Request for Comments on the Revised Department Strategic Plan for FY 2007-2012, 49468-49469 [06-7096]

Download as PDF 49468 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 163 / Wednesday, August 23, 2006 / Notices 227–3719, e-mail richard.swigart@dhs.gov. This meeting is announced pursuant to section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.). This meeting is a rescheduling of a meeting that was to be held August 16, 2006 at 2:30 p.m. TSA postponed the meeting to allow ASAC committee members more time to review the Baggage Screening Investment Study (BSIS) report. The agenda for the meeting will remain the same and include a presentation of the report and recommendations of the BSIS working group. This meeting, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., is open to the public but telephonic conferencing capacity is limited. Members of the public who wish to monitor the discussion may dial into this telephonic meeting by dialing (800) 988–9352. At the prompt, provide the conference code ‘‘ASAC’’ (pronounced ‘‘A-sack’’). Parties calling from locations outside the United States must contact the person listed under the heading FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, for international calling instructions. Persons desiring a copy of the working group’s report may request it by contacting the person listed under the heading FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Members of the public must make advance arrangements to present oral statements at this ASAC meeting. Written statements may be presented to the committee by providing copies of them to the Chair prior to the meeting. Comments may be sent to the person listed under the heading FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Anyone in need of assistance or a reasonable accommodation for the meeting should contact the person listed under the heading FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Issued in Arlington, Virginia, on August 17, 2006. John Sammon, Assistant Administrator for Transportation Sector Network Management. [FR Doc. E6–13942 Filed 8–22–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 9110–05–P sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Office of the Secretary Request for Comments on the Revised Department Strategic Plan for FY 2007–2012 AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Interior. VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:49 Aug 22, 2006 Request for comments on a revised Departmental Strategic Plan for FY 2007–2012 in fulfillment of certain provisions of the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993. ACTION: Jkt 208001 SUMMARY: The Department of the Interior (DOI) is seeking public comment on its draft GPRA strategic plan for fiscal year 2007–2012. DATES: Comments should be provided no later than 60 days following the publication of this notice. ADDRESSES: Written comments can be provided by: E-mail: GPRAplancomments@ios.doi.gov. Fax: (202) 208–2619. Mail: U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of the Secretary—Planning and Performance Management, Attention: DOI Strategic Planning Coordinator, 1849 C Street, NW., Mail Stop 5258, Washington, DC 20240. FOR FURTHR INFORMATION CONTACT: LeRon E. Bielak, DOI Strategic Planning Coordinator at (202) 208–1818. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 requires periodic updating of agency performance plans. The first Interior GPRA Strategic Plan was published in 1997. Subsequent revisions were published in 2000 and 2003. In producing the revision plan in 2003, DOI took a major departure from its past approaches to GPRA planning. Previously, DOI produced a set of ten GPRA planning documents—an overview document and nine bureau and office plans. While the overview attempted to highlight areas of commonalty among bureaus, Interior was still perceived as a ‘‘holding company’’ and concern remained about the effectiveness of a agency functioning in a holding company fashion. Consequently, the last revision successfully integrated major bureau functions into a single unified GPRA plan. The 2003 plan accentuated common goals and performance measures among bureaus and placed a much greater emphasis on results to be achieved. In creating this integrated plan, Interior employed a ‘‘logic model’’ approach in which two tiers of goals (outcome goals and intermediate outcome goals) were developed and performance measures were applied to both tiers to measure achievement. The integrated plan included performance measures with quantitative long-term targets (for 2008) while annual targets for the measures were established in the Department’s yearly Performance Budgets. Bureau PO 00000 Frm 00058 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 operational plans also link and align directly with the Departmental GPRA plan in order to reinforce functional responsibilities, help confirm the relevance and cost of work conducted, and guide budget preparation. The