Department of Agriculture January 23, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In a final rule published in the Federal Register on September 18, 2013, and effective on November 18, 2013, we amended the regulations concerning the definition of retail pet store and related regulations in order to ensure that the definition in the regulations is consistent with the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), thereby bringing more pet animals sold at retail under the protection of the AWA. As part of that action, we raised from three to four the maximum number of female breeding dogs, cats, or certain other animals that a person can maintain and be exempted from licensing, as long as they sell only the offspring of those animals born and raised on their premises for pets or exhibition and are not otherwise required to obtain a license. In the final rule, we overlooked raising the number of breeding females in one provision in the regulations concerning animal purchases by dealers and exhibitors. This document corrects the oversight.

The Tongass National Forest is working to complete an amendment to the Tongass Land and Resource Management Plan (forest plan) by August 2016. The scope of the plan amendment is narrowly focused to accomplish a transition to young growth management as provided in the Secretary's Memorandum (1044-009), and to make renewable energy development more permissive on the Tongass. Changes to the forest plan are being developed under the new National Forest System land management planning rule (36 CFR part 219) (2012 planning rule), and embody the provisions of the National Forest Management Act. The Tongass is the first national forest to amend a plan completed under the 1982 planning rule using the 2012 planning rule. Based on public scoping comments received on the Notice of Intent (NOI) that was published in the Federal Register (FR) on May 27, 2014 (79 FR 30074), as well as comments received on the five-year review of the forest plan, four issues were identified that focus on: (1) Young- growth transition; (2) renewable energy; (3) roadless areas; and (4) wildlife habitat and the old growth conservation strategy. Three public open houses have been planned in Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan, Alaska to share information with the public about the progress being made on the Proposed Forest Plan Amendment and Draft EIS, and to provide opportunity for the public to comment on the Draft Plan Monitoring Program.