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

12454

Vol. 66, No. 39

Tuesday, February 27, 2001

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Submission for OMB Review;

Comment Request

February 22, 2001.

The Department of Agriculture has

submitted the following information

collection requirement(s) to OMB for

review and clearance under the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,

Public Law 104–13. Comments

regarding (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 burden including the validity of the

methodology and assumptions used; (c)

ways to enhance the quality, utility and

clarity of the information to be

collected; (d) ways to minimize the

burden of the collection of information

on those who are to respond, including

through the use of appropriate

automated, electronic, mechanical, or

other technological collection

techniques or other forms of information

technology should be addressed to: Desk

Officer for Agriculture, Office of

Information and Regulatory Affairs,

Office of Management and Budget

(OMB), Washington, DC 20503 and to

Departmental Clearance Office, USDA,

OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC

20250–7602.

Comments regarding these

information collections are best assured

of having their full effect if received

within 30 days of this notification.

Copies of the submission(s) may be

obtained by calling (202) 720–6746.

An agency may not conduct or

sponsor a collection of information

unless the collection of information

displays a currently valid OMB control

number and the agency informs

potential persons who are to respond to

the collection of information that such

persons are not required to respond to

the collection of information unless it

displays a currently valid OMB control

number.

Farm Service Agency

Title: Farmer Program Account

Servicing Policies—7 CFR part 1951–S.

OMB Control Number: 0560–0161.

Summary of Collection: The Farm

Service Agency’s (FSA) Farm Loan

Program (FLP) provides supervised

credit in the form of loans to family

farmers and ranchers to purchase land

and finance agricultural production.

The regulations covering this

information collection package

describes the policies and procedures

the agency will use to service most FLP

loans when they become delinquent.

These loans include Operating, Farm

Ownership, Soil and Water, Softwood

Timber Production, Emergency;

Economic Emergency, Economic

Opportunity, Recreation, and Rural

Housing loans for farm service

buildings. Servicing of accounts is

administered in accordance with the

provisions of the Consolidated Farm

and Rural Development Act (CONACT)

as amended by the Food Security Act of

1985, the Agriculture Credit Act of

1987, the Food Agriculture

Conservation and Trade Act of 1990, the

Agricultural Credit Improvement Act of

1992, and the Federal Agriculture

Improvement and Reform Act of 1996.

The Agricultural Credit Act of 1987 was

intended to ensure that private

individuals who have obtained a loan

from the U.S. Treasury through the

Department of Agriculture are all treated

equally when they default on that loan.

FSA is modifying the information

collection to require borrowers to

document the value of added

improvements to real estate used in

securing a shared appreciation

agreement.

Need and Use of the Information: FSA

will use the tax returns provided by

borrowers to document the validity of

the amount of capital improvements

being claimed by the borrower. If

information is not collected, borrowers

may not have the remaining

contributory value of capital

improvements made during the term of

the Shared Appreciation Agreement

deducted when the recapture amount

under the agreement is calculated.

Description of Respondents: Farms;

Individuals or households; Business or

other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 12,681.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 13,109.

Farm Service Agency

Title: Environmental Quality

Incentives Program (EQIP).

OMB Control Number: 0560–0174.

Summary of Collection: The Natural

Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

in partnership with the Farm Service

Agency (FSA) administers the

Environmental Quality Incentives

Program (EQIP). EQIP provides for

Federal financial, technical, and

educational long-term cost-share and

incentive assistance for conservation

treatment to eligible land users. Local

work groups identify significant natural

resource concerns and develop a need

assessment proposal. The proposal is

forwarded to the NRCS State

Conservationist who, in consultation

with the State Technical Committee,

decides which areas deserve designation

as a priority area. NRCS works with

landowners and operators in the priority

areas to develop conservation plans that

incorporate conservation practices that

will meet EQIP objectives. Landowners

apply for cost-share and incentive

payments under EQIP by completing a

CCC–1200 form. Other forms are used

once an applicant is approved for

participation in the program.

Need and Use of the Information: FSA

collects information to determine

eligibility for the EQIP program and too

ensure that those landowners selected

will assist the Federal government in

remedying the identified natural

resource concerns for that area. If the

information were not collected, NRCS

and FSA would not be able to distribute

the EQIP funds and monitor their use.

Description of Respondents:

Individuals or household; Farms.

Number of Respondents: 92,500.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

Other (When applying for program).

Total Burden Hours: 444,609.

Farm Service Agency.

Title: Lamb Meat Adjustment

Assistance Program (LMAAP).

