Department of Agriculture January 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The USDA, Forest Service, will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to update the allotment management plans for eleven cattle and horse grazing allotments. The allotments are located in the northern end of the Bridger Mountain Range approximately 20 miles north of Bozeman Montana.

This proposed rule would establish regulations for fishing seasons, harvest limits, methods, and means related to taking of fish and shellfish for subsistence uses during the 2006-07 regulatory year. The rulemaking is necessary because subpart D is subject to an annual public review cycle. When final, this rulemaking would replace the fish and shellfish taking regulations included in the ``Subsistence Management Regulations for Public Lands in Alaska, Subpart D: 2005-06 Subsistence Taking of Fish and Wildlife Regulations,'' which expire on March 31, 2006. This rule would also amend the Customary and Traditional Use Determinations of the Federal Subsistence Board and the General Regulations related to the taking of fish and shellfish.

The Agricultural Air Quality Task Force (AAQTF) will meet to continue discussions on critical air quality issues in relation to agriculture. Special emphasis will be placed on obtaining a greater understanding about the relationship between agricultural production and air quality. This will be the first meeting of the renewed Task Force and its newly appointed members.

The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, is requesting comment on a proposed revision to its procedures for implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations. This proposed revision is being made to Forest Service Handbook 1909.15, Chapter 30, which describes categorical exclusions, that is, categories of actions that will not result in significant impacts on the human environment and which are therefore exempt from requirements to prepare further NEPA documentation absent extraordinary circumstances. The proposal would add one such category of actions to the agency's NEPA procedures for final decisions on proposals to develop, amend, or revise land management plans that are comprised of five components which are desired conditions, objectives, guidelines, suitability of areas, and special areas for a forest. This proposal is being published in conjunction with the final Forest Service planning regulations published elsewhere in this part of today's Federal Register. Public comment is invited and will be considered in development of the final procedure.

The Department of Agriculture is issuing a final rule to remove the November 9, 2000, National Forest System Land and Resource Management Planning regulations at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, part 219, subpart A, in their entirety. Subsequent to the publication of the 2000 planning rule, several amendments were published to revise certain sections of the rule and to provide for transition to the 2000 rule. This action to remove the 2000 rule is being taken before the adoption of the new 2004 planning rule to clarify and avoid any confusion about which planning regulations the Department intends to be used to implement the National Forest Management Act of 1976. Elsewhere in this part of today's Federal Register, the Department is simultaneously publishing another final rule to add the new (2004) planning regulations at 36 CFR part 219, subpart A.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the extension of an information collection associated with Locatable Minerals operations on National Forest System lands.

This final rule establishes regulations applicable to the Emerging Markets Program (EMP). The regulations provide details concerning program administration, including participant eligibility, application requirements, review and allocation process, reimbursement rules and procedures, financial reporting and project evaluation requirements, appeal procedures, and program controls.

Pursuant to the authorities in the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463) and under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-393) the Beaverhead- Deerlodge National Forest's Tri-County Resource Advisory Committee will meet on Thursday, February 3, 2005, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Deer Lodge, Montana, for a business meeting. The meeting is open to the public.

We are amending the regulations regarding the importation of animals and animal products to establish a category of regions that present a minimal risk of introducing bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) into the United States via live ruminants and ruminant products and byproducts, and we are adding Canada to this category. We are also establishing conditions for the importation of certain live ruminants and ruminant products and byproducts from such regions. These actions will continue to protect against the introduction of BSE into the United States while removing unnecessary prohibitions on the importation of certain commodities from minimal-risk regions for BSE, currently only Canada.

The Southwest Washington Province Advisory Committee will meet on Thursday, January 27, 2005, at the Gifford Pinchot National Forest Headquarters, 10600 NE 51st Circle, Vancouver, WA 98682. The meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. and continue until 3:30 p.m. The purpose of the meeting is to share information on the following programs: The status and plans for Forest bridges; effects to the Forest of recent and planned Federal Energy Regulatory Commission dam re-licensing actions; Forest monitoring activities; the proposed expansion of the White Pass Ski Area, and to share information among members. All Southwest Washington Province Advisory Committee meetings are open to the public. Interested citizens are encouraged to attend. The ``open forum'' provides an opportunity for the public to bring issues, concerns, and discussion topics to the Advisory Committee. The ``open forum'' is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Interested speakers will need to register prior to the open forum period. The committee welcomes the public's written comments on Committee business at any time.

Pursuant to the authorities in the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463) and under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-393) the Kootenai National Forest's Lincoln County Resource Advisory Committee will meet on Wednesday January 12, 2005 at 6 p.m. at the Supervisor's Office in Libby, Montana for a business meeting. The meeting is open to the public.

The Southwest Oregon Provincial Advisory Committee will meet on Tuesday, January 11th, 2005 to discuss topics including the Josephine County Fire Plan, Northern Spotted Owl Five Year Review, and fire plan working group report. The meeting will be held at the Josephine County Fairgrounds Art Building, 1451 Fairgrounds Road, Grants Pass, Oregon. It begins at 9 a.m., ends at 5 p.m.; the open public forum begins at 11:30 a.m. Written comments may be submitted prior to the meeting and delivered to Designated Federal Official, Scott Conroy at the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, PO Box 520, Medford, OR 97501.