Department of Agriculture 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Deschutes Provincial Advisory Committee will meet on April 5, 2007, starting at 9 a.m. at Jefferson County Firehall on the corner of Adam and ``J'' Street in Oregon. Agenda items will include a briefing on the progress for Travel Management, PAC upcoming program of work and scheduling, an update on the Five Buttes project on the Crescent Ranger District, and a membership round robin. All Deschutes Province Advisory Committee Meetings are open to the public and an open public forum is scheduled from 3:30 to 4 p.m.

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 blood and tissue collection at slaughtering and rendering establishments to enhance animal disease surveillance.

Pending additional public comments received through the Recreation Site Facility Master Planning process and additional feedback received through the BLM Resource Advisory Council (BLM RAC) review and recommendation process, the following National Forests and National Grasslands in the Northern Region propose to begin charging fees at the following sites: The Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest will begin charging fees for camping at Steel Creek Campground ($7/ night), Seymour Campground ($7/night), and Dinner Station Campground ($8/night). The Clearwater National Forest will begin charging fees for the overnight rental of Gold Meadow Cabin ($40/night), Kelly Creek Cabin ($40/night), and Liz Creek Cabin ($40/night). The Dakota Prairie Grasslands will begin charging fees for overnight camping at the Hankinson Hills Campground ($6/night). The Flathead National Forest will begin charging fees for the overnight rental of Old Condon Ranger House ($50/night), Silvertip Cabin ($50/night), and Swan Lake Guard Station ($50/night). The Gallatin National Forest will begin charging fees for the overnight rental of Maxey Cabin ($40/night). The Helena National Forest will begin charging fees for the overnight rental of Moose Creek Cabin ($50/night). The Idaho Panhandle National Forest will begin charging fees for the overnight rental of Shoshone Park Cabin ($65/night), and Avery Cabin ($65/night). The Lewis and Clark National Forest will begin charging fees for the overnight rental of Monument Peak Lookout ($55/night), and Kenck Cabin ($45/night). The Lolo National Forest will begin charging fees for the overnight rental of Morgan Case Homestead Cabin Rental ($80/night), the Double Arrow Lookout Cabin Rental ($40/night), the Lake Inez Group Camping site ($25/night), and the Lakeside Campground (Lakeside Campground $10/night and Lakeside Group Camping Site $25/night). The Nex Perce National Forest will begin charging fees for the overnight rental of Adams Ranger House ($40/night), Lookout Butte Lookout ($40/night), and Meadow Creek Cabin ($40/night). Rentals of other cabins and lookouts throughout the Northern Region have shown that publics appreciate and enjoy the availability of historic rental cabins and lookouts as well as campgrounds and group camping sites. Funds from the cabin rentals, campground and group camping sites will be used for the continued operation and maintenance of recreation sites.

The Southern Recreation Resource Advisory Committee will hold its first meeting in Atlanta, Georgia. The purpose of the meeting is to receive recommendations concerning recreation fee proposals on the George Washington & Jefferson National Forests, National Forests in Florida, National Forests in Alabama, National Forests in Mississippi, National Forest in North Carolina, Ozark-St. Francis National Forest Cherokee National Forest, and the Francis Marion & Sumter National Forest; and to discuss other items of interest related to the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act of 2004. A large part of this first meeting will be dedicated to committee orientation and organizational matters such as election of chair and crafting of by-laws. A final detailed agenda, with any additions/corrections to agenda topics, location, field trips and meeting times, will be sent to regional media sources at least 14 days before the meeting, and hard copies can also be mailed or sent via FAX. Individuals who need special assistance such as sign language interpretation or other reasonable accommodations, or who wish a hard copy of each agenda, should contact Caroline Mitchell at PO Box 1270, Hot Springs, AR 71902 no later than 10 days prior to each meeting.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is inviting nominations for membership on the Committee for the Expert Review of Synthesis and Assessment Product 4.3 (CERSAP). The purpose of the Committee is to provide advice on the conduct of a study titled The Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture, Land Resources, Water Resources, and Biodiversity, to be conducted as part of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP). The prospectus for the study titled The Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture, Land Resources, Water Resources, and Biodiversity is on the CCSP Web site at https://www.climatescience.gov/ Library/sap/sap4-3/default.htm. Committee membership will total approximately twelve persons and may include individuals from the Federal Government, State and/or local governments, the scientific community, non-governmental organizations and the private sector, with expertise, experience, and knowledge essential to the successful completion of the study. Nominations for employees of the Department of Agriculture will not be considered. Nominations must be received within twenty-one days of the date of this Federal Register notice. Any interested person or organization may submit a nomination. Nominations must include a complete resume of the nominee's background, experience and expertise, Form AD755, and any other information considered relevant. Form AD755 is available online through the following Web sites: https://www.usda.gov/oce/global change/index.htm, https://www.climatescience.gov/Library/sap/sap4-3/ default.php, and https://www.sap43.ucar.edu/. Additional avenues and resources will be utilized by USDA in the solicitation of nominees.

