Department of Agriculture March 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

With the Lower McCloud Fuels Management Project (project), the Shasta-Trinity National Forest (Forest) is proposing to create fuel management zones (FMZs), burn using prescribed fire, and remove designated hazard trees. The project area covers 12,071 acres on National Forest System lands. A combination of treatments would be used across the project area, resulting in some acres being treated with multiple prescriptions to achieve stated objectives.

The Glenn and Colusa County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Willows, CA. 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/pts/specialprojects/racweb.

The Humboldt County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Eureka, 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 Title II of the Act. RAC information can be found at the following Web site: https:// www.fs.usda.gov/main/srnf/workingtogether/advisorycommittee.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (``Department'') announces adjusted income eligibility guidelines to be used by State agencies in determining the income eligibility of persons applying to participate in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC). These income eligibility guidelines are to be used in conjunction with the WIC Regulations.

This notice lists the newspapers that will be used by all Ranger Districts, Forests, Grasslands, and the Regional Office of the Northern Region to publish legal notices for public comment and decisions subject to predecisional administrative review under 36 CFR parts 218 and 219. The intended effect of this action is to inform interested members of the public which newspapers will be used to publish legal notices for public comment or decisions; thereby allowing them to receive constructive notice of a decision, to provide clear evidence of timely notice, and to achieve consistency in administering the objection processes.

The Tonto National Forest (TNF) is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate and disclose the potential environmental effects from: (1) Approval of the ``General Plan of Operations'' (GPO) submitted by Resolution Copper Mining, LLC (Resolution Copper), for operations on National Forest System (NFS) land associated with a proposed large-scale mine; (2) the exchange of land between Resolution Copper and the United States; and (3) amendments to the Tonto National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (forest plan) (1985, as amended).

This notice is to invite applications for grants to provide technical assistance for rural transportation (RT) systems under the Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) program for fiscal year (FY) 2016. Funding shall be made available to qualified national organizations to provide technical assistance for RT systems and for RT systems to Federally Recognized Native American Tribes' (FRNAT) (collectively ``Programs'') from funds appropriated for the RBDG program. The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) will administer these awards for FY 2016 under the RBDG program and the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act. This notice is subject to the terms and funds for the Programs made available in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (Pub. L. 114-113) (FY 2016 appropriation). All applicants are responsible for any expenses incurred in developing their applications.

This notice is to invite applications for loans and grants under the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (REDLG) programs for fiscal year (FY) 2016. Funding to support up to $37 million in loans and $11 million in grants is currently available. The commitment of program dollars will be made to applicants of selected responses that have fulfilled the necessary requirements for obligation. All applicants are responsible for any expenses incurred in developing their applications.

The Hiawatha East Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Kincheloe, Michigan. 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://cloudapps- usda-gov.force.com/FSSRS/RAC_Page?id=001t0000002JcwPAAS.

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

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 new collection for reviewing and evaluating the practices of schools participating in both the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs as a part of their application for recognition through HealthierUS School Challenge: Smarter Lunchrooms. The goal is to highlight and recognize those schools that are achieving success above and beyond Federal meal pattern requirements in the areas of actively implementing smarter lunchroom techniques, Smart Snacks, nutrition education, physical education, local school wellness policies, and other criteria for excellence.

This proposed rule would amend the Beef Promotion and Research Order (Order) established under the Beef Promotion and Research Act of 1985 (Act) to increase assessment levels for imported veal and veal products based on revised determinations of live animal equivalencies and to update and expand the Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) numbers and categories, which identify imported veal and veal products to conform with recent updates in the numbers and categories used by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (Customs).

This proposed rule would update the Patents, Copyrights, Trademarks, and Information Language (IP) of the Egg Research and Promotion Rules and Regulations (Regulations). The proposed amendment would model current commodity research and promotion program orders created under the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996.

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the Avocado Administrative Committee (Committee) to increase the assessment rate established for the 2016-17 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.30 to $0.35 per 55-pound bushel container of Florida avocados handled under the marketing order (order). The Committee locally administers the order and is comprised of growers and handlers of avocados operating within the area of production. Assessments upon Florida avocado handlers are used by the Committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The fiscal period begins April 1 and ends March 31. The assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

