[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 223 (Tuesday, November 20, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65288-65289]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-22668]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Information Collection; Special Areas; State Petitions for 
Inventoried Roadless Area Management

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comment.

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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 a currently approved information 
collection, State Petitions for Inventoried Roadless Area Management.

DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before January 22, 
2008 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 
Forest Service, USDA Assistant Director for Planning, Ecosystem 
Management Coordination, Mail Stop 1104, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20250-1104.
    Comments also may be submitted via facsimile to (202) 205-1012 or 
by e-mail to: [email protected].
    The public may inspect comments received at the Ecosystem 
Management Coordination Office, 201 14th St., SW., Washington, DC 
20250-1104 during normal business hours. Visitors are encouraged to 
call ahead to (202) 205-0895 to facilitate entry to the building.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bill Supulski, Ecosystem Management 
Coordination, (202) 205-0948. Individuals who use TDD may call the 
Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339, 24 hours a day, every 
day of the year, including holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Special Areas; State Petitions for Inventoried Roadless Area 
Management
    OMB Number: 0596-0178
    Expiration Date of Approval: May 31, 2008
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection
    Abstract: On May 13, 2005, the Forest Service published a final 
rule 36 CFR part 294 creating an individual state petitioning process 
for state and territorial governors to seek establishment of management 
requirements for National Forest System inventoried roadless areas 
within their States. On September 19, 2006, the United States District 
Court for the Northern District of California issued an order setting 
aside the state petitions rule. (People of the State of California, ex 
rel Lockyer v. U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, No. C05-03508-EDL (N.D. 
Cal.). This decision is currently under appeal. The petitions will only 
be collected and used if this injunction is lifted. If the injunction 
is lifted, the petitions would be evaluated and if accepted by the 
Secretary of Agriculture, the Forest Service would initiate subsequent 
State-specific rulemaking for the management of inventoried roadless 
areas in cooperation with the state or territory involved in the 
petitioning process.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: This is estimated to be as high as 1,000 
hours for a single petition, depending on the number of roadless areas 
within a State and the extent of adjustment to roadless

[[Page 65289]]

area management recommended in an individual petition.
    Type of Respondents: State and territorial governors.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 36; if all affected states 
and territories submit petitions.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: Up to 36,000 hours.
    Comment is invited on: (1) Whether this 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; (2) the accuracy of the agency's 
estimate of the burden of the collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance 
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; 
and (4) 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 be a matter of public record. 
Comments will be summarized and included in the request for Office of 
Management and Budget approval.

    Dated: November 15, 2007.
Gloria Manning,
Associate Deputy Chief, NFS.
 [FR Doc. E7-22668 Filed 11-19-07; 8:45 am]
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