Prevailing Rate Systems; Abolishment of Clinton, NY, Nonappropriated Fund Wage Area

SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel Management is issuing interim

regulations to abolish the Clinton, NY, nonappropriated fund (NAF)

Federal Wage System (FWS) wage area and add Clinton County, NY, as an

area of application to the Oneida, NY, NAF wage area for pay-setting

purposes. No employee's wage rate will be reduced as a result of this

change.

DATES: This interim rule becomes effective on March 30, 1995. Comments

must be received by May 1, 1995. Employees paid rates from the Clinton,

NY, NAF wage schedule will continue to be paid from the schedule until

their conversion to the new Oneida, NY, NAF wage schedule on its

effective date, May 4, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Send or deliver comments to Donald J. Winstead, Acting

Assistant Director for Compensation Policy, Human Resources Systems

Service, U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Room 6H31, 1900 E Street

NW., Washington, DC 20415.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Shields, (202) 606-2848.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Defense recommended to the

Office of Personnel Management that the Clinton, NY, NAF wage area be

abolished and that Clinton County be added as an area of application to

the Oneida, NY, NAF wage area. With the scheduled 1995 closing of the

host installation, Plattsburgh Air Force Base (AFB), there will no

longer be a local activity with the capability to do the Clinton, NY,

survey. There will, however, still be about 23 NAF employees in Clinton

County. Neither of the current area of application counties, Chittenden

and Franklin, VT, has FWS NAF employees.

The provisions of 5 CFR 532.219 list the following criteria for

consideration when two or more counties are to be combined to

constitute a single wage area:

(1) Proximity of largest activity in each county;

(2) Transportation facilities and commuting patterns; and

(3) Similarities of the counties in:

(i) Overall population;

(ii) Private employment in major industry categories; and

(iii) Kinds and sizes of private industrial establishments.

There criteria are discussed in turn below.

Of the largest nearby activities with NAF employees, Plattsburgh

AFB, Clinton County, NY, is closest to Griffiss Air Force Base, Oneida,

NY. Slightly more distant are Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and the U.S.

Military Academy. Distances from Plattsburgh Air Force Base to the host

activities of the surrounding wage areas are as follows: Griffiss Air

Force Base, Oneida County, 320 km (199 miles); Portsmouth Naval Ship

Yard, York County, ME, 362 km (225 miles); and the United States

Military Academy, Orange County, NY, 396 km (246 miles).

Considering transportation facilities, from Plattsburgh AFB, the

largest installations in the three surrounding survey areas can all be

reached easily by Interstate Highways and some primary undivided roads.

An analysis of 1990 census commuting patterns data indicates that no

workers commute between Clinton County, NY, and the three survey

counties under consideration (Oneida, York, and Orange).

In terms of similarities of the counties in overall population,

private employment, and kinds and sizes of private industrial

establishments, Clinton County is most similar to York County.

In summary, the first criterion, proximity, favors Oneida County.

Considering the second criterion, transportation facilities and

commuting patterns, none of the three counties being considered is

favored. The third criterion, similarities in population and industry,

favors York County. On balance, evaluation under the criteria favors

the definition of Clinton County to the Oneida, NY, NAF wage area.

The Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee reviewed this

recommendation and by consensus recommended approval.

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B), I find that good cause exists

for waiving the general notice of proposed rulemaking. Also, pursuant

to section 553(d)(3) of title 5, United States Code, I find that good

cause exists for making this rule effective in less than 30 days. The

notice is being waived and the regulation is being made effective in

less than 30 days because preparations for the March 1995 Clinton

survey must otherwise begin immediately.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

I certify that these regulations will not have a significant

economic impact on a substantial number of small entities because they

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.

Lorraine A. Green,

Deputy Director.

Accordingly, OPM is amending 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.

Appendix B to Subpart B of Part 532 [Amended]

2. In Appendix B to subpart B of part 532, the listing for the

State of New York is amended by removing the entry for Clinton.

Appendix D to Subpart B of Part 532 [Amended]

3. Appendix D to subpart B of part 532 is amended by removing the

entry [[Page 16364]] for Clinton, New York, and by revising the entry

for Oneida, New York, to read as follows:

Appendix D to Subpart B of Part 532--Nonappropriated Fund Wage and

Survey Areas

* * * * *

New York

* * * * *

Oneida

Survey area

New York:

Oneida

Area of application. Survey area plus:

New York:

Albany

Clinton (Effective date May 4, 1995)

Jefferson

Onondago

Ontario

Saratoga

Schenectady

Seneca

Steuben

* * * * *

[FR Doc. 95-7760 Filed 3-29-95; 8:45 am]

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