Updated Methodology for Selecting a Job Corps Center for Closure and Center Proposed for Closure: Comments Requested, 44842-44846 [2017-20482]

Download as PDF 44842 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 185 / Tuesday, September 26, 2017 / Notices publishing the notice in the Federal Register on March 7, 2017 (82 FR 12843). The hearing was held in Washington, DC, on July 25, 2017, and all persons who requested the opportunity were permitted to appear in person or by counsel. The Commission made these determinations pursuant to section 751(c) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1675(c)). It completed and filed its determinations in these reviews on September 20, 2017. The views of the Commission are contained in USITC Publication 4725 (September 2017), entitled Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip from Japan, Korea, and Taiwan: Investigation Nos. 701– TA–382 and 731–TA–800, 801, and 803 (Third Review). By order of the Commission. Issued: September 20, 2017. Lisa R. Barton, Secretary to the Commission. INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [Investigation No. 731–TA–539–C (Fourth Review)] Uranium From Russia; Determination On the basis of the record 1 developed in the subject five-year review, the United States International Trade Commission (‘‘Commission’’) determines, pursuant to the Tariff Act of 1930 (‘‘the Act’’), that termination of the suspended investigation covering uranium from Russia would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury to an industry in the United States within a reasonably foreseeable time. Background BILLING CODE 7020–02–P By order of the Commission. Issued: September 20, 2017. Lisa R. Barton, Secretary to the Commission. [FR Doc. 2017–20502 Filed 9–25–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7020–02–P DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Drug Enforcement Administration [Docket No. DEA–392] Bulk Manufacturer of Controlled Substances Registration ACTION: The Commission, pursuant to section 751(c) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1675(c)), instituted this review on February 1, 2017 (82 FR 8951) and determined on May 8, 2017 that it would conduct an expedited review (82 FR 27287, June 14, 2017). The Commission made this determination pursuant to section 751(c) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1675(c)). It completed and filed its determination in this review on September 20, 2017. The views of the Commission are contained in USITC Publication 4727 (September [FR Doc. 2017–20501 Filed 9–25–17; 8:45 am] 2017), entitled Uranium from Russia: Investigation No. 731–TA–539–C (Fourth Review). Notice of registration. Registrants listed below have applied for and been granted registration by the Drug Enforcement Administration as bulk manufacturers of various classes of controlled substances. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The companies listed below applied to be registered as manufacturers of various basic classes of controlled substances. Information on previously published notices is listed in the table below. No comments or objections were submitted for these notices. SUMMARY: Company FR docket Insys Manufacturing, LLC .................................................................................................................................. Eli-Elsohly Laboratories ..................................................................................................................................... Patheon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. .......................................................................................................................... National Center for Natural Products ................................................................................................................ Research NIDA MPROJECT Chemtos LLC ..................................................................................................................................................... Chemtos LLC ..................................................................................................................................................... Johnson Matthey Pharmaceutical ..................................................................................................................... Materials, Inc. American Radiolabeled Chemicals .................................................................................................................... The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has considered the factors in 21 U.S.C. 823(a) and determined that the registration of these registrants to manufacture the applicable basic classes of controlled substances is consistent with the public interest and with United States obligations under international treaties, conventions, or protocols in effect on May 1, 1971. The DEA investigated each of the company’s maintenance of effective controls against diversion by inspecting and testing each company’s physical security systems, verifying each company’s compliance with state and local laws, and reviewing each company’s background and history. Therefore, pursuant to 21 U.S.C. 823(a), and in accordance with 21 CFR 1301.33, the DEA has granted a registration as a bulk manufacturer to the above listed persons. Dated: September 20, 2017. Demetra Ashley, Acting Assistant Administrator. FR FR FR FR 18:28 Sep 25, 2017 Jkt 241001 PO 00000 Frm 00084 Fmt 4703 19, 19, 19, 19, 2017. 2017. 2017. 2017. 82 FR 23070 May 19, 2017. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration Updated Methodology for Selecting a Job Corps Center for Closure and Center Proposed for Closure: Comments Requested Office of Job Corps, Employment and Training Administration (ETA), Labor. ACTION: Sfmt 4703 May May May May May 19, 2017. June 1, 2017. May 19, 2017. Notice. 1 The record is defined in sec. 207.2(f) of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 207.2(f)). VerDate Sep<11>2014 23066 23067 23067 23068 82 FR 23068 82 FR 25335 82 FR 23069 AGENCY: [FR Doc. 2017–20479 Filed 9–25–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4410–09–P 82 82 82 82 Published E:\FR\FM\26SEN1.SGM 26SEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 185 / Tuesday, September 26, 2017 / Notices The Employment and Training Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor (the Department or DOL) issues this notice to revise the ‘‘additional considerations’’ for selecting Job Corps Centers for closure, and to propose the closure of Golconda Job Corps Center (Golconda) in Golconda, Illinois, based on lowperformance. This notice seeks public comment on the proposal to close Golconda. DATES: To be ensured for consideration, comments must be submitted in writing on or before October 26, 2017. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket Number ETA– 2017–0004, by only one of the following methods: Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: https:// www.regulations.gov. Follow the Web site instructions for submitting comments. Mail and hand delivery/courier: Submit comments to Lenita JacobsSimmons, National Director, Office of Job Corps (OJC), U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room N– 4459, Washington, DC 20210. Due to securityrelated concerns, there may be a significant delay in the receipt of submissions by United States Mail. You must take this into consideration when preparing to meet the deadline for submitting comments. The Department will post all comments received on https://www.regulations.gov without making any changes to the comments or redacting any information, including any personal information provided. The https://www.regulations.gov Web site is the Federal e-rulemaking portal and all comments posted there are available and accessible to the public. The Department recommends that commenters not include personal information such as Social Security Numbers, personal addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses in their comments that they do not wish to be made public, as such submitted information will be available to the public via the https:// www.regulations.gov Web site. Comments submitted through https:// www.regulations.gov will not include the email address of the commenter unless the commenter chooses to include that information as part of his or her comment. It is the responsibility of the commenter to safeguard personal information. Instructions: All submissions received should include the Docket Number for the notice: Docket Number ETA–2017– 0004. Please submit your comments by SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:28 Sep 25, 2017 Jkt 241001 only one method. Again, please note that due to security concerns, postal mail delivery in Washington, DC may be delayed. Therefore, the Department encourages the public to submit comments on https:// www.regulations.gov. Docket: All comments on the selected Job Corps Center for closure will be available on the https:// www.regulations.gov Web site. The Department also will make all of the comments it receives available for public inspection by appointment during normal business hours at the above address. If you need assistance to review the comments, the Department will provide appropriate aids such as readers or print magnifiers. The Department will make copies of this methodology and the selected Job Corps center for closure available, upon request, in large print and electronic file on computer disk. To schedule an appointment to review the comments and/or obtain the notice in an alternative format, contact the Office of Job Corps at (202) 693–3000 (this is not a toll-free number). You may also contact this office at the address listed below. