Department of Agriculture 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Agriculture's Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) is amending 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 edition of NIST Handbook 44. GIPSA is also amending that section of the regulations to add ``swine contractors'' to the list of regulated entities to which the section applies.

We are proposing to amend the regulations pertaining to approved phytosanitary treatments of fruits and vegetables by adding new treatment schedules for sweet cherries and for certain species of citrus fruit imported from Australia into the United States. Based on our treatment evaluation, we have determined that the proposed treatments would be effective against Mediterranean fruit fly and Queensland fruit fly, pests associated with sweet cherries and citrus fruit from Australia. We also propose to establish an approved irradiation dose for Mediterranean fruit fly of 100 gray, which is lower than the generic dose of 150 gray that is approved for all fruit flies. New peer-reviewed data indicate that the 100 gray irradiation dose will neutralize Mediterranean fruit fly. These changes would offer more flexibility in treatments while continuing to prevent the introduction or interstate movement of quarantine pests.

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 the program for 7 CFR part 3575, subpart A, ``Community Programs Guaranteed Loans.''

Based on the content of comments received during scoping the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to disclose the impacts associated with the following proposed actions:

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) (a) provide notice of the fourth meeting of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, and (b) solicit written comments pertinent to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

This rule increases the assessment rate established for the Processed Pear Committee (PPC) for the 2009-2010 and subsequent fiscal periods from $6.25 to $8.41 per ton for ``summer/fall'' pears for canning. The PPC is responsible for local administration of the marketing order regulating the handling of pears for processing grown in Oregon and Washington. Assessments upon handlers of pears for processing are used by the PPC to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The fiscal period for the marketing order begins July 1 and ends June 30. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended or terminated.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations (5 CFR part 1320) which implement the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service's (CSREES) intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection (OMB No. 0524-0026) for Form CSREES-665, ``Assurance of Compliance with the Department of Agriculture Regulations Assuring Civil Rights Compliance,'' and Form CSREES-666, ``Organizational Information.'' Upon OMB approval of this collection, the burden for the Form CSREES-665 will be transferred to OMB control number 0524-0039, ``Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Application Kit for Research and Extension Programs.''

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. 106- 393), the Salmon-Challis National Forest's Central Idaho Resource Advisory Committee will conduct a business meeting which is open to the public.

The Forest Service will prepare a Kings River Experimental Watershed Forest Health and Research Project (KREW Project) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The EIS will evaluate the environmental effects of the KREW Project which is designed to treat portions of the Kings River watershed to improve forest health and to examine the short- and long-term effects of these treatments. The research will lead to information that will be instrumental in future land management planning for the Sierra National Forest (SNF) and other Sierra Nevada forests.

The National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council will meet in Washington, DC, October 28-29, 2009. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss emerging issues in urban and community forestry, work on Council administrative items and hear public input related to urban and community forestry.

The Land Between the Lakes Advisory Board will hold a meeting on Thursday, October 29, 2009. Notice of this meeting is given under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App.2.

The notice to seek comment on the Agricultural Research Services (ARS) intent to seek approval from OMB to reinstatement the ARS Animal Health National Program Assessment Survey was published in the Federal Register on August 6, 2009. The document contained the wrong date for public comment.

This rule invites comments on revisions to the administrative regulations governing voting procedures for the California Walnut Board (Board). The Board locally administers the marketing order that regulates the handling of walnuts grown in California (order). This rule would specify the voting procedures to be used for expanded types of non-assembled meetings and remove voting by telegraph. This would enable the Board to conduct business using current communication methods, which would result in time and cost savings to the Board and its members.

The Tehama County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Red Bluff, California. Agenda items to be covered include: (1) Introductions, (2) Approval of Minutes, (3) Public Comment, (4) Chairman's Perspective, (5) FY09 RAC Proposal Voting, (6) Next Agenda.

Deciding Officers in the Southern Region will publish notice of decisions subject to administrative appeal under 36 CFR parts 215 and 217 in the legal notice section of the newspapers listed in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice. As provided in 36 CFR part 215.5 and 36 CFR part 217.5(d), the public shall be advised through Federal Register notice, of the newspaper of record to be utilized for publishing legal notice of decisions. Newspaper publication of notice of decisions is in addition to direct notice of decisions to those who have requested it and to those who have participated in project planning. Responsible Officials in the Southern Region will also publish notice of proposed actions under 36 CFR part 215 in the newspapers that are listed in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice. As provided in 36 CFR 215.5, the public shall be advised, through Federal Register notice, of the newspaper of record to be utilized for publishing notices on proposed actions. Additionally, the Deciding Officers in the Southern Region will publish notice of the opportunity to object to a proposed authorized hazardous fuel reduction project under 36 CFR part 218.4 or developing, amending or revising land management plans under 36 CFR 219.9 in the legal notice section of the newspapers listed in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.

This final rule adopts, with changes, an interim rule published on November 29, 2005 amending the WIC regulations. The final rule incorporates into program regulations new legislative requirements for vendor cost containment that affect the selection, authorization, and reimbursement of retail vendors. These requirements are contained in the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, enacted on June 30, 2004. The final rule reflects the statutory provisions that require State agencies to implement a vendor peer group system, competitive price criteria, and allowable reimbursement levels in a manner that ensures the WIC Program pays authorized vendors competitive prices for supplemental foods. It also requires State agencies to ensure vendors that derive more than 50 percent of their annual food sales revenue from WIC food instruments (``above-50-percent vendors'') do not cause higher food costs for the program than do other vendors (``regular vendors''). The intent of these provisions is to maximize the number of eligible women, infants, and children served with available Federal funding.

The National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council (Council) is charged, by law, to provide recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture on urban forestry related issues and opportunities. Part of the Council's role is to recommend the criteria for the U.S. Forest Service's Urban and Community Forestry (U&CF) Challenge Cost-Share Grant Program.

A Plan of Operation has been submitted by Pete Lien and Sons, Inc., for the purpose of mining for chemical grade limestone within mining claims on National Forest System land. The proposal is to mine within Pennington County totaling approximately 100 acres about one mile north of the northwest boundary of Rapid City, South Dakota. The original Notice of Intent for this project was published in Federal Register (71 FR 208, pg. 62989) on Friday, October 27, 2006. This corrected Notice of Intent is being republished due to time lapse between the original publication of the NOT and the new estimated Draft and Final ETS publication dates.

The Hood/Willamette Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet on Wednesday, October 28, 2009. The meeting and field trip is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. and will conclude at approximately 4:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Mt. Hood National Forest Headquarters; 16400 Champion Way; Sandy, Oregon; (503) 668-1700. The tentative agenda includes: (1) Public Forum; and (2) Field Trip to Title II Projects.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is making a concept paper describing a new direction for the bovine brucellosis program available for public review and comment. The cooperative Federal-State-industry effort to eradicate bovine brucellosis from cattle in the United States has made significant progress since the program's inception in 1934. However, unique challenges impede eradication. The concept paper we are making available presents our current thinking about changes we are planning

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 Fredonia Flood Retarding Structure (FRS) Rehabilitation Project, Coconino County, Arizona.