Department of Agriculture 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Alpine County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Markleeville, CA. 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 projects for year 3 and year 4 funding.

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, as amended, (Pub. L 110-343), the Boise, Payette, Salmon-Challis, and Sawtooth National Forests' Southwest Idaho Resource Advisory Committee will conduct a business meeting. The meeting is open to the public.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to initiate an information collection associated with a new category of plants for planting, also referred to as nursery stock, whose importation is not authorized for importation pending pest risk analysis.

The Siskiyou County Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Yreka, California. 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 for the committee to hear project status, presentation and review of new project proposals and to vote and make recommendations. The meeting is open to the public. Opportunity for public comment will be provided.

The Lincoln County Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Libby, MT. 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 2011 project proposals.

The El Dorado County Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Placerville, California. 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 RAC will prioritize a list of projects for funding in FY 2011 and FY 2012. The RAC may also be voting to recommend projects for funding.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, this notice announces the Food Safety and Inspection Service's (FSIS) intention to request a revision of a currently approved information collection. The information collection addresses the paperwork requirements specified in the regulations relating to the application for inspection, accreditation of laboratories, and exemptions. FSIS is revising the information collection to increase the estimate of the total burden hours, and because the OMB approval will expire on July 31, 2011.

This Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) proposes to amend the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (formerly the Food Stamp Program) regulations to implement Section 4116 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the Farm Bill). Section 4116 of the Farm Bill, Review of Major Changes in Program Design, requires the United States Department of Agriculture (the Department) to identify standards for major changes in operations of State agencies' administration of SNAP. The provision also requires State agencies to notify the Department if they implement a major change in operations and to collect data that can be used to identify and correct problems relating to integrity and access, particularly by certain vulnerable households. This NPRM proposes criteria for changes that would be considered ``major changes'' in program operations and identifies the types of data State agencies must collect in order to identify problems relating to integrity and access. It also proposes when and how State agencies must report on implementation of a major change. This NPRM proposes to amend the Management Evaluation (ME) Review regulations by modifying the requirements for Federal and State reviews of State agency operations. It also proposes to revise the definitions of large, medium and small project areas. Finally, it proposes to remove sections of the regulations pertaining to coupons and coupon storage since they are obsolete.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is amending the Federal meat and poultry products inspection regulations to establish a new voluntary cooperative program under which State-inspected establishments with 25 or fewer employees will be eligible to ship meat and poultry products in interstate commerce. In participating States, State-inspected establishments selected to take part in this program will be required to comply with all Federal standards under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) and the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA). These establishments will receive inspection services from State inspection personnel that have been trained in the enforcement of the FMIA and PPIA. Meat and poultry products produced under the program that have been inspected and passed by designated State personnel will bear an official Federal mark of inspection and will be permitted to be distributed in interstate commerce. FSIS will provide oversight and enforcement of the program.

It has been determined by the NRCS State Conservationist for Virginia that changes must be made in the NRCS State Technical Guide specifically in the following practice standards: 390, Riparian Herbaceous Cover, 394, Firebreak, 395, Stream Habitat Improvement and Management, 422, Hedgerow Planting, 643, Restoration and Management of Rare or Declining Habitats, and 647, Early Successional Habitat Development/ Management. These practices will be used to plan and install conservation practices.

The Juneau Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Juneau, AK. 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 is to hold the first meeting of the newly formed committee.

This recommended decision proposes the issuance of a marketing agreement (agreement) under the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937 to cover the handling of fresh leafy green vegetables in the United States. Leafy green vegetables include lettuce, spinach, cabbage, and similar items. The proposed agreement would authorize the development and implementation of production and handling regulations (audit metrics) to reflect United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Good Handling Practices (GHPs). The program would be voluntary, and cover both United States and imported leafy green vegetables. Signatory handlers would agree to only handle leafy green vegetables that meet the requirements of the program. The program would be financed primarily by assessments collected from signatory first handlers. A Board, whose members would be appointed by the Secretary, would administer the proposed agreement with USDA oversight. This rule also announces USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval by the Office of Management and Budget for new information collection requirements to implement this program.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the intention of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to request a reinstatement, with changes, to a previously approved information collection, the Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) Survey. Revision to burden hours will be needed due to changes in the size of the target, sampling design, and/ or questionnaire length.

