Department of Agriculture June 22, 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 constructing a single floodwater retarding dam in the Lower Big Blue Watershed, Saline County, Nebraska. The Environmental Assessment was developed in coordination with the sponsoring local organization (Lower Big Blue Natural Resources District) for a proposed floodwater retarding dam in the Lower Big Blue Watershed to reduce flood damages downstream of the site, including the city of Wilber, Nebraska. 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.

We are advising the public that we have prepared an environmental assessment for a proposed field release involving a transgenic safflower line that has been genetically engineered to express, within the seeds, human proinsulin fused to an Arabidopsis oleosin molecule. The purpose of this field release is to obtain seed material for development of downstream insulin purification techniques. The environmental assessment is available to the public for review and comment.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on the proposed extension of this collection. The information collection requirement described in this notice is OMB Number 0584- 0064: Application and Certification of Food Stamp Households.

The Del Norte County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet on June 26, 2007 in Crescent City, California. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the project submission and selection process for Title II proposals submitted under Public Law 106-393, H.R. 2389, the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000, also called the ``Payments to States'' Act.

The U.S. Forest Service (FS) will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) on a proposed action that implements certain aspects of the Pueblo de San Ildefonso Claims Settlement Act of 2005 (Pub. L. 109-286). Portions of the Act considered in this analysis include mandated transfer of certain National Forest System lands to the Pueblo de San Ildefonso (about 7,058 acres), the Pueblo of Santa Clara (about 740 acres), and Los Alamos County (about 631 acres). Lands would be conveyed in exchange for an appraised monetary value. The legislation also requires the Forest Service to offer for purchase six parcels of National Forest System lands to Los Alamos County near the community (totaling about 324 acres), and to reconstruct Forest Road (FR) 416v to a high-clearance, Level 2 standard. Although these proposed actions have been mandated by the Act, the Santa Fe National Forest will conduct a National Environmental Policy Act environmental analysis to disclose the impacts of these actions, and to fully describe any discretionary actions that may also be included as part of the land transfers called for in the Act. However, under the Act, discretion is limited. A map of the area is located at the following Forest Service Web site: https://www.fs.fed.us/r3/sfe/projects/.