Department of Agriculture 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the new information collection established pursuant to the Cabin User Fee Fairness Act (CUFFA) of 2000.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Rural Housing Service's (RHS) intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of the program for ``Self-Help Technical Assistance Grants'' (7 CFR part 1944, subpart I).

The Forestry Research Advisory Council will meet in Arlington, Virginia, January 12-13, 2006. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss emerging issues in forestry research.

The Trinity County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet at the Trinity County Office of Education in Weaverville, California, on January 10, 2006. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss proposed projects under Title II of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self- Determination Act of 2000.

We are proposing to amend the regulations on importing nursery stock to eliminate various restrictions on the importation of plants in vitro and kenaf seed; to establish programs for the importation of approved plants from the Canary Islands and from Israel; to require an additional declaration on the phytosanitary certificate accompanying blueberry plants imported from Canada; to require that phytosanitary certificates include the genus and species names of the restricted articles they accompany; to change the phytosanitary certificate requirements for several restricted articles; to reduce the postentry quarantine growing period for Hydrangea spp. and for certain chrysanthemums; and to update the list of ports of entry and Federal plant inspection stations. We are also proposing several other changes to update and clarify the regulations and improve their effectiveness. These changes are necessary to relieve restrictions that appear unnecessary, update existing provisions, and make the regulations easier to understand and implement.

This document announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) review of the Potato Research and Promotion Plan (conducted under the Potato Research and Promotion Act), under the criteria contained in Section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA).

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 of an approved information collection with revision associated with the forms used under the Bioenergy Program. This information collection is needed to administer the Bioenergy Program.

This document is the final decision proposing to adopt changes to provisions of the producer-handler definitions of the Pacific Northwest and Arizona-Las Vegas orders as contained in a Recommended Decision published in the Federal Register on April 13, 2005. This document is subject to approval by producers.

The Forest Service is proposing to amend its directives in Forest Service Handbook 1909.15, Chapter 30, which describes categorical exclusions, that is, categories of actions that will not result in significant impacts on the environment and, therefore, normally do not require further analysis in either an environmental impact assessment or an environmental impact statement. The proposed amendment would add a new categorical exclusion in section 31.2 to facilitate the implementation of limited oil and gas projects on leases on National Forest System lands that do not have significant effects on the human environment. This categorical exclusion will not apply where there are extraordinary circumstances, such as adverse effects on threatened and endangered species or their designated critical habitat, wilderness areas, inventoried roadless areas, wetlands, and archeological or historic sites. Public comment is invited and will be considered in development of the final directive.

Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) has made a finding of no significant impact with respect to a request from Georgia Transmission Corporation for financing assistance from RUS to finance the construction of a 230/25 kV Substation, a 230 kV switching station, and a 230 kV transmission line in Gwinnett County, Georgia.

The Black Hills National Forest Advisory Board (NFAB) has announced its meeting dates for 2006. These meetings are open to the public, and public comment is accepted at any time in writing and during the last 15 minutes of each meeting for spoken comments. Persons wishing to speak are given three minutes to address the Board. Meeting dates are the third Wednesday of each month unless otherwise indicated:

This action corrects a final rule that was published in the Federal Register on Wednesday, October 12, 2005.

This document adopts as a final rule, without change, an interim final rule concerning pooling standards and transportation credit provisions of the Upper Midwest Federal milk order. More than the required number of producers for the Upper Midwest marketing area approved the issuance of the final order amendments.

We are advising the public that we have prepared a supplemental environmental assessment (EA) and proposed decision/ finding of no significant impact (FONSI) relative to oral rabies vaccination programs on National Forest System lands in several States. Since the publication of our original EA and decision/FONSI (2001), a subsequent supplemental decision/FONSI (2002), a supplemental EA and decision/FONSI (2003), and a second supplemental EA and decision/FONSI (2004), we determined the need to further expand the oral rabies vaccination program to include National Forest System lands, excluding Wilderness Areas, to effectively stop the westward and northward spread of the rabies virus across the United States and into Canada. Thus, an EA and decision/FONSI was prepared in 2004 to facilitate planning, interagency coordination, and program management and to provide the public with our analysis of potential individual and cumulative impacts of an expanded oral rabies vaccine program. The supplemental EA and proposed decision/FONSI (2005) made available by this notice serves to update program needs and evaluate current data.

This rule increases the assessment rate established for the Walnut Marketing Board (Board) for the 2005-06 and subsequent marketing years from $0.0094 to $0.0096 per kernelweight pound of assessable walnuts. The Board locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of walnuts grown in California. Assessments upon walnut handlers are used by the Board to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The marketing year began August 1 and ends July 31. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

The Mendocino County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet January 20, 2006 in Willits, California. Agenda items to be covered include: (1) Approval of minutes, (2) Public comment, (3) Sub- committees, (4) Discussionitems of interest, (5) Discussion/approval of projects, (6) next agenda items and meeting date.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the Risk Management Agency to request approval for the collection of information in support of the agency's mission under section 522(d) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act to develop and implement risk management tools for producers of agricultural commodities through partnership agreements.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adopting, as a final rule, without change, an interim final rule suspending the minimum grade, quality, maturity, container, pack, inspection, assessment collection, and other related requirements prescribed under the South Texas melon (cantaloupes and honeydews) marketing order (order). It also continues in effect a suspension of all reporting requirements under the order. The order regulates the handling of melons grown in South Texas and is administered locally by the South Texas Melon Committee (Committee). On September 7, 2005, the Committee recommended termination of the order. This rule continues to relieve handlers of regulatory requirements while the USDA evaluates the Committee's recommendation to terminate the order.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Rural Business-Cooperative Service's intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of the program for the 1890 Land Grant Institutions Rural Entrepreneurial Program Outreach Initiative.

This rule amends a prior interim final rule that increased the quantity of Class 1 (Scotch) and Class 3 (Native) spearmint oil that handlers may purchase from, or handle for, producers during the 2005- 2006 marketing year. The prior interim final rule increased the Scotch spearmint oil salable quantity from 677,409 pounds to 1,062,898 pounds, and the allotment percentage from 35 percent to 55 percent. In addition, the prior interim final rule increased the Native spearmint oil salable quantity from 867,958 pounds to 1,019,600 pounds, and the allotment percentage from 40 percent to 47 percent. This action does not affect the Scotch spearmint oil salable quantity and allotment percentage; however, it increases the Native spearmint oil salable quantity by an additional 151,855 pounds from 1,019,600 pounds to 1,171,455 pounds, and the allotment percentage by an additional 7 percent from 47 percent to 54 percent. The marketing order regulates the handling of spearmint oil produced in the Far West and is administered locally by the Spearmint Oil Administrative Committee (Committee). The Committee recommended this rule for the purpose of avoiding extreme fluctuations in supplies and prices and to help maintain stability in the Far West spearmint oil market.

The Siskiyou County Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Yreka, California, December 19, 2005. The meeting will include routine business, a discussion of larger scale projects, and the recommendation for implementation of submitted project proposals.