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lenita Jacobs-Simmons, National Director, Office of Job Corps, ETA, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room N–4463, Washington, DC 20210; Telephone (202) 693–3000 (this is not a toll-free number). Individuals with hearing or speech impairments may access the telephone number above via TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay Service at 1 (877) 889–5627 (TTY/ TDD). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background on the Job Corps Program and Center Closures Established in 1964, Job Corps is a national program administered by ETA in the Department. It is the nation’s largest federally-funded, primarily residential training program for opportunity youth, ages 16–24. With 125 centers in 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia, Job Corps seeks to change lives through education and job training for in-demand careers. Job Corps serves at-risk young people who seek to overcome barriers to employment, which can include poverty, homelessness, or aging out of the foster care system, by providing them with the academic, career technical, and employability skills to enter the workforce, enroll in postsecondary education, pursue PO 00000 Frm 00085 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 44843 apprenticeship opportunities, or enlist in the military. Large and small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and Native American tribes manage and operate 99 of the Job Corps centers through contractual agreements with the Department of Labor awarded pursuant to Federal procurement rules. Twenty-six Civilian Conservation Centers (CCCs) are operated through an interagency agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Job Corps receives annual funding to operate centers, administer the program, and build, maintain, expand, or upgrade a limited number of new and existing facilities. II. Closure Criteria The Department is continuously taking steps to ensure that Job Corps’ resources are used to deliver the best possible services to students. As part of these ongoing efforts, the Department may determine that closing a center or centers will allow for the more effective, efficient provision of high-quality services to its students. Since 2014, the Department has closed two centers and proposed a third center for closure. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which became effective on July 1, 2015, directs DOL to ‘‘establish written criteria that the Secretary shall use to determine when a Job Corps center supported under this part is to be closed and how to carry out such closure[.]’’ 29 U.S.C. 3211(c)(1). The Department has published three criteria upon which it may propose to close a center: 1. A methodology for selecting a center for closure based on its chronic low performance, first described in an August 2014 Federal Register Notice (FRN) (79 FR 51198), and updated in a March 2016 FRN (81 FR 12529); 2. An agreement between the Secretaries of Labor and Agriculture to close a CCC, as described in the March 9, 2016, FRN; and 3. An evaluation of the effort required to provide a high-quality education and training program at the center, as described in the March 9, 2016, FRN. Closure may be based on any one of the three criteria, and a single criterion may be applied independently of the others. Thus, while a center may qualify for closure under more than one criterion, DOL may choose to rely on only one criterion when deciding to propose a center for closure. Prior to making a decision to propose a center’s closure, the Department also applies the relevant additional considerations first discussed in the August 2014 notice. One of those considerations, Job Corps Services for E:\FR\FM\26SEN1.SGM 26SEN1 44844 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 185 / Tuesday, September 26, 2017 / Notices PY 2013 ................................ PY 2012 ................................ A. Long Term Center Performance Chronically low-performing centers, as described in the August 2014 FRN and the updated March 2016 FRN, do not benefit the population of young people Job Corps aims to empower and are a poor use of Job Corps’ limited program dollars. DOL uses the following performance-based criteria against which all centers are measured in evaluating whether a center should be closed: 1. Five-year Outcome-Measurement System (OMS) performance level; 2. Five-year On-Board Strength (OBS); and 3. Five-year Facility Condition Index (FCI). A short description of these three factors is included below. 1. Five-Year (OMS) Performance Levels OMS is a collection of 15 metrics that provide a comprehensive assessment of center performance, which allows for comparison of performance among centers and supplies enough data for decision makers to identify trends over time. These published performance metrics have driven center performance and programmatic decisions for more than a decade. Accordingly, the primary performance-based factor in selecting a center for closure is a center’s OMS data. In applying this factor, the Department will evaluate each center’s overall OMS ratings for the five most recent full program years to derive a weighted five-year average performance rating, with recent years receiving a greater weight than earlier years. Further, the original OMS ratings for each of the five program years, which exceeded 100% for some centers, were normalized at 100% to be consistent with OBS and FCI. ‘‘Normalized’’ means the data has been placed on a 100-point scale. The calculation formula for the methodology also contains normalized data for OMS. The year-by-year weighted method is as follows (with the identified years being annually updated to reflect the five most recent full program years for which data is available): 18:28 Sep 25, 2017 100% The calculation formula for five-year performance for the methodology is as follows: Center’s five-year weighted average rating × 90% = Overall Performance Rating 2. On-Board Strength (OBS) On-Board Strength is an efficiency rating that demonstrates the extent to which a center operates at full capacity. The measure is reported as a percentage, calculated by the center’s actual capacity for student slots divided by the planned capacity to fill those slots (daily number of students that a center is authorized to serve). The national goal for OBS is 100% in order to operate the program at full capacity, maximize program resources, and fulfill the mission of serving the underserved student population. This factor evaluates each center’s end of program year OBS rating for five full program years to derive a five-year average rating. As explained above in the context of OMS data, the closure methodology uses OBS data from the most recent five-year period. As noted in the August 27, 2014, FRN there were anomalies to the OBS data for PY 2012 caused by temporary enrollment suspensions. The January 31, 2013 (PY– COBS) report will be used as the basis for assessing center-level OBS performance for PY 2012. The methodology weights each of the last five program years’ OBS data, with more recent years receiving more weight to incorporate performance improvement. Finally, the OBS ratings for each of the five program years were normalized at one hundred percent (100%), so as to be consistent with the OMS and FCI data. The year-by-year weighted structure is as follows (with the identified years updated annually to reflect the five most recent full program years for which data is available): PY PY PY PY PY 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% Total .................................. 