[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 61 (Tuesday, March 31, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 15378]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-8506]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 61 / Tuesday, March 31, 1998 / 
Notices  

[[Page 15378]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Alaska Red Cedar: Export Procedures

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: Section 347 of the Department of the Interior and Related 
Agencies Appropriations Act of 1998 provides a formula under which 
western red cedar logs that are determined to be surplus to the needs 
of Alaska manufacturers shall be made available at domestic rates to 
domestic processors in the contiguous 48 states before the logs may be 
exported to a foreign country. The Act also stipulates that all Alaska 
yellow cedar logs may be sold at export rates. To implement the Act, 
new procedures will be included as part of a Region 10 supplement to 
the Forest Service Timber Sale Contract Administration Manual. 
Procedures regarding export of utility grade and chip sawlogs in will 
be updated as part of the supplement. The Forest Service hereby gives 
notice that a draft supplement is now available for public review and 
comment.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 30, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Single copies of the draft procedures may be obtained by 
writing Phil Janik, Regional Forester (2430), Alaska Region, Forest 
Service, USDA, P.O. Box 21628, Juneau, Alaska 99802-1628. Send written 
comments on the draft procedures to the same address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Greg Griffith or Bill Wilson, Forest 
Management Staff, Forest Service, USDA, P.O. Box 21628, Juneau, Alaska 
99802-1628, (907) 586-7915/7875.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Act establishes a process under which 
western red cedar, surplus to the needs of domestic processors in 
Alaska, shall be made available at domestic rates to domestic 
processors in the contiguous 48 states before it may be exported and 
sold at export rates. The Act also stipulates that all Alaska yellow 
cedar may be sold at export rates at the election of the timber sale 
holder.
    Specifically, the Act provides that if the total volume from all 
timber sales sold on the Tongass National Forest is equivalent to the 
annual average portion of the decadal allowable sale quantity in the 
Tongass Land Management Plan and if each of these sales meets 60 
percent of normal profit and risk at time of sale advertisement, all of 
the surplus western red cedar will be made available to domestic 
processors in the contiguous 48 states. If less than the annual average 
portion of the decadal allowable sale quantity is sold in fiscal year 
1998, therefore, meeting the 60 percent of the normal profit and risk 
standard, then the volume of the surplus western red cedar available to 
domestic processors in the contiguous 48 states will be limited to the 
ratio determined by dividing the actual total volume sold in fiscal 
year 1998 by the annual average allowable sale quantity. The amount of 
western red cedar determined to be the difference between the amount of 
western red cedar determined by the Regional Forester to be surplus to 
Alaskan processors' needs and the calculated western red cedar volume 
determined to be available to domestic processors in the contiguous 48 
States may be exported to a foreign country. All western red cedar not 
sold to domestic processors in Alaska or the contiguous 48 States may 
be exported and sold at export rates.
    To implement this Act, the Forest Service has developed draft 
export procedures for fiscal year 1998 sales of western red cedar that 
would be included in a regional supplemental to the Timber Sale 
Contract Administration Manual. The procedures will provide estimates 
for the volumes of western red cedar needed for processing in Alaska, 
available for domestic processing in the contiguous 48 States, and 
available for export to foreign markets. The draft procedures also 
include instructions for the calculation of sales, such as how western 
red cedar already sold in fiscal year 1998 will be taken into account, 
and how the fair market value of western red cedar in the three market 
destinations will be determined; and how western red cedar will be 
treated in 6-Month and 12-Month Timber Sale Announcements. The draft 
supplement will also update export procedures for utility grade and 
chip sawlogs in Alaska, laying out key definitions, appraisal 
guidelines, and documentation requirements. Procedures will be used by 
Forest Service employees in Alaska for processing proposed sale of 
western red cedar.
    Copies of the draft procedures have been submitted to the following 
groups for review and comment: The governors of Alaska, Washington, and 
Oregon, conservation organizations, forest industry groups, prospective 
timber sale bidders, and other organizations interested in the draft 
Alaska export policy on national forest lands in southeast Alaska. The 
public is also invited to comment on the proposal.

    Dated: March 26, 1998.
Phil Janik,
Alaska Regional Forester.
[FR Doc. 98-8506 Filed 3-30-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M