[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 226 (Friday, November 22, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70397-70399]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-29757]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration

[02-04-A]


Opportunity for Designation in the Kansas, Minot (ND), and Tri-
State (OH) 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 June 2003. 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 
services provided by these currently designated agencies: Kansas Grain 
Inspection Service, Inc., (Kansas); Minot Grain Inspection, Inc., 
(Minot); and Tri-State Grain Inspection Service, Inc., (Tri-State).

DATES: Applications and comments must be postmarked or electronically 
dated or before January 2, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Submit applications and comments to USDA, GIPSA, Janet M. 
Hart, Chief, Review Branch, Compliance Division, STOP 3604, Room 1647-
S, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW.,

[[Page 70398]]

Washington, DC 20250-3604; FAX 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 Room 1647-S, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., during 
regular business hours.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janet M. Hart at 202-720-8525, e-mail 
[email protected].

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 end 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

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                       Designation   Designation
               Official agency                              Main office                   start          end
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kansas.......................................  Topeka, KS...........................    07/01/2000    06/30/2003
Minot........................................  Minot, ND............................    07/01/2000    06/30/2003
Tri-State....................................  Cincinnati, OH.......................    07/01/2000    06/30/2003
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    a. Pursuant to Section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic 
area, in the States of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, and Wyoming, is 
assigned to Kansas.

The entire State of Colorado.
The entire State of Kansas.
In Nebraska:
    Bounded on the North by the northern Scotts Bluff County line; the 
northern Morrill County line east to Highway 385;
    Bounded on the East by Highway 385 south to the northern Cheyenne 
County line; the northern and eastern Cheyenne County lines; the 
northern and eastern Deuel County lines;
    Bounded on the South by the southern Deuel, Cheyenne, and Kimball 
County lines; and
    Bounded on the West by the western Kimball, Banner, and Scotts 
Bluff County lines.
    Goshen, Laramie, and Platt Counties, Wyoming.
    Kansas' assigned geographic area does not include the following 
grain elevators inside Kansas' area which have been and will ontinue to 
be serviced by the following official agency: Hastings Grain 
Inspection, Inc.: Farmers Coop, and Big Springs Elevator, both in Big 
Springs, Deuel County, Nebraska.
    b. Pursuant to Section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic 
area, in the State of North Dakota, is assigned to Minot.
    Bounded on the North by the North Dakota State line east to State 
Route 14;
    Bounded on the East by State Route 14 south to State Route 5; State 
Route 5 east to State Route 60; State Route 60 southeast to State Route 
3; State Route 3 south to State Route 200;
    Bounded on the South by State Route 200 west to State Route 41; 
State Route 41 south to U.S. Route 83; U.S. Route 83 northwest to State 
Route 200; State Route 200 west to U.S. Route 85; U.S. Route 85 south 
to Interstate 94; Interstate 94 west to the North Dakota State line; 
and
    Bounded on the West by the North Dakota State line.
    The following grain elevators, located outside of the above 
contiguous geographic area, are part of this geographic area 
assignment: Harvey Farmers Elevator, Harvey, Wells County (located 
inside Grand Forks Grain Inspection Department, Inc.'s, area); and 
Benson Quinn Company, Underwood, and Falkirk Farmers Elevator, 
Washburn, both in McLean County (located inside Grain Inspection, 
Inc.'s, area).
    c. Pursuant to Section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic 
area, in the States of Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio, is assigned to Tri-
State.
    Dearborn, Decatur, Franklin, Ohio, Ripley, Rush (south of State 
Route 244), and Switzerland Counties, Indiana.
    Bath, Boone, Bourbon, Bracken, Campbell, Clark, Fleming, Gallatin, 
Grant, Harrison, Kenton, Lewis (west of State Route 59), Mason, 
Montgomery, Nicholas, Owen, Pendleton, and Robertson Counties, 
Kentucky.
    In Ohio:
    Bounded on the North by the northern Preble County line east; the 
western and northern Miami County lines east to State Route 296; State 
Route 296 east to State Route 560; State Route 560 south to the Clark 
County line; the northern Clark County line east to U.S. Route 68;
    Bounded on the East by U.S. Route 68 south to U.S. Route 22; U.S. 
Route 22 east to State Route 73; State Route 73 southeast to the Adams 
County line; the eastern Adams County line;
    Bounded on the South by the southern Adams, Brown, Clermont, and 
Hamilton County lines; and
    Bounded on the West by the western Hamilton, Butler, and Preble 
County lines.

2. Opportunity for Designation

    Interested persons, including Kansas, Minot, and Tri-State, 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 July 1, 2003, and ending June 30, 
2006. 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.usda.gov/gipsa/oversight/parovreg.htm.

3. Request for Comments

    GIPSA also is publishing this notice to provide interested persons 
the opportunity to present comments on the Kansas, Minot, and Tri-State 
official agencies. Commenters are encouraged to submit pertinent data 
concerning these official agencies including information on 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.).


[[Page 70399]]


    Dated: November 13, 2002.
Donna Reifschneider,
Administrator, Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration.
[FR Doc. 02-29757 Filed 11-21-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-EN-P