This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains documents other than rules or

proposed rules that are applicable to the

public. Notices of hearings and investigations,

committee meetings, agency decisions and

rulings, delegations of authority, filing of

petitions and applications and agency

statements of organization and functions are

examples of documents appearing in this

section.

Notices Federal Register

77175

Vol. 69, No. 247

Monday, December 27, 2004

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Farm Service Agency 

Notice of Request for Extension of a 

Currently Approved Information 

Collection

AGENCY: Farm Service Agency.

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 

notice announces the intent of the Farm 

Service Agency (FSA) to request an 

extension of a currently approved 

information collection used in support 

of the Standards for Approval of 

Volunteer Programs.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on 

or before February 25, 2005 to be 

assured consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

C. Mondina Jolley, USDA, Farm Service 

Agency, Human Resources Specialist, 

Domestic Operations Branch, Human 

Resources Division, 1400 Independence 

Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250–0596, 

FAX 202–418–9120.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Volunteer Programs. 

OMB Control Number: 0560–0232. 

Expiration Date for Approval: October 

30, 2004. 

Type of Request: Extension of a 

currently approved information 

collection. 

Abstract: The Volunteer Program PM 

Notice authorizes the FSA to enter into 

volunteer agreements with students, 

individuals, groups or organizations 

who sponsor individual’s services 

without compensation, and who 

performs those services in furtherance 

of the programs of the Agency. The 

information collected allows FSA to 

effectively recruit, train, and accept, 

volunteers to carry out programs of, or 

supported by, the Department. 

The forms covered by this collection 

are the Student; Individual; and 

Sponsored Volunteer Program Service 

Agreements; and supporting documents 

that allow the Agency to document its 

use of individuals who are not Federal 

employees to provide voluntary service, 

except for the purpose of Chapter 81 of 

Title 5, U.S.C. (relating to Worker 

Compensation Program) and Sections 

2671 through 2680 of Title 28 U.S.C. 

relating to tort claims. The forms are 

furnished to selected volunteers to 

secure and record information regarding 

the agreement and permit the volunteer 

to submit time and attendance 

information. Documentation is required 

by the Office of Personnel Management 

letter dated April 18, 1996, i.e., to 

inform volunteers of the nature of their 

appointment with respect to service 

credit for leave or other employees 

benefits and record time and 

attendance. 

Estimate of Burden: The recording 

keeping requirements in this clearance 

are normal business records and, 

therefore, have no burden. Public 

reporting burden for this information 

collection is estimated to average 15 

minutes per response. 

Total Number of Respondents: 20. 

Total Travel Time Per Respondent: 1 

hour. 

Total Annual Burden Hours: 16. 

Comments are invited on: (a) 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; (b) the accuracy of the 

Agency’s estimate of burden including 

the validity of the methodology and 

assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance 

the quality, utility, and clarity of the 

information to be collected; (d) ways to 

minimize the burden of the collection of 

information on those who are to 

respond, including those who respond 

through the use of appropriate 

automated, electronic, or mechanical, 

collection techniques, or other forms of 

information technology. These 

comments should be sent to the Desk 

Officer for Agriculture, Office of 

Information and Regulatory Affairs, 

Office of Management and Budget, 

Washington, DC 20503 and to Ms. C. 

Mondina Jolley, Student Employment 

Program Manager, USDA, FSA, Human 

Resources Division, Domestic 

Operations Branch, 1400 Independence 

Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250–0596. 

Copies of the information collection 

may be obtained from Ms. Jolley at the 

above address. 

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.

Signed in Washington, DC, on December 

16, 2004. 

James R. Little, 

Administrator, Farm Service Agency.

[FR Doc. 04–28160 Filed 12–23–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–05–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service 

Freds Fire Restoration, Eldorado 

National Forest, El Dorado County, CA

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an 

environmental impact statement. 

SUMMARY: In October 2004, the Freds 

Fire burned approximately 7,700 acres 

on the Eldorado National Forest and on 

private timberlands. The project area for 

this analysis is the approximately 4,600 

acre portion of the Freds Fire on 

National Forest System lands. The 

USDA, Forest Service, Eldorado 

National Forest will prepare an 

environmental impact statement (EIS) 

for a proposal to treat approximately 

3,200 acres of fire killed and damaged 

trees in the Freds Fire burned area. The 

land allocations within the fire area, as 

identified in the Sierra Nevada Forest 

Plan Supplemental EIS, are threat zone, 

defense zone, general forest, protected 

activity centers for spotted owls, spotted 

owl home range core areas, and riparian 

conservation areas adjacent to 

perennial, seasonal and ephemeral 

streams. 

The purpose of the project is to: (1) 

Reduce long term fuel loading to reduce 

future fire severity and resistance to 

control; (2) improve roads and establish 

effective ground cover in severely 

burned areas to reduce erosion and 

sedimentation to streams in the short 

term, and to contribute to long term soil 

productivity; (3) recover the economic 

value of timber killed or severely 

injured by the fire, in an expeditious 

manner, for the purpose of generating 

funds to offset the cost of future 

restoration activities; and (4), reduce 

safety hazards to the public and forest 

workers.

