Department of Agriculture 2015 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Francis Marion-Sumter Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Columbia, South Carolina. The committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (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. Additional RAC information, including the meeting agenda and the meeting summary/minutes can be found at the following Web site: https:// www.fs.usda.gov/main/scnfs/workingtogether/advisorycommittees .

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection. This collection is a revision of a currently approved collection. The purpose of the Uniform Grant Application Package for Discretionary Grant Programs is to provide a standardized format for the development of all Requests for Applications for discretionary grant programs released by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Agency and to allow for a more expeditious OMB clearance process.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing to reinstate the North Fork Coal Mining Area exception of the Colorado Roadless Rule. The Colorado Roadless Rule is a State-specific rule that provides direction for conserving and managing approximately 4.2 million acres of Colorado Roadless Areas (CRAs) on National Forest System (NFS) lands within the state of Colorado. The North Fork Coal Mining Area exception allowed for temporary road construction for coal exploration and/or coal-related surface activities in an area defined as the North Fork Coal Mining Area, which was inadvertently reported as 19,100 acres in 2012, and was actually 19,500 acres. The Forest Service, on behalf of the Department, has prepared a supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) addressing specific environmental disclosure deficiencies identified by the District Court of Colorado. In addition, the Department is proposing to correct certain CRA boundaries associated with the North Fork Coal Mining Area based on updated information. The Forest Service invites written comments on both the proposed rule and supplemental draft environmental impact statement.

We are adopting as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that amended the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) regulations by removing the boroughs of Manhattan and Staten Island in New York City, as well as the counties of Suffolk and Norfolk in the State of Massachusetts, from the list of quarantined areas for ALB. The interim rule was necessary to relieve restrictions on the movement of regulated articles from areas no longer under ALB quarantine. As a result of the interim rule, movement of such articles from areas no longer under quarantine can proceed while preventing the artificial spread of ALB from infested areas to noninfested areas of the United States.

The Deschutes National Forest is proposing to charge $120 fee for the overnight rental of Crescent Lake Guard Station. This cabin has not been available for recreation use prior to this date. Rentals of other guard stations and lookouts on the Deschutes National Forest have shown that people appreciate and enjoy the availability of historic rental cabins. Funds from the rental will be used for the continued operation and maintenance of Crescent Lake Guard Station. This fee is only proposed and will be determined upon further analysis and public comment. Crescent Lake Guard Station was built in the early 1930's as a one bedroom one bath cabin on the eastern shore of Crescent Lake in Klamath County, Oregon. It has been refurbished utilizing grant dollars and boasts a full kitchen, running water and gas heat. The guard station will comfortably sleep 1-4 people and has beautiful views of the Cascades.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this information collection. This is a revision of a currently approved collection which FNS employs to determine public participation in the National School Lunch Program.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing the availability of an updated version of the Agency's compliance guidelines for controlling hazards posed by allergens and other ingredients of public health concern. The guidelines provide recommendations for identifying hazards when conducting a hazard analysis and for preventing and controlling hazards through a hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) plan or Sanitation standard operating procedures (SOPs) or other prerequisite programs with respect to these substances.

This rule implements a recommendation from the Texas Valley Citrus Committee (Committee) for a decrease in the assessment rate established for the 2015-16 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.11 to $0.08 per 7/10-bushel carton or equivalent of oranges and grapefruit handled under the marketing order (order). The Committee locally administers the order, and is comprised of producers and handlers of oranges and grapefruit operating within the area of production. Assessments upon orange and grapefruit handlers are used by the Committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The fiscal period begins August 1 and ends July 31. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

This notice lists the newspapers that will be used by all U.S. Forest Service Ranger Districts, Forests, and the Regional Office of the Southern Region to publish legal notices required under 36 CFR 214, 218, and 219. The intended effect of this action is to inform interested members of the public which newspapers the Forest Service will use to publish notices of proposed actions, notices of decision, and notices of opportunity to file an appeal/objection. This will provide the public with constructive notice of Forest Service proposals and decisions, provide information on the procedures to comment, appeal, or object and establish the date that the Forest Service will use to determine if comments, appeals, or objections were timely.

The El Dorado County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Placerville, California. The committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (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. RAC information can be found at the following Web site: www.fs.usda.gov/ eldorado.

This notice announces the appointment of the members of the Senior Executive Service (SES) and Senior Level (SL) and Scientific or Professional (ST) Performance Review Boards (PRB) for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), as required by 5 U.S.C. 4314(c)(4). The Performance Review Board assures consistency, stability, and objectivity in the performance appraisal process. USDA has a total of six PRBs: the Secretary's PRB; Departmental Management and Staff Offices PRB; Natural Resources and Environment PRB; Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services, Rural Development, and Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services PRB; Marketing and Regulatory Programs, Food Safety PRB; and Research, Education, and Economics PRB. The PRBs are comprised of career and noncareer executives and Chairpersons to make recommendations on the performance of executives to the Secretary, including performance ratings and bonuses for SES, SL, and ST employees. The boards meet annually to review and evaluate performance appraisal documents and provide written recommendations to the Secretary for final approval of performance ratings and base salary increases.

