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

The e Utilities Service (RUS), an agency delivering the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Utilities Program, hereinafter referred to as Rural Development, announces its Community Connect Grant Program application window for funding during fiscal year (FY) 2007. In addition, RUS announces the minimum and maximum amounts for Community Connect grants applicable for the fiscal year. The Community Connect Grant Program regulations can be found at 7 CFR part 1739, subpart A.

The Forest Counties Payments Committee has scheduled a meeting to discuss how it will provide Congress with the information specified in Section 320 of the Fiscal Year 2001 Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The meeting is open to the public.

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 provisions of the Animal Welfare Act regulations for the humane transportation of animals in commerce.

The USDA, Forest Service, Nez Perce National Forest will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to document analysis and disclose the environmental impacts of implementing watershed improvement activities and timber harvest and within the Little Slate project area. Actions include: Construction of temporary roads, road reconstruction, road decommissioning of existing roads that are no longer needed, trail relocation and watershed, riparian and soil restoration. Individuals interested in actions of this nature are encouraged to submit comments and become involved in the planning process.

This notice advises the public of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's Record of Decision for the Resident Canada Goose Management Final Environmental Impact Statement.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adopting, as a final rule, without change, an interim final rule that reapportioned the membership of the Mushroom Council (Council) to reflect shifts in United States mushroom production. The final rule continues in effect the realignment of the Mushroom Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Order's (Order) four United States geographic regions, and reallocates Council member representation in two of the four United States geographic regions (Regions 1 and 4). The Council, which administers the Order, proposed the amendments in conformance with Order requirements to reviewat least every 5 years and not more than every three yearsthe geographic distribution of United States mushroom production volume and import volume. These changes to the Council are effective for the Secretary of Agriculture's 2008 appointments.

The USDA Forest Service, Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Medford-Park Falls Ranger District intends to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to document the analysis and disclose the environmental effects of proposed land management activities, and corresponding alternatives within the Medford Aspen project area. The primary purpose of this proposal is to implement activities consistent with direction in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forests Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan) and respond to specific needs identified in the project area. The project area is located on National Forest System land in the northern portion of the Medford landbase of the Medford-Park Falls Ranger District, approximately 10 miles northwest of Medford, Wisconsin. The legal description for the area is: Township 32 North, Range 3 West, sections 1,12-13, 24; Township 32 North, Range 2 West, sections 3-10, 16-19; Township 32 North, Range 1 West, sections 1-6, 9- 10, 12-14; Township 32 North, Range 1 East, sections 4-9, 16-18; Township 33 North, Range 2 West, sections 2-5, 8-11, 13-16, 21-28, 34- 35; Township 33 North, Range 1 West, sections 1-3, 10-12, 13, 18-19, 28-35; and Township 33 North, Range 1 East, sections 6-7, 31-32; Fourth Principal Meridian.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, intends to grant to Leeward Biotechnology, Inc. of Hartland, Wisconsin, an exclusive license to U.S. Patent No. 5,451,400, ``Mucosal Competitive Exclusion Flora'', issued on September 19, 1995.

We are advising the public that an environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact have been prepared by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to the release of a nonindigenous gall mite, Floracarus perrepae, for the biological control of Old World climbing fern, Lygodium microphyllum, in the continental United States. Based on its finding of no significant impact, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has determined that an environmental impact statement need not be prepared.

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) designated Intercontinental Grain Inspection Inc. (Intercontinental), a subsidiary of Societe Generale de Surveillance (SGS) North America Inc., to provide domestic official inspection services under the United States Grain Standards Act, as amended (USGSA). Intercontinental's designation terminates September 30, 2007, therefore; GIPSA asked interested persons to submit an application for designation in the March 7, 2007, Federal Register (72 FR 10138). However, SGS North America Inc. purchased Mid-Iowa Grain Inspection, Inc. (Mid-Iowa), a currently designated agency providing official inspection services. Intercontinental will be merged into Mid-Iowa. Accordingly, GIPSA is not proceeding further with the request for applications for designation in the Corpus Christi, Texas, area, which is currently designated to Intercontinental. The designation of Mid- Iowa has been amended to include this geographic area.