77176 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 247 / Monday, December 27, 2004 / Notices 

DATES: Comments concerning the scope 

of the analysis must be received by 

January 12, 2005. The draft 

environmental impact statement is 

expected in March 2005 and the final 

environmental impact statement is 

expected in June 2005.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to 

John D. Berry, Forest Supervisor, 

Eldorado National Forest, 100 Forni 

Road, Placerville, CA 95667, Attention: 

Freds Fire Restoration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Laura Hierholzer, Project Leader, 

Placerville Ranger District, 4260 Eight 

Mile Road, Camino, CA 95709, or by 

telephone at 530–647–5382.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose and Need for Action 

The fire burned with varying 

intensity. Many areas of the fire burned 

at high and moderate intensity, killing 

75%–100% of the trees and completely 

consuming the duff and litter that 

protected the soil. In these areas, the fire 

resulted in high rates of soil erosion, 

sedimentation to streams, destruction of 

wildlife habitat for sensitive species, 

and loss of old forest characteristics. 

The fire killed tens of thousands of 

trees, that if left untreated will 

contribute to extremely high fuel 

loading over time. As these dead trees 

fall and fuel accumulates, future fires 

will be even more severe. Treating the 

dead and dying tree component of the 

landscape is the first step in reducing 

long term fuel loading and restoring the 

historic fire regime, thereby reducing 

the impacts of fires on the future forest 

and contributing to the restoration of 

old forest habitats. Without treatment to 

begin to restore the fire area, significant 

additional impacts to soil, water quality, 

cultural resources, and wildlife habitat 

are likely over the short and long term. 

This Environmental Impact Statement 

(EIS) addresses treating the dead and 

dying tree component of the landscape 

and improving rocks to reduce sediment 

delivery to streams. The process of 

removing dead trees would reduce soil 

erosion by immediately increasing 

effective ground cover (limbs, twigs, and 

small boles) and maintain soil 

productivity for tree growth.

Proposed Action 

The proposed action would remove 

dead trees using ground based, skyline, 

and helicopter logging methods. Trees 

posing a safety hazard to the public and 

forest workers would be removed along 

roads, trails, residential and recreation 

areas. Roads would be reconstructed 

and improved to facilitate tree removal 

and to improve watershed condition. 

Approximately 1 mile of newly 

constructed road would be built. Slash 

and small dead trees would be treated 

to provide ground cover and reduce 

short term fuel loading. Protection 

would be applied to sensitive plants and 

wildlife species, and cultural resources. 

The proposed action is consistent 

with the 1989 Eldorado National Forest 

Land and Resource Management Plan as 

amended by the Sierra Nevada Forest 

Plan Amendment Record of Decision 

(2004). 

Nature of Decision To Be Made 

The decision to be made is whether to 

adopt and implement the proposed 

action, an alternative to the proposed 

action, or take no action to remove fire 

killed and damaged trees in the project 

area, to undertake road improvements, 

or to implement fuel treatments. 

Other alternatives will be developed 

based on significant issues identified 

during the scoping process for the 

environmental impact statement. All 

alternatives will need to respond to the 

specific condition of providing benefits 

equal to or better than the current 

condition. Alternatives being 

considered at this time include: (1) The 

Proposed Action and (2) No Action. 

Scoping Process 

Public participation will be especially 

important at several points during the 

analysis. The Forest Service will be 

seeking information, comments, and 

assistance from the Federal, State, and 

local agencies and other individuals or 

organizations who may be interested in 

or affected by the proposed action. To 

facilitate public participation, 

information about the proposed action 

will be mailed to all who express 

interest in the proposed action and 

notification of the public scoping period 

will be published in the Mountain 

Democrat, Placerville, CA. 

Comments submitted during the 

scoping process should be in writing 

and should be specific to the proposed 

action. The comments should describe 

as clearly and completely as possible 

any issues the commenter has with the 

proposal. The scoping process includes: 

(a) Identifying potential issues; 

(b) Identifying issues to be analyzed 

in depth; 

(c) Eliminating nonsignificant issues 

or those previously covered by a 

relevant previous environmental 

analysis; 

(d) Exploring additional alternatives; 

(e) Identifying potential 

environmental effects of the proposed 

action and alternatives.

A public meeting will be held on 

Thursday, January 13, 2005, from 7 p.m. 

to 9 p.m. at the Pollock Pines 

Community Center, Sanders Drive, 

Pollock Pines, California. 

Comment Requested 

This notice of intent initiates the 

scoping process which guides the 

development of the environmental 

impact statement. 

Early Notice of Importance of Public 

Participation in Subsequent 

Environmental Review 

A draft environmental impact 

statement will be prepared for comment. 

The comment period on the draft 

environmental impact statement will be 

45 days from the date the 

Environmental Protection Agency 

publishes the notice of availability in 

the Federal Register. 

The Forest Service believes, at this 

early state, 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 an agency to the 

reviewer’s position and contentions. 

Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. 

NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also, 

environmental objections that could be 

raised at the draft environmental impact 

statement 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. Wis. 1980). Because of 

these court rulings, it is very important 

that those interested in this proposed 

action participate by the close of the 45 

day comment period so that substantive 

comments and objections are made 

available to the Forest Service at a time 

when it can meaningfully consider them 

and respond to them in the final 

environmental impact statement. 

To assist the Forest Service in 

identifying and considering issues and 

concerns on the proposed action, 

comments on the draft environmental 

impact statement should be as specific 

as possible. It is also helpful if 

comments refer to specific pages or 

chapters of the draft statement. 

Comments may also address the 

adequacy of the draft environmental 

impact statement or the merits of the 

alternatives formulated and discussed in 

the statement. Reviewers may wish to 

refer to the Council on Environmental 

Quality Regulations for implementing 

the procedural provisions of the 

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 247 / Monday, December 27, 2004 / Notices 77177

1The violations charged occurred between 2001 

and 2002. The Regulations governing the violations 

at issue are found in the 2001 and 2002 versions 

of the Code of Federal Regulations (15 CFR parts 

730–774 (2001–2002)). The 2004 Regulations 

establish the procedures that apply to this matter.

National Environmental Policy Act at 40 

CFR 1503.3 in addressing these points. 

Comments received, including the 

names and addresses of those who 

comment, will be considered part of the 

public record on this proposal and will 

be available for public inspection.

(Authority: 40 CFR 1501.7 and 1508.22; 

Forest Service Handbook 1909.15, Section 

21.)

The final EIS is scheduled to be 

completed in June, 2005. In the final 

EIS, the Forest Service is required to 

respond to substantive comments 

received during the comment period 

that pertain to the environmental 

consequences discussed in the draft EIS 

and applicable laws, regulations, and 

policies considered in making the 

decision regarding this proposal. 

John D. Berry, Forest Supervisor, 

Eldorado National Forest is the 

responsible official. As the responsible 

official he will document the decision 

and reasons for the decision in the 

Record of Decision. That decision will 

be subject to Forest Service appeal 

regulations (36 CFR part 215).

Dated: December 17, 2004. 

Kathryn D. Hardy, 

Acting Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 04–28141 Filed 12–23–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

[I.D. 122004C]

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: Weather Modification Activities 

Reports.

Form Number(s): NOAA Forms 17–4, 

17–4A, 17–4B.

OMB Approval Number: 0648–0025.

Type of Request: Regular submission.

Burden Hours: 330.

Number of Respondents: 55.

Average Hours Per Response: 30 

minutes for Forms 17–4 and 17–4A; 5 

hours for Form 17–4B.

Needs and Uses: The Weather 

Modification Activities Reports are 

required by Public Law 92–205, Section 

6(b). All entities which engage in 

weather modification (e.g. cloudseeding to enhance precipitation or 

disperse fog) are required to report 

various data to NOAA. NOAA maintains 

the data for use in scientific research, 

historical statistics, international 

reports, and other purposes.

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations; individuals or 

households; not-for-profit institutions; 

Federal government; State, local or 

tribal government.

Frequency: On occasion, annually.

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: December 17, 2004.

Gwellnar Banks,

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief 

Information Officer.

[FR Doc. 04–28130 Filed 12–23–04; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–KD–S

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

[I.D. 122004B]

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: Processed Products Family of 

Forms.

Form Number(s): NOAA Forms 88–

13, 88–13c.

OMB Approval Number: 0648–0018.

Type of Request: Regular submission.

Burden Hours: 680.

Number of Respondents: 1,320.

Average Hours Per Response: 30 

minutes for Form 88–13; 15 minutes for 

Form 88–13c.

Needs and Uses: This is a survey of 

seafood and industrial fish processing 

firms. The firms processing fish from 

certain fisheries must report on their 

annual volume, the wholesale value of 

products, and monthly employment 

figures. Data are used in economic 

analyses to estimate the capacity and 

extent to which processors utilize 

domestic harvest. These analyses are 

necessary to carry out the provision of 

the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act.

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations.

Frequency: Monthly, annually.

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: December 17, 2004.

Gwellnar Banks,

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief 

Information Officer.

[FR Doc. 04–28133 Filed 12–23–04; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Under Secretary for Industry and 

Security 

[Docket No. 03–BIS–013] 

In the Matters of: Yaudat Mustafa Talyi 

a.k.a. Yaudat Mustafa a.k.a. Joseph 

Talyi, 41 Chamale Cove East, Slidell, 

Louisiana 70460, Respondents; 

Decision and Order 

On June 22, 2004, the Bureau of 

Industry and Security (‘‘BIS’’) issued a 

charging letter against the respondent, 

Yaudat Mustafa Talyi, a.k.a. Yaudat 

Mustafa, a.k.a. Joseph Talyi (‘‘Talyi’’), 

that alleged 11 violations of the Export 

Administration Regulations 

(Regulations),1 which were issued under 

the Export Administration Act of 1979,