[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 147 (Wednesday, July 31, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49668-49669]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-19281]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Revised Payments Table Related to Secure Rural Schools and 
Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 and Opportunity for Counties 
To Change Payment Election Decisions

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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[[Page 49669]]

SUMMARY: The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act 
of 2000 provides counties that receive payments under the 25 percent 
fund with the option of receiving their share of the State's full 
payment amount (as defined by the act), in lieu of the 25 percent fund 
payments. In 2000, the Forest Service provided a table displaying the 
dollar amounts for revenues distributed to each State by year and 
county. Counties used this table in making their election decisions for 
payments. As directed by the Agriculture Appropriations Act for Fiscal 
Year 2002, the Forest Service has revised this table, which incorrectly 
accounted for certain mineral revenues for some States. The agency 
submitted the revised table to Congress along with a report explaining 
the issues and the revision process. This notice provides information 
regarding the availability of the revised table and report, and 
notifies counties of the 90-day period during which they may change 
their payment elections.

DATES: Changes to county election decisions must be received in writing 
on or before October 29, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Counties wishing to change their payment election decisions 
should do so in writing to Michael Morton, USDA Forest Service, 
Financial Management Staff (Mail Stop 1139), 1400 Independence Avenue, 
SW., Washington, DC 20250-1139 (e-mail: [email protected]; facsimile: 
703-605-5264). The revised payments table and accompanying report are 
available electronically from the Forest Service via the World Wide 
Web/Internet at http://www.fs.fed.us/payments. Single paper copies of 
the revised payments table and report also are available by contacting 
Tom Quinn, USDA Forest Service, Policy Analysis Staff (Mail Stop 1131), 
1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-1131 (e-mail: 
[email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom Quinn (202-205-0846) or Maitland 
Sharpe (202-205-0932), Policy Analysis Staff, or Michael Morton (703-
605-4724), Financial Management Staff.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-
Determination Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-393) provides counties that 
received payments under the 25 Percent Fund Act of 1908 (16 U.S.C. 500) 
with the option of receiving their share of the State's full payment 
amount (as defined by the act), in lieu of the 25 percent fund 
payments. The Forest Service provided a table displaying each State's 
full payment amount and an associated county distribution in 2000 to 
Congress and affected counties. The table also was made available 
electronically on the agency's World Wide Web/Internet web site and 
other web sites. The counties used this table in making their election 
decisions regarding the option to receive their share of the State's 
full payment amount (as defined by the act) in lieu of the 25 percent 
fund payment.
    Subsequently, it was determined that certain mineral revenues for 
some States were incorrectly accounted for in the table. Therefore, as 
directed by the Agriculture Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2002, 
the Forest Service has revised the payments table and prepared a report 
outlining the process used to revise the table consistent with the 
Congressional direction. The agency has submitted the revised payments 
table and accompanying report to Congress and has made the documents 
available electronically as set out in the ADDRESSES section of this 
notice.
    Congress specified that if the revised table results in a reduced 
full payment amount share for an eligible county that elected to 
receive its share of the state's full payment amount, the eligible 
county shall have a 90-day period, beginning on the date the revised 
table is first made available to the public, during which to reconsider 
and change its election.
    As directed by the Congress, the Forest Service has worked with the 
U.S. Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service (MMS) to 
use the best available information to revise the payments table. The 
analysis resulted in changes in the payments table for 16 States: 
Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, 
Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, 
Virginia, and West Virginia. Although each of these 16 States is 
affected to varying degrees, the effects of the revisions are most 
evident on a state-wide basis for Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Ohio, 
Oklahoma, and Missouri; the latter being the only State with a large 
increase in the full payment amount. By far the largest decline in the 
full payment amount is for Arkansas, with a potential reduction of 
$1.003 million if all counties choose the full payment amount. For the 
first two years of Public Law 106-393 implementation, 14 of the 29 
eligible counties in Arkansas elected the full payment amount; 
therefore the actual reduction for this period would be $651,600.
    It is possible that States with substantial hard-rock revenues 
(such as Missouri) would no longer receive payments for these minerals 
from the MMS for the counties choosing the full payment amount, which 
could result in large reductions in the total payments received by 
these States. In the case of Missouri, if all counties choose the full 
payment amount, MMS payments could drop by upwards of $1 million 
annually. The decision on whether payments for hard-rock minerals will 
continue rests with the MMS and the Department of the Interior.
    The revised table redistributes each State's full payment amount 
based on the National Forest location of the relevant minerals and the 
counties within those forests. In some States (for example, Michigan), 
this redistribution can result in significant effects on individual 
counties' payments even while the State's total full payment amount 
remains essentially unchanged.

    Dated: July 24, 2002.
Sally D. Collins,
Associate Chief.
[FR Doc. 02-19281 Filed 7-30-02; 8:45 am]
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