The Medicine Bow-Routt Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Walden, Colorado. The committee is authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (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. RAC information can be found at the following Web site: https:// www.fs.usda.gov/goto/mbr/advisorycommittees.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 3) and the office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR part 1320, this notice announces the Agricultural Research Service's (ARS) intent to seek reinstatement of the ARS Animal Health National Program Assessment Survey, renamed as the Agricultural Research Service National Program Assessment Survey and expanded so that it can be used by other ARS National Programs. This voluntary information collection will give the beneficiaries of ARS research the opportunity to provide input on the impact of the research conducted by ARS in the last National Program cycle for each of the respective National Programs. This input will be used for planning the research agenda for the next 5-year program cycle.

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

This rule implements a recommendation from the Cherry Industry Administrative Board (Board) to revise the exemption provisions under the marketing order for tart cherries grown in the States of Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin (order). The Board locally administers the order and is comprised of growers and handlers operating within the production area. This rule changes the number of years that new market development and market expansion projects are eligible for handler diversion credit from one year to three years. This rule also revises the composition of the subcommittee which reviews exemption requests. These changes are intended to encourage handlers to participate in new market and market expansion activities to facilitate sales and help ensure impartiality during the review process.

Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) has submitted a proposal to the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests (NF) to pursue approval of select projects from its 2013 Master Development Plan (MDP). The GMUG has accepted this proposal and is initiating the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze and disclose the potential environmental effects of implementing the projects. The Proposed Action includes: A Special Use Permit (SUP) boundary adjustment to include skiable terrain in the Teo Drainage area, the addition of lift-served terrain in the Teo Park and Teo Drainage area, installation of additional snowmaking infrastructure, realignment of the existing North Face lift, and supplemental mountain biking trails.

The Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior are revising the regulations governing the rural determination process for the Federal Subsistence Management Program in Alaska. The Secretaries have removed specific guidelines, including requirements regarding population data, the aggregation of communities, and a decennial review. This change will allow the Federal Subsistence Board (Board) to define which communities or areas of Alaska are nonrural (all other communities and areas would, therefore, be rural). This new process will enable the Board to be more flexible in making decisions and to take into account regional differences found throughout the State. The new process will also allow for greater input from the Subsistence Regional Advisory Councils (Councils), Federally recognized Tribes of Alaska, Alaska Native Corporations, and the public.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request a revision to and extension of approval of an information collection associated with the regulations for the importation of papaya from Colombia and Ecuador into the continental United States.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request a revision to and extension of approval of an information collection associated with the regulations for the issuance of phytosanitary certificates for plants or plant products being exported to foreign countries.

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing the establishment of an FSIS and Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Export Verification (EV) Program. The program is designed to verify establishments' control of closed-faced sandwiches destined for Canada. Among other things, Canada is requiring that closed-faced sandwiches be produced under a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan. Under the program, the sandwiches will be produced in establishments that are under FSIS' voluntary reimbursable inspection service and that are operating under conditions that are as consistent as practical with those under which other post-lethality exposed meat and poultry products are produced under 9 CFR part 430. Closed-faced sandwiches are under jurisdiction of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but FDA does not require that the sandwiches be produced under a HACCP plan. It also does not verify that the requirements of 9 CFR part 430 are met. Consequently, FSIS and AMS are establishing this voluntary program. Once the program is implemented, only establishments participating in this program will be able to export closed-faced sandwiches to Canada.

The Tongass Advisory Committee (Committee) will meet in Ketchikan, Alaska. The Committee is established consistent with the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA) (5 U.S.C. App. 2). Committee recommendations and advice may directly inform the development of a proposed action for modification of the 2008 Tongass Land Management Plan. Additional information concerning the Committee can be found by visiting the Committee's Web site at: https:// www.fs.usda.gov/goto/R10/Tongass/TAC.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35, as amended), the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Utilities Service (RUS) invites comments on this information collection for which the Agency intends to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

This action terminates a rulemaking proceeding that proposed to establish a Hardwood Lumber and Hardwood Plywood Promotion, Research and Information Order (Order) under authority in the Commodity Promotion, Research and Information Act of 1996 (1996 Act). The Order was proposed by the proponent group, the Blue Ribbon Committee (BRC), and would have authorized a national research and promotion program for hardwood lumber and hardwood plywood. USDA issued a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking in response to the extensive comments received. Based on comments received, outstanding substantive questions and significant proposed modifications from stakeholders, USDA is terminating the proceeding. Termination of this proceeding will remove ex parte communication prohibitions and allow USDA to engage fully with all interested parties to discuss and consider the evolving needs of the industry going forward.