Department of Agriculture February 17, 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The USDA Forest Service published a notice of intent (NOI) to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) in the Federal Register on May 17, 2019 (84 FR 22432). The NOI served as the scoping document for the Forest Plan Amendment for Planning and Management of Domestic Sheep and Goat Grazing Within the Range of Bighorn Sheep for the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest (Forest). After the initial 2019 scoping effort, the Forest determined the need to update the NOI with new dates for the draft EIS and final EIS, new contact information, revised need for action, revised proposed action, preliminary alternatives, and nature of the decision to be made.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS or Agency), an agency in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Mission area, published a final rule with comment in the Federal Register on November 30, 2022, to revise several regulations to streamline 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 and reporting requirements. Through this action, RUS is confirming the final rule as it was published and providing a response to the public comment received.