100% The calculation formula for five-year OBS for the methodology is as follows: 30% Center’s five-year weighted average cumulative OBS × 5%= Overall 25% OBS Rating 20% PY 2016 ................................ PY 2015 ................................ PY 2014 ................................ VerDate Sep<11>2014 15% 10% Total .................................. Residents in Each State, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia, is being revised, as described below in Section D. Jkt 241001 PO 00000 Frm 00086 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 3. Facility Condition and Physical Plant Facility quality is critical for a residential educational program that houses its students on-site 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for much of the year. Each Job Corps center is a fully operational complex with academic and career technical training facilities, dining and recreation buildings, administrative offices, and residence halls (with the exception of solely nonresidential facilities), including the surrounding owned or leased property on which the center is located. To properly manage the program’s facility and condition needs, Job Corps uses the FCI and gives each center an annual rating. This rating, which is expressed as a percentage, accounts for the value of a center’s construction, rehabilitation, and repair backlog, as compared to the replacement value of the center’s facilities. Facility conditions affect the outcomes of the Job Corps program because good outcomes begin with facilities that contribute to a high-quality, safe and productive living and learning environment. For this factor, the Department evaluated each center’s FCI, which takes into account all construction projects completed over the same five-year period as the other two factors. As with the performance and OBS criteria, the methodology applies weights to each of the five latest program year’s FCI data, with more recent years receiving more weight to incorporate any recent improvement. The year-by-year weighted structure is as follows (these years are automatically updated to reflect the five most recent full program years): PY PY PY PY PY 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% Total .................................. 100% The calculation formula for FCI for the methodology is as follows: Center’s five-year weighted average FCI rating × 5% = Overall FCI Rating Applying the three performance-based factors above yields an overall rating for each center, allowing DOL to rank all centers based on historical performance, with the lowest performing center receiving the lowest rating. The calculation formula for the overall rating is as follows: E:\FR\FM\26SEN1.SGM 26SEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 185 / Tuesday, September 26, 2017 / Notices Overall OMS performance rating (90%) + Overall OBS rating (5%) B. Agreement Between the Secretaries of Labor and Agriculture To Close Civilian Conservation Job Corps Centers (CCCs) Independent of the other two criteria, the Secretaries of Labor and Agriculture may jointly agree to close a CCC. As with other Job Corps centers, these CCC facilities provide skills training for disadvantaged young people to aid their entry into the American workforce, but with additional focus on conserving the United States’ natural resources and providing assistance during natural disasters. This joint decision to close a center will take into account past efforts to improve the center’s deficiencies, the prospect for improving those deficiencies, the impact on the mission and workforce of both departments, and the purpose and goals of the Job Corps program. The rationale behind the Agriculture and Labor Secretaries’ decision to close a CCC will be detailed in a notice proposing the action. The Secretaries’ decision to propose a CCC for closure under this criterion also will take into account the relevant additional considerations, detailed below. This basis is independent of other performance improvement and restructuring and reform efforts initiated by either Department or mandated by WIOA to address performance challenges at the CCCs. Finally, this criterion does not limit the Department’s authority to propose closing a CCC based on the other closure criteria, regardless of whether the Secretaries jointly agree to close the center. This criterion was not used to propose the closure of Golconda. While Golconda is a CCC, the Department is proposing to close the center based on chronic low performance. C. Evaluation of Continuing Center Operations The Department has determined that it may be necessary to close a center for reasons other than chronic low performance or agreement between the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Agriculture. Job Corps constantly evaluates the needs of each center it operates. Some centers, for a variety of reasons, face more difficult challenges than others in providing a safe, secure environment where participants can receive high-quality education and training. Some challenges develop over time, while others arise more rapidly. Challenges may involve the condition of VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:28 Sep 25, 2017 Jkt 241001 + Overall FCI rating (5%) the facility; its proximity to relevant job markets; the ability of the center to attract students; the impact of one-time events; or a host of other factors. Addressing these challenges may require sustained efforts that involve significant programmatic, staff, capital, organizational, and/or other investments and resources. Even with such a commitment, it may be difficult to achieve positive outcomes for students. In such a situation, Job Corps will carefully assess: (1) The ongoing needs of the center against those of the program overall; (2) the effort required to provide and maintain a high-quality, safe and productive living and learning environments; and (3) whether that effort is likely to ultimately produce an outcome that contributes to the program’s overall strength and integrity. After reviewing all relevant information the Department may decide to propose a center for closure. This criterion was not used to propose the closure of Golconda. D. Additional Considerations for Center Closure After applying any of the three closure criterion identified above, the Department will consider the four factors below, as appropriate, when deciding whether it should propose a center for closure. 1. Job Corps Services for Residents in All Geographic Areas The consideration Job Corps Services for Residents in Each State, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia is being amended to Job Corps Services for Residents in All Geographic Areas. While the Department is committed to providing service across a broad geographic area, it will no longer ensure that it maintains at least one Job Corps center in each state, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. The Department will continue to ensure adequate training opportunities for eligible individuals in or near the area where they reside. However, the Department has determined that promising to maintain a center in each state unduly restricts its ability to ensure alignment with local and regional labor market opportunities and ensure that supply aligns with demand for the program. Furthermore, it may limit the Department’s ability to close centers which on their merits deserve to be closed. Despite this change, Job Corps will continue to be PO 00000 Frm 00087 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 = 44845 Overall rating for primary selection factors available to all eligible individuals regardless of where they reside and the program will continue to maintain a nationwide outreach strategy. Accordingly, when applying this consideration, DOL will take into account whether a center’s closure would have a disproportionate impact on the training and post-enrollment opportunities for students in any one geographic area and ensure that it does not too rapidly reduce Job Corps’ presence in any one geographic area. 2. Sufficiency of Data Available To Evaluate Center Performance When proposing closure for chronic low performance, the Department will not consider any center for which it does not have sufficient data to evaluate that center’s performance. The centers in Pinellas County, Denison, Wind River, New Hampshire, Cascades, Homestead, Treasure Lake, and Ouachita Centers are not included for consideration for closure. For each of these centers, there is not enough OMS data to evaluate the center’s performance over the full five-year performance period. The reasons for the lack of five years’ continuous data for these centers include: Two new centers were opened during the five-year performance period (Wind River and New Hampshire); two centers were excluded because of their selection as Center for Excellence (CFE) pilot sites (Pinellas County and Denison); one center was excluded due to its current pilot designation (Cascades); one center was excluded due to suspension of operations (Homestead); and two centers were permanently closed (Treasure Lake and Ouachita). 