Department of Agriculture March 12, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Section 6001 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to establish the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). The Recovery Act further establishes authority for the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) to make grants and loans for the deployment and construction of broadband systems. NTIA and RUS will hold a series of public meetings about the new programs beginning on March 16, 2009. In addition to the information received about the new programs during the public meetings, written comments will be accepted through April 13, 2009. Through this notice, guidance is provided as to the matters to be discussed at these public meetings and the categories of information with respect to which interested parties may submit comments.

The Rural Utilities Service, an Agency delivering the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Utilities Programs, hereinafter referred to as Rural Development and/or Agency, has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) to meet its responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and 7 CFR 1794 related to possible financial assistance to Associated Electric Cooperative Incorporated (AECI) for the construction of a new 540- megawatt (MW) gas-fired combustion combined-cycle generation unit at the existing Chouteau Power Plant in Mayes County, Oklahoma. The proposed new unit is needed to provide additional electric generating capacity that would allow AECI to meet its projected electrical peaking demand in 2011-2016. AECI is also proposing to construct a new substation approximately two miles east of the existing plant, a 161- kilovolt (kV) transmission line from the existing plant to the new substation, and a single circuit 345-kV line from the new substation to the nearby Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) Coal-Fired Power Plant I, Mayes County, Oklahoma. The proposed new transmission facilities are needed to provide an outlet for the additional electric power that would be generated at the Chouteau Power Plant as a result of the installation of the proposed new combustion turbine (CT). AECI is requesting financial assistance from the Agency for the proposed action.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment relative to the control of Russian knapweed, Acroptilon repens. The environmental assessment considers the effects of, and alternatives to, the release of a gall midge, Jaapiella ivannikovi, into the continental United States for use as a biological control agent to reduce the severity of Russian knapweed infestations. We are making the environmental assessment available to the public for review and comment.

The National Tree-marking Paint Committee will meet in Chicago, Illinois, on May 12-14, 2009. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss activities related to improvements in, concerns about, and the handling and use of tree-marking paint by personnel of the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Rural Housing Service's intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of the Single Family Housing Direct Loans and Grants programs. The collection involves the use of Form RD 410-8 ``Applicant Reference Letter.'' The Form will be used to obtain information about an applicant's credit history that might not appear on a credit report and to provide clarification on the promptness of applicant's payments on debts which enables Rural Housing Service to make better creditworthiness decisions.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Rural Housing Service's (RHS) intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of Housing Application Packaging Grants.

This notice announces that the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) will hold public meetings of the full Committee and subcommittees on March 16-20, 2009. The Committee will discuss: (1) Determination of the most appropriate technologies for the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to adopt in performing routine and baseline microbiological analyses, and (2) Parameters for inoculated-pack challenge study protocols.

The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) published in the Federal Register of January 15, 2009, an interim final rule with request for comment amending the program regulations for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to incorporate programmatic changes authorized by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Act). The language in the interim final rule regarding the application of the payment limitation to joint operations was incorrect and is inconsistent with payment attributions specified in the regulation which governs payment limitations and eligibility determinations for CCC-funded programs. This document corrects that language. CCC is also using the opportunity presented by this rulemaking to extend the comment period and ask for public input on key programmatic implementation questions.