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

11413

Vol. 62, No. 48

Wednesday, March 12, 1997

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection

Service

[Docket No. 96–086–2]

Public Meeting; Center for Veterinary

Biologics

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health

Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

SUMMARY: This is the second notice to

producers of veterinary biological

products, product users, and other

interested persons that we are holding a

seventh annual public meeting to

discuss current regulatory and policy

issues related to the manufacture,

distribution, and use of veterinary

biological products. This notice also

announces the agenda for the public

meeting.

PLACE, DATES, AND TIMES OF MEETING: The

seventh annual public meeting will be

held in the Scheman Building at the

Iowa State Center, Ames, IA, on

Tuesday and Wednesday, April 15 and

16, 1997, from 8 a.m. to approximately

5 p.m. each day.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ms. Kay Wessman, Center for Veterinary

Biologics, Inspections and Compliance,

Veterinary Services, APHIS, 223 South

Walnut Avenue, Ames, IA, telephone

(515) 232–5785; fax (515) 232–7120; or

e-mail kwessmanaphis.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Animal and Plant Health Inspection

Service (APHIS) previously announced

that it was scheduling the seventh

annual public meeting on veterinary

biologics in Ames, IA, on April 15 and

16, 1997 (See 61 FR 64499, December 5,

1996, docket No. 96–086–1). In its

notice for the meeting, APHIS requested

interested persons to submit topics to be

included in the meeting’s agenda. Based

on the submissions received and other

considerations, the agenda for the

seventh annual meeting includes, but is

not limited to, the following topics:

1. The Center for Veterinary Biologics;

2. Program activity updates;

3. Postmarketing surveillance;

4. International harmonization;

5. Electronic transmissions;

6. Implementation on 9 CFR 113.8 for

in vitro testing;

7. Regulatory reform;

8. Implementation of new standards

for antibody products;

9. Informal meetings; and

10. Open discussion.

During the ‘‘open discussion’’ portion

of the meeting, attendees will have the

opportunity to present their views on

any matter concerning the APHIS

veterinary biologics program. Comments

may be either impromptu or prepared.

Persons wishing to make a prepared

statement should indicate their

intention to do so at the time of

registration, by indicating the subject of

their remarks and the appropriate time

they would like to speak. APHIS

welcomes and encourages the

presentation of comments at the

meeting.

‘‘Registration forms, lodging

information, and copies of the agenda

for the seventh annual public meeting

may be obtained from the person listed

under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT. Advance registration is

required. The deadline for advance

registration is March 24, 1997. A block

of total rooms has been set aside for this

meeting until this date: Early

reservations is strongly encouraged.

Authority: 21 U.S.C. 151–159.

Done in Washington, DC, this 7th day of

March 1997.

Terry L. Medley,

Administrator, Animal and Plant Health

Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. 97–6202 Filed 3–11–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P

Forest Service

San Juan Wildlife and Fuels

Improvement Projects, Tahoe National

Forest; Nevada County, California

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; Intent to prepare

environmental impact statement.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that

the Forest Service will prepare an

environmental impact statement (EIS)

for a proposal to implement a Fuels and

Wildlife improvement project on the

Nevada County Ranger District. This

project is intended to utilize vegetative

manipulation, biomass removal, and

prescribed fire to lower existing fire

hazards and improve wildlife habitat in

the project area. There will be some

timber harvest included in the project to

help accomplish desired levels of crown

closures and spacing of standing trees.

the EIS described herein pertains only

to the treatment areas as outlined within

the San Juan Project proposals.

The Forest Service gives notice of the

full environmental analysis and

decision making process that will occur

on the Proposed Action so that

interested and affected people, along

with local, State and other Federal

agencies are aware of how they may

participate and contribute to the final

decision. The Tahoe National Forest

invites written input concerning issues

specific to the Proposed Action.

The Proposed Action is to establish a

series of treatment areas over 2,500

acres along the Graniteville Road north

east of Nevada City. The area lies within

the Nevada City Ranger District of the

Tahoe National Forest. The proposed

project includes 700 acres of prescribed

burning, 328 acres of oak culturing, 452

acres of shrub modification, and 1,619

acres of commercial thinning which will

generate approximately 5.2 MMBF. The

intent of the project is to lower levels of

existing living and dead fuels that could

contribute to the spread and intensity of

a wildlife event in the area. The design

of the project will allow the

manipulation of the existing stand

structure to be done in such a manner

that will also enhance wildlife habitat

and migration corridors. The exclusion

of fire from the area over the past 100

years has affected fire potential and has

degraded wildlife habitat due to

overgrowth in the area. Alternatives to

the proposed action will be developed

by March, 1997.

Internal scoping and public comments

to date have identified the following

issues: Affect of project on California

Spotted Owl, Goshawk and deer habitat,

effects of timber harvest on soil stability,

use of prescribed fire near existing

residence, the level of forest products

that the project may provide, visual

integrity of the area, the stability of

affected watersheds and any potential

erosion.
11414 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 48 / Wednesday, March 12, 1997 / Notices

DATES: Input concerning issues with the

Proposed Action must be received by

March 24, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Direct written input and

questions about the Proposed Action

and Environmental Impact Statement to

the Forest Supervisor, Tahoe National

Forest, P.O. Box 6003, Nevada City, CA.