3. Indication of Significant Recent Performance Improvement When applying the performancebased methodology, the Department will consider evidence of recent performance improvement. Therefore, a center will be removed from closure consideration based on performance-based closure criteria if it is performing in the top half of centers in the most recent full year of performance data. 4. Job Corps’ Commitment to Diversity Job Corps currently serves a diverse student population and remains committed to serving disadvantaged youth from all backgrounds. In making final closure decisions under any of the three criteria identified in Section A E:\FR\FM\26SEN1.SGM 26SEN1 44846 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 185 / Tuesday, September 26, 2017 / Notices above, we will consider whether a center’s closure would result in a significant reduction in student diversity within the overall Job Corps system. The Department determined that these considerations did not preclude closure of Golconda. The Department is requesting public comments on the selection of Golconda for closure. III. Temporary Closure of the Golconda Job Corps Center On July 19, 2017, the Department of Labor temporarily closed Golconda. Section III(I)(1) of the Interagency Agreement between DOL and USDA governing the operation of the Forest Service-operated CCCs authorizes DOL, in consultation with USDA, to ‘‘temporarily close a Job Corps CCC managed by USDA, based upon a concern for the health, safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and/or nearby community(ies).’’ Golconda has a long history of discipline and safety issues on campus, including an inability to comply with Job Corps’ discipline policy; failure to adequately notify the Department of serious incidents; and an inability to ensure that students are provided a safe, healthy, and secure learning environment. Over the past several years, DOL has made numerous attempts to partner with the Forest Service and center leadership to address these issues. However, despite the introduction of multiple new procedures on center and the efforts of numerous different center directors, the operation of the center has not improved and there has been no improvement in the safety of the students at Golconda. After careful assessment, DOL, after consultation with USDA, determined that Golconda’s problems were so intractable that the center was temporarily closed to ensure the health and safety of the students and staff currently on center. V. The Process for Closing Job Corps Centers, as Outlined in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act The Department’s process for closing Job Corps centers will follow the requirements of section 159(j) of the WIOA, which include the following: • The proposed decision to close a particular center is announced in advance to the general public through publication in the Federal Register or other appropriate means; • A reasonable comment period, not to exceed 30 days, is established for interested individuals to submit written comments to the Secretary; and • The Member of Congress who represents the district in which such center is located is notified within a reasonable period of time in advance of any final decision to close the center. This Notice serves as the public announcement of the decision to close the Golconda CCC. The Department is providing a 30-day period—the maximum amount of time allowed for comment under WIOA sec. 159(j)—for interested individuals to submit written comments on the proposed decision to close these centers. IV. Proposal to Permanently Close the Golconda Job Corps Center Based on the performance-based criteria, and after applying the additional considerations described above, the Department proposes to permanently close the Golconda Job Corps Center. In applying the performance-based criteria, the Department first calculated the five-year OMS performance level, the five-year OBS, and the five-year FCI and then calculated the Overall Rating for Primary Selection Factors, as described above, using data from PY 2012–2016. Golconda received the lowest Overall Rating for Primary Selection Factors and, therefore, the lowest ranking. After ranking the centers based on the primary criteria, the Department then applied the additional considerations. VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:28 Sep 25, 2017 Jkt 241001 Byron Zuidema, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training. [FR Doc. 2017–20482 Filed 9–25–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4510–FT–P NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Commission Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards; Notice of Meeting In accordance with the purposes of Sections 29 and 182b of the Atomic Energy Act (42 U.S.C. 2039, 2232b), the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) will hold a meeting October 5–7, 2017, 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852. Thursday, October 5, 2017, Conference Room T–2B1, 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852 8:30 a.m.–8:35 a.m.: Opening Remarks by the ACRS Chairman (Open)—The ACRS Chairman will make opening remarks regarding the conduct of the meeting. 8:35 a.m.–11:30 a.m.: Review of AREVA’s Transient Code Suite AURORA–B (Open/Closed)—The Committee will hear briefings by and PO 00000 Frm 00088 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 discussion with representatives of the NRC staff and AREVA regarding the above code. [Note: A portion of this session may be closed in order to discuss and protect information designated as proprietary, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(4)]. 12:30 p.m.–2:00 p.m.: NuScale Topical Report on use of AREVA Fuel Methodology (Open/Closed)—The Committee will hear briefings by and discussion with representatives of the NRC staff and NuScale regarding the above topical report. [Note: A portion of this session may be closed in order to discuss and protect information designated as proprietary, pursuant to 5 U.S.C 552b(c)(4)]. 2:15 p.m.–3:45 p.m.: RG 1.174, Revision 3 (Open)—The Committee will hear briefings by and discussion with representatives of the NRC staff regarding the above guide. 3:45 p.m.–6:00 p.m.: Preparation of ACRS Reports (Open/Closed)—The Committee will continue its discussion of proposed ACRS reports. [Note: A portion of this session may be closed in order to discuss and protect information designated as proprietary, pursuant to 5 U.S.C 552b(c)(4)]. Friday, October 6, 2017, Conference Room T–2B1, 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852 8:30 a.m.–9:45 a.m.: Preparation for Meeting with Commission—The Committee will prepare for meeting with the Commission. 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.: Meeting with the Commission—The Committee will have a discussion with the Commission of mutual topics. 1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m.: Future ACRS Activities/report of the Planning and Procedures Subcommittee and Reconciliation of ACRS comments and Recommendations (Open/Closed)—The Committee will discuss the recommendations of the Planning and Procedures Subcommittee regarding items proposed for consideration by the Full Committee during future ACRS Meetings, and matters related to the conduct of ACRS business, including anticipated workload and member assignments. The Committee will discuss the responses from the NRC Executive Director for Operations to comments and recommendations included in recent ACRS reports and letters. [Note: A portion of this meeting may be closed pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552b (c)(2) and (6) to discuss organizational and personnel matters that relate solely to internal personnel rules and practices of the ACRS, and information the release of which would constitute a E:\FR\FM\26SEN1.SGM 26SEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 185 (Tuesday, September 26, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44842-44846]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-20482]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration


Updated Methodology for Selecting a Job Corps Center for Closure 
and Center Proposed for Closure: Comments Requested

AGENCY: Office of Job Corps, Employment and Training Administration 
(ETA), Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

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

[[Page 44843]]

SUMMARY: The Employment and Training Administration of the U.S. 
Department of Labor (the Department or DOL) issues this notice to 
revise the ``additional considerations'' for selecting Job Corps 
Centers for closure, and to propose the closure of Golconda Job Corps 
Center (Golconda) in Golconda, Illinois, based on low-performance. This 
notice seeks public comment on the proposal to close Golconda.

DATES: To be ensured for consideration, comments must be submitted in 
writing on or before October 26, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket Number ETA-
2017-0004, by only one of the following methods:
    Federal e-Rulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
Web site instructions for submitting comments.
    Mail and hand delivery/courier: Submit comments to Lenita Jacobs-
Simmons, National Director, Office of Job Corps (OJC), U.S. Department 
of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, 200 Constitution 
Avenue NW., Room N- 4459, Washington, DC 20210. Due to security-related 
concerns, there may be a significant delay in the receipt of 
submissions by United States Mail. You must take this into 
consideration when preparing to meet the deadline for submitting 
comments. The Department will post all comments received on https://www.regulations.gov without making any changes to the comments or 
redacting any information, including any personal information provided. 
The https://www.regulations.gov Web site is the Federal e-rulemaking 
portal and all comments posted there are available and accessible to 
the public. The Department recommends that commenters not include 
personal information such as Social Security Numbers, personal 
addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses in their comments 
that they do not wish to be made public, as such submitted information 
will be available to the public via the https://www.regulations.gov Web 
site. Comments submitted through https://www.regulations.gov will not 
include the email address of the commenter unless the commenter chooses 
to include that information as part of his or her comment. It is the 
responsibility of the commenter to safeguard personal information.
    Instructions: All submissions received should include the Docket 
Number for the notice: Docket Number ETA-2017-0004. Please submit your 
comments by only one method. Again, please note that due to security 
concerns, postal mail delivery in Washington, DC may be delayed. 
Therefore, the Department encourages the public to submit comments on 
https://www.regulations.gov.
    Docket: All comments on the selected Job Corps Center for closure 
will be available on the https://www.regulations.gov Web site. The 
Department also will make all of the comments it receives available for 
public inspection by appointment during normal business hours at the 
above address. If you need assistance to review the comments, the 
Department will provide appropriate aids such as readers or print 
magnifiers. The Department will make copies of this methodology and the 
selected Job Corps center for closure available, upon request, in large 
print and electronic file on computer disk. To schedule an appointment 
to review the comments and/or obtain the notice in an alternative 
format, contact the Office of Job Corps at (202) 693-3000 (this is not 
a toll-free number). You may also contact this office at the address 
listed below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lenita Jacobs-Simmons, National 
Director, Office of Job Corps, ETA, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 
Constitution Avenue NW., Room N-4463, Washington, DC 20210; Telephone 
(202) 693-3000 (this is not a toll-free number). Individuals with 
hearing or speech impairments may access the telephone number above via 
TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay Service at 1 
(877) 889-5627 (TTY/TDD).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background on the Job Corps Program and Center Closures

