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

25901

Vol. 65, No. 87

Thursday, May 4, 2000

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Submission for OMB Review;

Comment Request

April 28, 2000.

The Department of Agriculture has

submitted the following information

collection requirement(s) to OMB for

review and clearance under the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,

Public Law 104–13. Comments

regarding (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

through the use of appropriate

automated, electronic, mechanical, or

other technological collection

techniques or other forms of information

technology should be addressed to: Desk

Officer for Agriculture, Office of

Information and Regulatory Affairs,

Office of Management and Budget

(OMB), Washington, DC 20503 and to

Departmental Clearance Office, USDA,

OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC

20250–7602. Comments regarding these

information collections are best assured

of having their full effect if received

within 30 days of this notification.

Copies of the submission(s) may be

obtained by calling (202) 720–6746.

An agency may not conduct or

sponsor a collection of information

unless the collection of information

displays a currently valid OMB control

number and the agency informs

potential persons who are to respond to

the collection of information that such

persons are not required to respond to

the collection of information unless it

displays a currently valid OMB control

number.

Farm Service Agency

Title: Request for Direct Loan

Assistance.

OMB Control Number: 0560–0167.

Summary of Collection: Section 302 (7

U.S.C. 1922) of the Consolidated Farm

and Rural Development Act (CONACT)

provides that ‘‘the Secretary is

authorized to make and insure loans

under this title to farmers and

ranchers’’. The Farm Service Agency

(FSA) has issued regulations through

the Federal Register process to

implement the making and servicing of

direct loans in chapter 18 of the Code

of Federal Regulations. These

regulations establish the information

collection necessary for FSA to make

and service direct loans. The loans

include Operating, Farm Ownership,

Soil and Water, Softwood Timber

Production, Emergency, Economic

Emergency, Economic Opportunity,

Recreation, and Rural Housing loans for

farm service building. FSA will collect

information using from FSA 410–1.

Need and Use of the Information: FSA

will collect information to determine if

the applicant/borrower meets the

eligibility requirements established in

the CONACT. FSA will also collect the

following information: name, address,

telephone number; social security

number; type of farming operation;

information relating to the applicant’s

credit history; the source and amount of

nonfarm income; and a financial

statement. If the information were not

collected FAS would not be able to

make an accurate eligibility and

financial feasibility determination on

respondents’ request for new loans and

loan servicing actions.

Description of Respondents: Farm;

Federal Government; Business or otherfor-profit; Individuals or households.

Number of Respondents: 49,670.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

Other (when applying for benefits).

Total Burden Hours: 99,340.

Forest Service

Title: Agreement to Initiate (ATI) and

Exchange Agreement (EA).

OMB Control Number: 0596–0105.

Summary of Collection: Land

exchanges are an important tool to

consolidate landownership for purposes

of more efficient management; to secure

important Forest Plan objectives of

resource management, enhancement,

development, and protection; and to

fulfill other public needs such as

acquiring lands important for such

resources as fisheries habitat, wild and

scenic rivers, wildlife habitat, and

wilderness. A land exchange is where

the United States has identified either

federal land or federal interest in land

available for exchange and a nonFederal party has identified either

private land or private interest in land

they are interested in exchanging. The

United States and the non-Federal party

agree to do an exchange of what they

own. The primary authorities used to

perform land exchanges involving

National Forest Systems lands include

the General Exchange Act, the Weeks,

Act, the Federal Land Policy and

Management Act and the Federal Land

Exchange Facilitation Act. The Forest

Service (FS) will collect information by

phone, in face to face meetings with

land exchange parties, or by requesting

in a letter to the exchange party that the

requested information be submitted by

mail.

Need and Use of the Information: FS

will collect information on the

description of properties being

considered in land exchange; an

implementation schedule of action

items relating to preparation and review

of an appraisal of the land; public

scoping and notification; preparation of

specialist reports, etc., and the

identification of the party responsible

for each action item, as well as target

dates for completion of each action

item. FS will also collect information

such as the identification of the nonFederal land exchange parties; the

description of the lands and interests to

exchanged, such as roads; the

identification of all reserved and

outstanding interests, such as roads,

minerals, and easements; and all other

terms and conditions necessary to

complete exchange. To not collect the

information would mean the land

exchange was dropped.

