[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 132 (Tuesday, July 12, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41278-41279]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-14777]


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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, and 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, 
proposed and interim directives that were previously published for 
public comment but not yet finalized and issued during the last 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 July 1, 2022, and September 30, 
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 April 1, 2022.

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: Jay Lowe at 703-231-8079 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 directives are planned for publication for 
public comment from July 1, 2022, to September 30, 2022:
    1. FSH 2409.12, Timber Cruising Handbook, Chapters 30, Cruising 
Systems; 40, Cruise Planning, Data Recording, and Cruise Reporting; 60, 
Quality Control; and 70, Designating Timber for Cutting.
    2. FSH 2409.15, Timber Sale Administration Handbook, Chapters 20, 
Measuring and Accounting for Included Timber; 40, Rates and Payments; 
and 60, Operations and Other Provisions.
    The primary method of public outreach for these proposed directives 
is publication on the Forest Service website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/regulations-policies,

[[Page 41279]]

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. Forest Service Manual (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. FSM 3800, Landscape Scale Restoration Program.

Final Directives That Have Been Issued Since April 1, 2022

    1. FSM 2710, Special Use Authorizations, and FSH 2709.11, Special 
Uses Handbook, Chapter 50, Standard Forms and Supplemental Clauses. The 
Forest Service published final directives related to the storage and 
use of explosives authorized by special use authorizations. Some 
special use permit holders use various types of explosives and 
sometimes military munitions for avalanche mitigation, tree and rock 
removal, road construction, maintenance, and other construction 
projects. Holders of ski area permits and state transportation 
authorities maintain additional magazines for these purposes.
    The final directives clarify the role and jurisdiction of the 
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the 
Department of the Army, states, and the Forest Service over explosives 
use and storage when authorized on National Forest System lands, 
including explosives magazine security. These directives provide that 
special use authorization holders that are authorized to store and use 
explosives must comply with all ATF regulations, state and Army 
requirements, if applicable, and Forest Service requirements. The 
directives make compliance with the special use authorization 
contingent upon continued compliance with these requirements. The 
directives provide for training of permit administrators to ensure that 
they can effectively monitor the requirements of a holder's operating 
plan, including required magazine security provisions. The 60-day 
comment period for this directive began June 23, 2020, and closed 
August 22, 2020. Five public comments were received on the proposed 
directives, which can be viewed at https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/ReadingRoom?project=ORMS-2226. The final directives were issued May 12, 
2022, and can be viewed at https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/fsh/2709.11/wo_2709.11_50_Amend%202022-2.docxhttps://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/fsm/2700/wo_2710_Amend-2022-2.docx.
    2. FSM 7700, Travel Management, Chapters Zero and 10, Travel 
Planning. The Forest Service has issued final directives that clarify 
how electric bicycles (e-bikes) are managed on National Forest System 
lands. The directives add a definition of e-bikes as a class of motor 
vehicle, including separate definitions for Class 1, 2 and 3 e-bikes; 
establish criteria for consideration in designating National Forest 
System roads, National Forest System trails, and areas on National 
Forest System lands for e-bike use that are not currently designated 
for motor vehicle use; update the definition of ``bicycle,'' and align 
Forest Service directives with regulations promulgated by the U.S. 
Department of the Interior bureaus by adding e-bike definitions and 
requiring site-specific decision-making and environmental analysis. The 
30-day comment period for these directives began September 24, 2020, 
and closed October 26, 2020. Over 9,140 public comments were received 
on the proposed directives, which can be viewed at https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/ReadingRoom?project=ORMS-2619. Approximately 
6,020 were unique letters; only five percent included substantive 
comments. The final directives provide for managing all classes of e-
bikes as motor vehicles and require local-level decision-making and 
environmental analysis to allow use of e-bikes on non-motorized trails, 
consistent with the Forest Service's Travel Management Rule. The final 
directives were issued March 31, 2022, and can be viewed at https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/fsm/7700/wo_7700-Amend-2022-1_updated.docx. 
https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/fsm/7700/wo_7710-Amend-2022-2_updated.docx.

    Dated: July 7, 2022.
James Lowe,
Acting Branch Chief, Directives and Regulations, Business Operations.
[FR Doc. 2022-14777 Filed 7-11-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P