Department of Agriculture January 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The National Forests in North Carolina will begin charging a $5.00 fee per campsite for overnight use at Curtis Creek Campground, which is presently being expanded and is under construction. This campground will facilitate recreational use within National Forests in North Carolina on the Grandfather Ranger District. Fee revenue will support operations and maintenance of the campground and future site improvements.

The Trinity County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet at the Trinity County Office of Education in Weaverville, California, March 6, 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.

The Forest Service is issuing ten (10) final directives to Forest Service Manuals 1900 and 1920 and Forest Service Handbook 1909.12; chapters zero code, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 80. These directives establish procedures and responsibilities for implementing national forest land management planning regulations at 36 CFR part 219, subpart A, published in the Federal Register on January 5, 2005 (70 FR 1023). These directives provide consistent overall guidance to Forest Service line officers and employees in developing, amending, or revising land management plans for units of the National Forest System.

The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), USDA, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), are sponsoring a public meeting on March 14, 2006. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States positions that will be discussed at the Seventh Session of the Codex Committee on Milk and Milk Products (CCMMP) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), which will be held in Queenstown, New Zealand, March 27-April 1, 2006. The Under Secretary for Food Safety, AMS and FDA recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 7th Session of CCMMP and to address items on the agenda.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) published in the Federal Register notice of November 8, 2005 (70 FR 67658), a document stating ``Notice of Intent to Extend a Currently Approved Information Collection.'' This notice corrects the previously published document. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the intention of NRCS to request an extension for, and a revision to, the currently approved information collection Volunteer ProgramEarth Team. The collected information will help NRCS to match the skills of individuals who are applying for volunteer work that will further the Agency's mission. Information will be collected from potential volunteers who are 14 years of age or older.

We are amending the bovine tuberculosis regulations regarding State and zone classifications by removing Minnesota from the list of accredited-free States and adding it to the list of modified accredited advanced States. This action is necessary to help prevent the spread of tuberculosis because Minnesota no longer meets the requirements for accredited-free State status.

This action summarizes the results under the criteria contained in section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), of an Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) review of Marketing Order No. 989, regulating the handling of raisins produced from grapes grown in California.

This is a request for proposals for loan guarantees under the section 538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program (GRRHP) pursuant to 7 CFR 3565.4 for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 subject to the availability of funding. FY 2006 funding for the section 538 program is $99 million. Applicants will submit proposals in the form of ''RESPONSES.'' The commitment of program dollars will be made to applicants of selected responses that have fulfilled the necessary requirements for obligation. The commitment of program dollars will be made to applicants of selected responses that have fulfilled the necessary requirements for obligation, to the extent an appropriation act provides funding for GRRHP for FY 2006. Expenses incurred in developing applications will be at the applicant's risk. The following paragraphs outline the timeframes, eligibility requirements, lender responsibilities, and the overall response and application processes. The GRRHP operates under 7 CFR part 3565. The GRRHP Origination and Servicing Handbook (HB-1-3565) is available to provide lenders and the general public with guidance on program administration. HB-1-3565, which contains a copy of 7 CFR part 3565 in Appendix 1, can be found at the Rural Development Instructions Web site address https:// www.rurdev.usda.gov/regs/hblist.html#hbw6. Eligible lenders are invited to submit responses for the development or acquisition with rehabilitation of affordable rental housing to serve rural America. In addition, this fiscal year, guarantees will be available for the revitalization, repair, and transfer cost of existing direct section 515 housing (transfer costs are subject to Agency approval and must be an eligible use of loan proceeds as listed in 7 CFR 3565.205). In order to be considered, direct section 515 housing projects must need repairs and/or undergo revitalization of a minimum of $6,500 per unit. The Rural Housing Service (RHS) will review responses submitted by eligible lenders, on the lender's letterhead, and signed by both the prospective borrower and lender. Although a complete application is not required in response to this Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), eligible lenders may submit a complete application concurrently with the response. However, submitting a complete application will not have an effect on the response's score.

This notice establishes the aggregate quantity of 250,383 metric tons, raw value, of sugar that may enter the United States Customs Territory from Mexico during fiscal year (FY) 2006 under the market access provisions of Chapter 7, Annex 703.2 of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) under subheadings 1701.11.10, 1701.12.10, 1701.91.10, 1701.99.10, 1702.90.10, and 2106.90.44 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS).

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 Helena National Forest's Lewis and Clark County Resource Advisory Committee will meet on Monday February 27 from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. in Helena, Montana, for a business meeting. The meeting is open to the public.

This final rule codifies portions of the Military Construction Appropriations and Emergency Hurricane Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2005, enacted on October 13, 2004 Public Law 108-324 (``2004 Act'') to provide assistance to producers and first-handlers of the 2004 crop of cottonseed in counties declared a disaster by the President of the United States due to 2004 hurricanes and tropical storms. Other 2004 Act disaster provisions for other crops were implemented under separate rules.

