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

34138

Vol. 65, No. 103

Friday, May 26, 2000

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Submission for OMB Review;

Comment Request

May 22, 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 partical 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 infomration

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, D.C. 20503 and to

Departmental Clearance Office, USDA,

OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, D.C.

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: 7 CFR 1910–A Receiving and

Processing Applications. OMB Control Number: 0560–0178.

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

* * *’’ Section 339 (7 U.S.C. 1989) of

the CONACT further provides ‘‘the

Secretary is authorized to make such

rules and regulations, prescribe the

terms and conditions for making and

insuring loans, security instruments and

agreements, except as otherwise

specified herein, and make such

delegations of authority as he deems

necessary to carry out this title.’’ 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

collections necessary for FSA to make

and service direct loans. These loans

include Operating, Farm Ownership,

Soil and Water, Softwood Timber

Production, Emergency, Economic

Emergency, Economic Opportunity,

Recreation, and Rural Housing loans for

Farm Service Buildings. FSA will

collect information using loan

applications. Need and Use of the Information: FSA

will collect information to determine

eligibility and financial feasibility on

respondent’s requests for loans. The

information is required to insure that

FSA provides assistance to applicants

who have reasonable prospects of

repaying the government and meet

statutory eligibility requirements. Description of Respondents: Farm;

individuals or households; business or

other-for-profit; Federal Government. Number of Respondents: 34,970.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

Other (Eligibility). Total Burden Hours: 119,412.

Forest Service

Title: Application for Permit NonFederal Commercial Use of Roads by

Order.

OMB Control Number: 0596–0016.

Summary of Collection The forest

Service (FS) transporation system

includes approximately 380,000 miles

of roads. These roads are grouped into

five maintenance levels. Level one

includes roads, which are closed and

maintained only to protect the

environment. Level of maintenance

increase to level five, which is

maintained for safe passenger car use.

The roads usually provide the only

access to commercial products

including timber and minerals found on

both Federal and private lands within

and adjacent to National Forests.

Annual maintenance not performed

becomes a backlog that creates a

financial burden for the FS. To remedy

the backlog and pay for needed

maintenance the FS requires

commercial users to apply and pay for

a permit to use the FS Road System.

Maintenance resulting from commercial

use is accomplished through collection

of funds or requiring the commercial

users to perform the maintenance. The

vehicle for this is the Road Use Permit.

The authority for the Road Use Permit

process comes from 36 CFR 212.5, 36

CFR 212.9 and 36 CFR 261.54 Section

212.9 authorizes the FS to develop a

road system with private in holders that

is mutually beneficial to both parties. FS

will collect information using form FS

7700–40.

Need and Use of the Information: FS

will collect the name; address; and

telephone number; description of

mileage of roads; purpose of use; use

schedule; and plans for future use. The

information is used by the FS to identify

the road maintenance that is the direct

result of the applican’t traffic, to

calculate any applicable collections for

recovery of past Federal investments in

roads. Without the Road Use Permit the

backlog of maintenance would increase

and the FS would have great difficulty

providing the transportation system

necessary to meet our mission. Description of Respondents: Business

or other for-profit; individuals or

households; State, Local or Tribal

Government; not-for-profit institutions. Number of Respondents: 2000.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

On occasion.

Total Burden Hours 500.

Farm Service Agency

Title: Lamb Meat Adjustment

Assistance Program (LMAAP). OMB Control Number: 0560–NEW.

Summary of Collection: The Lamb

Meat Adjustment Assistance Program

(LMAAP) is administered and

implemented under the general

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 103 / Friday, May 26, 2000 / Notices 34139

direction of and supervision of the Farm

Service Agency (FSA) through its State

and County Committees. The LMAAP is

authorized by the Act of August 24,

1935, clause (3) of section 32, and are

implemented by regulations at 7 CFR

Part 748, which provide for the

reestablishment of farmers’ purchasing

power by making payments in

connection with the normal production

of any agricultural commodity for

domestic consumption. Recently the

surge of low-priced, imported lambmeat causes the threat of injury to U.S.

producers in the sheep and lamb

industry. The objective of the program

is to make direct payments to producers

of sheep and lamb operations to help

them weather the current economic

crisis, as well as, help improve their

production efficiencies and the

marketability of lamb meat during the 3

year period from July 21, 1999, through

July 31, 2002. FSA will collect

information using forms FSA–382 and

383.

