[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 159 (Monday, August 18, 2003)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 49395-49396]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-21209]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

36 CFR Part 294

RIN 0596-AC04


Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation; Applicability to the 
Tongass National Forest, Alaska

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the public comment period is being 
extended for the proposed rule published on July 15, 2003 (68 FR 
41865), to amend regulations concerning the roadless area conservation 
rule published on January 12, 2001 (66 FR 3244) (the roadless rule), to 
temporarily exempt the Tongass National Forest from prohibitions 
against timber harvest, road construction, and reconstruction in 
inventoried roadless areas until a final rule is promulgated as 
announced by the Forest Service on July 10, 2001, in an advance notice 
of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) (66 FR 35918). The original comment 
period for this proposed rule ended August 14, 2003.
    In conjunction with this notice, the agency is publishing a 
separate notice of extension of the comment period for the ANPR to 
solicit public input concerning the applicability of the roadless rule 
to both the Tongass and the Chugach National Forests in Alaska, 
elsewhere in the same part of today's Federal Register. The ANPR was 
published on July 15, 2003 (68 FR 41864), with an original comment 
period end date of August 14, 2003.

[[Page 49396]]

    The agency has received a large volume of responses to the proposed 
rule thus far; and therefore, has decided to provide the public 
additional time to comment. In seeking public comment on this proposal 
to amend the roadless rule, the agency is fulfilling part of the 
Department's obligations under the June 10, 2003 settlement agreement 
for State of Alaska v. USDA, while maintaining the ecological values of 
inventoried roadless areas in the Tongass National Forest. Public 
comment is invited and will be considered in the development of the 
final rule.

DATES: Comments must be postmarked by the new deadline of September 2, 
2003.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to: Roadless TNF, Content Analysis 
Team, USDA Forest Service, P.O. Box 22810, Salt Lake City, UT 84122; by 
electronic mail to [email protected]; or by facsimile to (801) 880-
2808. If you intend to submit comments in batched e-mails from the same 
server, please be aware that electronic security safeguards on Forest 
Service and Department of Agriculture computer systems intended to 
prevent commercial spamming may limit batched e-mail access. The Forest 
Service is interested in receiving all comments on this proposed rule, 
however, so please call (801) 517-1020 to facilitate transfer of 
comments in batched e-mail messages. Please note that all comments, 
including names and addresses when provided, will be placed in the 
record and will be available for public inspection and copying. The 
agency cannot confirm receipt of comments. Individuals wishing to 
inspect the comments should call Jody Sutton at (801) 517-1023 to 
schedule an appointment.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: In Washington, DC contact: Dave 
Barone, Planning Specialist, Ecosystem Management Coordination Staff, 
Forest Service, USDA, (202) 205-1019; and in Juneau, Alaska contact: 
Jan Lerum, Regional Planner, Forest Service, USDA, (907) 586-8796.

    Dated: August 14, 2003.
Dale N. Bosworth,
Chief.
[FR Doc. 03-21209 Filed 8-14-03; 2:29 pm]
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