Prevailing Rate Systems; Redefinition of Anchorage, AK, Nonappropriated Fund Wage Area

SUMMARY: The Office of Personnel Management is issuing an interim rule

to redefine the Anchorage, AK, nonappropriated fund (NAF) Federal Wage

System (FWS) wage area for pay-setting purposes.

DATES: This interim rule becomes effective on July 12, 1996. Comments

must be received by August 12, 1996.

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

Director for Compensation Policy, Human Resources Systems Service,

Office of Personnel Management, Room 6H31, 1900 E Street NW.,

Washington, DC 20415, or FAX: (202) 606-0824.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Paul Shields, (202) 606-2848.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Personnel Management is

redefining the Anchorage, AK, FWS NAF wage area to add the Valdez-

Cordova census area as an area of application, and delete 10 area of

application census divisions.

The Anchorage, Alaska, NAF wage area was composed of a 1 census

division survey area and an 18 census division area of application.

With this change, the wage area is now made up of the same survey area

(Anchorage Borough, Alaska) and 9 area of application boroughs and

census areas (Fairbanks North Star, Juneau, Kenai Peninsula, Ketchikan

Gateway, Kodiak Island, Sitka, Southeast Fairbanks, Valdez-Cordorva,

and Yukon-Koyukuk).

These changes became necessary because the Air Force is planning

for the first time to hire temporary NAF FWS employees in the Valdez

Recreation Area in the Valdez-Cordova census area, an area currently

undefined for NAF wage setting purposes. In addition, the definition of

the entire Anchorage NAF wage area needed to be updated because the

Alaska boroughs and census areas and their names have been changed

since this wage area was last defined in regulation and because base

closures have left some locations without any NAF employees. The 10

area of application census divisions being deleted are: Aleutian

Islands, Barrow-North Slope, Bethel, Bristol Bay, Kobuk, Kuskokwim,

Nome, Outer Ketchikan, Southeast Fairbanks, and Upper Yukon.

As required in regulation, 5 CFR 532.219, the following criteria

were considered in redefining these wage areas:

(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.

An analysis of the proposed change under these criteria supports

the recommended redefinition. Valdez-Cordova is contiguous to the

Anchorage survey area. Further, because the Anchorage, Alaska, NAF wage

area is the only NAF wage area in Alaska and there are no other nearby

NAF wage areas, the proposed redefinition is clearly the only

reasonable alternative.

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 it is necessary to define the Valdez-Cordova

census area to a NAF wage area as soon as possible to provide for

setting the pay of new Air Force NAF employees in that location.

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.

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.

2. Appendix D to subpart B is amended by revising the listing for

Anchorage, Alaska, to read as follows:

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

Survey Areas

* * * * *

Alaska

Anchorage

Survey Area

Alaska: (Borough)

Anchorage

Area of application. Survey area plus:

Alaska: (Boroughs and census areas)

Fairbanks North Star

Juneau

Kenai Peninsula

Ketchikan Gateway

Kodiak Island

Sitka

Southeast Fairbanks

Valdez-Cordova

Yukon-Koyukuk

* * * * * *

[FR Doc. 96-17782 Filed 7-11-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6325-01-M