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

19470

Vol. 63, No. 75

Monday, April 20, 1998

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection

Service

[Docket No. 98–047–1]

Secretary’s Advisory Committee on

Foreign Animal and Poultry Diseases;

Meeting

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health

Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY: We are giving notice of a

meeting of the Secretary’s Advisory

Committee on Foreign Animal and

Poultry Diseases.

PLACE, DATES, AND TIME OF MEETING: The

meeting will be held in Training Rooms

3 and 4 of the USDA Center at

Riverside, 4700 River Road, Riverdale,

MD 20737. Sessions will be held from

8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 5–6, 1998, and

from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on May 7, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.

Quita Bowman, Senior Staff

Veterinarian, Emergency Programs Staff,

VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 41,

Riverdale, MD 20737–1231, (301) 734–

8073; or e-mail:

qbowman@aphis.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Secretary’s Advisory Committee on

Foreign Animal and Poultry Diseases

(the Committee) advises the Secretary of

Agriculture on actions necessary to

prevent the introduction of foreign

diseases of livestock and poultry into

the United States. In addition, the

Committee advises the Secretary on

contingency planning and on

maintaining a state of preparedness to

deal with these diseases, if introduced.

The meeting will focus on the U.S.

animal health emergency management

system and the foreign animal disease

situation worldwide and its relevance to

the United States. The meeting will be

open to the public. However, due to the

time constraints, the public will not be

allowed to participate in the

Committee’s discussions. Written

statements on meeting topics may be

filed with the Committee before or after

the meeting by sending them to Dr.

Quita Bowman at the address listed

under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT. Written comments may also be

filed at the time of the meeting. Please

refer to Docket No. 98–047–1 when

submitting your comments.

This notice of meeting is given

pursuant to section 10 of the Federal

Advisory Committee Act.

Done in Washington, DC, this 15th day of

April 1998.

Charles P. Schwalbe,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant

Health Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. 98–10464 Filed 4–17–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

East Beaver Creek Timber Sale and

Prescribed Burning Project, Targhee

National Forest, Clark County, ID

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare

environmental impact statement.

SUMMARY: The Forest Supervisor of the

Targhee National Forest gives notice of

the agency’s intent to prepare an

environmental impact statement for the

East Beaver Creek Timber Sale and

Prescribed Burning Project. The

proposed action would harvest 4.0

million feet of timber from 1,231 acres

and prescribe burn 2,220 acres with 518

acres of the burning in the timber sale

harvest units. The remaining 1,702 acres

of burning would be in nonforest types.

Two miles of temporary roads would be

built and 2.6 miles of existing roads

reconstructed. East Beaver Creek is

located approximately 15 miles

northeast of Dubois, Idaho. Alternatives

will include the proposed action, no

action, and any alternatives that

respond to significant issues generated

during the scoping process. A more

detailed description is available from

the Dubois Ranger District; see

ADDRESSES below.

DATES: Send written comments and

suggestions on the issues concerning the

proposed action by May 15, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to

Clarence M. Murdock, District Ranger,

Dubois Ranger District, P.O. Box 46,

Dubois, ID 83423.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

John Councilman, Interdisciplinary

Team Leader, phone (208) 558–7301.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Targhee National Forest Revised Land

Management Plan was approved in

1997. One of the decisions in the

Revised Plan was to allow for the

production and utilization of wood fiber

from certain areas of the Forest. The

geographic area where the proposed

action would take place has primarily a

prescription of timber management with

emphasis on big game security (5.1.4b).

Prescriptions for other lands in the area

are described below.

Aquatic Influence Zones (2.8.3)—

Management emphasis is directed at the

application of ecological knowledge to

restore and maintain the health of these

areas in ways that also produce desired

resource values, products, protection,

restoration, enhancement,

interpretation, and appreciation of these

areas.

Visual Quality Maintenance (2.1.2)—

This prescription emphasizes

maintaining the existing visual quality

within major travel corridors with

quality natural vistas, while allowing

livestock production, and other

compatible commodity outputs. There is

no scheduled timber harvesting. No

scheduled harvests means timber

removed from these areas does not

contribute toward the Forests annual

allowable sale quantity.

Initial public involvement will

include mailing maps and a project

description to interested parties to

solicit comments on the proposal.

Preliminary issues include: water

quality, fisheries, elk habitat, and

motorized access by the public.

Additional opportunity to comment

on the project will occur on the draft

Environmental Impact Statement (draft

EIS). The draft EIS is expected to be

filed with the Environmental Protection

Agency and available for public review

in August 1998.

