This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains notices to the public of the proposed

issuance of rules and regulations. The

purpose of these notices is to give interested

persons an opportunity to participate in the

rule making prior to the adoption of the final

rules.

Proposed Rules Federal Register

16797 

Vol. 74, No. 69 

Monday, April 13, 2009 

1To view the proposed rule, supporting 

documents, and the comments we have received, go 

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

component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS2008-0023. 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

7 CFR Part 340 

[Docket No. APHIS–2008–0023] 

RIN 0579–AC31 

Importation, Interstate Movement, and 

Release Into the Environment of 

Certain Genetically Engineered 

Organisms 

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Proposed rule; notice of public 

meeting and extension of comment 

period. 

SUMMARY: We are advising the public 

that the Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service is holding an issuefocused public meeting on April 29 and 

30, 2009, on its proposed rule, 

‘‘Importation, Interstate Movement, and 

Release Into the Environment of Certain 

Genetically Engineered Organisms.’’ 

The April 2009 issue meeting will 

provide an opportunity for interested 

persons to discuss in a collaborative 

forum the key concerns that were raised 

during the comment period on the 

proposed rule with U.S. Department of 

Agriculture officials and with one 

another. 

DATES: The comment period of the 

proposed rule published at 73 FR 60007, 

Oct. 9, 2008, reopened and extended at 

74 FR 2907, Jan. 16, 2009, is reopened 

and extended until June 29, 2009. The 

public meeting will be held on April 29 

and 30, 2009, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each 

day. We will consider all comments that 

we receive on the proposed rule on or 

before June 29, 2009. 

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be 

held at the USDA Center at Riverside, 

4700 River Road, Riverdale, MD, in 

Conference Room B. For directions or 

facilities information, call (301) 734– 

8010. 

You may submit comments by either 

of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

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

component/ 

main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS2008-0023 to submit or view comments 

and to view supporting and related 

materials available electronically. 

• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: 

Please send two copies of your comment 

to Docket No. APHIS–2008–0023, 

Regulatory Analysis and Development, 

PPD, APHIS, Station 3A–03.8, 4700 

River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 

20737–1238. Please state that your 

comment refers to Docket No. APHIS– 

2008–0023. 

Registration and Other Information: If 

you plan to attend the public meeting, 

please register prior to the meeting at 

http://web01.aphis.usda.gov/ 

BRS_PublicMeeting.nsf/. Additional 

details regarding the agenda and format 

of the meeting are available on the 

APHIS Web site at http:// 

www.aphis.usda.gov/biotechnology/ 

340/340_index.shtml. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

Richard Coker, Biotechnology 

Regulatory Services, APHIS, 4700 River 

Road Unit 147, Riverdale, MD 20737– 

1238; (301) 734–5720. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

On October 9, 2008, the Animal and 

Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) 

published in the Federal Register (73 

FR 60007–60048, Docket No. APHIS– 

2008–0023) a proposal 1 to revise our 

regulations in 7 CFR part 340 regarding 

the importation, interstate movement, 

and environmental release of certain 

genetically engineered (GE) organisms. 

The proposed revisions would bring the 

regulations into alignment with 

authorities of the Plant Protection Act (7 

U.S.C. 7701 et seq.) and update the 

regulations in response to advances in 

genetic science and technology and our 

accumulated experience in 

implementing the current regulations. 

APHIS sought public comment on the 

proposal from October 9, 2008, to 

November 24, 2008. 

On January 16, 2009, APHIS 

published in the Federal Register (74 

FR 2907–2909, Docket No. APHIS– 

2008–0023) a notice announcing the 

reopening of the comment period for the 

proposed rule for an additional 60 days 

and particularly seeking additional 

comments on the following four issues: 

Issue 1: Scope of the regulation and 

which GE organisms should be 

regulated. 

Issue 2: Incorporation into the APHIS 

part 340 regulations the Plant Protection 

Act’s noxious weed authority. 

