[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 158 (Tuesday, August 18, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41674-41675]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-19644]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Commodity Credit Corporation


Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact on the Final 
Programmatic Environmental Assessment for the Farm Storage Facility 
Loan Program

AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation and Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; Finding of No Significant Impact.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces that the Farm Service Agency (FSA), on 
behalf of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), has completed a Final 
Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) and is issuing a Finding of 
No Significant Impact (FONSI) with respect to the implementation of 
changes to the Farm Storage Facility Loan (FSFL) program enacted by the 
Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill).

DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by September 17, 2009.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments on this Final PEA. In your 
comments, include the volume, date, and page number of this issue of 
the Federal Register. You may submit comments by any of the following 
methods:
     E-mail: marine.com">FSFLPEA@geo-marine.com.
     Online: Go to the Web site at marine.com">http://public.geo-marine.com. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Fax: (757) 873-3703.
     Mail: FSFL Program PEA, c/o Geo-marine Incorporated, 2713 
Magruder Boulevard Suite D, Hampton, VA 23666.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: Deliver comments to the above 
address.
    Comments may be inspected in the Office of the Director, CEPD, FSA, 
USDA, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Room 4709 South Building, 
Washington, DC, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except holidays. A copy of the FONSI and Final PEA is available through 
the FSA home page at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=ecrc&topic=nep-cd.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Ponish, National Environmental 
Compliance Manager, USDA, FSA, CEPD, Stop 0513, 1400 Independence Ave., 
SW., Washington, DC 20250-0513, (202) 720-6853, or e-mail: 
[email protected]. Persons with disabilities who require 
alternative means for communication (Braille, large print, audio tape, 
etc.) should contact the USDA Target Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice 
and TDD).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FSFL program provides, through the FSA 
county offices, low-interest loans to eligible producers for the 
purposes of constructing or upgrading on-farm storage facilities for 
storing eligible

[[Page 41675]]

facility loan commodities that such producers produce. The FSFL program 
is authorized under the CCC Charter Act (15 U.S.C. 714-714p). FSA, on 
behalf of CCC, administers the FSFL program. The 2008 Farm Bill (Pub. 
L. 110-246) includes several changes to the FSFL program.
    The Final PEA assesses the potential environmental impacts 
associated with implementing changes to provisions of the FSFL program 
as required by sections 1404 and 1614 of the 2008 Farm Bill (7 U.S.C. 
8789). The 2008 Farm Bill specifies the increases to the maximum term 
of a farm storage facility loan and the maximum loan amount, identifies 
additional commodities eligible for storage, specifies the required 
loan security, allows for partial disbursement of loans, and no longer 
requires a severance agreement if certain conditions are met. In 
addition, the 2008 Farm Bill gives the Secretary discretionary 
authority to determine other eligible facility loan commodities. The 
need for the Proposed Action is to implement provisions of the 2008 
Farm Bill that revise the FSFL program. The specific changes to the 
FSFL program include:
     Adding hay and renewable biomass as eligible facility loan 
commodities and making the appropriate storage facilities eligible for 
loans;
     Extending the maximum loan term to 12 years;
     Increasing the maximum loan amount to $500,000;
     Allowing one partial loan disbursement and the final 
disbursement;
     Specifying the loan security requirements and allowing the 
borrower the option to increase the down payment on a loan, instead of 
requiring a severance agreement from the holder of any prior lien on 
the real estate where the storage facility is located; and
     As a discretionary provision, adding vegetables and fruits 
that require cold storage facilities as eligible facility loan 
commodities.
    FSA analyzed the No Action Alternative (continuation of the FSFL 
program as currently implemented) as an environmental baseline.
    The Final PEA also provides a means for the public to voice any 
suggestions they may have about the program and any ideas for 
rulemaking. The Final PEA can be reviewed online at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=ecrc&topic=nep-cd.
    The Final PEA was completed as required by the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA, 42 U.S.C. 4321-4347), the Council on 
Environmental Quality (CEQ) Regulations for Implementing the Procedural 
Provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and FSA's policy and 
procedures (7 CFR part 799). Additional analysis under NEPA of 
potential impacts associated with certain implementation alternatives 
not included in the PEA may be conducted, as appropriate.

Determination

    In consideration of the analysis documented in the Final PEA and 
the reasons outlined in the FONSI, the preferred alternative (proposed 
action) would not constitute a major State or Federal action that would 
significantly affect the human environment. In accordance with NEPA, 40 
CFR part 1502.4, ``Major Federal Actions Requiring the Preparation of 
Environmental Impact Statements,'' and 7 CFR part 799, ``Environmental 
Quality and Related Environmental Concerns--Compliance with the 
National Environmental Policy Act,'' and the regulations of the Council 
on Environmental Quality (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), I find that neither 
the proposed action nor any of the alternatives analyzed constitute a 
major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human 
environment. Therefore, no environmental impact statement will be 
prepared.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on August 11, 2009.
Jonathan W. Coppess,
Acting Administrator, Farm Service Agency, and Acting Executive Vice 
President, Commodity Credit Corporation.
[FR Doc. E9-19644 Filed 8-17-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-05-P