Department of Agriculture April 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Pacific Southwest Region of the U.S. Forest Service proposes to adopt a common list of Management Indicator Species (MIS) and associated monitoring strategies by amending the Land and Resource Management Plans (LRMPs) for the Eldorado, Inyo, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Sequoia, Sierra, Stanislaus, and Tahoe National Forests and Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. These will likely be non-significant forest plan amendments.

The Forest Service, in cooperation with the State of Utah, will prepare a draft and final legislative environmental impact statement (LEIS) to complete the process for giving consideration to potential national wild, scenic, and recreational river areas on the National Forests in Utah under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Portions of those National Forests extend into Colorado and Wyoming, and those areas will be included in the study. The Forest Service has evaluated river segments on these National Forests to determine which ones meet criteria for eligibility for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The purpose of the LEIS is to determine which eligible river segments are suitable for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. More information including: the full text of the proposal, a list of eligible river segments by county and forest, and a map showing eligible river segments is posted on the web at: https:// www.fs.fed.us/r4/rivers/. The Forest Service invites written comments and suggestions on the suitability of eligible river segements for designation as wild, scenic, or recreational rivers. The Forest Service gives notice of the environmental analysis and determinations that will occur as a result of this study so that interested and affected people are aware of how they may participate and contribute to the final determination of suitability for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

This document directs that a referendum be conducted among eligible producers of sweet onions in the Walla Walla Valley of southeast Washington and northeast Oregon, to determine whether they favor continuance of the marketing order regulating the handling of sweet onions produced in the production area.

We are advising the public that we have prepared a proposed decision/finding of no significant impact relative to oral rabies vaccination programs in several States. Since the publication of our original environmental assessment and decision/finding of no significant impact in 2001, we have prepared, and made available to the public for comment, several supplemental environmental assessments and decisions/findings of no significant impact in order to reflect changes in the program. The decision/finding of no significant impact made available by this notice clarifies the term ``contingency actions,'' which was used in a supplemental environmental assessment we prepared in 2004, and analyzes a type of contingency action called trap- vaccinate-release that was not analyzed as part of the proposed action in the 2004 supplemental environmental assessment. The new decision/ finding of no significant impact is intended to facilitate planning and interagency coordination in the event of rabies outbreaks and to clearly communicate to the public the actions involved in the oral rabies vaccination program.

The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) is revising the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grants Program Administrative Regulations to implement changes and be compliant with the Small Business Innovation Research Policy Directive (67 FR 60072, September 24, 2002).

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces our intention to request a 3- year extension and revision of a currently approved information collection for ``Regulations Governing the National Inspection and Weighing System under the United States Grain Standards Act and under the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946.''

Shasta-Trinity National Forest proposes to harvest timber and remove accumulations of down wood (fuels) on approximately 2900 acres of National Forest System lands. Trees on about 80% of the area would be thinned by removing a portion of the trees from overcrowded forest stands. Trees removed would be those infected with disease or insects and those generally smaller in size than trees that will be retained. Most of the trees on approximately 15% of the area are infected by root disease and insects and would be removed. Young tree seedlings would be planted in the openings created in these areas. Encroaching conifers will be removed from the remaining 5% of the area to restore and maintain wet meadow characteristics in a condition that existed in the past. The majority of project area is within township T40N, R2W, MDM with minor inclusions in T39N, R2W and T40N, R3W, MDM. The project is located immediately north and east of the town of McCloud, California. The Forest Land and Resource Management Plan has allocated portions of the project area to Late-Successional Reserves and Special Area Management (Research Natural Area) with the remainder designated as Matrix lands. About five percent of the area is zoned as Riparian Reserve (wetlands and areas adjacent to streams).

The Eastern Washington Cascades Provincial Advisory Committee and the Yakima Provincial Advisory committee will meet on Friday, May 18, and on Thursday, June 14, 2007 at the Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests Headquarters office, 215 Melody Lane, Wenatchee, WA. These meetings will begin at 9 a.m. and continue until 4 p.m. During these meetings Provincial Advisory Committee members will either continue discussion on Roadless Area considerations and potential Wilderness recommendations in conjunction with Forest Plan Revision for the Okanogan and Wenatchee National Forests or discuss Recreation Facility Master Planning. All Eastern Washington Cascades and Yakima Province Advisory Committee meetings are open to the public.

