Pilot Programs Allowing More Than One Official Agency To Provide Official Services Within A Single Geographic Area

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Federal Grain Inspection Service

Pilot Programs Allowing More Than One Official Agency To Provide

Official Services Within A Single Geographic Area

AGENCY: Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS).

ACTION: Notice With Comment Period.

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SUMMARY: Amendments in 1993 changed the United States Grain Standards

Act, as amended (Act). One of these changes provides that the Federal

Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) may conduct pilot programs allowing

more than one official agency to provide official services within a

single geographic area. FGIS is announcing its intent to conduct one or

more such pilot programs. FGIS is requesting comments on the specific

pilot programs described below, and FGIS also is requesting suggestions

for other possible pilot programs in lieu of or in addition to those

listed below.

DATES: Comments and suggestions must be postmarked, or sent by

telecopier (FAX) or electronic mail by April 22, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Comments and suggestions must be submitted in writing to

Neil E. Porter, Director, Compliance Division, FGIS, USDA, Room 1647

South Building, P.O. Box 96454, Washington, DC 20090-6454. SprintMail

users may respond to [A:ATTMAIL,O:USDA,ID:A36CPDIR]. ATTMAIL and

FTS2000MAIL users may respond to !A36CPDIR. Telecopier (FAX) users may

send comments and suggestions to the automatic telecopier machine at

202-720-1015, attention: Neil E. Porter. All comments and suggestions

received will be made available for public inspection during regular

business hours at the above address located at 1400 Independence

Avenue, S.W.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Neil E. Porter, telephone 202-720-

8262.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Sections 7(f) and 7A of the Act were amended by the U.S. Grain

Standards Act Amendments of 1993 (Public Law 103-156) on November 24,

1993, to authorize FGIS' Administrator to conduct pilot programs

allowing more than one official agency to provide official services

within a single geographic area without undermining the declared policy

of the Act. The purpose of the pilot programs is to evaluate the impact

of allowing more than one official agency to provide official services

within a single geographic area. FGIS is considering several possible

pilot programs and may conduct one or more pilot programs. Official

agencies selected by FGIS to participate in a pilot program would be

allowed to provide official services in specified areas during the test

period, and these agencies would provide FGIS with information on such

official services. Following the pilot programs, FGIS would evaluate

the impact of allowing more than one official agency to provide service

within a single geographic area. FGIS is considering the following

possible pilot programs and may select one or more of these or other

suggested pilot programs for a test.

1. Barges on selected rivers or portions of rivers as defined by

FGIS. Agencies would be allowed to provide official services for barges

at these locations in addition to the agency already designated to

serve these locations.

2. Exceptions. Agencies having exceptions to their assigned

geographic areas would be allowed to provide official services at these

specified locations in addition to the official agency already

designated to serve these points.

3. Commercial inspection services. Agencies would be allowed to

provide official commercial inspection services outside their assigned

geographic areas.

4. Submitted samples. Agencies would be allowed to enter another

agency's assigned area to pick up submitted samples.

5. Timeliness of service. If an official agency can not provide the

requested services within 12 hours of the request, the applicant may

request such services from another official agency.

Commenters are encouraged to submit reasons and pertinent data for

support or objection to the pilot programs described above. FGIS is

also requesting suggestions regarding other possible pilot programs in

addition to or in lieu of those listed above. All comments and

suggestions must be submitted to the Compliance Division at the above

address.

Comments and other available information will be considered in

determining which pilot programs to conduct. FGIS will publish notice

of any pilot programs to be conducted.

Authority: Pub. L. 94-582, 90 Stat. 2867, as amended (7 U.S.C.

71 et seq.)

Dated: March 3, 1994.

Neil E. Porter,

Director, Compliance Division.

[FR Doc. 94-5805 Filed 3-11-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-EN-F