[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 60 (Thursday, March 27, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16265-16266]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-6285]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No. 080321457-8458-01]


Revision to the 2008 Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: NOAA publishes this notice to amend the application 
requirements for the 2008 Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship program, which 
was announced in the Federal Register on July 2, 2007. The notice 
informs applicants that NOAA removes the requirement that a copy of the 
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form be submitted as 
part of the applications for the 2008 Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship 
program.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to Priti Brahma, 301-713-9437 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NOAA publishes this notice to remove the 
requirement that a copy of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid 
(FAFSA) form be submitted as part of the applications for the 2008 Dr. 
Nancy Foster Scholarship program, which was announced in the Federal 
Register on July 2, 2007 (72 FR 36263). The requirement for this form 
is contained in the Announcement of Federal Funding Opportunity (NOS-
NMS-2008-2001067), Section IV.B.5 posted to http://www.grants.gov and 
referenced in the Federal Register notice cited above. The requirement 
stated that failure to provide the form would disqualify the 
application from consideration. However, NOAA has determined that the 
Student Aid Report, a document which is also a required submission, 
contains the information necessary to allow a determination of the 
student's financial need, and that the FAFSA is not necessary. 
Therefore, those applications that failed to include the FAFSA will not 
be disqualified from the competition. All other requirements for the 
program as previously stated remain the same.

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 2008 program is contingent upon the availability of Fiscal Year 
2008 appropriations.

Universal Identifier

    Applicants should be aware 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 the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), for applicant projects 
or proposals which are seeking NOAA federal funding opportunities. 
Detailed information on NOAA compliance with NEPA can be found at the 
following NOAA NEPA Web site: http://www.nepa.noaa.gov/, including our 
NOAA Administrative Order 216-6 for NEPA, http://www.nepa.noaa.gov/NAO216_6_TOC.pdf, and the Council on Environmental Quality 
implementation regulations, http://ceq.eh.doe.gov/nepa/regs/ceq/toc_ceq.htm. Consequently, as part of an applicant's package, and under 
their 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 analyses, applicants may also be 
requested to assist NOAA in drafting of an environmental assessment, if 
NOAA determines an assessment is required. Applicants will also be 
required to cooperate with NOAA in identifying feasible measures to 
reduce or avoid any identified adverse environmental impacts of their 
proposal. The failure to do so shall be grounds for not selecting an 
application. In some cases if additional information is required after 
an application is selected, funds can be withheld by the Grants Officer 
under a special award condition requiring the recipient to submit 
additional environmental compliance information sufficient to enable 
NOAA to make an assessment on any impacts that a project may have on 
the environment.
    The Department of Commerce Preaward 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.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This document contains collection-of-information requirements 
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The use of Standard Forms 
424, 424A, 424B, 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, 0348-0040, 0348-0046, and 0605-0001. Notwithstanding 
any other provision of law, no person is required to respond to, nor 
shall any person be subject 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

[[Page 16266]]

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 of the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) are inapplicable. 
Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis has not been prepared.

    Approved:

    Dated: March 24, 2008.
Louisa Koch,
Director of Education, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
 [FR Doc. E8-6285 Filed 3-26-08; 8:45 am]
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