    Established in 1964, Job Corps is a national program administered 
by ETA in the Department. It is the nation's largest federally-funded, 
primarily residential training program for opportunity youth, ages 16-
24. With 125 centers in 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of 
Columbia, Job Corps seeks to change lives through education and job 
training for in-demand careers. Job Corps serves at-risk young people 
who seek to overcome barriers to employment, which can include poverty, 
homelessness, or aging out of the foster care system, by providing them 
with the academic, career technical, and employability skills to enter 
the workforce, enroll in post-secondary education, pursue 
apprenticeship opportunities, or enlist in the military.
    Large and small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and Native 
American tribes manage and operate 99 of the Job Corps centers through 
contractual agreements with the Department of Labor awarded pursuant to 
Federal procurement rules. Twenty-six Civilian Conservation Centers 
(CCCs) are operated through an interagency agreement with the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA). Job Corps receives annual funding to 
operate centers, administer the program, and build, maintain, expand, 
or upgrade a limited number of new and existing facilities.

II. Closure Criteria

    The Department is continuously taking steps to ensure that Job 
Corps' resources are used to deliver the best possible services to 
students. As part of these ongoing efforts, the Department may 
determine that closing a center or centers will allow for the more 
effective, efficient provision of high-quality services to its 
students. Since 2014, the Department has closed two centers and 
proposed a third center for closure.
    The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which became 
effective on July 1, 2015, directs DOL to ``establish written criteria 
that the Secretary shall use to determine when a Job Corps center 
supported under this part is to be closed and how to carry out such 
closure[.]'' 29 U.S.C. 3211(c)(1). The Department has published three 
criteria upon which it may propose to close a center:
    1. A methodology for selecting a center for closure based on its 
chronic low performance, first described in an August 2014 Federal 
Register Notice (FRN) (79 FR 51198), and updated in a March 2016 FRN 
(81 FR 12529);
    2. An agreement between the Secretaries of Labor and Agriculture to 
close a CCC, as described in the March 9, 2016, FRN; and
    3. An evaluation of the effort required to provide a high-quality 
education and training program at the center, as described in the March 
9, 2016, FRN.
    Closure may be based on any one of the three criteria, and a single 
criterion may be applied independently of the others. Thus, while a 
center may qualify for closure under more than one criterion, DOL may 
choose to rely on only one criterion when deciding to propose a center 
for closure.
    Prior to making a decision to propose a center's closure, the 
Department also applies the relevant additional considerations first 
discussed in the August 2014 notice. One of those considerations, Job 
Corps Services for

[[Page 44844]]

Residents in Each State, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia, is 
being revised, as described below in Section D.

A. Long Term Center Performance

    Chronically low-performing centers, as described in the August 2014 
FRN and the updated March 2016 FRN, do not benefit the population of 
young people Job Corps aims to empower and are a poor use of Job Corps' 
limited program dollars. DOL uses the following performance-based 
criteria against which all centers are measured in evaluating whether a 
center should be closed:
    1. Five-year Outcome-Measurement System (OMS) performance level;
    2. Five-year On-Board Strength (OBS); and
    3. Five-year Facility Condition Index (FCI).

A short description of these three factors is included below.
1. Five-Year (OMS) Performance Levels
    OMS is a collection of 15 metrics that provide a comprehensive 
assessment of center performance, which allows for comparison of 
performance among centers and supplies enough data for decision makers 
to identify trends over time. These published performance metrics have 
driven center performance and programmatic decisions for more than a 
decade. Accordingly, the primary performance-based factor in selecting 
a center for closure is a center's OMS data.
    In applying this factor, the Department will evaluate each center's 
overall OMS ratings for the five most recent full program years to 
derive a weighted five-year average performance rating, with recent 
years receiving a greater weight than earlier years. Further, the 
original OMS ratings for each of the five program years, which exceeded 
100% for some centers, were normalized at 100% to be consistent with 
OBS and FCI. ``Normalized'' means the data has been placed on a 100-
point scale. The calculation formula for the methodology also contains 
normalized data for OMS.
    The year-by-year weighted method is as follows (with the identified 
years being annually updated to reflect the five most recent full 
program years for which data is available):

 
 
 
PY 2016.................................................             30%
PY 2015.................................................             25%
PY 2014.................................................             20%
PY 2013.................................................             15%
PY 2012.................................................             10%
                                                         ---------------
  Total.................................................            100%
 

    The calculation formula for five-year performance for the 
methodology is as follows:

Center's five-year weighted average rating x 90% = Overall Performance 
Rating
2. On-Board Strength (OBS)
    On-Board Strength is an efficiency rating that demonstrates the 
extent to which a center operates at full capacity. The measure is 
reported as a percentage, calculated by the center's actual capacity 
for student slots divided by the planned capacity to fill those slots 
(daily number of students that a center is authorized to serve). The 
national goal for OBS is 100% in order to operate the program at full 
capacity, maximize program resources, and fulfill the mission of 
serving the underserved student population.
    This factor evaluates each center's end of program year OBS rating 
for five full program years to derive a five-year average rating. As 
explained above in the context of OMS data, the closure methodology 
uses OBS data from the most recent five-year period. As noted in the 
August 27, 2014, FRN there were anomalies to the OBS data for PY 2012 
caused by temporary enrollment suspensions. The January 31, 2013 (PY- 
COBS) report will be used as the basis for assessing center-level OBS 
performance for PY 2012. The methodology weights each of the last five 
program years' OBS data, with more recent years receiving more weight 
to incorporate performance improvement. Finally, the OBS ratings for 
each of the five program years were normalized at one hundred percent 
(100%), so as to be consistent with the OMS and FCI data.
    The year-by-year weighted structure is as follows (with the 
identified years updated annually to reflect the five most recent full 
program years for which data is available):

