[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 247 (Wednesday, December 27, 2023)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 89306-89307]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-28490]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

34 CFR Chapter III

[ED-2023-OSERS-0175]


Final Waiver and Extension of the Project Period With Funding for 
Rehabilitation Long-Term Training Grants

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

ACTION: Final waiver and extension of project period with funding.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary waives the requirements in the Education 
Department General Administrative Regulations that generally prohibit 
project periods exceeding five years and project period extensions 
involving the obligation of additional Federal funds. The waiver and 
extension enables 51 projects under Assistance Listing Numbers (ALN) 
84.129B, 84.129H, 84.129P, and 84.129Q to receive funding for an 
additional period, not to exceed September 30, 2025.

DATES: The waiver and extension of the project periods are effective 
December 27, 2023.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Holliday Young, U.S. Department 
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 4A10, Washington, DC 20202. 
Telephone: 202-245-7318. Email: [email protected].
    If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability and 
wish to access telecommunications relay services, please dial 7-1-1.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 3, 2023, the Department published 
in the Federal Register (88 FR 67953) a proposal to waive and extend 
the project period with funding in order to enable 51 projects under 
Assistance Listing Numbers (ALN) 84.129B, 84.129H, 84.129P, and 84.129Q 
to receive continuation funding for an additional 12-month period, not 
to exceed September 30, 2025. The proposed waiver and extension of the 
project period with funding would allow the Department to align with 
the 33 ALN 84.129B grant projects funded in FY 2020 that will receive 
their final year of funding in FY 2024 with a September 30, 2025, 
performance period ending date. There are no differences between the 
proposed waiver and extension of the project period with funding and 
this final waiver and extension of the project period with funding.

[[Page 89307]]

Public Comment

    In response to our invitation in the proposed waiver and extension 
of the project period with funding, one party submitted comments. 
Although the commenter expressed strong support for the proposed waiver 
and the extension of the project period with funding, the discussion 
the commenter provided relates to the Innovation Rehabilitation 
Training grants, which fund projects that develop training products and 
programs in providing rehabilitation services to individuals with 
disabilities, rather than the Rehabilitation Long-Term Training grants, 
which are the subject of this notice, under which projects are funded 
to provide stipend support to scholars pursuing a degree or certificate 
in the field of rehabilitation counseling.
    Generally, we do not address technical and other minor changes or 
suggested changes the law does not authorize us to make under the 
applicable statutory authority. In addition, we do not address general 
comments that raise concerns not directly related to the proposed 
waiver and extension with funding.

Final Waiver and Extension of the Project Period With Funding

    The Department believes aligning the projects' period of 
performance for ALNs 84.129B, 84.129H, 84.129P, and 84.129Q is in the 
best interest of the public, as the extension reduces financial and 
administrative burden by allowing the Department to conduct a single 
competition for ALNs 84.129B, 84.129H, 84.129P and 84.129Q grants in FY 
2025, with a five-year performance period that would run from October 
1, 2025, through September 30, 2030.
    Consequently, the Secretary waives the requirements in 34 CFR 
75.250, which prohibit project periods exceeding five years, as well as 
the requirements in 34 CFR 75.261(a) and (c)(2), which allow the 
extension of a project period only if the extension does not involve 
the obligation of additional Federal funds. This waiver allows the 
Department to issue a one-year FY 2024 continuation award to each of 
the 51 currently funded FY 2019 84.129B, 84.129H, 84.129P, and 84.129Q 
projects. Any activities carried out during the year of this 
continuation award must be consistent with the scope, goals, and 
objectives of the grantees' applications as approved in the FY 2019 
competition. The requirements for continuation awards are set forth in 
34 CFR 75.253.

Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification

    The Secretary certifies that the proposed waiver and extension of 
the project period with funding would not have a significant economic 
impact on a substantial number of small entities. The only entities 
that would be affected by the proposed waiver and extension of the 
project period are the 51 grants that were awarded in FY 2019 under 
ALNs 84.129B, 84.129H, 84.129P, and 84.129Q.
    The Secretary certifies that the proposed waiver and extension of 
the project period with funding would not have a significant economic 
impact on these entities because the extension of an existing project 
period imposes minimal compliance costs, and the activities required to 
support the additional year of funding would not impose additional 
regulatory burdens or require unnecessary Federal supervision.

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

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

Intergovernmental Review

    These programs are subject to Executive Order 12372 and the 
regulations in 34 CFR part 79. One of the objectives of the Executive 
order is to foster an intergovernmental partnership and a strengthened 
federalism. The Executive order relies on processes developed by State 
and local governments for coordination and review of proposed Federal 
financial assistance.
    This document provides final notification of our specific plans and 
actions for these programs.
    Accessible Format: On request to the program contact person listed 
under FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, individuals with disabilities can 
obtain this document in an accessible format. The Department will 
provide the requestor with an accessible format that may include Rich 
Text Format (RTF) or text format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 file, 
braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc, or other accessible 
format.
    Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this 
document is the document published in the Federal Register. You may 
access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of 
Federal Regulations at www.govinfo.gov. At this site you can view this 
document, as well as all other documents of this Department published 
in the Federal Register, in text or Portable Document Format (PDF). To 
use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at 
the site.
    You may also access documents of the Department published in the 
Federal Register by using the article search feature at 
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search 
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published 
by the Department.

Dant[eacute] Allen,
Commissioner, Rehabilitation Services Administration, Office of Special 
Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2023-28490 Filed 12-26-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P