Department of Agriculture April 12, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) intends to hold public scoping meetings and prepare an Environmental Assessment with Scoping (EA) to meet its responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and 7 CFR part 1794 in connection with potential impacts related to a proposed project by Basin Electric Power Cooperative (Basin Electric). The proposed Big Bend to Witten Transmission Line Project (proposed action) consists of an approximately 70-mile long 230-kV single-circuit transmission line, a new Western Area Power Administration (Western) substation called Lower Brule Substation, an addition to the existing Witten Substation, and approximately two miles of 230-kV double-circuit transmission line between Big Bend Dam and the new Lower Brule Substation. It is anticipated that some communication facility additions or enhancements may be necessary for the project including radio towers and buildings at Lower Brule Substation, Witten Substation, and one or two intermediate sites. Basin Electric is requesting RUS financial assistance for the proposed action.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending its regulations to establish formulas for calculating the rates that it charges meat and poultry establishments, egg products plants, and importers and exporters for providing voluntary, overtime, and holiday inspection, and identification, certification, and laboratory services. The 2011 basetime, overtime, holiday, and laboratory services rates in this final rule will be applied on the effective date. For future years, FSIS will use the formulas established to calculate the annual rates. FSIS will publish the rates annually in Federal Register notices prior to the start of each calendar year and will apply them on the first FSIS pay period at the beginning of the calendar year. The Agency is also increasing the codified flat annual fee for its Accredited Laboratory Program for FY 2012 and FY 2013.

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) Project Presentations, (6) General Project Discussion, (7) Next Agenda.

The Snohomish County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Everett, Washington on May 12, 2011. The committee is meeting to review and prioritize 2011 and 2012 Snohomish County RAC Project Proposals for funding.

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) invites public comment on the guidelines included at the end of this notice for a voluntary initiative to enable entities to reduce the likelihood that agricultural products or commodities imported into the United States are produced by forced labor or child labor. In addition to accepting written comments, USDA will be holding a public meeting of the Consultative Group to Eliminate the Use of Child Labor and Forced Labor in Imported Agricultural Products (Consultative Group) on May 12, 2011 to hear oral comments on the guidelines. The Notice sets forth the guidelines, as well as the process for submitting written comments and for requesting to appear at the public meeting. Issuance of these guidelines and creation of the Consultative Group were provided for in The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the Act), also known as the 2008 Farm Bill.

The Secretary of Agriculture today announced a reassignment of surplus sugar under domestic cane sugar allotments of 325,000 short tons raw value (STRV) to imports, and increased the fiscal year (FY) 2011 raw sugar tariff-rate quota (TRQ) by the same amount.