Department of Agriculture 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Pacific Southwest Region of the U.S. Forest Service proposes to prepare a supplemental EIS to the 2004 Sierra Nevada Framework EIS. This SEIS is intended to accomplish two narrow goals: (1) Analyze all the alternatives considered in the 2004 SEIS using the modeling techniques utilized for alternatives S1 and S2 in the 2004 SEIS; and (2) account for the new management objectives of reducing stand density for forest health, restoring and maintaining ecosystem structure and composition, and restoring ecosystems after severe wildfires and other large catastrophic events in all the alternatives evaluated. The purpose of the SEIS is to comply with two November 4, 2009 court orders from the Eastern District of California which require the preparation of this narrowly tailored SEIS.

The designations of the official agencies listed below will end on June 30, 2010. We are asking persons or governmental agencies interested in providing official services in the areas presently served by these agencies to submit an application for designation. In addition, we are asking for comments on the quality of services provided by the following designated agencies: East Indiana Grain Inspection, Inc. (East Indiana); Fremont Grain Inspection Department, Inc. (Fremont); Maryland Department of Agriculture (Maryland); and Titus Grain Inspection, Inc. (Titus).

The Eastern Arizona Counties Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Pinetop, Arizona. The purpose of the meeting is to review and recommend funding of project proposals in accordance with Public Law 110-343 (the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act).

We are advising the public of our determination that a corn line developed by Pioneer Hi-Bred International, designated as transformation event 98140, which has been genetically engineered for tolerance to glyphosate and acetolactate synthase-inhibiting herbicides, is no longer considered a regulated article under our regulations governing the introduction of certain genetically engineered organisms. Our determination is based on our evaluation of data submitted by the Pioneer Hi-Bred International in its petition for a determination of nonregulated status, our analysis of other scientific data, and comments received from the public in response to a previous notice announcing the availability of the petition for nonregulated status and its associated environmental assessment. This notice also announces the availability of our written determination and finding of no significant impact.

The Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest is proposing to charge a $90 expanded amenity recreation fee for the overnight rental of the historic Squaw Mountain Fire Lookout. Fees are assessed based on the level of amenities and services provided, cost of operations and maintenance, market assessment and public comment. The fee is proposed and will be determined upon further analysis and public comment. Funds from fees would be used for the continued operation, maintenance and improvements of this lookout. An analysis of the lookout shows that the proposed fees are reasonable and typical of comparable sites.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, intends to grant to BARRON & BROTHERS INTERNATIONAL of CORNELIA, GEORGIA, an exclusive license to U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 12/494,490, ``SYSTEM FOR DELIVERING POULTRY LITTER BELOW SOIL SURFACE'', filed on JUNE 30, 2009.

This final rule sets forth the policies and procedures implementing the Agricultural Management Assistance Program (AMA). The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), on behalf of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), published an interim final rule with request for comment on November 20, 2008 (73 FR 70245). NRCS

This agenda provides summary descriptions of significant and not significant regulations being developed in agencies of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in conformance with Executive Order 12866 ``Regulatory Planning and Review.'' The agenda also describes regulations affecting small entities as required by section 602 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, Public Law 96-354. This agenda also identifies regulatory actions that are being reviewed in compliance with section 610(c) of the Regulatory Flexibility Act. We invite public comment on those actions.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, intends to grant to Barron & Brothers International of Cornelia, Georgia, an exclusive license to U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 12/494,490, ``System For Delivering Poultry Litter Below Soil Surface'', filed on June 30, 2009.

The Department of Agriculture's Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) is amending the regulations issued under the Packers and Stockyards P&S Act, 1921, as amended, (7 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) (P&S Act) regarding the records that live poultry dealers must furnish poultry growers, including requirements for the timing and contents of poultry growing arrangements.

Pursuant to the authorities in the Federal Advisory Committees Act (Pub. L. 92-463) and under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 110343) the Lassen County Resource Advisory Committee will meet December 10, 2009 in Susanville, California for a business meeting. The meeting is open to the public.

