Department of Agriculture – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Forest Service (Forest Service or Agency), United States Department of Agriculture, published a proposed rule in the Federal Register on March 9, 2023, initiating a 60-day comment period on the proposed rule to amend its special use regulations to update the processing and monitoring fee schedules based on current Agency costs; to provide for recovery of costs associated with processing special use proposals, as well as applications; and to remove the exemption for commercial recreation special use applications and authorizations that involve 50 hours or less to process or monitor. In addition, the Forest Service is proposing to amend its special use regulations to increase the strict liability limit consistent with the strict liability limit established by the United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, and to expressly provide for requiring holders of a special use authorization to obtain insurance, as needed. The comment period for the original document closed May 8, 2023. The Agency is reopening the comment period for an additional 30 days from the date of publication of this document.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, section 1408 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977, and the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announces a meeting of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics (NAREEE) Advisory Board.

The Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail Advisory Council will hold a public meeting according to the details shown below. The committee is authorized under the National Trails System Act (the Act) and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). The purpose of the committee is to advise and make recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture, through the Chief of the Forest Service, on matters relating to the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail as described in the Act.

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) establishes procedures for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to adopt periodic revisions to the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and to ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1: Energy Standard for Buildings, Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings (ASHRAE 90.1), subject to a determination by HUD and USDA that the revised codes do not negatively affect the availability or affordability of new construction of single and multifamily housing covered by EISA, and a determination by the Secretary of Energy that the revised codes ``would improve energy efficiency.'' This Notice announces the preliminary determination of HUD and USDA, as required under section 481(d)(1) of EISA, that the 2021 IECC and ASHRAE 90.1-2019 will not negatively affect the affordability and availability of housing covered by EISA. In making this preliminary determination, the first step to ultimately requiring compliance with these standards in HUD and USDA housing covered by EISA, this Notice relies on several studies that show that these codes are cost effective in that the incremental cost of the additional efficiency measures pays for themselves with energy cost savings on a life-cycle basis.

Notice is hereby given that the Rural Housing Service (RHS), as required by the National Environmental Policy Act, is issuing a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) with respect to the preliminary affordability determination of minimum energy standards.

The grants and agreements awarded under this announcement will support the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, Rural Revitalization Technologies, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law), Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, and the nationwide challenge of disposing of hazardous fuels and other wood residues from the National Forest System lands and other forest lands in a manner that supports wood products and wood energy markets. The intent of the Wood Innovations funding opportunity is to stimulate, expand, and support U.S. wood products markets and wood energy markets to support the long-term management of National Forest System and other forest lands.

We are advising the public that we have prepared a pest risk analysis that evaluates the risks associated with importation of fresh pumpkin, squash, and the interspecific hybrid tetsukabuto from Brazil 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 pumpkin, squash, and tetsukabuto from Brazil. We are making the pest risk analysis available to the public for review and comment.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS or the Agency), a Rural Development (RD) Agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is soliciting Letters of Interest (LOI) for loan Applications, announcing the Application process for those loans, and providing deadlines for Applications from eligible entities under the Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) Program. These loan funds will be made to qualified PACE Applicants to finance power generation Projects for Renewable Energy Resource (RER) systems or Energy Storage Systems (ESS) that support RER Projects. The PACE Program has $1,000,000,000 available in appropriated funds under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA).

The Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP) is seeking nominations for individuals to serve on the Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Advisory Committee (UAIPAC). The UAIPAC advises the Secretary of Agriculture on the development of policies and outreach relating to urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural production practices. The 12 members appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture are expected to serve a 3-year term. This specific nomination period includes four vacancies, including: the urban producer representative; the higher education or extension program represenative; the business and economic development representative; and a representative with related experience in urban, indoor, and other emerging agriculture production practices.

The Black Hills National Forest Advisory Board will hold a public meeting according to the details shown below. The committee is authorized under the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974, the National Forest Management Act of 1976, the Federal Public Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, and operates in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). The purpose of the committee is to provide advice and recommendations on a broad range of forest issues such as forest plan revisions or amendments, forest health including fire, insect and disease, travel management, forest monitoring and evaluation, recreation fees, and site-specific projects having forest-wide implications.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) intention to request approval, from the Office of Management and Budget, for an extension and revision of the currently approved information collection for Tobacco Report (OMB No. 0581-0004).

Rural Development's Rural Utilities Service (hereinafter ``the Agency''), of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), published in the Federal Register on February 1, 2023, a final rule with request for comments for 7 CFR 1777 Section 306C Water and Waste Disposal (WWD) Loans and Grants Programs. Through this action, RUS is confirming the final rule as it was published and providing a response to the public comment received.

