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25272 Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 90 / Tuesday, May 11, 1999 / Notices Dated: April 26, 1999. Samuel Chambers, Jr., Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service. [FR Doc. 99–11757 Filed 5–10–99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–30–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Food And Nutrition Service RIN 0584–AC69 Food Stamp Program: Maximum Allotments for the 48 States and the District of Columbia, and Income Eligibility Standards for the 48 States and the District of Columbia, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Virgin Islands AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA. ACTION: General notice. SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to update for Fiscal Year 1999 the maximum allotment levels, which are the basis for determining the amount of food stamps which participating households receive and the gross and net income limits for food stamp eligibility. These adjustments, required by law, take into account changes in the cost of living and statutory adjustments since the amounts were last calculated. DATES: This notice is effective May 11, 1999. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Margaret Werts Batko, Assistant Chief, Certification Policy Branch, Program Development Division, Food Stamp Program, Food and Nutrition Service, USDA, 3101 Park Center Drive, Alexandria, Virginia 22302, (703) 305– 2516. The e-mail address is Margaret.Batko@FNS.USDA.GOV SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Implementation As required by section 3(o) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (the Act), 7 U.S.C. 2012(o), State agencies should have implemented the adjustments to the maximum food stamp allotments reflected in this notice on October 1, 1998, based on advance notice of the new amounts. In accordance with regulations published at 47 FR 46485– 46487 (October 19, 1982), annual statutory adjustments to the maximum allotment levels and income eligibility standards are issued by general notices published in the Federal Register and not through rulemaking proceedings. Classification Executive Order 12866 This notice has been determined to be not significant for purposes of Executive Order 12866 and therefore has not been reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Executive Order 12372 The Food Stamp Program is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance under No. 10.551. For the reasons set forth in the final rule related notice to 7 CFR part 3015, subpart V (48 FR 29116, June 24, 1983), this program is excluded from the scope of Executive Order 12372 which requires intergovernmental consultation with State and local officials. Regulatory Flexibility Act The Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services has certified that this action will not have a significant economic impact and will not have an impact on a substantial number of small entities. The action will increase the amount of money spent on food through food stamps. However, this money will be distributed among the nation’s food vendors, so the effect on any one vendor will not be significant. Paperwork Reduction Act This action does not contain reporting or record keeping requirements subject to approval by OMB pursuant to the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3507. Unfunded Mandate Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA) Title II of UMRA establishes requirements for Federal agencies to assess the effects of their regulatory actions on State, local, and tribal governments and the private sector. Under section 202 of the UMRA, FNS generally must prepare a written statement, including a cost-benefit analysis, for proposed and final rules with ‘‘Federal mandates’’ that may result in expenditures to State, local, or tribal governments, in the aggregate, or to the private sector, of $100 million or more in any one year. When such a statement is needed for a rule, section 205 of the UMRA generally requires FNS to identify and consider a reasonable number of regulatory alternatives and adopt the least costly, more cost-effective or least burdensome alternative that achieves the objectives of the rule. This notice contains no Federal mandates (under the regulatory provisions of Title II of the UMRA) for State, local, and tribal governments or the private sector of more than $100 million or more in any one year. Thus this rule is not subject to the requirements of sections 202 and 205 of the UMRA. Background Income Eligibility Standards The eligibility of households for the Food Stamp Program, except those in which, in accordance with section 5(a) of the Act, 7 U.S.C. 2014(a), all members are receiving ‘‘benefits under a State program funded under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act [], supplemental security income (SSI) benefits under title XVI of the Social Security Act [], or aid to the aged, blind, or disabled under title I, X, XIV, or XV of the Social Security Act * * * .’’ , is determined by comparing their incomes to the appropriate income eligibility standards (limits). Pursuant to section 5(c)(2) of the Act, households containing an elderly or disabled member are required to have qualifying net incomes, while households which do not contain an elderly or disabled member must have qualifying net incomes and qualifying gross incomes. Households in which all members are receiving Social Security Act title IV benefits or SSI are ‘‘categorically eligible;’’ under 7 CFR 273.2(j)(2) their incomes do not have to be below the income limits. 