Department of Agriculture August 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Sawtooth National Forest is proposing to charge fees at three camping areas on the Fairfield Ranger District, four campgrounds on the Minidoka Ranger District, and two cabins on the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. Fees are assessed based on the level of amenities and services provided, cost of operation and maintenance, cost comparison for similar facilities, and public comment. The fees listed are proposed and will be finalized upon further analysis and public comment. Funds from fees would be used to maintain the recreation facilities and sites where they are collected. On the Fairfield Ranger District, The Baumgartner Group Use Campground, and the overnight campsites at the Willow Creek and Bear Creek Transfer Camps (all currently free use sites) are being proposed as fee sites. These sites have the same amenities offered at other developed campgrounds on the Sawtooth and adjacent National Forests. The proposed fee to help maintain the Baumgartner Group use site is $125 a night for up to 100 people. The proposed fees for Willow and Bear Creek would be $6.00 per night for single family sites. The fee season for these three sites will be approximately Memorial Day through September 30 each year as weather permits. On the Minidoka Ranger District, Schipper, Steer Basin, Sublett, and Diamondfield Jack campgrounds (all currently free use sites) are being proposed as fee sites. These sites have the same amenities offered at other developed campgrounds on the Sawtooth and adjacent National Forests. The proposed fee to help maintain Schipper, Steer Basin, and Sublett would be $5.00 per night for single family sites. The proposed fee for Diamondfield Jack would be $8.00 per night for single family sites. The fee season for these sites will be approximately Memorial Day through September 30 each year as weather permits. On the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, The Redfish Lake and Sawtooth Valley Work Center cabins are being proposed as fee sites to be available as rental cabins during the shoulder and winter seasons (approximately October 1-April 30 each year). These cabins have not previously been available for public use and are used for employee housing during the summer season. The proposed fee to help maintain these cabins would be $50 and $65 per night respectively.

Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969; the Council on Environmental Quality Guidelines (40 CFR part 1500); and the Natural Resources Conservation Service Guidelines (7 CFR part 650); the Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, has decided to subordinate its rights, acquired under the Wetland Reserve Program (WRP), to allow the Gulf Crossing Pipeline Company, LLC to cross NRCS held conservations easements associated with the Gulf Crossing Project in Madison Parish, LA and Fannin, Texas. On June 19, 2007, Gulf Crossing Pipeline Company LLC (Gulf Crossing) and Gulf South Pipeline Company LP (Gulf South) jointly filed an application under section 7C of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) for authorization to construct and operate facilities to be known as the Gulf Crossing Project which constitutes four compressor stations and an interstate natural gas pipeline. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has prepared a final environmental impact statement (EIS) to fulfill requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The purpose of this document was to make public the analysis of the environmental impacts that would likely result from the construction and operation of the proposed project. The NRCS participated as a cooperating agency in the preparation of the EIS. The project will affect approximately three (3) NRCS held Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) easements by creating a 50 ft. permanent right of way (within a 100 ft. construction right of way) that extends for approximately 356.3 miles of which 4.6 miles is over lands encumbered under WRP easements located in Madison, Louisiana and Fannin, Texas.

The Rural Utilities Service, an agency delivering the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Utilities Programs (Rural Development and/or Agency) proposes to require that Rural Development Electric Program borrowers will be responsible for establishing and maintaining a written standard policy relating to the Interconnection of Distributed Resources (IDR). The intended effect is that owners of distributed resources know what they have to do to connect their facilities to the electric power systems of borrower electric cooperatives.

The Allegheny National Forest is planning to charge from $100- $150 per night fee for rental of the Farnsworth Cabin. This cabin has not been available to the public for recreation use prior to Spring 2009. This historic cabin was built by the Civilian Conservation Corp in the 1940's. Rentals of other cabins on the Allegheny National Forest have shown that the public appreciates and enjoys the availability of historic rental cabins.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2, the United States Department of Agriculture announces a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture (AC21).

The Shasta-Trinity National Forest (Forest) will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement to disclose the impacts associated with the following proposed actions: 1. Prohibition of cross-country motorized vehicle travel (with the exception of snowmobiles) off designated National Forest System (NFS) roads, NFS trails and areas by the public except as allowed by permit or other authorization (Travel Management Rule, 36 CFR Part 212, Subpart B). 2. Amend the Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Plan) to conform with the Travel Management Rule, Subpart B, by removing reference to OHV cross-country travel in the Forest Plan and include as a forest-wide standard ``Prohibit wheeled vehicle travel off designated roads and trails except for administrative use or uses under permitted activities or within designated areas.'' 3. Add approximately 32 miles of existing unauthorized routes to the National Forest Transportation System (NFTS) as roads open to the public for wheeled motorized vehicle use by vehicle class and season of use. 4. Add approximately 11 miles of existing unauthorized routes to the NFTS as motorized trails open to the public for wheeled motorized vehicle use by vehicle class and season of use. 5. Restrict use below the high-water mark at Shasta Lake and Trinity Lake, (within the Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area) to only highway legal vehicles and provide a maximum speed limit of 15 miles per hour (mph).