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 for assisting State agencies and school nutrition professionals in recording, tracking, and managing the required training hours for state and local school district nutrition professionals, in four major areas (Nutrition, Operations, Administration, and Communications and Marketing), to meet the requirements of the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act (HHFKA) of 2010 Professional Standards Rule. The HHFKA (section 306) requires Professional Standards for state and local school district nutrition professionals. In addition to hiring standards, mandatory annual training is required for all individuals involved in preparing school meals.

The Greater Rocky Mountain Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will hold a public meeting according to the details shown below. 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 (FACA). 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 as well as to make recommendations on recreation fee proposals for sites on the Arapaho Roosevelt, Bighorn, Grand Mesa-Uncompahgre-Gunnison, Medicine Bow-Routt, Pike-San Isabel, Rio Grande, San Juan, Shoshone, and White River National Forests within Archuleta, Dolores, Saguache, Conejos, Hinsdale, La Plata, Mineral, Bighorn, Chaffee, Delta, Garfield, Gunnison, Huerfano, Jackson, Larimer, Mesa, Montrose, Park, Routt, Albany, Fremont, Rio Grande, Montezuma, and Carbon Counties consistent with the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act.

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. The purpose of this new collection is to collect qualitative and quantitative stakeholder feedback through meetings, focus groups, interviews, other stakeholder interactions and surveys, as well as requests for administrative data, as part of the planning process for FNS regulatory actions, the semi- annual Regulatory Agenda, research studies, outreach, training and the development of guidance.

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 is a new collection focusing on Operational Challenges in Child Nutrition Programs and will utilize survey instruments for school years (SY) 2023-2024, SY 2024-2025, and SY 2025-2026. The studies encompassed under this information collection will collect data from institutions administering and operating Child Nutrition Programs such as State agencies, School Food Authorities (SFAs) and Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) Sponsors, including information on emerging and ongoing operational challenges facing Child Nutrition Program operators.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is amending its administrative regulations by removing the procedural regulations for the review and issuance of agency guidance documents. Those regulations were issued in accordance with Executive Order (E.O.) 13891, which was revoked January 20, 2021, by E.O. 13992. This final rule implements the direction in section 3 of E.O. 13992 to rescind any regulations that were issued to implement or enforce E.O. 13891.

The Rural Housing Service (RHS), a Rural Development agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is correcting a notice of funding availability (NOFA) that was published in the Federal Register on April 21, 2023, entitled, ``Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Grant Program for Fiscal Year 2023.'' The Notice announced the acceptance of applications under the Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training (TAT) Grant Program for fiscal year (FY) 2023. The document contained an incorrect date. The purpose of this notice is to correct the application deadline dates published in the Federal Register on April 21, 2023.

This final rule sets forth a process by which applicants for official grain inspection services (applicants) may request a service exception, allowing an official agency (OA) to cross boundary lines and perform services outside of its assigned geographic area. While four exception types are authorized in the United States Grain Standards Act (USGSA or Act), this final rule focuses on two: the inability to provide services in a timely manner and the nonuse of service from the OA assigned to the applicant's geographic area (assigned OA). This final rule establishes a three-tiered system under which applicants can request a one-time, 90-day, or long-term timely service exception due to untimely service issues. This rule provides that nonuse of service exception requests must be preceded by ninety days without service from the assigned OA. This final rule further amends the regulations to provide criteria the Federal Grain Inspection Service (``FGIS'' or ``the Service'') will use to review, validate, and determine whether to grant service exception requests. This final rule also establishes a process that allows an assigned OA to challenge requests for service exceptions. Finally, this rule provides for FGIS review to ensure the validity of requests.

The Risk Management Agency (RMA), on behalf of the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), announces the availability of funding under the Additional Payment (ADD PAY) Program. The ADD PAY Program is a one-time additional payment to Approved Insurance Providers (AIP) administering eligible crop insurance contracts for 2021 reinsurance year specialty crops. The total funding available for the ADD PAY Program is $25 million. Funding for the ADD PAY Program will be distributed to AIPs proportionally based on their respective liabilities for eligible crop insurance contracts for 2021 reinsurance year specialty crops.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act requirement, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is requesting comments from all interested individuals and organizations on an extension and a revision of a currently approved information collection associated with the form of the Power of Attorney. This information collection is used to support the FSA, Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) and Risk Management Agency (RMA) in conducting business and accepting signatures on certain documents from individuals acting on behalf of other individuals or entities.

This notice of funding opportunity (notice) announces that the Rural Business-Cooperative Service (Agency) is accepting fiscal year (FY) 2023 applications for the Delta Health Care Services (DHCS) grant program. The purpose of this program is to provide financial assistance to address the continued unmet health needs in the Delta Region through cooperation among health care professionals, institutions of higher education, research institutions, and economic development entities in the Delta Region. There is $3 million currently available for FY 2023. All funds must support projects located in persistent poverty counties in the Delta Region and as described in the Overview section of this notice. All applicants are responsible for any expenses incurred in developing their applications.