25273 Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 90 / Tuesday, May 11, 1999 / Notices As provided in section 5(c)(1) of the Act, the net and gross income limits applicable to food stamp eligibility are derived from the Federal income poverty guidelines established under section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act, 42 U.S.C. 9902(2). The net income limit is 100 percent of the poverty line. The gross income limit is 130 percent of the poverty line. The guidelines are updated annually. Based on that update, the Food Stamp Program’s income eligibility standards are updated each October 1. Instructions for implementation of the required adjustments for October 1, 1998, were issued by the Deputy Administrator of the Food and Nutrition Service, Food Stamp Program, in a July 30, 1998, memorandum to all State Food Stamp Program Directors. The revised income eligibility standards for the 48 States (including the District of Columbia, Guam and the Virgin Islands), Alaska and Hawaii are as follows: FOOD STAMP PROGRAM—OCTOBER 1, 1998 TO SEPTEMBER 30, 1999 Household Size 48 States 1 Alaska Hawaii Net Monthly Income Eligibility Standards (100 Percent of Poverty Level) 1 ................................................................................................................................................... $671 $ 840 $ 772 2 ................................................................................................................................................... 905 1,131 1,040 3 ................................................................................................................................................... 1,138 1,423 1,309 4 ................................................................................................................................................... 1,371 1,715 1,577 5 ................................................................................................................................................... 1,605 2,006 1,845 6 ................................................................................................................................................... 1,838 2,298 2,114 7 ................................................................................................................................................... 2,071 2,590 2,382 8 ................................................................................................................................................... 2,305 2,881 2,650 Each Add. Member ...................................................................................................................... +234 +292 +269 Gross Monthly Income Eligibility Standards (130 Percent of Poverty Level) 1 ................................................................................................................................................... $873 $1,091 $1,004 2 ................................................................................................................................................... 1,176 1,471 1,352 3 ................................................................................................................................................... 1,479 1,850 1,701 4 ................................................................................................................................................... 1,783 2,229 2,050 5 ................................................................................................................................................... 2,086 2,608 2,399 6 ................................................................................................................................................... 2,389 2,987 2,748 7 ................................................................................................................................................... 2,693 3,366 3,097 8 ................................................................................................................................................... 2,996 3,746 3,445 Each Add. Member ...................................................................................................................... +304 +380 +349 Gross Monthly Income Eligibility Standards for Households Where Elderly Disabled Are a Separate Household (165 Percent of Poverty Level) 1 ................................................................................................................................................... $1,107 $1,385 $1,274 2 ................................................................................................................................................... 1,492 1,866 1,716 3 ................................................................................................................................................... 1,877 2,348 2,159 4 ................................................................................................................................................... 2,262 2,829 2,602 5 ................................................................................................................................................... 2,647 3,310 3,045 6 ................................................................................................................................................... 3,032 3,791 3,487 7 ................................................................................................................................................... 3,417 4,273 3,930 8 ................................................................................................................................................... 3,802 4,754 4,373 Each Add. Member ...................................................................................................................... +385 +482 +443 1 Includes District of Columbia, Guam, and the Virgin Islands. 25274 Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 90 / Tuesday, May 11, 1999 / Notices Thrifty Food Plan (TFP) and Allotments As provided for in section 3(o) of the Act, the TFP is a plan for the consumption of foods of different types (food groups) that a household might use to provide nutritious meals and snacks for household members. The plan reflects a diet required to feed a family of four persons consisting of a man and a woman aged 20 to 50, a child 6 to 8 and a child 9 to 11. The cost of the TFP is adjusted monthly to reflect changes in the costs of the food groups. The TFP is also the basis for establishing food stamp allotments. Allotment is defined in section 3(a) of the Act as ‘‘the total value of coupons a household is authorized to receive during each month.’’ Food stamp allotments are adjusted periodically to reflect the changes in food cost levels indicated in the changing amounts of the TFP. Prior to the amendment of section 3(o) of the Act by section 804 of Pub. L. 104–193, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, allotment amounts were established on each October 1 at 103% of the cost of the TFP in the previous June. Amended section 3(o)(4) of the Act now provides that the TFP will be adjusted each October 1 to reflect the exact cost, or 100%, of the TFP for the previous June, rounding the results to the nearest lower dollar increment for each household size, except that on October 1,1996, the TFP was not to have been reduced below the amounts in effect on September 30, 1996. To obtain the maximum food stamp allotment for each household size for the period October 1, 1998, to September 30, 1999, June 1998 TFP costs for the above described four- person household were divided by four, multiplied by the appropriate household size and economy of scale factor, in accordance with section 3(o)(1) of the Act, and the final result was rounded down to the nearest dollar. The maximum benefit, or allotment, is paid to households with no net income. For a household with income, the household’s allotment is determined by reducing the maximum allotment for the household’s size by 30 percent of the individual household’s net income in accordance with section 8(a) of the Act, 7 U.S.C. 2017(a). The following table shows the current allotments for the 48 States and the District of Columbia. FOOD STAMP PROGRAM—OCTOBER 1, 1998—SEPTEMBER 30, 1999 [Maximum Food Stamp Allotments] Household size 48 States and the District of Co- lumbia 1 ...................................... $125 2 ...................................... 230 3 ...................................... 329 4 ...................................... 419 5 ...................................... 497 6 ...................................... 597 7 ...................................... 659 8 ...................................... 754 Each Additional Person .. +94 Dated: April 26, 1999. Samuel Chambers, Jr., Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service [FR Doc. 99–11758 Filed 5–10–99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–30–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Tongass Land and Resource Management Plan Revision; Tongass National Forest, AK AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice; record of decision. SUMMARY: The Forest Service gives notice that on April 13, 1999, the Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment approved a new Record of Decision (1999 ROD) for the final Environmental Impact Statement on the Tongass Land Management Plan Revision, The Under Secretary’s decision adopts, with modifications, Alternative 11 of the Final Environmental Impact Statement. As modified, Alternative 11 consists of extensive standards and guidelines, including land allocations, that comprise a comprehensive ecosystem management strategy. The modifications are set out in the body of the 1999 ROD and amplified in Appendix B of the 1999 ROD. DATES: The Under Secretary signed the new Record of Decision on April 13, 1999. ADDRESSES: Copies of the 1999 Record of Decision and the Final Environmental Impact Statement are available from the Tongass National Forest, Alaska Region, Forest Service, USDA, PO Box 309, Petersburg, AK 99833. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Merrily Jones, Public Affairs Office, Tongass National Forest, Alaska Region, Forest Service, USDA; telephone: (907) 772–3841 or fax: (907) 772–5895. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Final Environmental Impact Statement on the Tongass Land Management Plan Revision was filed with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and notice of its availability was published in the Federal Register by EPA on June 27, 1997 (62 FR 34745). The 1999 Record of Decision (ROD) presents a comparison of the alternatives considered in the Final Environmental Impact Statement and described the rational for the alternatives elected. This decision is not appealable under Forest Service administrative appeal procedures. The Forest Supervisor will mail a copy of the 1999 ROD to persons and organizations on mailing lists associated with the Tongass planning endeavor. The 1999 ROD is also available on the Tongass National Forest’s worldwide web site at: http:www.fs.fed. us/r10/ tongass in portable document format (pdf). That site includes additional related information such as a summary of changes, a press release, and a comparison table showing key components of the Tongas decisions in 1979, 1997, and 1999. Dated: May 6, 1999. Gloria Manning, Acting Associate Chief for National Forest Systems. [FR Doc. 99–11878 Filed 5–10–99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–11–M DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Economics and Statistics Administration Renewal of Secretary’s 2000 Census Advisory Committee AGENCY: Economics and Statistics Administration, Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice of renewal. SUMMARY: In accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2, and after concurrence of the General Services Administration, the Secretary of Commerce has determined that the renewal of the 2000 Census Advisory Committee is in the public interest in connection with the performance of duties imposed on the Department by law. EFFECTIVE DATE: March 16, 1999. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maxine Anderson-Brown, Committee Liaison Officer, Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Room 1647, Federal Building 3, Washington,