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/.

We are amending the fruits and vegetables regulations to allow the importation into the United States of litchi, longan, mango, mangosteen, pineapple, and rambutan from Thailand. As a condition of entry, these fruits must be grown in production areas that are registered with and monitored by the national plant protection organization of Thailand, treated with irradiation in Thailand, and subject to inspection. The fruits must also be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with an additional declaration stating that the fruit had been treated with irradiation in Thailand. In the case of litchi, the additional declaration must also state that the fruit had been inspected and found to be free of Peronophythora litchii, a fungal pest of litchi. Additionally, under this final rule, litchi and longan imported from Thailand may not be imported into or distributed to the State of Florida, due to the presence of litchi rust mite in Thailand. This action allows the importation of litchi, longan, mango, mangosteen, pineapple, and rambutan from Thailand into the United States while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of quarantine pests into the United States.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is revising the voluntary United States Standards for Grades of Parsley. Specifically, AMS is revising the standards to allow percentages to be determined by count rather than weight. AMS is also eliminating the unclassified category. The revisions would bring the standards for parsley in line with current marketing practices, thereby improving the usefulness in serving the industry.

The following paragraph has been added to the beginning of the Summary portion of the March 14, 2007, Federal Register Notice:The Risk Management Agency (RMA) did not receive valid application packages for the State of Utah under the original Request for Application Notice published in the Federal Register on March 14, 2007, for the Crop Insurance Education in Targeted States Program (Targeted States Program). RMA is re-announcing its Funding OpportunityRequest for Applications under the Targeted States Program for the State of Utah. Applicants who previously submitted an application under the March 14, 2007, Targeted States Program Request for Applications Notice for Utah must reapply in accordance with the original Notice published in the Federal Register on March 14, 2007. All other portions and sections of the full text Notice remain unchanged. For Further Information Contact: Applicants and other interested parties are encouraged to contact: Lon Burke, USDA-RMA-RME, phone: 202- 720-5265, fax: 202-690-3605, e-mail: RMA.Risk-Ed@rma.usda.gov. You may also obtain information regarding this announcement from the RMA Web site at: https://www.rma.usda.gov/aboutrma/agreements/.

The Agricultural Marketing Service published a final rule in the Federal Register on September 28, 2004 (69 FR 57822). The document changed reporting requirements regarding Other Seedless varietal type raisins under the California raisin marketing order. However, three paragraphs in one subpart of the marketing order's rules and regulations were inadvertently omitted from subsequent issues of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). This document identifies the three paragraphs in the subpart that need to be reinserted into Title 7 of the CFR, Part 989.

The Shasta County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet at the USDA Service Center in Redding, California, on June 28, 2007, at 8:30 a.m. 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.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is reopening the comment period for 60 days for the proposed rule for mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) for beef, lamb, pork, perishable agricultural commodities, and peanuts that was published in the Federal Register on October 30, 2003 (68 FR 61944). AMS requests general comments on the proposed rule taking into account that the Agency has changed corresponding definitions and requirements in the interim final rule for fish and shellfish published in the Federal Register on October 5, 2004 (69 FR 59708). When preparing comments on the proposed rule, AMS asks that interested parties consider the provisions of the interim final rule for fish and shellfish and whether the definitions and requirements in the interim final rule can also be applied to beef, lamb, pork, perishable agricultural commodities, and peanuts. The interim final rule's definitions and requirements include, but are not limited to: Processed food item definition, country of origin notification, markings, and recordkeeping requirements. All affected persons are hereby given notice of the opportunity to submit written data and views concerning the proposed rule. AMS will review and consider the submitted comments and information as it promulgates a final regulatory action for mandatory COOL for beef, lamb, pork, perishable agricultural commodities and peanut covered commodities. AMS is simultaneously reopening the comment period for the interim final rule for the mandatory COOL program for fish and shellfish covered commodities.