Department of Agriculture July 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Chippewa National Forest is seeking public comments on a proposal that would change recreation fees to enhance campgrounds. Fee changes are being proposed at the Norway Beach Recreation Area, including an $8 amenity fee for those campsites with electricity. Fees are assessed based on the level of amenities and services provided, cost of operations and maintenance, and market assessment. These fees are proposed and will be determined upon further analysis and public comment. Funds from fees would be used for the continued operation and maintenance and improvements to the facilities within the recreation areas. An analysis of nearby recreation facilities with similar amenities shows that the proposed fees are reasonable and typical of similar sites in the area.

The USDA Forest Service has prepared the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Greater Sage-Grouse Proposed Land Management Plan Amendments (LMPA) and Five Draft Records of Decision (ROD) for National Forests in Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, and Wyoming/Colorado. The Final EIS identifies and addresses potential impacts upon the environment of 19 National Forest System (NFS) planning units on 5.4 million acres of potential greater sage-grouse habitats. This notice is to inform the public that a 60-day period is being initiated where individuals or entities with specific concerns on the Greater Sage-Grouse Forest Plan Amendments may file an objection for a Forest Service review prior to the approval of the RODs.

The Kisatchie National Forest is proposing to begin charging fees. Funds from the new fees will help the Kisatchie National Forest maintain the sites and boat launches at the level and quality visitors have come to expect. People are invited to comment on these proposed fee changes.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the extension with no revision of a currently approved information collection, OMB 0596-0105, Land Exchanges.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS or Agency) published a final rule in the Federal Register on July 9, 2019, entitled ``Streamlining Electric Program Procedures,'' to make revisions to several regulations to streamline its procedures for Electric Program borrowers, including its loan application requirements, approval of work plans and load forecasts, use of approved contracts and system design procedures. The Agency found an error in this publication, after the published rule became effective. This document will correct the final regulation.

Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, this constitutes notice of the upcoming meeting of the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Grain Inspection Advisory Committee (Advisory Committee). The Advisory Committee meets no less than once annually to advise the AMS on the programs and services delivered under the U.S. Grain Standards Act. Recommendations by the Advisory Committee help AMS better meet the needs of its customers who operate in a dynamic and changing marketplace. The realignment of offices within the U.S. Department of Agriculture authorized by the Secretary's Memorandum dated November 14, 2017, eliminates the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) as a standalone agency. The grain inspection activities formerly part of GIPSA are now organized under AMS.

MFP provides payments to producers with commodities that have been impacted by trade actions of foreign governments resulting in the loss of exports. This NOFA announces the availability of MFP funds for eligible producers of specified agricultural commodities for 2019 that include certain non-specialty crops, specialty crops, dairy, and livestock as specified in this NOFA. On behalf of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), the Farm Service Agency (FSA) will administer MFP. MFP dairy and livestock payments will be calculated on the eligible production amount multiplied by the participant's share in the commodity multiplied by the MFP payment rate. MFP participants of non- specialty and specialty crops will receive an MFP payment based upon the participant's ownership interest in the 2019 crop that was planted and reported to FSA for the 2019 crop year, including cover crops that are planted for harvest following a prevented planted non-specialty crop. The payment rate used by CCC to issue payments for non-specialty crops will be on a county-by-county basis and reflects the amount of damage incurred in a county by producers of the non-specialty crops from the imposition of tariffs by other countries on U.S. agricultural products. The payment rate for specialty crops will be on a state-by- state basis if sufficient data is available, otherwise payments will be on a national basis. This NOFA also announces the availability of 2018 MFP payments for a limited number of producers who are now eligible for assistance as the result of a provision of the Additional Supplemental Appropriations For Disaster Relief Act, 2019 (2019 Disaster Relief Act).

The Saguache Upper Rio Grande Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in Del Norte, 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 website: https:// cloudapps-usda-gov.secure.force.com/FSSRS/ RAC_Page?id=001t00000086exUAAQ.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has received a petition from Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. (Pioneer) seeking a determination of nonregulated status of a maize event designated as DP202216, which has been genetically engineered for enhanced grain yield potential and glufosinate-ammonium resistance. The petition has been submitted in accordance with our regulations concerning the introduction of certain genetically engineered organisms and products. We are making the Pioneer petition available for review and comment to help us identify potential environmental and interrelated economic issues and impacts that APHIS may determine should be considered in our evaluation of the petition.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the extension with revision of a currently approved information collection, Role of Communities in Stewardship Contracting Projects.

