Department of Agriculture June 9, 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NRCS is proposing to revise Section I of the Louisiana Field Office Technical Guide to include ``Guidance for Louisiana Food Security Act Wetland Determinations including Offsite Methods'' which will replace the existing ``Louisiana Conventions and Procedures for Performing Wetland Delineations'' (commonly referred as State Wetland Mapping Conventions).

The Rural Housing Service (RHS or Agency) published a final rule on April 29, 2015, in the Federal Register that amended its regulations for the section 502 direct single family housing loan program to create a certified loan application packaging process. The section 502 direct single family housing loan program is authorized in Title V of the Housing Act of 1949. Under the certified loan application packaging process, a certified loan application packager and its qualified employer will submit applications to the Agency via an intermediary (unless the applicable Rural Development State Director approves the certified packager to opt not to go through an intermediary). The intermediary will perform quality assurance reviews on the packaged loan applications as well as provide supplemental training, technical assistance, and support to certified packagers and qualified employers to promote quality standards and accountability. Through this notice, the Agency will accept applications to be an intermediary under the certified loan application packaging process outlined in 7 CFR 3550.75 and other applicable regulations. Approval will be subject to fully meeting the conditions outlined within this notice and regulations, a recommendation by a review panel consisting of Agency staff at the state and national levels, and approval by the RHS Administrator. Intermediaries operating under the loan application packaging pilot program, which expires on September 30, 2015, are not guaranteed an intermediary role beyond their participation in the pilot program and must apply under this application process should they wish to serve as an intermediary under the regulation.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is amending the Water Bank Program (WBP) regulations to clarify that lands owned by Indian Tribes are eligible for enrollment. As a non-controversial change to an existing regulation, NRCS is issuing this amendment as a final rule.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing to amend the 2013 proposed rule on procedures for conducting a referendum to determine whether issuance of a proposed Hardwood Lumber and Hardwood Plywood Promotion, Research and Information Order (Order) is favored by manufacturers of hardwood lumber and hardwood plywood. The procedures would also be used for any subsequent referendum under the Order. USDA is reopening the comment period with respect to specific issues identified in this proposed rule. USDA is taking this action in response to the extensive comments received in response to a separate 2013 proposed rule on specific provisions of the proposed Order. A supplemental notice proposing to amend the 2013 proposed Order is being published separately in this issue of the Federal Register. The changes proposed herein are conforming changes to ensure definitions are the same in the proposed Order and proposed referendum procedures.