This document corrects the ADDRESSES section of the proposed rule published in the Federal Register on January 13, 2006, regarding Voluntary Shell Egg, Poultry, and Rabbit Grading. This correction clarifies that comments may be submitted electronically to an e-mail address.

The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) proposes to amend the Common Crop Insurance Regulations, Peanut Crop Insurance Provisions to remove all references to quota and non-quota peanuts and add provisions that will allow coverage for peanuts whether or not they are under contract with a sheller to better meet the needs of insured producers. The changes will apply for the 2007 and succeeding crop years.

The Commodity Credit Corporation is notifying the public of a change in address for hand delivery (including FedEx, DHL, UPS, etc.) of applications for the programs referenced above. Deliver to: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service, Marketing Operations Staff, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Room 4932 South Building, Washington, DC 20250-1042.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is revising the United States Standards for Grades of Globe Artichokes. Specifically, AMS is revising the standards to add a U.S. No. 1 Long Stem grade along with an undersize tolerance of 5 percent in the standards. The new grade will have the same requirements as the U.S. No. 1 except that the stems must be smoothly cut to a minimum length of at least 8 inches, unless specified to a longer length in connection with the grade. AMS is further defining ``fairly compact'' by including a definition for ``slightly spread'' to mean, ``the outer scales may be slightly open, but the inner scales at the tip of the artichoke must be closely folded into the bud.'' The revisions would bring the standards for globe artichokes in line with current marketing practices, thereby improving their usefulness in serving the industry.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA), is soliciting comments on a proposal to revise the United States Standards for Grades of Table Grapes (European or Vinifera Type). AMS has received petitions from the California Grape and Tree Fruit League and Western Growers Association, requesting that the current standards be modified by adding a 10 percent allowance for shattered berries in consumer containers for en route or at destination.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is revising the United States Standards for Grades of Strawberries. AMS received a request from an industry group to modify the standards to allow that percentages be determined by count and not volume. The change will make tolerance determination more objective and more uniform.

This ANPR solicits comments on options to reform the USDA, CCC, Supplier Credit Guarantee Program (SCGP). The purpose of this ANPR is to invite suggestions on changes to reform the program to reduce the risk of default, improve the ability to effect a collection on defaulted obligations, and consider alternative program mechanisms and forms of payment obligations that are consistent with commercial export practices. The intent of this request is to seek comments on program reforms that would improve the SCGP's effectiveness and efficiency and lower costs.

This document proposes to adopt as a final rule order language contained in the interim final rule published in the Federal Register on September 26, 2005, concerning pooling standards of the Mideast milk marketing order. This document also sets forth the final decision of the Department and is subject to approval by producers. A separate decision will be issued that will address proposals to deter the de- pooling of milk, transportation credits and clarification of the Producer definition.

The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on a proposal to harvest timber in the Navy Timber Sale project area on the Wrangell Ranger District, Tongass National Forest. The Proposed Action for this project is to harvest 70-80 million board feet from approximately 2,900 acres in one or more offerings and would construct approximately 33 files of new temporary and classified road to facilitate access for logging. The Proposed Action includes harvest units and road construction within Inventoried Roadless Areas, as identified in the Forest Plan SEIS. The Proposed Action includes the use of the existing Log Transfer Facility (LTF) at Anita Bay as well as the construction of a new LTF at the entrance to Burnett Inlet near Navy Creek. The Proposed Action includes a non-significant amendment to the Forest Plan to relocate and/or modify the boundaries of the Mosman and Quiet small old-growth reserves. The Forest Supervisor will decide if and how much timber harvest and road building will occur within the project area, as well as whether to modify the existing small old-growth reserves. The decision will be documented in a Record of Decision based on the information disclosed in the EIS.

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 Housing Application Packaging Grants.

The Rural Utilities Service (the Agency) is issuing a new rule to allow the Agency to make grants to enable Public Television Stations in rural areas to replace current analog television broadcasting equipment with digital television broadcasting equipment as part of the national transition to digital television service.

The Olympic Province Advisory Committee (OPAC) will meet on Friday, February 10, 2006. The meeting will be held at the Olympic National Forest Headquarters office, 1835 Black Lake Blvd., SW., Olympia, Washington. The meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m., and end at approximately 3 p.m. The OPAC provides advice to facilitate successful implementation of the Northwest Forest Plan and better integrate forest management activities between Federal and non-Federal entities. Agenda topics are: 10 Year Report on the Northwest Forest Plan; 2005 Olympic National Forest Implementation Monitoring; Stewardship Contracting Update; Fisher Reintroduction; Open Forum; and Public Comments. All Olympic Province Advisory Committee meetings are open to the public. A public comment period will be at 2:45 p.m., interested citizens are encouraged to attend.