The Bridger-Teton National Forest is planning to charge an $80 fee for the overnight rental of Green River Lakes Lodge. This facility has not been available for recreation use prior to this date. Rentals of other historic guard stations on the Bridger-Teton National Forest have shown that people appreciate and enjoy the availability of historic rental cabins. Funds from the rental will be used for the continued operation and maintenance of Green River Lakes Lodge.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS) announces that it is soliciting applications under its Housing Preservation Grant (HPG) program. The HPG program is a grant program which provides qualified public agencies, private nonprofit organizations, and other eligible entities grant funds to assist very low- and low-income homeowners in repairing and rehabilitating their homes in rural areas. In addition, the HPG program assists rental property owners and cooperative housing complexes in repairing and rehabilitating their units if they agree to make such units available to low- and very low-income persons. This action is taken to comply with Agency regulations found in 7 CFR part 1944, subpart N, which require the Agency to announce the opening and closing dates for receipt of preapplications for HPG funds from eligible applicants. The intended effect of this Notice is to provide eligible organizations notice of these dates.

Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969; the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR part 1500); and the Natural Resources Conservation Service Regulations (7 CFR part 650); the Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, gives notice that an environmental impact statement is not being prepared for the rehabilitation of Multiple Purpose Dam No. 5 of the Poteau River Watershed, Scott County, Arkansas.

The Lake Tahoe Basin Federal Advisory Committee will hold a meeting on April 27, 2007 at the Incline Village General Improvement District boardroom, 893 Southwood Blvd., Incline Village, NV 89451. This Committee, established by the Secretary of Agriculture on December 15, 1998 (64 FR 2876), is chartered to provide advice to the Secretary on implementing the terms of the Federal Interagency Partnership on the Lake Tahoe Region and other matters raised by the Secretary.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the Northern Research Station's (NRS) Outreach Opportunity Questionnaire.

The National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council will meet in Biloxi, Mississippi, June 5-7, 2007. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss emerging issues in urban and community forestry.

We plan to revise the U.S. standards for Beans to provide applicants for service with an optional grade designation for bean certification; and remove the requirements that the percentage of high moisture and, in the case of Mixed beans, the percentage of each class in the mixture be shown on the grade line.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) announces the availability of approximately $19.3 million in competitive grant funds for fiscal year (FY) 2007 to help independent agricultural producers enter into value-added activities. Awards may be made for planning activities or for working capital expenses, but not for both. The maximum grant amount for a planning grant is $100,000 and the maximum grant amount for a working capital grant is $300,000.

This notice updates the list of newspapers that will be used by all Ranger Districts, Forests and the Regional Office of the Pacific Northwest Region to publish legal notices for public comment and decisions subject to appeal under 36 CFR parts 215 and 217, and predecisional administrative review under 36 CFR part 218. The intended effect of this action is to inform interested members of the public which newspapers will be used to publish legal notices for decisions and public comment; thereby allowing the public to receive constructive notice of a decision, to provide clear evidence of timely notice, and to achieve consistency in administering appeals and objection processes.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request an extension of approval of an information collection associated with regulations for the commercial transportation of equines to slaughtering facilities.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget, for an extension of and revision to the currently approved information collection in support of the Fair and Equitable Tobacco Reform Act of 2004 (U.S.C. Chapter 518), the Rural Development, Food and Drug Administrative, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for 2002 (Appropriations Act), and the Tobacco Inspection Act and Regulations Governing the Tobacco Standards.

Deciding Officers in the Southern Region will publish notice of decisions subject to administrative appeal under 36 CFR parts 215 and 217 in the legal notice section of the newspapers listed in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice. As provided in 36 CFR part 215.5 and 36 CFR part 217.5(d), the public shall be advised through Federal Register notice, of the newspaper of record to be utilized for publishing legal notice of decisions. Newspaper publication of notice of decisions is in addition to direct notice of decisions to those who have requested it and to those who have participated in project planning. Responsible Officials in the Southern Region will also publish notice of proposed actions under 36 CFR part 215 in the newspapers that are listed in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice. As provided in 36 CFR part 215.5, the public shall be advised, through Federal Register notice, of the newspaper of record to be utilized for publishing notices on proposed actions. Additionally, the Deciding Officers in the Southern Region will publish notice of the opportunity to object to a proposed authorized hazardous fuel reduction project under 36 CFR part 218.4 in the legal notice section of the newspapers listed in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.