95959–6003. Telephone (916)265–4531.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Howard Carlson, Project Leader, Nevada

City Ranger District, Tahoe National

Forest, P.O. Box 6003, Nevada City, CA.

95959–6003. Telephone (916)265–4531.

SUPPEMENTARY INFORMATION: The EIS

will tier to the Tahoe National Forest

Land and Resource Management Plan

and Forest Plan EIS. The purpose of the

Proposed Action is four-fold.

1. Address public concerns about

potential destruction of private and

public lands due to uncontrolled

wildfires.

2. Improve the existing state of the

forested areas in such a manner that

wildlife within the area will have better

forage, habitat, cover, and migration

corridors.

3. Improve the overall health of the

timber stands by removing undesirable

understory and other weakened or highrisk trees.

4. Provide forest products for the

forest products industry.

Public Scoping Process: A letter

describing the Proposed Action was

mailed to a list of interested parties on

January 9, 1997. An article describing

the project and soliciting information/

concerns from the public was published

in the ‘‘The Union’’ newspaper in Grass

Valley, CA. On February 18, 1997. The

Tahoe National Forest plans to issue a

scoping letter to all interested publics in

March, 1997. A public meeting with

potentially interested parties and

specialists occurred on February 22,

1997.

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.

The Forest Service believes, at this

early stage, it is important to give

reviewers notice of several court rulings

related to public participation in the

environmental review process. First,

reviewers of a draft EIS must structure

their participation in the environmental

review of the proposal so the it is

meaningful and alerts an agency to the

reviewer’s position and contentions.

‘‘Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp.

v. NRDC’’, 435 U.S. 519, 533 (1978).

Also, environmental objections that

could be raised at the draft EIS stage but

that are not raised until after completion

of the final EIS may be waived or

dismissed by the courts. ‘‘City of

Angoon v. Hodel‘‘, 803 F.2d 1016, 1022

(9th Cir. 1986) and ‘‘Wisconsin

Heritages, Inc. v. Harris’’, 490 F Supp.

1334, 1338 (E.D. Wis. 1980). Because of

these court rulings, it is very important

that those interested in this proposed

action participate by the close of the 45-

day comment period on the draft EIS so

that substantive comments and

objections are made available to the

Forest Service at a time when it can

meaningfully consider them and

respond to them in the final EIS.

To assist the Forest Service in

identifying and considering issues and

concerns on the Proposed Action,

comments on the draft EIS should be as

specific as possible. It is also helpful if

comments refer to specific pages or

chapters of the draft statement.

Comments may also address the

adequacy of the draft EIS or the merits

of the alternatives formulated and

discussed in the statement. (Reviewers

may wish to refer to the Council on

Environmental Quality Regulations for

implementing the procedural provisions

of the National Environmental Policy

Act at 40 CFR 1503.3 in addressing

these points.)

A draft EIS is expected to be available

for agency and public review by April

1997. A final EIS is expected to be

completed by June 1997 and

documented by a Record of Decision.

The responsible official for the EIS

and decision is John H. Skinner, Forest

Supervisor, Tahoe National Forest, P.O.

Box 6003, Nevada City, CA 95959–6003.

Dated: March 4, 1997.

John H. Skinner,

Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 97–6138 Filed 3–11–97; 8:45am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

Grain Inspection, Packers and

Stockyards Administration, USDA

Iron Range Livestock Exchange, Inc.;

Aitkin, Minnesota; Correction

A notice of the posting of certain

stockyards listing their facility number,

name, and location was published in the

Federal Register on February 7, 1997,

(62 FR 5795). This notice is to correct

the posting number assigned to Iron

Range Livestock Exchange, Inc., to read

MN–192.

Done at Washington, D.C., this 4th day of

March 1997.

Daniel L. Van Ackeren,

Director, Livestock Marketing Division,

Packers and Stockyards Programs.

[FR Doc. 97–6097 Filed 3–11–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–EN–P

BLACKSTONE RIVER VALLEY

NATIONAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR

COMMISSION

Blackstone River Valley National

Heritage Corridor; Notice of Meeting

Notice is hereby given in accordance

with Section 552b of Title 5, United

States Code, that a meeting of the

Blackstone River Valley National

Heritage Corridor Commission will be

held on Thursday, March 27, 1997.

The Commission was established

pursuant to Public Law 99–647. The

purpose of the Commission is to assist

federal, state and local authorities in the

development and implementation of an

integrated resource management plan

for those lands and waters within the

Corridor.

The meeting will convene at 7:00 p.m.

in the Auditorium of Valley Resource,

Inc., 1595 Mendon Road, Cumberland,

RI for the following reasons:

1. Update on Cumberland Projects

2. Welcome Workshops; The Plan

3. Commission Business

It is anticipated that about twenty

people will be able to attend the session

in addition to the Commission

members.

Interested persons may make oral or

written presentations to the Commission

or file written statements. Such requests

should be made prior to the meeting to:

Susan K. Moore, Executive Director,

Blackstone River Valley National

Heritage Corridor Commission, One

Depot Square, Woonsocket, RI 02895,

Tel.: (401) 762-0250.

Further information concerning this

meeting may be obtained from Susan K.

Moore, Executive Director of the

Commission at the aforementioned

address.

Susan K. Moore,

Executive Director, BRVNHCC.

[FR Doc. 97–5624 Filed 3–6–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–70–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Submission For OMB Review;

Comment Request

DOC has submitted to the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) for