[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 35 (Tuesday, February 22, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 9694-9695]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-3769]
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Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 35 / Tuesday, February 22, 2011 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 9694]]
OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
5 CFR Part 532
RIN 3206-AM33
Prevailing Rate Systems; Redefinition of the Northeastern Arizona
and Colorado Appropriated Fund Federal Wage System Wage Areas
AGENCY: U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
ACTION: Proposed rule with request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Office of Personnel Management is issuing a proposed
rule that would redefine the geographic boundaries of the Northeastern
Arizona and Southern Colorado appropriated fund Federal Wage System
(FWS) wage areas. The proposed rule would redefine Dolores, Montrose,
Ouray, San Juan, and San Miguel Counties, CO, and the Curecanti
National Recreation Area portion of Gunnison County, CO, from the
Southern Colorado wage area to the Northeastern Arizona wage area.
These changes are based on recent consensus recommendations of the
Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee to best match the counties
proposed for redefinition to a nearby FWS survey area. No other changes
are proposed for the Northeastern Arizona and Southern Colorado FWS
wage areas.
DATES: We must receive comments on or before March 24, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Send or deliver comments to Jerome D. Mikowicz, Deputy
Associate Director for Pay and Leave, Employee Services, U.S. Office of
Personnel Management, Room 7H31, 1900 E Street, NW., Washington, DC
20415-8200; e-mail [email protected]; or FAX: (202) 606-
4264.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Madeline Gonzalez, (202) 606-2838; e-
mail [email protected]; or FAX: (202) 606-4264.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Office of Personnel Management
(OPM) is issuing a proposed rule to redefine the Northeastern Arizona
and Southern Colorado appropriated fund Federal Wage System (FWS) wage
areas. This proposed rule would redefine Dolores, Montrose, Ouray, San
Juan, and San Miguel Counties, CO, and the Curecanti National
Recreation Area portion of Gunnison County, CO, from the Southern
Colorado wage area to the Northeastern Arizona wage area.
OPM considers the following regulatory criteria under 5 CFR 532.211
when defining FWS wage area boundaries:
(i) Distance, transportation facilities, and geographic features;
(ii) Commuting patterns; and
(iii) Similarities in overall population, employment, and the kinds
and sizes of private industrial establishments.
Montrose County is currently defined to the Southern Colorado area
of application. Based on our analysis of the regulatory criteria for
defining appropriated fund FWS wage areas, we find that Montrose County
would be more appropriately defined as part of the Northeastern Arizona
area of application. When measuring to cities, the distance criterion
favors the Northeastern Arizona wage area. When measuring to host
installations, the distance criterion favors the Southern Colorado wage
area. All other criteria are indeterminate. Although a standard review
of regulatory criteria shows that most factors are indeterminate,
distance to the closest cities does favor the Northeastern Arizona wage
area. Based on this analysis, we recommend that Montrose County be
redefined to the Northeastern Arizona wage area.
Gunnison County is currently defined to the Southern Colorado area
of application. Our analysis of the regulatory criteria indicates that
Gunnison County is appropriately defined as part of the Southern
Colorado area of application. The distance criterion favors the
Southern Colorado wage area. All other criteria are indeterminate.
Based on the mixed nature of our regulatory analysis findings, there is
no clear indication that Gunnison County should be placed in a
different FWS wage area. However, the Department of the Interior
informs us that the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in
Montrose County and the Curecanti National Recreation Area in Gunnison
County are co-managed and that the majority of employees who service
the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park have duty stations at
the Curecanti National Recreation Area. The two parks are adjacent,
with the Curecanti National Recreation Area sharing its western
boundary with the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Because
we are recommending that Montrose County be redefined to the
Northeastern Arizona wage area, and because of the organizational
relationship and geographic proximity of these two parks, we recommend
that the portion of Gunnison County occupied by the Curecanti National
Recreation Area be part of the Northeastern Arizona wage area. This
change would ensure that FWS employees at the Black Canyon of the
Gunnison National Park and the Curecanti National Recreation Area are
paid from the same wage schedule. The remaining portion of Gunnison
County would continue to be part of the Southern Colorado wage area. We
believe the mixed nature of our regulatory analysis findings indicates
that the remaining locations in Gunnison County remain appropriately
defined to the Southern Colorado wage area, with distance being the
deciding factor.
Dolores County is currently defined to the Southern Colorado area
of application. Our analysis of the regulatory criteria indicates that
Dolores County would be more appropriately defined as part of the
Northeastern Arizona area of application. The distance criterion for
Dolores County favors the Northeastern Arizona wage area more than the
Southern Colorado wage area. The commuting patterns criterion slightly
favors the Northeastern Arizona wage area. All other criteria are
indeterminate. Based on this analysis, OPM proposes to redefine Dolores
County to the Northeastern Arizona area of application.
Ouray, San Juan, and San Miguel Counties are currently defined to
the Southern Colorado area of application. Our analysis of the
regulatory criteria indicates that Ouray, San Juan, and San Miguel
Counties would be more appropriately defined as part of the
Northeastern Arizona area of application. The distance criterion favors
the Northeastern Arizona wage area more than the Southern Colorado
[[Page 9695]]
wage area. All other criteria are indeterminate. Since the distance
criterion indicates that Ouray, San Juan, and San Miguel Counties are
closer to the Northeastern Arizona survey area, we recommend that these
three counties be redefined to the Northeastern Arizona wage area.
The Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee (FPRAC), the
national labor-management committee responsible for advising OPM on
matters concerning the pay of FWS employees, recommended these changes
by consensus. These changes would be effective on the first day of the
first applicable pay period beginning on or after 30 days following
publication of the final regulations. FPRAC recommended no other
changes in the geographic definitions of the Northeastern Arizona and
Southern Colorado wage areas.
Regulatory Flexibility Act
I certify that these regulations would not have a significant
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities because they
would affect only Federal agencies and employees.
List of Subjects in 5 CFR Part 532
Administrative practice and procedure, Freedom of information,
Government employees, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Wages.
U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
John Berry,
Director.
Accordingly, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management is proposing
to amend 5 CFR part 532 as follows:
PART 532--PREVAILING RATE SYSTEMS
1. The authority citation for part 532 continues to read as
follows:
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 5343, 5346; Sec. 532.707 also issued under
5 U.S.C. 552.
2. Appendix C to subpart B is amended by revising the wage area
listings for the Northeastern Arizona and Colorado wage areas to read
as follows:
Appendix C to Subpart B of Part 532--Appropriated Fund Wage and Survey
Areas
* * * * *
ARIZONA
Northeastern Arizona
Survey Area
Arizona:
Apache
Coconino
Navajo
New Mexico:
McKinley
San Juan
Area of Application. Survey Area plus:
Colorado:
Dolores
Gunnison (Only includes the Curecanti National Recreation Area
portion)
La Plata
Montezuma
Montrose
Ouray
San Juan
San Miguel
Utah:
Kane
San Juan (Does not include the Canyonlands National Park
portion)
* * * * *
COLORADO
* * * * *
Southwestern Colorado
Survey Area
Colorado:
El Paso
Pueblo
Teller
Area of Application. Survey Area plus:
Colorado:
Alamosa
Archuleta
Baca
Bent
Chaffee
Cheyenne
Conejos
Costilla
Crowley
Custer
Delta
Fremont
Gunnison (Does not include the Curecanti National Recreation
Area portion)
Hinsdale
Huerfano
Kiowa
Kit Carson
Las Animas
Lincoln
Mineral
Otero
Pitkin
Prowers
Rio Grande
Saguache
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 2011-3769 Filed 2-18-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6325-39-P