[Federal Register: March 28, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 60)]
[Notices]
[Page 17071-17072]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28mr01-109]
[[Page 17071]]
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Part VIII
Department of Education
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Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Special
Education--Training and Information for Parents of Children with
Disabilities; Notice
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Special
Education--Training and Information for Parents of Children with
Disabilities
AGENCY: Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice of waiver.
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SUMMARY: Effective February 28, 2001, the Secretary waived the
requirements in Education Department General Administrative Regulations
(EDGAR) at 34 CFR 75.261(a) that generally prohibit project extensions
involving the obligation of additional Federal funds to enable twelve
(12) Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) to receive funding
through the end of fiscal year 2001. This action allows services
provided by these grantees to continue uninterrupted until the grants
are recompeted with the starting date of October 1, 2001. The Secretary
intends to have October 1 to be the start date for all PTI project
periods.
EFFECTIVE DATE: February 28, 2001.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on the waiver
under the Training and Information for Parents of Children with
Disabilities Program contact Debra Sturdivant or Donna Fluke, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3527, Switzer
Building, Washington, DC 20202-2641. Telephone: (202) 205-8038 and 205-
9161, respectively. FAX: (202) 205-8105. Internet:
Debra__Sturdivant@ed.gov and Donna__Fluke@ed.gov
If you use a telecommunication device for the deaf (TDD), you may
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) on request to the contact person listed in the preceding
paragraph.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
The following PTI grants expire before the end of fiscal year 2001:
AL H029M960028
CO H029M960026
KY H029M960013
ME H029M960029
MD H029M960015
NY H029M960020
PR H029M960024
MI H029M960022
CA H029M960006
CA H029M960007
CA H029M960036
CA H029M960039
In order to foster more efficient use of the Federal funds
committed to the PTI program, the Secretary intends to start the
project period for all PTI grants on October 1 of each year. In
attaining this objective and avoiding any lapse in service to the
intended beneficiaries, the Secretary must extend all of the above-
referenced projects until September 30 so that the new project periods
can begin October 1. However, to do so, the Secretary waived the
requirement in 34 CFR 75.261(c)(2), which prohibits project period
extensions that involve the obligation of additional Federal funds.
Also, because one of the project periods ended as early as February
28, the Secretary did not have sufficient time to obtain public comment
on his intent to continue funding for all of these grants until the end
of the fiscal year. It would be contrary to the public interest to have
any service lapses for the beneficiaries currently being served by the
affected PTI grants.
Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking
In accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553),
it is the practice of the Secretary to offer interested parties the
opportunity to comment on proposed regulations. However, the waiver of
the requirements in section 75.261 applicable to extension of project
periods for the grants referred to above on a one-time only basis is
procedural and does not establish new substantive policy. Therefore,
under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A), proposed rulemaking is not required. In
addition, for these reasons and those stated elsewhere in this
Supplementary Information section, the Secretary has determined that
proposed rulemaking on this waiver is unnecessary and contrary to the
public interest. Thus, proposed rulemaking also is not required under 5
U.S.C. 553(b)(B).
Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification
We certify that the waiver and the activities required to extend
the projects to the end of the fiscal year would not have a significant
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. The only
small entities that would be affected by this proposal are the 12 PTI
Centers currently receiving Federal funds whose awards expire before
the end of the fiscal year.
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980
This proposal has been examined under the Paperwork Reduction Act
of 1980 and has been found to contain no information collection
requirements.
Intergovernmental Review
This program is subject to the requirements of 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. In accordance with the order, we
intend that this document provide early notification of the
Department's specific plans and actions for this program.
Electronic Access to This Document
You may view this document, as well as all other Department of
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site:
www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister
To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free
at the previous site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the
U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or
in the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.
Note: The official version of this document is published in the
Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official edition of
the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is
available on GPO Access at:
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.328, Training and
Information for Parents of Children with Disabilities.)
Dated: March 22, 2001.
Andrew J. Pepin,
Executive Administrator, for Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services.
[FR Doc. 01-7590 Filed 3-27-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-U