Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 124 / Thursday, June 28, 2007 / Notices 35423 

(4) Minimize the burden of the 

information collection on those who are 

to respond, through use, as appropriate, 

of automated, electronic, mechanical, 

and other collection technologies, e.g., 

permitting electronic submission of 

responses. 

Estimate of burden: The public 

reporting burden for this collection of 

information is estimated to average 

0.162037 hours per response. 

Respondents: Foreign air carriers 

transporting animals covered under the 

Animal Welfare Act. 

Estimated annual number of 

respondents: 20. 

Estimated annual number of 

responses per respondent: 54. 

Estimated annual number of 

responses: 1,080. 

Estimated total annual burden on 

respondents: 175 hours. (Due to 

averaging, the total annual burden hours 

may not equal the product of the annual 

number of responses multiplied by the 

reporting burden per response.) 

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. 

Done in Washington, DC, this 25th day of 

June 2007. 

Kevin Shea, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. E7–12547 Filed 6–27–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Housing Service 

Farm Service Agency 

Notice of Request for Extension of a 

Currently Approved Information 

Collection 

AGENCIES: Rural Housing Service, Farm 

Service Agency, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 

notice announces the subject agencies’

intention to request an extension for a 

currently approved information 

collection in support of the programs for 

7 CFR part 1806, subpart A, ‘‘Real 

Property Insurance.’’ This renewal does 

not involve any revisions to the program 

regulations. 

DATES: Comments on this notice must be 

received on or before August 27, 2007 

to be assured of consideration. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Cathy Quayle, Senior Loan Officer, 

USDA, FSA, Farm Loan Programs, Loan 

Making Division, 1400 Independence 

Avenue, SW., Stop 0522, Washington, 

DC 20250–0522, telephone (202) 690–

4018. Electronic mail: 

Cathy.Quayle@wdc.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: 7 CFR, Part 1806–A—Real 

Property Insurance. 

OMB Number: 0575–0087. 

Expiration Date of Approval: 

November 30, 2007. 

Type of Request: Extension of a 

currently approved information 

collection. 

Abstract: This regulation governs the 

servicing of property insurance on 

buildings and land securing the interest 

of the Farm Service Agency (FSA) in 

connection with an FSA Farm Loan 

Program Loan and the Multi-Family 

Housing Program of the Rural Housing 

Service (RHS). The information 

collections pertain primarily to the 

verification of insurance on property 

securing Agency loans. This information 

collection is submitted by FSA or RHS 

borrowers to Agency offices. It is 

necessary to protect the government 

from losses due to weather, natural 

disasters, or fire and ensure that loan 

applicants meet hazard insurance 

requirements: 

Estimate of Respondent Burden: 

Public reporting for this collection of 

information is estimated to average .47 

minutes per response. 

Respondents: Individuals or 

households, businesses or other for 

profit organizations and farms. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

4,550. 

Estimated Number of Responses per 

Respondent: 1.17. 

Estimate Number of Responses: 5,330. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 2,275. 

Copies of this information collection 

can be obtained from: Renita Bolden, 

Regulations and Paperwork 

Management Branch, Support Services 

Division at (202) 692–0035. 

Comments: Comments are invited on: 

(a) Whether the proposed collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the functions of subject 

agencies, including whether the 

information will have practical utility; 

(b) the accuracy of agencies estimate of 

the burden of the proposed collection of 

information including the validity of the 

methodology and assumptions used; (c) 

ways to enhance the quality, utility and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; and (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. Comments may be sent to 

Renita Bolden, Regulations and 

Paperwork Management Branch, 

Support Services Division, U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Rural 

Development, STOP 0742, 1400 

Independence Avenue, SW., 

Washington, DC 20250. 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. 

Dated: June 20, 2007. 

Russell T. Davis, 

Administrator, Rural Housing Service. 

Dated: June 14, 2007. 

Teresa C. Lasseter, 

Administrator, Farm Service Agency. 

[FR Doc. 07–3164 Filed 6–27–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–XV–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Little Slate Project; Nez Perce National 

Forest, Idaho County, ID 

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an 

environmental impact statement. 

