Department of Agriculture August 2, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This rule relaxes the minimum grade requirement prescribed under the Washington apricot marketing order for the 2006 shipping season only. The marketing order regulates the handling of fresh apricots grown in designated counties in the State of Washington, and is administered locally by the Washington Apricot Marketing Committee (Committee). This rule relaxes the minimum grade requirement for fresh apricots from Washington No. 1 grade to Washington No. 2 grade. This rule will enable handlers to ship more fruit into fresh market channels, taking into consideration hail damage caused to Washington apricots during the growing season. This change is expected to increase returns to producers and to make more fresh apricots available to consumers.

The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact statement on a proposal to implement multiple resource management actions within the Citadel Project Area as directed by the amended Black Hills National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. The Citadel Project Area covers approximately 28,000 acres of National Forest System land and approximately 5,500 acres of interspersed private land southwest of Spearfish, South Dakota. proposed actions include a combination of vegetation and fuels treatments to reduce crown fire risks, reduce mountain pine beetle susceptibility, and improve wildlife habitat (particularly big game winter range). The proposed vegetative management actions include 11,000 acres of commercial thinning, 2,600 acres of overstory removal, 2,100 acres of pre-commercial thinning, 860 acres of commercial seed cuts, 200 acres of mechanical fuel treatments, and up to 14,000 acres of prescribed burning.