[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 108 (Thursday, June 4, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 34378-34379]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-11830]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

36 CFR Part 251


Special Uses; Processing of Applications, Issuance of 
Authorizations, and Communications Site Management

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

[[Page 34379]]


ACTION: Issuance of proposed directives; notice of availability for 
public comment.

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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest 
Service is proposing to issue a directive to implement parts of the 
Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 and streamline the Agency's 
procedures for evaluating applications to locate or modify 
communications facilities on National Forest System (NFS) lands. The 
proposed directives would work in conjunction with the special use 
regulations published on April 8, 2020 to address the streamlining 
requirements of the Farm Bill.

DATES: Comments must be received in writing by July 6, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted electronically to https://cara.ecosystem-management.org/Public/CommentInput?project=ORMS-2525. 
Written comments may be mailed to Director, Lands Staff, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-1124. All timely received 
comments, including names and addresses, will be placed in the record 
and will be available for public inspection and copying. The public may 
inspect comments received at https://cara.ecosystem-management.org/Public/ReadingRoom?project=ORMS-2525.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joey Perry, Lands Staff, 530-251-3286 
or [email protected]. Individuals who use telecommunication devices 
for the deaf may call the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339 between 
8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The President signed the Agriculture 
Improvement Act of 2018 (the Farm Bill) into law on December 20, 2018. 
Title VIII, Subtitle G, Section 8705, of the Farm Bill requires 
regulations that streamline the process for evaluating applications for 
communications facilities on NFS lands. The Forest Service published 
revisions to its special use regulations on April 8, 2020 (85 FR 
19660). The Forest Service issued proposed directives that would work 
in conjunction with that rule. The Forest Service is requesting 
comments on the proposed directives, available online at https://cara.ecosystem-management.org/Public/CommentInput?project=ORMS-2525.
    After the public comment period closes, the Forest Service will 
consider timely comments that are within the scope of the proposed 
directives in the development of the final directives. A notice of the 
final directives, including a response to timely comments, will be 
posted on the Forest Service's web page at https://www.fs.fed.us/about-agency/regulations-policies.

Tina Johna Terrell,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2020-11830 Filed 6-3-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3411-15-P