April 11, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Notice is hereby given that The Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, 500 Wildlife Parkway, P.O. Box 1060, Columbia, SC 29202-1060 [Charles Scott Pfaff, Responsible Party] has been issued a permit to take shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) for purposes of enhancement.

Notice is hereby given that a request for a scientific research permit submitted by Daniela Maldini, Okeanis, PO Box 818, Pacific Grove, CA 93950 has been denied.

The Advisory Committee on Persons with Disabilities will conduct its fourth public meeting on Wednesday, May 2, 2007 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. in the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20004. For directions, see, https://www.itcdc.com/index.php. Attendees must have valid, government-issued identification, such as a Driver's License or passport, in order to enter the building. Attendees requiring reasonable accommodation should indicate their requirements one week prior to the event to Stephanie Ortoleva at ortolevas@state.gov. The Advisory Committee is made up of the Secretary of State, the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development and an Executive Director (all ex-officio members); and eight members from outside the United States government: Senda Benaissa, Joni Eareckson Tada, Vail Horton, John Kemp, Albert H. Linden, Jr., Kathleen Martinez, John Register and James E. Vermillion. Established on June 23, 2004, the Advisory Committee serves the Secretary and the Administrator in an advisory capacity with respect to the consideration of the interests of persons with disabilities in formulation and implementation of U.S. foreign policy and foreign assistance. The Committee is established under the general authority of the Secretary and the Department of State as set forth in Title 22 of the United States Code, in particular Sections 2656 and 2651a, and in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended.

Pursuant to the Intercountry Adoption Act of 2000 (the IAA), the Department of State (the Department) is the Central Authority for the United States for implementation of the 1993 Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (the Convention). Once the Convention enters into force for the United States, agencies and persons that provide adoption services in cases covered by the Convention must be accredited, temporarily accredited, approved, or otherwise exempt. The Department previously announced in the Federal Register the establishment of the transitional application deadline (TAD) for accreditation and approval as November 17, 2006. The Department is now setting the deadline for initial accreditation or approval (DIAA) for February 15, 2008. All agencies and persons that applied by the TAD must complete the accreditation/ approval process by February 15, 2008, to be eligible for accreditation, temporary accreditation, or approval at the time the Convention enters into force for the United States.

This notice announces receipt of an application 56228-EUP-GI from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) requesting an experimental use permit (EUP) for the mammalian gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH). The Agency has determined that the application may be of regional and national significance. Therefore, in accordance with 40 CFR 172.11(a), the Agency is soliciting comments on this application.

In accordance with section 6(f)(1) of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), as amended, EPA is issuing a notice of receipt of a request by the registrant to voluntarily cancel the registrations of all products containing the pesticide dimethipin. The request would terminate dimethipin use in or on cotton as a defoliant and plant growth regulator. The request would terminate the last dimethipin products registered for use in the United States. EPA intends to grant this request at the close of the comment period for this announcement unless the Agency receives substantive comments within the comment period that would merit its further review of the request, or unless the registrant withdraws its request within this period. Upon acceptance of this request, any sale, distribution, or use of products listed in this notice will be permitted only if such sale, distribution, or use is consistent with the terms as described in the final order.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announces the availability of approximately $6,895,000 in block grant funds to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. State departments of agriculture interested in obtaining grant program funds are invited to submit applications to USDA. State departments of agriculture, meaning agencies, commissions, or departments of a State government responsible for agriculture within the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, are eligible to apply. State departments of agriculture are encouraged to involve industry groups, academia, and community-based organizations in the development of applications and the administration of projects.

In accordance with section 113(g) of the Clean Air Act, as amended (``CAA'' or ``Act''), 42 U.S.C. 7413(g), notice is hereby given of a proposed settlement agreement, to address a lawsuit filed by Our Children's Earth Foundation (``OCE'') in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals: Our Children's Earth Foundation v. EPA, No. 05-73130 (9th Cir.). OCE filed a petition for judicial review of EPA's March 15, 2005 denial in part of OCE's administrative petition regarding a CAA Title V permit issued by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (``BAAQMD'') to the Tesoro petroleum refinery in the San Francisco Bay Area. Under the terms of the proposed settlement agreement, EPA shall determine whether to send the draft letter attached to this settlement agreement at Attachment A.

The public is invited to comment on the following application to conduct certain activities with endangered species.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (Pub. L. 91-190) and the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (Pub. L. 90-542), the National Park Service is initiating public scoping for the conservation planning and environmental impact analysis process for a Merced Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan (MRP) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in Yosemite National Park. The MRP/EIS will be a comprehensive document that guides future management of the Merced River corridor, and will comply with all applicable legal requirements. The purpose of this scoping outreach is to solicit early public comments about issues and concerns that should be addressed in the plan, including a suitable range of alternatives, appropriate mitigation measures, and the nature and extent of potential environmental impacts. Background: In 1987, Congress designated 122 miles of the Merced River and its South Fork as Wild and Scenic, including the 81 miles within Yosemite National Park and the El Portal Administrative Site. The National Park Service (NPS) completed the Merced Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan/Final Environmental Impact Statement in August, 2000. Soon after, two citizen's groups filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. This initiated a series of court proceedings that culminated in a 2006 District Court decision that invalidated the park's revised 2005 plan, the Merced Wild and Scenic River Revised Comprehensive Management Plan/ Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. Subsequently, the court ordered the NPS to prepare a new comprehensive management plan. On January 9, 2007, the NPS proposed a 33-month timeline to the court for the preparation of the new MRP/EIS, which would result in a Record of Decision on September 30, 2009. Scoping and Public Meetings: The participation of interested individuals and organizations is important to the conservation planning and environmental impact analysis process. During the scoping phase, the public is invited to share ideas and concerns that should be considered in development of the draft MRP. Yosemite National Park will consult tribal, federal, state, and local governments, and will receive public input during an extended period concluding 60 days from the date of publication of this Notice in the Federal Register. The scoping period will be publicized via the internet, direct mailings, and press releases distributed to local and regional media. Dates, times, specific locations, and additional information will be available in regional and local news sources, and updates will be available at https://www.nps.gov/yose/planning/. Written comments should be addressed to the Superintendent, Attn: Merced River Plan, Yosemite National Park, PO Box 577, Yosemite National Park, California 95389, or faxed to (209) 379-1294. All comments must be postmarked or faxed not later than 60 days from the publication date of this Notice in the Federal Register (or if sent via e-mail, transmitted by that date to YosePlanning@nps.gov). Immediately upon confirmation of this date it will be announced on the project Web site and via announcements in local and regional press media. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, be advised that your entire commentincluding your personal identifying information may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold from public review your personal identifying information, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Decision Process: Information about future public involvement opportunities, including workshops for preliminary alternatives formulation and the later public review of the draft EIS, will be publicized in regional news media, by mailings, and postings to the project's Web site. Following due consideration of comments received in response to the draft EIS, a final EIS will be prepared. As a delegated EIS the official responsible for approval of the MRP is the Regional Director, Pacific West Region (at this time a decision is anticipated during September, 2009). Subsequently the Superintendent, Yosemite National Park would be responsible for implementing the MRP.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is amending the animal drug regulations to reflect approval of an abbreviated new animal drug application (ANADA) filed by Altana, Inc. The ANADA provides for veterinary prescription use of mupirocin ointment for the treatment of bacterial skin infections in dogs.