[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 129 (Friday, July 6, 2007)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 36859-36860]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-3281]



========================================================================
Rules and Regulations
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents 
having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed 
to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published 
under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.

The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents. 
Prices of new books are listed in the first FEDERAL REGISTER issue of each 
week.

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 129 / Friday, July 6, 2007 / Rules 
and Regulations

[[Page 36859]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Office of the Secretary

7 CFR Part 2


Revision of Delegations of Authority

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This document delegates authority from the Secretary of 
Agriculture to the Director, Homeland Security Staff (Director), 
designating the Director as the Department official who is responsible 
for providing personal security protection to the Secretary and the 
Deputy Secretary. Therefore, this action revises the delegation of 
authority from the Secretary to the Inspector General to limit the 
involvement of the Inspector General with the personal security of the 
Secretary and the Deputy Secretary. This document also delegates 
authority from the Secretary to the Under Secretary for Natural 
Resources and Environment (NRE) and to the Chief, Forest Service, to 
assist the Director in providing personal security protection to the 
Secretary and the Deputy Secretary in the National Forest System (NFS).

DATES: Effective July 6, 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sheryl K. Maddux, Acting Director, 
Homeland Security Office, USDA, (202) 720-7654.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This action concerns delegations of 
authority regarding the personal security function as it relates to the 
Secretary and the Deputy Secretary. By way of reference, the Secretary 
and the Deputy Secretary are included in a protected class of officials 
under 18 U.S.C. 351, which criminalizes violent crimes committed 
against the head of a department or the second ranking official in such 
department. Through this action, the Secretary delegates authority to 
the Director to provide for the personal security for the Secretary and 
the Deputy Secretary. In addition, this action revises the delegation 
of authority from the Secretary to the inspector General to provide 
that the Inspector General retains the authority to assist the Director 
in providing for the personal security for the Secretary and the Deputy 
Secretary, at the request of the Director. In essence, this action 
transfers the primary responsibility of providing for the personal 
security for the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary from the Inspector 
General to the Director.
    This action also delegates authority from the Secretary to the 
Under Secretary for NRE and to the Chief, Forest Service, to assist the 
Director in performing the personal security function in the NFS. At 
the request of the Director, the Under Secretary for NRE and the Chief, 
Forest Service, have delegated authority to designate Forest Service 
law enforcement personnel to assist the Director in providing for the 
personal security for the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary in the 
NFS.
    This rule relates to internal agency management. Therefore, 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553, notice of proposed rule making and 
opportunity for comment are not required. This rule may be made 
effective less than 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. 
Further, this rule is exempt form the provisions of Executive Order 
12988 and Executive Orders 12866, amended by Executive Order 13258, 
because it relates to internal agency management. In addition, this 
action is exempt from the provisions of the Regulatory Flexibility Act 
(5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) because it is not a rule as defined by that 
statute. Finally, this action does not require review by Congress 
because it is not a rule as defined in 5 U.S.C. 804.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 2

    Authority delegations (Government agencies).

0
Accordingly, 7 CFR part 2 is amended as follows:

PART 2--DELEGATIONS OF AUTHORITY BY THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE 
AND GENERAL OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT

0
1. The authority citation for part 2 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 6912(a)(1), 5 U.S.C. 301; Reorganization 
Plan No. 2 of 1953, 3 CFR, 1949-1953 Comp., p. 1024.

Subpart D--Delegation of Authority to Other General Officers and 
Agency Heads

0
2. Amend Sec.  2.20 to add paragraph (a)(2)(xl) to read as follows:


Sec.  2.20  Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment.

    (a) * * *
    (2) * * *
    (xl) At the request of the Director, Homeland Security Staff 
(Director), designate law enforcement personnel of the Forest Service 
to assist the Director in providing for the personal security for the 
Secretary and the Deputy Secretary in the National Forest System.

0
3. Amend Sec.  2.32 to add paragraph (a)(1)(vii) to read as follows:


Sec.  2.32  Director, Homeland Security Staff.

    (a) * * *
    (1) * * *
    (vii) Provide for the personal security for the Secretary and the 
Deputy Secretary.
* * * * *

0
4. Amend Sec.  2.33 to revise paragraph (a)(2) to read as follows:


Sec.  2.33  Inspector General.

* * * * *
    (2) At the request of the Director, Homeland Security Staff 
(Director), determine the availability of law enforcement personnel of 
the Office of Inspector General to assist the Director in providing for 
the personal security for the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary.
* * * * *

Subpart J--Delegations of Authority by the Under Secretary for 
Natural Resources and Environment

0
5. Amend Sec.  2.60 to add paragraph (a)(49) to read as follows:


Sec.  2.60  Chief, Forest Service.

    (a) * * *
    (49) At the request of the Director, Homeland Security Staff 
(Director), designate law enforcement personnel of the Forest Service 
to assist the Director in providing for the personal security for the 
Secretary and the Deputy Secretary in the National Forest System.
* * * * *


[[Page 36860]]


    Dated: June 29, 2007.
Mike Johanns,
Secretary of Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 07-3281 Filed 7-5-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M