major restructuring of the prior plan required 22 months and involved extensive use of internal teams, external public work sessions and written public comment. Revision of the FY 2003–2008 plan began late last summer with an internal assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the plan. We are soliciting written public comments on the modifications to our first unified plan. This revision will become our DOI strategic plan for FY 2007–2012. In particular, Interior would be interested in viewpoints on effective quantitative, outcome-oriented performance measures that are proposed for the following areas: (a) Law enforcement (as it applies to resource protection and public safety on public lands), (b) science (both in terms of the applications of science and of advancing knowledge in natural resource areas), (c) energy access (specifically if a more readily understandable context for measurement is possible for example, see Resource Use measures #2 and 8), and (d) recreation capacity (whether recreation mission measures #4–5 are satisfactory indicators of increased capacity). However, this request for comments is not intended to be limited to these topics. Interior is also organizing opportunities to discuss the draft revised FY 2007–2012 GPRA plan at several meetings across the country during the next several months. Public and tribal meetings are currently set for the week of August 27 in Anchorage, Alaska. Additional meetings are expected to be set in most or all of the following locations in September or early October: Sacramento, Phoenix, Albuquerque area, Denver, Minneapolis, and Washington, DC. Please consult the Interior Web site for further details. Interior looks forward to receiving your comments on our revised plan. We are asking that comments be postmarked within 60 days of publication of this notice. The text of the draft revised plan is available in a ‘‘pdf’’ downloadable format through the DOI Internet Web site: https://www.doi.gov/. Links to the plan and related information will be posted on the opening page of the Web site. For those without Internet access, an electronic or paper copy can be requested through the contact points listed in the ADDRESSES section of this notice. E:\FR\FM\23AUN1.SGM 23AUN1 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 163 / Wednesday, August 23, 2006 / Notices Dated: August 16, 2006. R. Thomas Weimer, Assistant Secretary—Policy, Management and Budget. [FR Doc. 06–7096 Filed 8–22–06; 8:45 am] Drive, Suite 252, Arlington, Texas 76011 (817/277–1100), facsimile 817/277– 1129, or by e-mail at Tom_Cloud@fws.gov; or Luela Roberts at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional office, P.O. Box 1306, Room 4012, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87103 (505/248–6654), facsimile 505/248– 6788, or by e-mail at Luela_Roberts@fws.gov. BILLING CODE 4310–RK–M DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability; receipt of application; request for comment. sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES AGENCY: SUMMARY: The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) (Applicant) has applied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) for an enhancement of survival permit pursuant to Section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act (Act) of 1973, as amended. The permit application includes a draft 20year Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA) between the Service and TPWD for the Lesser Prairie-Chicken in 50 Texas counties. We request public comment. DATES: To ensure consideration, written comments must be received on or before October 23, 2006. ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to review the application, draft CCAA, or other related documents may obtain copies by written or telephone request to the Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 711 Stadium Drive, Suite 252, Arlington, Texas 76011, or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southwest Regional Office, P.O. Box 1306, Room 4012, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87103 (Attn: Luela Roberts, Endangered Species Permits). The application and related documents will be available for public inspection, by appointment only, during normal business hours (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) at the Service’s Arlington Office. Comments concerning the application, draft CCAA, or other related documents should be submitted in writing to the Field Supervisor (address above). Please refer to permit number TE–132658–0 when submitting comments. All comments received, including names and addresses, will become a part of the official administrative record and may be made available to the public. