Department of Agriculture 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on an extension of a currently approved information collection associated with the Standards for Approval of Volunteer Programs.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) an Agency delivering the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Utilities Programs, hereinafter referred to as Rural Development and/or Agency, intends to hold a public scoping meeting and prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) in connection with possible impacts related to a project being proposed by Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. (Basin Electric), of Bismarck, North Dakota. The proposal consists of the construction and operation of a natural gas-fired combustion turbine generation facility referred to as the Culbertson Unit 1 East Side Peaking Project, consisting of a single maximum net 100 Megawatt (MW) unit, at a site near Culbertson, Montana.

The Forest Supervisor of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest gives notice of the agency's intent to withdraw the Centennial Salvage Timber Sale Environmental Impact Statement. The project is being withdrawn because the trees proposed for harvest are no longer marketable and the project, as originally proposed, no longer meets resource objectives. The original NOI was published in the Federal Register on September 9, 2004 (54627-54628). A revised NOI was published on December 1, 2004 (69883).

We are adopting as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that amended the imported fire ant regulations by designating as quarantined areas all or portions of 2 counties in Arkansas, 3 in North Carolina, and 3 in Tennessee, by expanding the quarantined area in 1 county in Arkansas and 15 in Tennessee, and by designating the entire State of South Carolina as a quarantined area. The interim rule was necessary to prevent the artificial spread of imported fire ant to noninfested areas of the United States. As a result of the interim rule, the interstate movement of regulated articles from those quarantined areas is restricted.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intent of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to request revision and extension of a currently approved information collection, the Livestock Slaughter Survey. Revision to burden hours may be needed due to changes in the size of the target population, sampling design, and/or questionnaire length.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service, an Agency within the Rural Development mission area, announces the availability of grants of up to $50,000 per application from the Rural Business Opportunity Grant (RBOG) program for fiscal year (FY) 2008, to be competitively awarded. For multi-state projects, grant funds of up to $150,000 will be available on a competitive basis. These limits do not apply to specific funding as discussed below.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35, as amended), the Rural Utilities Service, an agency delivering the United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Utilities Programs, hereinafter referred to as Rural Development and/or Agency, invites comments on this information collection for which Rural Development intends to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

This Notice announces the availability of $6,255,900 of competitive grant funds for the RCDI program through the Rural Housing Service (RHS), an agency within the USDA Rural Development mission area herein referred to as the Agency. Applicants must provide matching funds in an amount at least equal to the Federal grant. These grants will be made to qualified intermediary organizations that will provide financial and technical assistance to recipients to develop their capacity and ability to undertake projects related to housing, community facilities, or community and economic development. This Notice lists the information needed to submit an application for these funds.

The Forest Service is announcing the availability of the agency's Open Space Conservation Strategy. The Strategy provides a framework to strengthen and focus existing and new Forest Service actions for open space conservation. The goal of the Strategy is to conserve open space by protecting the most ecologically and socially important lands, conserving working lands as sustainable forests and grasslands; expanding and connecting open spaces in cities, suburbs, and towns; and reducing the potential ecological impacts and risks of development. The goal will be achieved through collaboration and partnershipsby working with willing landowners, conservation groups and State and local governments to promote voluntary land conservation. In developing the Strategy, the Forest Service solicited public comments through three Federal Register Notices: November 13, 2006 (71 FR 66162); December 14, 2006 (71 FR 75228); and June 22, 2007 (70 FR 34430). A total of over 22,000 comments were received during these comment periods.

This is a request for proposals for guaranteed loans under the section 538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program (GRRHP) pursuant to 7 CFR 3565.4 for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 subject to the availability of funding. FY 2008 funding for the section 538 program is $129,090,000. Applicants will submit proposals in the form of ``RESPONSES.'' The commitment of program dollars will be made to applicants of selected responses that have fulfilled the necessary requirements for obligation. Expenses incurred in developing applications will be at the applicant's risk. The following paragraphs outline the timeframes, eligibility requirements, lender responsibilities, and the overall response and application processes. The GRRHP operates under 7 CFR part 3565. The GRRHP Origination and Servicing Handbook (HB-1-3565) is available to provide lenders and the general public with guidance on program administration. HB-1-3565, which contains a copy of 7 CFR part 3565 in Appendix 1, can be found at the Agency's Instructions Web site address https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/ regs/hblist.html#hbw6. Eligible lenders are invited to submit responses for the new construction of affordable rural rental housing, the acquisition with rehabilitation of affordable rural rental housing, the revitalization, repair, and transfer (as stipulated in 7 CFR 3560.406) of existing direct section 515 housing (transfer costs are subject to Agency approval and must be an eligible use of loan proceeds as listed in 7 CFR 3565.205), and properties involved in the Agency's multi-family preservation and revitalization program (MPR). Equity payments, as stipulated in 7 CFR 3560.406, in connection with the transfer of existing direct section 515 housing, are an eligible use of loan proceeds. In order to be considered, direct section 515 housing and MPR projects must need repairs and undergo revitalization of a minimum of $6,500 per unit. The Agency will review responses submitted by eligible lenders, on the lender's letterhead, and signed by both the prospective borrower and lender. Although a complete application is not required in response to this Notice of request for proposals, eligible lenders may submit a complete application concurrently with the response. However, submitting a complete application will not have an effect on the respondent's score.

