[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 200 (Wednesday, October 20, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58055-58056]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-22872]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Black Hills National Forest Advisory Board

AGENCY: Forest Service, Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notice of intent to re-establish the charter for the Black 
Hills National Forest Advisory Board.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service intends to 
reestablish the Charter of the Black Hills National Forest Advisory 
Board (Board). The purpose of the Board is to obtain advice and 
recommendations on a broad range of forest issues such as forest plan 
revisions or amendments, forest health including fire management and 
mountain pine beetle infestations, travel management, forest monitoring 
and evaluation, recreation fees, and site-specific projects having 
forest wide implications.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Jacobson, Committee Coordinator, 
USDA, Black Hills National Forest, by telephone: 605-440-1409, fax: 
605-673-9208, or email: [email protected]. Individuals who use 
telecommunication devices for the deaf/hard-of-hearing (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: USDA 16565--Black Hills National Forest 
Advisory Board is a non-scientific program advisory Board established 
by the Secretary of Agriculture in 2003 to provide advice and counsel 
to the U.S. Forest Service, Black Hills National Forest, in the wake of 
increasingly severe and intense wildfires and mountain pine beetle 
epidemics.
    The purpose of the Board is to provide advice and recommendations 
on a broad range of forest issues such as forest plan revisions or 
amendments, travel management, forest monitoring and evaluation, and 
site-specific projects having forest-wide implications. The Board also 
serves to meet the needs of the Recreation Enhancement Act of 2005 as a 
recreation resource advisory committee (RRAC) for the Black Hills of 
South Dakota. The Board provides timely advice and recommendations to 
the Regional Forester through the Forest Supervisor regarding 
programmatic forest issues and project-level issues that have forest-
wide implications for the Black Hills National Forest.
    The Board meets approximately ten times a year, with one meeting 
being a field trip, held in August, and focusing on both current issues 
and the educational value of seeing management strategies and outcomes 
on the ground. This Board has been established as a truly credible 
entity and a trusted voice on forest management issues and is doing 
often astonishing work in helping to develop informed consent for 
forest management.
    For years, the demands made on the Black Hills National Forest have 
resulted in conflicts among interest groups, resulting in both forest-
wide and site-specific programs being delayed due to appeals and 
litigation. The Board provides a forum to resolve these issues to allow 
for the Black Hills National Forest to move forward in its management 
activities.

Significant Contributions

    The Board's most significant accomplishments include:
    1. A 2004 report on the Black Hills Fuels Reduction Plan, a 
priority following the major fires including the 86,000 acre Jasper 
Fire in 2000;
    2. A 2004 initial Off-Highway Vehicle Travel Management 
Subcommittee report;
    3. A report on their findings regarding the thesis, direction, and 
assumptions of Phase II of the Forest Plan produced in 2005;
    4. The Invasive Species Subcommittee Report in 2005 covering 
recommendations to better stop invasive species from infiltrating the 
Forest;
    5. A final Travel Management Subcommittee Report in 2006 in which 
the Board made 11 recommendations regarding characteristics of a 
designated motor vehicle trail system, the basis for initial work to 
prepare the Motor Vehicle Use Map in 2010-2011;
    6. The Mountain Pine Beetle Response Project in 2012 covering 
landscape scale treatments on portions of 248,000 acres of ponderosa 
pine stands at high risk for infestation;
    7. The Board's annual work to attract funding through grants based 
on the Collaborative Landscape Forest Restoration Program (CFLRP), a 
program of the Secretary of Agriculture to encourage the collaborative, 
science-based ecosystem restoration of priority forest landscapes;
    8. Recommendations for implementing the Black Hills Resilient 
Landscape (BHRL) project that proposed landscape vegetation treatment 
on 1,098,0000 acres;
    9. A recommendation to develop a non-motorized Trail Strategy for 
various users across the Forest;
    10. A recommendation on mineral withdrawal action in Research 
Natural

[[Page 58056]]

Areas (RNA) and Botanical Areas (BA) on the Black Hills National 
Forest;
    11. A letter to the Secretary and the Chief of the Forest Service 
to work, restore, and maintain open space for wildlife habitat and 
recreation needs like snowmobile trails; and
    12. Annual reports to the Secretary detailing the Board's 
activities, issues, and accomplishments.
    The reestablishment of the Board is deemed to be among the most 
effective public involvement strategies in the Forest Service and 
continues to lead by example for Federal, State, and local government 
agencies working to coordinate and cooperate in the Black Hills of 
South Dakota and Wyoming.

Background

    Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. II); 
notice is hereby given that the Secretary of Agriculture intends to re-
establish the charter of the Black Hills National Forest Advisory 
Board. The Board provides advice and recommendations on a broad range 
of forest issues and, in accordance with the Federal Lands Recreation 
Enhancement Act (Pub. L. 108-447 (FLREA)), more specifically will 
provide advice and recommendations on Black Hills National Forest 
recreation fee issues (serving as the RRAC for the Black Hills National 
Forest). The Board membership consists of individuals representing 
commodity interests, amenity interests, and State and local government.
    The Board has been determined to be in the public interest in 
connection with the duties and responsibilities of the Black Hills 
National Forest. National forest management requires improved 
coordination among the interests and governmental entities responsible 
for land management decisions and the public that the agency serves.

Advisory Committee Organization

    The Board consists of 16 members that are representative of the 
following interests (this membership is similar to the membership 
outlined by the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination 
Act for Resource Advisory Committees (16 U.S.C. 500, et seq.)):
    1. Economic development;
    2. Developed outdoor recreation, off-highway vehicle users, or 
commercial recreation;
    3. Energy and mineral development;
    4. Forest products industry;
    5. Grazing or other permit holders;
    6. Nationally recognized environmental organization;
    7. Regionally recognized environmental organization;
    8. Dispersed recreation;
    9. Archaeological, cultural, and historical interests;
    10. Nationally or regionally recognized sportsmen's groups, such as 
anglers or hunters;
    11. State, county, local-elected or South Dakota or Wyoming 
appointed office holders (3 positions);
    12. Tribal government elected or appointed officials;
    13. State Natural Resource Agency, South Dakota; and
    14. State Natural Resource Agency, Wyoming.
    No individual who is currently registered as a Federal lobbyist is 
eligible to serve as a member of the Committee. The Committee will meet 
approximately nine times and will attend at least one summer field tour 
as determined by the Designated Federal Officer (DFO).
    The members of the Board will elect and determine the 
responsibilities of the Chairperson and the Vice-Chairperson. In the 
absence of the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson will act in the 
Chairperson's stead. The Forest Supervisor of the Black Hills National 
Forest serves as the Designated Federal Officer (DFO) under sections 
10(e) and (f) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. II).
    Members will serve without compensation but may be reimbursed for 
travel expenses while performing duties on behalf of the Board, subject 
to approval by the DFO.
    Equal opportunity practices are followed in all appointments to the 
Board in accordance with USDA policies. To ensure that the 
recommendations of the Board have taken into account the needs of 
diverse groups served by the Black Hills National Forest, membership 
shall include, to the extent practicable, individuals with demonstrated 
ability to represent the needs of men and women of all racial and 
ethnic groups, and persons with disabilities.

    Dated: October 15, 2021.
Cikena Reid,
USDA Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 2021-22872 Filed 10-19-21; 8:45 am]
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