[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 164 (Thursday, August 22, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43330-43331]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-21467]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation Service


Notice of Request for Nominations for the Task Force on 
Agricultural Air Quality

SUMMARY: The Secretary of Agriculture is requesting nominations for 
qualified persons to serve as members of the Task Force on Agricultural 
Air Quality.

DATES: Nominations must be received in writing or reaffirmed (see 
Supplementary Information section) by September 23, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Send written nominations to Chief , Natural Resources 
Conservation Service, USDA, P.O. Box 2890, Washington, D.C. 20013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George C. Bluhm, National Agricultural 
Meteorologist, NRCS, (916) 752-1018.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Task Force Purpose

    As required by Section 391 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement 
and Reform Act (FAIR) of 1996, the Chief of the Natural Resources 
Conservation Service (NRCS) shall establish a task force to review 
research results by any Federal Agency that addresses air quality 
issues related to agriculture or agriculture infastructure. 
Recommendations from the Task Force will be provided to the Secretary 
of Agriculture for guidance on air policy implementations. NRCS intends 
to meet all requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) 
relative to this Task Force.
    The Agricultural Air Quality Task Force will review any policy 
recommendations issued by any federal agency that would establish 
controls over farming or ranch operations in behalf of cleaner air. 
Specifically the task force is to provide insights to potential local 
impacts of proposed policy changes. The Task Force will:
    1. Review research on agricultural air quality supported 
financially and technically by any federal agency,
    2. Base recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture upon sound 
scientific findings after adequate peer review and taking into account 
economic feasibility,
    3. Work to ensure intergovernmental (Federal, state, and local) 
cooperation to establish policy for agriculture air quality and to 
avoid duplication,
    4. To the extent practical, assist any federal agency to correct 
their erroneous data with respect to agriculture air quality.

Task Force Membership

    The Task Force will be made up of United States citizens. The Task 
Force will be composed of:
    1. Individuals with expertise in agricultural air quality and/or 
agricultural production.
    2. Individuals representing regional concerns.
    3. Representatives of institutions with expertise in agricultural 
air quality impacts on human health.
    4. Five representatives from commodity groups having expertise in 
production agriculture.

[[Page 43331]]

    5. Six representatives from state or local agencies having 
expertise in agriculture and air quality.
    6. An atmospheric scientist.
    Task Force nominations must be in writing and provide the the 
appropriate background documents required by USDA policy. Forms are 
available from the above contact. Previous nominations should consider 
the desirability of updating their nominations and must provide the 
required background disclosures (AD-755) to reaffirm their candidacy. 
Service as a member of the Task Force shall not constitute employment 
by, or the holding of an office of the United States for the purpose of 
any Federal law.
    A Task Force member will serve for a term of 2 years, except that 
members appointed to the initial Task Force shall serve, proportionally 
for terms of 1 and 2 years, as determined by the Chief of NRCS. No 
individual may serve more than 2 consecutive 2-year terms as a member 
of the Task Force. A member of the Task Force shall receive no 
compensation from the NRCS for the service as a member of the Task 
Force except as described below.
    While away from home or regular place of business of a member of 
the Task Force, the member will be eligible for travel expenses paid by 
the NRCS, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, at the same rate 
as a person employed intermittently in the government service is 
allowed under section 5703 of title 5, United States code.

Submitting Nominations

    Nominations should be typed and should include the following:
    1. A brief summary of no more than two pages explaining the 
nominee's suitability to serve on the Agricultural Air Quality Task 
Force.
    2. Resume.
    3. A completed copy of form AD-755.
    4. Send nominations to the address listed earlier in this section.
    5. Nominations are due post marked no later than 30 days after the 
date of this announcement.
Richard L. Duesterhaus,
Deputy Chief, Soil Science and Resource Assessment.
[FR Doc. 96-21467 Filed 8-21-96; 8:45 am]
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