The Forest Service is proposing changes to its directives governing permits for operation of campground and related Granger-Thye concessions (concessions with Government-owned improvements) on National Forest System lands. The proposed directives would reduce from 50 to 10 percent the camping fee discount campground concessioners (concessioners) are required to offer to holders of Senior and Access Passes and Golden Age and Golden Access Passports. Additionally, the proposed directives would allow concessioners to propose camping fee discounts above 10 percent for these pass holders in their applications; would require concessioners to offer a 10 percent discount to holders of Senior and Access Passes and Golden Age and Golden Access Passports for standard amenity recreation fee (SARF) day use sites that they operate; and would require concessioners to provide free use to holders of Annual and Volunteer Passes at SARF day use sites they operate. Furthermore, existing concessioners could request amendment of their permit to incorporate all of these changes, as well as an increase in their land fee for the remaining term of their permit if their gross revenue increases significantly due to the reduction in the camping fee discount. Alternatively, the proposed directive changes would allow existing concessioners to continue operating under the terms of their current permit until it expires. Public comment on the proposed directives is invited and will be considered in development of the final directives.

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).

The Fresno County Resource Advisory Committee will be meeting in Prather, California on January 13, 2010 and Clovis, California on January 27, 2010. The purpose of the January 13th meeting will be to review new project proposals that were submitted by the January 8th due date and the purpose of the meeting on January 27th will be to vote and approve projects to be funded under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 110-343).

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces that the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) intends to request a revision to a currently approved information collection procedure for the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Farmers program as described in 7 CFR part 1580.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is publishing for public comment a summary of a proposed information collection. The proposed collection is a revision of a collection currently approved under OMB No. 0584- 0081 for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (formerly the Food Stamp Program) for the form FNS-388, State Issuance and Participation Estimates.

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, 0596-0019. This information will help the Forest Service ensure that visitors' use of National Forest System lands is in the public interest and compatible with the mission of the Agency.

The Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) is reviewing the United States (U.S.) Standards for Wheat under the United States Grain Standards Act (USGSA). Since the standards were last revised, numerous changes have occurred in the breeding and production practices of wheat; the technology used to harvest, process, and test wheat; and also wheat marketing. To ensure that standards and official grading practices remain relevant, GIPSA invites interested parties to comment on whether the current wheat standards and grading practices need to be changed.

The results of the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) Request for Referendum indicate that too few soybean producers wanted a referendum on the Soybean Promotion and Research Order (Order) for one to be conducted. The Request for Referendum was conducted from May 4, 2009, through May 29, 2009, at the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Farm Service Agency county offices. To trigger a referendum, 58,918 soybean producers needed to complete a Request for Referendum. The number of soybean producers requesting a referendum was 759.

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 of a currently approved information collection for Data Collection, Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements Applicable to Cranberries Not Subject to the Cranberry Marketing Order, 7 CFR Part 926.

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is adopting, as a final rule, without change, an interim final rule that decreased the assessment rate established for the South Texas Onion Committee (Committee) for the 2009-10 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.03 to $0.025 per 50-pound equivalent of onions handled. The Committee locally administers the marketing order which regulates the handling of onions grown in South Texas. The interim final rule was necessary to reduce the Committee's reserve fund to a desirable level.

We are advising the public that we have prepared a proposed environmental assessment relative to oral rabies vaccination programs in several States. Since the publication of our original environmental assessment and decision/finding of no significant impact in 2001, we have prepared, and made available to the public for comment, several supplemental environmental assessments and decisions/findings of no significant impact in order to reflect changes in the program. The new environmental assessment made available by this notice analyzes the further expansion the oral rabies vaccination program to include the States of New Mexico and Arizona, which is necessary to effectively combat the gray fox variant of the rabies virus. The new environmental assessment is intended to facilitate planning and interagency coordination in the event of rabies outbreaks, help streamline program management, and clearly communicate to the public the actions involved in the oral rabies vaccination program.