The comment period on the draft EIS

will be 45 days from the date the

Environmental Protection Agency’s

notice of availability appears in the

Federal Register. At the same time,

copies of the draft EIS will be

distributed to interested and affected
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 75 / Monday, April 20, 1998 / Notices 19471

agencies, organizations, tribes, and

members of the public for their review

and comment. It is very important that

those interested in the proposed action

participate at that time.

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 draft environmental impact

statements must structure their

participation in the environmental

review of the proposal so that it is

meaningful and alerts an agency to the

reviewers’ position and contentions.

Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v.

NRDC, 435 U.S. 519, 553 (1978). Also,

environmental objections that could

have been raised at the draft stage but

that are not raised until after completion

of the final environmental impact

statement may be waived or dismissed

by the courts. City of Angoon v. Hodel,

(9th Circuit, 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 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

environmental impact statement.

To assist the Forest Service in

identifying and considering issues and

concerns on the proposed action,

comments on the draft environmental

impact statement 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 environmental

impact 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.

The final EIS is scheduled to be

completed in November 1998. In the

final EIS, the Forest Service is required

to respond to comments received during

the comment period that pertain to the

environmental consequences discussed

in the draft EIS and applicable laws,

regulations, and policies considered in

making the decisions on this proposal.

Responsible Official

Jerry B. Reese, Forest Supervisor, is

the responsible official. As responsible

official, he will document the selected

alternative for the East Beaver Creek

Timber Sale and Prescribed Burning

Project EIS and his rationale in a Record

of Decision.

The decision for the East Beaver Creek

Timber Sale and Prescribed Burning

Project will be subject to Forest Service

Appeal Regulations (36 CFR part 215).

Dated: April 9, 1998.

Jerry B. Reese,

Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 98–10270 Filed 4–17–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Grain Inspection, Packers and

Stockyards Administration

Notice of Request for Extension of a

Currently Approved Information

Collection

AGENCY: Grain Inspection, Packers and

Stockyards Administration, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for

comments.

SUMMARY: In compliance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44

U.S.C. Chapter 35), Grain Inspection,

Packers and Stockyards Administration

(GIPSA) is announcing an opportunity

for the public to comment on its

intention to request an extension for a

currently approved information

collection, ‘‘Guidelines for Preparation

of Research Proposal.’’ These guidelines

provide instructions for submitting

grant proposals requesting funds from

GIPSA for research to develop

procedures and equipment that may be

used to measure grain quality.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be

received by June 19, 1998 to be assured

of consideration.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Steve Tanner, Director, Technical

Services Division, USDA, GIPSA, FGIS

Technical Service Center, 10383 N

Executive Hills Boulevard, Kansas City,

MO 64153–1394; telephone (816–891–

0401).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under

Section 4a of the United States Grain

Standards Act (USGSA; 7 U.S.C. 71 et

seq.), GIPSA is responsible for

establishing grain standards which

accurately describe the quality of grain

being traded and for applying these

standards uniformly in a nationwide

inspection system. Section 16e of the

USGSA authorizes the agency to

conduct a continuing research program

for the purpose of developing methods

to improve accuracy and uniformity in

grading grain. To carry out this

authority, GIPSA maintains an external

research program under which research

scientists are invited to submit research

grant proposals that include the

objectives of the proposed work;

application of the proposed work to the

grain inspection system; the procedures,

equipment, personnel, etc., that will be

used to reach the project objectives; the

cost of the project; a schedule for

completion; qualifications of the

investigator and the grantee

organization; and a listing of all other

sources of financial support for the

project. GIPSA utilizes the Guidelines

for Preparation of Research Proposals to

assist grant applicants with preparation

of grant proposals.

Title: Guidelines for Preparation of

Research Proposal.

OMB Number: 0580–0014.

Expiration Date of Approval: August

31, 1998.

Type of Request: Extension of a

currently approved information

collection.

Abstract: The Grain Inspection,

Packers and Stockyards Administration

is interested in supporting research to

develop procedures and equipment that

may be used to measure grain quality.

The Guidelines for Preparation of

Research Proposal provides instructions

for submitting grant proposals

requesting funds from GIPSA for this

purpose.

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting

for this collection of information is

estimated to average 20 hours per

response.

Respondents: Organizations who

employ scientists and engineers who do

research and development on

procedures and equipment which may

be used to provide measurement of

grain quality.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 3.

Estimated Number of Responses per

Respondent: 1.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on

Respondents: 60.

Copies of this information collection

can be obtained from Cathy McDuffie,

the Agency Support Services Specialist,

at (301) 734–5190.

Comments

Comments are invited on: (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 the burden of the

proposed collection of information,

including the validity of the

methodology and assumptions used; (c)

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the

burden of the collection of information