Department of Agriculture 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 Rules (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 rehabilitation of Hatch Valley Arroyos Site 6 (Garfield Dam) in Do[ntilde]a Ana County, New Mexico.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Forest Service, as lead agency, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Department of Defense, the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior; and the U.S. Geological Survey, propose to consolidate several existing, annual, agency-specific, cooperating and interpretive financial report forms for several Federal land management agencies. The purpose of consolidating the Federal financial forms from the cooperating agencies into one form is to provide a standard format and consistent reporting requirements for non-profit cooperators that may have agreements with several Federal agencies.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has received a petition from Mycogen Seeds/Dow AgroScience LLC and Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc seeking a determination of nonregulated status for corn designated as corn line DAS-59122-7, which has been genetically engineered for resistance to a corn rootworm complex and for tolerance to the herbicide glufosinate. The petition has been submitted in accordance with our regulations concerning the introduction of certain genetically engineered organisms and products. In accordance with those regulations, we are soliciting public comments on whether this corn presents a plant pest risk. We are also making available for public comment an environmental assessment for the proposed determination of nonregulated status.

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 for collecting user fees, ensuring remittances in a timely manner, and determining proper credit for payment of international air passenger, aircraft clearance, commercial truck, commercial railroad car, commercial vessel, phytosanitary certificate, import/export, and veterinary diagnostic user fees.

This notice lists the newspapers that will be used by all Ranger Districts, Forests, Grasslands, and the Regional Office of the Northern Region to publish legal notices for public comment and decisions subject to appeal and predecisional administrative review under 36 CFR 215, 217, and 218. The intended effect of this action is to inform interested members of the public which newspapers will be used to publish legal notices for public comment or decisions; thereby allowing them to receive constructive notice of a decision, to provide clear evidence of timely notice, and to achieve consistency in administering the appeals process.

The Environmental Protection Agency published in the Federal Register of February 3, 2004, a notice of intent to prepare an EIS for the Ashley-Dry Fork Grazing Allotments. This document removes that notice of intent.

Notice is hereby given that the comment period on the proposed United States Standards for Mangos is reopened and extended.

This document contains corrections to the final regulations 7 CFR part 868, which were published in the Federal Register of September 30, 2002. The regulations related to changes to the U.S. Standards for Milled Rice which established a new level of milling degree, ``hard milled'', to the existing milling requirements and eliminated reference to ``lightly milled'' from the milling requirements of U.S. Standards for Milled Rice.

This interim final rule amends the current regulation by requiring the use of three alternative Producer Price Indices (PPI) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics in lieu of the four PPI that the Forest Service has monitored for use in timber sale contract market- related contract term additions. After December 2003, the Bureau of Labor Statistics discontinued providing three of the four PPI that the Forest Service has monitored and changed the reference number for the fourth PPI. The Forest Service is issuing an interim final rule implementing the use of the three alternative PPI, prior to publishing a final rule. By using the three alternative PPI, the Forest Service will be able to continue providing market-related contract term additions during drastic reductions in wood products market prices.

The Forest Service is seeking public comment on proposed replacement of the North Light Creek Bridge, located within the Grand Island Research Natural Area and Grand Island National Recreation Area, Munising Ranger District, Alger County, Michigan. The Responsible Official for decisions on permanent structures within Research Natural Areas, such as the proposed replacement bridge, is Dale Bosworth, Chief of the Forest Service (36 CFR 251.23). Forest Service appeal regulations require that legal notice of opportunity to comment on proposed actions be published in the Federal Register and the newspaper of record (36 CFR 215.5).

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, this notice announces the Office of Management and Budget's approval of a collection of information contained in the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's final rule regarding the possession, use, and transfer of select agents and toxins.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request an extension for and revision to a currently approved information collection for Dried Prunes Produced in California-Prune Handler Compensation Survey, Marketing Order 993.

Notice is hereby given that the USDA Forest Service, together with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), will prepare a joint Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Environmental Impact Report (EIR) in response to applications received from Southern California Edison for construction of a new 25.6-mile 500-kilovolt (kV) transmission line between the proponent's existing 220-kV Antelope and Pardee substations that are located in Los Angeles County, California. The Forest Service is the lead Federal agency for the preparation of this EIS/EIR in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and all other applicable laws, executive orders, regulations, and direction. The CPUC is the lead State of California agency for the preparation of the EIS/EIR in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), California Public Resource Code Division 13, and all other applicable laws and regulations. Both agencies have determined an EIS/ EIR is needed to effectively analyze the proposal and evaluate impacts. The new 500-kV transmission line would replace the existing 100-foot right-of-way 66 kV-line along 17.5 miles of the proposed route. Approximately 13 miles of the Antelope-Pardee 500-kV Transmission Project would be located in a 160-foot right-of-way on National Forest System land (managed by the Angeles National Forest). Approximately three miles of the proposed project would be constructed in a new right-of-way outside of the Angeles National Forest. The proposed project also includes an expansion and upgrade of the Antelope Substation from 220 kV to 500 kV, and the relocation of several existing 66-kV subtransmission lines near the Antelope Substation. The USDA Forest Service and the CPUC invite written comments on the scope of this proposed project. In addition, the agencies give notice of this analysis so that interested and affected individuals are aware of how they may participate and contribute to the final decision.