Need and Use of the Information: FSA

will collect the following information:

(1) Sheep and lamb operation name; (2)

each related producer’s name; (3) ID

number and shares; (4) the number of

rams purchased for the intended

purpose of breeding; (5) the number of

eligible sheep enrolled in and eligible

sheep improvement program; and/or (6)

the type and cost of the facility

improvement. The information is

needed to verify commodity and

producer eligibility and calculate

payment amounts. Without the

information from the producers, FSA

would be unable to administer the

program to provide direct payments to

the sheep and lamb operations.

Description of Respondents: Farm;

Individuals or households; Business or

other-for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 60,000.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

Annually.

Total Burden Hours: 25,000.

Agency is requesting and emergency

approval by May 20, 2000.

William McAndrew,

Departmental Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 00–13236 Filed 5–25–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[TB–00–09]

Flue-Cured Tobacco Advisory

Committee—Notice of Committee

Renewal

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service,

USDA.

ACTION: Notice of committee renewal.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that

the Secretary of Agriculture has

renewed the Flue-Cured Tobacco

Advisory Committee for an additional

period of 2 years.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John

P. Duncan III, Deputy Administrator,

Tobacco Programs, AMS, USDA, 300

12th Street, S.W., Stop 0280, Room 502

Annex Building, P.O. Box 96456,

Washington, D.C. 20090–6456, (202)

205–0567.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Committee, which reports to the

Secretary through the Under Secretary

for Marketing and Regulatory Programs,

recommends opening dates and selling

schedules for the flue-cured marketing

area which aid the Secretary in making

an equitable apportionment and

assignment of tobacco inspectors. The

Committee consists of 39 members; 21

producer representatives, 10 warehouse

representatives, and 8 buyer

representatives, representing all

segments of the flue-cured tobacco

industry and meets at the call of the

Secretary. The Secretary has determined

that renewal of this Committee is in the

public interest.

To ensure that recommendations of

the Committee take into account the

needs of diverse groups served by the

Department, membership should

include, to the extent practicable,

persons with demonstrated ability to

represent minorities, women, and

persons with disabilities.

This notice is given in compliance

with the Federal Advisory Committee

Act (5 U.S.C. App.).

Dated: May 22, 2000.

Paul W. Fiddick,

Assistant Secretary for Administration.

[FR Doc. 00–13239 Filed 5–25–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Plantation Lakes Project; Ottawa

National Forest, Houghton County,

Michigan

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an

environmental impact statement.

SUMMARY: The USDA-Forest Service will

prepare an Environmental Impact

Statement (EIS) for the Plantation Lakes

Project to disclose the effects of timber

harvest, site preparation for natural and

artificial regeneration, planting, road

management including: road

construction, reconstruction, temporary

road construction, obliteration, and

motorized vehicle closure; dispersed

parking area installation and

improvement, trail construction,

maintenance of permanent openings for

wildlife habitat, and classification of old

growth, in the Frost Opportunity Area

on the Ontonagon Ranger District, and

the Connors, Kenton, Plantation Lakes,

and Richard Lake Opportunity Areas on

the Kenton Ranger District, located

approximately 7 air miles northeast of

Kenton, Michigan. The purpose and

need for action is to: (1) Promote and

maintain processes which would

enhance natural species diversity,

manage to reduce insect and disease

potential below epidemic levels, and

decrease fire hazard in the long term

while providing a supply of wood

products for regional and local needs to

help support a stable economic base

within the dependent geographical area.

(2) Maintain and enhance habitat

capable of sustaining long-term

populations of a variety of wildlife

species. (3) Maintain a road system that

allows for management of National

Forest lands and provides for public

access while meeting other resource

needs, and (4) Provide dispersed

recreation opportunities to meet public

needs.

The DEIS is expected to be filed with

the EPA and available for public review

by September, 2000.

DATES: Written comments and

suggestions should be received on or

before June 26, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and

suggestions concerning the scope of the

analysis should be sent to Leanne

Marten, District Ranger, Ontonagon

District, 1209 Rockland Road,

Ontonagon, MI 49953.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Contact Allen Nicholson,

Interdisciplinary Team Leader, Iron