Section 5(a) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended, provides that households in which each member receives benefits under a State program funded under part A of Title IV of the Social Security Act (SSA) (also known as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grants \1\) shall be categorically eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Currently, SNAP regulations broadly interpret ``benefits'' to mean cash assistance and non-cash or in-kind benefits or services from any TANF-funded program.\2\ In operation, this has allowed categorical eligibility for SNAP to be conferred on households based on receipt of minimal benefits issued by TANF-funded programs which may not conduct a robust eligibility determination and do not meaningfully move families toward self-sufficiency. The Food and Nutrition Act has clear parameters regarding the income and resource limits that SNAP households must meet, and categorical eligibility is intended to apply only when the conferring program has properly determined eligibility. Extending categorical eligibility to participants who have not been screened for eligibility compromises program integrity and reduces public confidence that benefits are being provided to eligible households.

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 Rural Housing Service (RHS or Agency) published a proposed rule on June 20, 2018 to amend the current regulation for the Single- Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program (SFHGLP) Single Close Combination Construction to Permanent Loans (aka ``single close loans''), and now adopts the proposed changes in this final rule with some modifications. As proposed, the Agency will amend the regulation to ease the financial costs of interim construction financing for non- depository lenders (warehouse line of credit lenders or warehouse lenders) by allowing a temporary interest rate higher than the permanent note rate for interim construction financing, remove the requirement for loan modification or re-amortization once construction is complete, and allow for the reserve of regularly scheduled principal, interest, taxes and insurance (PITI) payments during the construction period. The final rule clarifies that the PITI reserve is an eligible use of single close loan funds. In addition, based on comments received, the Agency will allow single close loans for the rehabilitation of existing dwellings upon their purchase and eliminate maximum interest rate cap requirements for all SFHGLP loans. For clarity and completeness, the final rule also provides a definition of a warehouse lender and updates lender mortgage record retention requirements.

NRCS announces its intent to adopt the FEIS, titled ``Feral Swine Damage Management: A National Approach EIS'', prepared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), under the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) adoption provisions of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ).

We are notifying the public that we propose to update the U.S. Department of Agriculture Plants for Planting Manual by recognizing 22 European Union Member States as being free from citrus longhorned beetle (CLB) and Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) and removing them from the list of countries where CLB and ALB are present. We would also change the entry conditions in the manual for imports of certain host plant taxa of CLB and ALB from four of these countries (Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom) because they have previously approved genera exempted from the category of plants Not Authorized Pending Pest Risk Analysis. These changes would relieve certain restrictions on host plants of CLB and ALB from Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom while continuing to mitigate the risk of introducing quarantine pests into the United States.

This rule implements a recommendation from the California Olive Committee (Committee) to increase the assessment rate for California olives handled under Marketing Order No. 932. The assessment rate will remain in effect indefinitely unless modified, suspended, or terminated.

This document directs that a referendum be conducted among eligible almond growers to determine whether they favor continuance of the marketing order regulating the handling of almonds grown in California.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) intention to request approval for a Field Test for a new information collection for a Second National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (FoodAPS-2) also called the National Food Study among American households.

On July 9, 2019, the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), a Rural Development agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), published a final rule that revised several regulations to streamline its procedures for Electric Program borrowers. RUS has determined it is necessary to accelerate the effective date of the final rule.

This proposed rule would implement a recommendation from the Almond Board of California (Board) to revise the almond accepted user program requirements currently prescribed under the Marketing Order for Almonds Grown in California (Order). In addition, this action would prohibit the transfer of inedible material between accepted users. This proposal also announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of a new information collection and to make a conforming change to an existing form.

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 an extension, without change, of a currently approved collection. This collection allows for Food Distribution Programs, such as the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), and The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), to run effectively. The information reported and the records kept for purposes of review are used by State and recipient agencies, Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs), and FNS regional and headquarters offices for the purpose of administering USDA Food Distribution Programs. The programs assist American farmers and needy people by purchasing commodities and delivering them to State agencies and ITOs that, in turn, distribute them to organizations for use in providing food assistance to those in need. The information collected allows State agencies and ITOs to administer programs that align with their local preferences and gives FNS National and Regional offices the ability to ensure programs are complying with program regulations and policies.