The Land Between The Lakes Advisory Board will hold a meeting on Thursday, April 5, 2007. Notice of this meeting is given under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2. The meeting agenda includes the following:

On June 23, 2006, a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Westpoint Project on the Scott River Ranger District of the Klamath National Forest, was published in the Federal Register (71 FR 36056-36058). The Forest Service has decided to cancel the preparation of this EIS. The NOI is hereby rescinded.

This final rule establishes regulations for seasons, harvest limits, methods, and means related to taking of fish and shellfish for subsistence uses during the 2007-08 regulatory year. The rulemaking is necessary because Subpart D is subject to an annual public review cycle. This rulemaking replaces the fish and shellfish taking regulations included in the ``Subsistence Management Regulations for Public Lands in Alaska, Subpart C and Subpart D2006-07 Subsistence Taking of Fish and Wildlife Regulations,'' which expire on March 31, 2007. This rule also amends the Customary and Traditional Use Determinations of the Federal Subsistence Board (Sec. .24 of subpart C).

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adopting, as a final rule, without change, an interim final rule temporarily suspending order provisions that require continuance referenda to be conducted for the nectarine and peach marketing orders during winter 2006-07. This rule enables USDA to postpone conducting the continuance referenda until the industry has had sufficient time to evaluate the effects of recent amendments to the marketing orders. Temporary suspension of the continuance referenda should also minimize confusion during the current committee nomination period, which overlaps with the scheduled referenda period.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to initiate a new information collection activity for collection of species data by State as part of the National Animal Identification System.

Due to an error in the Application Deadline (Section IV Application and Submission Information, C. Submission Dates and Times), the following notice supersedes the original Request for Applications, published on March 7, 2007 for Commodity Partnerships Small Sessions Program at 72 FR 10121-10128. The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), operating through the Risk Management Agency (RMA), announces the availability of approximately $500,000 for Commodity Partnerships for Small Agricultural Risk Management Education Sessions (the Commodity Partnerships Small Sessions Program). The purpose of this cooperative partnership agreement program is to deliver training and information in the management of production, marketing, and financial risk to U.S. agricultural producers. The program gives priority to educating producers of crops currently not insured under Federal crop insurance, specialty crops, and underserved commodities, including livestock and forage. A maximum of 50 cooperative partnership agreements will be funded, with no more than five in each of the ten designated RMA Regions. The maximum award for any cooperative partnership agreement will be $10,000. Awardees must demonstrate non-financial benefits from a cooperative partnership agreement and must agree to the substantial involvement of RMA in the project. Funding availability for this program may be announced at approximately the same time as funding availability for similar but separate programsCFDA No. 10.455 (Community Outreach and Assistance Partnerships), CFDA No. 10.456 (Risk Management Research Partnerships), CFDA No. 10.457 (Commodity Partnerships for Risk Management Education), and CFDA No. 10.458 (Crop Insurance Education in Targeted States). Prospective applicants should carefully examine and compare the notices for each program.

The Forest Supervisor for the Pike and San Isabel National Forests and the Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands (PSICC) has made available the Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands Land Management Plan (Grasslands Plan) for a 30-day pre-decisional review and objection period. The 30-day pre-decisional review and objection period commences the day following the publication of the legal notice in the Pueblo Chieftain, Pueblo, Colorado.

