14668 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 59 / Thursday, March 27, 1997 / Notices

Salmon management status by State of

Oregon; (3) South Cascades Late

Successional Reserve Assessment

presentation; (4) Advisory Committee

critique evaluation and

recommendations, and (5) Public

comments. All Province Advisory

committee meetings are open to the

public. Interested citizens are

encouraged to attend.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Direct questions regarding this meeting

to Chuck Anderson, Province Advisory

Committee Staff, USDA, Forest Service,

Rogue River National Forest, 333 W. 8th

Street, Medford, Oregon 97501, phone

541–858–2322.

Dated: March 19, 1997.

James T. Gladen,

Forest Supervisor, Designated Federal

Official.

[FR Doc. 97–7739 Filed 3–26–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

Use of Certified Forage To Prevent the

Spread of Noxious Weeds on National

Forest System Lands in Montana

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of proposed policy;

request for public comment.

SUMMARY: The Regional Forester for the

Northern Region of the Forest Service is

proposing a requirement that would

prohibit the use of hay, grain, straw,

cubes or pelletized feed on National

Forest System lands in Montana unless

it is certified as free of noxious weeds

or noxious weed seeds may be used.

This requirement will affect such users

as recreationists using pack and saddle

stock, ranchers operating under Forest

Service grazing permits, outfitters and

guides operating under Forest Service

permits, and contractors who use straw

or hay for reseeding or erosion control

purposes on National Forest System

administered lands in Montana. This

proposal has been developed in

coordination with the State of Montana

and Bureau of Land Management

Montana State office, which is

publishing a similar proposal in a

separate notice in this same issue of

today’s Federal Register. The intended

effect is to coordinate prevention of the

spread of undesirable weeds on federal

lands in Montana.

DATES: Comments must be received in

writing by March 26, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to

Regional Forester, Forest Service,

USDA, P.O. Box 7669, Missoula, MT

59807.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

James Olivarez, Forest and Rangeland

Staff, Northern Region, Forest Service,

(406) 329–3621.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Noxious

weeds are a serious problem in the

western United States. Species like

Leafy Spurge, Spotted Knapweed, Musk

Thistle, Purple Loosestrife, and others

are alien to the United States and have

no natural enemies to keep their

populations in balance. Consequently,

these undesirable weeds invade healthy

ecosystems, displace native vegetation,

reduce species diversity, and destroy

wildlife habitat. Widespread

infestations lead to soil erosion and

stream sedimentation. Furthermore,

noxious weed invasions weaken

reforestation efforts, reduce forage for

domestic and wild ungulates,

occasionally irritate public land users

by aggravating allergies and other

ailments, and threaten federally

protected plants and animals.

To curb the spread of noxious weeds,

a growing number of Western states

have jointly developed noxious weedfree forage certification standards and,

in cooperation with various Federal,

State and county agencies, have passed

weed control laws. Because hay and

other forage products containing

noxious weed seed are part of the

infestation problem, Montana has

developed a hay inspection,

certification, and identification process;

participates in a regional inspection,

certification, and identification process;

and encourages forage producers to

grow products free of noxious weed

seeds.

Pursuant to 36 CFR § 261.50, the

Regional Forester may issue orders to

close or restrict uses on National Forest

System lands. If adopted, this proposed

requirement to close National Forest

System lands to users who do not use

a certified weed-free forage or similar

product would result in a standard

closure order applicable to all National

Forest System lands in Montana. The

Northern Regional Forester has been

implementing a similar policy on a

forest-by-forest-basis in Montana since

1989. As a result of cooperative efforts

between the State, the Forest Service,

and the Bureau of Land Management

(BLM) Montana State Office, BLM is

proposing a similar standard

requirement for all public lands under

its jurisdiction. The BLM proposal

appears in a separate notice in this issue

of today’s Federal Register.

The Forest Service invites written

comment and suggestions on this

proposal, which will be considered

prior to adoption of a final policy and

issuance of a closure order. Notice of the

final decision will be published in the

Federal Register.

Dated: March 11, 1997.

Kathleen A. McAllister,

Deputy Regional Forester, R–1.

[FR Doc. 97–7754 Filed 3–26–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

Grain Inspection, Packers and

Stockyards Administration

Advisory Committee Meeting

Pursuant to the provisions of section

10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory

Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–463), notice

is hereby given of the following

committee meeting:

Name: Grain Inspection Advisory

Committee.

Date: April 16–17, 1997.

Place: Department of Agriculture, 1400

Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 107–A,

Jamie L. Whitten Federal Building,

Washington, D.C.

Time: 8:30 a.m. April 16–17.

Purpose: To provide advice to the

Administrator of the Grain Inspection,

Packers and Stockyards Administration

(GIPSA) with respect to the implementation

of the U.S. Grain Standards Act (7 U.S.C. 71

et seq.).

The agenda includes: (1) GIPSA

Financial Status, (2) Overview of

International Monitoring Staff, (3) Fee

Schedule for Export Elevators, (4) Hedge

to Arrive Contracts, (5) Equipment

Approval Process, (6) Status of

Electronic Data Entry Activities, (7)

Grain Inspection Automation Policy, (8)

Moisture Instrument Selection Update,

and (9) Online Presentation of the

GIPSA Homepage.

The meeting will be open to the

public. Public participation will be

limited to written statements, unless

permission is received from the

Committee Chairman to orally address

the Committee. Persons, other than

members, who wish to address the

Committee or submit written statements

before or after the meeting, should

contact the Administrator, GIPSA, U.S.

Department of Agriculture, 1400

Independence Avenue, SW, STOP 3601,

Washington, D.C. 20250–3601,

telephone (202) 720–0219 or FAX (202)

205–9237.

Dated: March 20, 1997.

James R. Baker,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 97–7740 Filed 3–26–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–EN–P