Agricultural Marketing Service – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This final rule adjusts the number of members on the United Soybean Board (Board) to reflect changes in production levels that have occurred since the Board was last reapportioned in 2012. As required by the Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act (Act), membership on the Board is reviewed every 3 years and adjustments are made accordingly. This change will result in an increase in Board membership for three States, resulting in an increase in the total number of Board members from 70 to 73. These changes will be reflected in the Soybean Promotion and Research Order (Order) and will be effective for the 2016 appointment process.

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is announcing a meeting of the Plant Variety Protection Board (Board). The meeting is being held to discuss a variety of topics including, but not limited to, work and outreach plans, subcommittee activities, and proposals for procedure changes. The meeting is open to the public. This notice sets forth the schedule and location for the meeting.

This proposed rule invites comments on a recommendation from the California Desert Grape Administrative Committee (Committee) to revise the administrative rules and regulations of the Federal marketing order for grapes grown in a designated area of southeastern California (order) and the table grape import regulation. The Committee is responsible for the local administration of the order. This proposal would allow handlers and importers to ship grapes that do not meet the minimum grade and size quality requirements to be donated to charitable organizations. Any such grapes would not be used for resale. This proposal also announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to seek the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval on a new form that would revise the currently approved information collection issued under the order. The import regulation is authorized under section 608e of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 and regulates the importation of table grapes into the United States. The proposal would provide an additional outlet for grapes regulated under the order and would assist USDA's efforts to reduce food waste in support of the U.S. Food Waste Challenge.

In the event of a lapse of appropriations necessitating an adjournment of the public hearing on September 30, 2015, this Notice serves to establish a date to reconvene a public hearing that began on September 22, 2015, in Clovis, CA, to consider and take evidence on a proposal to establish a Federal milk marketing order to regulate the handling of milk in California.

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the South Texas Onion Committee (Committee) to increase the assessment rate established for the 2015-16 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.03 to $0.05 per 50-pound equivalent of onions handled under the marketing order (order). The Committee locally administers the order and is comprised of producers and handlers of onions operating within the area of production. Assessments upon onion handlers are used by the Committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The fiscal period begins August 1 and ends July 31. The assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

The Coast Guard will enforce various safety zones within the Captain of the Port New York Zone on the specified dates and times. This action is necessary to ensure the safety of vessels and spectators from hazards associated with fireworks displays. During the enforcement period, no person or vessel may enter the safety zones without permission of the Captain of the Port (COTP).

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the operation of the T-Bois bridge, a vertical lift-span bridge across Lafourche Bayou, mile 40.4, at Larose, Louisiana. The deviation is necessary in order to allow for the smooth flow of increased vehicular traffic caused by the temporary closure of the LA 1 bridge across the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. This deviation allows the bridge to open on signal for the passage of traffic if at least one-hour advanced notification is given during the morning and evening rush hours.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Tower Drawbridge across the Sacramento River, mile 59.0 at Sacramento, CA. The deviation is necessary to allow the community to participate in the Farm to Fork dinner event. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed- to-navigation position during the deviation period.

The Coast Guard will enforce the Special Local Regulation, Olympia Harbor Days Tug Boat Races, Budd Inlet, WA from 11:00 a.m. through 8:00 p.m. on September 6, 2015. This action is necessary to restrict vessel movement within the specified race area immediately prior to, during, and immediately after racing activity in order to ensure the safety of participants, spectators and the maritime public. Entry into, transit through, mooring or anchoring within the specified race area is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port, Puget Sound or Designated Representatives.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad Bridge across the Illinois Waterway, mile 88.8, at Beardstown, Illinois. The deviation is necessary to allow signal upgrades to be installed which can only be done when the bridge is in the closed-to- navigation position. The deviation allows the bridge to be in the closed-to-navigation position for 4 hours.

The Coast Guard will enforce the Portland Dragon Boat Races Safety Zone from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. on September 12, 2015 and 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. on September 13, 2015. This action is necessary to ensure the safety of maritime traffic, including the public vessels present, on the Willamette River during the Portland Dragon Boat Races. During the enforcement period, no person or vessel may enter or remain in the safety zone without permission from the Sector Columbia River Captain of the Port.

