[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 75 (Wednesday, April 19, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24147-24148]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-08254]


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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 (Forest Service or Agency), 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 April 1, 2023, and June 30, 
2023; 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 January 1, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Questions or comments may be submitted by email to the 
contact listed below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: JoLynn Anderson, 971-313-1718 or 
[email protected]. Individuals who use telecommunications 
devices for the deaf and hard of hearing may call the Federal Relay 
Service at 800-877-8339 24 hours a day, every day of the year, 
including holidays. You may register to receive email alerts regarding 
Forest Service directives 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, 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 April 1, 2023, to June 30, 2023:
    1. Forest Service Manual (FSM) 2000, National Forest Resource 
Management, chapter 40--National Forest System Monitoring (previously 
published as planned for publication for public comment April 8, 2022 
(87 FR 20810)).
    2. Forest Service Manual (FSM) 2300, Recreation, Wilderness, and 
Related Resource Management, chapter 55--Climbing Management 
(previously published as planned for publication for public comment 
January 28, 2022 (87 FR 4552)).
    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

[[Page 24148]]

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; and 90, Rangeland 
Management Decision Making; and FSH 2209.16, Allotment Management 
Handbook, chapter 10, Allotment Management and Administration.
    2. FSM 3800, Landscape Scale Restoration Program.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.

Final Directives That Have Been Issued Since January 1, 2023

    Final FSH 2209.13, Grazing Permit Administration Handbook, chapter 
80, Grazing Fees (chapter 80), has been issued since January 1, 2023. 
Chapter 80 is the first of 16 other chapters being updated and yet to 
be issued to provide greater management flexibility and improve the 
clarity of policies and procedures guiding responsible and consistent 
management of grazing on National Forest System lands. Chapters in FSM 
2200, Rangeland Management, FSH 2209.13, Grazing Permit Administration 
Handbook, and FSH 2209.16, Allotment Management Handbook, are being 
reviewed and will be published later.
    Final chapter 80 incorporates the final rule on excess and 
unauthorized grazing that became effective in August 2022. The final 
rule allows responsible officials to waive excess and unauthorized 
grazing fees when certain conditions are met. Final chapter 80 merely 
incorporates this regulation without revision. In addition, final 
chapter 80 incorporates current direction regarding excess and 
unauthorized use penalty rates. In final chapter 80, excess and 
unauthorized use penalty rates were revised to reflect current market 
value rather than the market value from the 1960s. The 60-day comment 
period for the proposed directive began December 18, 2020, closed 
February 16, 2021, and was extended for 60 days to April 17, 2021. The 
5,000 public comments and 2 comments from Tribes on all 17 of the 
proposed directives can be viewed at https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/ReadingRoom?project=ORMS-2514. Final chapter 80 was issued March 6, 
2023, and can be viewed at https://www.fs.usda.gov/im/directives/fsh/2209.13/wo_2209.13_80-Amend%202023-1.docx.

    Dated: April 13, 2023.
JoLynn Anderson,
Branch Chief, Directives, Information Collections and Government 
Clearance, Office of Policy, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2023-08254 Filed 4-18-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P