[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 62 (Wednesday, April 1, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 15827]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-8442]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration


Opportunity for Designation in the Cairo (IL), Louisiana, and 
North Carolina Areas and Request for Comments on the Cairo, Louisiana, 
and North Carolina Agencies

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The United States Grain Standards Act, as amended (Act), 
provides that official agency designations will end not later than 
triennially and may be renewed. The designation of Cairo Grain 
Inspection Agency, Inc. (Cairo), will end October 31, 1998, according 
to the Act. The designations of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture 
(Louisiana), and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture (North 
Carolina) will end September 30, 1998, according to the Act. GIPSA is 
asking persons interested in providing official services in the Cairo, 
Louisiana, and North Carolina areas to submit an application for 
designation. GIPSA is also asking for comments on the services provided 
by Cairo, Louisiana, and North Carolina.

DATES: Applications must be postmarked or sent by telecopier (FAX) on 
or before April 30, 1998. Comments are due by June 30, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Applications and comments must be submitted to USDA, GIPSA, 
Janet M. Hart, Chief, Review Branch, Compliance Division, STOP 3604, 
Room 1647-S, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-3604. 
Applications and comments may be submitted by FAX on 202-690-2755. If 
an application is submitted by FAX, GIPSA reserves the right to request 
an original application. All applications and comments will be made 
available for public inspection at this address located at 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW, during regular business hours.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janet M. Hart, at 202-720-8525.

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 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. GIPSA designated 
Cairo, main office located in Cairo, Illinois, to provide official 
inspection services under the Act on November 1, 1995. GIPSA designated 
Louisiana, main office located in Pineville, Louisiana, and North 
Carolina, main office located in Raleigh, North Carolina, to provide 
official inspection services under the Act on October 1, 1995.
    Section 7(g)(1) of the Act provides that designations of official 
agencies shall end not later than triennially and may be renewed 
according to the criteria and procedures prescribed in Section 7(f) of 
the Act. The designation of Cairo ends on October 31, 1998, according 
to the Act. The designations of Louisiana and North Carolina end on 
September 30, 1998, according to the Act.
    Pursuant to Section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic 
area, in the States of Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee, is assigned 
to Cairo.
    Randolph County (southwest of State Route 150 from the Mississippi 
River north to State Route 3); Jackson County (southwest of State Route 
3 southeast to State Route 149; State Route 149 east to State Route 13; 
State Route 13 southeast to U.S. Route 51; U.S. Route 51 south to Union 
County); and Alexander, Johnson, Hardin, Massac, Pope, Pulaski, and 
Union Counties, Illinois.
    Ballard, Calloway, Carlisle, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Livingston, 
Lyon, Marshall, McCracken, and Trigg Counties, Kentucky.
    Benton, Dickson, Henry, Houston, Humphreys, Lake, Montgomery, 
Obion, Stewart, and Weakley Counties, Tennessee.
    Cairo's assigned geographic area does not include the following 
grain elevator inside Cairo's area which has been and will continue to 
be serviced by the following official agency: Memphis Grain and Hay 
Association: Continental Grain Co., Tiptonville, Lake County, 
Tennessee.
    Pursuant to Section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic 
area, the entire State of Louisiana, except those export port locations 
within the State which are serviced by GIPSA, is assigned to Louisiana.
    Pursuant to Section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic 
area, the entire State of North Carolina, except those export port 
locations within the State which are serviced by GIPSA, is assigned to 
North Carolina.
    Interested persons, including Cairo, Louisiana, and North Carolina 
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 Sec. 800.196(d) of the 
regulations issued thereunder. Designation in the Cairo area is for the 
period beginning November 1, 1998, and ending October 31, 2001. 
Designations in the Louisiana and North Carolina areas is for the 
period beginning October 1, 1998, and ending September 30, 2001. 
Persons wishing to apply for designation should contact the Compliance 
Division at the address listed above for forms and information.
    GIPSA also is publishing this notice to provide interested persons 
the opportunity to present comments on the Cairo, Louisiana, and North 
Carolina official agencies. Commentors are encouraged to submit 
pertinent data concerning the Cairo, Louisiana, and North Carolina 
official agencies including information concerning the timeliness, 
cost, quality, and scope of services provided. 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: Pub. L. 94-582, 90 Stat. 2867, as amended (7 U.S.C. 
71 et seq.).

    Dated: March 23, 1998.
Neil E. Porter,
Director, Compliance Division.
[FR Doc. 98-8442 Filed 3-31-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-EN-P