[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 114 (Thursday, June 13, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40686-40687]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-14860]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Forest Counties Payments Committee

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of meeting and extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Counties Payments Committee will meet in 
Washington, DC, on July 10, 2002. The purpose of the meeting is to 
receive comments from both elected officials and the general public on 
the recommendations the Committee must make to Congress as specified in 
Section 320 of the Fiscal Year 2001 Interior and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Act. The meeting will consist of a business session, 
which is open to public attendance, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon and a public 
input session from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. This notice also provides an 
extension of the comment period associated with the Forest Counties 
Payments Committee notices published in the Federal Register on 
February 4, 2002 (67 FR 5087), March 26, 2002 (67 FR 13748), and on May 
6, 2002 (67 FR 30353).

DATES: The Washington, DC, meeting will be held on July 10, 2002. 
Persons who are interested in providing comments to the Committee, 
including those who attended or have an interest in the meetings in 
Reno, Nevada, and Rapid City, South Dakota, identified in the preceding 
SUMMARY, have until July 31, 2002, to submit their written comments. 
Comments received after this date will be considered to the extent 
possible.

ADDRESSES: The July 10 meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn on the 
Hill, 415 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. Those who cannot be 
present may submit written responses to the questions listed in 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION in this notice to Randle G. Phillips, 
Executive Director, Forest Counties Payments Committee, P.O. Box 34718, 
Washington, DC 20043-4713, or electronically at the Committee's website 
at http://countypayments.gov/comments.html.

[[Page 40687]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Randle G. Phillips, Executive 
Director, Forest Counties Payments Committee, (202) 208-6574 or via e-
mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 320 of the 2001 Interior and Related 
Agencies Appropriations Act (Public Law 106-291) created the Forest 
Counties Payments Committee to make recommendations to Congress on a 
long-term solution for making Federal payments to eligible States and 
counties in which Federal lands are situated. To formulate its 
recommendations to Congress, the Committee will consider the impact on 
eligible States and counties of revenues from the historic multiple use 
of Federal lands; evaluate the economic, environmental, and social 
benefits which accrue to counties containing Federal lands; evaluate 
the expenditures by counties on activities occurring on Federal lands 
which are Federal responsibilities; and monitor payments and 
implementation of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-
Determination Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-393).
    At the July 10 meeting in Washington, DC, the Committee asks that 
elected officials and others who wish to comment provide information in 
response to the following questions:
    1. Do counties receive their fair share of Federal revenue-sharing 
payments made to eligible States?
    2. What difficulties exist in complying with and managing all of 
the Federal revenue-sharing payments programs? Are some more difficult 
than others?
    3. What economic, social, and environmental costs do counties incur 
as a result of the presence of public lands within their boundaries?
    4. What economic, social, and environmental benefits do counties 
realize as a result of public lands within their boundaries?
    5. What are the economic and social effects from changes in 
revenues generated from public lands over the past 15 years as a result 
of changes in management on public lands in your State or county?
    6. What actions has your State or county taken to mitigate any 
impacts associated with declining economic conditions or revenue-
sharing payments?
    7. What effects, both positive and negative, have taken place with 
education and highway programs that are attributable to the management 
of public lands within your State or county?
    8. What relationship, if any, should exist between Federal revenue-
sharing programs, and management activities on public lands?
    9. What alternatives exist to provide equitable revenue-sharing to 
States and counties and to promote ``sustainable forestry?''
    10. What has been your experience regarding implementation of 
Public Law 106-393, the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-
Determination Act?
    11. What changes in law, policies and procedures, and the 
management of public land have contributed to changes in revenue 
derived from the multiple-use management of these lands?
    12. What changes in law, policies and procedures, and the 
management of public land are needed in order to restore the revenues 
derived from the multiple-use management of these lands?

    Dated: June 6, 2002.
George D. Lennon,
Acting Deputy Chief.
[FR Doc. 02-14860 Filed 6-12-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P