OMB Control Number: 0560–0205.

Summary of Collection: The Lamb

Meat Adjustment Assistance Program

(LMAAP) is administered and

implemented under the general

direction and supervision of the Farm

Service Agency (FSA) through its State

and County Committees. Authorizing

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 39 / Tuesday, February 27, 2001 / Notices 12455

legislation for LMAAP provides for the

re-establishment of farmers’ purchasing

power by making payments in

connection with the normal production

of any agricultural commodity for

domestic consumption. The objective of

the LMAAP program is to make direct

payments to producers of sheep and

lamb operations to help them weather

the current economic crisis, as well as

help improve their production

efficiencies and the marketability of

lamb meat during the 3 year period from

July 21, 1999, through July 31, 2002.

FSA will collect information using form

FSA 383.

Need and Use of the Information: FSA

will collect the following information:

(1) sheep and lamb operation name; (2)

each related producer’s name; (3) ID

number and shares; (4) the number of

rams purchased for the intended

purpose of breeding; (5) the number of

eligible sheep enrolled in an eligible

sheep improvement program; and/or (6)

the type and cost of the facility

improvement. The information is

needed to verify commodity and

producer eligibility and calculate

payment amounts. Without the

information from the producers, FSA

would be unable to administer the

program to provide direct payments to

the sheep and lamb operations.

Description of Respondents: Farms;

Individuals or households; Business or

other-for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 60,000.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

Annually.

Total Burden Hours: 24,240.

Agricultural Marketing Service

Title: Cotton Classing, Testing, and

Standards.

OMB Control Number: 0581–0008.

Summary of Collection: The U.S.

Cotton Standards Act, 7 U.S.C. 51, 53

and 55, directs and authorizes the

USDA to supervise the various activities

directly associated with the

classification or grading of cotton,

cotton linters, and cottonseed based on

official USDA Standards. The Cotton

Division of the Agricultural Marketing

Service carries out this supervision and

is responsible for the maintenance of the

functions to which these forms relate.

Need and Use of the Information: The

Agricultural Marketing Service uses the

following forms to collect information:

Owners of cotton submitted Form CN–

357 to request cotton classification

services. The request contains

information for USDA to ascertain

proper ownership of the samples

submitted, distribute classification

results, and bill for services. Information

about the origin and handling of the

cotton is necessary in order to properly

evaluate and classify the samples.

Cottons gins and warehouses seeking

to serve as licensed samplers submit

form CN–246. The license period is five

years. Licenses issued by the USDA–

AMS Cotton Division authorize the

warehouse/gin to draw and submit

samples to insure the proper application

of standards in the classification of

cotton and to prevent deception in their

use.

Form CN–383 is submitted by cotton

producers, ginners, warehousemen,

cooperatives, manufacturers, merchants,

and crushers interested in acquiring a

set of cotton grade and staple standards

for Upland and Pima cotton.

Description of Respondents: Business

or other for-profit; Individuals or

household.

Number of Respondents: 797.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

Annually; other (every 5 yr.).

Total Burden Hours: 119.

Agricultural Marketing Service

Title: Cotton Classification and

Market News Service.

OMB Control Number: 0581–0009.

Summary of Collection: The Cotton

Statistics and Estimates Act, 7 U.S. Code

471–476, authorizes and directs the

Secretary of Agriculture to collect and

publish annually, statistics or estimates

concerning the grades and staple lengths

of stocks of cotton, known as the

carryover, on hand on the 1st of August

each year in warehouses and other

establishments of every character in the

continental U.S; and following such

publication each year, to publish at

intervals, in his/her discretion, his/her

estimate of the grades and staple length

of cotton of the then current crop (7

U.S.C. 471). Additionally, Agricultural

Marketing Service (AMS) collects,

authenticates, publishes, and distributes

timely information of the market

supply, demand, location, and market

prices for cotton (7 U.S.C. 473B).

Need and Use of the Information:

AMD will collect information on the

quality of cotton in the carryover stocks

along with the size or volume of the

carryover. This information is needed

and used by all segments of the cotton

industry. Growers use this information

in making decisions relative to

marketing their present crop and

planning for the next one; cotton

merchants use the information in

marketing decisions; and the mills that

provide the data also use the combined

data in planning their future purchase to

cover their needs. Importers of U.S.

cotton use the data in making their

plans for purchases of U.S. cotton. AMS

and other government agencies are users

of the compiled information.

Description of Respondents: Business

or other for-profit; Individuals or

households.