SUMMARY: The USDA, Forest Service, 

Nez Perce National Forest will prepare 

an environmental impact statement 

(EIS) to document analysis and disclose 

the environmental impacts of 

implementing watershed improvement 

activities and timber harvest and within 

the Little Slate project area. Actions 

include: Construction of temporary 

roads, road reconstruction, road 

decommissioning of existing roads that 

are no longer needed, trail relocation 

and watershed, riparian and soil 

restoration. Individuals interested in 

actions of this nature are encouraged to 

submit comments and become involved 

in the planning process. 

DATES: Comments concerning the scope 

of the analysis should be received at the 

address below on or before July 20, 

2007. The draft environmental impact 

statement is expected to be released for 

public comment in November 2007 and 

the final environmental impact 

statement is expected to be completed 

in May 2008. 

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to 

Jane Cottrell, Forest Supervisor, 1005 

Highway 13, Grangeville, ID 83530, or 

via facsimile to 208–983–4099. 

Comments may be sent via e-mail to 

comments-northern-nezperce-salmonmstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES

35424 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 124 / Thursday, June 28, 2007 / Notices 

river@fs.fed.us. The subject line must 

contain the name ‘‘Little Slate Project’’, 

for which you are submitting comments 

or address with ATTN: Little Slate on 

written correspondence. 

Individuals who use 

telecommunication devices for the deaf 

(TDD) may call the Federal Information 

Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 

between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern 

Time, Monday through Friday. 

All comments, including names and 

addresses, when provided, are placed in 

the record and are available for public 

inspection and copying. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jennie Fischer, Team Leader, Nez Perce 

National Forest, 1005 Highway 13, 

Grangeville, ID 83530, or phone (208) 

983–4048. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Little 

Slate project area is located on the Nez 

Perce National Forest in northern Idaho 

within Idaho County. The project area 

lies approximately 14 air miles 

northeast of Riggins, Idaho and 25 air 

miles south of Grangeville, Idaho. The 

project area encompasses approximately 

35,000 acres and includes Upper and 

Middle Little Slate Creek, Boulder 

Creek, Van Buren, Turnbull, and Rubie 

Creek subwatersheds, which are 

tributaries to Slate Creek, which flows 

directly into the Lower Salmon River. 

The project area also includes small 

portions of John Day, Allison Creek and 

White Sand Creek. 

Purpose and Need for Action 

There is a need to improve watershed 

conditions, manage and restore forest 

vegetation, and reduce hazardous fuels. 

Components of this project include: 

Timber harvest, fuels reduction, 

watershed and soil restoration, mine 

reclamation and access management 

(roads and trail). 

The actions proposed for 

implementation would treat vegetation, 

including the use of timber harvest, 

through the following activities: 

Forest vegetation would be treated 

using a combination of methods on 

approximately 4,104 acres. This 

combination would result in some 

regeneration (clearcut) harvest (2,165 

acres), shelterwood harvest (649 acres), 

and commercial thinning (1290 acres). 

Ground based logging systems would be 

used and post-harvest activity fuels 

treated. Approximately 17.4 miles of 

temporary road would be constructed to 

access the timber harvest areas 

described above, and decommissioned 

following activities. Approximately 4.9 

miles of road reconstruction would 

occur on the #643 road for hauling. 

Approximately 72 miles of existing 

roads would be reconditioned (deferred 

maintenance activities) and for 

watershed improvement prior to use for 

the activities. A combination of slashing 

and burning on approximately 860 acres 

would be used to enhance Whitebark 

pine regeneration in four high elevation 

areas. Broadcast burning 1,329 acres 

following harvest activities and allow 

backing of fire into riparian area within 

lodgepole pine areas. Re-develop a 

Forest Service rock source would 

provide material for this project and 

others across the forest (1 acre). 

As part of this project, activities 

would be implemented to meet Forest 

Plan requirements for upward trend in 

fish habitat and water quality. The 

amount of watershed restoration work 

required to produce an upward trend 

has not yet been determined. These 

following activities would maintain or 

improve watershed conditions in the 

subwatersheds in the project area. 

Reducing water quality impacts on 

existing roads, including those planned 

for use under this project through road 

reconditioning. Reduce impacts from 

Trails, #88, #303, #308 through 

relocation (2.85 miles), new 

construction (2.9 miles) and 

decommissioned (3.2 miles). Reduce 

impacts and maintain Trail #133. 

