Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 26 / Tuesday, February 8, 2011 / Notices 6759 

Total Burden Hours: 1,091,785. 

Charlene Parker, 

Departmental Information Collection 

Clearance Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2011–2733 Filed 2–7–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–XT–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Submission for OMB Review; 

Comment Request 

February 3, 2011. 

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 and 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), 

OIRA_Submission@OMB.EOP.GOV or 

fax (202) 395–5806 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) 720–8681. 

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. 

Forest Service 

Title: Contract Operations and 

Administration. 

OMB Control Number: 0596–NEW. 

Summary of Collection: The Forest 

Service (FS) is authorized under the 

National Forest Management Act (16 

U.S.C. 472a); Food, Conservation, and 

Energy Act of 2008; 7 CFR 3017; 

Executive Order 11246, as amended by 

EO 11375 and EO 12086; 36 CFR 

223.30–60 and 36 CFR 223.110–118; 40 

CFR 112 and Forest Resources 

Conservation and Shortage Relief Act of 

1990, § 620d Monitoring and 

Enforcement, as amended in 1997 by 

Public Law 105–83 and current through 

Public Law 110–450 to collect 

information associated with operations 

and administration of bilateral contracts 

for the sale of timber and other forest 

products. 

Need and Use of the Information: The 

information is needed by the FS for a 

variety of uses associated with 

operations and administration of 

contracts for the sale of timber and other 

forest products. The information 

collected includes plans, requests, 

agreements and notices necessary for 

operations under the terms of the 

contracts. Each contract specifies the 

information the contractor will be 

required to provide, including the 

timing and frequency of the information 

collection. The information is submitted 

in a variety of formats including FS 

forms; Government Standard forms; 

forms developed by individual 

contractors, charts, maps, e-mail 

messages and letters. 

Description of Respondents: Business 

or other for-profit; Farms; Not-for-profit 

institutions. 

Number of Respondents: 1,539. 

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: 

Annually; Semi-annually; Monthly; On 

occasion. 

Total Burden Hours: 91,355. 

Charlene Parker, 

Departmental Information Collection 

Clearance Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2011–2728 Filed 2–7–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2010–0047] 

Monsanto Company and KWS SAAT 

AG; Decision With Respect to the 

Petition for Partial Deregulation of 

Genetically Engineered Roundup 

Ready Sugar Beets 

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: We are advising the public of 

our decision to ‘‘partially deregulate’’ 

Roundup Ready® sugar beets developed 

by the Monsanto Company (Monsanto) 

and KWS SAAT AG (KWS), designated 

as event H7–1, in response to a 

supplemental Monsanto/KWS petition 

requesting partial deregulation of event 

H7–1. APHIS has determined that it 

will, for an interim period of time, grant 

the petition in part. APHIS will grant a 

partial deregulation for event H7–1 

sugar beet root crop production 

activities when conducted under certain 

mandatory conditions. APHIS has 

decided not to grant partial deregulation 

for event H7–1 sugar beet seed crop 

production. Rather, APHIS has decided 

that event H7–1 sugar beet seed 

production shall remain regulated under 

APHIS’ regulations governing the 

introduction of certain genetically 

engineered organisms. Our decision 

granting the petition in part on an 

interim basis is based on our evaluation 

of data submitted by Monsanto and 

KWS in its supplemental petition for a 

determination of ‘‘partial deregulation,’’ 

our analysis of other scientific data, and 

comments received from the public in 

response to our previous notice 

announcing the availability of the 

environmental assessment (EA) 

associated with the supplemental 

petition for partial deregulation. This 

notice also announces the availability of 

our written decision, final EA, and 

finding of no significant impact. 

DATES: Effective Date: February 8, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: You may read the 

documents referenced in this notice and 

the comments we received 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. 

Documents referenced in this notice 

are also available on the Internet at 

http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/ 

component/ 

main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS– 

2010–0047. 

Other Information: Additional 

information about APHIS and its 

programs is available on the Internet at 

http://www.aphis.usda.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

David Reinhold, Assistant Director, 

Environmental Risk Analysis Programs, 

BRS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 146, 

Riverdale, MD 20737–1238; (301) 734– 

0660. 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
6760 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 26 / Tuesday, February 8, 2011 / Notices 

1To review the notice and the supporting and 

related material, go to http:// 

www.regulations.gov;fdmspublic/component/ 

main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS–2010–0047. 

