[Federal Register: October 1, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 191)]
[Notices]               
[Page 57047-57048]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01oc08-25]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Commodity Credit Corporation

 
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for 
the Biomass Crop Assistance Program

AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) intends to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Biomass Crop Assistance 
Program (BCAP). BCAP is a new program authorized by the Food, 
Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill). The EIS will 
assess the potential environmental impacts of alternatives for 
administration and implementation of BCAP. BCAP is a CCC program 
administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) with the support of other 
Federal and local agencies. As part of the EIS process, CCC is now 
soliciting input about potential alternatives for program 
implementation as well as potential environmental concerns associated 
with program implementation. CCC will develop and analyze a range of 
BCAP implementation alternatives. This Notice of Intent (NOI) informs 
the public of CCC's intent to solicit public comment on potential 
program alternatives and environmental concerns.

DATES: FSA, on behalf of CCC, invites comments on alternatives and 
environmental concerns related to BCAP. Submit comments by close of 
business on October 31, 2008, to ensure full consideration. We will 
consider comments submitted after this date, to the extent possible.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments on alternatives and 
environmental concerns related to BCAP. 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:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     E-Mail: Matthew.Ponish@wdc.usda.gov.
     Fax: (202) 720-4619.
     Mail: Matthew T. Ponish, National Environmental Compliance 
Manager, USDA, FSA, CEPD, Stop 0513, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., 
Washington, DC 20250-0513.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: Deliver comments to the above 
address.
    Comments may be inspected in the Office of the Director, CEPD, FSA, 
USDA, Room 4709 South Building, Washington, DC, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. A copy of this notice is 
available through the FSA home page at http://www.fsa.usda.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew T. Ponish, (202) 720-6853. 
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:  BCAP is authorized by section 9001 of the 
2008

[[Page 57048]]

Farm Bill (Pub. L. 110-246); the 2008 Farm Bill amended Title IX 
(Section 9011) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 
(Pub. L. 107-171, commonly known as the 2002 Farm Bill). BCAP is 
intended to support the establishment and production of crops for 
conversion to bio-energy in project areas (locations) and to assist 
with collection, harvest, storage, and transportation of eligible 
material for use in a biomass conversion facility.
    As a new energy program, BCAP presents an opportunity to encourage 
landowners and operators to produce biomass for commercial energy 
production in ways that both are economically and environmentally 
sound. CCC plans to implement BCAP by approving the best-qualifying 
project proposals from project sponsors and then entering into 
contracts with individual producers in the approved project locations.
    Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the EIS process 
provides a means for the public to provide input on implementation 
alternatives and on environmental concerns. This notice informs the 
public of CCC's intention to prepare an EIS for BCAP.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on September 24, 2008.
Glen L. Keppy,
Executive Vice President, Commodity Credit Corporation.
 [FR Doc. E8-22990 Filed 9-30-08; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410-05-P