Decommission approximately 47 miles 

of existing road using techniques 

ranging from abandonment, or recontouring. Restore soil productivity 

and watershed function on 

approximately 30 acres of previously 

impacted areas. Improve channel 

morphology, floodplain function and 

instream habitat through riparian 

restoration on approximately 2.5 miles 

of Little Slate Creek. Planting riparian 

areas with native grasses, forbs and 

woody species where needed to 

promote bank stability and/or 

streamside shade. Approximately 20–50 

acres would be treated to stabilize and 

reduce gully and surface erosion a result 

of historic grazing on sensitive soils 

near Nut Basin point. Channel 

stabilization (5 sites) where channel 

headcutting is occurring, in riparian 

areas with historic mining activity. 

Mine rehabilitation to reduce erosion 

and water quality impacts at 10 inactive 

placer sites. Improving upstream 

passage for fish and other aquatic 

species at 6 road crossing sites 

identified as being full or partial 

barriers. Improving or removing road 

crossing (15 stream crossings) that may 

be undersized to accommodate a 100-yr 

streamflows, including associated 

bedload and debris; and prevent 

diversion of streamflow out of the 

channel and down the road in the event 

of blockage. 

Forest Plan Amendment 

It is likely that a Forest Plan 

amendment would be needed to allow 

implementation of timber harvest and 

fuel reduction activities in some areas 

with past ground disturbance. This 

amendment would also be applied 

forest-wide. 

Past activities have caused 

detrimental soil disturbance in some 

areas proposed for timber harvest. The 

proposed amendment would state, 

‘‘Where detrimental soil conditions 

from past activities affect 15 percent or 

less of the activity area, a cumulative 

minimum of 85 percent of the activity 

area shall not be detrimentally 

compacted, displaced, or puddled upon 

completion of activities’’ and ‘‘Where 

detrimental soil conditions from past 

activities affect more than 15 percent of 

the activity area, the cumulative 

detrimental soil disturbance from 

project implementation and past 

activities shall not exceed the 

conditions prior to the planned activity 

and shall provide a net improvement in 

soil quality.’’ This would provide 

consistency with Regional soil quality 

guidelines. 

Scoping Process 

This Notice of Intent initiates the 

scoping process in compliance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act and 

its implementing regulations (40 CFR 

part 1500). As part of the scoping 

period, the Forest Service solicits public 

comment on the nature and scope of the 

environmental, social, and economic 

issues related to the rulemaking that 

should be analyzed in depth in the Draft 

Environmental Impact Statement. A 

scoping letter outlining these actions 

described here is being mailed to over 

400 interested individuals and 

organizations. In addition, the Salmon 

River Ranger District will post notices 

within the project area this summer 

along roads and trails solicit comments 

on the proposal. The Draft 

Environmental Impact Statement will be 

mailed to all those who responded 

during the scoping period. 

Preliminary Issues 

The Interdisciplinary Team has 

identified preliminary issues associated 

with potential effects on the proposed 

activities: On threatened and 

endangered wildlife species and habitat; 

on old growth; on soil productivity; on 

threatened, endangered and sensitive 

fish and fish habitat; on the consistency 

with the anticipated total Maximum 

Daily Load (TMDL) for the 303(d) listed 

streams in the Lower Salmon River, on 

Inventoried Roadless Area or unroaded 

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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 124 / Thursday, June 28, 2007 / Notices 35425 

areas; on Riparian Habitat Conservation 

Area; and on changes to public access 

on roads and trails, including 

recreational and mining claim access. 

Possible Alternatives 

The NEPA implementing regulations 

require that an Environmental Impact 

Statement evaluate alternatives. possible 

alternatives to be considered in the Draft 

Environmental Impact Statement 

include: No activities in Inventory 

Roadless Areas and decommissioning of 

the end of #2002 Road from the junction 

of the #2002C Road. 

Additional alternatives may arise 

from public comments, analysis or new 

information. 

Decision To Be Made 

The decisions to be made in response 

to this analysis include (1) Are 

vegetation management and restoration 

activities needed and if so where, what 

activities, when and how would they be 

implemented? (2) What transportation 

systems (road and trail) are necessary in 

the analysis area and how will they be 

managed? (3) Are the fish habitat and 

water quality improvement activities for 

Forest Plan upward trend requirements 

needed and if so where, when and how 

would they be implemented? (4) What 

mitigation is needed to assure forest 

management activities are consistent 

with the Nez Perce Forest Plan and 

environmental law? (5) is the 

amendment, for soils, to the Nez Perce 

Forest Plan necessary to implement the 

proposed actions and other future 

activities? (6) What implementation and 

effectives monitoring is needed? 

