Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 193 / Wednesday, October 6, 2004 / Notices 59881

products provide certain information 

through our permitting and notification 

process. This information includes, 

among other things, a complete 

description of the organism or product, 

the safeguards that will be used in 

preventing escape, the destination of 

field test locations, and field test results 

that describe any unusual or harmful 

occurrences. We use this information to 

evaluate the plant pest risk posed by the 

genetically engineered organisms and 

products. 

We are asking the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) to 

approve our use of these information 

collection activities for an additional 3 

years. 

The purpose of this notice is to solicit 

comments from the public (as well as 

affected agencies) concerning our 

information collection. These comments 

will help us: 

(1) Evaluate whether the collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the functions of the 

Agency, including whether the 

information will have practical utility; 

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of our 

estimate of the burden of the collection 

of information, including the validity of 

the methodology and assumptions used; 

(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; and 

(4) Minimize the burden of the 

collection of information on those who 

are to respond, through use, as 

appropriate, of automated, electronic, 

mechanical, and other collection 

technologies; e.g., permitting electronic 

submission of responses. 

Estimate of burden: The public 

reporting burden for this collection of 

information is estimated to average 

0.9133 hours per response. 

Respondents: U.S. importers and 

shippers of genetically engineered 

organisms and products and agricultural 

companies that produce or test 

genetically engineered organisms or 

products or that engage in product 

research and development. 

Estimated annual number of 

respondents: 375. 

Estimated annual number of 

responses per respondent: 7.8133. 

Estimated annual number of 

responses: 2,930. 

Estimated total annual burden on 

respondents: 2,676 hours. (Due to 

averaging, the total annual burden hours 

may not equal the product of the annual 

number of responses multiplied by the 

reporting burden per response.) 

All responses to this notice will be 

summarized and included in the request 

for OMB approval. All comments will 

also become a matter of public record.

Done in Washington, DC, this 30th day of 

September 2004. 

Elizabeth E. Gaston, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. E4–2523 Filed 10–5–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service 

Southwestern Region, Arizona, New 

Mexico, West Texas and Oklahoma: 

Proposed Forest Plan Amendment to 

the Land and Resource Management 

Plan for Natural Gas Resource 

Development and Leasing Decision on 

Jicarilla Ranger District, Carson 

National Forest, Rio Arriba County, 

NM; Additional Filings

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Revised notice of intent to 

prepare an environmental impact 

statement. 

SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service 

initially published a Notice of Intent in 

the Federal Register (67 FR 52706–

52709, August 13, 2002) for the 

Proposed Surface Management of 

Natural Gas Resource Development 

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 

project on the Jicarilla Ranger District, 

Carson National Forest. The Draft EIS 

(DEIS) for this project was released in 

October 2003. Based on public 

comments received on the DEIS, the 

Carson Forest Supervisor determined 

there was a need to clarify the Purpose 

and Need for Action and to modify the 

Proposed Action. This EIS prepared 

under this Notice of Intent will replace 

the DEIS that was previously prepared. 

The USDA Forest Service will prepare 

an EIS on a proposal to amend the 

Forest’s Land and Resource 

Management Plan (hereafter called 

Forest Plan) to incorporate standards 

and guidelines for surface management 

of natural gas resource development on 

the Jicarilla Ranger District. 

Additionally, the amendment would 

include the designation of five 

geographical areas as ‘‘Areas of 

Resource Concerns’’ that recognize the 

unique characteristics of each area and 

would provide area direction on how to 

manage these areas. The amendment 

would incorporate a decision on 

whether to offer for lease a specified 

2,502 acres for which an Expression of 

Interest has been received, and if 

offered, with what stipulations. Finally, 

the proposal would determine if future 

unleashed acres would be offered for 

leasing and if leased, identify the 

appropriate surface protection 

stipulations to be added to the lease.

DATES: Submit comments on or before 

November 5, 2004. 

The Draft EIS is expected to be filed 

with the Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA) and to be available for 

public review during the winter of 2005. 

At that time, EPA will publish a Notice 

of Availability of the Draft EIS in the 

Federal Register. The comment period 

on the Draft EIS will be 45 days from the 

date the EPA publishes the Notice of 

Availability in the Federal Register. The 

Final EIS is scheduled to be completed 

in early summer of 2005.

