Department of Agriculture March 10, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Section 2707 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Act) establishes the Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI) by amending Section 1243 of the Food Security Act of 1985 [16 U.S.C. 3843]. The Secretary of Agriculture has delegated the authority for CCPI to the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), who is a Vice President of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). NRCS is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Congress established CCPI to assist potential partners with focusing conservation assistance in defined project areas to achieve high-priority natural resource objectives. In fiscal year (FY) 2009, NRCS will make Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) funds available to owners and operators of agricultural and nonindustrial private forest lands who will participate in CCPI projects. The purpose of this notice is to inform potential partners and producers that include nonindustrial private forest landowners of the availability of CCPI funds and other assistance and to solicit proposals from potential partners who seek to enter into partnership agreements with NRCS to enhance conservation outcomes on agricultural and nonindustrial private forest land. Additionally, NRCS requests public comment on how CCPI can contribute to the Nation's efforts on energy, climate change, and carbon sequestration within the framework of the Initiative.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment relative to the control of yellow starthistle, Centaurea solstitialis (Asteraceae). The environmental assessment considers the effects of, and alternatives to, the release of a weevil, Ceratapion basicorne, into the environment for use as a biological control agent to reduce the severity of yellow starthistle infestations in the continental United States. We are making the environmental assessment available to the public for review and comment.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request approval of an information collection associated with Federal recognition of a State's plant pest control or eradication program as an official control program.

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 to support the National Animal Health Reporting System.

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. No. 106-393).