[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 183 (Friday, September 20, 2002)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 59135-59136]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-23857]



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 Rules and Regulations
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  Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 183 / Friday, September 20, 2002 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 59135]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Office of the Secretary

7 CFR Part 2


Delegations of Authority By the Secretary of Agriculture and 
General Officers of the Department

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, USDA.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The ``Service First'' initiative is an agency-wide joint pilot 
program between the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management 
(BLM) of the U.S. Department of the Interior to promote customer 
service and efficiency in the management of public lands and National 
Forest System lands. This final rule delegates authority from the 
Secretary of Agriculture to the Under Secretary for Natural Resources 
and Environment to enter into pilot projects with BLM and, where 
appropriate, to delegate to BLM employees the authority to perform 
Forest Service duties. This rule also further delegates this authority 
from the Under Secretary for NaturalResources and Environment to the 
Chief of the Forest Service.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This rule is effective September 20, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Delaney, Office of Communication, 
Forest Service, (202) 205-0974.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 331 of the fiscal year 1998 
Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act 
(Pub. L. 105-83; November 14, 1997) and Section 330 of the fiscal year 
2001 Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act 
(Pub. L. 106-291; October 11, 2000) authorize the Secretaries of 
Agriculture and the Interior to make reciprocal delegations of their 
respective authorities, responsibilities, and duties in support of the 
``Service First'' initiative to promote customer service and efficiency 
in the management of public lands and National Forest System lands.
    In the initial implementation of the ``Service First'' initiative, 
the Secretary of Agriculture delegated authority to establish ``Service 
First'' pilots and to make reciprocal delegations to Bureau of Land 
Management (BLM) officials to the Chief of the Forest Service through 
Secretary's Memorandums, which are part of USDA's internal directive 
system. Further delegations from the Chief to lower-level Forest 
Service officials, as necessary to carry out the goals of joint pilot 
projects, were made through Interim Directive No. 1230-2001-1 to 
Chapter 1230--Delegations of Authority and Responsibility, of the 
Forest Service Manual (36 CFR 200.4).
    Congress has now authorized establishment of pilot projects across 
the agency through fiscal year 2005 (Pub. L. 106-291). Accordingly, it 
is more efficient to provide for a continuing delegation of authority 
to the Chief through issuance of a rule to Title 7, Code of Federal 
Regulations, Part 2--Delegations of Authority by the Secretary of 
Agriculture and General Officers of the Department. Therefore, this 
final rule amends 7 CFR 2.20 and 2.60 to delegate authority from the 
Secretary of Agriculture to the Under Secretary for Natural Resources 
and Environment and to further delegate authority to the Chief of the 
Forest Service to enter into pilot projects with BLM and to delegate to 
BLM employees the authority to perform FS duties. Should Congress 
extend the pilot project authority beyond September 30, 2005, make the 
Service First authority a continuing authority, or decide not to renew 
the authority, the Department will revise 7 CFR 2.20 and 2.60 as needed 
to conform to future legislative action.
    This rule relates solely to internal agency management. Therefore, 
pursuant to 5 U.S.C 553, notice of a proposed rulemaking and 
opportunity to comment are not required. For this same reason, this 
rule is also exempt from the provisions of Executive Order No. 12866 on 
Federal Regulations and Executive Order No. 12988 on Civil Justice 
Reform. 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, 
Public Law 104-121, this rule may be made effective immediately upon 
publication in the Federal Register.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 2

    Authority delegations (Government agencies).


    Therefore, for the reasons set forth in the preamble, part 2 of 
title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations 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:

    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. Amend Sec.  2.20 by adding a new paragraph (a) (2) (xxxix) to 
read as follows:


Sec.  2.20  Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment.

    (a) * * *
    (2) * * *
    (xxxix) Enter into pilot projects with the Bureau of Land 
Management(BLM), U.S. Department of the Interior, in support of the 
Service First initiative for the purpose of promoting customer service 
and efficiency in managing National Forest System lands and public 
lands and delegate to BLM employees those Forest Service authorities 
necessary to carry out pilot projects (Public Law 106-291).
* * * * *

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

    3. Amend Sec.  2.60 by adding a new paragraph (a) (48) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  2.60  Chief, Forest Service.

    (a) * * *
    (48) Enter into pilot projects with the Bureau of Land 
Management(BLM), U.S. Department of the Interior, in support of the 
Service First initiative for the

[[Page 59136]]

purpose of promoting customer service and efficiency in managing 
National Forest System lands and public lands and delegate to BLM 
employees those Forest Service authorities necessary to carry out those 
pilot projects (Pub. L. 106-291).
* * * * *

    Dated: September 10, 2002.

    For Subpart C:

Ann M. Veneman,
Secretary of Agriculture.
    Dated: August 30, 2002.

    For Subpart J:
Mark Rey,
Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment.
[FR Doc. 02-23857 Filed 9-19-02; 8:45 am]
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