Description of Respondents: Business

or other for-profit; Individuals or

households; State, Local or Tribal

Government.

Number of Respondents: 100.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 200.

Farm Service Agency

Title: Fax Signature Card.

25902 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 87 / Thursday, May 4, 2000 / Notices

OMB Control Number: 0560–NEW.

Summary of Collection: U.S.

Department of Agriculture (USDA),

Farm Service Agency (FSA) is seeking

alternative service delivery process that

will reduce the necessity for USDA

service center customers to travel to a

service center to provide information

and sign documents. One of the

alternatives being implemented is to

accept information provided via

telefacsimile. Each of the USDA service

center agencies (Farm Service Agency,

Natural Resources Conservation Service,

and Rural Development Agencies) will

share the signature on the FAX

signature card to eliminate redundant

collection of the same data. FSA will

collect information using form FSA–237

FAX signature card.

Need and use of the Information: FSA

will collect the name and signature from

service center customers. The

information collected will be used to

verify the authenticity of signatures on

documents provided to USDA service

centers via telefacsimile. Failure to

collect and maintain the original

signature will limit USDA’s ability to

offer the telefacsimile alternative to its

service center customers.

Description of Respondents: Farms;

Individuals or households.

Number of Respondents: 866,089.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

Other (once).

Total Burden Hours: 14,429.

Agency is requesting emergency

approval by May 5, 2000.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection

Service

Title: Animal Welfare Act, Part 3,

SubParts A and D, Dogs, Cats, Primates.

OMB Control Number: 0579–0093.

Summary of Collection: The

Laboratory Animal Welfare Act (AWA)

(Public Law 890544) enacted August 24,

1966, required the U.S. Department of

Agriculture, (USDA), to regulate the

humane care and handling of dog, and

nonhuman primates. The legislation

was the result of extensive demand by

organized animal welfare groups and

private citizens requesting a Federal law

covering the transportation, care, and

handling of laboratory animals. The

Animal and Plant Health Inspection

Service (APHIS), Animal Care (AC) has

the responsibility to enforce the Animal

Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2131–2156) and

the provisions of 9 CFR, Subchapter A,

which implements the Animal Welfare

Act.

Need and use of the Information:

APHIS will collect to insure that animal

use in research facilities or exhibition

purposes are provided humane care and

treatment. The information is used to

ensure those dealers, exhibitors,

research facilities, carriers, etc., are in

compliance with the Animal Welfare

Act and regulations and standards

promulgated under this authority of the

Act.

Description of Respondents: Business

or other for-profit; Not for-profit

institutions; State, Local and Tribal

Government.

Number of Respondents: 82,000.

Frequency of Responses:

Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 44,313.

Food and Nutrition Service

Title: Civil Rights Title VI—Collection

Reports—FNS–191 and FNS–101.

OMB Control Number: 0584–0025.

Summary of Collection: Title VI of the

Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires the

collection of racial/ethnic data for all

programs utilizing Federal Funds. Title

28 of the Code of Federal Regulations

(CFR), Section 42.107(b), require all

Federal Departments to have racial and

ethnic information available showing

the extent to which minority groups are

beneficiaries of the federally assisted

programs they administer. In order to

comply with the Civil Rights Act,

Department of Justice regulations and

the Department’s nondiscrimination

policy and regulations (7 CFR Part 15),

the Department’s Food and Nutrition

Service (FNS) requires State agencies to

submit data on the racial/ethnic

categories of person receiving benefits

from FNS food assistance programs.

FNS will collect information using

forms FNS 191 and FNS 101.

Need and Use of the Information: FNS

will collect the names, address,

telephone number, and number of

clinics to compile a local agency

directory which serves as the primary

source of data on number and location

for local agencies and number of clinics

operating Commodity Supplemental

Food Program (CSFP). FNS will also

collect information on the number of

CFSP individuals (women, infant,

children, and elderly) in each racial/

ethnic category for one month of the

year. The information will be used in

the Department’s annual USDA Equal

Opportunity Report. If the information

is not collected FNS could not track

racial/ethnic data for program

evaluation.

Description of Respondents: State,

Local or Tribal Government.

Number of Respondents: 2,939.

