Notice of Availability of the Programmatic Environmental Assessment for AMS Local Meat Capacity Grant Program, 74402 [2023-23936]
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 209 / Tuesday, October 31, 2023 / Notices
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[FR Doc. 2023–23986 Filed 10–30–23; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc. No. AMS–TM–23–0066]
Notice of Availability of the
Programmatic Environmental
Assessment for AMS Local Meat
Capacity Grant Program
Agricultural Marketing Service,
USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request
for public comments.
AGENCY:
The Agricultural Marketing
Service (AMS) announces that the Draft
Programmatic Environmental
Assessment (PEA) for the Local Meat
Capacity Grant Program (Local MCap) is
available for public review and
comments.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before November 30, 2023 to be
assured consideration.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are
invited to submit written comments
concerning this notice. Comments may
be submitted electronically by Email:
LocalMCap@usda.gov. Comments
should reference the document number
and the date and page number of this
issue of the Federal Register. AMS will
address comments received on the draft
PEA in the final PEA.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Betsy Rakola, Associate Deputy
Administrator, Transportation and
Marketing Program; Telephone: (202)690–1300; Email: LocalMCap@usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
Background
The Draft PEA analyzes and discloses
the potential environmental impacts
associated with the establishment of the
Local Meat Capacity Grant Program
(Local MCap). AMS has proposed to
fund grants to support independently
owned meat and poultry processing
businesses. These grants will help them
provide additional and more efficient
processing options for local livestock
producers by modernizing, increasing,
diversifying, and decentralizing meat
and poultry processing capacity,
including support for rendering.
This program will expand processing
capacity for small and midsized meat
and poultry processors, which are
particularly vulnerable to disruption. It
will also increase capacity and promote
competition in the meat and poultry
processing sector. Based on public
input, USDA identified an urgent need
to expand and diversify meat and
poultry processing capacity.
The Local MCap Program is
authorized by section 1001 (b)(4) of the
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) (Pub.
L. 117–2), which funds ‘‘loans and
grants and other assistance to maintain
and improve food and agricultural
supply chain resiliency.’’ Recipients of
funding from this proposed program
would be allowed 36 months to
complete work funded by the grant
awards.
The environmental impacts of
funding projects to enhance existing
meat and poultry processing facilities
have been considered in a manner
consistent with the provisions of the
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) of 1969, Public Law 91–190, 42
U.S.C. 4321–4347, as amended.
A Draft PEA has been prepared, and
based on this analysis, AMS has
preliminarily determined there will not
be a significant impact to the human
environment. As a result, an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
has not been initiated (40 CFR 1501.6).
AMS intends for this PEA to create
efficiencies by establishing a framework
that can be used for ‘‘tiering,’’ where
appropriate, to project-specific actions
that require additional analysis. As
decisions on specific applications are
made, to the extent additional NEPA
analysis is required, environmental
review will be conducted to supplement
the analysis set forth in this PEA.
The Draft PEA is available for review
online at the program website: https://
www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/
localmcap.
Comments Invited
Interested stakeholders are invited to
submit comments on the Draft PEA, as
specified in the ADDRESSES section of
this Notice. The most helpful comments
reference a specific recommendation for
changing AMS’ proposed approach to
assessing environmental impacts,
explain the reason for any
recommended change, and include
supporting information. AMS will
consider all comments received on or
before the closing date.
Melissa Bailey,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural
Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2023–23936 Filed 10–30–23; 8:45 am]
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E:\FR\FM\31OCN1.SGM
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 209 (Tuesday, October 31, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 74402]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-23936]
=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc. No. AMS-TM-23-0066]
Notice of Availability of the Programmatic Environmental
Assessment for AMS Local Meat Capacity Grant Program
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for public comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announces that the
Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) for the Local Meat
Capacity Grant Program (Local MCap) is available for public review and
comments.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 30, 2023 to be
assured consideration.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments
concerning this notice. Comments may be submitted electronically by
Email: [email protected]. Comments should reference the document
number and the date and page number of this issue of the Federal
Register. AMS will address comments received on the draft PEA in the
final PEA.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Betsy Rakola, Associate Deputy
Administrator, Transportation and Marketing Program; Telephone: (202)-
690-1300; Email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Draft PEA analyzes and discloses the potential environmental
impacts associated with the establishment of the Local Meat Capacity
Grant Program (Local MCap). AMS has proposed to fund grants to support
independently owned meat and poultry processing businesses. These
grants will help them provide additional and more efficient processing
options for local livestock producers by modernizing, increasing,
diversifying, and decentralizing meat and poultry processing capacity,
including support for rendering.
This program will expand processing capacity for small and midsized
meat and poultry processors, which are particularly vulnerable to
disruption. It will also increase capacity and promote competition in
the meat and poultry processing sector. Based on public input, USDA
identified an urgent need to expand and diversify meat and poultry
processing capacity.
The Local MCap Program is authorized by section 1001 (b)(4) of the
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) (Pub. L. 117-2), which funds ``loans
and grants and other assistance to maintain and improve food and
agricultural supply chain resiliency.'' Recipients of funding from this
proposed program would be allowed 36 months to complete work funded by
the grant awards.
The environmental impacts of funding projects to enhance existing
meat and poultry processing facilities have been considered in a manner
consistent with the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) of 1969, Public Law 91-190, 42 U.S.C. 4321-4347, as amended.
A Draft PEA has been prepared, and based on this analysis, AMS has
preliminarily determined there will not be a significant impact to the
human environment. As a result, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
has not been initiated (40 CFR 1501.6). AMS intends for this PEA to
create efficiencies by establishing a framework that can be used for
``tiering,'' where appropriate, to project-specific actions that
require additional analysis. As decisions on specific applications are
made, to the extent additional NEPA analysis is required, environmental
review will be conducted to supplement the analysis set forth in this
PEA.
The Draft PEA is available for review online at the program
website: https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/localmcap.
Comments Invited
Interested stakeholders are invited to submit comments on the Draft
PEA, as specified in the ADDRESSES section of this Notice. The most
helpful comments reference a specific recommendation for changing AMS'
proposed approach to assessing environmental impacts, explain the
reason for any recommended change, and include supporting information.
AMS will consider all comments received on or before the closing date.
Melissa Bailey,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-23936 Filed 10-30-23; 8:45 am]
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