 
 
 
PY 2016.................................................             30%
PY 2015.................................................             25%
PY 2014.................................................             20%
PY 2013.................................................             15%
PY 2012.................................................             10%
                                                         ---------------
  Total.................................................            100%
 

    The calculation formula for five-year OBS for the methodology is as 
follows:

Center's five-year weighted average cumulative OBS x 5%= Overall OBS 
Rating
3. Facility Condition and Physical Plant
    Facility quality is critical for a residential educational program 
that houses its students on-site 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for 
much of the year. Each Job Corps center is a fully operational complex 
with academic and career technical training facilities, dining and 
recreation buildings, administrative offices, and residence halls (with 
the exception of solely nonresidential facilities), including the 
surrounding owned or leased property on which the center is located.
    To properly manage the program's facility and condition needs, Job 
Corps uses the FCI and gives each center an annual rating. This rating, 
which is expressed as a percentage, accounts for the value of a 
center's construction, rehabilitation, and repair backlog, as compared 
to the replacement value of the center's facilities. Facility 
conditions affect the outcomes of the Job Corps program because good 
outcomes begin with facilities that contribute to a high-quality, safe 
and productive living and learning environment.
    For this factor, the Department evaluated each center's FCI, which 
takes into account all construction projects completed over the same 
five-year period as the other two factors.
    As with the performance and OBS criteria, the methodology applies 
weights to each of the five latest program year's FCI data, with more 
recent years receiving more weight to incorporate any recent 
improvement. The year-by-year weighted structure is as follows (these 
years are automatically updated to reflect the five most recent full 
program years):

 
 
 
PY 2016.................................................             30%
PY 2015.................................................             25%
PY 2014.................................................             20%
PY 2013.................................................             15%
PY 2012.................................................             10%
                                                         ---------------
  Total.................................................            100%
 

    The calculation formula for FCI for the methodology is as follows:

Center's five-year weighted average FCI rating x 5% = Overall FCI 
Rating

    Applying the three performance-based factors above yields an 
overall rating for each center, allowing DOL to rank all centers based 
on historical performance, with the lowest performing center receiving 
the lowest rating. The calculation formula for the overall rating is as 
follows:

[[Page 44845]]



----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                              Overall rating for
  Overall OMS performance rating    +    Overall OBS rating    +    Overall FCI rating   =    primary selection
              (90%)                             (5%)                       (5%)                    factors
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

B. Agreement Between the Secretaries of Labor and Agriculture To Close 
Civilian Conservation Job Corps Centers (CCCs)

    Independent of the other two criteria, the Secretaries of Labor and 
Agriculture may jointly agree to close a CCC. As with other Job Corps 
centers, these CCC facilities provide skills training for disadvantaged 
young people to aid their entry into the American workforce, but with 
additional focus on conserving the United States' natural resources and 
providing assistance during natural disasters.
    This joint decision to close a center will take into account past 
efforts to improve the center's deficiencies, the prospect for 
improving those deficiencies, the impact on the mission and workforce 
of both departments, and the purpose and goals of the Job Corps 
program. The rationale behind the Agriculture and Labor Secretaries' 
decision to close a CCC will be detailed in a notice proposing the 
action. The Secretaries' decision to propose a CCC for closure under 
this criterion also will take into account the relevant additional 
considerations, detailed below. This basis is independent of other 
performance improvement and restructuring and reform efforts initiated 
by either Department or mandated by WIOA to address performance 
challenges at the CCCs. Finally, this criterion does not limit the 
Department's authority to propose closing a CCC based on the other 
closure criteria, regardless of whether the Secretaries jointly agree 
to close the center.
    This criterion was not used to propose the closure of Golconda. 
While Golconda is a CCC, the Department is proposing to close the 
center based on chronic low performance.

C. Evaluation of Continuing Center Operations

    The Department has determined that it may be necessary to close a 
center for reasons other than chronic low performance or agreement 
between the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Agriculture. Job 
Corps constantly evaluates the needs of each center it operates. Some 
centers, for a variety of reasons, face more difficult challenges than 
others in providing a safe, secure environment where participants can 
receive high-quality education and training. Some challenges develop 
over time, while others arise more rapidly. Challenges may involve the 
condition of the facility; its proximity to relevant job markets; the 
ability of the center to attract students; the impact of one-time 
events; or a host of other factors. Addressing these challenges may 
require sustained efforts that involve significant programmatic, staff, 
capital, organizational, and/or other investments and resources. Even 
with such a commitment, it may be difficult to achieve positive 
outcomes for students. In such a situation, Job Corps will carefully 
assess: (1) The ongoing needs of the center against those of the 
program overall; (2) the effort required to provide and maintain a 
high-quality, safe and productive living and learning environments; and 
(3) whether that effort is likely to ultimately produce an outcome that 
contributes to the program's overall strength and integrity. After 
reviewing all relevant information the Department may decide to propose 
a center for closure.
    This criterion was not used to propose the closure of Golconda.

