Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 14 / Monday, January 22, 2001 / Notices 6571

interdisciplinary team has not yet

identified any preliminary alternatives

to the proposed action. Alternatives will

be developed based on the key issues

identified after scoping.

People may visit with Forest Service

officials at any time during the analysis

and prior to the decision. Two periods

are specifically designated for

comments on the analysis: (1) During

the scoping process and (2) during the

draft EIS period.

During the scoping process, the Forest

Service is seeking additional

information and comments from

individuals or organization who may be

interested in or affected by the proposed

action, and Federal, State and local

agencies. The Forest Service invites

written comments and suggestions on

this action, particularly in terms of

identification of issues and alternative

development.

The draft EIS should be available for

review in March, 2001. The final EIS is

scheduled for completion in May, 2001.

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 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

reviewer’s position and contentions.

Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp. v.

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

environmental objections that could be

raised at the draft environmental impact

statement 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, 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

the 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 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.

The responsible official will make the

decision on this proposal after

considering comments and responses,

environmental consequences discussed

in the final EIS, applicable laws,

regulations, and policies. The decision

and reasons for the decision will be

documented in a Record of Decision.

Dated: December 18, 2000.

Janette S. Kaiser,

Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 01–1818 Filed 1–19–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

National Agricultural Statistics Service

Advisory Committee on Agriculture

Statistics

AGENCY: National Agricultural Statistics

Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of renewal at USDA.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of

Agriculture (USDA) has renewed the

charter for the Advisory Committee for

Agriculture Statistics. Effective October

1, 1996, responsibility for the census of

agriculture program was transferred to

the National Agricultural Statistics

Service (NASS) at USDA from the

Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department

of Commerce. Effective February 2,

1997, NASS also received the

transferred program positions and staff

from the Bureau of the Census, U.S.

Department of Commerce.

Responsibility for the Advisory

Committee on Agriculture Statistics,

which is a discretionary committee, was

transferred, along with its allocated slot,

to USDA with the census of agriculture

program.

The Advisory Committee on

Agriculture Statistics has provided

input and direction to the census of

agriculture program since the committee

was first established on July 16, 1962. It

has been particularly critical to have the

committee as a valuable resource to

USDA during the transfer of the census

from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The purpose of the committee is to

make recommendations on census of

agriculture operations including

questionnaire design and content,

publicity, publication plans, and data

dissemination.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR

COMMENTS: Contact R. Ronald Bosecker,

Administrator, National Agricultural

Statistics Service, U.S. Department of

Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue

SW., Room 4117 South Building,

Washington, DC 20250–2000, (202) 720–

2707.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant

to the Federal Advisory Committee Act

(5 U.S.C. appendix), notice is hereby

given that the Secretary of Agriculture

has renewed the charter for the

Advisory Committee on Agriculture

Statistics, hereafter referred to as

Committee. The purpose of the

Committee is to advise the Secretary of

Agriculture on the conduct of the

periodic censuses and surveys of

agriculture, other related surveys, and

the types of agricultural information to

obtain from respondents. The committee

also prepares recommendations

regarding the content of agriculture

reports, and presents the views and

needs for data of major suppliers and

users of agriculture statistics.

The Secretary of Agriculture has

determined that the work of the

Committee is in the public interest and

relevant to the duties of USDA. No other

advisory committee or agency of USDA

is performing the tasks that will be

assigned to the Committee.

The Committee, appointed by the

Secretary of Agriculture, shall consist of

25 members representing a broad range

of disciplines and interests, including,

but not limited to, agricultural

economists, rural sociologists, farm

policy analysts, educators, State

agriculture representatives, and

agriculture-related business and

marketing experts.

Representatives of the Bureau of the

Census, U.S. Department of Commerce,

and Economic Research Service, USDA,

serve as ex-officio members of the

Committee.

The committee draws on the

experience and expertise of its members

to form a collective judgment

concerning agriculture data collected

and the statistics issued by NASS. This

input is vital to keep current with

shifting data needs in the rapidly

changing agricultural environment and

keep NASS informed of emerging

developments and issues in the food

and fiber sector that can affect

agriculture statistics activities.

6572 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 14 / Monday, January 22, 2001 / Notices

Equal opportunity practices, in line

with USDA policies, will be followed in

all membership appointments to the

Committee. To ensure that the

recommendations of the Committee

have taken into account the needs of the

diverse groups served by USDA,

membership shall include, to the extent

practicable, individuals with

demonstrated ability to represent

minorities, women, and persons with

disabilities.