ADDRESSES: Address all comments 

concerning this notice to the Carson 

National Forest, ATTN: Jicarilla Gas 

Development EIS, 208 Cruz Alta Road, 

Taos, NM 87571. E-mail comments may 

be sent to comments-southwesterncarson@fs.fed.us.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

David Seesholtz, Forest Planner, Carson 

National Forest, at (505) 758–6210.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

information presented in this notice is 

included to help the reviewer determine 

if they are interested in or potentially 

affected by the proposed action. 

Background 

The Jicarilla Ranger District is located 

in the northwest portion of New Mexico 

within the San Juan Basin, about 50 

miles east of Farmington. The district 

encompasses over 159,000 acres 

(including over 6,000 acres of private 

land) and was incorporated as a part of 

the Carson National Forest in 1910. 

During the 1940s and 1950s, exploration 

for oil and gas began in the San Juan 

Basin, and subsequently a highly 

successful natural gas industry 

developed. Today, natural gas 

production is the prevalent use on the 

Jicarilla Ranger District. Currently 

ninety-eight percent of the Jicarilla 

Ranger District is leased for mineral 

development. 

Purpose and Need for Action 

The mission of the Forest Service, and 

specifically the Carson National Forest, 

in relation to minerals management is 

two-fold: (1) Support, facilitate, and 

administer the orderly exploration, 

development, and production of 

minerals and energy resources on 

National Forest System Lands to help 

meet the present and future needs of the 

Nation; while, (2) Simultaneously 

protecting the environment and 

conserving the natural resource legacy 

(National Energy Policy, 3–1). 

On the Jicarilla Ranger District this 

mission is accomplished in a variety of 

59882 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 193 / Wednesday, October 6, 2004 / Notices 

means depending upon the status of 

existing mineral rights and associated 

leases. The Reasonable Foreseeable 

Development Scenario for the San Juan 

Basin (Engler et al. 2001) projects the 

Forest could receive requests to drill 

almost 700 new wells on the Jicarilla 

Ranger District over the next 20 years. 

The most recent estimates provided by 

industry indicate a possibility of up to 

800 new wells. This would result in an 

increase in well density and the 

potential to nearly double the number of 

well pads.

The Forest has identified issues and 

concerns where additional guidance is 

needed to protect surface resources 

during the development and production 

of fluid minerals. 

There is a need to amend the forest 

plan to provide additional standard and 

guidelines for the protection of surface 

resources in regards to leasing and the 

orderly development of future oil and 

gas production. 

The Forest has identified five 

geographical areas within the Jicarilla 

Ranger District that exhibit unique 

environmental characteristics and 

would need area-specific standards and 

guidelines to protect the mixture of 

resource values associated with each 

area. 

There is a need to complete a leasing 

analysis that would identify stipulations 

and conditions that would be applied to 

all new leases, including those that are 

pending, currently unleased, and any 

existing leases that become available in 

the future for leasing. 

There is a need to make a lease 

decision on 2,502 acres for which the 

Carson National Forest has received and 

expression of interest. 

There is a need to complete a 

cumulative effects analysis that 

encompasses the existing and future 

development of oil & gas resources on 

the Jicarilla Ranger District. 

Desired Condition 

Since most of the Jicarilla Ranger 

District is currently leased, the desired 

condition for the Jicarilla Ranger District 

recognizes the leaseholders’ existing 

rights to drill for, extract, remove and 

market gas products. With consideration 

of lease holder rights, the desired 

condition for the Jicarilla Ranger District 

is to (1) provide the access needed to 

reach gas resources and meet energy 

needs of the Nation, while (2) 

productivity of the land for other uses 

is sustained, (3) biodiversity is 

supported, (4) cultural resources are 

protected and preserved, (5) long-term 

health of the ecosystem is maintained 

and, (6) minimizing negative impacts to 

the quality of experience for Forest 

users, due to oil and gas development. 

Specifically, the Forest wants to reduce 

the impact from the development of oil 

and gas operations, as much as possible, 

on surface resources. 

Proposed Action 

The Forest Service proposes to amend 

the Forest Plan to provide additional 

guidance for oil & gas development on 

the Jicarilla Ranger District. 

(A) On existing leases these 

guidelines would be applied, as 

applicable, through Conditions of 

Approval of the Surface Use Plan of 

Operations. 

(B) For new leases these guidelines 

would be applied through stipulations 

attached to the new lease and through 

Conditions of Approval. 

(C) The Proposed Action would 

encourage the use of unconventional 

drilling techniques, such as directional 

drilling, co-location, and twining, to 

reduce the impact to surface resources. 

