[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 221 (Thursday, November 14, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58370-58371]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-29211]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Land and Resource Management Planning

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of adoption of internal directives; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: After nearly 20 years experience in forest planning under the 
National Forest Management Act, many of the Forest Service's planning 
and analytical needs have changed. Some of the planning direction 
issued in the Forest Service Manual and Forest Service Handbook to 
guide agency employees has become out-of-date, overly prescriptive, 
and/or burdensome. Therefore, the Forest Service has found it necessary 
to issue certain amendments to Forest Service Manual Chapter 1920, Land 
and Resource Management Planning; chapter 3 of Forest Service Handbook 
1909.12, Land and Resource Management Planning; and chapter 40 of 
Forest Service Handbook 2409.13, Timber Resource Planning Handbook. 
There was an immediate need to issue these amendments because numerous 
national forests have begun or will soon begin revising their initial 
forest plans and because there is a need to have consistent 
interpretation and application of the direction by Regional and Forest-
level personnel. The Forest Service welcomes public comment on these 
amendments and will take comments under advisement to determine if any 
further revisions are needed.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Amendment Numbers 1900-96-2 and 1909.12-96-2 were 
issued and became effective on August 14, 1996, and amendment 2409.13-
96-2 was issued and became effective on August 15, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Single copies of these amendments are available without 
charge by writing to the Director, Land Management Planning, Forest 
Service, USDA, P.O. Box 96090, Washington, D.C. 20090-6090.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jonathan Stephens, Land Management 
Planning Staff, (202) 205-0948.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Forest Service Manual (FSM) Chapter 1920 and 
Forest Service Handbook (FSH) 1909.12 contain Forest Service policy, 
practice, and procedures to guide agency personnel in complying with 
the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 as 
amended by the National Forest Management Act of 1976 and the 
implementing regulations found at 36 CFR part 219. Forest Service 
Manual Chapter 1920 provides broad planning direction for line and 
primary staff officers and establishes specific responsibility for 
preparing forest plans and implementing, monitoring, and changing 
forest plans. Forest Service Handbook 1909.12 provides detailed 
procedural direction and technical guidance for carrying out the law, 
regulations, and the broad direction found in the FSM.
    The major changes that have been made in FSM 1920 and FSH 1909.12 
relate to the implementation of benchmark analysis. The subject 
amendment to FSM 1920 revised only section 1922 as adopted March 11, 
1991. This section addresses how to implement benchmark analysis as 
called for under 36 CFR 219.12 of the Land and Resource Management 
Planning regulations. Amendment 1900-96-2 removed requirements that 
have become obsolete--such as mandating the use of FORPLAN, now an 
outdated computer model. The amendment also removed prescriptive 
internal agency direction on what benchmarks to analyze in forest 
plans. The agency will continue to follow 36 CFR 219.12 in preparing 
benchmark analysis for forest planning. In addition, the amendment to 
FSM 1920 removed the requirement for timber sale projections for the 
year 2030. The year 2030 was the fifth decade following the initial 
forest plan approvals; now that the agency is revising those forest 
plans, the text has been revised to no longer refer to a fixed year.
    The amendment to FSH 2409.13, Timber Resource Planning Handbook, 
removed prescriptive language in Chapter 40 that relates to development 
of the timber sale schedule. This direction is superfluous since 36 CFR 
219.16 requires a timber sale schedule for each planning alternative.
    While these amendments are not in the agency's baseline for 
reducing internal directives by 50 percent as directed by Executive 
Order 12861, these amendments are very much consistent with the 
purposes of that order in that they remove obsolete or burdensome 
requirements.
    The Forest Service welcomes any comment that interested persons or 
groups wish to make and will consider whether any additional changes 
are necessary based on comments received.

Environmental Impact

    Section 31.1b of Forest Service Handbook 1909.15 (57 FR 43180; 
September 18, 1992) excludes from documentation in an environmental 
assessment or impact statement ``rules, regulations, or policies to 
establish Service-wide administrative procedures, program processes or 
instructions.'' Based on consideration of the nature and scope of this 
policy, the Forest Service has determined that this policy falls within 
this category of actions and that no extraordinary circumstances exist 
which would require preparation

[[Page 58371]]

of an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.

Controlling Paperwork Burdens on the Public

    This internal directive does not establish or revise any 
recordkeeping or reporting requirements or other information collection 
requirements as defined in 5 CFR part 1320 and, therefore, imposes no 
paperwork burden on the public. Accordingly, the review provisions of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) and 
implementing regulations at 5 CFR 1320 do not apply.

Regulatory Impact

    This notice has been reviewed under USDA procedures pursuant to 
Executive Order 12866 on Regulatory Planning and Review, and it has 
been determined that this notice is not significant as defined by the 
Executive Order.
    These directive revisions remove burdensome, unnecessary, and 
obsolete guidance to Forest Service employees on conducting benchmark 
analysis in the forest plan revision process. The result is a savings 
in time and money with no diminution in the quality and usefulness of 
planning data. Benchmark analysis still must be performed. However, 
planning teams will now rely directly on the requirements of the 
planning rule. The net result is to provide planning teams more 
flexibility to tailor analysis to address issues associated with forest 
plan revisions in the most cost effective and relevant manner. These 
revisions to agency planning direction will not have an annual effect 
on the economy of $100 million nor adversely affect productivity, 
competition, jobs, the environment, public health or safety, nor State 
or local governments. This internal agency guidance will not interfere 
with an action taken or planned by another agency nor raise new legal 
or policy issues. Finally, this action will not alter the budgetary 
impact of entitlement, grants, user fees, or loan programs or the 
rights and obligations of recipients of such programs.
    Moreover, this policy has been considered in light of the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et. seq.), and it is hereby 
certified that this action will not have a significant economic impact 
on a substantial number of small entities as defined by that Act. The 
effect of this directive is to remove out-of-date and burdensome 
analytical requirements in land and resource management planning. It 
has no effect on small entities or their ability to obtain, understand, 
or respond to planning data.

No Takings Implications

    This notice concerns planning activities engaged in by the Forest 
Service involving National Forest lands and is thus exempt from 
consideration for takings implications under Section 2(c)(4) of 
Executive Order 12630 and Section II(B)(4) of the Attorney General's 
Guidelines for the Evaluation of Risk and Avoidance of Unanticipated 
Takings.

Unfunded Mandates Reform

    Pursuant to Title II of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995, 
which the President signed into law on March 22, 1995, the Department 
has assessed the effect of this rule on State, local, and tribal 
governments and the private sector. This policy does not compel the 
expenditure of $100 million or more by any State, local, or tribal 
governments or anyone in the private sector. Therefore, a statement 
under section 202 of the Act is not required.

    Dated: October 1, 1996.
Mark A. Reimers,
Acting Chief.
[FR Doc. 96-29211 Filed 11-13-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M