[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 104 (Wednesday, June 1, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31415-31416]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-10738]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration

[05-02-A]


Opportunity for Designation in the Alabama, Essex (IL), 
Springfield (IL), and Washington 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 December 2005. 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 
quality of services provided by these currently designated agencies: 
Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (Alabama); Kankakee 
Grain Inspection, Inc. (Kankakee); Springfield Grain Inspection, Inc. 
(Springfield); and Washington Department of Agriculture (Washington).

DATES: Applications and comments must be postmarked or electronically 
dated on or before July 1, 2005.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit applications and comments on this 
notice. You may submit applications and comments by any of the 
following methods:
     Hand Delivery or Courier: Deliver to Janet M. Hart, Chief, 
Review Branch, Compliance Division, GIPSA, USDA, Room 1647-S, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250.
     Fax: Send by facsimile transmission to (202) 690-2755, 
attention: Janet M. Hart.
     E-mail: Send via electronic mail to [email protected].
     Mail: Send hardcopy to Janet M. Hart, Chief, Review 
Branch, Compliance Division, GIPSA, USDA, STOP 3604,

[[Page 31416]]

1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-3604.
    Read Applications and Comments: All applications and comments will 
be available for public inspection at the office above during regular 
business hours (7 CFR 1.27(b)).

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 terminate 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. For Alabama, 
main office in Montgomery, Alabama; Kankakee, main office in Essex, 
Illinois; Springfield, main office in Springfield, Illinois; and 
Washington, main office in Olympia, Washington; the current 
designations started January 1, 2003 and will end December 31, 2005.
    a. Pursuant to Section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic 
area, the entire State of Alabama, except those export port locations 
within the State, is assigned to Alabama.
    b. Pursuant to Section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic 
area, in the State of Illinois, is assigned to Kankakee.
    Bounded on the North by the northern Bureau County line; the 
northern LaSalle and Grundy County lines; the northern Will County line 
east-southeast to Interstate 57;
    Bounded on the East by Interstate 57 south to U.S. Route 52; U.S. 
Route 52 south to the Kankakee County line;
    Bounded on the South by the southern Kankakee and Grundy County 
lines; the southern LaSalle County line west to State Route 17; State 
Route 17 west to U.S. Route 51; U.S. Route 51 north to State Route 18; 
State Route 18 west to State Route 26; State Route 26 south to State 
Route 116; State Route 116 south to Interstate 74; Interstate 74 west 
to the western Peoria County line; and
    Bounded on the West by the western Peoria and Stark County lines; 
the northern Stark County line east to State Route 40; State Route 40 
north to the Bureau County line.
    c. Pursuant to Section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic 
area, in the State of Illinois, is assigned to Springfield.
    Bounded on the North by the northern Schuyler, Cass, and Menard 
County lines; the western Logan County line north to State Route 10; 
State Route 10 east to the west side of Beason;
    Bounded on the East by a straight line from the west side of Beason 
southwest to Elkhart on Interstate 55; a straight line from Elkhart 
southeast to Stonington on State Route 48; a straight line from 
Stonington southwest to Irving on State Route 16;
    Bounded on the South by State Route 16 west to the eastern Macoupin 
County line; the eastern, southern, and western Macoupin County lines; 
the southern and western Greene County lines; the southern Pike County 
line; and
    Bounded on the West by the western Pike County line west to U.S. 
route 54; U.S. Route 54 northeast to State Route 107; State Route 107 
northeast to State Route 104; State Route 104 east to the western 
Morgan County line. The western Morgan, Cass, and Schuyler County 
lines.
    The following grain elevator, located outside of the above 
contiguous geographic area, is part of this geographic area assignment: 
East Lincoln Farmers Grain Co., Lincoln, Logan County (located inside 
Central Illinois Grain Inspection, Inc.'s, area).
    d. Pursuant to Section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic 
area, the entire State of Washington, except those export port 
locations within the State, is assigned to Washington.
    2. Opportunity for designation. Interested persons, including 
Alabama, Kankakee, Springfield, and Washington 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 January 1, 2006 and ending December 31, 2008. 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 
quality of services for the Alabama, Kankakee, Springfield, and 
Washington official agencies. In commenting on the quality of services, 
commenters are encouraged to submit pertinent data including 
information on the timeliness, cost, 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.).

David R. Shipman,
Acting Administrator, Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 05-10738 Filed 5-31-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-EN-P