Number of Respondents: 495.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

On occasion; Weekly; Annually.

Total Burden Hours: 226.

Agricultural Marketing Service

Title: Federal Seed Act Program.

OMB Control Number: 0581–0026.

Summary of Collection: The Federal

Seed Act (FSA) (7 U.S.C. 1551–1611)

regulates agricultural and vegetable

seeds in interstate commerce.

Agricultural and vegetable seeds

shipped in interstate commerce are

required to be labeled with certain

quality information such as the name of

the seed, the purity, the germination,

and the noxious-weed seeds of the state

into which the seed is being shipped.

State seed regulatory agencies refer to

the Agricultural Marketing Service

(AMS) complaints involving seed found

to be mislabeled and to have moved in

interstate commerce. AMS investigates

the alleged violations and if the

violation is substantiated, takes

regulatory action ranging from letters of

warning to monetary penalties. AMS

will collect information from records of

each lot of seed and make them

available for inspection by agents of the

Secretary.

Need and Use of the Information: The

information collected consists of records

pertaining to interstate shipments of

seed that have been alleged to be in

violation of the FSA. The shipper’s

records pertaining to a complaint are

examined by FSA program specialists

and are used to determine if a violation

of the FSA occurred. The records are

used to determine the precautions taken

by the shipper to assure that the seed

was accurately labeled. If this

information were not collected, it would

be impossible to examine pertinent

records to resolve complaints of

violations.

Description of Respondents: Business

or other for-profit; State. Local or Tribal

Government; Farms.

Number of Respondents: 2,997.

Frequency of Responses:

Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 37,215.

Agricultural Marketing Service

Title: Farmer’s Market Questionnaire.

OMB Control Number: 0581–0169.

Summary of Collection: The

Transportation and Marketing (T&M)

Program, Agricultural Marketing Service

(AMS) conducts research to find better

designs, development techniques, and

12456 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 39 / Tuesday, February 27, 2001 / Notices

operating methods for modern farmer’s

markets under the Agency’s Wholesale

and Alternative Markets Program.

Recommendations are made available to

local decision-makers interested in

constructing modern farmer’s markets to

serve area producers and consumers.

Individual studies are conducted in

close cooperation with local interested

parties.

Need and Use of the Information: The

information will be collected using form

TM–6 ‘‘Farmer’s Market Questionnaire.’’

The form submitted for approval will

serve as a survey instrument to obtain

a clearer picture of existing farmer’s

market structure to provide a basis for

the future design of modern direct

marketing facilities and will provide a

measure of growth over the last 4 years.

T&M researchers will survey by mail,

with telephone follow-up, the managers

of farmer’s markets identified in the

2000 National Farmer’s Market

Directory. In addition, provision will be

made for e-mail reporting. These

markets represent a varied range of

sizes, geographical locations, types,

ownership, and structure and will

provide a valid overview of farmer’s

markets in the United States.

Information such as the size of markets,

operating times and days, retail and

wholesale sales, management structure,

and rules and regulations governing the

markets are all important questions that

need to be answered in the design of a

new market. The information developed

by this survey will support better

designs, development techniques, and

operating methods for modern farmers

markets and outline improvements that

can be applied to revitalize existing

markets. If this information is not

collected, the ongoing research to

develop new farmer’s markets must rely

on limited and often anecdotal

information. This narrow focus will

limit the ability of researched to provide

effective designs and development plans

for new markets where such information

is not immediately available.

Description of Respondents: Not-forprofit institutions.

Number of Respondents: 2,860.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

Biennially.

Total Burden Hours: 358.

Forest Service

Title: Residential Fuelwood and Post

Assessment, Any State, Year.

OMB Control Number: 0596–0009.

Summary of Collection: The Forest

and Rangeland Renewable Resource

Research Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 1600),

(as amended by the Energy Security Act

of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 8701)) requires the

Secretary of Agriculture to make and

keep current a comprehensive survey

and analysis of the present and

prospective conditions of and

requirements for renewable resources

from forests and rangelands of the

United States and of the supplies of

such resources. Wood was the major

source of energy for households in the

U.S. until the 1880’s. Fuelwood use has

dropped sharply in this century with

greater use occurring during the Great

Depression and World War II. But by

1970, less than 2 percent of all

households used wood as a primary

source or heating fuel. During this

period of decline, the Forest Service

(FS) monitored production of wood for

household fuel by interviewing rural

households to determine harvest from

farm woodlots. The FS will collect

information using a survey.

