68302 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 226 / Wednesday, November 24, 2004 / Notices 

room. The reading room is located in 

room 1141 of the USDA South Building, 

14th Street and Independence Avenue, 

SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading 

room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 

Monday through Friday, except 

holidays. To be sure someone is there to 

help you, please call (202) 690–2817 

before coming. 

Other Information: You may view 

APHIS documents published in the 

Federal Register and related 

information, including the names of 

groups and individuals who have 

commented on APHIS dockets, on the 

Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/

ppd/rad/webrepor.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Michael Blanchette, Biotechnology 

Regulatory Services, APHIS, 4700 River 

Road Unit 147, Riverdale, MD 20737–

1236; (301) 734–5141. To obtain copies 

of the amended petition or the 

environmental assessment, contact Ms. 

Terry Hampton at (301) 734–5715; email: Terry.A.Hampton@aphis.usda.gov.

The amended petition and 

environmental assessment are also 

available on the Internet at http://

www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/

04_08601p.pdf and http://

www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/

04_08601p_ea.pdf.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On 

October 4, 2004, we published a notice 

in the Federal Register (69 FR 59181–

59182, Docket No. 04–076–1) in which 

we advised the public that the Animal 

and Plant Health Inspection Service 

(APHIS) has received a petition from 

Monsanto Company of St. Louis, MO 

(Monsanto) seeking a determination of 

nonregulated status for cotton 

designated as MON 88913, which has 

been genetically engineered for 

tolerance to the herbicide glyphosate. 

The petition has been submitted in 

accordance with our regulations 

concerning the introduction of certain 

genetically engineered organisms and 

products. In accordance with those 

regulations, our notice solicits public 

comments on whether this cotton 

presents a plant pest risk. In the notice, 

we also made available for public 

comment an environmental assessment 

(EA) for the proposed determination of 

nonregulated status. As stated in that 

notice, we will consider all comments 

we receive on or before December 3, 

2004. 

On November 8, 2004, APHIS 

received a letter from Monsanto 

amending the petition made available 

for public comment in our October 4, 

2004, notice. The information in the 

addendum clarifies information in the 

petition with respect to the molecular 

genetic characterization of the inserted 

DNA and corrects portions of that 

section. APHIS promptly reviewed these 

changes and determined that they had 

no impact on the EA we prepared to 

examine any environmental impacts of 

the proposed determination for the 

subject cotton. The addendum has been 

added to the petition file and is 

available to facilitate the review of the 

petition. 

We continue to solicit written 

comments from interested persons on 

the petition and the EA. In addition to 

the amended petition, the EA and any 

comments received are available for 

public review. Copies of the amended 

petition and the EA are available as 

indicated in the FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT section of this 

notice. 

After the comment period closes, 

APHIS will review the data submitted 

by the petitioner, all written comments 

received during the comment period, 

and any other relevant information. 

After reviewing and evaluating the 

comments on the petition and the EA 

and other data and information, APHIS 

will furnish a response to the petitioner, 

either approving the petition in whole 

or in part, or denying the petition. 

APHIS will then publish a notice in the 

Federal Register announcing the 

regulatory status of Monsanto’s 

glyphosate-tolerant MON 88913 cotton 

and the availability of APHIS’ written 

decision.

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1622n and 7701–7772; 31 

U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.

Done in Washington, DC, this 18th day of 

November 2004. 

Kevin Shea, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. E4–3316 Filed 11–23–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. 04–117–1] 

General Conference Committee of the 

National Poultry Improvement Plan; 

Meeting

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: We are giving notice of a 

meeting of the General Conference 

Committee of the National Poultry 

Improvement Plan.

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

January 26, 2005, from 1:30 to 5 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the Georgia World Congress Center, 

Room C108, 285 Andrew Young 

International Boulevard NW., Atlanta, 

GA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Andrew R. Rhorer, Senior Coordinator, 

National Poultry Improvement Plan, VS, 

APHIS, 1498 Klondike Road, Suite 101, 

Conyers, GA 30094, (770) 922–3496.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

General Conference Committee (the 

Committee) of the National Poultry 

Improvement Plan (NPIP), representing 

cooperating State agencies and poultry 

industry members, serves an essential 

function by acting as liaison between 

the poultry industry and the Department 

in matters pertaining to poultry health. 

In addition, the committee assists the 

Department in planning, organizing, and 

conducting the NPIP Biennial 

Conference. 

Topics for discussion at the upcoming 

meeting include: 

1. H5/H7 low pathogenic avian 

influenza program for commercial 

layers, broilers, and turkeys; 

2. Compartmentalization of notifiable 

avian influenza free zones; 

3. National animal identification 

program for poultry; and 

4. Cleaning, disinfection, and bird 

disposal costs for commercial poultry 

flocks. 

The meeting will be open to the 

public. However, due to time 

constraints, the public will not be 

allowed to participate in the discussions 

during the meeting. Written statements 

on meeting topics may be filed with the 

Committee before or after the meeting 

by sending them to the person listed 

under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT. Written statements may also 

be filed at the meeting. Please refer to 

Docket No. 04–117–1 when submitting 

your statements. 

This notice of meeting is given 

pursuant to section 10 of the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act.

Done in Washington, DC, this 17th day of 

November 2004. 

Elizabeth E. Gaston, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. E4–3314 Filed 11–23–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Foreign Agricultural Service 

Trade Adjustment Assistance for 

Farmers

AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service, 

USDA.

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 226 / Wednesday, November 24, 2004 / Notices 68303

ACTION: Notice.

