Department of Agriculture January 6, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are advising the public that a site-specific environmental assessment, pest risk assessment, and finding of no significant impact have been prepared by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to a request to allow the interstate movement of garbage from Hawaii to a landfill in the State of Oregon. The environmental analysis has been prepared to determine whether the request is consistent with the environmental effects and impacts analyzed in our February 2008 regional programmatic environmental assessment. The pest risk assessment evaluates the risks associated with the interstate movement of garbage from Hawaii to Oregon. Based on the finding of no significant impact, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has determined that an environmental impact statement need not be prepared.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency delivering the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Development Utilities Programs, hereinafter referred to as Rural Development or the Agency, is amending its regulations to administer the Water and Waste Loan and Grant Programs. This action implements provisions of the 2008 Farm Bill for interest rates on direct loans and modifies the interest rate structure currently being used for the direct loan program. Interest rates on loans subject to 5 or 7 percent interest rate limitations (poverty and intermediate rates, respectively) will adjust with changes in the market rate. The poverty and intermediate interest rates will be established at rates equal to a percentage of current market yields for outstanding municipal obligations. The intended effect is to make part 1780 current with statutory authority. In the final rules section of the Federal Register, the Agency is publishing this action as a direct final rule without prior proposal because Rural Development views this as a non-controversial action and anticipates no adverse comments. If no adverse comments are received in response to the direct final rule, no further action will be taken on this proposed rule, and the action will become effective at the time specified in the direct final rule. If the Agency receives adverse comments, a timely document will be published withdrawing the direct final rule and all public comments received will be addressed in a subsequent final rule based on this action.

The White Mountain National Forest proposes to add three sites to the Recreation Fee Program. Fees are determined based on the level of amenities and services provided, cost of operation, maintenance, and market assessment. Funds from fees will be used for the continued operation and maintenance of the sites. The fees proposed are as follows: Cabot Cabin would have an overnight rental fee of $30. There would be a $10 fee for overnight camping at Sawyer Pond Tentsite; and Zealand Picnic Area would be added to the Forest-wide Recreation Pass program. National recreation passes such as the Interagency Annual Pass, Senior Pass, Access Pass, or White Mountain National Forest Annual Pass would be valid for day use fees at these sites.

This final rule amends regulations for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) by adding three requirements mandated by the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 in amendments to the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (CNA) concerning retail vendors authorized by WIC State agencies to provide supplemental food to WIC participants in exchange for WIC food instruments. The intent of these provisions is to enhance due process for vendors; prevent defective infant formula from being consumed by infant WIC participants; and ensure that the WIC Program does not pay the cost of incentive items provided by above-50-percent vendors in the form of high food prices. Finally, this rule also adjusts the vendor civil money penalty (CMP) levels to reflect inflation.