(D) The Proposed Action would 

recognize Bancos Canyon, La Jara 

Canyon, Valencia Canyon, Vaqueros 

Canyon, and Fierro Canyon and Mesa as 

Areas of Resource Concern. In these 

areas the feasibility of unconventional 

drilling techniques would be required as 

part of the common plan of 

development. 

A detailed description of the 

Proposed action can be accessed via the 

Internet at www.fs.fed.us/r3/carson/. 

Scoping Process 

Scoping is a process that identifies the 

significant issues to be analyzed in 

depth in the environmental impact 

statement. Public meetings were held 

during the formulation of the original 

Draft EIS. The results from the previous 

public involvement have helped define 

the new proposed action and purpose & 

need. No additional formal meetings are 

scheduled at this time. The Forest is 

willing to host a public meeting or a 

field tour if interest is expressed. 

Preliminary Issues and Alternatives 

The Forest Service has developed the 

proposed action to meet the purpose 

and need for action with the best 

information available—it is not a 

decision. This proposal is intended to 

facilitate public involvement in 

identifying pertinent issues, developing 

meaningful alternatives, and analyzing 

relevant effects. 

Lead and Cooperating Agencies 

USDA Forest Service, Carson National 

Forest will serve as the lead agency for 

this analysis. USDI Bureau of Land 

Management, Farmington Field Office 

will be considered a cooperating agency 

on the analysis. 

Responsible Official 

The Forest Supervisor, Carson 

National Forest, is the Responsible 

Official. 

Nature of Decision To Be Made 

The Forest Supervisor, as Responsible 

Official, may decide to: (1) Select the 

proposed action, (2) select one of the 

alternatives, (3) select one of the 

alternatives after modifying the 

alternative with additional mitigating 

measures or combinations of activities 

from other alternatives, or (4) select the 

no action alternative and take no action 

at this time. 

Comment Requested 

The Forest Service would like to 

know of any issues, concerns, and 

suggestions you may have about this 

proposal. Comments should be as fully 

formed as possible to assist us in the 

analysis. If you have any questions, or 

if something is unclear, contact David 

Seesholtz at 505.758.6210 before 

submitting your comments.

Although comments are welcome at 

any time, they will be most effective if 

received by November 5, 2004. Send 

comments to: Carson National Forest, 

ATTN: Jicarilla Gas Development EIS, 

208 Cruz Alta Road, Taos, NM 87571. 

Alternately, e-mail your comments to 

comments-southwesterncarson@fs.fed.us.

Reviewer’s Obligation: Comments 

received in response to this solicitation, 

including names and address of those 

who comment, will be considered part 

of the public record on this proposed 

action and will be available for public 

inspection. Comments submitted 

anonymously will be accepted and 

considered; however, those who submit 

anonymous comments will not have 

standing to appeal the subsequent 

decision under 36 CFR parts 215 or 217. 

Additionally, pursuant to 7 CFR 1.27(d), 

any person may request the agency to 

withhold a submission from the public 

record by showing how the Freedom of 

Information Act (FOIA) permits such 

confidentiality. Persons requesting such 

confidentiality should be aware that, 

under FOIA, confidentiality may be 

granted in only very limited 

circumstances, such as to protect trade 

secrets. The Forest Service will inform 

the requester of the agency’s decision 

regarding the request for confidentiality, 

and where the request is denied, the 

agency will return the submission and 

notify the requester that the comments 

may be resubmitted with or without 

name and address within seven days. 

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 193 / Wednesday, October 6, 2004 / Notices 59883

The Forest Service believes, at this 

early stage, it is important to give 

reviewers notice of several court rulings 

related to public participation in the 

environmental review process. First, 

reviewers of draft environmental impact 

statements must structure their 

participation in the environmental 

review of the proposal so that it is 

meaningful and alerts the gancy to the 

reviewer’s position and contentions. 

Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. 

NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 533 (1978). Also, 

environmental objections that could be 

raised at the draft environmental impact 

stage but that are not raised until after 

completion of the final environmental 

impact statement may be waived or 

dismissed by the courts. City of Angoon

v. Hodel, 803 F.2d 1016, 1022 (9th Cir. 

1986) and Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. v. 

Harris, 490 F. Supp. 1334, 1338 (E.D. 

Wisc. 1980). Because of these court 

rulings, it is very important that those 

interested in this proposed action 

participate by the close of the comment 

period so that substantive comments 

and objections are made available to the 

Forest Service at the time when it can 

meaningfully consider them and 

respond to them in the final 

environmental impact statement. 

Authorization: National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 as 

amended (42 U.S.C. 4321–4346); 

Council on Environmental Quality 

Regulations (40 CFR parts 1500–1508); 

U.S. Department of Agriculture NEPA 

Policies and Procedures (7 CFR part 1b).

