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

70689

Vol. 65, No. 228

Monday, November 27, 2000

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Submission for OMB Review;

Comment Request

November 20, 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 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 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, DC 20503 and to

Departmental Clearance Office, USDA,

OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC

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.

Agricultural Research Service

Title: Grant Application Package

OMB Control Number: 0518–0025

Summary of Collection: The

Agricultural Research Service (ARS)

awards grant under the general

authority of 7 U.S.C. 3318, delegated to

the Administrator of ARS at 7 CFR part

2, Sec. 2.65. ARS serves as the primary

research organization of the Department

of Agriculture and conducts in-house

research in over 100 ARS laboratories

focused on the critical needs of

American agriculture. ARS’ research

mission involves the development and

execution of national strategies needed

to mobilize resources, foster multidisciplinary research, and link research

to program and policy objectives

established by Congress and the

Department. ARS may accept

unsolicited research grant proposals

demonstrating merit in supporting and/

or stimulating a public purpose and

deemed to be complementary to the

ARS research mission. ARS will collect

information using several forms.

Need and Use of the Information:

ARS will collect information to review

applicant’s qualifications; to comply

with applicable Departmental

regulations governing Federal

assistance; and to facilitate merit review

of research proposals.

Description of Respondents: Not-forprofit institutions; Business or other forprofit; Individuals or households;

Farms; Federal Government, State, Local

or Tribal Government.

Number of Respondents: 2000.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 800.

National Agricultural Statistics Service

Title: National Childhood Agricultural

Injury and Occupational Health Survey

of Minority Farm Operators.

OMB Control Number: 0535–0235.

Summary of Collection: Primary

function of the National Agricultural

Statistics Service (NASS) is to prepare

and issue state and national estimates of

crop and livestock production under the

authority of 7 U.S.C. 2204(a). NASS has

an interagency agreement with the

National Institute of Occupational

Safety Health (NIOSH) to conduct

surveys that target some of the same

population of minority farm operators.

The Minority Childhood Injury and

Occupational Health Survey will

address (1) minority childhood

agricultural injuries and (2)

occupational health of minority of

female farm operators. This study will

provide estimates of childhood nonfatal

injury incidence and description of

injury occurring to children less than 20

years of age who reside, work, or visit

farms operated by minorities.

Need and Use of the Information: The

National Institute of Occupational

Safety Health will use the data to

establish a measure of the number and

rate of childhood injuries associated

with production agriculture, the specific

type of injuries sustained and to,

generate reports and disseminate

information to all interested parties

concerning the findings. The study is

critical in filling a gap regarding

occupational health problems specific to

minority or female farm owner/

operators. If the data were not collected,

NIOSH would be unable to effectively

target funds appropriated by Congress

for the prevention childhood

agricultural injuries.

Description of Respondents; Farms.

Number of Respondents: 60,500.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

Other.

Total Burden Hours: 12,612.

Agricultural Marketing Service

Title: Regulation Governing

Inspection, Certification, and Standards

for Fresh Fruits, Vegetables and Other

Products—7 CFR part 51.

OMB Control Number: 0581–0125.

Summary of Collection: The

Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946

gives authorization to USDA to inspect,

certify and identify the class, quantity,

quality and condition of agricultural

produce when shipped or received in

interstate commerce and to enter into

cooperative agreements with

cooperating Federal-State inspection

Agencies that provide for this

inspection work. The Fresh Products

Branch of the Agricultural Marketing

Service provides a nationwide

inspection and grading service for fresh

fruits, vegetables, and other products to

shippers, importers, processors, sellers,

buyers and other financially interested

parties on a ‘‘user-fee’’ basis. The use of

this service is voluntary and is made

available only upon request or when

specified by some special program or

contact.

70690 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 228 / Monday, November 27, 2000 / Notices

Need and Use of the Information:

Various forms are used to collect

information. Such information includes:

the name and location of the person or

company requesting the inspection, the

type and location of the product to be

inspected, the type of inspection being

requested and any information that will

identify the product. The information

collected is needed to carry out the

inspection and grading services.

Description of Respondents: Business

or other for profit.

Number of Respondents: 51,800.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 6,416.

Farm Service Agency

Title: Report of Acreage.

OMB Control Number: 0560–0004.