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Cloud at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Arlington office, 711 Stadium VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:04 Aug 22, 2006 With the assistance of the Service, TPWD proposes to encourage the implementation of conservation measures on private lands to increase lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) (LPC) occupied habitat and improve LPC population performance. The proposed CCAA would be in effect for 20 years in the following Texas counties: Dallam, Sherman, Hansford, Ochiltree, Lipscomb, Hartley, Moore, Hutchinson, Roberts, Hemphill, Oldham, Potter, Carson, Gray, Wheeler, Deaf Smith, Randall, Armstrong, Donley, Collingsworth, Parmer, Castro, Swisher, Briscoe, Hall, Childress, Bailey, Lamb, Hale, Floyd, Motley, Cottle, Cochran, Hockley, Lubbock, Crosby, Dickens, King, Knox, Yoakum, Terry, Lynn, Garza, Kent, Stonewall, Gaines, Dawson, Borden, Scurry, and Andrews. These counties constitute the Agreement’s Planning Area, with Covered Areas being private lands within this Planning Area that provide suitable habitat for LPC or have the potential to provide suitable LPC habitat with the implementation of conservation management practices. We invite the public to review and comment on the permit application and the associated draft CCAA. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Draft Candidate Conservation Agreement With Assurances and Application for an Enhancement of Survival Permit for the Lesser PrairieChicken in Texas Jkt 208001 Background The LPC is a distinct species of North American prairie grouse that inhabits rangelands dominated primarily by shinnery oak (Quercus havardii)bluestem and sand sagebrush (Artemesia filifolia)-bluestem vegetation types. From the early to mid 1940’s to the early 1950’s, it is estimated that the range of the LPC in Texas encompassed portions of 34 counties. Researchers considered the occupied range at the mid 20th century to be a reduction from the historical range (ca. 1900). In 1989, TPWD produced an occupied range map that indicated LPC inhabited portions of 12 counties. In 2005, TPWD reported that LPC were found in portions of a minimum of 16 counties. In 1995, the Service was petitioned to list the LPC under the Act. The Service ruled that listing of the LPC was warranted, but precluded because of limited funding PO 00000 Frm 00059 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 49469 and higher priority species litigations. The LPC was designated as a candidate for listing in 1997. The major factors affecting the status of the LPC are conversion, degradation, and fragmentation of habitat. The conversion of habitat from native sand sagebrush and shinnery oak rangeland to improved pastures and cropland has been documented as an important factor in the decline of the LPC. Although many acres of former cropland throughout its range have been enrolled in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in the northeastern and southwestern Texas panhandle, LPC populations have not exhibited a marked response to the available vegetation types and structure created by CRP. Many CRP acres have been planted using monocultures of introduced grasses, which do not meet food, brood-rearing, or thermal habitat requirements for the LPC. Mixtures of heavily, moderately, and lightly grazed, and ungrazed native rangelands are essential components of LPC habitat, and should occur in a mosaic pattern on a landscape scale. However, in most areas, an insufficient amount of lightly grazed or ungrazed habitat is available to support successful LPC nesting. Overutilization of rangeland by livestock, to a degree that leaves less than adequate residual cover remaining in the spring, is considered detrimental to LPC populations because grass height is reduced below that necessary for nesting cover, and desirable food plants are markedly reduced. Since the petition to list the LPC under the Act was filed in 1995, a number of management and conservation efforts have been implemented by State, Federal, and private entities throughout Texas. TPWD has worked to implement conservation measures through its Private Lands and Habitat Program (PLHP). The PLHP includes programs and tools such as the development of written Wildlife Management Plans (WMP), the Technical Guidance Program, Landowner Incentive Program, Wildlife Management Tax Valuation assistance, information on private land trusts, and the Lone Star Land Steward Award Program. The PLHP focuses on a diverse array of programmatic responsibilities for wildlife habitat management and development, technical assistance, incentive programs, and conservation of private lands. PLHP biologists and other TPWD personnel provide technical assistance to land managers and landowners upon written request for assistance to develop plans and recommendations for voluntary conservation, enhancement, E:\FR\FM\23AUN1.SGM 23AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 163 (Wednesday, August 23, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49468-49469]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-7096]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Secretary