On November 28, 2007, the USDA Forest Service announced its intent to prepare a travel planning environmental impact statement (EIS). The proposed action would designate a site-specific transportation system and prohibit indiscriminate cross-country traffic. The EIS will analyze the effects of the proposed action and alternatives. A Revised Notice was published to extend the due date for scoping comments to January 11, 2008. This Revised Notice is being published because the due date for scoping comments has been extended to February 29, 2008. The Clearwater National Forest invites comments and suggestions on the issues to be addressed. The agency gives notice of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis and decision- making process on the proposal so interested and affected members of the public may participate and contribute to the final decision.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended), the Rural Utilities Service's (RUS) an agency delivering the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Utilities Programs, invites comments on this information collection for which approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will be requested.

We published a notice in the Federal Register on April 17, 2007 (72 FR 19169), inviting comments regarding the revision of the U.S. Standards for Beans. The proposed revisions would provide applicants for service with an optional grade designation for bean certification; and remove the requirements that the percentage of high moisture and, for Mixed beans, the percentage of each class in the mixture, be shown on the grade line. The notice provided an opportunity for interested parties to forward written comments to the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) until May 17, 2007. Due to the continued high level of interest in this notice, we are reopening the comment period to provide interested parties with additional time to comment.

The San Juan National Forest published a document in the Federal Register of January 17, 2008, giving notice of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement. The document contained incorrect location information in the Summary.

We are advising the public of our decision to begin issuing permits for the importation into the continental United States and Hawaii of sweet cherries from Australia. Based on the findings of a pest risk analysis, which we made available to the public for review and comment through a previous notice, we believe that the application of one or more designated phytosanitary measures will be sufficient to mitigate the risks of introducing or disseminating plant pests or noxious weeds via the importation of sweet cherries from Australia.

This notice informs the public of the annual adjustments to the reimbursement rates for meals served in the Summer Food Service Program for Children (SFSP). These adjustments reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index and are required by the statute governing the Program. In addition, further adjustments are made to these rates to reflect the higher costs of providing meals in the States of Alaska and Hawaii, as authorized by the William F. Goodling Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act of 1998.

The East Administrative Unit of the Hiawatha National Forest intends to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to disclose the environmental consequences of a vegetation and transportation management project. See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for the purpose of and need for the action.

This rule modifies the minimum size requirements under the Colorado potato marketing order, Area No. 2. The marketing order regulates the handling of Irish potatoes grown in Colorado, and is administered locally by the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee, Area No. 2 (Committee). The minimum size requirements for Area No. 2 potatoes specify that potatoes handled under the marketing order must be at least 2 inches in diameter or 4 ounces in weight, with exceptions allowing the handling of round potatoes of any weight, and Russet Burbank, Russet Norkotah, and Silverton Russet potato varieties with a minimum of 1\7/8\ inches in diameter or 4 ounces in weight. This rule removes the exception that Russet Burbank, Russet Norkotah, and Silverton Russet potato varieties may be 1\7/8\ inches in diameter, thus requiring these varieties to also meet the minimum requirements of 2 inches in diameter or 4 ounces in weight. This change is intended to facilitate the handling and marketing of Colorado Area No. 2 potatoes.

The Eastern Region Recreation Resource Advisory Committee will hold its third meeting via teleconference. The purpose of the meeting is to receive recommendations concerning recreation fee proposals on areas managed by the Forest Service in Michigan and to discuss other items of interest related to the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act of 2004. A final detailed agenda, with any additions/corrections to agenda topics and meeting time, 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 the agenda, should contact Marcia Heymen at 626 E. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53202 no later than 10 days prior to the meeting.

We are reopening the comment period for our interim rule that amended the citrus canker quarantine regulations to explicitly prohibit, with limited exceptions, the interstate movement of regulated nursery stock from a quarantined area. One of those exceptions was a provision that allows calamondin and kumquat plants, two types of citrus plants that have been considered to be highly resistant to citrus canker, to be moved interstate from a quarantined area under a protocol designed to ensure that they are free of citrus canker prior to movement. However, following publication of the interim rule, several samples from calamondin plants growing in a quarantined area were found to be infected with citrus canker. Based on that finding, it appears that it will be necessary to remove calamondin plants from the protocol when we publish an upcoming rule that will finalize the interim rule. Before we publish that final rule, however, we are reopening the comment period for the interim rule to provide interested persons with an opportunity to prepare and submit comments regarding calamondin plants and the interstate movement protocol.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) announces the availability of approximately $18.4 million in competitive grant funds for fiscal year (FY) 2008 to help independent agricultural producers enter into value-added activities. Awards may be made for planning activities or for working capital expenses, but not for both. The maximum grant amount for a planning grant is $100,000 and the maximum grant amount for a working capital grant is $300,000.

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 the gypsy moth program.

This RFP announces an availability of funds and the timeframe to submit proposals for Farm Labor Housing Technical Assistance (FLH- TA) grants. USDA Rural Development administers the programs of the Rural Housing Service. Section 516(i) of the Housing Act of 1949 as amended, authorizes the Rural Development to provide financial assistance (grants) to eligible private and public nonprofit agencies, which includes faith-based organizations, and to encourage the development of domestic and migrant farm labor housing projects. This RFP solicits proposals from qualified private and public nonprofit agencies on how they will provide technical assistance to groups who qualify for FLH loans and grants. Work performed under these grants is expected to result in an increased submission of applications for farm labor housing loans and grants under the section 514 and 516 programs.