Department of Agriculture October 24, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing its intention to request an extension of an approved information collection regarding the voluntary recalls from commerce of meat and poultry products because the approval for this information collection is due to expire.

The Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture is resuming preparation of the National Forests in Mississippi revised land management plan as directed by the National Forest Management Act (NFMA). Preparation of the revised plan was halted when the 2005 Forest Service planning rule was enjoined. A new planning rule (36 CFR Part 219) took effect on April 21, 2008, allowing the planning process to be resumed. This notice marks the resumption of the National Forests in Mississippi plan revision process under the new planning rule.

In accordance with section 202 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality's regulations implementing NEPA (40 CFR 1500- 1508), and applicable agency guidance, a Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) has been prepared on the leasing of geothermal resources in 11 Western United States (U.S.) and Alaska. The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (FS) are co-lead agencies for the PEIS. The Department of Energy (DOE) participated as a core team member. The PEIS has been developed, in part, to support the amendment of 122 resource management plans (RMP) covering public lands managed by the BLM under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA). In accordance with the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Pub. L. 109-58, August 8, 2005), the goal of the proposed action is to make geothermal leasing decisions on pending lease applications submitted prior to January 1, 2005, and to facilitate geothermal leasing decisions on other existing and future lease applications and nominations on the Federal mineral estate. The planning area encompasses about 530 million acres of land with the potential for geothermal development in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

The Lake Tahoe Basin Federal Advisory Committee will hold a meeting on November 6, 2008 at The Chateau, 955 Fairway Boulevard, Incline Village, NV 89451. This Committee, established by the Secretary of Agriculture on December 15, 1998 (64 FR 2876), is chartered to provide advice to the Secretary on implementing the terms of the Federal Interagency Partnership on the Lake Tahoe Region and other matters raised by the Secretary.

This proposed rule would amend livestock and related provisions of the NOP. Comments have been received from consumers, producers, certifying agents, trade associations, retailers, organic associations, animal welfare organizations, consumer groups, and various industry groups seeking greater detail on the role of pasture in organic livestock production. Also since implementation of the NOP in 2002, the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) has made several recommendations regarding the role of pasture. As a result of comments, complaints, and noncompliances, we are proposing amendments to the livestock provisions of the NOP. This proposed rule provides greater detail for selected provisions of the existing livestock regulations, especially as they relate to pasture and ruminant animals. By specifying in greater detail that producers are to provide ruminants with pasture, recognize pasture as a crop, and incorporate pasture into their organic system plan, producers will have better records and tools for managing pasture and demonstrating compliance with the livestock regulations. Certifying agents will have better tools for measuring compliance with the livestock regulations. Consumers will have better assurances that the organic label is applied in ways that meet their expectations that ruminant livestock animals graze pastures during the growing season. This proposed rule would also clarify the replacement animal provision for dairy animals.