Department of Agriculture May 23, 2013 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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) 2013. The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013, Public Law 113-6 (March 26, 2013) appropriated $150 million in FY 2013. The commitment of program dollars will be made first to approved and complete applications from prior years notices, then to applicants of selected responses in the order they are ranked under this notice that have fulfilled the necessary requirements for obligation. Successful applications will be selected by the Agency for funding and subsequently awarded to the extent that funding may ultimately be made available to the Agency through appropriations. 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 notice, eligible lenders may submit a complete application concurrently with the response. Submitting a complete application will not have any effect on the respondent's response score.

The White Pine-Nye Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Eureka, Nevada. The Committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (the Act) (Pub. L. 110-343) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) (Pub. L. 92-463). 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 meetings are open to the public. The purpose of the meetings is to review approved projects and determine the extent of funding.

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on the proposed information collection for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program's Regulations, Part 275Quality Control. Specifically, the burden associated with the collection of information for the sampling plan, arbitration process and the good cause process. This is a revision of a currently approved collection, OMB No. 0584- 0303.

This proposed rule invites comments on an increase to the minimum grade requirements currently prescribed under the Florida avocado marketing order (order). The order regulates the handling of avocados grown in South Florida, and is administered locally by the Avocado Administrative Committee (Committee). This action would increase the current minimum grade requirement from a U.S. No. 2 to a U.S. Combination grade for avocados shipped to destinations outside the production area. Increasing the minimum grade requirement would align marketing order regulations with current industry practices to the benefit of growers, handlers, and consumers.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing to implement regulations under the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 paleontological resources preservation subtitle (the Act). This proposed rule would provide for the preservation, management, and protection of paleontological resources on Federal lands, and insure that these resources are available for current and future generations to enjoy as part of America's national heritage. The rule would address the management, collection, and curation of paleontological resources from Federal lands including management using scientific principles and expertise, collecting of resources with and without a permit, curation in an approved repository, maintaining confidentiality of specific locality data, and authorizing penalties for illegal collecting, sale, damaging, or otherwise altering or defacing paleontological resources.