2024-17213 DOS.pdf

63456 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 150 / Monday, August 5, 2024 / Notices

U.S.C. 552b(c)(3), (5), (6), (7), (8), 9(B) and (10) and 17 CFR 200.402(a)(3), (a)(5), (a)(6), (a)(7), (a)(8), (a)(9)(ii) and (a)(10), permit consideration of the scheduled matters at the closed meeting.

The subject matter of the closed meeting will consist of the following topics:

Institution and settlement of injunctive actions;

Institution and settlement of administrative proceedings;

Resolution of litigation claims; and Other matters relating to examinations and enforcement proceedings.

At times, changes in Commission priorities require alterations in the scheduling of meeting agenda items that may consist of adjudicatory, examination, litigation, or regulatory matters.

CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION:

For further information, please contact Vanessa A. Countryman from the Office of the Secretary at (202) 551–5400.

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552b.

Dated: August 1, 2024.

J. Matthew DeLesDernier, Deputy Secretary.

[FR Doc. 2024–17348 Filed 8–1–24; 4:15 pm]

BILLING CODE 8011–01–P

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

[Disaster Declaration #20443 and #20444;

MINNESOTA Disaster Number MN–20004]

Presidential Declaration of a Major Disaster for the State of Minnesota

AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: This is a Notice of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of Minnesota (FEMA–4797–DR), dated 07/29/2024.

Incident: Severe Storms and Flooding.

Incident Period: 06/16/2024 through

07/04/2024.

DATES: Issued on 07/29/2024.

Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 09/30/2024.

Economic Injury (EIDL) Loan Application Deadline Date: 04/29/2025.

ADDRESSES: Visit the MySBA Loan Portal at https://lending.sba.gov to apply for a disaster assistance loan.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Alan Escobar, Office of Disaster Recovery & Resilience, U.S. Small Business Administration, 409 3rd Street SW, Suite 6050, Washington, DC 20416,

(202) 205–6734.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is hereby given that as a result of the

President’s major disaster declaration on 07/29/2024, applications for disaster loans may be submitted online using the MySBA Loan Portal https:// lending.sba.gov or other locally announced locations. Please contact the SBA disaster assistance customer service center by email at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or by phone at 1–800–659–2955 for further assistance.

The following areas have been determined to be adversely affected by the disaster:

Primary Counties (Physical Damage and

Economic Injury Loans): Blue Earth, Cook, Cottonwood, Faribault, Freeborn, Goodhue, Itasca, Jackson, Lake, Le Sueur, Mower, Nicollet, Nobles, Rice, Rock, St. Louis, Steele, Waseca, Watonwan.

Contiguous Counties (Economic Injury Loans Only):

Minnesota: Aitkin, Beltrami, Brown, Carlton, Cass, Dakota, Dodge, Fillmore, Koochiching, Martin, Murray, Olmsted, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, Scott, Sibley, Wabasha.

Iowa: Dickinson, Emmet, Howard, Kossuth, Lyon, Mitchell, Osceola, Winnebago, Worth.

South Dakota: Minnehaha, Moody.

Wisconsin: Douglas, Pepin, Pierce.

The Interest Rates are:

Percent

For Physical Damage:

Homeowners with Credit Avail-able Elsewhere ...................... 5.375 Homeowners without Credit

Available Elsewhere .............. 2.688 Businesses with Credit Avail-able Elsewhere ...................... 8.000 Businesses without Credit

Available Elsewhere .............. 4.000 Non-Profit Organizations with

Credit Available Elsewhere ... 3.250 Non-Profit Organizations with-out Credit Available Else-where ..................................... 3.250

For Economic Injury:

Business and Small Agricultural

Cooperatives without Credit Available Elsewhere .............. 4.000

Non-Profit Organizations with-out Credit Available Else-where ..................................... 3.250

The number assigned to this disaster for physical damage is 204436 and for economic injury is 204440.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 59008)

Rafaela Monchek, Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Disaster Recovery & Resilience.

[FR Doc. 2024–17193 Filed 8–2–24; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8026–09–P

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

[Disaster Declaration #20466 and #20467;

KANSAS Disaster Number KS–20012]

Presidential Declaration Amendment of a Major Disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of Kansas

AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration.

ACTION: Amendment 1.

SUMMARY: This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of Kansas (FEMA–4800–DR), dated 07/15/2024.

Incident: Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding.

Incident Period: 04/25/2024 through 04/30/2024.

DATES: Issued on 07/29/2024.

Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 09/13/2024.

Economic Injury (EIDL) Loan Application Deadline Date: 04/15/2025.

ADDRESSES: Visit the MySBA Loan Portal at https://lending.sba.gov to apply for a disaster assistance loan.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Vanessa Morgan, Office of Disaster Recovery & Resilience, U.S. Small Business Administration, 409 3rd Street SW, Suite 6050, Washington, DC 20416,

(202) 205–6734.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The notice of the President’s major disaster declaration for Private Non-Profit organizations in the State of Kansas, dated 07/15/2024, is hereby amended to include the following areas as adversely affected by the disaster.

Primary Counties:

Woodson.

All other information in the original declaration remains unchanged.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 59008)

Rafaela Monchek, Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Disaster Recovery & Resilience.

[FR Doc. 2024–17194 Filed 8–2–24; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8026–09–P

DEPARTMENT of STATE

[Public Notice: 12480]

Proposed Establishment of a Federally Funded Research and Development Center—Second Notice

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The United States Department of State (DoS), Bureau of

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63457 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 150 / Monday, August 5, 2024 / Notices

Administration, intends to sponsor a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) to facilitate public-private collaboration for numerous activities related to diplomacy and modernization. This is the second of three notices which must be published over a 90-day period in order to advise the public of the agency’s intention to sponsor an FFRDC.

DATES: Written comments must be received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on August 15, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Please send any comments, identified by title of the action and Regulatory Information Number (RIN) by any of the following methods:

D Through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov and search for nonrulemaking docket [DOS– 2024–0021].

D By email: Submit electronic comments to FFRDC@state.gov.

D The summary of this rule can be found at www.regulations.gov/ document/DOS-2024-0021.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of State leads US engagement around the world building alliances and partnerships; facing up to aggression; aiding and supporting emerging democracies; and preserving U.S. interests abroad. In a rapidly changing world with shifting politics, accelerated economic developments, global challenges such as climate change, and the increasing role digitization plays for both opportunity and threats, the Department is committed to leading through both policy and operational engagement on behalf of the nation and our government.

In a letter introducing the Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development Joint Strategic Plan for 2022–2026, Secretary Blinken stated, ‘‘we are working to modernize and equip the Department and USAID to lead on 21st-Century challenges and deliver for the American people.’’

Achieving U.S. goals for global leadership over the next decade will require the following:

• A diplomatic corps to use data in new ways to develop more foresight and insight, to inform policy options, to take actions and measure their effectiveness;

• New cross-sector partnerships and coalitions;

• Intergovernmental partnerships with the Department of Defense, the intelligence agencies, the Departments of Commerce, Treasury, Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services, and cross-government Councils (e.g., National Economic Council, National Security Council);

• New capabilities to plan, manage and execute initiatives and programs;

• A workforce that uses digital technology as tools to advance democracy and protect our interests and counter the use of these same technologies as a threat; and

• An organization and operation that is agile and adaptive to a changing environment; attractive to new talent;

and fosters long-term commitment between the organization and its people.

The Department requires long-term partnerships with organizations that can bring research, development, innovation, and support needed to guide the leadership and employees through this transformative period in our history. This will allow the Department to focus on the mission at hand, while adopting and integrating changes necessary to make consistent progress on these goals and surge, when needed, to address urgent issues that require data, partnerships, technology and insights applied in near-term operational situations.

To meet this need, the Department seeks to establish and sponsor one (1) FFRDC under the authority of 48 CFR 35.017.

FFRDC Center The FFRDC will be available to provide a wide range of support including, but not limited to the activities under three focus areas delineated below. The Department anticipates that the focus areas below will be managed as a single-award FFRDC. This strategy and focus area list have been updated since the first Federal Register notice published on May 17, 2024:

• Diplomatic Innovation and

Modernization (DIM) The purpose of the DIM focus area is to strengthen global engagement and humanitarian outcomes by pioneering research and development initiatives that address emerging threats and foster international cooperation.

• Global CyberTech Solutions (GCS)

The purpose of the GCS focus area is to enhance global stability through cutting edge research and development in IT, cyber defense, systems engineering, and data analytics.

• Global Operations and Acquisitions

(GOA)

The purpose of the GOA focus area is to advance diplomatic effectiveness through collaborative and cutting-edge acquisition methodologies and tools, and data assessments of broad scale Department needs, international cooperation, and innovative operational practices.