The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) finalizes the Nursery Crop Insurance Provisions to make container and field grown practices separate crops; provide coverage for plants in containers that are equal to or greater than 1 inch in diameter; provide separate basic units by share for all coverage levels and basic units by plant type when additional coverage is purchased; permit insureds to select one coverage level for each plant type basic unit when additional coverage is purchased; allow increases to the Plant Inventory Value Report (PIVR) up to 30 days before the end of the crop year; allow acceptance of an application for insurance for any current crop year up to 30 days before the end of the crop year; change the starting and ending dates for the crop year to June 1st and May 31st, respectively; and make other policy changes to improve coverage of nursery plants. FCIC also finalizes the Nursery Peak Inventory Endorsement to reflect changes made in the Nursery Crop Provisions and adds a new Rehabilitation Endorsement to provide a rehabilitation payment for field grown plants to compensate them for rehabilitation costs for plants that will recover from an insured cause of loss.

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 in support of regulations issued under the Animal Welfare Act for the humane treatment and handling of guinea pigs, hamsters, and rabbits.

The Tehama County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Red Bluff, California. Agenda items to be covered include: (1) Introductions, (2) Approval of Minutes, (3) Public Comment, (4) Project Proposal/Possible Action, (5) Vegetation Opportunities on the Lassen, (6) Report on Walk in the Woods, (7) Update on Projects, (8) General Discussion, (9) County Update, (10) Next Agenda.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of the shell egg surveillance portion of the Regulations for the Inspection of Eggs7 CFR part 57.

This rule decreases the assessment rate established for the Area No. 3 Colorado Potato Administrative Committee (Committee) for the 2005-2006 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.03 to $0.02 per hundredweight of potatoes. The Committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of potatoes grown in Colorado. Authorization to assess Colorado potato handlers enables the Committee to incur expenses that are reasonable and necessary to administer the program. The fiscal period begins July 1 and ends June 30. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

This rule increases the assessment rate established for the Avocado Administrative Committee (Committee) for the 2005-06 and subsequent fiscal years from $0.20 to $0.27 per 55-pound bushel container or equivalent of avocados handled. The Committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of avocados grown in South Florida. Authorization to assess avocado handlers enables the Committee to incur expenses that are reasonable and necessary to administer the program. The fiscal year began April 1 and ends March 31. The assessment rate remains in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

This rule changes the container and reporting requirements currently prescribed under the marketing order for avocados grown in South Florida. The marketing order regulates the handling of avocados grown in South Florida and is administered locally by the Avocado Administrative Committee (Committee). This rule prohibits the handling of fresh market avocados in 20 bushel plastic field bins to destinations inside the production area. This rule also requires handlers to provide, at the time of inspection, information regarding the number of avocados packed per container (count per container). These changes are expected to help reduce packing costs and facilitate the distribution of useful marketing information.

The Secretary of Agriculture has determined that existing practice, new practice, and enhancement activity payments made to producers under the Conservation Security Program (CSP), authorized under the provision of Title II, Subtitle A, Section 2001 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Pub. Law 107-171), are made primarily for the purpose of conserving soil and water resources, protecting or restoring the environment, and providing a habitat for wildlife. This determination is in accordance with Section 126 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended. Subject to a finding by the Secretary of the Treasury that the program is a small watershed program administered by the Secretary of Agriculture substantially similar to the type of programs described in 26 U.S.C. 126(a)(1) through (8), this determination permits recipients to exclude from gross income, for Federal income tax purposes, all or part of the existing practice, new practice, and enhancement activity cost-share payments made under said program to the extent allowed by the Internal Revenue Service.

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, this notice announces a meeting of the National Advisory Council on Maternal, Infant and Fetal Nutrition.

We are amending the phytosanitary treatments regulations to allow leaves of the California bay laurel (Umbellularia californica) to be treated with vacuum heat before being moved interstate from any area quarantined because of Phytophthora ramorum. This action will provide an alternative to the hot water dip that had been the only approved treatment for the greenery of host plants, which include California bay laurel leaves, but that ruined the suitability of the leaves for use as a dried spice.