[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 236 (Monday, December 13, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70814-70815]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-26908]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following 
information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance 
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments 
are requested regarding: Whether the collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility; the 
accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of 
the methodology and assumptions used; ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are 
to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques 
and other forms of information technology.
    Comments regarding this information collection received by January 
12, 2022 will be considered. Written comments and recommendations for 
the proposed information collection should be submitted within 30 days 
of the publication of this notice on the following website 
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular information 
collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for 
Public Comments'' or by using the search function.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information 
unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB 
control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to 
respond to the collection of information that such persons are not 
required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays 
a currently valid OMB control number.

Forest Service

    Title: Forest Products Removal Permits and Contracts.
    OMB Control Number: 0596-0085.
    Summary of Collection: The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 
2008 (Pub. L. 110-246, 122 Stat. 1651) hereinafter the ``2008 Farm 
Bill''), section 8105 authorizes that the Secretary of Agriculture may 
provide, free of charge, to federally recognized Indian Tribes trees, 
portions of trees, or forest products from National Forest System lands 
for noncommercial traditional and cultural purposes. Individuals and 
businesses that wish to remove forest products from national forest 
lands must request a permit. 16 U.S.C. 551 requires the promulgation of 
regulations to regulate forest use and prevent destruction of the 
forests. Regulations at 36 CFR 223.1 and 223.2 govern the sale of 
forest products such as Christmas trees, pinecones, moss, and 
mushrooms. Regulations at 36 CFR 223.5 through 223.11 set forth 
conditions under which free use of forest products may be obtained by 
individuals or organizations. Upon receiving a permit, the permittee 
must comply with the terms of the permit at 36 CFR 261.6 that designate 
the forest products that can be harvested and under what conditions, 
such as limiting harvest to a designated area or permitting harvest of 
only specifically designated material.
    Both the Forest Service (FS) and Department of the Interior, Bureau 
of Land Management (BLM) will use the Forest Products Removal Permit 
and Cash Receipt to collect information.
    Need and Use of the Information: This information is collected from 
Individuals/Households, businesses wishing to remove forest products 
from National Forest System and/or Bureau of Land Management lands. 
Additionally, this information is collected from federally recognized 
Indian Tribes wishing to remove trees, portions of trees, or forest 
products from National Forest System lands for traditional and cultural 
purposes under the authority of section 8105 of the 2008 Farm Bill (and 
additionally reference 36 CFR 223.15). The collected information is 
required to determine if the requester meets the criteria for free-use 
or sale of forest products as authorized by regulations, and to ensure 
that the permittee/contractor complies with regulations and terms of 
the permit or contract.
    This information allows Agency compliance personnel to identify 
permittees in the field.
    Identification information is used to verify names and addresses, 
to record the individuals, and businesses obtaining forest products, 
and to record the Indian Tribes obtaining free use of trees, portions 
of trees, or forest products under the authority of section 8105 of the 
2008 Farm Bill.
    This information is necessary to ensure that individuals and 
businesses have not received product values in excess of the amount 
allowed by regulation in any one fiscal year.
    Law enforcement and other personnel conducting field compliance 
checks use

[[Page 70815]]

the information to identify permittees, ensure that the person 
harvesting a forest product has a permit during the forest product 
collection, and to ensure that the forest product collection is being 
performed in the area described on the permit.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households; Business or 
other for-profit; State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 174,198.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion; Recordkeeping.
    Total Burden Hours: 39,211.

Forest Service

    Title: Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0596-0227.
    Summary of Collection: The Forest Service (FS) is authorized to 
implement the Community Forest and Open Space Program (CFP) under 
Section 8003 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 
110-234; 122 Stat. 2043), which amends the Cooperative Forestry 
Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2103d). The purpose of the CFP is to 
achieve community benefits through grants to local governments, Indian 
Tribes, and nonprofit organizations to establish community forests by 
acquiring and protecting private forestlands.
    Need and Use of the Information: The applicant will need to provide 
information as outlined in the rule and the request for proposal. 
Applicants representing local governments or non-profits will submit 
CFP applications to their State Foresters. Indian Tribes submit 
applications directly to the Forest Service. The State Forester or the 
equivalent Indian Tribe official, per section Sec.  230.03 of the rule, 
will forward all applications to the FS. FS will use the information in 
the application to: (1) Determine that the applicant is eligible to 
receive funds under the program; (2) determine if the proposal meets 
the qualifications in the law and regulations; (3) evaluate and rank 
the proposals based on standard, consistent information; and (4) 
determine if the projects costs are allowable and sufficient cost share 
is provided. The FS would not be able to implement the program 
effectively or at all if the collection was conducted less frequently 
or not at all.
    Description of Respondents: Non-profit Organizations; State, Local 
and Tribal Governments.
    Number of Respondents: 50.
    Frequency of Responses: Annually; Quarterly; Reporting and Record 
Keeping.
    Total Burden Hours: 1,200.

    Dated: December 8, 2021.
Levi S. Harrell,
Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2021-26908 Filed 12-10-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P