Issue 3: Elimination of the notification 

procedure and revision of the permit 

procedure. 

Issue 4: Environmental release permit 

categories and regulation of GE crops 

that produce pharmaceutical and 

industrial compounds. 

All four issues were among those that 

have been raised in the comments we 

have received so far on the proposed 

rule. In some cases commenters 

identified concerns about these issues, 

but did not provide specific suggestions 

as to how the proposed rule could be 

modified to address these concerns. By 

extending the comment period, APHIS 

is seeking to increase the transparency 

of the rulemaking process and elicit 

more specific information and detailed 

suggestions regarding these issues. We 

noted in the January 2009 notice 

reopening the comment period that 

APHIS intends to hold an additional 

public meeting on the proposed rule 

during the extended public comment 

period. To ensure that we identified the 

full range of topics for the April 

meeting’s agenda, we held a scoping 

session on March 13, 2009. That scoping 

session was announced in a notice 

published in the Federal Register on 

March 11, 2009 (74 FR 10517–10518, 

Docket No. APHIS–2008–0023). 

The March 13, 2009, scoping session 

began with a discussion of the topics to 

be included on the agenda for the April 

2009 meeting, including the four 

specific issues described above on 

which the Agency is seeking comment. 

Those four issues will be discussed 

during the April 2009 meeting, along 

with other significant issues deemed 

appropriate by APHIS based on 

suggestions offered by those who 

attended the March 2009 scoping 

session. The meeting participants at the 

scoping session also offered suggestions 

regarding collaborative meeting formats 

that could help ensure that the agenda 

issues will be frankly and fully explored 

during the April 2009 meeting. 

16798 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 69 / Monday, April 13, 2009 / Proposed Rules 

This issue-focused meeting will be 

open to the public. The proceedings will 

be transcribed, and the transcripts will 

be made part of the rulemaking record. 

The meeting is intended to provide a 

forum for all interested parties to attend 

and participate in all the discussions to 

foster focused, substantive dialogue on 

the key issues. 

Those wishing to attend the April 29 

and 30, 2009, meeting may register on 

the Internet at http:// 

web01.aphis.usda.gov/ 

BRS_PublicMeeting.nsf/. If you require a 

sign language interpreter or other 

special accommodations, you may 

provide this information when you 

register or by contacting the person 

listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT. 

Parking and Security Procedures 

Please note that a fee of $3.00 in exact 

change is required to enter the parking 

lot at the USDA Center at Riverside. The 

machine accepts $1 bills or quarters. 

Upon entering the building, visitors 

should inform security personnel that 

they are attending the 340 Proposed 

Rule public meeting. State-issued photo 

identification is required and all bags 

will be screened. Security personnel 

will direct visitors to the registration 

tables located outside of Conference 

Room B on the first floor. Registration 

upon arrival is required for all 

participants. 

Extension of Comment Period 

In the March 2009 notice that 

announced the scoping meeting 

described above, we also announced 

that the comment period for the 

proposed rule will be extended for 60 

days following the April meeting, and 

that the new date for the close of the 

comment period would be provided in 

the notice announcing the date and 

other details for the April 2009 meeting. 

The new date for the close of the 

comment period will be June 29, 2009, 

which is 60 days after April 30, 2009, 

the second day of our public meeting. 

Persons wishing to submit written 

comments on the proposed rule may 

continue to do so until June 29, 2009, 

using either of the methods described 

under ADDRESSES above. 

Done in Washington, DC, this 7th day of 

April 2009. 

Kevin Shea, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. E9–8352 Filed 4–10–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

7 CFR Part 905 

[Docket No. AO–85–A10; AMS–FV–07–0132; 

FV08–905–1] 

Oranges, Grapefruit, Tangerines, and 

Tangelos Grown in Florida; Secretary’s 

Decision and Referendum Order on 

Proposed Amendments to Marketing 

Agreement 84 and Order No. 905 

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Proposed rule and referendum 

order. 

