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

It is the intention of NRCS to issue one revised conservation practice standard in its National Handbook of Conservation Practices. This standard is: Wastewater Treatment Strip (NY635).

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) to request renewal of the information collection currently approved and used in support of the FSA and CCC Debt Settlement Policies and Procedures program. Provisions in the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 and in the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 have resulted in a decrease in burden hours for information collection under the FSA and CCC Debt Settlement Policies and Procedures program.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the extension with revision of information collection, National Forest Visitor Use Monitoring.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR Part 1320 (60 FR 44978, August 29, 1995), this notice announces the Agricultural Research Service's (ARS) intention to request an extension of a currently approved information collection, Information Collection For Document Delivery Services at the National Agricultural Library (NAL), that expires February 28, 2006.

This notice announces that the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is adding California, Minnesota, and Nebraska as eligible states to its Beginning Farmer and Rancher Land Contract Guarantee Pilot Program. Expanding the Pilot Program is intended to facilitate land transfers to a greater number of beginning farmers and ranchers.

An Opal Creek Scenic Recreation Area Advisory Council meeting will convene in Stayton, Oregon on Wednesday, October 5, 2005. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m., and will conclude at approximately 8:30 p.m. The meeting will be held in the South Room of the Stayton Community Center located on 400 West Virginia Street in Stayton, Oregon. The Opal Creek Wilderness and Opal Creek Scenic Recreation Area Act of 1996 (Opal Creek Act) (Pub. L. 104-208) directed the Secretary of Agriculture to establish the Opal Creek Scenic Recreation Area Advisory Council. The Advisory Council is comprised of thirteen members representing state, county and city governments, and representatives of various organizations, which include mining industry, environmental organizations, inholders in Opal Creek Scenic Recreation Area, economic development, Indian tribes, adjacent landowners and recreation interests. The council provides advice to the Secretary of Agriculture on preparation of a comprehensive Opal Creek Management Plan for the SRA, and consults on a periodic and regular basis on the management of the area. Tentative agenda items include project updates and season end reporting, Pearl Creek Guard Station restoration strategy subcommittee report, and future council membership. A direct public comment period is tentatively scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Time allotted for individual presentations will be limited to 3 minutes. Written comments are encouraged, particularly if the material cannot be presented within the time limits of the comment period. Written comments may be submitted prior to October 5th by sending them to Designated Federal Official Paul Matter at the address given below.

This rule decreases the assessment rate established for the Prune Marketing Committee (committee) under Marketing Order No. 993 for the 2005-06 and subsequent crop years from $6.00 to $0.65 per ton of salable dried prunes. The committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of dried prunes grown in California. Authorization to assess dried prune handlers enables the committee to incur expenses that are reasonable and necessary to administer the program. The crop year began August 1 and ends July 31. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App 2, the United States Department of Agriculture announces a listening session of the Specialty Crop Committee under the auspices of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board.

The USDA Forest Service, Plumas National Forest, gives notice of the Agency's intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in cooperation with the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) issuing a joint Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The EIS will consider Federal and State actions associated with CDFG's proposal to eradicate northern pike, Esox lucius, from Lake Davis and its tributaries. Northern pike are restricted in California and it is unlawful to import, transport, or possess live animals. This proposed project is designed to help protect the fishery resources of the state by eradicating pike from Lake Davis and its upstream tributaries. CDFG has proposed to treat the reservoir and its tributaries with rotenone, at a concentration sufficient to eradicate northern pike and to restock the reservoir with trout. The associated actions are: (1) the Forest Service issuing CDFG a special use permit for access through, and use of National Forest lands adjacent to Lake Davis and its tributaries for implementing the proposed project. (2) a Forest order to close the entire area to the public during implementation of the proposed project and to close access to the lake bed as the lake level is lowered.

Pursuant to the authorities in the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463) and the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self- Determination Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-393), the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest's Madison-Beaverhead Resource Advisory Committee will meet on Tuesday, October 11, 2005, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. in Alder, Montana, for a business meeting. The meeting is open to the public.

Pursuant to Section 102[2][c] of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations [40 CFR part 1500]; and the Natural Resources Conservation Service Regulations [7 CFR part 650]; the Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, gives notice that an environmental impact statement is not being prepared for South River Watershed Dams Numbers 23, 25 and 26, Augusta County, Virginia.

This rule would increase the assessment rate established for the California Date Administrative Committee (committee) for the 2005- 06 and subsequent crop years from $0.85 to $0.95 per hundredweight of dates handled. The committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of dates produced or packed in Riverside County, California. Assessments upon date handlers are used by the committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The committee recommended increasing the assessment rate because additional revenues are needed to fund program operations and build up its financial reserve to a more satisfactory level. The crop year begins October 1 and ends September 30. The assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) published a notice soliciting comments as to whether any changes were necessary to the voluntary United States Standards for Grades of Lemons. No comments were received. The Agency has decided not to proceed further with this action due to lack of comments.

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 Nez Perce and Clearwater National Forests' North Central Idaho Resource Advisory Committee will meet Friday, September 30, 2005 in Potlatch, Idaho for a business meeting. The meeting is open to the public.

The Siskiyou County Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Yreka, California, September 19, 2005. The meeting will include routine business and the review, discussion, and possible recommendation of submitted large projects.

This rule revises the Certificate of Privilege (COP) requirements currently prescribed under the Florida tomato marketing order (order). The order regulates the handling of tomatoes grown in Florida and is administered locally by the Florida Tomato Committee (Committee). This rule requires those interested in receiving Florida tomatoes shipped under a COP to apply to the Committee to become an approved receiver. This rule also clarifies the definitions for processing and pickling as used in the rules and regulations under the order. These changes will assist the Committee in assuring that COP tomatoes are disposed of into COP outlets.

In a proposed rule published in the Federal Register on August 23, 2005 (Docket No. 04-083-1), we proposed to amend the regulations by adding Argentina to the list of regions considered free of exotic Newcastle disease (END) and announced the availability of a qualitative evaluation regarding the END status of Argentina. The proposed rule contained an incorrect Internet address and incomplete instructions on how to access the qualitative evaluation. This document corrects those errors.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), of the Department of Agriculture is soliciting comments on its amended proposal to revise the United States Standards for Grades of Watermelons. AMS received a petition from the National Watermelon Association (NWA), amending a portion of their original petition. NWA's amended petition is requesting that seedless watermelons be defined as: ``Watermelons which have 10 or less mature seeds, not to include pips/caplets, on the face of the melon which has been cut into four equal sections (one lengthwise cut and one crosswise cut).'' NWA's original petition requested that a variance be added to the size requirements. This request remains unchanged.

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) proposes several changes to the sugar program regulations. First, CCC proposes to amend the regulations for transferring sugar marketing allocation when a mill closes and growers request to move their allocation. Second, CCC proposes imposing a regulatory deadline for the program's information reporting requirements. The required monthly information would be due on the 20th of each month. Third, CCC proposes to amend the requirements for the maintenance and inspection of records to require each cane processor, cane refiner and beet processor to provide an annual report by a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) that verifies the company's data submitted to CCC.