[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 197 (Friday, October 10, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52967-52968]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-26899]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration Pilot 
Program for Barge Inspection Services on Selected Rivers

AGENCY: Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration 
(GIPSA).

ACTION: Notice with comment period.

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SUMMARY: GIPSA is announcing its intent to conduct a pilot program 
allowing more than one official agency to provide barge inspection 
services within a single geographic area on the Mississippi River and/
or other selected rivers. GIPSA is requesting comments on the specific 
pilot programs described below, and GIPSA also is announcing that it 
will consider suggestions for other possible pilot programs in lieu of 
those listed below.

DATES: Comments must be postmarked, or sent by telecopier (FAX) or 
electronic mail by November 15, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments must be sent to Neil E. Porter, Director, 
Compliance Division, STOP 3604 (Room 1647-S), 1400 Independence Avenue, 
S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-3604. Telecopier (FAX) users may send 
comments to the automatic telecopier machine at 202-690-2755, 
attention: Neil E. Porter.
    All comments received will be made available for public inspection 
during regular business hours at the above address located at Room 
1647-S, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Neil E. Porter, telephone 202-720-
8262.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Sections 7(f) and 7A of the United States 
Grain Standards Act, as amended (Act), were amended by the U.S. Grain 
Standards Act Amendments of 1993 (Pub. L. 103-156) on November 24, 
1993, to authorize GIPSA's Administrator to conduct pilot programs 
allowing more than one official agency to provide official services 
within a single geographic area without undermining the declared policy 
of the Act. The purpose of pilot programs is to evaluate the impact of 
allowing more than one official agency to provide official services 
within a single geographic area.
    GIPSA considered several possible pilot programs as announced in 
the March 14, 1994, Federal Register (59 FR 11759) and the March 10, 
1995, Federal Register (60 FR 13113). In the September 27, 1995, 
Federal Register (60 FR 49828) GIPSA announced two pilot programs, 
Timely Service and Open Season, starting on November 1, 1995, and 
ending on October 31, 1996. These two pilot programs were extended to 
October 31, 1999, as announced in the October 3, 1996, Federal Register 
(61 FR 51674).
    The March 14, 1994, Federal Register Notice requested comments on a 
possible pilot program for barges on selected rivers or portions of 
rivers as defined by GIPSA. This was one of five potential pilots being 
considered. GIPSA received 41 comments. Seven

[[Page 52968]]

specifically talked about the pilot programs for barges. Of those 
seven, five supported the program for barges, and two did not. 
Subsequently, GIPSA determined that this proposed pilot program was too 
narrow in scope for the initial round of pilot programs.
    Subsequently, some official agencies expressed their belief that a 
pilot program on the Mississippi River would be beneficial because 
there is some uncertainty over the boundary lines between official 
agencies along the Mississippi River. At one point GIPSA considered the 
boundary to be the middle of a river. Official agencies found this very 
difficult to work with, and GIPSA subsequently changed the boundary 
definition to the edge of a river. The middle of a river was viewed as 
an open area to be served by either contiguous official agency.
    In 1993, because of flooding along the Mississippi River, GIPSA 
granted a temporary exception for certain types of barge inspections 
along portions of the Illinois, Mississippi, and Missouri Rivers. This 
exception made the covered river areas open to any official agency for 
probe sampling and inspections to expedite barge traffic. GIPSA noted 
no problems as a result of this exception.
    In addition, some facilities located along the Mississippi River 
(Birds Point Terminal, Bertrand, Missouri; Peavey, St. Louis, Missouri; 
ADM, Winona, Minnesota; and Consolidated Grain, Caruthersville, 
Missouri) have received services from alternative official agencies 
under the existing pilot programs. There have been no significant 
problems resulting from the barge inspections on the Mississippi River 
under the existing pilot programs.
    GIPSA is requesting comments on the four barge pilot program 
options described below.
    1. Barges on the Mississippi River may be sampled by probe by any 
official agency; or
    2. Barges on the Mississippi River may be sampled by probe at any 
location by the official agency designated to serve the geographic area 
within which the barge was loaded; or
    3. Barges on all rivers may be sampled by probe by any official 
agency; or
    4. Barges on all rivers may be sampled by probe at any location by 
the official agency designated to serve the geographic area within 
which the barge was loaded.
    GIPSA will consider comments on other possible pilot programs.
    Official agencies desiring to participate in this pilot program 
would be asked to submit their plans to provide official services under 
such a pilot program to Compliance Division. This pilot program will 
start approximately January 1, 1998, and run concurrently with the two 
existing pilot programs ending October 31, 1999. During this time, 
GIPSA will monitor these pilot programs. If, at any time, GIPSA 
determines that a pilot program is having a negative impact on the 
official system or is not working as intended, the pilot program may be 
modified or discontinued.

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

    Dated: October 6, 1997.
Neil E. Porter,
Director, Compliance Division.
[FR Doc. 97-26899 Filed 10-9-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-EN-P