Frequency of Responses:

Recordkeeping; Reporting: Annually.

Total Burden Hours: 6,595.

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

Title: Rural Economic Development

Loan and Grant Program.

OMB Control Number: 0570–0012.

Summary of Collection: Section 313 of

the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7

U.S.C. 940(c)) established a loan and

grant program. The program provides

zero interest loans and grants to Rural

Utilities Service (RUS) borrowers for the

purpose of promoting rural economic

development and job creation projects.

The loans and grants under this program

may be provided to approximately 1,700

electric and telephone utilities across

the country that has borrowed funds

from RUS. Under this program, the RUS

borrowers may receive the loan funds

and pass them on to businesses or other

organizations. Rural BusinessCooperative Service (RBS) will collect

information using form RD 1703–1.

Need and Use of the Information: RBS

will collect information to evaluate

applications for funding consideration,

conduct an environmental review,

prepare legal documents, receive loan

payments, oversee the operation of a

revolving loan fund, monitor the use of

RBS funds, enforce other government

requirements such as compliance with

civil rights regulations. If the

information were not collected RBS

would be unable to select the projects

that will receive loan or grant funds.

Description of Respondents: Business

or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 180.

Frequency of Responses:

Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion;

Annually.

Total Burden Hours: 7,742.

Rural Housing Service

Title: Farm Labor Housing Technical

Assistance Grants.

OMB Control Number: 0575–NEW.

Summary of Collection: Section 514 of

Title V of the Housing Act of 1949

authorizes USDA to make loans for the

construction of farm labor housing.

Section 516 of the Act authorizes USDA

to make grants for the same purpose.

USDA is authorized to provide

‘‘financial assistance to private and

public nonprofit agencies to encourage

the development of domestic and

migrant farm labor housing’’. Up to 10

percent of the annual section 516

appropriation may be used for

‘‘technical assistance’’ purposes

($1,350,000 in FY 2000). Recipients of

this assistance, in turn, assist other

organizations obtain loans and grants for

the construction of farm labor housing.

The Rural Housing Service will collect

information using the Technical

Assistance Grant Agreement.

Need and Use of the Information:

RHS will collect information to

determine applicant eligibility for a

grant, project feasibility, to select grant

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 87 / Thursday, May 4, 2000 / Notices 25903

proposals for funding, and to monitor

performance after grants have been

awarded. Failure to collect this

information could result in the

improper use of Federal funds.

Description of Respondents: Not-forprofit institutions; State, Local, or Tribal

Government.

Number of Respondents: 12.

Frequency of Responses:

Recordkeeping; Reporting: Quarterly;

Annually.

Total Burden Hours: 7,878.

Agency is requesting emergency

approval by May 12, 2000.

Rural Housing Service

Title: 7 CFR 1944–E, Rural Rental and

Cooperative Housing Loan Policies,

Procedures, and Authorizations.

OMB Control Number: 0575–0047.

Summary of Collection: The Rural

Housing Agency (RHS), an agency of the

U.S. Department of Agriculture is

authorized to make loans to finance

rural rental and cooperative housing

projects and related facilities under

Section 515 and 521 of Title V of the

Housing Act of 1949, as amended. The

intent of the program is to provide

affordable rental housing for elderly or

handicapped person or families, or

other persons and families of low or

moderate income in rural areas. RHS

will collect information using forms RD

1944–7, 30, 31, 33, 34, 35, and 38.

Need and Use of the Information:

RHS will collect information to evaluate

the cost, benefits, feasibility and

financial performance of the proposed

project, as well as the eligibility of the

applicant. Failure to collect this

information would result in

unauthorized federal assistance being

granted.

Description of Respondents: Business

or other for-profit; Individuals or

households; Not-for-profit institutions;

State, Local, or Tribal Government.

Number of Respondents: 425.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 28,246.

William McAndrew,

Departmental Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 00–11077 Filed 5–3–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Fanshaw Project Environmental Impact

Statement; Notice of Intent

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Revision of Notice of Intent

(NOI).

