### 75607 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 246 / Friday, December 21, 2012 / Notices

decisions on applications by the PVP Office and on requests for emergency public-interest compulsory licenses; and (3) advise the Secretary on any other matters under the Regulations and Rules of Practice and on all questions under Section 44 of the Act, ‘‘Public Interest in Wide Usage’’ (7 U.S.C. 2404). Renewing the PVP Board Charter is necessary and in the public interest.

The PVPA provides that ‘‘the Board
shall consist of individuals who are experts in various areas of varietal development covered by this Act.’’ The Board membership ‘‘shall include farmer representation and shall be drawn approximately equally from the private or seed industry sector and from the sector of government or the public.’’ The Board consists of 14 members, each of whom is appointed for a 2-year period, with no member appointed for more than three 2-year periods. Nominations are made by farmers’ associations, trade associations in the seed industry, professional associations representing expertise in seed technology, plant breeding, and variety development, public and private research and development institutions (13 members) and the USDA (one member).

Equal opportunity practices, in agreement with USDA nondiscrimination policies, will be followed in all membership appointments to the Board. To ensure that the suggestions of the Board have
taken into account the needs of the diverse groups served by USDA, membership shall include, to the extent practicable, individuals with demonstrated ability to represent minorities, women, and persons with
disabilities.

The Charter for the PVP Board will be
available on the Web site at: http:// www.ams.usda.gov/PVPO or may be requested by contacting the individual
identified in the **FOR FURTHER**

**INFORMATION CONTACT** section of this

notice.

USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family
status. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, or audiotape.) should contact USDA’s Target Center at 202–720–2600 (voice and TTY).

To file a written complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250–9410 or call 202–720–5964 (voice and TTY). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Dated: December 17, 2012. David Shipman, Administrator, Agricultural Marketing

Service.

[FR Doc. 2012–30745 Filed 12–18–12; 4:15 pm]

**BILLING CODE 3410–02–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE**

**Agricultural Marketing Service**

**[Document No. AMS–ST–12–0056]**

**Plant Variety Protection Board; Soliciting Nominations** 

**AGENCY :**  Agricultural Marketing Service,

USDA.

**ACTION :**  Notice.

**SUMMARY :**  The Plant Variety Protection Office (PVPO) is seeking candidates for the Plant Variety Protection Board. We are asking for the submission of nomination packages (an Application for Committee Membership (AD–755) and resume) by January 7, 2013.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Paul Zankowski, USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), Plant Variety Protection Office; 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 3543; Washington, DC 20250 or by phone at (202) 720–5231 or by email: Paul.Zankowski@ams.usda.gov

.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  The Plant Variety Protection Act (PVPA) (7 U.S.C.

2321 et seq. ) provides legal protection in the form of intellectual property rights to developers of new varieties of plants, which are reproduced sexually by seed or are tuber-propagated. A Certificate of Plant Variety Protection is awarded to an owner of a crop variety after an examination shows that it is new, distinct from other varieties, and genetically uniform and stable through successive generations. The term of protection is 20 years for most crops and 25 years for trees, shrubs, and vines.

The PVPA also provides for a statutory Board to be appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture (7 U.S.C. 2327). The duties of the Board are to: (1) Advise the Secretary concerning the adoption of rules and regulations to facilitate the proper administration of the PVPA; (2) provide advisory counsel to the Secretary on all appeals from the Examiner; and (3) advise the Secretary on any other matters under the Regulations and Rules of Practice and on all questions under Section 44 of the PVPA, ‘‘Public Interest in Wide Usage’’ (7 U.S.C. 2404). Reestablishing the PVP Board is necessary and in the public

interest.

The PVPA provides that ‘‘The Board
shall consist of individuals who are experts in various areas of varietal development covered by this Act.’’ (7 U.S.C. 2327(a)). The Board membership ‘‘shall include farmer representation and shall be drawn approximately equally from the private or seed industry sector and from the sector of government or the public.’’ (7 U.S.C. 2327(a)).

The PVP Board consists of 14 members, each of whom is appointed for a 2-year period, with no member appointed for more than three 2-year periods. The term of the present Board will expire in December 2012. The first meeting of the new Board will most likely be held in the spring/summer of 2013. In order to provide the Secretary of Agriculture with a broad choice from a diverse group of applicants, the PVPO is asking for nominated members to serve on the Board for 2 years from the date of appointment. PVP Board
members will serve without compensation, except for standard government reimbursable expenses.

To ensure that the recommendations
of the Board take into account the needs of the diverse groups served by the USDA (from research and production to trade, use, and consumption). The USDA is responsible for vetting every candidate who applies for membership
to a USDA Research and Promotion Board and/or Federal Advisory Committee. Also, please note that federally registered lobbyists are prohibited from serving on advisory committees governed by the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA).

In order to be appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture to serve on a board or committee, each applicant must clear all stages of the vetting process. Vetting is a comprehensive personal and professional background investigation that specifically includes, but is not limited to, an analysis of each candidate’s criminal history, bankruptcy filings, liens and judgments, affiliations and associations, lobbyist status, and prior involvement with USDA. This process is used to ensure that the finest candidates are selected to represent the
interests of the United States Department of Agriculture.

