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

62417 

Vol. 72, No. 213 

Monday, November 5, 2007 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

7 CFR Part 51 

[Docket No. AMS–FV–2007–0008; FV–06– 

310] 

United States Standards for Grades of 

Florida Avocados 

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Advance notice on proposed 

rulemaking; withdrawal. 

SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing 

Service (AMS) is withdrawing an 

advance notice of proposed rulemaking 

soliciting comments on possible 

revisions to the voluntary United States 

Standards for Grades of Florida 

Avocados. After reviewing and 

considering the comments received, the 

agency has decided not to proceed 

further with this action. 

DATES: The advance notice of proposed 

rulemaking is withdrawn as of 

November 5, 2007. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Vincent J. Fusaro, Standardization 

Section, Fresh Products Branch, (202) 

720–2185. The United States Standards 

for Grades of Florida Avocados are 

available either through the address 

cited above or by accessing the Fresh 

Products Branch Web site at: http:// 

www.ams.usda.gov/standards/ 

stanfrfv.htm. 

Background 

AMS had identified the United States 

Standards for Grades of Florida 

Avocados for possible revisions. AMS 

solicited comments on possible 

revisions to the standards including 

deleting ‘‘Florida’’ to allow the 

standards to apply to all avocados. The 

standards were published on September 

3, 1957. 

On March, 29, 2007, AMS published 

an advance notice of proposed 

rulemaking in the Federal Register (72 

FR 14709), soliciting comments on a 

possible revision to the United States 

Standards for Grades of Florida 

Avocados. A request was received on 

behalf of a foreign government 

expressing the need for additional time 

to comment. Following a review of the 

request, AMS published a notice in the 

Federal Register (72 FR 38057), on July 

12, 2007, extending the period for 

comment. 

During the initial sixty-day comment 

period, three opposing comments and 

one supporting comment were received. 

The three opposing comments were 

submitted by a foreign avocado 

committee, a company representing 

growers/packers, and a national trade 

association representing wholesale 

receivers. The opposing commenters 

stated that this revision would not be 

beneficial to their industry as Florida 

avocados have unique characteristics 

which differ significantly from other 

varieties specifically, the Hass variety. 

They held the view that the revision 

would directly affect the Florida 

Marketing Order (7 CFR Part 915) and 

imports of the Hass variety. The Hass 

variety of avocados is not regulated 

currently under the marketing order. 

During the extension of the comment 

period, four opposing comments were 

received by a foreign government, a 

foreign avocado committee, a grower/ 

shipper of avocados, and another from 

an association of packers, producers, 

and exporters. All expressed concerns 

regarding the effect this proposed 

revision might have on the marketing 

order and import requirements and a 

comment raised concerns regarding the 

treatment of California avocados under 

the proposed standard. The comments 

are available by accessing the http:// 

www.regulations.gov Web site. 

While deleting the word ‘‘Florida’’ 

from the title of the standard would not 

impact the marketing order and/or 

import requirements, AMS understands 

the views and concerns expressed by 

the avocado industry. After considering 

all of the comments received regarding 

the proposed revisions, AMS has 

decided not to proceed further with this 

action. Therefore, the advance notice of 

proposed rulemaking, published March 

29, 2007 (72 FR 14709), is withdrawn. 

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621–1627. 

Dated: October 29, 2007. 

Lloyd C. Day, 

Administrator, Agricultural Marketing 

Service. 

[FR Doc. 07–5468 Filed 11–2–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–M 

FEDERAL MEDIATION AND 

CONCILIATION SERVICE 

29 CFR Part 1401 

RIN 3076–AA06 

Freedom of Information Act 

Regulations 

AGENCY: Federal Mediation and 

Conciliation Service. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking. 

SUMMARY: The Federal Mediation and 

Conciliation Service (FMCS) proposes to 

amend its rules under the Freedom of 

Information Act (FOIA) primarily to 

effectuate various provisions under the 

1996 Electronic FOIA Amendments. 

Previously, FMCS had issued a 

proposed rule on November 3, 1999 (64 

FR 59697). FMCS received no comments 

when the proposed rule was published 

in 1999. FMCS is withdrawing that 

proposed rule and issuing a new revised 

proposed rule. The proposed revisions 

include a new response time for FOIA 

requests, procedures for requesting 

expedited processing, the availability of 

certain public information on FMCS’s 

Web site, and express inclusion of 

electronic records and automated 

searches along with paper records and 

manual searches. In addition, FMCS’s 

proposed amendments would update its 

fee schedule. FMCS is also updating the 

names and addresses of the various 

offices within the agency responsible for 

FOIA related activities. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

submitted to the office listed in the 

addresses section below on or before 

December 5, 2007. 

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments 

by mail to the Office of Information and 

Regulatory Affairs, Human Resources 

and Housing Branch, Office of 

Management and Budget, New 

Executive Office Building, Room 10235, 

Washington, DC 20503. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Michael J. Bartlett, Office of the General 

Counsel, Federal Mediation and 

Conciliation Service, 2100 K Street, 


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