### 28232 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 97 / Thursday, May 20, 2010 / Notices

www.regulations.gov. All comments should reference the docket number and page number of this issue of the Federal Register . All comments received will be made available for public inspection at http://www.regulations.gov or at the Cotton and Tobacco Programs, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Room 2637–S, Washington, DC 20250 during regular business hours.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Shethir Riva, Chief, Research and Promotion, Cotton and Tobacco Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Room 2637–S, Washington, DC 20250–0224, telephone (202) 720–3193, facsimile (202) 690–1718, or email at Shethir.riva@ams.usda.gov.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :** 

Title: Cotton Classification and Market News Service.

OMB Number: 0581–0009. Expiration Date of Approval: December 30, 2010.

Type of Request: Extension and Revision of a Currently Approved Information Collection.

Abstract: The Cotton Classification and Market News Service program provides market information on cotton prices, quality, stocks, demand and supply to growers, ginners, merchandisers, textile mills and the public for their use in making sound business decisions. The Cotton Statistics and Estimates Act (7 U.S.C. 471–476), authorizes and directs the Secretary of Agriculture to: (a) Collect and publish annually, statistics or estimates concerning the grades and staple lengths of stocks of cotton, known as the carryover, on hand on the 1st of August each year in warehouses and other establishments of every character in the continental U.S., and following such publication each year, to publish at intervals, in his/her discretion, his/her estimate of the grades and staple length of cotton of the current crop (7 U.S.C. 471) and (b) Collect, authenticate, publish and distribute by radio, mail, or otherwise, timely information of the market supply, demand, location, and market prices of cotton (7 U.S.C. 473b). The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621–1627), authorizes and directs the Secretary of Agriculture to collect and disseminate marketing information, including adequate outlook information on a market-area basis, for the purpose of anticipating and meeting consumer requirements, aiding in the maintenance of farm income, and bringing about a balance between production and utilization of agricultural products.

The information collection requirements in this request are essential to carry out the intent of the Acts and to provide the cotton industry the type of information they need to make sound business decisions. The information collected is the minimum required. Information is requested from growers, cooperatives, merchants, manufacturers, and other government agencies. This includes information on cotton, cottonseed and cotton linters.

The information collected is used only by authorized employees of the USDA, AMS. The cotton industry is the primary user of the compiled information and AMS and other government agencies are secondary

users.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 0.12 hours per
response.

Respondents: Cotton Merchandisers, Textile Mills, Ginners.

Estimated Number of Respondents:
873.

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 7.27.

Estimated Number of Responses: 6,347.50.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 769.80.

Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments may be submitted electronically through http:// www.regulations.gov. Comments also may be sent to Shethir Riva, Chief, Research and Promotion, Cotton and Tobacco Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250–0224. All comments received will be available for public inspection during regular business hours at the same address or through http:// www.regulations.gov.

All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public record. Dated: May 14, 2010. David R. Shipman, Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2010–12032 Filed 5–19–10; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 3410–02–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE**

**Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service** 

**[Docket No. APHIS-2010-0029]**

**Availability of an Environmental Assessment for a Biological Control**  **Agent for Hemlock Woolly Adelgid**

**AGENCY :**  Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

**ACTION :**  Notice of availability and request for comments.

**SUMMARY :**  We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment relative to the control of hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae). The environmental assessment considers the effects of, and alternatives to, the release of an insect, Laricobius osakensis , into the continental United States for use as a biological control agent to reduce the severity of hemlock woolly adelgid infestations. We are making the environmental assessment available to the public for review and comment.

**DATES :**  We will consider all comments that we receive on or before June 21,
2010.

**ADDRESSES :**  You may submit comments by either of the following methods:

∑ Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to ( http://www.regulations.gov/ fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS2010-0029 ) to submit or view comments and to view supporting and related materials available electronically.

∑Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send one copy of your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2010-0029, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that yourcomment refers to Docket No. APHIS2010-0029.

Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on the environmental assessment in our reading 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


### 28233 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 97 / Thursday, May 20, 2010 / Notices

through Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call (202) 690-2817 before coming.

Other Information: Additional information about APHIS and its programs is available on the Internet at ( http://www.aphis.usda.gov ).