As part of a Federal Government-wide effort to streamline the process to seek feedback from the public on service delivery, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) has submitted a Generic Information Collection Request (Generic ICR): ``Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery'' to OMB for approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced on March 4, 2011 a forthcoming meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) (76 FR 12013). The March 4, 2011 notice provided for five-minute public comment slots. Due to the overwhelming number of people who have signed up to present comments, AMS is informing the public that each public comment slot will be three minutes.

We are amending the regulations governing the interstate movement of regulated articles from areas quarantined for citrus canker, citrus greening, and/or Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) to allow the movement of regulated nursery stock under a certificate to any area within the United States. In order to be eligible to move regulated nursery stock, a nursery must enter into a compliance agreement with APHIS that specifies the conditions under which the nursery stock must be grown, maintained, and shipped. We are also amending the regulations that allow the movement of regulated nursery stock from an area quarantined for ACP, but not for citrus greening, to amend the existing regulatory requirements for the issuance of limited permits for the interstate movement of the nursery stock. We are making these changes on an immediate basis in order to provide nursery stock producers in areas quarantined for citrus canker, citrus greening, or ACP with the ability to ship regulated nursery stock to markets within the United States that would otherwise be unavailable to them due to the prohibitions and restrictions contained in the regulations while continuing to provide adequate safeguards to prevent the spread of the three pests into currently unaffected areas of the United States.

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 USDA, Forest Service, will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) on a proposed action comprising a number of infrastructural improvements at Mt. Bachelor ski resort, 22 miles southwest of Bend, Oregon. The resort lies entirely on National Forest System land and has operated under a ski area special use permit (SUP) issued by the Deschutes National Forest (DNF) since 1958. The permit area is 8,122 acres. The projects include on-mountain improvements such as development of a new chairlift and associated trails, shortening and/or replacement of three existing lifts, expanding snowmaking coverage, construction of a lift-served, downhill mountain bike park, and adding to the Nordic trail system. Improvements to base area facilities are also proposed, including expansion of two existing lodges, construction of a new lodge, construction of a race training center, removal and/or relocation of inappropriately sited and outdated facilities, expansion of parking lots, and installation of associated infrastructure. The EIS will address the Proposed Action and the required No-Action Alternative, as well as any other alternatives identified through public scoping or internal, interdisciplinary review. The EIS process will include a number of opportunities for involvement and input from the public as well as interested organizations and agencies. Public Scoping. This notice initiates the EIS process and provides notice of the first opportunity for public involvement, the scoping period. Comments regarding the scope of the EIS (i.e., the actions, alternatives, and impacts it addresses) are invited. Comments should be as specific as possible. More information on the Proposed Action and instructions for submitting scoping comments are provided below. Comments received in response to this notice, including names and addresses of those who comment, will be considered part of the public record for this project and will be available for public inspection. This is also an opportunity to participate in the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 106 process.

The Lake Tahoe Basin Federal Advisory Committee will hold a meeting on May 12, 2011 at the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, 128 Market Street, Stateline, NV 89440. This Committee, established by the Secretary of Agriculture on December 15, 1998 (64 FR 2876), is chartered to provide advice to the Secretary on implementing the terms of the Federal Interagency Partnership on the Lake Tahoe Region and other matters raised by the Secretary.

The Kern and Tulare Counties Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Porterville and Bakersfield California. 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 purposes of the meetings are to hear presentations regarding proposed projects and vote on projects to recommend to the Forest Superisor for funding under Title II of the Act.

The Colville Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Colville 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 vote on fiscal year 2011 projects.

The Shasta Unit of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest is proposing a hazardous fuels treatment project to reduce the risk of life, property and resource values from a high severity wildland fire event and improve fire suppression abilities and firefighter safety by modifying predicted fire behavior along Interstate Highway 5 (I-5) corridor north of the Pit River Bridge; south of the community of Pollock; east of Backbone Ridge peninsula; and west of the McCloud River Arm of Shasta Lake (approximately 15 miles north of Redding, Califronia). The project is located in Shasta County, California. The project area covers approximately 33,700 acres, 15,600 acres are within the wildland urban interface (WUI), 11,900 acres of the WUI are on National Forest System lands. Approximately 20,025 acres of the project area is proposed for treatment. Treatment methods include prescribe fire (i.e., broadcast, underburn, pile burn), mastication, thin and brush cut, prune, chip and pile.