D. Additional Considerations for Center Closure

    After applying any of the three closure criterion identified above, 
the Department will consider the four factors below, as appropriate, 
when deciding whether it should propose a center for closure.
1. Job Corps Services for Residents in All Geographic Areas
    The consideration Job Corps Services for Residents in Each State, 
Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia is being amended to Job Corps 
Services for Residents in All Geographic Areas. While the Department is 
committed to providing service across a broad geographic area, it will 
no longer ensure that it maintains at least one Job Corps center in 
each state, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the District of 
Columbia. The Department will continue to ensure adequate training 
opportunities for eligible individuals in or near the area where they 
reside. However, the Department has determined that promising to 
maintain a center in each state unduly restricts its ability to ensure 
alignment with local and regional labor market opportunities and ensure 
that supply aligns with demand for the program. Furthermore, it may 
limit the Department's ability to close centers which on their merits 
deserve to be closed. Despite this change, Job Corps will continue to 
be available to all eligible individuals regardless of where they 
reside and the program will continue to maintain a nationwide outreach 
strategy.
    Accordingly, when applying this consideration, DOL will take into 
account whether a center's closure would have a disproportionate impact 
on the training and post-enrollment opportunities for students in any 
one geographic area and ensure that it does not too rapidly reduce Job 
Corps' presence in any one geographic area.
2. Sufficiency of Data Available To Evaluate Center Performance
    When proposing closure for chronic low performance, the Department 
will not consider any center for which it does not have sufficient data 
to evaluate that center's performance. The centers in Pinellas County, 
Denison, Wind River, New Hampshire, Cascades, Homestead, Treasure Lake, 
and Ouachita Centers are not included for consideration for closure. 
For each of these centers, there is not enough OMS data to evaluate the 
center's performance over the full five-year performance period. The 
reasons for the lack of five years' continuous data for these centers 
include: Two new centers were opened during the five-year performance 
period (Wind River and New Hampshire); two centers were excluded 
because of their selection as Center for Excellence (CFE) pilot sites 
(Pinellas County and Denison); one center was excluded due to its 
current pilot designation (Cascades); one center was excluded due to 
suspension of operations (Homestead); and two centers were permanently 
closed (Treasure Lake and Ouachita).
3. Indication of Significant Recent Performance Improvement
    When applying the performance-based methodology, the Department 
will consider evidence of recent performance improvement. Therefore, a 
center will be removed from closure consideration based on performance-
based closure criteria if it is performing in the top half of centers 
in the most recent full year of performance data.
4. Job Corps' Commitment to Diversity
    Job Corps currently serves a diverse student population and remains 
committed to serving disadvantaged youth from all backgrounds. In 
making final closure decisions under any of the three criteria 
identified in Section A

[[Page 44846]]

above, we will consider whether a center's closure would result in a 
significant reduction in student diversity within the overall Job Corps 
system.

III. Temporary Closure of the Golconda Job Corps Center

    On July 19, 2017, the Department of Labor temporarily closed 
Golconda. Section III(I)(1) of the Interagency Agreement between DOL 
and USDA governing the operation of the Forest Service-operated CCCs 
authorizes DOL, in consultation with USDA, to ``temporarily close a Job 
Corps CCC managed by USDA, based upon a concern for the health, safety 
and well-being of students, staff, and/or nearby community(ies).''
    Golconda has a long history of discipline and safety issues on 
campus, including an inability to comply with Job Corps' discipline 
policy; failure to adequately notify the Department of serious 
incidents; and an inability to ensure that students are provided a 
safe, healthy, and secure learning environment. Over the past several 
years, DOL has made numerous attempts to partner with the Forest 
Service and center leadership to address these issues. However, despite 
the introduction of multiple new procedures on center and the efforts 
of numerous different center directors, the operation of the center has 
not improved and there has been no improvement in the safety of the 
students at Golconda. After careful assessment, DOL, after consultation 
with USDA, determined that Golconda's problems were so intractable that 
the center was temporarily closed to ensure the health and safety of 
the students and staff currently on center.

IV. Proposal to Permanently Close the Golconda Job Corps Center

    Based on the performance-based criteria, and after applying the 
additional considerations described above, the Department proposes to 
permanently close the Golconda Job Corps Center.
    In applying the performance-based criteria, the Department first 
calculated the five-year OMS performance level, the five-year OBS, and 
the five-year FCI and then calculated the Overall Rating for Primary 
Selection Factors, as described above, using data from PY 2012-2016. 
Golconda received the lowest Overall Rating for Primary Selection 
Factors and, therefore, the lowest ranking.
    After ranking the centers based on the primary criteria, the 
Department then applied the additional considerations. The Department 
determined that these considerations did not preclude closure of 
Golconda. The Department is requesting public comments on the selection 
of Golconda for closure.

V. The Process for Closing Job Corps Centers, as Outlined in the 
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

    The Department's process for closing Job Corps centers will follow 
the requirements of section 159(j) of the WIOA, which include the 
following:
     The proposed decision to close a particular center is 
announced in advance to the general public through publication in the 
Federal Register or other appropriate means;
     A reasonable comment period, not to exceed 30 days, is 
established for interested individuals to submit written comments to 
the Secretary; and
     The Member of Congress who represents the district in 
which such center is located is notified within a reasonable period of 
time in advance of any final decision to close the center.
    This Notice serves as the public announcement of the decision to 
close the Golconda CCC. The Department is providing a 30-day period--
the maximum amount of time allowed for comment under WIOA sec. 159(j)--
for interested individuals to submit written comments on the proposed 
decision to close these centers.

Byron Zuidema,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training.
[FR Doc. 2017-20482 Filed 9-25-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-FT-P
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.