SUMMARY: This document revises the

Notice of Intent to prepare and

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

for the Port Houghton/Cape Fanshaw

timber harvest as originally published in

the Federal Register on September 12,

1994 (Federal Register Vol. 59, No. 175,

pp. 46819–46820). A revised NOI was

published on August 14, 1995 (Federal

Register Vol. 60, No. 156, p. 41862)

stating that two decisions-makers will

sign the Record of Decision. A NOI to

prepare a Revised Draft EIS was

published on September 23, 1997

(Federal Register Vol. 62, No. 184, pp.

49665–49666). This revision to the NOI

is necessary because a new Record of

Decision (ROD) for the Tongass Land

and Resource Management Plan was

signed by Under-Secretary of

Agriculture Jim Lyons in April 1999,

which changed some of the existing

Forest Plan Land Use Designations

(LUD) within the project area. Most of

the Forest Plan LUDs within the Port

Houghton/Cape Fanshaw EIS were

changed to Non-Development LUDs.

This NOI revision includes changes in

the proposed action, the size of the

project area, the name of the project as

well as changes in the project schedule

to reflect the changes in the new Forest

Plan ROD.

The Department of Agriculture, Forest

Service, will prepare an Environmental

Impact Statement (EIS) to provide a

supply of timber for the Tongass

National Forest timber sale program, to

identify recreational opportunities and

potential watershed project needs and to

develop a road management plan for the

project area. The Record of Decision

will disclose where, if any, the Forest

Service has decided to provide timber

harvest units, roads, associated timber

harvesting facilities, identify dispersed

recreation opportunities, and potential

watershed projects. The proposed action

is to harvest timber on a estimated 2100

acres and to provide multiple timber

sale opportunities for the total of

approximately 41 million board feet

(mmbf) of timber. Timber harvest will

be accomplished using a variety of

silvicultural prescriptions and harvest

methods that meet the standards and

guidelines of the Tongass Forest Plan.

This project would include the

construction of up to 33 miles of road

and one new log transfer facility (LTF)

within the project area. This project may

also include an analysis and decision

for a nonsignificant amendment to the

Forest Plan to revise the location of

small Old Growth Reserve(s) within the

study area. Recreational opportunities

for enhancement may include dispersed

sites for camping, and improved access

for hunting and subsistence users.

Potential watershed projects may

include existing land slide restoration

and fish enhancement. A range of

alternatives responsive to significant

issues will be developed and will

include a no-action alternative. The

Fanshaw project area is approximately

92,000 acres in size and is located on

parts of Value Comparison Units 820,

830, 840, 850, 860, 870, 880, 890, and

900 on the mainland on the Petersburg

and Juneau Ranger Districts of the

Tongass National Forest. Part of this

project area is within Inventoried

Roadless Areas Fanshaw #201,

Windham—Port Houghton #308 and

Spires #202 as identified by the Tongass

Land and Resource Management Plan.

DATES: Comments concerning the scope

of this project should be received by

June 15, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Please send written

comments to the Petersburg Ranger

District; Tongass National Forest; Attn:

Tom Parker; Fanshaw Project EIS; PO

Box 1328; Petersburg, AK 99833.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Questions about the proposal and EIS

should be directed to Patricia Grantham,

District Ranger, Petersburg Ranger

District, Tongass National Forest, PO

Box 1328, Petersburg, AK 99833;

telephone (907) 772–3871 or Tom

Parker, Interdisciplinary Team Leader,

Petersburg Ranger District, PO Box

1328, Petersburg, AK 99833; telephone

(907) 772–3871.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public

participation has been an integral

component of the study process and

will be especially important at several

points during the analysis. The

proposed activities were first identified

during the Port Houghton/Cape

Fanshaw EIS, which incorporated

aspects of collaborative stewardship.

During the last year, the Forest Service

has been seeking information,

comments, and assistance from Federal,

State, and local agencies, Federallyrecognized Indian tribes, and

individuals and organizations that may

be interested in, or affected by, the

proposed activities. Written scoping

comments have been solicited through a

scoping package that was sent to the

project mailing list and available at

open houses in Petersburg, Juneau and

Kake, Alaska. The scoping process

includes: (1) identification of potential

issues; (2) identification of issues to be

analyzed in depth; and, (3) elimination

of insignificant issues or those which

have been covered by a previous

environmental review. For the Forest

Service to best use the scoping input,

comments should be received by June