To enter into a compliance agreement 

to introduce event H7–1 sugar beet root 

crop, contact APHIS’ Regulatory 

Operations Programs at (301) 734–5301. 

To obtain copies of the documents 

referenced in this notice, contact Ms. 

Cindy Eck at (301) 734–0667, e-mail: 

cynthia.a.eck@aphis.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

The regulations in 7 CFR part 340, 

‘‘Introduction of Organisms and 

Products Altered or Produced Through 

Genetic Engineering Which Are Plant 

Pests or Which There Is Reason to 

Believe Are Plant Pests,’’ regulate, 

among other things, the introduction 

(importation, interstate movement, or 

release into the environment) of 

organisms and products altered or 

produced through genetic engineering 

that are plant pests or that there is 

reason to believe are plant pests. Such 

genetically engineered organisms and 

products are considered ‘‘regulated 

articles.’’ 

On November 4, 2010, the Animal 

and Plant Health Inspection Service 

(APHIS) published a notice 1 in the 

Federal Register (75 FR 67945–67946, 

Docket No. APHIS–2010–0047) 

announcing the availability of an 

environmental assessment for a 

supplemental petition from the 

Monsanto Company (Monsanto) and 

KWS SAAT AG (KWS) requesting 

‘‘partial deregulation’’ or similar 

administrative action under 7 CFR part 

340 (referred to below as the 

regulations) for sugar beets (Beta 

vulgaris ssp. vulgaris) designated as 

event H7–1. These sugar beets have 

been genetically engineered for 

tolerance to the herbicide glyphosate 

and are considered regulated articles 

under the regulations in 7 CFR part 340. 

The supplemental petition seeks action 

by APHIS that would authorize the 

continued cultivation of H7–1 sugar 

beets, subject to carefully tailored 

interim measures. 

APHIS received 3,722 comments 

during the comment period. There were 

3,058 comments from groups or 

individuals who supported the ‘‘partial 

deregulation’’ and 633 from those who 

opposed the ‘‘partial deregulation.’’ 

APHIS has addressed the issues raised 

during the comment period and has 

provided responses to these comments 

as an attachment to the finding of no 

significant impact. 

The supplemental petition is related 

to a petition submitted by Monsanto and 

KWS to APHIS on November 19, 2003, 

seeking a determination of nonregulated 

status for event H7–1 sugar beets 

(Petition 03–323–01). On October 19, 

2004, APHIS published a notice in the 

Federal Register (69 FR 61466–61467, 

Docket No. 04–075–1) announcing that 

the Monsanto/KWS petition and an 

environmental assessment (EA) were 

available for public review. On March 

17, 2005, we published a notice in the 

Federal Register (70 FR 13007–13008, 

Docket No. 04–075–2) advising the 

public of our determination, effective 

March 4, 2005, that event H7–1 sugar 

beets were fully deregulated and no 

longer considered a regulated article 

under the regulations. On September 21, 

2009, the U.S. District Court for the 

Northern District of California issued a 

ruling in a lawsuit challenging APHIS’ 

decision to deregulate event H7–1 sugar 

beets, finding that APHIS should have 

completed an environmental impact 

statement (EIS) prior to granting full 

deregulation of H7–1 sugar beets. Later, 

on August 13, 2010, the Court vacated 

APHIS’ decision to deregulate event 

H7–1 sugar beets until APHIS prepares 

a full EIS prior to a further decision on 

the petition for full deregulation and 

remanded the matter to APHIS. 

Accordingly, event H7–1 sugar beets 

once again became a regulated article 

subject to APHIS’ regulatory oversight 

under 7 CFR part 340 and the Plant 

Protection Act. 

National Environmental Policy Act 

To provide the public with 

documentation of APHIS’ review and 

analysis of any potential environmental 

impacts associated with Monsanto/ 

KWS’ petition for ‘‘partial deregulation’’ 

for event H7–1 sugar beets, an EA was 

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). 

