Department of Agriculture May 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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). On March 12, 2009, CCC corrected language in the interim final rule regarding the erroneous application of the payment limitation provisions to joint operations, and extended the comment period to April 17, 2009. This document amends the interim final rule by expanding the ability of CCC to include an expansion of the exception regarding conservation practices on public land. CCC is also using the opportunity presented by this rulemaking to extend the comment period. However, the extended comment period is limited to the provisions in this amendment.

The USDA Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for reducing fire hazard, improving forest stand conditions and resilience to stand replacement fire for wildlife species, including the Northern spotted owl, and restoring fire regimes and historic (fire adapted) stand conditions in and around the Cow Creek and Tiller Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) areas. Fuel loadings and overall stand densities have increased and landscape scale forest structural diversity has been altered due to fire exclusion, increasing the potential size and severity of future wildfires, beyond what might have occurred historically. This EIS will be prepared under the authority of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act (HFRA) and will implement recommendations of the Douglas County Community Wildfire Protection Plans for the WUI's. The project proposes commercial thinning on about 6,300 acres of mid seral and mature unmanaged stands, leaving between 40-90 trees per acre (TPA); commercial thinning on about 2,700 acres of managed second-growth plantations, leaving between 50-90 TPA; non-commercial treatment of fuels on about 4,400 acres using non-commercial thinning, mastication, whip felling, chipping, piling and burning; treating activity-created fuels by underburning, machine piling, masticating, handpile burning, lopping and scattering, and/or yarding tops attached and whole tree yarding; using prescribed fire as the primary method of reducing fuels on about 813 acres; using about \1/8\th of a mile of existing unclassified roads to access thinning/ treatment areas, then decommissioning after use; building about 27 miles of new temporary spur roads for access, then decommissioning them after use; road reconstruction and maintenance throughout the planning area; and use of existing rock pits. All acreages and miles are approximate and will be refined during sale layout. The project proposes to amend the 1990 Umpqua National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP). The planning area is located approximately 34 miles southeast of Roseburg, Oregon. The project is expected to be implemented starting in Fiscal Year 2010. The agency gives notice of the full environmental analysis and decision-making process that will occur on the proposal so that interested and affected people may become aware of how they can participate in the process and contribute to the final decision.

This rule invites comments on proposed modifications to the import regulations for Irish potatoes. This rule is implemented in accordance with section 608(e) (hereinafter referred to as ``section 8e'') of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, which requires imported potatoes to meet the same or comparable grade, size, quality, and maturity requirements as those established under Federal marketing order regulations. This rule would: Reduce the number of marketing order areas determined as being in the most direct competition with imported potatoes from five to three; exempt U.S. No. 1 grade potatoes imported in certain small containers from size requirements; and remove certain language from Marketing Orders No. 948 and 953 that reference the regulation of imported Irish potatoes. In addition, this rule would make minor administrative changes to the potato, onion, and tomato import regulations to update informational references. The proposed modifications to the import regulations are expected to benefit potato importers and consumers.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) announces additional Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 funding available through its Technical Assistance and Training Grant Program (TAT). The Rural Utilities Service is providing $500,000 in funding to conduct water resource studies in the states affected by hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Ike, and/or Wilma (Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas). The additional $500,000 will be for water resource studies only.

The Evanston-Mountain View Ranger District of the Uinta- Wasatch-Cache National Forest proposes to treat about 3,000 acres of a variety of vegetation types within the 39,800 acre Blacks Fork project area, located in Summit County, Utah approximately 20 miles southeast of Evanston, Wyoming. Proposed treatments include timber harvest, prescribed fire, and mechanical thinning. This proposal is being developed in direct response to the continuing mountain pine beetle epidemic in the area and its potential long-term impacts on the Blacks Fork area.

The Land Between The Lakes Advisory Board will hold a meeting on Thursday, June 11, 2009. Notice of this meeting is given under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2.

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

Pursuant to the authorities in the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463) and under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 110-343) the Nez Perce and Clearwater National Forests' North Central Idaho Resource Advisory Committee will meet Thursday, June 25th, 2009 in Orofino, Idaho for a business meeting. The meeting is open to the public.

This is a notice to inform the public of six upcoming meetings to discuss stakeholder concerns related to the implementation of the National Animal Identification System. The meetings are being organized by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

We are giving notice of a meeting of the National Wildlife Services Advisory Committee.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval, from the Office of Management and Budget, for an extension of and revision to the currently approved information collection Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.

