Department of Agriculture October 20, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Lake County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will hold a meeting.

The USDA Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to disclose the anticipated environmental effects of the Durango Mountain Resort (DMR) 2004 Master Development Plan. The MDP includes plans to upgrade and expand DMR within the existing Special Use Permit (SUP) area to achieve a balance of guest service facilities and skiing opportunities with existing and proposed visitation, thereby enhancing the quality of the recreation experience. Additionally, the proposal includes plans to upgrade and increase the multiple use trails network on NFS lands, due to the displacement of multiple use trails on private lands from approved DMR base area development; and develop a trailhead to include toilet facilities and parking on the east side of Highway 550, outside of DMR's SUP area. The major aspects of the Proposed Action include: Replace existing lifts 2 and 8 with higher capacity lifts along their existing alignments, and shorten Lift 6 along its same alignment while utilizing the same lift equipment. Install one six-person lift (Lift 11), five three or four- person chairlifts (lifts 12, 13, 14, 16 and 17), one surface beginner lift (Lift 15), and four lateral surface (transfer liftsT1, T2, T2' and T3). Construct new roads to access Lift 11 top terminal (1,000 feet), Lift 2 bottom terminal (250 feet), Lift 14 top terminal (800 feet), and Lift 16 bottom terminal (200 feet). Bury power line from the top of Lift 4, down Salvation trail to the base of Lift 11, and along lifts T2, T2' and T3 to service new lifts. Create 17 new trails primarily in the areas associated with new lifts to improve the overall terrain distribution by skier ability level and to better meet the skier market demand. Improve four trails within the existing trail network and develop one gladed area and one tree skiing area with 20 percent tree thinning. Re-route the existing snowmobile access route. Install snowmaking infrastructure, make snow on the first 400 feet of the proposed re-route, and groom the re-route periodically to create a smooth ridable surface for snowmobile riders of all ability levels. Develop a snowmobile parking/staging area along Hermosa Park Road, north of Purgatory Village on the west side of Highway 550, which would accommodate cars, trucks, and trailers. Relocate the existing snowmobile outfitter and guide to the top of the Twilight Lift (Chair 4). Expand snowmaking coverage on 14 existing trails and two proposed trails (detailed below) by approximately 149 acres for a resort total of 364 acres.

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) is issuing this notice which sets forth the establishment and adjustments to the sugar overall allotment quantity for the 2004 crop year (FY 2005) which runs from October 1, 2004, through September 30, 2005. Although CCC already announced all of the information in this notice, CCC is statutorily required to publish in the Federal Register determinations establishing or adjusting sugar marketing allotments. CCC set the 2004-crop overall allotment quantity (OAQ) of domestic sugar to 8.100 million short tons raw value (STRV) on July 16, 2004. On September 28, 2004, CCC allocated the allotments to cane-producing States and allocations to cane and beet sugar processors. On April 29, 2005, CCC revised State cane sugar allotments and cane sugar processor allocations to reflect updated FY 2005 raw cane production forecasts. On June 30, 2005, CCC further revised State cane sugar allotments and cane sugar processor allocations to reflect updated raw cane production forecasts. On August 19, August 30 and September 9, 2005, CCC increased the 2004-crop OAQ by 250,000, 225,000 and 105,000 STRV, respectively, to release blocked refined beet sugar stocks into the tight summer market. Because the cane sector was unable to fulfill its share of the allotment increases on each occasion, the cane shortfall was reassigned first to the CCC inventory and then to imports, as required by the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938.