E6-2801. Opportunity for Designation in the Idaho, Lewiston (ID), Ohio Valley (IN), and Utah Areas, and Request for Comments on the Official Agencies Serving These Areas

AGENCY:

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration, USDA.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The designations of the official agencies listed below will end in September 2006. Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) is asking persons interested in providing official services in the areas served by these agencies to submit an application for designation. GIPSA is also asking for comments on the quality of services provided by these currently designated agencies: Idaho Grain Inspection Service, Inc. (Idaho); Lewiston Grain Inspection Service, Inc. (Lewiston); Ohio Valley Grain Inspection, Inc. (Ohio Valley); and Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (Utah).

DATES:

Applications and comments must be received on or before March 31, 2006.

ADDRESSES:

We invite you to submit applications and comments on this notice. You may submit applications and comments by any of the following methods:

• Hand Delivery or Courier: Deliver to Janet M. Hart, Deputy Director, Compliance Division, GIPSA, USDA, Room 1647-S, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250.
• Fax: Send by facsimile transmission to [phone], attention: Janet M. Hart.
• E-mail: Send via electronic mail to [e-mail].
• Mail: Send hardcopy to Janet M. Hart, Deputy Director, Compliance Division, GIPSA, USDA, STOP 3604, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-3604.

Read Applications and Comments: All applications and comments will be available for public inspection at the office above during regular business hours (7 CFR 1.27(b)).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Janet M. Hart at 202-720-8525, e-mail [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This Action has been reviewed and determined not to be a rule or regulation as defined in Executive Order 12866 and Departmental Regulation 1512-1; therefore, the Executive Order and Departmental Regulation do not apply to this Action.

Section 7(f)(1) of the United States Grain Standards Act, as amended (Act), authorizes GIPSA's Administrator to designate a qualified applicant to provide official services in a specified area after determining that the applicant is better able than any other applicant to provide such official services.

Section 7(g)(1) of the Act provides that designations of official agencies shall terminate not later than triennially and may be renewed according to the criteria and procedures prescribed in Section 7(f) of the Act.

1. Current Designations being Announced for Renewal. For Idaho, main office in Pocatello, Idaho; Lewiston, main office in Lewiston, Idaho; Ohio Valley, main office in Evansville, Indiana; and Utah, main office in Salt Lake City; the current designations started July 1, 2003, and will end June 30, 2006.

Official agency	Main office	Designation start	Designation end
Idaho	Pocatello, ID	07/01/2003	09/30/2006
Lewiston	Lewiston, ID	07/01/2003	09/30/2006
Ohio Valley	Evansville, IN	07/01/2003	09/30/2006
Utah	Salt Lake City, UT	07/01/2003	09/30/2006

a. Pursuant to Section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic area, in the State of Idaho, is assigned to Idaho.

The southern half of the State of Idaho up to the northern boundaries of Adams, Valley, and Lemhi Counties.

b. Pursuant to Section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic area, in the States of Idaho and Oregon, is assigned to Lewiston.

The northern half of the State of Idaho down to the northern boundaries of Adams, Valley, and Lemhi Counties.

The entire State of Oregon, except those export port locations within the State which are serviced by GIPSA.

c. Pursuant to Section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic area, in the States of Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee, is assigned to Ohio Valley.

Daviess, Dubois, Gibson, Knox (except the area west of U.S. Route 41 (150) from Sullivan County south to U.S. Route 50), Pike, Posey, Vanderburgh, and Warrick Counties, Indiana.

Caldwell, Christian, Crittenden, Henderson, Hopkins (west of State Route 109 south of the Western Kentucky Parkway), Logan, Todd, Union, and Webster (west of Alternate U.S. Route 41 and State Route 814) Counties, Kentucky.

Cheatham, Davidson, and Robertson Counties, Tennessee.

d. Pursuant to Section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic area, the entire State of Utah, is assigned to Utah.

2. Opportunity for designation. Interested persons, including Idaho, Lewiston, Ohio Valley, and Utah, are hereby given the opportunity to apply for designation to provide official services in the geographic areas specified above under the provisions of Section 7(f) of the Act and section 800.196(d) of the regulations issued thereunder. Designation in the specified geographic areas is for the period beginning October 1, 2006, and ending September 30, 2009. Persons wishing to apply for designation should contact the Compliance Division at the address listed above for forms and information, or obtain applications at the GIPSA Web site, http://www.gipsa.usda.gov/​GIPSA/​webapp?​area=​home&​subject=​osp&​topic=​bsp.

3. Request for Comments. GIPSA also is publishing this notice to provide interested persons the opportunity to present comments on the quality of services for the Idaho, Lewiston, Ohio Valley, and Utah official agencies. Substantive comments citing reasons and pertinent data for support or objection to the designation of the applicants will be considered in the designation process. All comments must be submitted to the Compliance Division at the above address.

Applications, comments, and other available information will be considered in determining which applicant will be designated.

Authority: Public Law 94-582, 90 Stat. 2867, as amended (7 U.S.C. 71 et seq.).

James E. Link,

Administrator, Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration.