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

We are amending the bovine tuberculosis regulations to adjust the boundaries of the modified accredited, modified accredited advanced, and accredited-free tuberculosis risk classification zones for the State of Michigan. We have determined that 55 counties that are currently designated modified accredited advanced status now meet our requirements for accredited-free status. In addition, Iosco and Ogemaw Counties, of which some portions are designated modified accredited and other portions designated modified accredited advanced, now meet the requirements for accredited-free status. We also have determined that Presque Isle County, which is currently designated modified accredited, now meets our requirements for modified accredited advanced status. These actions lessen restrictions on the interstate movement of cattle and bison from these areas of Michigan.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing to amend the Guidelines for Designating Biobased Products for Federal Procurement (Guidelines) to add 13 sections that will designate the following product categories within which biobased products would be afforded Federal procurement preference: Air fresheners and deodorizers; asphalt and tar removers; asphalt restorers; blast media; candles and wax melts; electronic components cleaners; floor coverings (non-carpet); foot care products; furniture cleaners and protectors; inks; packaging and insulating materials; pneumatic equipment lubricants; and wood and concrete stains. USDA is also proposing minimum biobased contents for each of these product categories.

The Kootenai National Forest will prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the Rock Creek Project. The project is located within the Trout Creek Ranger District, Kootenai National Forest, Sanders County, Montana, and east of Noxon, Montana. The Final EIS was made available in September 2001. The Forest Service Record of Decision was issued in June 2003. The Montana Department of Environmental Quality issued a Record of Decision in 2001 that provided the State's approval of the project. The SEIS will respond to the US District Court Decision in Rock Creek Alliance et al. v. USFS, Revett Silver Company, and USFWS, (CV 05-107-M-DWM and CV 08-028-M-DWM consolidated) May 4, 2010 opinion. In that opinion the Court found deficiencies in the 2001 Rock Creek Project FEIS. The court remanded the FEIS back to the Forest Service for further action and vacated the 2003 Record of Decision. The SEIS will focus on the issues directed by the Court, and will update other resource analyses, if there are significant new circumstances or information relevant to environmental concerns and bearing on the proposed action or its impacts in order ensure appropriate analysis of the proposed mining project.

This notice is announcing that the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) will hold public meetings of the full Committee and subcommittees on September 27-30, 2011. The Committee will discuss: (1) Control strategies for reducing foodborne Norovirus infections, and (2) Study of microbiological criteria as indicators of process control or insanitary conditions.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is amending its regulations to implement the Expansion of 911 as authorized by section 6107 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill). This amendment will codify the Secretary's authority to make loans in five areas of eligibility to expand or improve 911 access and integrated emergency communications systems in rural areas for the Telecommunications Loan Program.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing, pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2, that the National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection (NACMPI) will hold a public meeting on September 22 and 23, 2011, to review and discuss pre-harvest and validation. All issues will be presented to the full Committee. The Committee will then divide into two subcommittees to discuss the issues. Each subcommittee will provide a report of their comments and recommendations to the full Committee before the meeting concludes on September 23, 2011.

The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) published a notice in the Federal Register on July 28, 2011, inviting proposals for the Food for Progress (FFPr) program. The notice stated that eligible applicants could submit proposals through October 26, 2011. This date was incorrect and, by this notice, FAS is correcting the due date to September 30, 2011. Also, this notice serves to inform all applicants of the eligibility requirements, makes minor changes to the application and review process, and provides updates to web links for helpful documents.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this document announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget, for an extension of and revision to a currently approved information collection in support of the shell egg surveillance portion of the Regulation for the Inspection of Eggs7 CFR part 57.

The Helena National Forest is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the effects of proposed changes to the existing motorized public access routes and prohibitions within the Divide travel planning area for wheeled and over-snow motorized vehicles. Consistent with Forest Service travel planning regulations, the designated wheeled motorized routes within the Divide Travel Planning Area will be displayed on a Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) and made available to the public free of charge. Upon publishing the MVUM, public use of wheeled motor vehicles other than in accordance with designations would be prohibited.

The Northern New Mexico Resource Advisory Committee (NNM RAC) 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 Title II of the Act. The meeting is open to the public. The purpose of the meeting is to review the status of Title II and funds to be allocated, discuss letter from Cibola and McKinley counties, monitoring report, review of administrative costs, provide opportunity for proponents to present proposals (5 minutes each), provide NNM RAC members opportunity to ask questions about proposals (3 minutes each), review proposal recommendation process, review and rank project proposal by Category Groups, provide recommendations for funding to Designated Federal Official and provide for public comment.

This Notice invites the following eligible States: Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming, to submit an Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424), and to enter into a Cooperative Agreement with the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) for the allocation of organic certification cost-share funds. The AMS has allocated $1.5 million for this organic certification cost-share program in Fiscal Year 2011. Funds are available to 16 designated States to provide cost-share assistance to organic crop and livestock producers certified under the USDA Organic Standards (7 CFR 205). Eligible States interested in obtaining cost-share funds for their organic producers must submit an Application for Federal Assistance via https://www.grants.gov and enter into a cooperative agreement with AMS for the allocation of funds.

On October 19, 2010, the Forest Service published a notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement for the Tollgate Fuels Reduction Project in the Federal Register. The project is located within the Upper 204/Tollgate Wildland Urban Interface as identified in the Umatilla County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), as amended. The project planning area encompasses approximately 46,000 acres and is situated approximately 40 miles south/southwest of Walla Walla, Washington. The project has been planned and will be implemented using the authorities of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA) of 2004. After the initial request for public comment on the Tollgate proposal subsequent analysis identified two additional actions that needed to be incorporated into the Tollgate Fuels Reduction Project: Amend the Umatilla National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan): There is need to prepare a site specific amendment to the Umatilla National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Forest Plan). The proposed amendment will focus on the entry and treatment of fuels within select Riparian Habitat Conservation Areas (RHCAs). RHCA treatment is only proposed for the following units of the Tollgate Fuels Reduction Project- units 38, 75, 19, 66, and 61. These units were included on the map which accompanied the original scoping of this project, but we were not aware of the need for a Forest Plan Amendment until we had spent more time on the ground in these units. The proposed action does not propose any additional treatments within any RHCAs not contained in units listed above. All other RHCA will have the appropriate PACFISH buffers applied. Realignment of Forest Road 3718155: During subsequent review of public comments and associated road use needs to accomplish the fuels reduction objectives, it was determined that a realignment of a 0.35 mile segment of FR 3718155 would be required. Approximately 0.35 miles of FR is inside the RHCA of a perennial non-fishbearing stream and has a native surface (soil). The road is adjacent to a spring and the roadbed is saturated for much of the year in that location. As part of the Tollgate proposed action, this segment of road would be moved to an upland site which occurs outside of the RHCA. The existing segment of road would be decommissioned and rehabilitated. These actions would occur prior to the implementation of fuels reduction activities within the area. FR 3718155 is listed as a closed road by the Walla Walla RD Access and Travel Management Plan. This realignment activity would not change its Access and Travel Management status. Following the completion of fuels reduction activities, FR 3718155 will be gated and will retain its current status as a closed road.

The Eleven Point Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Winona Missouri. 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 proposed forest management projects so that recommendations may be made to the Forest Service on which should be funded through Title II of the Act mentioned above.