The USDA, Forest Service, will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for a project called Rim-Paunina in the Walker Mountain area on the southern end of the Crescent Ranger District. The project focus is on developing and maintaining a diversity of wildlife habitats that are appropriate for an eastside dry forest environment. Potential actions include thinning of trees in variable densities and prescribed burning. This project also provides an additional opportunity for participation in a collaborative planning process with a diverse group of other interested stakeholders. The Rim-Paunina area is approximately a 45,000-acre watershed bordered by private industrial forest to the north and the Fremont/Winema National Forests to the south and east. It is mostly comprised of ponderosa and lodgepole pine forests with some mixed conifer on Walker Rim. It is located in T. 25-26 S, R. 8 E., Willamette Meridian. The alternatives will include the proposed action, no action, and additional alternatives that respond to issues generated through the scoping process. The agency will give notice of the full environmental analysis and decision making process so interested and affected people may participate and contribute to the final decision.

We are amending the regulations to allow the importation of commercial shipments of fresh longan with stems from Taiwan into the United States. As a condition of entry, the longan will be subject to cold treatment and special port-of-arrival inspection procedures for certain quarantine pests. In addition, the fruit will have to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate stating that the fruit was inspected and found to be free of certain quarantine pests, and the individual cartons or boxes in which the longan are shipped will be stamped or printed with a statement prohibiting their importation into or distribution in the State of Florida. This action will allow for the importation of commercial shipments of fresh longan with stems from Taiwan into the United States while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of quarantine pests into the United States.

The Glenn/Colusa County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Willows, California. Agenda items covered include: (1) Introductions, (2) Approve Minutes, (3) Public Comment, (4) Discussion of National Forest Counties and Schools Coalition Annual Meeting-RAC Member Attendance, (5) Project Presentations for FY08 and FY09, (6) Project Voting by RAC Members, (7) General Discussion, (8) Next Agenda.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is currently accepting stakeholder feedback in the form of content requests for the 2012 Census of Agriculture. This census is required by law under the ``Census of Agriculture Act of 1997,'' Public Law No. 105-113 (7 U.S.C. 2204g).

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is withdrawing the document soliciting comments on its proposal to amend the voluntary United States Standards for Grades of Table Grapes (European or Vinifera Type). After reviewing and considering the comments received, the agency has decided not to proceed with this action.

The Ravalli County Resource Advisory Committee will be meeting to hold a short public forum (question and answer session). The meeting is being held pursuant to the authorities in the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 106-393) and under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-393). The meeting is open to the public.

We are proposing to amend one section of the regulations under the Packers and Stockyards Act (P&S Act) to incorporate by reference the 2009 edition of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Handbook 44, ``Specifications, Tolerances, and Other Technical Requirements for Weighing and Measuring Devices,'' and to require that scales used by stockyard owners, market agencies, dealers, packers, and live poultry dealers to weigh livestock, livestock carcasses, live poultry, or feed for the purposes of purchase, sale, acquisition, payment, or settlement meet applicable requirements of the 2009 NIST Handbook 44. Additionally, we are proposing to amend that section of the regulations to add ``swine contractors'' to the list of regulated entities to which the section applies.

Laramide Resources (USA) Inc. has submitted a Plan of Operations (the Plan) proposing to develop and conduct underground uranium mining operations on their mining claims on La Jara Mesa on the Mount Taylor Ranger District of the Cibola National Forest. La Jara Mesa is located approximately 10 miles northeast of the town of Grants in Cibola County, New Mexico. The mine portal facilities would be located on claims controlled by the applicant on national forest lands at the base of the La Jara Mesa at an elevation of 7,300 feet in the NE1/4, Section 15, T12N, R9W, NMPM. The mineralized zones that would be accessed from the portal are located in portions of Sections 1, 2, 11, 12, 13, and 14, T12N, R9W, NMPM. The escape shaft would be located on Forest Service administered lands on top of La Jara Mesa in Section 11, T12N, R9W, NMPM. The Cibola National Forest will prepare an environmental impact statement to assess the development of a uranium exploration and mining operation on the Mount Taylor Ranger District.

Pursuant to the authorities in the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463) and under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 110-343) the Idaho Panhandle National Forest's Idaho Panhandle Resource Advisory Committee will meet Friday, May 15, 2009, at 9 a.m. in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho for a business meeting. The business meeting is open to the public.