedure Act/Regulatory Flexibility Act

    Prior notice and an opportunity for public comment are not required 
by the Administrative Procedure Act or any other law for rules 
concerning public property, loans, grants, benefits, and contracts (5 
U.S.C. 553(a)(2)). Because notice and opportunity for comment are not 
required pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 or any other law, the analytical 
requirements for the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) 
are inapplicable. Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis has not 
been prepared.

    Dated: August 23, 2004.
Rebecca Lent,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 04-19559 Filed 8-25-04; 8:45 am]
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