[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 236 (Tuesday, December 9, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73026-73027]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-28746]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 236 / Tuesday, December 9, 2014 / 
Notices  

[[Page 73026]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Information Collection: Good Neighbor Agreement With State 
Cooperators

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested 
individuals and organizations on the new information collection, Good 
Neighbor Agreements with State Cooperators.

DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before February 9, 
2015 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 Jake 
Donnay, Legislative Affairs, USDA Forest Service, 1400 Independence 
Ave. SW., Mailstop 1130, Washington, DC 20250-1130. Comments also may 
be submitted via facsimile to 202-205-1225 or by email to: 
[email protected].
    The public may inspect comments received at U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Forest Service, 201 14th Street SW., 4th floor, 4CE, 
Washington DC, during normal business hours. Visitors are encouraged to 
call ahead to 202-205-1637 to facilitate entry. The public may request 
an electronic copy of the draft supporting statement and/or any 
comments received be sent via return email. Requests should be emailed 
to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jake Donnay, Legislative Affairs at 
USDA Forest Service, 202-205-1617. 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: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, Forest Service will submit a new information collection to 
the Office of Management and Budget.
    Title: Good Neighbor Agreements with State Cooperators.
    OMB Number: 0596--NEW.
    Type of Request: New.
    Abstract: In order to perform specific activities in cooperation 
with State partners, Congress passed two Good Neighbor Authorities. The 
Farm Bill version of the Good Neighbor Authority, Agricultural Act of 
2014, Public Law 113-79, section 8206, is a permanent authority that 
authorizes and encourages the Forest Service to enter into Good 
Neighbor Agreements with States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to 
carry out authorized forest, rangeland, and watershed restoration 
services on and off National Forest System lands.
    The Appropriations Act version of the Good Neighbor Authority, 
Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2014, Public Law 113-76, section 417, is 
an amendment to the original Colorado version of the Good Neighbor 
Authority and is set to expire on September 30, 2018. This version of 
the authority authorizes and encourages the Forest Service to enter 
into Good Neighbor agreements with State Forestry Agencies to perform 
watershed restoration and protective services when similar and 
complementary projects are being performed on adjacent State or private 
lands.
    Good Neighbor Agreements, as defined and authorized by statute, are 
considered cooperative agreements which permit the Forest Service to 
work collaboratively with willing State agencies resulting in outcomes 
that benefit the Federal Government and its State partners. The 
agreement templates incorporated in this new information request 
contain partnership elements allowing State cooperators to bring 
matching contributions to projects and to perform work collaboratively 
with the Forest Service. The Forest Service will maintain its land 
management responsibilities for all projects that take place on 
National Forest System lands. The Forest Service also incorporates 
applicable Federal financial assistance regulations, currently located 
in Title 2, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 200, in all Good Neighbor 
Agreements which provide a regulatory framework for authorized 
activities performed under the cited authority.
    To further reduce the burden on State cooperators, standard Federal 
financial assistance forms and certifications (for example, SF 424, SF 
424B, and SF 425) are not required for Good Neighbor Agreements. 
Required information will be collected in the proposed Good Neighbor 
Agreement templates, financial plan, statement of work, and standard 
supporting documentation for the activity. The information that will be 
collected is similar to information collected through existing approved 
agreement templates and financial plans.
    To negotiate, develop, and administer Good Neighbor Agreements, the 
Forest Service collects information from State cooperators from the 
pre-agreement to the closeout stage via telephone calls, emails, postal 
mail, and person-to-person meetings. There are multiple means for State 
respondents to communicate responses including forms, optional forms, 
non-forms, electronic documents, face-to-face, telephone, and email. 
The scope of information collected includes the project type, project 
scope, financial plan, statement of work, and cooperator's business 
information. Without the collected information, the Forest Service 
would not be able to create, develop, and administer Good Neighbor 
Agreements. The Agency would be unable to develop or monitor projects, 
make payments, or identify financial and accounting errors.
    This is a new information collection request. Upon OMB approval of 
this information collection request, the burden associated with this 
request will be incorporated in the renewal of OMB control number 0596-
0217. Good Neighbor Agreement instruments and associated administrative 
forms can be viewed at www.fs.fed.us.gov/farmbill/gna.shtml.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: 1 to 4 hours annually per State.
    Type of Respondents: States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 51.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1 to 4.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 200 hours.

[[Page 73027]]

    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 submission request 
toward Office of Management and Budget approval.

    Dated: December 3, 2014.
Brian Ferebee,
Acting Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2014-28746 Filed 12-8-14; 8:45 am]
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