Request for Comments on the Revised Department Strategic Plan for 
FY 2007-2012

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Interior.

ACTION: Request for comments on a revised Departmental Strategic Plan 
for FY 2007-2012 in fulfillment of certain provisions of the Government 
Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of the Interior (DOI) is seeking public comment 
on its draft GPRA strategic plan for fiscal year 2007-2012.

DATES: Comments should be provided no later than 60 days following the 
publication of this notice.

ADDRESSES: Written comments can be provided by:
    E-mail: GPRAplancomments@ios.doi.gov.
    Fax: (202) 208-2619.
    Mail: U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of the Secretary--
Planning and Performance Management, Attention: DOI Strategic Planning 
Coordinator, 1849 C Street, NW., Mail Stop 5258, Washington, DC 20240.

FOR FURTHR INFORMATION CONTACT: LeRon E. Bielak, DOI Strategic Planning 
Coordinator at (202) 208-1818.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Government Performance and Results Act 
of 1993 requires periodic updating of agency performance plans. The 
first Interior GPRA Strategic Plan was published in 1997. Subsequent 
revisions were published in 2000 and 2003.
    In producing the revision plan in 2003, DOI took a major departure 
from its past approaches to GPRA planning. Previously, DOI produced a 
set of ten GPRA planning documents--an overview document and nine 
bureau and office plans. While the overview attempted to highlight 
areas of commonalty among bureaus, Interior was still perceived as a 
``holding company'' and concern remained about the effectiveness of a 
agency functioning in a holding company fashion. Consequently, the last 
revision successfully integrated major bureau functions into a single 
unified GPRA plan.
    The 2003 plan accentuated common goals and performance measures 
among bureaus and placed a much greater emphasis on results to be 
achieved. In creating this integrated plan, Interior employed a ``logic 
model'' approach in which two tiers of goals (outcome goals and 
intermediate outcome goals) were developed and performance measures 
were applied to both tiers to measure achievement. The integrated plan 
included performance measures with quantitative long-term targets (for 
2008) while annual targets for the measures were established in the 
Department's yearly Performance Budgets. Bureau operational plans also 
link and align directly with the Departmental GPRA plan in order to 
reinforce functional responsibilities, help confirm the relevance and 
cost of work conducted, and guide budget preparation.
    The major restructuring of the prior plan required 22 months and 
involved extensive use of internal teams, external public work sessions 
and written public comment. Revision of the FY 2003-2008 plan began 
late last summer with an internal assessment of the strengths and 
weaknesses of the plan. We are soliciting written public comments on 
the modifications to our first unified plan. This revision will become 
our DOI strategic plan for FY 2007-2012.
    In particular, Interior would be interested in viewpoints on 
effective quantitative, outcome-oriented performance measures that are 
proposed for the following areas: (a) Law enforcement (as it applies to 
resource protection and public safety on public lands), (b) science 
(both in terms of the applications of science and of advancing 
knowledge in natural resource areas), (c) energy access (specifically 
if a more readily understandable context for measurement is possible 
for example, see Resource Use measures 2 and 8), and (d) 
recreation capacity (whether recreation mission measures 4-5 
are satisfactory indicators of increased capacity). However, this 
request for comments is not intended to be limited to these topics.
    Interior is also organizing opportunities to discuss the draft 
revised FY 2007-2012 GPRA plan at several meetings across the country 
during the next several months. Public and tribal meetings are 
currently set for the week of August 27 in Anchorage, Alaska. 
Additional meetings are expected to be set in most or all of the 
following locations in September or early October: Sacramento, Phoenix, 
Albuquerque area, Denver, Minneapolis, and Washington, DC. Please 
consult the Interior Web site for further details.
    Interior looks forward to receiving your comments on our revised 
plan. We are asking that comments be postmarked within 60 days of 
publication of this notice. The text of the draft revised plan is 
available in a ``pdf'' downloadable format through the DOI Internet Web 
site: https://www.doi.gov/. Links to the plan and related information 
will be posted on the opening page of the Web site. For those without 
Internet access, an electronic or paper copy can be requested through 
the contact points listed in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.


[[Page 49469]]


    Dated: August 16, 2006.
R. Thomas Weimer,
Assistant Secretary--Policy, Management and Budget.
[FR Doc. 06-7096 Filed 8-22-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-RK-M

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