[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 118 (Tuesday, June 21, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35655-35656]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-12223]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Notice of Final Extension of Project Period and Waiver for the 
Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems Centers

AGENCY: National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research 
(NIDRR), Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, 
Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of final extension of project period and waiver for the 
Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems Centers (SCIMS).

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SUMMARY: The Secretary waives the requirements in Education Department 
General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), in 34 CFR 75.250 and 
75.261(c)(2), respectively, that generally prohibit project periods 
exceeding five years and project period extensions involving the 
obligation of additional Federal funds. This extension of project 
period and waiver enables the current SCIMS (a total of 16), which 
provide assistance to establish innovative projects for the delivery, 
demonstration, and evaluation of comprehensive medical, vocational, and 
other rehabilitation services to meet the wide range of needs of 
individuals with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI), to receive an additional 12-
month Federal funding period ranging from September 1, 2005, until 
December 1, 2006, a period exceeding the original project period of 
five years.

DATES: Effective Date: This priority is effective June 21, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna Nangle, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 6030, Potomac Center Plaza, 
Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 245-7462 or by e-mail: 
[email protected]
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
    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: On April 25, 2005, we published a notice in 
the Federal Register (70 FR 21188) proposing an extension of project 
period and waiver in order to--
    (1) Enable the Secretary to provide additional funds to the 
currently funded centers for an additional 12-month period ranging from 
September 1, 2005, until December 1, 2006; and
    (2) Request comments on the proposed extension and waiver.
    There are no substantive differences between the notice of proposed 
extension of project period and waiver and this notice of final 
extension of project period and waiver.

Public Comment

    In the notice of proposed extension of project period and waiver, 
we invited comments. One party submitted a comment agreeing with the 
proposal to extend the grant period of the current grantees. We did not 
receive any comments opposing the proposed extension of project period 
and waiver. Generally, we do not address technical and other minor 
changes, as well as suggested changes the law does not authorize us to 
make.

Waiver of Delayed Effective Date

    The Administrative Procedure Act requires that a substantive rule 
shall be published at least 30 days before its effective date, except 
as otherwise provided for good cause (5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3)). During the 
30-day public comment period on the notice of proposed extension of 
project period and waiver, one party submitted a comment in support of 
the proposed extension and waiver. There were no objections received on 
the proposed extension and waiver, and therefore, no substantive 
changes have been made. In addition, given the fact that the additional 
period of funding is only for a 12-month period, and in order to make

[[Page 35656]]

timely continuation grants to the 16 entities affected, the Secretary 
has determined that a delayed effective date is unnecessary and 
contrary to the public interest.

Background

    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), which are designed to help improve 
rehabilitation research and outcomes for individuals with disabilities.


    Note: The NFI can be accessed on the Internet at the following 
site: http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/newfreedom newfreedom.

    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 research and outcomes for individuals with disabilities. The 
Conference Report accompanying the 2005 Appropriations Act noted that 
NIDRR received additional funding for the SCIMS program and stated that 
the conferees intended that the additional funds should be used to 
support investments that could facilitate multi-center research on 
therapies, interventions, and the use of technology. NIDRR is 
conducting background work to inform the competition and plans to defer 
new awards, formerly scheduled for 2005, until 2006 in order to use the 
background information to guide development of competition priorities, 
allow applicants sufficient time to prepare proposals, and place all 
SCIMS grants on the same funding schedule.
    The grants for 16 SCIMS at University of Alabama/Birmingham, Santa 
Clara Valley Medical Center, Los Amigos Research and Education 
Institute, Inc., Craig Hospital, University of Miami, Shepherd Center, 
Inc., Boston University Medical Center Hospital, University of 
Michigan, University of Missouri/Columbia, Kessler Medical 
Rehabilitation Research and Education Corporation, Mount Sinai School 
of Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, University of 
Pittsburgh, The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research, Virginia 
Commonwealth University, and the University of Washington are scheduled 
to expire on various dates between August 31, 2005, and November 30, 
2005. It would be contrary to the public interest, however, to have a 
lapse in these SCI research activities before the new awards are made 
in FY 2006.
    To avoid a lapse in research and related activities, the Secretary 
will fund each of these projects for an additional 12 months. 
Accordingly, the Secretary waives the requirements in 34 CFR 75.250 and 
75.261(c)(2), which prohibit project periods exceeding five years and 
extensions of project periods that involve the obligation of additional 
Federal funds.

Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification

    The Secretary certifies that the final extension of the project 
period and waiver would not have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities. The only entities that would be 
affected are the 16 SCIMS.

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

    This final extension of project period and waiver does not contain 
any information collection requirements.

Intergovernmental Review

    This program is not subject to the requirements of Executive Order 
12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.

Electronic Access to This Document

    You may view this document, as well as all other Department of 
Education documents 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.


    Dated: June 15, 2005.
John H. Hager,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 05-12223 Filed 6-20-05; 8:45 am]
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