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

This final rule amends regulations for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) by making State plans permanent, which is intended to reduce the administrative burden on States; and by explicitly designating the processing of donated wild game as an allowable use of TEFAP administrative funds, which is intended to increase the amount and variety of protein-rich foods available to program participants. These changes are required by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill).

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Office of Procurement and Property Management (OPPM) intends to submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve an extension of five currently approved information collections related to the award of, or performance under, USDA contracts. OPPM invites comment on these information collections. These information requirements are currently approved by OMB for use through February 28, 2010.

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 RUS intends to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the extension with no revision of a currently approved information collection, Operating Plans.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the new information collection, Grey Towers Visitor Comment Card.

The Lake Tahoe Basin Federal Advisory Committee will hold a meeting on December 14, 2009 at the US Forest Service Office, 35 College Drive, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150. This Committee, established by the Secretary of Agriculture on December 15, 1998 (64 FR 2876), is chartered to provide advice to the Secretary on implementing the terms of the Federal Interagency Partnership on the Lake Tahoe Region and other matters raised by the Secretary.

This document withdraws a proposed rule published in the Federal Register on July 18, 2008, on use of an estimated trade demand figure to compute volume regulation percentages for 2008-09 Natural (sun-dried) Seedless (NS) raisins covered under the Federal marketing order for California raisins (order). The order regulates the handling of raisins produced from grapes grown in California and is administered locally by the Raisin Administrative Committee (Committee). The proposal provided parameters for implementing volume regulation for 2008-09 NS raisins, if supplies were short, for the purpose of maintaining the industry's export markets and stabilizing the domestic market. Since the 2008-09 NS crop was larger than anticipated, this action is no longer warranted. Therefore, the proposed rule is being withdrawn.

This rule revises the nomination procedures and changes a reporting date under the California date marketing order (order). The order regulates the handling of domestic dates produced or packed in Riverside County, California, and is administered locally by the California Date Administrative Committee (CDAC or Committee). This rule changes the method of polling for nominees to the Committee and the date on which CDAC Form 6 is due. These changes will assist in the administration of the order by updating and streamlining Committee program operations.

In accordance with legislation implementing the results of the Uruguay Round of negotiations under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, we are informing the public of the international standard- setting activities of the World Organization for Animal Health, the Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention, and the North American Plant Protection Organization, and we are soliciting public comment on the standards to be considered.

The Forest Service will prepare an environmental impact statement on a proposal to implement multiple resource management actions within the Nautilus Project area to implement the amended Black Hills National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. The Nautilus Project area covers approximately 41,302 acres of National Forest System land and approximately 5,699 acres of interspersed private land northwest of Rapid City, South Dakota. Mountain pine beetle infestations are present within and adjacent to the project area. Therefore, the Nautilus environmental impact statement will be analyzed under the provisions of Title IV of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act. Proposed actions include a combination of vegetation and fuels treatments to reduce mountain pine beetle susceptibility, reduce fire hazard, improve watershed conditions, provide for a diversity of wildlife habitat, and provide for research forestry opportunities. The proposed action includes approximately 7,157 acres of commercial thinning, 7,311 acres of overstory removal, 10,954 acres of precommercial thinning, 2,134 acres of commercial seed cuts, 191 acres of group selection, 466 acres of individual tree selection, 764 acres of hardwood enhancement, 206 acres of meadow enhancement, 836 acres of old growth management, 354 acres of product-other-than-log thinning, and 411 acres of stand-alone prescribed burning, in addition, approximately 30,629 acres will be analyzed for prescribed burning following timber harvest although it is expected that approximately 10,000 acres of that total will actually be burned over a 10-15 year period. Approximately 15 miles of new road construction would be necessary to carry out the proposed vegetation management actions.

The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) proposes to amend the Common Crop Insurance Regulations, Stonefruit Crop Insurance Provisions to allow coverage for plums under the Stonefruit Crop Insurance Provisions and to make other changes to clarify policy provisions. The proposed rule will also remove the Plum Crop Insurance Provisions from the Code of Federal Regulations. The intended effect of this action is to provide policy changes, to clarify existing policy provisions to better meet the needs of the producers, and to reduce vulnerability to program fraud, waste, and abuse. The changes will apply for the 2011 and succeeding crop years.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Rural Business-Cooperative Service's intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of the program for 7 CFR part 4284, subpart F.

The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) finalizes the Common Crop Insurance Regulations, Basic Provisions to revise enterprise unit provisions to protect the program from potential abuse as a result of the increased premium subsidies for enterprise and whole farm units provided by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill).