Paul W. Fiddick,

Assistant Secretary for Administration.

[FR Doc. 01–1267 Filed 1–19–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–20–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation

Service; Notice of a Finding of No

Significant Impact

Hickory Creek Watershed; Coffee,

Grundy, Warren Counties; Tennessee

AGENCY: Natural Resources

Conservation Service; USDA.

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

Resources Conservation Service

Guidelines (7 CFR Part 650); the Natural

Resources Conservation Service, U.S.

Department of Agriculture, gives notice

that an environmental impact statement

is not being prepared for the Hickory

Creek Watershed; Coffee, Grundy, and

Warren Counties; Tennessee.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

James W. Ford, State Conservationist,

Natural Resources Conservation Service,

675 U.S. Courthouse, 801 Broadway,

Nashville, Tennessee 37203, telephone

number (615) 277–2531.

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, James W. Ford, State

Conservationist, has determined that the

preparation and review of an

environmental impact statement is not

needed for this project.

Hickory Creek Watershed, Tennessee

Notice of a Finding of No Significant Impact

The project purpose is watershed

protection. The planned works of

improvement include installation of

animal waste management systems and

measures to reduce erosion and

sedimentation. Federal financial

assistance will be provided to accelerate

financial and technical assistance for

land treatment.

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

James W. Ford.

No administrative action on

implementation of the proposal will be

taken until 30 days after the date of this

publication in the Federal Register.

(This activity is listed in the Catalog of

Federal Domestic Assistance under No.

10.904, Watershed Protection and Flood

Prevention, and is subject to the provisions

of Executive Order 12372, which requires

intergovernmental consultation with state

and local officials.)

Dated: January 3, 2001.

James W. Ford,

State Conservationist.

[FR Doc. 01–1722 Filed 1–19–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–16–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation

Service

Notice of Proposed Changes to

Section IV of the Field Office Technical

Guide (FOTG) of the Natural Resources

Conservation Service in Michigan

AGENCY: Natural Resources

Conservation Service (NRCS) in

Michigan, US Department of

Agriculture.

ACTION: Notice of availability of

proposed changes in Michigan NRCS

FOTG, Section IV for review and

comment.

SUMMARY: It is the intention of NRCS in

Michigan to issue revised conservation

practice standards in Section IV of the

FOTG. The revised standards include:

Herbaceous Wind Barriers (422A)

Riparian Forest Buffer (391)

Cover Crop (340)

Prescribed Grazing (528A)

Wetland Wildlife Habitat Management

(644)

Shallow Water Management For

Wildlife (646)

Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment

(380)

Field Border (386)

Early Successional Habitat

Development/Management (647)

Stream Crossing and Livestock Access

(728)

Agrichemical Containment Facility

(702)

Manure Transfer (634)

Closure of Waste Impoundments (360)

Grassed Waterway (412)

DATES: Comments will be received on or

before February 21, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Inquire in writing to Kevin Wickey,

Assistant State Conservationist for

Technology, Natural Resources

Conservation Service, 3001 Coolidge

Road, Suite 250, E. Lansing, MI 48823.

Copies of these standards will be made

available upon written request. You may

submit electronic requests and

comments to

Kevin.Wickey@mi.usda.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kevin Wickey 517–324–5279.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section

393 of the Federal Agriculture

Improvement and Reform Act of 1996

states that revisions made after

enactment of the law, to NRCS state

technical guides used to carry out

highly erodible land and wetland

provisions of the law, shall be made

available for public review and

comment. For the next 30 days, the

NRCS in Michigan will receive

comments relative to the proposed

changes. Following that period, a

determination will be made by the

NRCS in Michigan regarding disposition

of those comments and a final

determination of change will be made.

Dated: December 22, 2000.

Ronald C. Williams,

State Conservationist, E. Lansing, Michigan.

[FR Doc. 01–1838 Filed 1–19–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–16–P 4

COMMITTEE FOR PURCHASE FROM

PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR

SEVERELY DISABLED

Procurement List; Proposed Addition

and Deletions

AGENCY: Committee for Purchase From

People Who Are Blind or Severely

Disabled.

ACTION: Proposed addition to and

deletions from procurement list.

SUMMARY: The Committee is proposing

to add to the Procurement List service

to be furnished by nonprofit agencies

employing persons who are blind or

have other severe disabilities, and to

delete services previously furnished by

such agencies.

Comments must be received on or

before: February 19, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Committee for Purchase

From People Who Are Blind or Severely