The Administrator, Foreign 

Agricultural Service (FAS), today 

terminated the certification of a petition 

for trade adjustment assistance (TAA) 

that was filed by the Catfish Farmers of 

America and certified on November 25, 

2003. Catfish producers in Alabama, 

Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, 

Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, 

Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, North 

Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South 

Carolina, Texas, and Utah will not be 

eligible for TAA benefits in fiscal year 

2005.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Upon 

investigation, the Administrator 

determined that domestic producer 

prices did not decline at least 20 percent 

during the 2003 marketing year 

(January–December), when compared to 

average prices during the 5-year base 

period ending December 2001. In 

addition, during the 2003 marketing 

year, imports did not increase, but 

declined by 16.2 percent. Both 

conditions, a decline in prices of at least 

20 percent and an increase in imports, 

are required for re-certifying a petition 

for TAA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Jean-Louis Pajot, Coordinator, Trade 

Adjustment Assistance for Farmers, 

FAS, USDA, (202) 720–2916, e-mail: 

trade.adjustment@fas.usda.gov.

Dated: November 10, 2004. 

A. Ellen Terpstra, 

Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.

[FR Doc. 04–26085 Filed 11–23–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–10–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Foreign Agricultural Service 

Trade Adjustment Assistance for 

Farmers

AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service, 

USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

The Administrator, Foreign 

Agricultural Service (FAS), re-certified 

the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) 

petition that was filed by the Georgia 

Shrimp Association on behalf of Georgia 

shrimpers and initially certified on 

November 19, 2003. Shrimpers who 

land their catch in Georgia will be 

eligible to apply for fiscal year 2005 

benefits during a 90-day period 

beginning on November 29, 2004. The 

application period closes on February 

28, 2005.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Upon 

investigation, the Administrator 

determined that continued increases in 

imports of like or directly competitive 

products contributed importantly to a 

decline in the average landed price of 

shrimp in Georgia by 37.7 percent 

during the 2003 marketing period 

(January-December), compared to the 

1997–2001 base period. Eligible 

producers may request technical 

assistance from the Extension Service at 

no cost and receive an adjustment 

assistance payment, if certain program 

criteria are satisfied. Producers in fiscal 

year 2005 who did not receive technical 

assistance under the fiscal year 2004 

TAA program must obtain the technical 

assistance from the Extension Service by 

May 31, 2005, in order to be eligible for 

financial payments. 

Producers of raw agricultural 

commodities wishing to learn more 

about TAA and how they may apply 

should contact the Department of 

Agriculture at the addresses provided 

below for General Information. 

Producers Certified as Eligible for 

TAA, Contact: Farm Service Agency 

service centers. 

For General Information About TAA, 

Contact: Jean-Louis Pajot, Coordinator, 

Trade Adjustment Assistance for 

Farmers, FAS, USDA, (202) 720–2916, 

e-mail: trade.adjustment@fas.usda.gov.

Dated: November 10, 2004. 

A. Ellen Terpstra, 

Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.

[FR Doc. 04–26086 Filed 11–23–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–10–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service 

Extension of Comment Period; 

Application for Transportation and 

Utility Systems and Facilities for the 

Village at Wolf Creek Draft 

Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Forest Service, Rio Grande 

National Forest.

ACTION: Extension of comment period.

SUMMARY: The United States Department 

of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service 

(USFS), Rio Grande National Forest 

(RGNF) announces the extension of the 

comment period for the Application for 

Transportation and Utility Systems and 

Facilities for the Village at Wolf Creek 

Draft Environmental Impact Statement 

(EIS). The comment period ends 

December 6, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Contact Mr. Robert Dalrymple, Forest 

Planner, USDA–USFS, Rio Grande 

National Forest, (719) 852–5941.

Dated: November 16, 2004. 

Peter L. Clark, 

Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 04–26052 Filed 11–23–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service 

Black Hills National Forest, Bearlodge 

Ranger District, Wyoming, Dean 

Project Area Proposal and Analysis

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an 

environmental impact statement. 

SUMMARY: The Forest Service will 

prepare an environmental impact 

statement on a proposal to implement 

multiple resource management actions 

within the Dean Area as directed by the 

Black Hills National Forest Land and 

Resource Management Plan. The Dean 

Project Area covers about 12,468 acres 

of National Forest System land and 

about 2,256 acres of interspersed private 

land within the Redwater Creek 

watershed directly north of Sundance, 

Wyoming. Proposed actions would 

modify the structure of forest stands 

across the planning area to reduce fuel 

loads, potential for uncharacteristically 

intense wildfire behavior, and risk of 

insect outbreaks; provide for diverse 

wildlife habitat and restore hardwoods; 

and provide a mix of motorized and 

non-motorized use opportunities.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope 

of the analysis must be received by 

December 22, 2004. The draft 

environmental impact statement is 

expected to be available for public 

review by March 2005 and the final 

environmental impact statement is 

expected to be completed by June 2005.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to 

Steve Kozel, District Ranger, Black Hills 

National Forest, Bearlodge Ranger 

District, 121 S. 21st Street, Sundance, 

Wyoming 82729. Telephone Number: 

(307) 283–1361. E-mail: commentsrocky-mountain-black-hillsbearlodge@fs.fed.us with ‘‘Dean Project’’

as subject.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Janis Bouma, Project Coordinator, Black 

Hills National Forest, Bearlodge Ranger 

District, at above address, phone (307) 

283–1361.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

actions are proposed in direct response 

to management direction provided by 

the Black Hills National Forest Land 

and Resource Management Plan (Forest 

Plan). The site-specific actions are based 

on Forest Plan Standards and