Dated: September 29, 2004. 

Martin D. Chavez, 

Forest Supervisor, Carson National Forest.

[FR Doc. 04–22442 Filed 10–5–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service 

Mendocino Resource Advisory 

Committee

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: The Mendocino County 

Resource Advisory Committee will meet 

October 15, 2004, (RAC) in Willits, 

California. Agenda items to be covered 

include: (1) Approval of minutes, (2) 

Public Comment, (3) Sub-committees, 

(4) Discussion/Approval of projects 

(Hammerhorn Lake area, Howard Lake 

area, Travelers Home and Hellhole 

trails), (5) Matters before the groupdiscussion/action, (6) Next agenda and 

meeting date.

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

October 15, 2004, from 9 a.m. to 12 

noon.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the Mendocino County Museum, 

located at 400 E. Commercial St., 

Willits, California.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Roberta Hurt, Committee Coordinator, 

USDA, Mendocino National Forest, 

Covelo Ranger District, 78150 Covelo 

Road, Covelo CA 95428. (707) 983–

8503; e-mail rhurt@fs.fed.us

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

meeting is open to the public. Persons 

who wish to bring matters to the 

attention of the Committee may file 

written statements with the Committee 

staff by October 11, 2004. Public 

comment will have the opportunity to 

address the committee at the meeting.

Dated: September 27, 2004. 

Blaine Baker, 

Designated Federal Official.

[FR Doc. 04–22449 Filed 10–5–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

[I.D. 100104E]

Submission for OMB Review; 

Comment Request

The Department of Commerce has 

submitted to the Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) for clearance the 

following proposal for collection of 

information under the provisions of the 

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 

Chapter 35).

Agency: National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Title: Gear-Marking Requirements for 

the Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction 

Plan.

Form Number(s): None.

OMB Approval Number: 0648–0357.

Type of Request: Regular submission.

Burden Hours: 21.

Number of Respondents: 25.

Average Hours Per Response: 1 

minute.

Needs and Uses: The Federal 

regulations at 50 CFR 229.34 limit the 

number of nets that can be used in 

certain fisheries in the mid-Atlantic that 

appear to be most closely linked with 

accidental catch of harbor porpoises. 

Fishermen in these fisheries must obtain 

and attach numbered tags for their nets. 

Because the number of tags per vessel is 

capped, the tagging program helps to 

limit the number of nets in use and 

helps NOAA identify the number in use.

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations; individuals or 

households.

Frequency: Third party disclosure.

Respondent’s Obligation: Mandatory.

OMB Desk Officer: David Rostker, 

(202) 395–3897.

Copies of the above information 

collection proposal can be obtained by 

calling or writing Diana Hynek, 

Departmental Paperwork Clearance 

Officer, (202) 482–0266, Department of 

Commerce, Room 6625, 14th and 

Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, 

DC 20230 (or via the Internet at 

dHynek@doc.gov).

Written comments and 

recommendations for the proposed 

information collection should be sent 

within 30 days of publication of this 

notice to David Rostker, OMB Desk 

Officer, FAX number (202) 395–7285, or 

DavidlRostker@omb.eop.gov.

Dated: September 29, 2004.

Gwellnar Banks,

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief 

Information Officer.

[FR Doc. 04–22513 Filed 10–5–04; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

[I.D. 100104D]

Submission for OMB Review; 

Comment Request

The Department of Commerce has 

submitted to the Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) for clearance the 

following proposal for collection of 

information under the provisions of the 

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 

Chapter 35).

Agency: National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Title: Sea Grant Program Application 

Requirements for Grants, for Sea Grant 

Fellowships, including the Dean John A. 

Knauss Marine Policy Fellowships, and 

for Designation as a Sea Grant College 

or Sea Grant Institute.

Form Number(s): NOAA Forms 90–1, 

90–2, and 90–4.

OMB Approval Number: 0648–0362.

Type of Request: Regular submission.

Burden Hours: 672.

Number of Respondents: 121.

Average Hours Per Response: 30 

minutes for Sea Grant Control form; 20 

minutes for Project Record form; 15 

minutes for Sea Grant Budget form; 20 

hours for Application for Designation as 

a Sea Grant College or Regional 

Consortia; 2 hours for Application for 

Sea Grant Fellowships, including Dean 

John A. Knauss Marine Policy 

Fellowship.

Needs and Uses: Applications are 

required for the designation of a public 

or private institution of higher