[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 19 (Friday, January 28, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4552-4553]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-01772]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 19 / Friday, January 28, 2022 /
Notices
[[Page 4552]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Directive Publication Notice
AGENCY: Forest Service, Agriculture (USDA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, provides
direction to employees through issuances in its Directive System,
comprised of the Forest Service Manual and Forest Service Handbooks.
The Agency must provide public notice of and opportunity to comment on
any directives that formulate standards, criteria, or guidelines
applicable to Forest Service programs. Once per quarter, the Agency
provides advance notice of proposed and interim directives that will be
made available for public comment during the next three months and
notice of final directives issued in the last three months.
DATES: This notice identifies proposed and interim directives that will
be published for public comment between January 1, 2022, and March 31,
2022; proposed and interim directives that were previously published
for public comment but not yet finalized and issued; and final
directives that have been issued since October 1, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Questions or comments may be provided by email to
[email protected] or in writing to 201 14th Street SW,
Washington, DC 20250, Attn: Directives and Regulations staff, Mailstop
1132.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ann Goode at 202-740-6286 or
[email protected].
Individuals who use telecommunications devices for the deaf or hard
of hearing (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 800-877-
8339 24 hours a day, every day of the year, including holidays.
You may register to receive email alerts at https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/regulations-policies.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Proposed and Interim Directives
Consistent with 16 U.S.C. 1612(a) and 36 CFR part 216, Public
Notice and Comment for Standards, Criteria and Guidance Applicable to
Forest Service Programs, the Forest Service publishes for public
comment Agency directives that formulate standards, criteria, and
guidelines applicable to Forest Service programs. Agency procedures for
providing public notice and opportunity to comment are specified in
Forest Service Handbook (FSH) 1109.12, Chapter 30, Providing Public
Notice and Opportunity to Comment on Directives.
The following proposed directive is planned for publication for
public comment from January 1, 2022, to March 31, 2022:
Forest Service Manual (FSM) 2300, Chapter 55--Climbing Management
The primary method of public outreach for this proposed directive
is publication on the Forest Service website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/regulations-policies, publication in the
Federal Register, use of the GovDelivery email service, and other
Agency communications resources, which may include a press release,
blog post, or social media.
Previously Published Directives That Have Not Been Finalized
The following proposed and interim directives have been published
for public comment but have not yet been finalized:
1. FSM 2200, Rangeland Management, Chapters Zero Code; 2210,
Rangeland Management Planning; 2220, Management of Rangelands
(Reserved); 2230, Grazing Permit System; 2240, Rangeland
Improvements; 2250, Rangeland Management Cooperation; and 2270,
Information Management and Reports; FSH 2209.13, Grazing Permit
Administration Handbook, Chapters 10, Term Grazing Permits; 20,
Grazing Agreements; 30, Temporary Grazing and Livestock Use Permits;
40, Livestock Use Permits; 50, Tribal Treaty Authorizations and
Special Use Permits; 60, Records; 70, Compensation for Permittee
Interests in Rangeland Improvements; 80, Grazing Fees; and 90,
Rangeland Management Decision Making; and Forest Service Handbook
2209.16, Allotment Management Handbook, Chapter 10, Allotment
Management and Administration.
2. Interim FSM 2719, Special Use Authorizations Involving
Storage and Use of Explosives and Magazine Security, and FSH
2709.11, Special Uses Handbook, Chapter 50, Standard Forms and
Supplemental Clauses.
3. FSM 7700, Travel Management, Chapters Zero and 10, Travel
Planning.
4. FSM 3800, Landscape Scale Restoration Program.
5. FSM 2700, Special Uses Management, Chapter 40, Vegetation
Management Pilot Projects, and FSH 2709.11, Special Uses Handbook,
Chapter 50, Standard Forms and Supplemental Clauses.
6. FSH 2709.11, Special Uses Handbook, Chapter 80, Operating
Plans and Agreements for Powerline Facilities.
7. FSM 2400, Timber Management, Chapter 2420, Timber Appraisal;
FSH 2409.19, Renewable Resources Handbook, Chapters 10, Knutson-
Vandenberg Sale Area Program Management Handbook; 20, Knutson-
Vandenberg Forest and Regional Program Management; 60, Stewardship
Contracting; and 80, Good Neighbor Authority.
8. Region 10 Supplement to FSM 2720, Special Uses; Management of
Strictly Point-To-Point Commercial Transportation Under Special Use
Authorization to National Forest System Lands within the Visitor
Center Subunit of Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area.
