[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 50 (Wednesday, March 16, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12840-12841]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-5213]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Information Collection; Request for Comments; Forest Products 
Removal Permits and Contracts

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and 
organizations on the extension of an information collection associated 
with forest product removal permits and contracts. The collected 
information will help the Forest Service administer the use of forest 
products. Information will be collected from permittees for free use of 
forest products and from permittees and purchasers for purchase of 
forest products.
    The collected information is necessary to ensure that: applicants 
meet the requirements of the forest products program; permittees 
obtaining free use of forest products qualify for the free-use program; 
applicants purchasing permits non-competitively to harvest forest 
products do not exceed the authorized limit in a fiscal year; and, 
permittees can be identified in the field by Forest Service compliance 
personnel.

DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before May 16, 2005 
to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date will 
be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: Comments concerning this notice should be addressed to 
Director, Forest Management, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Mail Stop 
1103, Washington, DC 20250-0003.
    Comments also may be submitted via facsimile to (202) 205-1045 or 
by e-mail to: [email protected]. In addition, comments 
may be submitted via the World Wide Web/Internet Web site at: http://www.regulations.gov. All comments, including names and addresses when 
provided, are placed in the record and are available for public 
inspection and copying. The Forest Products Permits and Contract are 
available for public review on the Forest Service World Wide Web/
Internet site at: http://www.fs.fed.us/forestmanagement/infocenter/index.shtml. Alternatively, these can be viewed in the Office of the 
Director, Forest Management, Third Floor, Southwest Wing, Yates 
Building, 201 14th Street, SW., Washington, DC. Visitors are encouraged 
to call ahead on (202) 205-1496 to facilitate entry into the building.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Don Benner, Forest Management Staff, 
at (202) 205-0855, or Richard Fitzgerald, Forest Management Staff, at 
(202) 205-1753. Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the 
deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-
800-877-8339 twenty-four hours a day, every day of the year, including 
holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Forest Product Removal Permits and Contracts.
    OMB Number: 0596-0085.
    Expiration Date of Approval: March 31, 2005.
    Type of Request: Extension with minor revision.
    Abstract: Under 16 U.S.C. 551, individuals and other Federal 
agencies planning to remove forest products from the National Forests 
must obtain a permit. To obtain a permit, applicants must meet the 
criteria at 36 CFR 223.1, 223.2, and 223.5 through 223.13 under which 
free use or sale of timber or forest products is authorized. Upon 
receiving a permit, the permittee must comply with the terms of the 
permit at 36 CFR 261.6 that designate the forest products that can be 
harvested and under what conditions, such as limiting harvest to a 
designated area or permitting harvest of only specifically designated 
material.
    When applying for forest products removal permits, applicants, 
depending on what timber or forest products they intend to remove, must 
answer questions on one of the following permits:
     Contract FS-2400-4, Forest Products Contract and Cash 
Receipt, is used to sell timber products, such as sawtimber, or forest 
products, such as fuelwood.
     Permit FS-2400-8, Forest Products Free Use Permit, is used 
to allow free use of timber or forest products (36 CFR 223.5 through 
223.13).
     Permit FS-2400-1, Forest Products Removal Permit and Cash 
Receipt, is used to sell timber or forest products such as fuelwood, 
Christmas trees or pine cones (36 CFR 223.1 and 223.2).
    Each permit and contract implements different regulations and has 
different provisions for compliance, but each permit and contract 
collect similar information from the applicant for related purposes.
    The Forest Service will use the information collected: To ensure 
that permittees obtaining free use of timber or forest products qualify 
for the free-use program and do not receive product value in excess of 
the $20 amount that District Rangers or $100 amount that Forest 
Supervisors are authorized to approve in a fiscal year (36 CFR 223.8); 
to ensure that applicants purchasing permits non-competitively to 
harvest timber or forest products do not exceed the authorized $10,000 
limit in a fiscal year (16 U.S.C. 472(a)); and, to ensure that 
permittees can be identified in the field by Forest Service compliance 
personnel.
    An applicant is not restricted to one permit or contract. An 
applicant may apply for as many forest products permits or contracts as 
necessary to meet their needs. For example, an applicant may obtain 
free use of a timber product, such as pine cones, using Permit 2400-8, 
Forest Products Free Use Permit, and still purchase fuelwood using 
Contract 2400-4, Forest Products Contract and Cash Receipt.
    Individuals and persons representing small businesses usually 
request each permit and contract in person at the Forest Service office 
issuing the permit. Forest Service personnel ask applicants to respond 
to questions that include their name, address, and identification 
number. The identification number can be a tax identification number, 
social security number, drivers license number, or other unique number 
identifying the applicant. Forest Service personnel enter the 
information into a computerized database for easier retrieval upon 
subsequent requests for a forest products permit or contract by the 
same individual. The information is also printed onto a paper copy of a 
permit or contract. The applicant signs and dates the paper permit or 
contract. Forest Service personnel discuss the terms and conditions of 
the permit or contract with the applicant. Permittees may be required 
to maintain a forest product removal record on the permit.
    Data gathered in this information collection are not available from 
other sources. The agency uses the collected data to ensure that 
applicants for free use meet the criteria for free use of timber or 
forest products authorized by regulations at 36 CFR 223.5 through 
223.13, that applicants seeking to purchase and remove timber or forest 
products from National Forest System lands meet the criteria under 
which sale of timber or forest products is authorized by the 
regulations at 36 CFR 223.80, and to ensure that permittees comply with 
regulations and terms of the permit at 36 CFR 261.6.

[[Page 12841]]

    Estimate of Annual Burden:

Permit 2400-1: 4.5 minutes.
Permit 2400-8: 4.5 minutes.
Contract 2400-4: 5.5 minutes.

    Type of Respondents:

Permit 2400-1: Individuals and small businesses.
Permit 2400-8: Individuals.
Contract 2400-4: Individuals and small businesses.

    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents:

Permit 2400-1: 150,000.
Permit 2400-8: 25,000.
Permit 2400-4: 1,000.

    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent:

Permit 2400-1: 4.
Permit 2400-8: 4.
Contract 2400-4: 5.

    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents:

Permit 2400-1: 12,000 hours.
Permit 2400-8: 2,000 hours.
Permit 2400-4: 100 hours.

    Comment is invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the stated purposes and the proper 
performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the 
information will have practical or scientific utility; (b) the accuracy 
of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including the use of 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    All comments received in response to this notice, including names 
and addresses when provided, will become a matter of public record. 
Comments will be summarized and included in the request for Office of 
Management and Budget approval.

    Dated: March 10, 2005.
Fredrick L. Norbury,
Associate Deputy for National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 05-5213 Filed 3-15-05; 8:45 am]
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