This action proposes to revise the current bonding requirements imposed against participating retailers and wholesalers who have violated the Food Stamp Program rules and regulations. Currently, all violating retailers and wholesalers that are disqualified for a specified period of time or have a civil money penalty imposed in lieu of a disqualification for a specified period of time are required to submit a valid collateral bond usually on an annual basis if they wish to continue to participate in the Food Stamp Program. Over the years, securing a collateral bond has become increasingly more difficult for retailers and wholesalers to obtain. Thus, the intent of this proposed rule is to revise the current requirement in order to help alleviate the financial burden to those retailers and wholesalers who are required to submit such a bond and also to reduce the recordkeeping burden with respect to the FNS field offices which have to keep track of the expirations and renewals of these bonds. This proposed rule would also place in the Food Stamp Program regulations the longstanding policy FNS has adopted to accept irrevocable letters of credit in lieu of collateral bonds. Lastly, this rule would establish a specified period of time for retailers and wholesalers to be removed from the program for accepting food stamp benefits in payment for eligible food on credit, a violation of the Food Stamp Program regulations.

The Department announces adjusted income eligibility guidelines to be used by State agencies in determining the income eligibility of persons applying to participate in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC). These income eligibility guidelines are to be used in conjunction with the WIC Regulations.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Rural Housing Service's (RHS) intent to reinstate a previously approved information collection in support of the Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program.

The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) finalizes the Common Crop Insurance Regulations; Walnut Crop Insurance Provisions and Almond Crop Insurance Provisions. The intended effect of this action is to change the insurable age requirements for almonds and walnuts.

This final rule establishes requirements for the disclosure of children's free and reduced price meals or free milk eligibility information under the Child Nutrition Programs. The Child Nutrition Programs include the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Special Milk Program, Summer Food Service Program, and Child and Adult Care Food Program. Within certain limitations, children's free and reduced price meal or free milk eligibility information may be disclosed, without parental/guardian consent, to persons directly connected to certain education programs, health programs, means-tested nutrition programs, the Comptroller General of the United States, and some law enforcement officials. Additionally, officials also may disclose children's free and reduced price meal or free milk eligibility information to persons directly connected with State Medicaid (Medicaid) and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) when parents/guardians do not decline to have their information disclosed. These regulations affect State agencies and local program operators that administer the Child Nutrition Programs and households which apply for and/or are approved for free and reduced price meals or free milk. The final rule reflects the disclosure provisions of the Healthy Meals for Healthy Americans Act of 1994 and comments received on the proposed rule published in anticipation of implementing those provisions. Additionally, this final rule includes the regulatory disclosure provisions implementing the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 and comments received on the interim rule issued to implement those provisions. This final rule also implements nondiscretionary provisions of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, allowing certain third party contractors access to children's eligibility status and will allow school officials to communicate with Medicaid and SCHIP officials to verify that children are eligible for free and reduced price school meals or free milk. The disclosure provisions are intended to reduce paperwork for administrators of certain programs that target low-income households and for low-income households which may benefit from those programs by allowing some sharing of household's free and reduced price meal eligibility information. This rule also includes several technical amendments.

The New Mexico Collaborative Forest Restoration Program Technical Advisory Panel will meet in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The purpose of the meeting is to provide recommendations to the Regional Forester, USDA Forest Service Southwestern Region, on which forest restoration grant proposals submitted in response to the Collaborative Forest Restoration Program Request For Proposals best meet the objectives of the Community Forest Restoration Act (Title VI, Pub. L. 106-393).

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to initiate a new information collection for Plant Protection and Quarantine Customer Satisfaction Surveys.

We are adopting as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that amended the Karnal bunt regulations to remove certain areas or fields in Maricopa and Pinal Counties, AZ, and Archer, Baylor, Knox, McCulloch, San Saba, Throckmorton, and Young Counties, TX, from the list of regulated areas based on our determination that those fields or areas meet our criteria for release from regulation. The interim rule was necessary to relieve restrictions that are no longer necessary.

On March 7, 2007, the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management jointly published a final rule (72 FR 10308). The dates heading on page 10308 incorrectly set out the effective date as April 6, 2007. The correct effective date of the final rule is May 7, 2007, consistent with the chart on page 10328.

Notice is hereby given that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency that administers the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Utilities Programs, has made a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) with respect to a request from Earth Resources Inc. for assistance from RUS to finance the construction and operation of a twenty (20) MW power generating station utilizing chicken litter and woody biomass as fuel. The proposal would be constructed on a 140-acre property in Franklin County, Georgia.