Estimate Dates 

The responsible official for this 

project is the Nez Perce Forest 

Supervisor. Comments to this notice 

should be sent to the address and 

contacts identified above and should be 

submitted within 30 days of publication 

of this notice in the Federal Register. A 

Draft Environmental Impact Statement 

(EIS) is expected to be available in 

November 2007 and a Final EIS in May 

2008. Should an action alternative be 

selected, implementation would be 

initiated in the spring of 2009. 

Implementation of any or all of the 

actions authorized with this decision 

may occur utilizing the stewardship 

contracting authorities granted in 

Section 347 of the 1999 Interior 

Appropriations Bill. 

Comments Requested 

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. 

Reviewers should provide their 

comments during the comment period. 

Timely comments will enable the 

agency to analyze and respond to them 

at one time and to use them in the 

preparation of the Environmental 

Impact Statement, thus avoiding undue 

delay in the decision-making process. 

Furthermore, the more specific and 

substantive the comments, the better for 

reviewers and the agency alike. 

Reviewers have an obligation to 

‘‘structure their participation in the 

National Environmental Policy Act 

process so that it is meaningful and 

alerts the agency to the reviewer’s 

position and contentions.’’ Vermont 

Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v. NRDC, 

435 U.S. 519, 552 (1978). Dept. of 

Transportation v. Public Citizen, 541 

U.S. 752, 764 (2004). Environmental 

concerns that could have been raised at 

the draft stage may therefore be forfeited 

if not raised until after completion of 

the Final Environmental Impact 

Statement. Comments on the draft 

should be specific and should address 

the adequacy of the draft and the merits 

of the alternatives discussed (40 CFR 

1503.3). 

Dated: June 22, 2007. 

Jane L. Cottrell, 

Forest Supervisor, Nez Perce National Forest. 

[FR Doc. 07–3158 Filed 6–27–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

Foreign–Trade Zones Board 

Change of Address 

The office of the Foreign–Trade Zones 

(FTZ) Board staff has moved within the 

Herbert Clark Hoover Building (Main 

Commerce Building). Submissions to 

the FTZ Board should hereafter be 

directed to the address below: 

Foreign–Trade-Zones Board, 

U.S. Department of Commerce, 

1401 Constitution Ave. NW., 

Room 2111, 

Washington, DC 20230. 

Dated: June 22, 2007. 

Andrew McGilvray, 

Executive Secretary. 

[FR Doc. E7–12567 Filed 6–27–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–DS–S 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XB02 

Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative 

Management Act Provisions; 

Application for Exempted Fishing 

Permits (EFPs) 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notification of a request for 

EFPs to conduct experimental fishing; 

request for comments. 

SUMMARY: This request for the 

continuation of an EFP involves the 

non-destructive collection of size 

frequency and population data on legal 

and sublegal lobsters as part of an 

ongoing research project to monitor the 

offshore lobster fishery in Lobster 

Management Area 3. Continuation of 

this EFP, until December 31, 2008, 

would not involve the authorization of 

any additional trap gear in the area. A 

maximum of seven participating 

commercial fishing vessels will 

continue the collection of data on the 

composition of lobsters in four general 

offshore study areas in a collaborative 

effort with the Atlantic Offshore 

Lobstermen’s Association (AOLA). 

Continuation of this EFP would 

authorize each participating commercial 

fishing vessel to continue to utilize one 

modified juvenile lobster collector trap 

to collect population data. The lobster 

trap modifications are to the escape 

vents, and trap entrance head. 

Therefore, this modified trap would 

impact its environment no differently 

than the regular lobster trap it replaces 

and will add no additional traps to the 

area. After data is collected on lobsters 

in the trap, all sub-legal lobsters will be 

immediately returned to the sea. The 

EFP waives the American lobster escape 

vent requirement for a maximum of one 

trap per vessel for a maximum of seven 

vessels in the program. 

The Director, State, Federal and 

Constituent Programs Office, Northeast 

Region, NMFS (Office Director) has 

made a preliminary determination that 

the subject EFP application contains all 

the required information and warrants 

further consideration. The Office 

Director has also made a preliminary 

determination that continuation of the 

activities authorized under the EFPs 

would be consistent with the goals and 

objectives of Federal management of the 

American lobster resource. However, 

further review and consultation may be 

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