[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 125 (Wednesday, June 30, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 34967-34968]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-16523]



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  Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 125 / Wednesday, June 30, 1999 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 34967]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Office of the Secretary

7 CFR Part 2


Revisions of Delegations of Authority

AGENCY: Department of Agriculture.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This document revises the delegations of authority from the 
Secretary of Agriculture and general officers of the Department to 
delegate, through the Under Secretary for Natural Resources and 
Environment, to the Chief of the Forest Service the authority vested in 
the Secretary pursuant to Title V of the Department of the Interior and 
Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 1998 (Title V), Pub. L. 105-83, 
relating to the New World Mine acquisition and other priority land 
acquisitions, exchanges, and maintenance.

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 30, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Terry Harwood, Executive Director, 
Hazardous Materials Policy Council, United States Department of 
Agriculture, 324 25th Street, Ogden, Utah 84401, telephone (801) 625-
5196.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Title V of the Department of the 
Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 1998 (Title V), 
Pub. L. 105-83, Congress made available to the Secretary of Agriculture 
$167,000,000 for priority land acquisitions, land exchange agreements, 
and other activities consistent with the Land and Water Conservation 
Fund Act of 1965, as amended, and critical maintenance. Of those funds 
made available to the Secretary, not to exceed $65,000,000 may be used 
by the Secretary to acquire identified lands and interests in lands 
from Crown Butte Mines, Inc. (Crown Butte), in the New World Mining 
District to protect and preserve Yellowstone National Park pursuant to 
sections 502 and 504 of Title V, and $12,000,000 may be used by the 
Secretary for the rehabilitation and maintenance of the Beartooth 
Highway in Montana and Wyoming pursuant to section 502 of Title V. 
Pursuant to section 502(d), immediately upon receipt of payment from 
the United States for the lands and interests in lands, Crown Butte 
shall deposit $22,500,000 in an interest bearing account in a private, 
Federally-chartered financial institution that shall be acceptable to 
the Secretary and available to carry out certain response and 
restoration actions in the New World Mining District (New World Mine 
Response and Restoration Account). This document amends the formal 
delegations of authority by the Secretary of Agriculture and general 
officers of the Department to reflect the previous internal delegation 
by the Secretary, through the Under Secretary for Natural Resources and 
Environment, to the Chief of the Forest Service with the exception of 
the authority to approve disbursements from the New World Mine Response 
and Restoration Account under section 502(d) and the authority to 
prepare and approve the New World Mine Response and Restoration Plan, 
including the coordination of the response and restoration activities 
of the Forest Service and the other Federal and State agencies, and 
make quarterly reports to Congress under section 502(f), which are 
reserved to the Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment.
    This rule relates to internal agency management. Therefore, 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553, notice of proposed rulemaking and opportunity 
for comment are not required. Further, since this rule relates to 
internal agency management, it is exempt from the provisions of 
Executive Order Nos. 12866 and 12988. In addition, this action is not a 
rule as defined by the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et 
seq., and thus, is exempt from the provisions of that Act. Accordingly, 
as authorized by section 808 of the Small Business Regulatory 
Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996, Pub. L. 104-121, this rule may be 
made effective upon publication in the Federal Register.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 2

    Authority delegations (Government agencies).

    Accordingly, 7 CFR part 2 is amended as follows:

PART 2--DELEGATIONS OF AUTHORITY BY THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE 
AND GENERAL OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT

    1. The authority citation for part 2 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 6912(a)(1); 5 U.S.C. 301; Reorganization 
Plan No. 2 of 1953, 3 CFR, 1949-1953 Comp., p. 1024.

Subpart C--Delegations of Authority to the Deputy Secretary, the 
Under Secretaries and Assistant Secretaries

    2. In Sec. 2.20 paragraph (a)(1)(viii) is added to read as follows:


Sec. 2.20  Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment

    (a) * * *
    (1) * * *
    (viii) Exercise the functions of the Secretary of Agriculture 
authorized in Title V of the Department of the Interior and Related 
Agencies Appropriations Act of 1998, Pub. L. 105-83, relating to the 
acquisition of the New World Mine and other priority land acquisitions, 
land exchanges, and other activities.
* * * * *

Subpart J--Delegations of Authority by the Under Secretary for 
Natural Resources and Environment

    3. In Sec. 2.60, paragraphs (a)(47) and (b)(7) are added to read as 
follows:


Sec. 2.60  Chief, Forest Service.

    (a) * * *
    (47) Exercise the functions of the Secretary of Agriculture 
authorized in Title V of the Department of the Interior and Related 
Agencies Appropriations Act of 1998, Pub. L. 105-83, relating to the 
acquisition so the New World Mines and other priority land 
acquisitions, land exchanges, and other activities.
    (b) * * *
* * * * *
    (7) The authority to approve disbursements from the New World Mine 
Response and Restoration Account and the authority to prepare and 
approve the New World Mine Response and Restoration Plan, including the 
coordination of the response and restoration activities of the Forest 
Service and the other Federal and State agencies, and make quarterly 
reports to

[[Page 34968]]

Congress under section 502(d) and (f) of Title V of the Department of 
the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 1998, Pub. L. 
105-83.

    Dated: June 16, 1999.
Dan Glickman,
Secretary of Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 99-16523 Filed 6-29-99; 8:45 am]
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