The draft EA considered and 

evaluated a range of alternatives. 

APHIS’ preferred alternative is an 

interim partial deregulation—a 

combination of alternatives 2 and 3. The 

preferred alternative incorporates 

specific aspects of both alternatives 2 

and 3. Under this preferred alternative, 

pursuant to § 340.6 of the regulations, 

APHIS will partially deregulate the 

event H7–1 sugar beet root crop. APHIS 

has determined that they will not be 

subject to requirements of 7 CFR part 

340 if they are grown under the 

mandatory conditions established by 

APHIS. Event H7–1 sugar beet root crop 

production activities conducted under 

these mandatory conditions will not be 

considered regulated under 7 CFR part 

340. Event H7–1 sugar beet seed crop 

will remain regulated subject to 

requirements of 7 CFR part 340, 

requiring a permit or notification for 

movement and environmental release. 

Under the partial, conditional 

deregulation, APHIS will require 

compliance with mandatory conditions 

for the root crop that will restrict its 

movement and environmental release 

via APHIS compliance agreements 

authorized under the Plant Protection 

Act. Any person who wants to enter into 

a compliance agreement must first 

contact APHIS’ Regulatory Operations 

Programs by calling the phone number 

listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT to enter into a compliance 

agreement in advance of the 

introduction. 

This preferred alternative, including a 

conditional, partial deregulation, is an 

interim action that is limited in scope 

and duration and will neither result in 

significant impacts to the human 

environment nor prejudice any decision 

to be analyzed in the forthcoming EIS 

for a determination regarding full 

deregulation of event H7–1 sugar beets. 

APHIS has determined that the 

mandatory conditions imposed 

pursuant to the partial deregulation of 

event H7–1 sugar beet root crop, as well 

as permitting of the seed crop under 7 

CFR part 340, ensures that the 

implementation of this interim 

regulatory action will not result in any 

environmental impacts which may 

significantly affect the quality of the 

human environment. The mandatory 

conditions will also effectively ensure 

that no potentially harmful economic or 

marketing impacts will occur in the 

interim while APHIS completes its EIS 

prior to making a determination on 

whether or not to grant full 

nonregulated status to event H7–1 sugar 

beets. 

Determination 

Based on APHIS’ analysis of data 

submitted by Monsanto and KWS, 

references provided in the petition, 

information analyzed in the plant pest 

risk assessment and the EA, comments 

provided by the public, and information 

provided in APHIS’ response to those 

public comments, APHIS has 

determined that event H7–1 sugar beet 

root crop grown under mandatory 

conditions is unlikely to pose a plant 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 26 / Tuesday, February 8, 2011 / Notices 6761 

pest risk and should not be subject to 

the requirements of 7 CFR part 340. 

APHIS has reached this determination 

based on its plant pest risk assessment. 

APHIS has determined that event H7–1 

sugar beet root crop production does not 

pose a plant pest risk and should not be 

subject to the requirements of our 

regulations in 7 CFR part 340 if grown 

under the mandatory conditions 

established by APHIS. Further, APHIS 

has concluded that granting partial 

deregulation of the H7–1 sugar beet root 

crop under certain conditions and 

allowing the seed crop to be planted 

under the requirements of 7 CFR part 

340 will have no significant 

environmental effect on the human 

environment. 

This granting of a partial deregulation 

for root crop production is an interim 

partial deregulation for the root crop 

with required conditions until an EIS is 

completed regarding the Monsanto/ 

KWS petition for a full deregulation of 

event H7–1. APHIS expects to complete 

the EIS by May 2012, but unforeseen 

conditions may affect the specific 

completion date of the EIS. This interim 

partial deregulation of event H7–1 root 

crop and root production activities, 

along with the interim permitting of 

event H7–1 seed crop under 7 CFR part 

340, will remain in effect through 

December 31, 2012, to allow the 

harvesting and processing of the 2012 

commercial root crop and seed crop 

unless APHIS issues a final EIS, record 

of decision, and a determination 

decision for a full deregulation of event 

H7–1 sugar beets before those harvests 

are completed in 2012. 

