[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 110 (Thursday, June 8, 2023)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 37485-37486]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-12267]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

36 CFR Part 200

RIN 0596-AD59


Organization, Functions, and Procedures; Functions and 
Procedures; Forest Service Functions

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking; extension of comment 
period.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service (Agency), United States Department of 
Agriculture (USDA), published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking 
in the Federal Register on April 21, 2023 initiating a 60-day comment 
period. The advance notice invited public comment on the following 
topic and additional questions: Given that climate change and related 
stressors are resulting in increasing impacts with rapid and variable 
rates of change on national forests and grasslands, how should the 
Forest Service adapt current policies to protect, conserve, and manage 
the national forests and grasslands for climate resilience, so that the 
Agency can provide for ecological integrity and support social and 
economic sustainability over time? In response to feedback from 
prospective commenters stating that they would benefit from additional 
time to adequately consider and respond to the advance notice, USDA's 
Forest Service has determined that an extension of the comment period 
by an additional 30 days, from June 20, 2023 to July 20, 2023, is 
appropriate.

DATES: The end of the comment period for the advance notice of proposed 
rulemaking published on April 21, 2023 (88 FR 24497) is extended from 
June 20, 2023, until July 20, 2023.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments by any of the following methods:
    Preferred: Federal eRulemaking Portal www.regulations.gov. Mail: 
Director, Policy Office, 201 14th Street SW, Mailstop 1108, Washington, 
DC 20250-1124.
    All comments received will be posted to www.regulations.gov, 
including any personal information provided. The public may inspect 
comments received at www.regulations.gov. Do not submit any information 
you consider to be private, confidential business information, or other 
information, of which the disclosure is restricted by statute.
    The Forest Service is planning public engagement sessions. For 
additional information related to the advanced notice of proposed 
rulemaking and the public engagements visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/sc/policy-initiatives.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher Swanston, Director, Office 
of Sustainability and Climate, (202) 205-0833. Individuals who use 
telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339, 24 hours a day, every day 
of the year, including holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Climate change and related stressors, such 
as wildfire, drought, insects and diseases, extreme weather events, and 
chronic stress on ecosystems are resulting in increasing impacts with 
rapid and variable rates of change on national forests and grasslands. 
These impacts can be compounded by fire suppression, development in the 
wildland-urban interface, and timber harvest and reforestation 
practices that are not designed and implemented considering current and 
projected climate change.
    Multiple Forest Service plans, policies, and regulations already 
include direction on climate adaptation. However, given (1) increasing 
rates of change, and (2) new information and ways of assessing and 
visualizing risk, USDA and the Forest Service published an advance 
notice of proposed rulemaking on April 21, 2023 (88 FR 24497) to invite 
public feedback and to request Tribal consultation on a range of 
potential options to adapt current policies or develop new policies and 
actions to better anticipate, identify, and respond to rapidly changing 
conditions associated with climate-amplified impacts.
    An extension of the comment period will provide additional 
opportunity for the public to consider the advance notice and prepare 
comments to address

[[Page 37486]]

the questions posed therein. Therefore, the USDA Forest Service is 
extending the comment period from June 20, 2023 to July 20, 2023.

Christopher French,
Deputy Chief, National Forest System, Forest Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-12267 Filed 6-7-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P