Department of Agriculture May 6, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document amends the delegations of authority from the Secretary of Agriculture in order to reflect the Secretary's designation of the General Counsel as the Department official responsible for delegating the authority to other Department heads for considering, ascertaining, adjusting, determining, compromising, and settling, pursuant to the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) and regulations of the Attorney General, claims less than $2500 that allege the negligence or wrongful act of an employee of a certain agency.

This rule would relax the minimum grade requirements for potatoes handled under the Colorado potato marketing order, Area No. 2. This rule was recommended by the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee for Area No. 2 (Committee), the agency responsible for the local administration of the marketing order. For all potato varieties produced in Area No. 2 measuring from 1\1/2\-inch minimum diameter to 2\1/4\-inch maximum diameter (size B), and from 1-inch minimum diameter to 1\3/4\-inch maximum diameter, this rule changes the minimum grade from U.S. No. 1 to U.S. Commercial. This rule also would relax the minimum grade requirements between October 1 through June 30 of each year for imported red-skinned round type potatoes of the same size categories under the import regulations as required by section 8e of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937. The changes are intended to provide potato handlers and importers with more marketing flexibility, growers with increased returns, and consumers with a greater supply of small potatoes, and to bring the section 8e potato import regulation into conformity with the marketing order.

The Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests Resource Advisory Committee will meet on Wednesday, May 18, 2005, at the Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests Headquarters office, 215 Melody Lane, Wenatchee, Washington. The meeting will begin a 9 a.m. and continue until 3 p.m. Committee members will review Kittitas County and Yakima County projects proposed for Resource Advisory Committee consideration under Title II of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self- Determination Act of 2000. All Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests Resource Advisory Committee meetings are open to the public. Interested citizens are welcome to attend.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on extending the information collection, Long-Term Fire Retardants.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the extension with revision of an approved information collection associated with the intermodal transportation services. The information collection supports the domestic and export food assistance program needs. Also, this information collection allows CCC to determine the availability of intermodal marketing companies to meet the intermodal transportation needs of CCC for the movement of its freight.