Copies of the signed determination 

document, as well as copies of the 

petition, pest risk assessment, EA, 

finding of no significant impact, and 

response to comments are available as 

indicated in the ADDRESSES and FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT sections 

of this notice. 

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7701–7772 and 7781– 

7786; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 

371.3. 

Done in Washington, DC, this 4th day of 

February 2011. 

Cindy J. Smith, 

Administrator, Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–2878 Filed 2–7–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Daniel Boone National Forest 

Resource Advisory Committee 

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of meeting. 

SUMMARY: The Daniel Boone National 

Forest Resource Advisory Committee 

will meet in London, Kentucky. The 

committee is authorized under the 

Secure Rural Schools and Community 

Self-Determination Act (Pub. L. 110– 

343) and in compliance with the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act. The primary 

objective of the meeting is to review 

proposed project applications. 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

Monday, March 7, 2011 at 6 p.m. EST. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the Cumberland Valley Area 

Development District, 342 Old Whitley 

Road, London, KY 40744 in a meeting 

room on the basement floor. Written 

comments should be sent to Kimberly 

Morgan, Daniel Boone National Forest, 

1700 Bypass Road, Winchester, KY 

40391. Comments may also be sent via 

e-mail to kmorgan@fs.fed.us or via 

facsimile to 859–744–1568. All 

comments, including names and 

addresses when provided, are placed in 

the record and are available for public 

inspection and copying. The public may 

inspect received comments at Daniel 

Boone National Forest, 1700 Bypass 

Road, Winchester, KY 40391. Visitors 

are encouraged to call ahead at 859– 

745–3100 to arrange an appointment. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kimberly Morgan, RAC Coordinator, 

USDA, Daniel Boone National Forest, 

1700 Bypass Road, Winchester, KY 

40391; (859) 745–3100; E-mail 

kmorgan@fs.fed.us. 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 

Standard Time, Monday through Friday. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

meeting is open to the public. The 

following business will be conducted: 

(1) Review committee operating guide; 

(2) Discuss mileage reimbursement for 

committee members; (3) Review and 

discuss submitted project applications; 

(4) Vote to approve project proposals; 

and (5) Public Comments. Persons who 

wish to bring related matters to the 

attention of the Resource Advisory 

Committee may file written statements 

with the committee staff before or after 

the meeting. 

Dated: February 1, 2011. 

Frank R. Beum, 

Forest Supervisor, Daniel Boone National 

Forest. 

[FR Doc. 2011–2682 Filed 2–7–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Federal Advisory Committee Meeting 

To Be Held Authorized Under the 

Secure Rural Schools Act and 

Community Self-Determination Act, 

Public Law 110–343 

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA 

ACTION: Announcement of meeting. 

SUMMARY: On February 28, 2011, the 

U.S. Forest Service will host a meeting 

of the federally designated Secure Rural 

Schools Resource Advisory Committee 

(RAC). The public is invited to attend 

the meeting and provide input. A 

Secure Rural Schools RAC provides 

advice and recommendations to the 

Forest Service on the development and 

implementation of special projects as 

authorized under the Secure Rural 

Schools and Community SelfDetermination Act, Public Law 110–343. 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

February 28, 2011 from 12–4. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting location is U.S. 

Forest Service, Osceola Ranger District, 

24874 U.S. Highway 90, Olustee, 

Florida 32072. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Denise Rains, Public Services Staff 

Officer, 850–523–8568, e-mail 

drains@fs.fed.us. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Florida’s 

RAC consists of 15 people selected to 

serve on the committee by Secretary of 

Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Members are 

from throughout the state and represent 

varied interests and areas of expertise. 

They will work collaboratively to 

improve working relationships among 

community members and national forest 

personnel. 

Five Florida counties, Liberty, 

Wakulla, Columbia, Baker and Marion, 

elected to set aside a percentage of their 

Secure Rural Schools payment. Counties 

receive a payment annually for having 

National Forest lands within their 

boundaries. The RAC will ultimately 

review and recommend projects to be 

funded from this money. 

Projects approved must benefit 

National Forests lands and can maintain 

infrastructure, improve the health of 

watersheds and ecosystems, protect 

communities, and strengthen local 

economies. 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES