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

The Ravalli County Resource Advisory Committee will be meeting for a presentation from James Peterson with the Evergreen Foundation 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.

We are advising the public that a draft environmental assessment has been prepared by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to the proposed release into areas quarantined for imported fire ant of five additional species of phorid flies for use as biological control agents. We are making the environmental assessment available to the public for review and comment.

This interim rule amends the regulations on eligibility determinations for free and reduced price school meals to implement nondiscretionary provisions of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004. In this interim rule, the statutory definition of ``local educational agency'' is added. In addition, this interim rule specifies that a family only has to submit one application for all children in the household as long as they attend schools in the same local educational agency and requires enhancement of the descriptive materials distributed to families. This rule provides for electronically-submitted applications, addresses electronic signatures and establishes use and disclosure standards for such applications. This rule establishes that eligibility for free or reduced price school meals remains valid for one year unless the household chooses to decline a level of benefits. These changes are intended to provide children with increased access to the school nutrition programs by simplifying the certification process, streamlining program operations and improving program management.

The Forest Service will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to disclose the effects of designating National Forest System (NFS) roads and trails available for public motorized use on the Vernal Ranger District within the Ashley National Forest. The decision will be to determine whether to include routes that are not currently NFS roads or trails open for public motorized use, establish a season of use and/or type of vehicle use for roads and trails, the prohibition of wheeled motorized vehicle travel off designated NFS roads and trails by the public (except as allowed by permit or other authorization), and change dispersed vehicle camping designations from allowing travel up to 300 feet off road to 150 feet off road. A National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) decision is not required to designate roads and trails for public motorized uses that are currently part of the National Forest System of roads and trails. Once a decision is made, a Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) will be prepared, in compliance with the 2005 Forest Service Travel Management Rule (36 CFR part 212). The MVUM will show all the routes that are designated for public motorized use on the Vernal Ranger District. The MVUM will be the primary tool used to determine compliance and enforcement with motorized vehicle use designations on the forest. Those existing routes and other non-system routes not designated open on the MVUM will be legally closed to motorized travel. The decisions on motorized travel will not include motorized over-the-snow travel.

Notice is hereby given that the Secretary of Agriculture has reestablished the Edward R. Madigan United States Agricultural Export Excellence Award Board of Evaluators. The Secretary of Agriculture has determined that the Board is necessary and in the public interest.

We are proposing to amend the regulations regarding the commercial transportation of equines to slaughter to add a definition of equine for slaughter and make other changes that will extend the protections afforded by the regulations to equines bound for slaughter but delivered first to an assembly point, feedlot, or stockyard. This action would further ensure the humane treatment of such equines by helping to ensure that the unique and special needs of equines in commercial transportation to slaughter are met.

This notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of a forthcoming meeting of the Plant Variety Protection Board.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Foreign Agricultural Service's intention to request a renewal of current information collection processes currently used in support of Exporter Assistance programs. This request to renew is based on estimates of the public burden set forth in the abstract.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, this notice announces that the Secretary of Agriculture signed the charter of the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI) on July 25, 2007. The charter for the NACMPI is available for viewing on the NACMPI homepage at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/AboutFSIS/ NACMPICharter/index.asp.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) proposes to increase the fees and charges for Federal voluntary egg, poultry, and rabbit grading, certification, and audit services for the next two fiscal years, FY 2008 and FY 2009. The fees and charges need to be increased by 2.76% to 7.74% to cover the increase in salaries of Federal employees, salary increases of State employees cooperatively utilized in administering the programs, and other increased Agency costs. The AMS is required to collect fees from users of these services to cover the costs of services rendered.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, intends to grant to Peterson Seed Associates of Edina, Minnesota, an exclusive license to the variety of birdsfoot trefoil described in Plant Variety Protection Certificate Number 200700300, ``Witt'', filed on May 7, 2007.

This rule increases the assessment rate established for the Prune Marketing Committee (Committee) for the 2007-08 and subsequent crop years from $0.40 to $0.60 per ton of salable dried prunes. The Committee locally administers the marketing order that regulates the handling of dried prunes in California. Assessments upon dried prune handlers are used by the Committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The higher assessment rate is needed to offset an anticipated decrease in dried prune production this year. The crop year began August 1 and ends July 31. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

The Forest Service proposes to revise Rangeland Allotment Management Plans (RAMP) for ten allotments comprising approximately 92,800 acres within two Ranger Districts of the Black Hills National Forest and analyze continuation of grazing within the constraints of the Revised Black Hills National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan, as amended (BHNF LRMP).

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is reopening the comment period for 30 days for the interim final rule for the Dairy Product Mandatory Reporting program that was published in the Federal Register on July 3, 2007. This reopening of the comment period will provide interested parties with an additional opportunity to submit comments on all aspects of the program, including but not limited to the product specifications and whether there should be a minimum transaction volume for reported transactions. AMS will review and consider the submitted comments as it promulgates a final rule.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is adding Chile to the list of countries eligible to export poultry and poultry products to the United States. Reviews by FSIS of Chile's laws, regulations, and inspection implementation show that its poultry inspection system requirements are equivalent to the relevant provisions of the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA) and its implementing regulations. With this final rule, poultry and poultry products processed in certified Chilean establishments may be exported to the United States. All such products will be subject to reinspection at United States ports-of-entry by FSIS inspectors.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing to amend the Rules of Practice under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) (7 CFR part 47) to increase informal complaint filing fees and formal complaint handling fees. The proposal would increase from $60 to $100 the fee for filing an informal complaint; and would increase from $300 to $500 the fee for handling a formal complaint.

The Begich, Boggs Visitor Center, located within the Chugach National Forest in Alaska will change the fee it charges after consideration of public comments. New fees are to begin on Memorial Day Weekend 2008. The increased fee that it collects will help to make up the shortfall in operations and maintenance costs that it is experiencing due to declining Federal budgets and a change in fee authority. The expanded fee program will allow the visitor center to reopen its doors to the public on weekends from October through May, and to offer interpretive presentations to the public during the summer months, as well as upkeep the center and its exhibits and audio-visual programs and equipment. We are also planning to charge facility use fees, as outlined in our ``Amended Business and Communication Plan 2007,'' for special use of the visitor center. As a result we are also seeking input from the public on the fee structure for special facility use during the same comment period. The special facility use fees will be a part of the amended Recreation Fee structure for the Begich, Boggs Visitor Center and help us to meet our operation and maintenance needs. Currently the only fee charged at the center is a fee for the movie ``Voices From the Ice.'' The fee is currently $1 per person (age 16 and older). Starting on Memorial Day Weekend 2008, we propose to charge a higher fee to all visitors (age 16 and older). The expanded fee will allow these visitors to see the movie, visit the exhibits and participate in any of our interpretive walks and presentations offered. Those people who do not pay for this expanded standard amenity fee will be able to use the restrooms, shop in the Alaska Natural History Association bookstore or ask questions of our staff at the front desk.