[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 39 (Tuesday, February 28, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10004-10006]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-1862]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Secure Rural Schools Land Sales Initiative

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested 
individuals and organizations on the list of National Forest System 
land parcels in the FY 2007 President's Budget proposal to be sold for 
the purpose of funding payments to Secure Rural Schools (SRS), should 
this program be extended by amendment to the Secure Rural Schools and 
Community Self-Determination Act of 2000. The sale of these parcels is 
contingent upon amendment of the SRS as proposed by the President.

DATES: You should submit your comments by March 30, 2006 to be assured 
of consideration. Comments received after that date will be considered 
only to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: You may submit your comments by e-mail to [email protected], by facsimile to (202) 205-1604, or by mail to USDA 
Forest Service, SRS Comments, Lands 4S, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., 
Mailstop 1124, Washington, DC 20250-0003. Electronic submission is 
preferred. If you submit your comments by e-mail or fax, you do not 
need to send a paper copy by mail.
    Your comments may address the entire list of parcels identified in 
the President's proposal, or an individual parcel or parcels on that 
list. If you are commenting about a specific parcel on the list, it 
would be helpful to provide the parcel's number from the list and all 
information specifically related to the sale of that parcel.
    Document and Comment Availability: In addition to publishing the 
full text of this document in the Federal Register, the Forest Service 
provides all interested persons an opportunity to view and/or print the 
contents of this document, the potentially eligible lands listing, and 
associated maps via the Internet. Information on this proposal and the 
Federal Register Notice can be found at http://www.fs.fed.us via the 
Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act link to the 
``President's FY 2007 Budget Proposal for the Forest Service--Secure 
Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act Extension'' page.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia R. Swanson, Assistant Director 
of Lands, Washington Office, 202-205-0099. Individuals who use 
telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 
p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-
Determination Act of 2000 (the Act) (Pub. L. 106-393) was enacted to 
provide transitional assistance to rural counties that had been 
affected by the

[[Page 10005]]

decline in revenue from timber harvests on Federal lands. These 
counties traditionally relied on a share of receipts from timber 
harvests to fund their school systems and roads. The Act stabilized 
payments that are critically important to more than 4,400 rural schools 
and addressed many severe maintenance backlogs for county roads. 
Resource Advisory Committees (RACs) established under the Act have 
developed and proposed forest health improvement projects.
    The President's fiscal year 2007 Budget for the Forest Service 
proposes legislation to amend the Secure Rural Schools Act. The 
legislation would provide a source of funding for payments under the 
Secure Rural Schools Act by authorizing the sale of a limited number of 
National Forest System lands. These parcels generally meet criteria 
traditionally used by the Forest Service to identify lands suitable for 
sale or exchange. Many of these parcels are isolated from other 
contiguous National Forest System lands, and because of their location, 
size, or configuration are not efficient to manage as a component of 
the National Forest System.
    The Forest Service manages about 193 million acres in 155 national 
forests and 20 national grasslands located in 43 States across the 
nation. The limited number of parcels included within this proposal 
constitutes less than 0.2 of 1% of the National Forest System land 
base. A total of 304,370 acres and approximately 3,000 individual 
tracts have been identified on 120 national forests, 10 national 
grasslands, within 35 States.
    The following table provides a summary of the number of acres 
identified for each State.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Acres of
                  State                      Region(s)      potentially
                                                          eligible lands
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama.................................               8           3,220
Alaska..................................              10              99
Arizona.................................               3           1,030
Arkansas................................               8           3,612
California..............................             5,6          79,825
Colorado................................             2,4          21,572
Florida.................................               8             973
Georgia.................................               8           4,522
Idaho...................................           1,4,6          25,464
Illinois................................               9             191
Indiana.................................               9             869
Kentucky................................               8           4,518
Louisiana...............................               8           3,895
Michigan................................               9           5,880
Minnesota...............................               9           2,622
Mississippi.............................               8           7,503
Missouri................................               9          21,566
Montana.................................               1          13,948
Nebraska................................               2             866
Nevada..................................               4           2,146
New Mexico..............................               3           7,447
North Carolina..........................               8           9,828
Ohio....................................               9             420
Oklahoma................................               8           3,572
Oregon..................................               6          10,581
South Carolina..........................               8           4,665
South Dakota............................             1,2          13,961
Tennessee...............................               8           2,996
Texas...................................             3,8           4,813
Utah....................................               4           5,998
Virginia................................               8           5,717
Washington..............................               6           7,516
West Virginia...........................               9           4,836
Wisconsin...............................               9              80
Wyoming.................................             2,4          17,619
                                         -------------------------------
    Total All States....................  ..............         304,370
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Lands located within the boundaries of any component of the 
National Wilderness Preservation System, National Wild and Scenic River 
System, National Trail System, National Recreation Area, National 
Monument, National Historic Site, National Preserve, or specially 
designated areas such as Research Natural Areas and experimental 
forests and ranges are not eligible for conveyance.
    Many of the identified parcels have not been inventoried for 
natural or cultural resources specific to this proposal. However, they 
generally meet criteria traditionally used by the Forest Service to 
identify parcels for potential sale or exchange. Examples of primary 
benefits of disposal will include: (1) Reduction in agency costs 
associated with encroachments and boundary management; (2) enhancement 
of local economies through private sector development; and (3) 
increased opportunities for acquisition by local governmental entities 
for low income housing, parks, fire stations, water and wastewater 
systems, and for other community and public purposes.
    The proposed sale of these parcels is contingent upon the enactment 
of legislation by Congress to provide revenue for the authorization of 
the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 
(Pub. L.

[[Page 10006]]

106-393). The Forest Service does not have general, non-specific, 
authority to sell National Forest System lands.

    Dated: February 22, 2006.
Sally D. Collins,
Associate Chief.
[FR Doc. 06-1862 Filed 2-23-06; 1:34 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P