Department of Agriculture 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), are sponsoring a public meeting on October 18, 2005. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions that will be discussed at the 27th Session of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), which will be held in Bonn, Germany, November 21- 25, 2005. The Under Secretary for Food Safety and FDA recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 27th Session of CCNFSDU and to address items on the agenda.

This provides notice of the Federal Subsistence Board's in- season management action to protect sockeye salmon escapement in the Copper River, while still providing for a subsistence harvest. The revised fishing schedule for the Chitina Subdistrict of the Copper River will provide an exception to the Subsistence Management Regulations for Public Lands in Alaska, published in the Federal Register on March 21, 2005. Those regulations established seasons, harvest limits, methods, and means relating to the taking of fish and shellfish for subsistence uses during the 2005 regulatory year.

This document corrects the e-mail address for submission of public comments on the proposed rule regarding the Farm Service Agency's (FSA's) Interest Assistance Program published June 22, 2005, and extends the comment period to ensure that all public comments are received by the Agency. The original comment period for the proposed rule closes on August 22, 2005, and FSA is extending it until September 6, 2005. Respondents who sent comments to the earlier e-mail address are encouraged to contact the person named below to find out if their comments were received and re-submit them to the e-mail address below if necessary.

This final rule rewrites the regulations for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) in ``plain language'' to help program operators and the general public better understand program requirements. It also reduces the time and paperwork burden for State and local agencies, increases their flexibility in program operations, and strengthens program accountability. Other changes have been made to incorporate legislative provisions and improve program service and caseload management. This final rule makes the CSFP easier to understand and administer, and more effective and efficient in providing benefits to eligible persons.

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), are sponsoring a public meeting on August 30, 2005, to provide draft U.S. positions and receive public comments on agenda items that will be discussed at the Fifth Session of the Codex ad hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Foods Derived from Biotechnology of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), which will be held in Chiba, Japan, September 19-23, 2005. The Under Secretary and FDA recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to comment on the agenda items that will be debated at this forthcoming Session of the FBT.

The USDA Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to document and disclose the environmental impacts of a proposal to re-issue long term permits for a variety of commercial pack stock related activities to seven existing Resort Special Use Permit holders (commercial service supported by horse) and one existing Outfitter-Guide Special Use Permit Holder. The EIS will also designate a trail system and trail management objective for the Dinkey Lakes Wilderness. The services as proposed would occur on the Sierra National Forest in the Ansel Adams (AA), and John Muir (JM), and the non-wilderness portions of the Sierra National Forest. This EIS tiers to the Record of Decision that will be signed for the Trail and Commercial Pack Stock Management Plan Environmental Impact Statement for all activities and uses proposed in the AA and JM Wildernesses. Current activities provided by pack stations include full service guided trips (guide remains for the entire trip), dunnage trips (transport of material and supplies), spot trips (transport of people and supplies to a location and guide leaving), and day rides.

Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) has made a finding of no significant impact in connection with a request from Basin Electric Power Cooperative (Basin Electric) of Bismarck, North Dakota for assistance from RUS to finance the construction of a natural gas-fired combustion turbine and associated equipment near Groton in Brown County, South Dakota.

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 the Indian Creek Watershed Supplemental Watershed Plan and Environmental Assessment Number 1, Pottawattamie County, Iowa.

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 the Caney-Coon Creek Watershed Site No. 2, Coal County, Oklahoma.

USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has revised its Food Stamp Program Application for Stores, Form FNS-252 in Fiscal Year (FY) 2004. The form was revised to simplify and streamline information collected from retailers on the application and make it easier to read. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) granted a one year approval of the use of this form. FNS did not begin to use the new form until the fourth quarter of FY 2004 when the new Store Tracking and Redemption Subsystem (STARS II) became operational. We are soliciting public comments on the content, format and design of the revised Form FNS-252. As conditions of clearance for the revised retailer application, OMB is requiring that FNS translate the Form FNS-252 into Spanish and have it in active use within the year. OMB is also requiring FNS to track and report on the completion rates for questions 14c, 15b, 16, and 17b. FNS translated the Form FNS-252, into Spanish and is in the process of working with a contractor to post this information on the FNS website. We expect to have the Spanish version of Form FNS-252 in active use by the end of the fourth quarter of FY 2005. FNS is also in the process of tracking the completion rate of those questions identified by OMB, and referenced above. We will report the results upon resubmission to OMB for approval. Finally, a question asking retailers to provide the number of check-out registers that are in the store was omitted from the revised Form FNS-252 in error. FNS needs this information for program management purposes, and it impacts our ability to accurately provide point-of-sale information to third party processors and State contractors. As a result of this finding, FNS intends to add this question to the revised Form FNS-252.

The USDA intends to reestablish the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee (Committee). The purpose of the Committee is to examine the full spectrum of issues faced by the fruit and vegetable industry and provide suggestions and ideas to the Secretary of Agriculture on how USDA can tailor its programs to better meet the fruit and vegetable industry's needs. USDA also seeks nominations of individuals to be considered for selection as Committee members.

The Tuolumne County Resource Advisory Committee will meet on August 15, 2005, at the City of Sonora Fire Department, in Sonora, California. The purpose of the meeting is to review carryover funds and allocation amounts, identify projects requiring grant administration costs, and identify projects meeting section 204(f) requirements.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is soliciting comments on its proposal to create a voluntary United States Standards for Grades of Muscadine (Vitis rotundifolia) Grapes. AMS has received a request from an industry group representing muscadine grape growers to develop a standard for Muscadine Grapes. This proposal will provide a common language for trade and a means of measuring value in the marketing of muscadine grapes, thus promoting orderly and efficient marketing of muscadine grapes.