Summary of Collection: Land and

crop information is the basic foundation

upon which many of Farm Service

Agency (FSA) programs operate. The

report of acreage is conducted on an

annual basis and is used by FSA’s

county offices to determine eligibility

for benefits that are available to

producers on the farm. The actual

number of producers who must supply

information varies depending on (1) the

type of farming operation, and (2) the

mix of crops planted (which has a direct

relationship to the type of program the

producer is eligible to participate in). In

order to establish eligibility annually for

these programs, a minimal amount of

land and crop data about a producer’s

farming operation is required. The

information is subsequently used to

ensure compliance with program

provisions, to determine actual

production histories, and when disaster

occurs, to verify crop loss. Producers

must provide the information each year

because variables such as previous year

experience, weather projections, market

demand, new farming techniques and

personal preferences affect the amount

of land being farmed, the mix of crops

planted, and the projected harvest. FSA

will collect information verbally from

the producers during visits to the

county offices.

Need and Use of the Information: FSA

will collect one or more of the following

data elements, as required: crop planted,

planting date, crop’s intended use (e.g.,

fresh or processing), type or variety (e.g.,

sweet cherries or tart cherries), practice

(irrigated or non-irrigated), acres,

location of the crop (tract and field), and

the producer’s percent share in the crop

along with the names of other producers

having an interest in the crop.

Once the information is collected and

eligibility established, the information is

used throughout the crop year to ensure

the producer remains compliant with

program provisions. Without a certain

level of information provided each crop

year by the producer, a significant

misuse of public funds could occur.

Description of Respondents: Farms.

Number of Respondents: 650,175.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

Annually.

Total Burden Hours: 1,462,894.

Food and Nutrition Service

Title: Disaster Food Stamp Program.

OMB Control Number: 0584–0336.

Summary of Collection: Section 5(h)

of the Food Stamp Act along with other

related legislative authorities provide

for the Secretary of Agriculture to

establish temporary emergency

standards of eligibility for victims of a

disaster so that food assistance can be

obtained. This assistance becomes

effective in areas designated as a

‘‘major’’ disaster in order to address

temporary food needs of families

affected. The Food and Nutrition

Service (FNS) is delegated the

responsibility to administer the program

and State agencies handle enrollment

and general operation. In order to

determine whether an individual is

eligible for emergency food stamp

assistance an application form must be

completed. The State agencies must

comply with certain reporting

requirements to reconcile the

distribution of food stamps and account

for discrepancies.

Need and Use of the Information:

FNS, through the State agencies, will

collect information from the public to

ensure that individuals who apply for

emergency food stamps are eligible.

Without information from these

individuals, there would be no means

for establishing whether assistance is

warranted. State reporting requirements

are necessary in order to ensure that

States are accountable for the food

stamp coupons it maintains and to

avoid fraud, waste, and abuse in the

Food Stamp Program.

Description of Respondents: State,

Local, or Tribal Government;

Individuals or households.

Number of Respondents: 195,163.

Frequency of Responses:

Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion;

Annually.

Total Burden Hours: 33,335.

Nancy B. Sternberg,

Departmental Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 00–30074 Filed 11–24–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resource Conservation

Service

Holbrook Lake Ditch Watershed, Otero

County, CO

AGENCY: Natural Resource Conservation

Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of a finding of no

significant impact.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c)

of the National Environmental Policy

Act of 1969; the Council on

Environmental Quality Regulations (40

CFR Part 1500); and the Natural

Resource Conservation Service

Regulations (7 CFR Part 650); the

Natural Resource Conservation Service,

U.S. Department of Agriculture, gives

notice that an environmental impact

statement is not being prepared for the

Holbrook Lake Ditch Watershed Project,

Otero County, Colorado.

For further information contact

Stephen F. Black, State Conservationist,

Natural Resource Conservation Service,

655 Parfet St., Lakewood, Colorado,

80215–5517, telephone (303) 236–2886,

ext. 202.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

environmental assessment of this

federally assisted action indicates that

the project will not cause significant

local, regional, or national impacts on

the environment. As a result of these

findings, Stephen F. Black, State

Conservationist, has determined that the

preparation and review of an

environmental impact statement are not

needed for this project.

The project purpose is to reduce

selenium, sediment and other pollutant

loading to the Arkansas River due to

ineffective irrigation water utilization.

The planned works of improvement

include on-farm underground irrigation

pipelines, on-farm concrete irrigation

ditches, land leveling, and underground

drains. These enduring practices are

accompanied by facilitating

management practices such as Residue

Management (seasonal).

The Notice of a Finding of No

Significant Impact (FONSI) has been

forwarded to the Environmental

Protection Agency and to various

Federal, State and Local agencies and

interested parties. A limited number of

copies of the FONSI are available to fill

single copy requests at the above

address. Basic data developed during

the environmental assessment are on

file and may be reviewed by contacting

Stephen F. Black.

No administrative action on

implementation of the proposal will be