[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 209 (Friday, October 29, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 58368-58369]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-28219]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

36 CFR Chapter II

Forest Service


Negotiated Rulemaking Advisory Committee; Fixed Anchors in 
Wilderness

AGENCY: Forest Service.

ACTION: Notice of intent to establish.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary of Agriculture intends to establish an advisory 
committee to develop recommendations for a proposed rulemaking for the 
placement, use, and removal of fixed anchors used for recreational rock 
climbing purposes in congressionally designated wilderness areas 
administered by the Forest Service. This committee, called the Fixed 
Anchors in Wilderness Negotiated Rulemaking Advisory Committee, will be 
made up of individuals representing a broad cross section of interests 
with a definable stake in the outcome of the proposed rule. The 
Committee will be established in accordance with the provisions of the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act and will be engaged in the process of a 
negotiated rulemaking pursuant to the provisions of the Negotiated 
Rulemaking Act.

DATES: Written comments in response to this notice and nominations for 
membership must be postmarked not later than November 29, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Written comments or nominations should be sent to the 
Director, Recreation, Heritage and Wilderness Resources Staff, Mail 
Stop 1125, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 
96090, Washington, DC 20090-6090. Comments may also be telefaxed to the 
Director at (202) 205-1145 or sent by Internet (anchors/[email protected]). 
All comments received, including names and addresses where provided, 
are available for public inspection and copying.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jerry Stokes, Recreation, Heritage, 
and Wilderness Resources, (202) 205-0956.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The Secretary of Agriculture is establishing a negotiated 
rulemaking advisory committee to assist in the development of a 
proposed rule regarding the placement, use, and removal of fixed 
anchors used for recreational rock climbing purposes in congressionally 
designated wilderness areas administered by the Forest Service. The 
Department invites comment in response to this notice, especially on 
whether the proposed composition and membership of the Fixed Anchors in 
Wilderness Negotiated Rulemaking Advisory Committee (Committee) 
provides sufficient representation of the broad cross section of 
interests that would be significantly affected by rules governing fixed 
anchors in wilderness.

Rock Climbing

    Recreational rock climbing has occurred on National Forest System 
lands for many years. The activity occurs within designated wilderness 
areas as well as on nonwilderness lands administered by the Forest 
Service. Rock climbers routinely use a piece of equipment known as a 
``fixed anchor'' to assist them in their climb and to help them 
navigate dangerous terrain with a modicum of safety. The safest, most 
common, and most reliable type of fixed anchor is an ``expansion 
bolt,'' which is a small steel bolt placed into a hole that has been 
drilled into a rock. Frequently, a ``hanger'' is used by a climber to 
link an expansion bolt to the rope or safety system.
    Although fixed anchors can be removed, it is difficult and time 
consuming to do so. As a result, many climbers leave their fixed 
anchors in a rock even after the completion of their climb. Many rock 
climbers argue that fixed anchors are an important and necessary device 
which enables them to engage in a legitimate recreational activity that 
predates an area's designation as wilderness. Many wilderness 
enthusiasts, on the other hand, have asserted that fixed anchors are 
``installations'' that are not necessary for the administration of a 
wilderness area and, therefore, are prohibited by the express terms of 
the Wilderness Act itself.

Fixed Anchors in Wilderness Negotiated Rulemaking

    The Secretary has determined that the best way to resolve this 
issue in the wilderness areas on National Forest System lands is to 
proceed with a negotiated rulemaking pursuant to the Negotiated 
Rulemaking Act, 5 U.S.C. 561 et seq. To carry out the rulemaking 
process, an advisory committee is established which consists of an 
agency representative and other parties representing a broad cross 
section of the interests significantly affected by the rulemaking. 
Through a series of meetings, the members of the advisory committee 
negotiate in good faith and strive to reach consensus on 
recommendations for a proposed rule.
    As provided for in the Negotiated Rulemaking Act, the Forest 
Service retained the services of a convener highly experienced in 
negotiated rulemakings to determine whether such a process would be 
useful to resolve the fixed-anchor issue. After speaking directly with 
representatives of many of the parties that would be affected by a 
fixed anchor in wilderness regulation, the convener issued a convening 
report to the Forest Service on January 26, 1999, with a recommendation 
to proceed with a negotiated rulemaking. Among other things, the report 
noted that with respect to fixed anchors, the following criteria 
established by the Negotiated Rulemaking Act were satisfied: (1) There 
is a need for a rule; (2) there is a limited number of identifiable 
interests that would be significantly affected by the rule; (3)

[[Page 58369]]

there is a reasonable likelihood that a committee can be established 
with a balanced representation of interested parties who would be 
willing to negotiate in good faith to reach consensus; (4) there is a 
reasonable likelihood that the committee would be able to reach 
consensus; (5) the negotiated rulemaking procedure will not 
unreasonably delay the promulgating of a fixed-anchor rule; (6) the 
agency has adequate resources to finance the committee operations; and 
(7) to the extent practicable, the agency will use the consensus of the 
committee as the basis for a proposed rule.
    Having considered the recommendations of the convener in the 
January 26, 1999, report, the Secretary has decided that the 
establishment of the committee is in the public interest in connection 
with the Forest Service's responsibility to administer congressional 
designated wilderness areas in accordance with the Wilderness Act. The 
Committee meetings will serve as a forum in which committee members, 
with input from other interested parties, can discuss issues involved 
in regulating the use of fixed anchors for recreational climbing 
purposes in wilderness areas administered by the Forest Service. The 
Secretary believes that this process will enable the agency to develop 
and promulgate effective regulations governing the use of these devices 
within wilderness areas on National Forest System lands.

Key Issues To Be Considered for Negotiation

    Among the issues that may be considered by the Committee during the 
course of their deliberations are the following:
     What type of rock climbing-related equipment should be 
allowed in wilderness areas and under what circumstances;
     What process should be used to decide whether the 
insertion or removal of a fixed anchor should take place and who should 
be party to the decision;
     Who should be responsible for the insertion and removal of 
fixed anchors; and
     What is the impact on the Forest Service and the climbing 
industry if the agency assumes an active role in regulating the use, 
the insertion, and the removal of fixed anchors.

Proposed Committee Membership

    The January 26, 1999, convening report identified the interest most 
likely to be directly affected by a fixed anchor in wilderness 
regulation as including the following: climbers, outfitters, education/
experience providers; environmental organizations, and conservation 
organizations. The following parties have been identified as potential 
participants on the Negotiated Rulemaking Committee: Access Fund; 
American Alpine Club; American Mountain Guide Association; Idaho 
Conservation League; National Outdoor Leadership School; National Parks 
and Conservation Association; Outdoor Recreation Coalition of America; 
Outward Bound; Recreation Equipment Incorporated; Sierra Club; Wild 
Wilderness; Wilderness Society; Wilderness Watch; and Steve Wolper, an 
active climber as well as an advocate for wilderness conservation. The 
report also mentioned that Native Americans may have concerns about 
fixed-anchor issues that are different from the concerns of the other 
interests and, therefore, should be represented on the Committee.
    The Forest Service representative, Larry Gadt, Director of Minerals 
and Geology, will participate in the deliberations and activities of 
the Committee with the same rights and responsibilities as other 
Committee members. This official will be authorized to fully represent 
the agency in the discussions and negotiations of the Committee. Three 
other Federal land management agencies, the National Park Service, the 
Bureau of Land Management, and the Fish and Wildlife Service, will have 
representatives who will serve as consultants to the Forest Service to 
provide their perspective on the issues. These Federal agencies will 
not participate as members on the Committee.
    The Forest Service will consider nominations for Committee 
membership from organizations or interests that believe they may be 
substantially affected by the subject of the negotiations. Each 
application or nomination for membership or nomination to the Committee 
should include: (1) The name, address, telephone number(s), and e-mail 
address(s) of the nominee; (2) the organization the nominee will 
represent; (3) written documentation from the organization providing 
evidence that the applicant or nominee is authorized to represent that 
organization or interest and participate in the negotiated rulemaking 
process; (4) a promise from the nominee to participate in the 
negotiated rulemaking proceedings in good faith, and (5) the reasons 
that the interests or persons specified in this notice do not 
adequately represent this applicant's interest.
    It is not necessary that every concerned organization be 
represented on the Committee as long as every significant interest is 
represented. In addition, the Negotiated Rulemaking Act restrict the 
total number of representatives on a committee to twenty-five (25). 
Nonetheless, the Department will carefully consider any and all 
nominations received from individuals or organizations not included on 
the Proposed Committee Membership list.

Schedule of Meetings

    After the 30-day comment period for this notice ends, the Forest 
Service will review the comment received on establishment of the 
committee and the nominations and provide the information to the 
Secretary. Following appointment of members by the Secretary, the 
agency will publish a notice announcing the names of the individuals 
and the interests that represent and give notice of the first meeting's 
location and time. The agency expects to hold three meetings, with each 
meeting consisting of two to three 8-hour days for the committee to 
negotiate the issues raised at the convening stage and other issues 
relevant to the use of fixed anchors in wilderness. The first meeting 
is to be held within 60 days of the establishment of the committee and 
appointment of its membership. The meetings and their agendas will be 
announced in the Federal Register. Administrative staff support for the 
meetings will be provided by the Forest Service. Assuming that the 
committee reaches consensus, the agency would attempt to publish a 
proposed rule in the Federal Register reflecting that consensus within 
six months following submission of the committee's report to the 
Secretary.

    Dated: October 20, 1999.
Sally Thompson,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Administration.
[FR Doc. 99-28219 Filed 10-28-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M