Department of Agriculture 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) finalizes amendments to the Peanut Crop Insurance Provisions. The intended effect of this action is to provide policy changes and clarify existing policy provisions to better meet the needs of the insured producers. The changes will apply for the 2007 and succeeding crop years.

The Secretary of Agriculture intends to establish five Forest Service Recreation Resource Advisory Committees (Recreation RACs) pursuant to Section 4 of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (REA) that was passed into law as part of the 2005 Consolidated Appropriations Act (Pub. L. 108-447) on December 8, 2004. The Recreation RACs will operate in the Pacific Northwest, Pacific Southwest, Eastern, and Southern Regions and the State of Colorado and will provide recommendations regarding recreation fees to both the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) as appropriate. The public is invited to submit nominations for membership on the Recreation RACs.

This rule would decrease the assessment rate established for the Prune Marketing Committee (committee) under Marketing Order No. 993 for the 2006-07 and subsequent crop years from $0.65 to $0.40 per ton of salable dried prunes. The committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of dried prunes grown in California. Assessments upon dried prune handlers are used by the committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The crop year began August 1 and ends July 31. The assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is proposing to change the hourly fee rates for Science and Technology (S&T) Laboratory Services. The agency is proposing to raise these rates to reflect, among other factors, national and locality pay increases for Federal employees and inflation, operating costs, instrumentation and training, and program and agency administrative overhead costs. In the past, AMS has amended its regulations on an as needed basis in order to recover laboratory program costs. With this proposed regulation, AMS is providing for three annual standard hourly fee rate increases for fiscal years 2007-2009. This would provide the agricultural commodity industries and other stakeholders with more timely and relevant information regarding voluntary user fees for laboratory testing services. The agency is also proposing to remove tables and schedules with listings of individual tests and services. Three annual hourly fee rate adjustments are proposed for appeals, holiday, and overtime services to reflect the anticipated increase in cost of providing these laboratory services each fiscal year. The regulations also are updated to identify current facility addresses. Part 92 is obsolete and therefore has been removed.

We are amending the fruits and vegetables regulations to allow the importation into the United States of fresh table grapes from Namibia under certain conditions. As a condition of entry, the grapes must undergo cold treatment and fumigation with methyl bromide and must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with an additional declaration stating that the commodity has been inspected and found free of the specified pests. In addition, the grapes will also be subject to inspection at the port of first arrival. This action allows for the importation of grapes from Namibia into the United States while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of quarantine pests.

The Ravalli County Resource Advisory Committee will be meeting to assign monitors on 2006 projects and hold a short public forum (question and answer session). The meeting is being held 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 meeting is open to the public.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), prior to undertaking research and other work associated with revising official grade standards, is soliciting comments on the possible revisions of the United States Standards for Grades of Pineapples. AMS has been reviewing the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable grade standards for usefulness in serving the industry. As a result, AMS has identified the United States Standards for Grades of Pineapples for possible revision. AMS is proposing to revise the tolerances by replacing Table I Shipping Point and Table II En Route or at Destination with numerical tolerances. These tables utilize acceptance numbers of fruit with maximum numbers of defective permitted. These changes would simplify the inspection process and bring the pineapple standard in line with other standards which use numerical tolerances for defects. AMS is seeking comments regarding these proposed changes that may be necessary to better serve the industry.

The National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council will meet in Little Rock, Arkansas, October 17-19, 2006. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss emerging issues in urban and community forestry.

The Forest Service is issuing an Interim Directive to Forest Service Handbook (FSH) 2709.11Special Uses to provide guidance to its employees for calculating annual fees for recreation residence term special use permits during the 2-year transition period following the adoption of the final rule, directives, and appraisal guidelines promulgated pursuant to the Cabin User Fee Fairness Act (Pub. L. 106- 291).

The Southwest Oregon Provincial Advisory Committee will meet on Tuesday, October 10, 2006, and Wednesday, October 11, 2006, to discuss topics including biomass utilization in Southwest Oregon, incentives for encouraging biomass utilization, and local examples of biomass utilization. The meeting will be held at the Umpqua National Forest Supervisor's office, at 2900 NW. Stewart Parkway in Roseburg, Oregon. The meeting will begin at 10:30 a.m. on October 10th with a fieldtrip and end at approximately 5 p.m. On Wednesday, the meeting will begin at 8 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m. Written comments may be submitted prior to the meeting and delivered to the Designated Federal Official Jay Carlson at the Roseburg Bureau of Land Management, 777 Garden Valley Boulevard, Roseburg, OR 97470.

