Opportunity for Designation in the Barton (KY), Central Illinois (IL), North Dakota (ND) and Plainview (TX) Areas, and Request for Comments on the Official Agencies Serving These Areas

AGENCY:

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The designations of the official agencies listed below will end in March 2002. 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:

J. W. Barton Grain Inspection Service, Inc. (Barton);

Central Illinois Grain Inspection, Inc. (Central Illinois);

North Dakota Grain Inspection Service, Inc. (North Dakota); and

Plainview Grain Inspection and Weighing Service, Inc. (Plainview).

DATES:

Applications and comments must be postmarked or sent by telecopier (FAX) on or before October 1, 2001.

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 janhart@gipsadc.usda.gov.

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.

1. Current Designations Being Announced for Renewal

a. Pursuant to Section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic area, in the States of Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee, is assigned to Barton:

In Indiana:

Clark, Crawford, Floyd, Harrison, Jackson, Jennings, Jefferson, Lawrence, Martin, Orange, Perry, Scott, Spencer, and Washington Counties.

In Kentucky:

Bounded on the North by the northern Daviess, Hancock, Breckinridge, Meade, Hardin, Jefferson, Oldham, Trimble, and Carroll County lines;

Bounded on the East by the eastern Carroll, Henry, Franklin, Scott, Fayette, Jessamine, Woodford, Anderson, Nelson, Larue, Hart, Barren, and Allen County lines;

Bounded on the South by the southern Allen and Simpson County lines; and

Bounded on the West by the western Simpson and Warren County lines; the southern Butler and Muhlenberg County lines; the Muhlenberg County line west to the Western Kentucky Parkway; the Western Kentucky Parkway west to State Route 109; State Route 109 north to State Route 814; State Route 814 north to U.S. Route Alternate 41; U.S. Route Alternate 41 north to the Webster County line; the northern Webster County line; the western McLean and Daviess County lines.

In Tennessee:

Bounded on the North by the northern Tennessee State line from Sumner County east;

Bounded on the East by the eastern Tennessee State line southwest;

Bounded on the South by the southern Tennessee State line west to the western Giles County line; and

Bounded on the West by the western Giles, Maury, and Williamson County lines North; the northern Williamson County line east; the western Rutherford, Wilson, and Sumner County lines north.

b. Pursuant to Section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic area, in the State of Illinois, is assigned to Central Illinois:

Bounded on the North by State Route 18 east to U.S. Route 51; U.S. Route 51 south to State Route 17; State Route 17 east to Livingston County; the Livingston County line east to State Route 47;

Bounded on the East by State Route 47 south to State Route 116; State Route 116 west to Pontiac, which intersects with a straight line running north and south through Arrowsmith to the southern McLean County line;

Bounded on the South by the southern McLean County line; the eastern Logan County line south to State Route 10; State Route 10 west to the Logan County line; the western Logan County line; the southern Tazewell County line; and

Bounded on the West by the western Tazewell County line; the western Peoria County line north to Interstate 74; Interstate 74 southeast to State Route 116; State Route 116 north to State Route 26; State Route 26 north to State Route 18.

Central Illinois' assigned geographic area does not include the following grain elevator inside Central Illinois' area which has been and will continue to be serviced by the following official agency: Springfield Grain Inspection, Inc.: East Lincoln Farmers Grain Co., Lincoln, Logan County, Illinois.

c. Pursuant to Section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic area, in the States of Illinois and North Dakota, is assigned to North Dakota:

In Illinois:

Bounded on the East by the eastern Cumberland County line; the eastern Jasper County line south to State Route 33; State Route 33 east-southeast to the Indiana-Illinois State line; the Indiana-Illinois State line south to the southern Gallatin County line;

Bounded on the South by the southern Gallatin, Saline, and Williamson County lines; the southern Jackson County line west to U.S. Route 51; U.S. Route 51 north to State Route 13; State Route 13 northwest to State Route 149; State Route 149 west to State Route 3; State Route 3 northwest to State Route 51; State Route 51 south to the Mississippi River; and

Bounded on the West by the Mississippi River north to the northern Calhoun County line;

Bounded on the North by the northern and eastern Calhoun County lines; the northern and eastern Jersey County lines; the northern Madison County line; the western Montgomery County line north to a point on this line that intersects with a straight line, from the junction of State Route 111 and the northern Macoupin County line to the junction of Interstate 55 and State Route 16 (in Montgomery County); from this point southeast along the straight line to the junction of Interstate 55 and State Route 16; State Route 16 east-northeast to a point approximately 1 mile northeast of Irving; a straight line from this point to the northern Fayette County line; the northern Fayette, Effingham, and Cumberland County lines.

In North Dakota:

Bounded on the North by the northern Steele County line from State Route 32 east; the eastern Steele County line south to State Route 200; State Route 200 east-southeast to the State line;

Bounded on the East by the eastern North Dakota State line;

Bounded on the South by the southern North Dakota State line west to State Route 1; and

Bounded on the West by State Route 1 north to Interstate 94; Interstate 94 east to the Soo Railroad line; the Soo Railroad line northwest to State Route 1; State Route 1 north to State Route 200; State Route 200 east to State Route 45; State Route 45 north to State Route 32; State Route 32 north.

North Dakota's assigned geographic area does not include the following grain elevators inside North Dakota's area which have been and will continue to be serviced by the following official agency: Grain Inspection, Inc.: Norway Spur, and Oakes Grain, both in Oakes, Dickey County, North Dakota.

d. Pursuant to Section 7(f)(2) of the Act, the following geographic area, in the State of Texas, is assigned to Plainview:

Bounded on the North by the northern Deaf Smith County line east to U.S. Route 385; U.S. Route 385 south to FM 1062; FM 1062 east to State Route 217; State Route 217 east to Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River; Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River southeast to the Briscoe County line; the northern Briscoe County line; the northern Hall County line east to U.S. Route 287;

Bounded on the East by U.S. Route 287 southeast to the eastern Hall County line; the eastern Hall, Motley, Dickens, Kent, Scurry, and Mitchell County lines;

Bounded on the South by the southern Mitchell, Howard, Martin, and Andrews County lines; and

Bounded on the West by the western Andrews, Gaines, and Yoakum County lines; the northern Yoakum and Terry county lines; the western Lubbock County line; the western Hale County line north to FM 37; FM 37 west to U.S. Route 84; U.S. Route 84 northwest to FM 303; FM 303 north to U.S. Route 70; U.S. Route 70 west to the Lamb County line; the western and northern Lamb County lines; the western Castro County line; the southern Deaf Smith County line west to State Route 214; State Route 214 north to the northern Deaf Smith County line.

2. Opportunity for Designation

Interested persons, including Barton, Central Illinois, North Dakota, and Plainview, 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 April 1, 2002, and ending March 31, 2005. Persons wishing to apply for designation should contact the Compliance Division at the address listed above for forms and information.

3. Request for Comments

GIPSA also is publishing this notice to provide interested persons the opportunity to present comments on the Columbus, Farwell, and Northeast Indiana official agencies. Commenters are encouraged to submit pertinent data concerning 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.).