Department of Agriculture May 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Sitka Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Sitka, Alaska. The committee is meeting as authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (Pub. L. 110-343) and in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of this meeting, is to finalize the list of funded projects.

The South Gifford Pinchot Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Stevenson, Washington. The committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (Pub. L. 110- 343) (the Act) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of the committee is to improve collaborative relationships and to provide advice and recommendations to the Forest Service concerning projects and funding consistent with the Title II of the Act. The meeting is open to the public. The purpose of the meeting is to review and recommend fiscal year 2012 Title II project nominations to the Forest Supervisor of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

The Huron Manistee Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Mio, Michigan. The committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (Pub. L. 110-343) (the Act) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of the committee is to improve collaborative relationships and to provide advice and recommendations to the Forest Service concerning projects and funding consistent with the title II of the Act. The meeting is open to the public. The purpose of the meeting is to conduct committee business and to review proposed projects.

The Dixie Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Cedar City, Utah. The committee is meeting as authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (Pub. L. 110-343) and in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of this meeting is to make recommendations for Title II projects.

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is announcing the release of the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) Request for Applications (RFA) at https:// www.nifa.usda.gov/vmlrp.

This final rule implements two changes in the regulations for the Rural Housing Service (RHS) Section 502 Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program (SFHGLP) by eliminating the lender's published Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) rate for first mortgage loans with no discount points as an option for a maximum interest rate on loans and by allowing the Secretary to seek indemnification from the originating lender if a loss is paid under certain circumstances. This action is taken to achieve savings for the taxpayer, simplify regulations, and promote efficiency in managing the SFHGLP.

The Shasta-Trinity National Forest proposes to reduce fuels on approximately 41,816 acres under the Green-Horse Habitat Restoration and Maintenance Project. Proposed treatments include mostly prescribed underburning, with some thinning, pruning, piling, and pile burning. The proposed action does not include any commercial timber harvest, new forest system or temporary road construction, or existing road reconstruction.

We are proposing to amend the horse protection regulations to require horse industry organizations or associations that license Designated Qualified Persons to assess and enforce minimum penalties for violations of the Horse Protection Act (the Act) and the regulations. The regulations currently provide that such penalties will be set either by the horse industry organization or association or by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This action would strengthen our enforcement of the Act and the regulations by ensuring that minimum penalties are assessed and enforced consistently by all horse industry organizations and associations that are appointed under the Act by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to cooperate in our enforcement efforts.

The Pike & San Isabel Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Pueblo, Colorado. The committee is meeting as authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (Pub. L. 110- 343) and in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of the conference call is for project coordination and understanding.

We are amending the regulations to establish a new category of regulated articles in the regulations governing the importation of nursery stock, also known as plants for planting. This category will list taxa of plants for planting whose importation is not authorized pending pest risk analysis. If scientific evidence indicates that a taxon of plants for planting is a quarantine pest or a host of a quarantine pest, we will publish a notice that will announce our determination that the taxon is a quarantine pest or a host of a quarantine pest, cite the scientific evidence we considered in making this determination, and give the public an opportunity to comment on our determination. If we receive no comments that change our determination, the taxon will subsequently be added to the new category. We will allow any person to petition for a pest risk analysis to be conducted to consider whether to remove a taxon that has been added to the new category. After the pest risk analysis is completed, we will remove the taxon from the category and allow its importation subject to general requirements, allow its importation subject to specific restrictions, or prohibit its importation. We will consider applications for permits to import small quantities of germplasm from taxa whose importation is not authorized pending pest risk analysis, for experimental or scientific purposes under controlled conditions. This new category will allow us to take prompt action on evidence that the importation of a taxon of plants for planting poses a risk while continuing to allow for public participation in the process.

