[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 41 (Monday, March 3, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9971-9972]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-4872]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration

[03-01-A]


Opportunity for Designation in the Grand Forks (ND), Idaho, 
Lewiston (ID), Minnesota, 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.

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SUMMARY: The designations of the official agencies listed below will 
end in September and November 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: Grand Forks Grain Inspection Department, Inc. (Grand Forks); 
Idaho Grain Inspection Service, Inc. (Idaho); Lewiston Grain Inspection 
Service, Inc. (Lewiston); Minnesota Department of Agriculture 
(Minnesota); Ohio Valley Grain Inspection, Inc. (Ohio Valley); and Utah 
Department of Agriculture and Food (Utah).

DATES: Applications and comments must be postmarked or electronically 
dated on or before April 1, 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., 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.

[[Page 9972]]



                               1. Current Designations Being Announced for Renewal
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                                                                                    Designation     Designation
             Official agency                            Main office                    start            end
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Grand Forks.............................  Grand Forks, ND.......................      10/01/2002      09/30/2003
Idaho...................................  Pocatello, ID.........................      12/01/2000      11/30/2003
Lewiston................................  Lewiston, ID..........................      12/01/2000      09/30/2003
Minnesota...............................  Saint Paul, MN........................      01/01/2001      09/30/2003
Ohio Valley.............................  Evansville, IN........................      11/01/2000      09/30/2003
Utah....................................  Salt Lake City, UT....................      12/01/2000      09/30/2003
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    a. Pursuant to section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic 
area, in the State of North Dakota, is assigned to Grand Forks.
    Bounded on the North by the North Dakota State line;
    Bounded on the East by the North Dakota State line south to State 
Route 200;
    Bounded on the South by State Route 200 west-northwest to the 
western Traill County line; the western Traill County line; the 
southern Grand Forks and Nelson County lines; the southern Eddy County 
line west to U.S. Route 281; U.S. Route 281 north to State Route 15; 
State Route 15 west to U.S. Route 52; U.S. Route 52 northeast to State 
Route 3; and
    Bounded on the West by State Route 3 north to State Route 60; State 
Route 60 west-northwest to State Route 5; State Route 5 west to State 
Route 14; State Route 14 north to the North Dakota State line.
    Grand Fork's assigned geographic area does not include the 
following grain elevators inside Grand Fork's area which have been and 
will continue to be serviced by the following official agencies: 
Fessenden Coop Association, Fessenden; and Fessenden Coop Association, 
Manfred; both in Wells County (located in Grain Inspection, Inc.'s area 
; and Harvey Farmers Elevator, Harvey, Wells County (located in Minot 
Grain Inspection, Inc.'s area. b.
    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.
    c. Pursuant to section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic 
area, in the State of Idaho, is assigned to Lewiston.
    The northern half of the State of Idaho down to the northern 
boundaries of Adams, Valley, and Lemhi Counties.
    d. Pursuant to section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic 
area, the entire State of Minnesota, except those export port locations 
within the State, is assigned toMinnesota.
    e. 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.
    f. 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 Grand Forks, Idaho, Lewiston, 
Minnesota, Ohio Vally, 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, 2003, and ending September 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, 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 Grand Forks, Idaho, 
Lewiston, Minnesota, Ohio Vally, and Utah, official agencies. 
Commenters are encouraged to submit pertinent data concerning the 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.).

Donna Reifschneider,
Administrator, Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration.
[FR Doc. 03-4872 Filed 2-28-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-EN-P