Department of Agriculture August 3, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This final rule addresses recommendations submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) by the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) on November 5, 2009, and April 29, 2010. The recommendations addressed in this final rule pertain to the continued exemption (use) of 12 substances in organic production and handling. Consistent with the recommendations from the NOSB, this final rule continues the exemption (use) of 12 substances (along with any restrictive annotations) on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List).

The Southern New Mexico Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Socorro, 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 to review project proposals to be initiated with title II funds.

The North Fork Ranger District, Salmon-Challis National Forest, is proposing an integrated hazardous fuels and forest restoration project in the Upper North Fork drainage. The approximately 41,000 acre planning area is being considered for treatments consisting primarily of prescribed burning and mechanical thinning. The drainage area includes the communities of Moose Creek Estates, Royal Elk Ranch, Lost Trail Ski Area, Gibbonsville and North Fork which have widespread private land resources, and have been identified as ``at-risk'' communities by Lemhi County and the State of Idaho. Lemhi County's Wildfire Prevention Plan has designated the North Fork drainage as high priority for hazardous fuel reduction, an essential criteria allowing the use of authorities and expedited environmental analysis under the Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA) of 2003. A collaborative process was used to obtain suggestions and input on restoration needs and potential activities for this project area to improve the health of the ecosystem and reach the desired future condition.