[Federal Register: April 20, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 76)]
[Notices]               
[Page 20383]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20ap06-17]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2006-0003]

 
Horse Protection; Public Meetings in California, Kentucky, 
Tennessee, and Texas

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service's Animal Care program will host four additional 
meetings to present current information on the enforcement of the Horse 
Protection Act (HPA) and provide a forum for horse industry members and 
other interested persons to comment on the Horse Protection Program, 
development of the HPA Operating Plan for 2007 and beyond, and other 
Horse Protection matters. This notice provides the meetings' agendas, 
locations, and dates.

DATES: The meetings will be held in Dallas, TX, on April 19, 2006, at 1 
p.m.; in Somerset, KY, on May 17, 2006, at 1 p.m.; in Pomona, CA, on 
June 12, 2006, at 2:30 p.m., and in Chattanooga, TN, on September 11, 
2006, at 1 p.m. Registration for each meeting will start 30 minutes 
before the meeting.

ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at the following locations:
    Dallas, TX: Sterling Hotel Dallas, 1055 Regal Row, Dallas, TX.
    Somerset, KY: Center for Rural Development, 2292 South Highway 27, 
Suite 300, Somerset, KY.
    Pomona, CA: Kellogg West Conference Center, 3801 West Temple 
Avenue, Pomona, CA.
    Chattanooga, TN: Miller & Martin PLLC, Volunteer Building, 832 
Georgia Avenue, Suite 1000, Chattanooga, TN.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Darby G. Holladay, APHIS 
Legislative and Public Affairs, 4700 River Road Unit 51, Riverdale, MD 
20737; (301) 734-3265.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service (APHIS), Animal Care, is announcing four additional meetings to 
discuss the enforcement of the Horse Protection Act (HPA). Two prior 
meetings for this purpose have been held in Shelbyville, KY, on 
February 8, 2006, and in Springfield, MO, on March 13, 2006. Notice of 
the earlier meetings was published in the Federal Register on January 
18, 2006 (71 FR 2902), and on March 7, 2006 (71 FR 11373). These 
meetings are designed to provide a forum for information dissemination 
on current initiatives by Animal Care. Further, these meetings provide 
the opportunity for industry members and other interested parties to 
provide suggestions for the HPA Operating Plan for 2007 and beyond and 
comments on other Horse Protection Program matters during the listening 
session period on the agenda. Each attendee who wishes to comment 
should indicate at registration his or her intention to address the 
Deputy Administrator during the listening session and will be allotted 
a set amount of time.
    The meetings will, with the exception of possible minor 
modifications, follow the agenda below. Registration for each meeting 
will start 30 minutes prior to the meeting.
    Welcome and Overview: 15 minutes.
    Horse Protection Program Update: 1 hour, 45 minutes.
    Listening Session: 1 hour, 45 minutes.
    Remarks and Closing: 15 minutes.
    Meeting notices, copies of the Horse Protection Act, HPA 
regulations, the HPA Operating Plan for 2004-2006, and other relevant 
documents are available on the Animal Care Web site at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ac/hpainfo.html
.

    Please note that these meetings are being held to provide for the 
exchange of information on the enforcement of the Horse Protection Act 
and are not an opportunity to submit formal comments on proposed rules 
or other regulatory initiatives. Written comments will be accepted and 
should be mailed to: USDA, APHIS, Animal Care, 4700 River Road Unit 84, 
Riverdale, MD 20737.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 14th day of April 2006 .
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E6-5943 Filed 4-19-06; 8:45 am]

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