Notice2023-25564
Notice of Availability of the Programmatic Environmental Assessment for AMS Organic Market Development Grant Program
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
November 20, 2023
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentAgricultural Marketing Service
Abstract
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announces that the Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) for the Organic Market Development Grant Program (OMDG) is available for public review and comments.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 222 (Monday, November 20, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 222 (Monday, November 20, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80687-80688]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-25564]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc. No. AMS-TM-23-0076]
Notice of Availability of the Programmatic Environmental
Assessment for AMS Organic Market Development Grant Program
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for public comments.
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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announces that the
Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) for the Organic
Market Development Grant Program (OMDG) is available for public review
and comments.
[[Page 80688]]
DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 20, 2023 to be
assured consideration.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments
concerning this notice. Comments may be submitted electronically by
Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4e01030a090e3b3d2a2f60292138"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b3fcfef7f4f3c6c0d7d29dd4dcc5">[email protected]</span></a>. Comments should reference the document number and
the date and page number of this issue of the Federal Register. AMS
will address comments received on the draft PEA in the final PEA.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Betsy Rakola, Associate Deputy
Administrator, Transportation and Marketing Program; Telephone: (202)-
690-1300; Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#622d2f262522171106034c050d14"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="703f3d343730050314115e171f06">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Draft PEA analyzes and discloses the potential environmental
impacts associated with the establishment of the Organic Market
Development Grant Program (OMDG). AMS has proposed to fund grants to
support the development of new and expanded organic markets by
providing additional resources for businesses transitioning to organic
or initiating new organic production and processing capacity. These
grants will create new and improved markets for domestically produced
organic products through investments in expanded certified organic
processing capacity; activities that develop, maintain, or expand
commercial organic markets; and organic product developments which
create new uses for producers that currently lack markets.
Selected applicants for the OMDG program may invest in certified
organic infrastructure and expand processing capacities, in addition to
adding manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, or
distribution infrastructure. Funded activities will include developing
new markets to increase demand for domestically produced organic
agricultural products and providing additional market networks.
The OMDG Program is authorized by authorized by section 5(e) of the
Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act, (15 U.S.C. 714(e)).
Section 5(e), as amended, authorizes USDA (through the CCC) to
``increase the domestic consumption of agricultural commodities (other
than tobacco) by expanding or aiding in the expansion of domestic
markets or by developing or aiding in the development of new and
additional markets, marketing facilities, and uses for such
commodities''. Recipients of funding from this proposed program would
be allowed 36 months to complete work funded by the grant awards.
The environmental impacts of funding projects to enhance existing
organic processing facilities have been considered in a manner
consistent with the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) of 1969, Public Law 91-190, 42 U.S.C. 4321-4347, as amended.
A Draft PEA has been prepared, and based on this analysis, AMS has
preliminarily determined there will not be a significant impact to the
human environment. As a result, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
has not been initiated (40 CFR 1501.6). AMS intends for this PEA to
create efficiencies by establishing a framework that can be used for
``tiering,'' where appropriate, to project-specific actions that
require additional analysis. As decisions on specific applications are
made, to the extent additional NEPA analysis is required, environmental
review will be conducted to supplement the analysis set forth in this
PEA.
The Draft PEA is available for review online at the program
website: <a href="https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/localmcap">https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/localmcap</a>.
Comments Invited
Interested stakeholders are invited to submit comments on the Draft
PEA, as specified in the ADDRESSES section of this notice. The most
helpful comments reference a specific recommendation for changing AMS's
proposed approach to assessing environmental impacts, explain the
reason for any recommended change, and include supporting information.
AMS will consider all comments received on or before the closing date.
Melissa Bailey,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-25564 Filed 11-17-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
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