We are advising the public that we have prepared a pest risk analysis that evaluates the risks associated with importation of fresh pomegranate fruit from Peru into the continental United States. Based on the analysis, we have determined that the application of one or more designated phytosanitary measures will be sufficient to mitigate the risks of introducing or disseminating plant pests or noxious weeds via the importation of fresh pomegranates from Peru. We are making the pest risk analysis available to the public for review and comment.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS), an agency within Rural Development, announces that it is soliciting competitive applications under its Section 538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program (GRRHP) pursuant to 7 CFR 3565.4 for Fiscal Year (FY) 2016. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, Public Law 114-113 (December 18, 2015) appropriated $150 million for FY 2016. 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 Rural Utilities Service (RUS, Agency), an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, issued a Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) for the development of a more efficient and effective environmental review process for the RUS Telecommunications Program on March 1, 2016. The Notice of Availability of a Programmatic Environmental Assessment was published on March 2, 2016, in the Federal Register at 81 FR 10575. The PEA provides a broad environmental analysis of the Agency's preliminary decisions and includes a tiered, site-specific analysis at the project level that would be completed before Agency dispersal of funds and/or applicant construction. Since publication of the Agency's Environmental Policies and Procedures (7 CFR part 1970) in the Federal Register (81 FR 11000) on March 2, 2016, RUS has updated the PEA with citations to the Agency's new environmental rule. These changes are administrative and not substantive, therefore supplementation of the PEA is not required.

We are extending the comment period for our proposed rule that would amend the Animal Welfare Act regulations concerning the humane handling, care, treatment, and transportation of marine mammals in captivity. This action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment concerning authorization to ship for the purpose of field testing, and then to field test, an unlicensed Canine Osteosarcoma Vaccine, Live Listeria Vector. The environmental assessment, which is based on a risk analysis prepared to assess the risks associated with the field testing of this vaccine, examines the potential effects that field testing this veterinary vaccine could have on the quality of the human environment. Based on the risk analysis and other relevant data, we have reached a preliminary determination that field testing this veterinary vaccine will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment, and that an environmental impact statement need not be prepared. We intend to authorize shipment of this vaccine for field testing following the close of the comment period for this notice unless new substantial issues bearing on the effects of this action are brought to our attention. We also intend to issue a U.S. Veterinary Biological Product license for this vaccine, provided the field test data support the conclusions of the environmental assessment and the issuance of a finding of no significant impact and the product meets all other requirements for licensing.

The South Gifford Pinchot Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Stevenson, Washington. 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/main/giffordpinchot/workingtogether/advisoryc ommittees.

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 fresh bananas from the Philippines into the continental United States.

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the California Desert Grape Administrative Committee (Committee) to increase the assessment rate established for the 2016 and subsequent fiscal periods from $0.0250 to $0.0300 per 18-pound lug of grapes handled under the marketing order (order). The Committee locally administers the order, and is comprised of producers and handlers of grapes grown in a designated area of southeastern California. Assessments upon grape handlers are used by the Committee to fund reasonable and necessary expenses of the program. The fiscal period began on January 1 and ends December 31. The assessment rate would remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Organic Program (NOP) is announcing the availability of NOP 3011, National List Petition Guidelines. These guidelines apply to petitions that request an amendment to the NOP's National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List). The National List identifies the synthetic substances that may be used and the nonsynthetic substances that may not be used in organic production. The National List also identifies the non-organic substances that may be used in organic handling. The National List Petition Guidelines are based upon the May 2, 2014, recommendations of the National Organic Standards Board and modify the information to be included in a petition. This notice also clarifies the information to be submitted for all types of petitions that request amendments to the National List. This notice and NOP 3011 replace the previous petition guidelines that were published in the Federal Register on January 18, 2007 (72 FR 2167).

The Federal Subsistence Board is adopting, without change, a direct final rule that revised the list of areas in Alaska determined to be nonrural for purposes of the Federal Subsistence Program to the list that existed prior to 2007. Accordingly, the community of Saxman and the area of Prudhoe Bay were removed from the nonrural list. The following areas continue to be nonrural, but their boundaries returned to their previous borders: The Kenai Area; the Wasilla/Palmer area; the Homer area; and the Ketchikan area. Because we received no substantive adverse comments on the direct final rule, it is now effective.

The Hwy 46 Project is proposed to improve stand growth, diversity and structure; move stand structure from an overabundance of mid seral stands to increase both early and late seral stand structure within the watershed; reduce hazardous fuels; restore sugar pine and encourage sugar pine regeneration; treat powerline visuals; restore riparian and meadow habitats; and restore hydrologic processes in the Short Lake area. This project would also provide a sustainable yield of timber for commercial products to local and regional economies. Treatments would occur on about 4054 acres. Commercial harvest activities on approximately 3576 acres include commercial thinning, sugar pine restoration, and early seral creation through gaps and variable retention regeneration harvest. Fuels reduction activities, understory habitat enhancement treatments and meadow restoration are proposed on approximately 480 acres. Road work would be part of the actions associated with the proposed activities and would include road maintenance/reconstruction on 119 miles, approximately 9.3 miles of temporary roads, and the rerouting of FS Rd 46-059.