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

We are amending the Karnal bunt regulations regarding the requirements that must be met in order for a field or area to be removed from the list of regulated areas. The changes will allow a field to qualify for release after 5 cumulative years of specified management practices, rather than 5 consecutive years as the regulations have provided, and reorganize the manner in which those management practices are described. These changes will clarify the existing regulations and provide growers in regulated areas with greater flexibility in their planting decisions.

On April 29, 2004 (69 FR 23492), the Forest Service published in the Federal Register a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare a Supplement to the Final Environmental Impact Statement for Gypsy Moth Management in the United States: a Cooperative Approach. The Forest Service and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service are revising the expected dates for filing the Draft and Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement.

The Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) has identified a need for domestic official inspection service in Clay, Montague, Cooke, Grayson, Fannin, Lamar, Red River, Young, Stephen, and Eastland Counties. GIPSA is asking persons interested in providing official services in these unassigned counties in Texas to submit an application for designation.

This rule decreases the assessment rate established for the California Olive Committee (committee) for the 2006 and subsequent fiscal years from $15.68 to $11.03 per assessable ton of olives handled. The committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of olives grown in California. Assessments upon olive handlers are used by the committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The fiscal year began January 1 and ends December 31. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

The Siskiyou County Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Yreka, California, March 20, 2006. The meeting will include routine business, presentation on a completed project, and discussion and recommendation of previously submitted project proposals.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the extension of information collection currently used in support of the End-Use Certificate Program.

This notice announces the intention of the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to request an extension and revision for an information collection currently approved and used in of farm reconstitutions.

The Pike and San Isabel National Forests have an active cabin rental program that has been in operation since 2001 under the Recreation Fee Demonstration Authority. Four cabins have been available to the public for overnight rental since the inception of this program. The original intent of this program was to expand the number of rental opportunities using the revenue from the program. Two additional sites, the Dawson Cabin and Crescent Mining Camp, are now ready to be added to the program. These cabins would fall under Category 3.C, Expanded Amenity Recreation Sites and Services. Without the authority to charge a fee for these facilities the Forest Service would not be able to make them available to the public.

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 Black Hills National Forests' Crook County Resource Advisory Committee will meet Monday, March 20th, 2006 in Sundance, Wyoming for a business meeting. The meeting is open to the public.

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 Nez Perce and Clearwater National Forests' North Central Idaho Resource Advisory Committee will meet Monday, April 10th, 2006, in Lewiston, Idaho for a business meeting. The meeting is open to the pubic.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has prepared an Environmental Assessment in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as amended. Pursuant to the implementing regulations for NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508); the USDA Departmental Policy for the NEPA (7 CFR part 1b); the Natural Resources Conservation Service Regulations (7 CFR part 650); and the Natural Resources Conservation Service policy (General Manual Title 190, Part 410); the Natural Resources Conservation Service gives notice that an environmental impact statement is not being prepared for the grade stabilization of Midlands Creek, Papillion Creek Watershed, Sarpy County Nebraska. The Environmental Assessment was developed in coordination with the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District for a federally assisted action authorized as a congressional earmark for a compacted earthen fill dam grade stabilization structure. Upon consideration of the affected environment, alternatives, environmental consequences, and comments and coordination with concerned public and agencies, the State Conservationist for NRCS, Nebraska found that based on the significance and context and intensity that the proposed action is not a major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. Thus, a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) was made.

In accordance with the President's Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations Implementing the Procedural Provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Coronado National Forest, announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate a proposed action to renew individual special-use permits (SUPs) for occupancy and use of 88 existing recreational residences on the Safford Ranger District. If a decision is made to renew, term permits would be issued for a 20-year period beginning on January 1, 2009. No change in the use of the residences would occur upon issuance of a new permit.

The Mendocino County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet March 17, 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) Next agenda and meeting date.

USDA Rural Development administers rural utilities programs through the Rural Utilities Service. USDA Rural Development announces additional Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 funding available through its Technical Assistance and Training Grant Program (TAT). An additional $500,000 in emergency funding will be made available, pursuant to the Secretary's determination of extreme need, to conduct Water Resource Studies in the states affected by hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and/or Wilma (Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas).

We are advising the public that an environmental assessment has been prepared for a proposed field trial using two transgenic grass lines. The trial consists of Argentine bahiagrass plants that are genetically engineered to express resistance to the herbicide glufosinate and resistance to the antibiotic kanamycin. Each of 4 sets of 12 genetically engineered bahiagrass plants will be encircled with a ring of several untransformed cultivars of bahiagrass. The purpose of the field trial is to study the likelihood of hybrid formation as a result of pollen movement from the transgenic plants to the nontransgenic plants. Data gained from this field experiment will also be used to evaluate current confinement practices for this species of transgenic grass. The environmental assessment is available to the public for review and comment.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service hereby announces the maximum dollar amount on loan and grant awards under the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (REDLG) program for fiscal year (FY) 2006. The maximum dollar award on zero-interest loans for FY 2006 is $740,000. The maximum dollar award on grants for FY 2006 is $300,000. The maximum loan and grant awards stated in this notice are effective for loans and grants made during the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2005, and ending September 30, 2006. REDLG loans and grants are available to any electric or telecommunications cooperative eligible to receive guaranteed or direct loans under the Rural Electrification Act, and does not have any delinquent debt with the Federal Government that has not been resolved pursuant to 31 CFR 285.13. REDLG loans and grants are to assist in developing rural areas from an economic standpoint.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing to amend the federal meat and poultry products inspection regulations to provide that the Agency will make available to the public lists of the retail consignees of meat and poultry products that have been voluntarily recalled by a federally inspected meat or poultry products establishment if product has been distributed to the retail level. FSIS is proposing to routinely post these retail consignee lists on its Web site as they are developed by the Agency during its recall verification activities. FSIS is proposing this action because it believes that the efficiency of recalls will be improved if there is more information available as to where products that have been recalled were sold. By providing consumers more information about the locations where recalled products have been sold, FSIS believes that consumers will be more likely to identify and return such products to those locations or to dispose of them. This action will apply only to meat and poultry products.

The purpose of this rule is to increase the assessment rate on handlers and importers of potatoes from 2 cents to 2.5 cents per hundredweight. The increase is authorized under the Potato Research and Promotion (Plan). The Plan is authorized by the Potato Research and Promotion Act (Act). In order to sustain the three major programs currently conducted by the National Potato Promotion Board (Board), International Marketing, Domestic Marketing (which includes retail marketing), and a nutrition campaign at their present levels beyond June 2006, additional revenue is required.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. II, the United States Department of Agriculture announces a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture (AC21).

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA or the Department) is publishing a final rule implementing the Grassland Reserve Program (GRP). The GRP assists landowners and others in restoring and conserving eligible grassland and certain other lands through rental agreements and easements. This rule sets forth how the Secretary of Agriculture (the Secretary), using the funds, facilities, and authorities of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), will implement GRP to meet the statutory objectives of the program.

Through this action, the Rural Housing Service (RHS) is proposing homeownership education requirements. The lack of homeownership education is a well-known barrier to successful homeownership for many families. The intended effect of this action is to assure that first time homeowners financed under the Section 502 Direct program are well prepared for homeownership by assuring that they receive homeownership education.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 04-13) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR part 1320 (60 FR 44978, August 29, 1995), this notice announces the Agricultural Research Service's (ARS) intention to seek approval to collect information in support of research and related activities.