Proposed Rules. Notice
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BILLING CODE 6712-01-P 73 40 Thursday, February 28, 2008 Notices DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service [Docket No. APHIS-2007-0118] Imported Fire Ant; Availability of a Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: We are advising the public that a final environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact have been prepared by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to the release into areas quarantined for imported fire ant of five additional species of phorid flies for use as biological control agents.
The final environmental assessment documents our review and analysis of environmental impacts associated with, and alternatives to, the release of these biological control agents. Based on its finding of no significant impact, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has determined that an environmental impact statement need not be prepared. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Charles L. Brown, Imported Fire Ant Quarantine Program Manager, Pest Detection and Management Programs, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 134, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236;
(301)734-4838. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background The imported fire ant ( *Solenopsis invicta* Buren, *Solenopsis richteri* Forel, and hybrids of these species) is an aggressive, stinging insect that, in large numbers, can seriously injure and even kill livestock, pets, and humans. The imported fire ant, which is not native to the United States, feeds on crops and builds large, hard mounds that damage farm and field machinery. The imported fire ant regulations (contained in 7 CFR 301.81 through 301.81-10 and referred to below as the regulations) are intended to prevent the imported fire ant from spreading throughout its ecological range within the country. The regulations quarantine infested States or infested areas within States and restrict the interstate movement of regulated articles to prevent the artificial spread of the imported fire ant. In addition to the movement restrictions in the regulations, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and its State cooperators release three species of phorid flies ( *Pseudacteon* species), a natural enemy of the imported fire ant, into quarantined areas. These flies parasitize the imported fire ant, killing those that are parasitized. Those ants that are not parasitized are affected behaviorally by the presence of the flies because their presence reduces fire ant foraging. A decrease in foraging activity facilitates competition from native fire ants that might otherwise be excluded from food sources in fire ant territory. On November 13, 2007, we published in the **Federal Register** (72 FR 63874, Docket No. APHIS-2007-0118) a notice 1 in which we announced the availability for review and comment of a draft environmental assessment, entitled “Field Release of Phorid Flies ( *Pseudacteon* species) for the Biological Control of Imported Fire Ants” (July 2007), that examined the potential environmental impacts associated with releasing five additional species of phorid flies into areas quarantined for imported fire ant within the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the following States: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. 1 To view the notice, the environmental assessment, the finding of no significant impact, and the comment we received, go to *http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2007-0118. * We solicited comments on the draft environmental assessment for 30 days ending December 13, 2007. We received one comment by that date, from a private citizen, but the commenter did not address the action examined in the assessment (namely, the release of the additional species of phorid flies). In this document, we are advising the public of our decision and finding of no significant impact regarding the release of five additional species of phorid flies for the biological control of imported fire ants. Accordingly, we are also advising the public that we have adopted the draft environmental assessment, without change, as a final environmental assessment entitled “Field Release of Phorid Flies ( *Pseudacteon* species) for the Biological Control of Imported Fire Ants” (January 2008). The final environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site 2 or in our reading room at USDA, Room 1141, South Building, 14th Street and Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Persons wishing to view the final environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact are requested to call ahead on
(202)690-2817 to facilitate entry into the reading room. You may request paper copies of the final environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact by calling or writing to the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT . Please refer to the title of the final environmental assessment when requesting copies. 2 See footnote 1. The final environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact have been prepared in accordance with:
(1)The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 *et seq.* ),
(2)regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality for implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508),
(3)USDA regulations implementing NEPA (7 CFR part 1), and
(4)APHIS' NEPA Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part 372). Done in Washington, DC, this 22nd day of February 2008. Kevin Shea, Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. E8-3809 Filed 2-27-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-34-P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Food and Nutrition Service Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request—Food Stamp Program Repayment Demand and Program Disqualification AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this Notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on proposed information collections. This Notice of Proposed Information Collection announces the intent of the Food and Nutrition Service
(FNS)to request a revision for the information collection requirements associated with initiating collection actions against households who have received an overissuance in the Food Stamp Program. In addition, this Notice announces FNS' intent to request a revision of OMB approval for the information collection requirements associated with intentional Program violation determinations. DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before April 28, 2008 to be assured consideration. ADDRESSES: Send comments to Jane Duffield, Chief, State Administration Branch, Food and Nutrition Service, USDA, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 822, Alexandria, Virginia 22302. Pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3507), comments are invited on:
(a)Whether the proposed 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 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. All comments will be summarized and included in the request for Office of Management and Budget approval of the information collection. All comments will become a matter of public record. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For initiating collection action, contact Dawn Washington at
(703)305-2450. For Intentional Program Violation
(IPV)determination, contact Greg Fortine at
(703)305-2401. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: *Title:* Food Stamp Program Repayment Demand and Program Disqualification. *OMB Number:* 0584-0492. *Form Number:* None. *Expiration Date:* April 30, 2008. *Type of Request:* Revision of a currently approved collection. *Abstract:* Section 13(b) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977, as amended (7 U.S.C. 2022(b)), and Food Stamp Program
(FSP)regulations at 7 CFR 273.18 require State agencies to initiate collection action against households that have been overissued benefits. To initiate collection action, State agencies must provide an affected household with written notification informing the household of the claim and demanding repayment. This process is automated in most State agencies. For initiating collection action on an overissuance, we are decreasing the estimated annual reporting and recordkeeping burden for State agencies and households from 166,329 hours to 135,393. The reason for the decrease is to reflect the lower number of claims that were established in fiscal year
(FY)2006. Note that for recipient claims, this **Federal Register** Notice only covers the reporting and recordkeeping burden for initiating collection action. The burden associated with reporting collections and other claims management information on the FNS-209 report is covered under currently approved OMB number 0584-0069. The burden associated with referring delinquent claims and receiving collections through the Treasury Offset Program is covered under currently approved OMB number 0584-0446. FSP regulations at 7 CFR 273.16 require State agencies to investigate any case of suspected fraud and, where applicable, make an intentional program violation
(IPV)determination either administratively or judicially. Notifications and activity involved in the IPV process include: • The State agency providing written notification informing an individual suspected of committing an IPV of an impending administrative disqualification hearing or court action. • An individual opting to accept the disqualification and waiving the right to an administrative disqualification hearing or court action by signing either a waiver to an administrative disqualification hearing or a disqualification consent agreement in cases of deferred adjudication. • Once a determination is made regarding an IPV, the State agency sends notification to the affected individual of the action taken on the administrative disqualification hearing or court decision. Despite an increase in FSP participation, IPV activity has experienced a decline. Therefore, we are decreasing the State agency and household annual reporting and recordkeeping burden for the activities related to IPV disqualifications from 38,435 hours to 11,045 hours. One of the factors used by a State agency to determine the appropriate disqualification penalty to assign to an individual is whether or not the individual was found to have committed any prior IPVs. The way that State agencies determine this is by accessing and checking the Electronic Disqualified Recipient Subsystem (eDRS). eDRS is an automated system developed by FNS that contains records of disqualifications in every State. State agencies are responsible for updating the system and checking it to determine the appropriate length of each disqualification. An estimate of the annual burden associated with the eDRS process reflects a decrease from 7,418 to 5,563 hours per year. Summary of Estimated Burden The net aggregate change from the existing to the proposed annual burden for this collection is a reduction of 30,936 hours, from the currently approved burden of 166,329 hours. For initiating collection action on an overissuance, we are decreasing the estimated annual burden for State agencies and households from 142,510 hours to 118,786 hours to reflect the lower number of claims established in FY 2006. The IPV-related State agency and household annual burden, has decreased from 16,401 hours to 11,044 hours to reflect the lower number of disqualifications. An estimate of the annual burden associated with the eDRS process reflects a total decrease from 7,418 to 5,563 hours per year. Adjustments have been made to the burden to include requirements not previously identified, burden identified incorrectly, and corrections made in the calculations of the number of responses and hours per response. *Affected Public:* State and local government, and food stamp households. *Estimated Number of Respondents:* 556,053. *Number of Responses per Respondent:* 2.53. *Total Number of Annual Responses:* 1,404,718. *Estimated Time per Response:* 0.09. *Estimated Total Annual Burden:* 135,393. Dated: February 22, 2008. Roberto Salazar, Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service. [FR Doc. E8-3750 Filed 2-27-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-30-P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Caribou-Targhee National Forest, Idaho; Big Bend Ridge Vegetation Management Project and Timber Sale Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement and Proposed Targhee Forest Plan Amendment AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. ACTION: Cancellation of notice of intent to prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement that was published on May 30, 2007, on page 29948 of the **Federal Register** . SUMMARY: After review of the proposal and public comments on the project the Caribou-Targhee National Forest has decided not to prepare a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Big Bend Ridge Vegetation Management Project and Timber Sale and the associated Targhee Forest Plan amendment at this time. The Forest will propose to amend the Targhee Revised Forest Plan under a separate proposal in the near future. DATES: Effective cancellation of this project upon the date of publication of this notice in the **Federal Register** . FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robbin Redman at the Caribou-Targhee National Forest at 1405 Hollipark Drive, Idaho Falls, ID 83401 or via telephone at
(208)557-5821. Dated: February 20, 2008. Larry Timchak, Forest Supervisor. [FR Doc. 08-862 Filed 2-27-08; 8:45 am]
Connectionstraces to 3
5 references not yet in our index
- 7 CFR 301.81
- 7 CFR 1
- 7 CFR 372
- 7 CFR 273.18
- 7 CFR 273.16
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Proposed Rules
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Cite7 CFR 301.81
Cite7 CFR 1
Cite7 CFR 372
Cite7 CFR 273.18
Cite7 CFR 273.16
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