We are extending the comment period for our notice of petition and request for comments concerning the handling, care, treatment, and transport of elephants covered by the Animal Welfare Act. This action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment concerning authorization to ship for the purpose of field testing, and then to field test, an unlicensed Marek's Disease Vaccine, Serotype 1, Live Herpesvirus Chimera. The environmental assessment, which is based on a risk analysis prepared to assess the risks associated with the field testing of this vaccine, examines the potential effects that field testing this veterinary vaccine could have on the quality of the human environment. Based on the risk analysis, we have reached a preliminary determination that field testing this veterinary vaccine will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment, and that an environmental impact statement need not be prepared. We intend to authorize shipment of this vaccine for field testing following the close of the comment period for this notice unless new substantial issues bearing on the effects of this action are brought to our attention. We also intend to issue a U.S. Veterinary Biological Product license for this vaccine, provided the field test data support the conclusions of the environmental assessment and the issuance of a finding of no significant impact and the product meets all other requirements for licensing.

The Alaska Region is proposing to adopt a long-term flat fee policy for outfitters and guides operating in the Alaska Region. Under the flat fee policy, a single land use fee would be charged for each type of service provided by outfitters and guides in the Alaska Region.

The Hood/Willamette Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet on Friday, September 29, 2006. The meeting and field trip is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. and will conclude at approximately 4:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Detroit Ranger Station; 14425 North Santiam Highway SE. (Hwy 22), Detroit, Oregon; (503) 854-3366. The tentative agenda includes: (1) Finalizing Recommendations on 2007 Projects; (2) Public Forum; and (3) Field Trip to Title II Projects. The Public Forum is tentatively scheduled to begin at 9:15 a.m. Time allotted for individual presentations will be limited to 3-4 minutes. Written comments are encouraged, particularly if the material cannot be presented within the time limits for the Public Forum. Written comments may be submitted prior to the September 29th meeting by sending them to Designated Federal Official Donna Short at the address given below.

We are amending the Mediterranean fruit fly regulations by removing portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Santa Clara Counties, CA, from the list of quarantined areas and by removing restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles from those areas. This action is necessary to relieve restrictions that are no longer needed to prevent the spread of Mediterranean fruit fly into noninfested areas of the United States. We have determined that the Mediterranean fruit fly has been eradicated from these portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Santa Clara Counties, CA, and that the quarantine and restrictions are no longer necessary. These portions of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Santa Clara Counties, CA, were the last remaining areas in California quarantined for Mediterranean fruit fly. Therefore, as a result of this action, there are no longer any areas in the continental United States quarantined for the Mediterranean fruit fly.

The Trinity County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet at the Trinity County Office of Education in Weaverville California, September 25, 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.

This document is the tentative partial decision proposing to adopt on an interim final and emergency basis amendments to the transportation credit balancing fund provisions of the Appalachian and Southeast milk marketing orders. Specifically, this document would establish a variable mileage rate factor using a fuel cost adjustor to determine the transportation credit payments of both orders, increase the maximum transportation credit assessment rate for both orders and establish a zero diversion limit standard on all milk receiving transportation credits in both orders. Other proposals concerning producer milk provisions and establishing transportation credit provisions on intra-market order movements of milk within the Appalachian and Southeast marketing areas will be addressed in a separate decision to be issued soon. This decision requires determining if producers approve the issuance of the amended orders on an interim basis.

This document is the final decision proposing to adopt amendments to the Mideast order intended to deter the de-pooling of milk. This final decision is subject to producer approval by referendum.

We are amending the gypsy moth regulations by adding Delaware and Franklin Counties in Ohio and Monroe County in West Virginia to the list of generally infested areas based on the detection of infestations of gypsy moth in those counties. As a result of this action, the interstate movement of regulated articles from those areas will be restricted. This action is necessary to prevent the artificial spread of the gypsy moth to noninfested States.

The Mendocino County Resource Advisory Committee will meet September 15, 2006 (RAC) in Willits, California. Agenda items to be covered include: (1) Approval of minutes; (2) Handout Discussions, (3) Public Comment, (4) Financial Report, (5) Sub-committees, (6) Matters before the group, (7) DiscussionApproval of projects, (8) Next agenda and meeting date.

Pursuant to the authorities in the Federal Advisory Committees Act (Pub. L. 92-463), the Northeast Oregon Forests Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet via teleconference on September 27, 2006. The purpose of the meeting is to meet as a Committee to review proposed projects for fiscal year 2007.

This final rule would amend the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List) regulations to reflect recommendations submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) from November 15, 2000, through March 3, 2005. Consistent with the recommendations from the NOSB, this final rule adds thirteen substances, along with any restrictive annotations, to the National List. This final rule also amends the mailing address for where to file a Certification or Accreditation appeal.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the above-named Agencies to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of debt settlement of Community Facilities and Direct Business Program Loans and Grants.