The FFRDC will partner with the Department of State in the design and pursuit of mission goals; provide rapid responsiveness to changing requirements for personnel in all aspects of strategic, technical and program management; recognize Government objectives as its own objectives, partner in pursuit of excellence in public service; and allow for use of the FFRDC by non-sponsors.

The Department is publishing this notice in accordance with 48 CFR 5.205(b) of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) to enable interested members of the public to provide comments on this proposed action. This is the second of three notices issued under the authority of 48 CFR 5.205(b).

Information Requested In particular, we are interested in feedback regarding the proposed focus areas to be performed under the FFRDC, and the presence of any existing private-or public-sector capabilities in these areas that the Department should be considering.

The Department anticipates releasing the final RFP in calendar year 2024.

Public Comments Since the first notice, the Department has received the following comments/ questions and is hereby providing the following responses:

The Department received ten comments on the first notice.

Six of these expressed interest in submitting responses, capabilities, or eventually proposals for the FFRDC.

The Department appreciates the interest and looks forward to receiving further comments/questions and submissions in response to the eventual RFP. While the Department is not taking meetings at this time, all interested parties should continue to monitor for the third Federal Register notice to receive more information about the upcoming acquisition actions and industry engagement activities.

One comment questioned whether this initiative would expand the State Department and its budget. At this time, the FFRDC is intended to provide long-term research and development in areas that the State Department is already exploring in other capacities and projects are intended to be funded through the Department’s existing appropriated or other types of funds.

The Department plans to initially provide oversight for the FFRDC by leveraging the existing Procurement Shared Services Working Capital Fund.

Another comment identified climate and sustainability research as a potential focus area, which the

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63458 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 150 / Monday, August 5, 2024 / Notices

1 GLT is an affiliate of GLTRR, both of which are owned by the Transload Group, LLC.

2 GLTRR states that CenterPoint obtained the right to conduct rail operations on the Owners’ Association’s property pursuant to a March 23, 2018 declaration and obtained an easement to conduct rail operations over CRRC’s property pursuant to an August 2017 easement.

3 The Director Order further stated that once GLTRR obtains all necessary after-the-fact authority for prior transactions, it can proceed with a notice of exemption for its proposed lease with NSR. Id.

at 3.

4 GLTRR requested expedited consideration of its petition. (GLTRR Pet. 4.) On July 12, 2024, GLTRR

Department already plans to include under the ‘‘Emerging Threats’’ topic in the DIM focus area. This commenter also identified cybersecurity tracking and decryption techniques as well as telecommunications as areas for inclusion in the GCS focus area;

however, this comment focused on stricter penalties and increased law enforcement and regulations, which is outside the scope of the Department’s research and development requirements.

One comment suggested moving the ‘‘Systems Engineering, System Architecture and Integration’’ work elements from the ‘‘Information Technology and Cyber Operations FFRDC’’ to the ‘‘Emerging Threats, Concept Exploration, Experimentation and Evaluation’’ FFRDC. However, as a result of internal comments and requirements definitions, the focus areas have all been merged into one FFRDC, which makes this comment moot.

The final comment stated that the focus on technology duplicates existing bureaus’ portfolios and requested a focus area on organizational development challenges; however, this focus area would fall under the GOA focus area and does not negate the need for long-term IT research and development activities that foster data and collaboration across the agency.

Michael W. Derrios, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, & Senior Procurement Executive, Department of State.

[FR Doc. 2024–17213 Filed 8–2–24; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4710–24–P

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

[Docket No. FD 36764 (Sub–No. 1)]

Great Lakes Terminal Railroad, LLC— Acquisition and Operation Exemption—Great Lakes Terminal, LLC, CRRC Sifang America Incorporated, and Chicago Enterprise Owners’ Association

On May 2, 2024, Great Lakes Terminal Railroad, LLC (GLTRR), a Class III carrier, filed for an exemption under 49 U.S.C. 10502 from the provisions of 49 U.S.C. 10902 for after-the-fact authorization to acquire and operate approximately 22,568 feet of track in Chicago, Ill., owned by Great Lakes Terminal, LLC (GLT), CRRC Sifang America Incorporated (CRRC), and Chicago Enterprise Center Owners’ Association (Owners’ Association). For the reasons explained below, the Board will grant GLTRR’s petition.