The Agricultural Marketing Service published a document in the Federal Register on July 26, 2005, (70 FR 43116), announcing a forthcoming meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). The document contained an incorrect date requesting individuals and organizations wishing to make an oral presentation at the meeting to do so by close of business on July 25, 2005. The correct date is listed below.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Public Law 104-13) and Office of Management and Budget regulations at 5 CFR part 1320 (60 FR 44978, August 29, 1995), this notice announces the intention of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to request revision and extension of a currently approved information collection, the Floriculture Survey.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request an extension of approval of an information collection associated with the State-Federal Brucellosis Eradication Program.

The Intergovernmental Advisory Committee (IAC), Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP), has scheduled an educational field trip on August 17, 2005, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Yreka, California. The purpose of the field trip is to have the committee learn more about fire-prone systems and how they affect local communities. The IAC will be given an update on the work of the Regional Interagency Executive Committee (RIEC) Fire-Prone Systems subcommittee, as well as other RIEC subcommittee efforts. These topics are based on key findings and trends from the April 19-20, 2005, Science and the Northwest Forest Plan, Knowledge Gained Over a Decade conference and advice received from the IAC on April 21, 2005. Due to travel limitations, the field trip is open to committee members only. Written comments may be submitted for the meeting record.

The Dixie and Fishlake National Forests will exercise their option to adjust the land management plan revision process from compliance with the 1982 planning regulations, to conform with new planning regulations adopted in January 2005. This adjustment will have the following effects: 1. The new rule redefines forest plans to be more strategic and flexible to better facilitate adaptive management and public collaboration. 2. The new rule focuses more on the goals of ecological, social, and economic sustainability and less on prescriptive means of producing goods and services. 3. The Responsible Official who will approve the final plan will now be the Forest Supervisor instead of the Regional Forester. 4. The forests will establish an environmental management system (per ISO 14001:2004(E)) prior to completion of the revised forest plan. 5. The emphasis of public involvement will be a collaborative effort between the public and the Forest Service to incorporate the most desirable management options into a single broadly supported management direction package that will become the Forest Plan. 6. Administrative review will change from a post-decision appeals process to a predecision objection process. Public Involvement: There has been a great deal of public participation and collaborative work on this planning process over the past few years, including more than 75 public meetings. Results of this work and a preliminary proposed action are available for review and comment. Current information and details of public participation opportunities are posted on our Web site: https://www.fs.fed.us/r4/dixie/ projects/ FParea/HomePage.htm. Contact Ellen Row at (435) 896-9233, or email at, ellenrow@fs.fed.us to be placed on our mailing list.

The Jacob Ryan Vegetation Management project would perform vegetation treatments on approximately 30,000 acres around Jacob Lake in Northern Arizona. The proposal would conduct ponderosa pine individual tree selection and group selection, commercial thinning, with ponderosa pine precommercial thinning of saplings, meadow restoration, fuels reduction, fuel break maintenance, hazard tree removal, and old growth and wildlife habitat management. This proposal would enhance habitat for the northern goshawk and its prey species by providing a mix of cover and more open foraging areas in accordance with the Kaibab National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan; reduce the fuel loading across the planning area; maintain fuelbreaks designed to slow the spread of wildfire; reduce the likelihood of ice on highway U.S. Highways 89A and 67 by removing trees that shade the highway; decrease the sources of dwarf mistletoe infection where they threaten the maintenance or attainment of desired forest structure; and remove young trees from selected areas that were formerly meadows.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing that it will hold a public meeting on Advances in Pre-Harvest Reduction of Salmonella in Poultry on August 25 and August 26, 2005, in Athens, GA. The meeting will consist of presentations on research and practical experiences aimed at reducing Salmonella at the poultry production level, before poultry reaches federally inspected plants. This meeting is the first in a series of public meetings that FSIS intends to hold to discuss new approaches for strengthening food safety.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment relative to the control of saltcedar (Tamarix spp.). The environmental assessment considers the effects of, and alternatives to, the release of a nonindigenous leaf beetle, Diorhabda elongata, into the environment to reduce the severity of saltcedar infestations. The environmental assessment provides a basis for our conclusion that the release into the environment of the biological control agent will not present a risk of introducing plant pests into the United States or disseminating plant pests within the United States and will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment. Based on its findings of no significant impact, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has determined that an environmental impact statement need not be prepared.

The Fresno County Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Prather, California. The purpose of the meeting is to review funded projects, discuss 2006 project submittal process and new committee appointments regarding the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self- Determination Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-393) for expenditure of Payments to States Fresno County Title II funds.

This proposed rule invites comments on procedures for a California Clingstone Peach Diversion Program. The program would be voluntary and consist entirely of tree removal. The program would be implemented under clause (3) of section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935, as amended. Based on 2003 and prior season acreage, production, supply, and marketing information for California clingstone peaches, the proposed program is expected to bring the domestic canned peach supply more in line with the market and provide relief to growers faced with excess acreage and supplies, and with low prices. The program would ensure that removal is not part of the normal process of tree replacement. This rule also announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's intention to request approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of the new information collection requirements necessary to implement the proposed California Clingstone Peach (Tree Removal) Diversion Program.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, this notice announces the Food Safety and Inspection Service's (FSIS) intention to request a new information collection regarding the voluntary recalls from commerce of meat and poultry products.