Opportunity for Designation in the Alton (IL), Columbus (OH), and Farwell (TX) Areas, and Request for Comments on the Alton, Columbus, and Farwell Agencies

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration

Opportunity for Designation in the Alton (IL), Columbus (OH), and

Farwell (TX) Areas, and Request for Comments on the Alton, Columbus,

and Farwell Agencies

AGENCY: Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration

(GIPSA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The United States Grain Standards Act, as amended (Act),

provides that official agency designations will end not later than

triennially and may be renewed. The designations of Alton Grain

Inspection Department (Alton), Columbus Grain Inspection, Inc.

(Columbus), and Farwell Grain Inspection, Inc. (Farwell), will end

January 31, 1999, according to the Act. GIPSA is asking persons

interested in providing official services in the Alton, Columbus, and

Farwell areas to submit an application for designation. GIPSA is also

asking for comments on the services provided by Alton, Columbus, and

Farwell.

DATES: Applications must be postmarked or sent by telecopier (FAX) on

or before September 1, 1998. Comments are due by October 31, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Applications and comments must be submitted to USDA, GIPSA,

Janet M. Hart, Chief, Review Branch, Compliance Division, STOP 3604,

Room 1647-S, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-3604.

Applications and comments may be submitted by FAX on 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 this address located at 1400

Independence Avenue, SW, during regular business hours.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janet M. Hart, at 202-720-8525.

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 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. GIPSA designated

Alton, main office located in St. Paul, Missouri, Columbus, main office

located in Circleville, Ohio, and Farwell, main office located in

Farwell, Texas, to provide official inspection services under the Act

on February 1, 1996.

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. The designations of Alton, Columbus, and Farwell end on

January 31, 1999, according to the Act.

Pursuant to Section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic

area, in the State of Illinois, is assigned to Alton.

Calhoun, Jersey, and Madison (West of State Route 4 and North of

Interstate 70 and 270) Counties.

Pursuant to Section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic

area, in the States of Michigan and Ohio, is assigned to Columbus.

In Ohio: Bounded on the North by the northern Lucas County line

east to Lake Erie; the Lake Erie shoreline east to the Ohio-

Pennsylvania State line;

Bounded on the East by the Ohio-Pennsylvania State line south to

the Ohio River;

Bounded on the South by the Ohio River south-southwest to the

western Scioto County line; and

Bounded on the West by the western Scioto County line north to

State Route 73; State Route 73 northwest to U.S. Route 22; U.S. Route

22 west to U.S. Route 68; U.S. Route 68 north to Clark County; the

northern Clark County line west to State Route 560; State Route 560

north to State Route 296; State Route 296 west to Interstate 75;

Interstate 75 north to State Route 47; State Route 47 northeast to U.S.

Route 68 (including all of Sidney, Ohio); U.S. Route 68 north to U.S.

Route 30; U.S. Route 30 east to State Route 19; State Route 19 north to

Seneca County; the southern Seneca County line west to State Route 53;

State Route 53 north to Sandusky County; the southern Sandusky County

line west to State Route 590; State Route 590 north to Ottawa County;

the southern and western Ottawa and Lucas County lines.

In Michigan: those sections of Jackson, Lenawee, and Monroe

Counties which are east of State Route 127 and south of State Route 50.

Columbus' assigned geographic area does not include the export port

locations inside Columbus' area which are serviced by GIPSA.

Pursuant to Section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic

area, in the States of Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, is assigned to

Farwell.

Maricopa, Pinal, and Yuma Counties, Arizona.

Bernalillo, Chaves, Curry, DeBaca, Eddy, Guadalupe, Lea, Quay,

Roosevelt, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Torrance, and Union Counties, New

Mexico.

Bailey, Cochran, Deaf Smith (west of State Route 214), Hockley,

Lamb (south of a line bounded by U.S. Route 70, FM 303, U.S. Route 84,

and FM 37), and Parmer Counties, Texas.

Interested persons, including Alton, Columbus, and Farwell 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 Alton, Columbus, and

Farwell areas is for the period beginning February 1, 1999, and ending

January 31, 2002. Persons wishing to apply for designation should

contact the Compliance Division at the address listed above for forms

and information.

GIPSA also is publishing this notice to provide interested persons

the opportunity to present comments on the Alton, Columbus, and Farwell

official agencies. Commentors are encouraged to submit pertinent data

concerning the Alton, Columbus, and Farwell 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

[[Page 41225]]

in determining which applicant will be designated.

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

71 et seq.).

Dated: July 17, 1998.

Neil E. Porter,

Director, Compliance Division.

[FR Doc. 98-20071 Filed 7-31-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-EN-P