Need and Use of the Information: FS

will collect information to determine

the level of renewable resources used

for fuelwood and fence posts by

residential households and logging

contractors. The information will enable

land managers to determine what timber

to sell for use as fuelwood or fence

posts, how well the local forested land

will meet the demand for these timber

products, and how to project future

demands on these renewable natural

resources for fuelwood and fence posts.

Also, the information will be used to

determine the types of facilities

households use to heat their home with

wood, such as wood burning stoves or

fireplaces; the type of land from which

the wood will be cut; the conditions of

the wood that will be cut, that is

whether the trees will be dead or alive.

If the information is not collected, FS

will not know the quantity of fuelwood

and posts produced in selected states or

the impact of harvesting these products

on the timber resource.

Description of Respondents:

Individuals or households; Business or

other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 2,919.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

Other (annually but not in each State).

Total Burden Hours: 199.

Forest Service

Title: Commercial Use of Woodsy Owl

Symbol—36 CFR Part 272.

OMB Control Number: 0596–0087.

Summary of Collection: The Forest

Service National Symbols Coordinator

will evaluate the data to determine if an

individual corporation, or organization,

requesting a license to use the Woodsy

Owl symbol commercially shoud be

granted a license or, if currently

licensed to determine the royalty fee the

licensed entity must pay to the agency

based on a percentage of the licensee’s

total sales and whether the licensed

entity has met its stated objectives. Part

272 of Title 36 CFR authorizes the Chief

of the Forest Service to approve

commercial use of the Woodsy Owl

symbol and to collect royalty fees for

such use. An individual or corporation

may apply for a Woodsy Owl license by

contacting Forest Service personnel by

telephone, fax, and e-mail or by writing.

Need and Use of the Information: FS

will collect information to determine

how long the individual, corporation, or

organization has been in business; the

products the individual, corporation, or

organization sells or plans to see; the

geographical location from which the

products will be sold; the projected

sales volume; and how the individual,

corporation or organization plans to

market the products. If information is

not collected royalty fees would not be

collected in keeping with federal cash

management policies, and quantity of

merchandise objectives would not be

effectively monitored.

Description of Respondents: Business

or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 10.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

Quarterly.

Total Burden Hours: 20.

Forest Service

Title: Public Perceptions of Pacific

Northwest National Forest System Land

Management Practices.

OMB Control Number: 0596–NEW.

Summary of Collection: National

Forests are managed by Congressional

mandates with input from citizens.

These mandates, like the Multiple Use

Sustained Acts of 1960 and the National

Forest Management Act of 1976 and

others, require the Forest Service to

produce plenty of many different

resources values. In 1994, the Forest

Service adopted the Northwest Forest

Plan in response to perceptions the

public had that Forest Service land

management practices on National

Forests in western Washington, western

Oregon and northern California might

have negative impacts on timber

resources and threaten endangered

species, such as the northern spotted

owl. Management of National Forests,

including their appearances, has shaped

the way people view forest practices.

Thus, there is a need to find out how the

general public perceives forest

management practices in order to affect

management decisions and mitigate

controversy. Determining what the

public views as acceptable and

aesthetically pleasing can help balance

harvest and recreation, and other public

needs and expectations. The Forest

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 39 / Tuesday, February 27, 2001 / Notices 12457

Service will collect information using a

survey.

Need and Use of the Information: FS

will collect information to identify the

type and distribution of perceptions of

alternative timber harvest methods that

might be implemented in national

forests. The information will be used to

help the Forest Service gain a better

understanding of the western Michigan,

western Oregon, and northern California

residents’ perceptions of the agency’s

land management practices on the

National Forest in these areas. If the

information is not collected, forestry

management, resource, and harvest

decisions will be made without wellinformed regard to current public

sentiment and expectation.

Description of Respondents:

Individuals or households.

Number of Respondents: 1,700.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

Other (one time).

Total Burden Hours: 425.

National Agriculture Statistics Service

Title: Cotton Ginning Survey.

OMB Control Number: 0535–0220.

Summary of Collection: Primary

function of the National Agricultural

Statistics Services (NASS) is to prepare

and issue state and national estimates of

crop and livestock production under the

authority of 7 U.S.C. 2204(a). The

Cotton Ginning Survey provides

statistics concerning cotton ginning for

specific dates and geographic regions

and aids in forecasting cotton

production, which is required under 7

U.S.C. Section 475.