The Coast Guard is temporarily changing the enforcement date of the special local regulation on the navigable waters of San Diego Bay, San Diego, California in support of the annual TriRock San Diego Triathlon. This temporary interim rule adjusts the date for the established special local regulations listed in 33 CFR 100.1101 (table 1, item 11). This temporary interim rule provides public notice and is necessary to ensure the safety of participants, crew, spectators, participating vessels, and other vessels and users of the waterway. Unauthorized persons and vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or anchoring within the regulated area unless authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP), or his designated representative. The Coast Guard requests public comments on the temporary interim rule.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Rock Island Railroad and Highway Drawbridge across the Upper Mississippi River, mile 482.9, at Rock Island, Illinois. The deviation is necessary to allow the Quad City Marathon to cross the bridge. This deviation allows the bridge to be maintained in the closed-to-navigation position for four and a half hours.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary moving security zone within 1000 yards of a designated vessel on the navigable waters of the U.S. in Resurrection Bay, Seward, Alaska during the visit of the President of the United States (POTUS) to the area. This action is necessary to provide security for the President and first family of the United States. Unauthorized vessels and persons will be prohibited from entering or remaining in the security zones unless specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) or the COTP's designated representative. A U.S. Coast Guard Broadcast Notice to Mariners (BNM) will be conducted during this time to identify the vessel's name and location in which the security zone pertains.

The Coast Guard is establishing a safety zone on the waters of the Atlantic Ocean for the removal of unexploded ordnance located east of Vero Beach. There will be a zone approximately 2.6 nautical mile wide along the beach extending due east for approximately 2.3 nautical miles, in Vero Beach, Florida. This safety zone will be in effect from August 10th through September 4, 2015. This safety zone will only be enforced while operations are being conducted. The safety zone is necessary to protect the public from hazards associated with removal of the unexploded ordnance. Persons and vessels are prohibited from entering, transiting through, anchoring in, or remaining within the safety zone during operations unless authorized by the Captain of the Port Miami or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard seeks applications for membership on the National Maritime Security Advisory Committee. The National Maritime Security Advisory Committee provides advice and makes recommendations on national maritime security matters to the Secretary of Homeland Security via the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard will enforce the safety zone on the waters of Sister Bay in Sister Bay, WI for the Sister Bay Marinafest Fireworks. This zone will be enforced from 8:15 p.m. until 10 p.m. on each day of September 5 and 6, 2015. This action is necessary and intended to ensure safety of life on navigable waters immediately prior to, during, and immediately after the fireworks display. During the aforementioned period, the Coast Guard will enforce restrictions upon, and control movement of, vessels in the safety zone. No person or vessel may enter the safety zone while it is being enforced without permission of the Captain of the Port Lake Michigan or a designated representative.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone on Henderson Bay, Lake Ontario, Sackets Harbor, NY for a triathlon event. This safety zone is intended to restrict vessels from a portion of Lake Ontario during the swimming portion of the Incredoubleman Triathlon event. This temporary safety zone is necessary to protect participants, spectators, mariners, and vessels from the navigational hazards associated with a large scale swimming event.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the U.S. Coast Guard is forwarding the Information Collection Requests (ICRs), abstracted below, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), requesting approval of a reinstatement, without change, of a previously approved collection for which approval has expired: 1625-0006, Shipping Articles and 1625-0018, Official Logbook. Review and comments by OIRA ensure we only impose paperwork burdens commensurate with our performance of duties.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the Devon Bridge, across the Housatonic River, mile 3.9, at Stratford, CT. This deviation is necessary to perform superstructure repairs and timber ties replacement. This deviation allows the bridge to remain in the closed position for 50 days.

The Coast Guard is establishing regulations for annual, combined marine events that require the establishment of a temporary safety zone within the Captain of the Port Zone Buffalo on the Cuyahoga River, Cleveland, OH. This safety zone regulation is necessary to protect the surrounding public, spectators, participants, and vessels from the hazards associated with the rowing regatta in the narrow waterway of the Cuyahoga River. This rule is intended to restrict vessels annually from a portion of the Cuyahoga River for up to 9 hours during the combined Dragon Boat Festival and the Head of the Cuyahoga Regatta.

The Coast Guard has issued a temporary deviation from the operating schedule that governs the US 70 (Grayden Paul) Bridge across Gallants Channel, mile 0.1, at Beaufort, NC. This temporary deviation allows the draw bridge to remain in the closed to navigation position to accommodate The Neuse Riverkeeper Foundation Triathlon participants to safely complete their race without interruptions from bridge openings.

The Coast Guard will enforce the safety zone around vessels involved in Coast Guard training exercises in Hood Canal, WA from September 23, 2015 through September 24, 2015, unless cancelled sooner by the Captain of the Port. This is necessary to ensure the safety of the maritime public and vessels participating in these exercises. During the enforcement period, entry into this zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port or his Designated Representative.

The National Maritime Security Advisory Committee will meet in Washington, DC to discuss various issues relating to national maritime security. This meeting will be open to the public.