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the extension, with no revision, of a currently approved information collection, Youth Conservation Corps Application and Medical History. The collected information will help the Forest Service evaluate the employment eligibility of youth 15 to 18 years old through the Youth Conservation Corps Program. Under the Program, the Forest Service cooperates with other Federal agencies to provide seasonal employment for youth.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) proposes to amend the regulations governing the United States (U.S.) Standards for Condition of Food Containers. AMS regularly reviews standards to determine if they meet current industry practices. Based on our most recent review, we believe that the U.S. Standards for Condition of Food Containers needs to be revised. The revisions are necessary in order to provide standards that reflect current industry practices. Revisions to the U.S. Standards for Condition of Food Containers include simplifying Tables I, I-A, II, II-A, III, III-A, and III-B for sampling plans for normal, tightened, and reduced condition of container inspection to reflect the type of sampling plan used (single or double). It also includes updating the Acceptable Quality Levels (AQLs), Tables IV Metal Containers, VGlass Containers, VIRigid and Semirigid Containers, VIIFlexible Containers (Plastic, Cello, Paper, Textile, etc.), and XDefects of Label, Marking, or Code (currently Table VIII) to incorporate new defects and updating current defects to include defects that would correspond to new packaging technologies such as aseptic packaging, metal cans with easy open lids, and plastic rings that hold several containers together. This revision also proposes adding new defect tables entitled Table VIIIUnitizing (Plastic or other type of casing/unitizing) and Table IXInterior Can Defects. Finally, removing the Operating Characteristic (OC) curves for on-line sampling and inspection. Other minor non-substantive changes are also proposed.

The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation is reopening and extending the comment period for the proposed rule published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, September 8, 2009. The proposed rule amends the Common Crop Insurance Regulations, Apple Crop Insurance Provisions to provide policy changes, to clarify existing policy provisions to better meet the needs of insured producers, and to reduce vulnerability to program fraud, waste, and abuse. During the comment period, FCIC received comments that due to the public comment period overlapping with the apple harvest in some areas, sixty days was not adequate to properly review the proposed changes. FCIC agrees additional time is appropriate to ensure all interested persons have time to fully review the proposed rule and provide meaningful comments.

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 regulations for the importation of live fish, fertilized eggs, and gametes to prevent the introduction of spring viremia of carp into the United States.

RUS and NTIA announce the release of a joint Request for Information (RFI) seeking public comment on certain issues relating to the implementation of the Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) and the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). This is the second joint RFI that the agencies have issued since the enactment of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), which established these broadband initiatives. The input the agencies expect to receive from this process is intended to inform the second round of funding. In particular, the agencies seek to gather information that will help them improve the broadband programs by enhancing the applicant experience and making targeted revisions to the first Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA), if necessary.

The Deschutes Provincial Advisory Committee will meet on November 18-19, 2009, to review accomplishments and to plan for focused and effective actions in the next three years. Members will meet at the Deschutes National Forest Supervisor's office (1001 SW. Emkay Drive, Bend, Oregon) at 3 p.m. on November 18 and carpool to the Lake Creek Lodge in Camp Sherman for an overnight stay, returning 3 p.m. the next day. An Open Public Forum is scheduled for 9:40-10 a.m. on November 19.

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 an extension for and revision of a currently approved information collection for Almonds Grown in California, M.O. No. 981.

The Helena National Forest is going to prepare an environmental impact statement for vegetation management actions in the Little Blackfoot drainage west of the Continental Divide. The purpose and need for action is to be responsive to the mountain pine beetle outbreak in this area, specifically to recover economic value of dead and dying trees. Additional purposes for the project include promoting desirable regeneration, reducing fuels and the risk of catastrophic fire, and maintaining diverse wildlife habitats.

This is a recommended decision regarding proposed amendments to Marketing Order No. 920 (order), which regulates the handling of kiwifruit grown in California. Four amendments were proposed by the Kiwifruit Administrative Committee (committee), which is responsible for local administration of the order. These proposed amendments would redefine the districts into which the production area is divided and reallocate committee membership positions among the districts, revise the committee nomination and selection procedures, authorize the committee to conduct research and promotion programs, and revise committee meeting and voting procedures. The proposals are intended to improve the operation and administration of the order. This recommended decision invites written exceptions on the proposed amendments.

Pursuant to Section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969; the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations (40 CFR part 1500); and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Regulations (7 CFR part 650); the Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, gives notice that an environmental impact statement is not being prepared for the Buckeye Flood Retarding Structure (FRS) No. 1 Supplemental Watershed Plan, Maricopa County, Arizona.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of USDA Farm Service Agency's (FSA) and Rural Development, henceforth collectively known as Rural Development, or individually as Housing and Community Programs, Business and Cooperative Programs, Utility Programs, to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of compliance with applicable acts for planning and performing construction and other development work.