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Dr. Shirley A. Wager-Page, Chief, Pest Permitting Branch, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1237; (301) 734-8453.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  Background

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing to issue permits for the release of an insect, Laricobius osakensis , into the continental United States for use as a biological control agent to reduce the severity of hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) infestations.

HWA, an introduced insect pest destructive to forest and ornamental hemlock trees, was first discovered in Virginia in 1951. HWA now infests 18 States due to the movements of infested nursery plants as well as non-human modes of dispersal that include birds, deer, and wind. HWA feeds at the bases of hemlock needles, causing them to dry out and resulting in needle loss. This prevents trees from producing new buds for the next year’s growth, and leads to branch dieback and, often, the eventual death of the tree. HWA infestation is fatal to eastern hemlocks of all ages, regardless of health prior to infestation, with tree mortality occurring between four and ten or more years after infestation, depending on environmental conditions.

Existing HWA management options include chemical control and silvicultural control, which, in this instance, would involve close management of trees on a site-by-site basis. However, these management measures can be expensive, temporary, or have non-target impacts. Thus, a permit application has been submitted to APHIS for the purpose of releasing an insect, L

. osakensis , into the continental United States for use as a biological control agent to reduce the severity of HWA infestations.

APHIS’ review and analysis of the proposed action are documented in detail in an environmental assessment (EA) titled ‘‘Proposed Field Release of Laricobius osakensis (Coleoptera: Derodontidae), a Predatory Beetle for Biological Control of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Adelges tsugae), in the Continental United States ’’ (December 2009). We are making the EA available to the public for review and comment. We will consider all comments that we receive on or before the date listed under the heading **DATES** at the beginning of this notice.

The EA may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site or in our reading room (see **ADDRESSES** above for instructions for accessing Regulations.gov and information on the location and hours of the reading room). You may request paper copies of the EA by calling or writing to the person listed under **FOR FURTHER INFORMATION**
**CONTACT** . Please refer to the title of the EA when requesting copies.

The EA has been prepared in accordance with: (1) The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et
seq .), (2) regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality for implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), (3) USDA regulations implementing NEPA (7 CFR part 1b), and (4) APHIS’ NEPA Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part 372).

Done in Washington, DC, this 14 th day of May 2010.

Kevin Shea, Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2010–12024 Filed 5–19–10; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 3410–34–S**

**DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE**

**Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service** 

**[Docket No. APHIS-2010-0028]**

**Availability of an Environmental Assessment for a Biological Control**  **Agent for Asian Citrus Psyllid**

**AGENCY :**  Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

**ACTION :**  Notice of availability and request for comments.

**SUMMARY :**  We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment relative to the control of Asian citrus psyllid ( Diaphorina citri Kuwayama ). The environmental assessment considers the effects of, and alternatives to, the release of an insect, Tamarixia radiata , into the continental United States for use as a biological control agent to reduce the severity of Asian citrus psyllid infestations. We are making the environmental assessment available to the public for review and comment. **DATES :**  We will consider all comments that we receive on or before June 21,
2010.

**ADDRESSES :**  You may submit comments by either of the following methods:

∑ Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to ( http://www.regulations.gov/ fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS2010-0028 ) to submit or view comments and to view supporting and related materials available electronically.

∑Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send one copy of your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2010-0028, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that yourcomment refers to Docket No. APHIS2010-0028.

Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on the environmental assessment in our reading 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: Additional information about APHIS and its programs is available on the Internet at ( http://www.aphis.usda.gov ).

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Dr. Shirley A. Wager-Page, Chief, Pest Permitting Branch, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1237; (301) 734-8453.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  Background

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing to issue permits for the release of an insect, Tamarixia radiata , into the continental United States for use as a biological control agent to reduce the severity of Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) infestations.

ACP, a serious pest of citrus, was first discovered in Florida in 1998. By 2001 it had spread to 31 counties within the State, primarily due to the movements of infested nursery plants. In that year ACP was also accidentally introduced into Puerto Rico and Texas. It was subsequently discovered in Hawaii in 2006, Guam in 2007, in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and California in 2008, in portions of one county in Arizona in 2009, and in the U.S. Virgin Islands in
2010.