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, this notice is announcing the re-chartering of the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) by the Secretary of Agriculture on June 5, 2008. The Committee is being renewed in cooperation with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The establishment of the Committee was recommended by a 1985 report of the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Food Protection, Subcommittee on Microbiological Criteria, ``An Evaluation of the Role of Microbiological Criteria for Foods.'' The current charter for the NACMCF is available for viewing on the NACMCF homepage at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/About_FSIS/NACMCF/index.asp.

The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 requires school food authorities participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or the School Breakfast Program (SBP) to implement a school food safety program for the preparation and service of school meals served to children. The school food safety program must comply with the hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) system established by the Secretary of Agriculture. This proposal would enable schools to take systematic action to prevent or minimize the risk of foodborne illness in the NSLP and SBP.

Nominations are being sought for certain positions to serve on the Recreation Resource Advisory Committee (Recreation RAC) operating in the Eastern Region of the Forest Service. New members will be appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) and serve three- year terms. Appointments will begin in February 2009 when current member appointments expire. One member is being sought to represent each of the following interests: (1) Summer Motorized Recreation, (2) Hunting/Fishing, (3) Non-motorized Outfitters/Guides, (4) Motorized Outfitters/Guides or Local Environmental Groups, (5) Affected Indian Tribes, and (6) Affected Local Governments. The public is invited to submit nominations for membership on the Recreation RAC. Current members who have only served one term may also apply. Application packets for Recreation RACs can be obtained from the Forest Service Eastern Regional Office listed below or on the Web at https://www.fs.fed.us/passespermits/rrac-application.shtml. All nominations must include a completed application packet that includes background information and other details that address a nominee's qualifications.

Pursuant to authority vested in me by section 11 of the Act of March 1, 1911 (36 Stat. 961), as amended, and section 17(a) of the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (90 Stat. 2961), the exterior boundary of the Hoosier National Forest is modified as described below, and all lands within these National Forest boundaries, as adjusted, that have been or hereafter are acquired by the United States for National Forest purposes, are hereby designated for administration as part of the Hoosier National Forest. This change in the exterior boundary of the Hoosier National Forest would allow for the acquisition and management of unique limestone karst features located in the Lost River karst system. The land area to be retracted from the Hoosier National Forest is near French Lick, in an area with no National Forest System lands and where future acquisition is not contemplated.

Sunroc Corporation has submitted a Plan of Operations (the Plan) proposing continued gypsum surface mining operations in the Chicken Creek East and Chicken Creek West mines and proposes opening another pit on it's existing adjacent claims. The location of the mine is in Juab County, Utah, approximately 2 miles east of the town of Levan in portions of Section(s) 33 and 34, T14S, R1E, and Section 4, T15S, R1E, SLB&M. In response, the Manti LaSal National Forest is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement to analyze the environmental effect of the proposed Plan and determine whether to approve the Plan as proposed or to require additional mitigation measures to protect the environment.

The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (2002 Farm Bill), the 2002 Supplemental Appropriations Act (2002 Appropriations), and the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill) amended the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (Act) to require retailers to notify their customers of the country of origin of covered commodities. Covered commodities include muscle cuts of beef (including veal), lamb, chicken, goat, and pork; ground beef, ground lamb, ground chicken, ground goat, and ground pork; wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish; perishable agricultural commodities; macadamia nuts; pecans; ginseng; and peanuts. The implementation of mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) for all covered commodities, except wild and farm- raised fish and shellfish, was delayed until September 30, 2008. The 2008 Farm Bill contains a number of provisions that amended the COOL provisions in the Act. These changes include the addition of chicken, goat, macadamia nuts, pecans, and ginseng as covered commodities, the addition of provisions for labeling products of multiple origin, as well as a number of other changes that are discussed more fully in the Supplementary Information portion of this rule. However, the implementation date of September 30, 2008, was not changed by the 2008 Farm Bill. Therefore, in order to meet the September 30, 2008, implementation date and to provide the newly affected industries the opportunity to provide comments prior to issuing a final rule, the Department is issuing this interim final rule. This interim final rule contains definitions, the requirements for consumer notification and product marking, and the recordkeeping responsibilities of both retailers and suppliers for covered commodities. The provisions in this interim final rule do not affect the regulatory requirements for fish and shellfish that were published in the October 5, 2004, Federal Register.