Need and Use of the Information: The

ginning data collected provides (1) all

segments of the cotton industry-buyers,

brokers, crushers, shippers, textile

firms, and researchers with exact

quantities of cotton available at specific

geographic locations within the U.S. on

a regular basis; (2) precise statistics,

especially when at least 50 percent of

the forecasted cotton production has

been ginned in a state; and (3) final

season ginning data that is used to

establish final production. If the

information were collected less

frequent, the cotton industry would be

without county level quantities ginned

that could seriously affect transportation

costs and marketing strategies.

Description of Respondents: Business

or other for-profit.

Number of Respondents: 1,131.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting:

Other (biweekly Sept.-Jan.).

Total Burden Hours: 1,065.

Nancy B. Sternberg,

Departmental Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 01–4760 Filed 2–26–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Availability of an Environmental

Assessment for an amendment to the

Green Mountain National Forest Land

and Resource Management Plan;

Addison, Bennington, Rutland,

Washington, Windham and Windsor

Counties, Vermont

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability of an

environmental assessment.

SUMMARY: On May 10, 2000, Green

Mountain and Finger Lakes National

Forest Supervisor, Paul K. Brewster,

(Responsible Official) set forth a

proposal to amend the 1987 Green

Mountain National Forest Land and

Resource Management Plan (Forest

Plan). On January 17, 2001, he made the

resultant Environmental Assessment

available for a 30 day public comment

period. The comment period closed on

February 16, 2001. Copies of the

Environmental Assessment are available

upon request. The current preferred

alternative (Alternative 3), would

incorporate into the Forest Plan the

reasonable and prudent measures and

terms and conditions contained in the

Biological Opinion (prepared by the

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, dated

February 16, 2000) as well as additional

conservation measures that would

benefit Indiana bat habitat and habitats

for other woodland bat species. These

measures would also increase

monitoring for bats and bat habitat. In

addition, education and outreach efforts

related to Indiana bat conservation

would be increased, and

recommendations for conservation of

Sensitive Species incorporated.

All comments received are being

evaluated, and may result in

supplementation of the Environmental

Assessment or be incorporated into the

final decision.

This notice is provided pursuant to

section 10(c) of the Act and National

Environmental Policy Act regulations

(40 CFR 1506.6, 453 FR 55990) and

National Forest System Land and

Resource Management Planning

regulations (36 CFR 219.35, 65 FR

6745145).

DATES: On May 10, 2000, Green

Mountain and Finger Lakes National

Forest Supervisor, Paul K. Brewster

(Responsible Official) put forth a

proposal to amend the 1987 Green

Mountain National Forest Land and

Resource Management Plan (Forest

Plan). On January 17, 2001, a legal

notice was published in the Rutland

Daily Herald, announcing the

availability of the Environmental

Assessment for a 30 day public

comment period. The comment period

closed on February 16, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Send requests for

documents to: Forest Supervisor, Green

Mountain and Finger Lakes National

Forest, 231 North Main Street, Rutland,

Vermont 05701.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Patricia D’Andrea, Forest Planner, at

802–388–4362, ext. 112 TDD 802–747–

6765; or direct electronic mail to:

‘‘pdandrea@fs.fed.us.’’

Responsible Official: Paul K.

Brewster, Forest Supervisor, 231 North

Main Street, Rutland, Vermont 05701.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This

amendment would apply to the 370,530

acres of the Green Mountain National

Forest in the form of amending the

standards and guidelines of the Land

and Resource Management Plan for the

conservation of the Indiana bat and

other woodland bat species, as well as

incorporating recommendations for the

conservation of Sensitive Species. This

is a non-significant amendment.

Dated: February 16, 2001.

Paul K. Brewster,

Forest Supervisor.

[FR Doc. 01–4697 Filed 2–26–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Cave Gulch Post-Fire Salvage Sale,

Townsend Ranger District and the

Helena Ranger District, Helena

National Forest, Broadwater and Lewis

& Clark Counties, Montana

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice, intent to prepare

Environmental Impact Statement.

SUMMARY: The Forest Service will

prepare an Environmental Impact

Statement on a proposal to harvest

merchantable trees from the Cave Gulch

wildfire area. The proposed action

includes salvage timber harvest in

roaded areas and stewardship project

timber harvest activities in inventoried

roadless areas. No new road

construction or reconstruction would be

conducted in inventoried roadless areas.

In areas outside inventoried roadless

areas, existing system roads and a few

temporary roads would be used. Only

dead or dying trees will be removed.

The proposed action will also

incorporate interim road management to

provide for big game security,