SUMMARY: This decision proposes 

amendments to Marketing Agreement 

No. 84 and Order No. 905 (order), which 

regulate the handling of oranges, 

grapefruit, tangerines, and tangelos 

(citrus) grown in Florida; and provides 

growers with the opportunity to vote in 

a referendum to determine if they favor 

the changes. The amendments are based 

on proposals by the Citrus 

Administrative Committee (committee), 

which is responsible for local 

administration of the order. These 

amendments would: (1) Modify 

committee representation by 

cooperative entities; (2) allow substitute 

alternates to temporarily represent 

absent members at committee meetings; 

(3) authorize the committee to conduct 

meetings by telephone or other means of 

communication; and (4) authorize the 

committee to conduct research and 

promotion programs, including paid 

advertising, for fresh Florida citrus. The 

amendments are intended to improve 

the operation and administration of the 

order and provide the industry with 

additional tools for the marketing of 

fresh citrus. 

DATES: The referendum will be 

conducted from May 4 through May 18, 

2009. The representative period for the 

purpose of the referendum is August 1, 

2007, through July 31, 2008. 

ADDRESSES: Marketing Order 

Administration Branch, Fruit and 

Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, 1220 

SW. Third Avenue, Room 385, Portland, 

OR 97204. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Melissa Schmaedick, Marketing Order 

Administration Branch, Fruit and 

Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, 1220 

SW. Third Avenue, Room 385, Portland, 

Oregon 97204; Telephone: (503) 326– 

2724, Fax: (503) 326–7440, or e-mail: 

Melissa.Schmaedick@ams.usda.gov; or 

Laurel May, Marketing Order 

Administration Branch, Fruit and 

Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, 1400 

Independence Avenue, SW., Stop 0237, 

Washington, DC 20250–0237; 

Telephone: (202) 720–2491, fax: (202) 

720–8938, or e-mail: 

Laurel.May@ams.usda.gov. 

Small businesses may request 

information on this proceeding by 

contacting Jay Guerber, Marketing Order 

Administration Branch, Fruit and 

Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, 1400 

Independence Avenue, SW., Stop 0237, 

Washington, DC 20250–0237; 

Telephone: (202) 720–2491, fax: (202) 

720–8938, e-mail: 

Jay.Guerber@ams.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Prior 

documents in this proceeding: Notice of 

Hearing issued on January 24, 2008, and 

published in the January 29, 2008, issue 

of the Federal Register (73 FR 5130), 

and a Recommended Decision issued on 

December 19, 2008, and published in 

the December 24, 2008, issue of the 

Federal Register (73 FR 79028). 

This action is governed by the 

provisions of sections 556 and 557 of 

title 5 of the United States Code and is 

therefore excluded from the 

requirements of Executive Order 12866. 

Preliminary Statement 

The proposed amendments are based 

on the record of a public hearing held 

February 12, 2008, in Winter Haven, 

Florida, to consider such amendments 

to the order. The hearing was held 

pursuant to the provisions of the 

Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act 

of 1937, as amended (7 U.S.C. 601–674), 

hereinafter referred to as the ‘‘Act,’’ and 

the applicable rules of practice and 

procedure governing the formulation of 

marketing agreements and orders (7 CFR 

part 900). The Notice of Hearing was 

published in the Federal Register on 

January 29, 2008 (73 FR 5130), and 

contained amendment proposals 

submitted by the committee. 

The amendments included in this 

decision would: 

1. Modify committee representation 

by cooperative entities; 

2. Allow substitute alternates to 

temporarily represent absent members 

at committee meetings; 

3. Authorize the committee to 

conduct meetings by telephone or other 

means of communication; and 

4. Add authority for research and 

promotion programs, including paid 

advertising, for fresh Florida citrus. 

The Agricultural Marketing Service 

(AMS) also proposed to make such 

changes to the order as may be 

necessary, if any of the proposed 

changes are adopted, so that all of the 

order’s provisions conform to the