Final Directives That Have Been Issued Since October 1, 2021
1. FSM 2400, Timber Management, Chapters Zero, 2430, Commercial
Timber Sales; 2440, Designating, Cruising, Scaling, and
Accountability; 2450, Timber Sale Contract Administration; and 2460,
Uses of Timber Other Than Commercial Timber Sales; FSH 2409.15,
Timber Sale Administration, Chapters Zero, 10, Fundamentals of
Timber Sale Contracting; 30, Change in Status of Contracts; 50,
Specified Transportation Facilities; and 70, Contract Claims and
Disputes; FSH 2409.18a, Timber Sale Debarment and Suspension
Procedures, Chapters Zero, 10, Non-procurement Debarment and
Suspension; and 20, Debarment and Export Violations. Fifty-five FSM
and FSH chapters were identified for revision in the Forest Products
Modernization initiative, a strategic effort to align Agency
culture, policies, and procedures with current and future forest
restoration needs, that increase the pace and scale of restoration,
improve forest conditions and the efficiency of forest products
delivery. The chapters were divided into three batches to address
the large quantity of documents. The first batch includes these 13
directives which have been revised to better align with current
legislation, policies, and practices. Many of these directives had
not been updated since the 1990s. These 13 directives, all subject
to public comment, were designated as non-significant by the Office
of Management and
[[Page 4553]]
Budget. The 30-day comment period for these directives began October
15, 2020, and closed November 15, 2020. A total of 269 comments were
received and can be viewed at https://cara.ecosystem-management.org/Public/ReadingRoom?project=ORMS-2688. The final directives were
issued October 29, 2021, and can be viewed at the following
websites:
https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/fsm/2400/wo_2400_Amend%202021-1-508.docx.
https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/fsm/2400/wo_2430_Amend%202021-2-508.docx.
https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/fsm/2400/wo_2440_Amend%202021-3-508.docx.
https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/fsm/2400/wo_2450_Amend%202021-4-508.docx.
https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/fsm/2400/wo_2460_Amend%202021-5-508.docx.
https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/fsh/2409.15/wo_2409.15_Zero_Amend%202021-5-508x.docx.
https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/fsh/2409.15/wo_2409.15_10_Amend%202021-1-508.docx.
https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/fsh/2409.15/wo_2409.15_30_Amend%202021-2-508.docx.
https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/fsh/2409.15/wo_2409.15_50_Amend%202021-3-508.docx.
https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/fsh/2409.15/wo_2409.15_70_Amend%202021-4-508.docx.
https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/fsh/2409.18a/wo_2409.18a_0_Amend%202021-1-508.docx.
https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/fsh/2409.18a/wo_2409.18a_10_Amend%202021-2-508.docx.
https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/fsh/2409.18a/wo_2409.18a_20_Amend%202021-3-508.docx.
2. FSH 5509.11, Chapter 20, Section 21, Small Tracts Act
Adjustments. The Forest Service revised this directive to implement
the Small Tracts Act, as required by the 2018 Farm Bill. These
revisions implement the intent of the 2018 Farm Bill and related
regulatory changes that updated land values established in the
original Small Tracts Act, which dates to 1983, increasing the value
of lands the Agency can sell or exchange to keep up with increasing
land values. Proceeds generated from eligible sales made under the
Small Tracts Act may be deposited in a Sisk Act account, allowing
the Agency to acquire lands that improve the health and productivity
of National Forests while simultaneously disposing small,
problematic parcels. The 30-day comment period for this directive
began June 4, 2021, and closed July 6, 2021. Four comments were
received, three from members of the public and one from a State
government, which can be viewed at https://cara.ecosystem-management.org/Public/ReadingRoom?project=ORMS-2755. The final
directive was issued November 19, 2021, and can be viewed at https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/fsh/5509.11/FSH%205509.11,%2020_Amend%202021-1.docx.
3. FSM 1820, Public Lands Corps and Resource Assistants Program.
The Forest Service has updated the Public Lands Corps and Resource
Assistants Program, which utilizes partnerships to employ America's
youth, young adults, emerging professionals, and others in paid work
on public lands, research, and natural resources projects. Upon
meeting certain requirements, participants achieve eligibility for
pathways to federal employment. The proposal reflects changes in
legislation and policy and incorporates new requirements,
streamlined administration, programming, and reporting, and improves
customer service. The 30-day comment period for this directive began
June 4, 2021, and closed July 6, 2021. Six comments were received,
which can be viewed at https://cara.ecosystem-management.org/Public/ReadingRoom?project=ORMS-2661. The final directive was issued
December 7, 2021, and can be viewed at https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/fsm/1800/wo_1820_Amend%202021-1.docx.
Dated: January 25, 2022.
Ann Goode,
Branch Chief, Directives and Regulations, Strategic Planning, Budget, &
Accountability.
[FR Doc. 2022-01772 Filed 1-27-22; 8:45 am]
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