Submit full nomination packages with completed AD 755 background
information forms and resumes no later than January 7, 2013. Final selection of members will be made by the Secretary
from nominations submitted. All
nomination materials should be mailed in a single, complete package to: Paul Zankowski, Commissioner; Plant


### 75608 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 246 / Friday, December 21, 2012 / Notices

Variety Protection Office; 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 3543; Washington, DC 20250.

Nomination packages can also be sent to Thomas J. Vilsack, Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250 outside of a
formal call for nominations.

USDA has special interest in assuring that women, minority groups, and the physically disabled are adequately represented on these advisory committees. We encourage and welcome nominations for female, minority, or
disabled candidates.

Please see http://www.ams.usda.gov/

PVPO and click on PVPO Board (under Resources on the right side) for information on the Charter, and AD–755
form. The AD–755 form can also be found on the USDA Advisory Committee Web site ( www.usda.gov/ advisory

_ committees.xml ). The Charter
for the PVP Board will be available on
the Web site at: http://www.fido.gov/ facadatabase/docs

_ charters/

1309

_ Charter

_ (2011-01-04-10-32-08).pdf or may be requested by contacting the
individual identified in the **FOR FURTHER**

**INFORMATION CONTACT** section of this

notice.

USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family
status. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, or audiotape.) should contact USDA’s Target Center at 202–720–2600 (voice and TTY).

To file a written complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250–9410 or call 202–720–5964 (voice and TTY). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Dated: December 17, 2012. David Shipman, Administrator, Agricultural Marketing

Service.

[FR Doc. 2012–30746 Filed 12–20–12; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 3410–02–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE**

**Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request** 

The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the emergency provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

Agency: International Trade Administration (ITA).

Title: Interim Procedures for Considering Requests from the Public under the Textile and Apparel Safeguard Provision of the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement.

OMB Control Number: None. Type of Request: Regular submission (extension of a currently approved collection).

Burden Hours: 56. Number of Respondents: 14. Average Hours per Response: 4 hours for a Request; and 4 hours for a

Comment.

Needs and Uses: Title III, Subtitle C, Section 331 through Section 338 of the
United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (the ‘‘Act’’) implements the textile and apparel safeguard provisions, provided
for in Article 4.1 of the United StatesKorea Free Trade Agreement (the ‘‘Agreement’’), which entered into force on March 15, 2012. This safeguard mechanism applies when, as a result of
the reduction or elimination of a customs duty under the Agreement, a Korean textile or apparel article is being imported into the U.S. in such increased quantities, in absolute terms or relative to the domestic market for that article,
and under such conditions as to cause serious damage or actual threat thereof to a U.S. industry producing a like or directly competitive article. In these circumstances, Article 4.1.1(b) permits the United States to (a) suspend any further reduction in the rate of duty provided for under Annex 2–B of the Agreement in the duty imposed on the article; or (b) increase duties on the imported article from Korea to a level
that does not exceed the lesser of the prevailing U.S. normal trade relations (‘‘NTR’’)/most-favored-nation (‘‘MFN’’) duty rate for the article or the U.S. NTR/ MFN duty rate in effect on the day before the Agreement enters into force.

The Statement of Administrative Action accompanying the Act provides
that the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) will issue procedures for requesting such safeguard measures, for making its determinations under Section 332(a) of the Act, and for providing relief under Section 332(b) of
the Act.

CITA must collect information in
order to determine whether a domestic textile or apparel industry is being adversely impacted by imports of these products from Korean, thereby allowing CITA to take corrective action to protect the viability of the domestic textile or apparel industry, subject to Section 332(b) of the Act.

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations.

Frequency: On occasion. Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary. OMB Desk Officer: Wendy Liberante. (202) 395–3647.

Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained by calling or writing Jennifer Jessup, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, (202) 482–0336, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington,
DC 20230 or via email at JJessup@doc.gov.

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to Wendy Liberante, OMB Desk Officer, Fax number (202) 395–5167 or
via the Internet at Wendy

_L.

_Liberante@omb.gov.

Dated: December 17, 2012.

Gwellnar Banks, Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.

[FR Doc. 2012–30736 Filed 12–20–12; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 3510–FP–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE**

**Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request** 

The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the emergency provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

Agency: International Trade Administration (ITA).

Title: Interim Procedures for Considering Requests under the Commercial Availability Provision of
the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement.

OMB Control Number: 0625–0270. Type of Request: Regular submission (extension of a currently approved collection).

Burden Hours: 89. Number of Respondents: 16. Average Hours per Response: 8 hours for Request for Commercial Availability Determination; 2 hours for Response to a Request; and 1 hour for Rebuttal.

Needs and Uses: The United States and Korea negotiated the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (the ‘‘Agreement’’), which entered into force on March 15, 2012. Subject to the rules of origin in Annex 4–A of the