This is a request for proposals for guaranteed loans under the section 538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program (GRRHP) pursuant to 7 CFR 3565.4 for Fiscal Year (FY) 2011. The Department of Defense and Full Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 (Pub. L. 112-20) (April 15, 2011) appropriated approximately $31,000,000 to the Agency for FY 2011 funding for the section 538 program. The commitment of program dollars will be made first to approved and complete applications from prior years NOFA, then to applicants of selected responses in the order they are ranked under this NOFA that have fulfilled the necessary requirements for obligation. Expenses incurred in developing applications will be at the applicant's risk. The following paragraphs outline the timeframes, eligibility requirements, lender responsibilities, and the overall response and application processes. Eligible lenders are invited to submit responses for new construction and acquisition with rehabilitation of affordable rural rental housing. The Agency will review responses submitted by eligible lenders, on the lender's letterhead, and signed by both the prospective borrower and lender. Although a complete application is not required in response to this NOFA, eligible lenders may submit a complete application concurrently with the response. Submitting a complete application will not have any effect on the respondent's NOFA response score.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Tongass National Forest will prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) to a 2008 programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) titled Geothermal Leasing in the Western United States. This analysis is needed for consent determination to allow the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to issue three pending leases to a private geothermal developer. These leases encompass much of Bell Island and a portion of the Cleveland Peninsula on the adjacent mainland in the Alexander Archipelago of Southeast Alaska. The agency invites comments and suggestions on the scope of the analysis to be included in the draft SEIS. In addition, the agency gives notice of this environmental analysis and decision making process so that interested and affected people know how they may participate and contribute to the final decision.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) announces its Revolving Fund Program (RFP) application window for Fiscal Year (FY) 2011. In addition to announcing the application window, RUS announces the available funding of $496,000 for RFP competitive grants for the fiscal year. The RFP is authorized under section 306(a)(2)(B) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (Con Act), 7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(2)(B). Under the RFP, qualified private, non-profit organizations receive RFP grant funds to establish a lending program for eligible entities. Eligible entities for the revolving loan fund will be the same entities eligible, under paragraph 1 or 2 of Section 306(a) of the Con Act, 7 U.S.C. 1926(a) or (b), to obtain a loan, loan guarantee, or grant from the RUS Water, Waste Disposal and Wastewater loan and grant programs.

We are amending the livestock exportation regulations to eliminate the requirement for pre-export tuberculosis and brucellosis testing of goats and breeding swine intended for export to countries that do not require such tests. This action will facilitate the exportation of goats and breeding swine by eliminating the need to conduct pre-export tuberculosis and brucellosis testing when the receiving country does not require such testing.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request extension of approval of an information collection associated with regulations for the possession, use, and transfer of biological agents and toxins that have the potential to pose a severe threat to human and animal health, to animal health, to plant health, or to animal products and plant products.

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 to protect endangered species of terrestrial plants and with regulations concerning procedures related to the forfeiture of plants or other property.

The Madera County Resource Advisory Committee will be meeting in North Fork, California on June 15, 2011. The purpose of the meeting will be to update the committee on the status of projects that were recommended for funding at the March 30, 2011 meeting, and to vote on contingency proposals for funding and as authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 110-343) for expenditure of Payments to States Madera County Title II funds.

The Northern New Mexico Resource Advisory Committee (NNMRAC) will meet in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (Pub. L. 110-343) (the Act) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of the committee is to improve collaborative relationships and to provide advice and recommendations to the Forest Service concerning projects and funding consistent with the title II of the Act. The meeting is open to the public. The purpose of the meeting is review agenda, persentation of appointment certificates to RAC members, monitoring report, proposal presentations by proponents (5 minutes), questions from committee members (3 minutes), review and ranking of project proposals by Category Groups, recommendation for funding of projects to Designated Federal Official, set date for next meeting, provide for public comment.

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 Beaverhead- Deerlodge National Forest's Tri-County Resource Advisory Committee will meet on Thursday June 16, 2011, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m., in Deer Lodge, Montana. The purpose of the meeting is to review funding proposals for Title II funding.

The Forest Service proposed to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Lost River/Lemhi Grazing Allotments on National Forest System lands managed by the Salmon-Challis National Forest. This project has been cancelled. This notice terminates the environmental analysis process for the Lost River/Lemhi Grazing Allotments.

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 Resource Advisory Committee will meet Friday, June 17, 2011, at 9 a.m. in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho for a business meeting. The business meeting is open to the public.

The Lynn Canal/Icy Straits Resource Advisory Committee will hold a teleconference, June 9, 2011. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss metrics and protocol in the decision-making process and review, discuss, evaluate, and prioritize proposed projects acquired to the May 18th deadline.