Background GLTRR’s petition seeks after-the-fact authority for the acquisition and operation of 22,568 feet of track (the Line) located in and adjacent to a transloading facility at 13535 South Torrence Avenue in Chicago (the Facility). GLTRR states that ownership of the Line is divided between GLT 1 (owning 14,215 feet of track inside the Facility), CRRC (owning 850 feet of track outside the Facility), and the Owners’ Association (owning 7,503 feet of track outside the Facility). (GLTRR Petition 3, 6 & n.11.) According to GLTRR, it previously operated over 12,500 feet of track that is now part of the Line that was owned by CenterPoint Chicago Enterprise, LLC (CenterPoint), leased to Great Lakes Reloading LLC (GLR), an affiliate of GLTRR, and operated by GLTRR under a sublease between GLTRR and GLR. GLTRR Notice 4 & n.5, Great Lakes Terminal R.R.—Acquis. & Operation Exemption— Norfolk S. Ry., FD 36764. GLTRR’s authority to operate those 12,500 feet of track under the sublease with GLR was obtained through a notice of exemption.

See Great Lakes Terminal R.R.—Lease & Operation Exemption—Rail Line of Great Lake Reloading, LLC (January 5, 2018 Decision), FD 36160 (STB served Jan. 5, 2018). GLTRR asserts that a few months after the January 5, 2018 Decision, in April 2018, GLT acquired a fee simple interest in the Facility from CenterPoint, including the portion of the Line inside the Facility, and that as part of that transaction, GLT obtained rights held by CenterPoint allowing it to conduct rail operations over the Owners’ Association’s and CRRC’s tracks.2 (GLTRR Pet. 6.) GLTRR further states that in April 2018, soon after GLT’s acquisition of these rights and the fee simple interest in the Facility, GLT entered into an agreement (2018 Agreement) with GLTRR to lease GLTRR the track it acquired from CenterPoint and to assign to GLTRR the rights to conduct rail operations over CRRC’s and the Owners’ Association’s tracks. (Id. at 6, 10.) As GLTRR explains, it did not seek Board authority to enter into the 2018 Agreement. (Id. at 6–7.) GLTRR claims that it did not seek authority for the 2018 Agreement at that time based on a mistaken belief that no additional authority was needed because it had just received Board authority to operate at the Facility under a sublease with GLT in Docket No. FD 36160 and would continue to operate at the Facility. (See

id. at 5.)

Prior to GLTRR filing its petition, it filed a notice of exemption stating that GLT planned to sell its portion of the Line to Norfolk Southern Railway (NSR) and that GLTRR would then lease that portion of the Line from NSR and continue to operate as it does today.

GLTRR Notice 5, Great Lakes Terminal R.R.—Acquis. & Operation Exemption— Norfolk S. Ry., FD 36764. The verified notice sought Board authority to enter into the lease with NSR and to continue to operate over the track that would be sold to NSR, as well as the track that would continue to be owned by CRRC and the Owners’ Association. Id. In that verified notice, GLTRR also explained its previous failure to seek authority for GLTRR’s 2018 acquisition by lease and operation of GLT’s tracks and requested that the Board grant, ‘‘on its own motion,’’ after-the-fact authority for that transaction. Id. at 4–5.

The verified notice was rejected on the grounds that this case was not appropriate for the notice of exemption process, which is designed for routine cases that do not raise issues requiring significant scrutiny. Great Lakes Terminal R.R.—Acquis. & Operation Exemption—Norfolk S. Ry. (Director Order), FD 36764, slip op. at 2–3 (STB served Apr. 26, 2024). The Director Order explained that use of a notice of exemption to seek after-the-fact authority for a prior transaction that is not the subject of the notice is not routine. Id. at 2. The Director Order further stated that the verified notice had raised unanswered questions regarding whether GLTRR should have also sought Board authority to enter into agreements with CRRC and the Owners’ Association to operate over their tracks.

Id. at 2–3. The Board ordered GLTRR to file a petition for exemption for after-the-fact authority for the prior acquisition and operation of GLT’s tracks and to file a petition for exemption for after-the-fact authority for the acquisition and operation of CRRC’s and the Owners’ Association’s tracks or to explain why such authority is not required. Id. at 3.3 As explained below, GLTRR’s petition adequately addresses the questions raised by the Board and otherwise provides information sufficient to grant its petition.4

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