[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 152 (Wednesday, August 9, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 53859]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-17071]


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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 July 1, 2023, and September 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 April 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 July 1, 2023, to September 30, 2023:
    1. Forest Service Manual (FSM) 2000, National Forest Resource 
Management, chapter 40, National Forest System Monitoring (previously 
published April 19, 2023 (88 FR 24147) as planned for publication for 
public comment).
    2. FSM 2300, Recreation, Wilderness, and Related Resource 
Management, chapter 50, section 55, Climbing Management (previously 
published April 19, 2023 (88 FR 24147) as planned for publication for 
public comment).
    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; 
40, Livestock Use Permits; 50, Tribal Treaty Authorizations and Special 
Use Permits; 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; 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.
    4. FSH 5509.11, Title Claims, Sales, and Grants Handbook, chapter 
10, Title Claims and Encroachments.

Final Directives That Have Been Issued Since April 1, 2023

    Final FSH 2209.13, Grazing Permit Administration Handbook, chapters 
30, Temporary Grazing and Livestock Use Permits; 60, Records; and 70, 
Compensation for Permittee Interests in Rangeland Improvements, have 
been issued since April 1, 2023.
    FSH 2209.13, chapters 30, 60, and 70, are the second batch of 
Grazing Permit Administration Handbook chapters being updated from a 
total of 17 chapters. Final FSH 2209.13, chapter 80, was issued March 
6, 2023. The rangeland management directives in the FSM and FSH are 
being updated in batches 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. The 
remaining chapters in FSM 2200, Rangeland Management, FSH 2209.13, and 
FSH 2209.16, Allotment Management Handbook, are being reviewed and will 
be published for public comment later.
    The 60-day comment period for the proposed directives began 
December 18, 2020, closed February 16, 2021, and was extended for 60 
days to April 17, 2021. The response to comments on all 17 proposed 
directives can be viewed at https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/ReadingRoom?project=ORMS-2514. Final chapters 30, 60, and 70 were 
issued June 30, 2023, and can be viewed at https://www.fs.usda.gov/im/directives/fsh/2209.13/wo_2209.13_30-Amend%202023-2.docx; https://www.fs.usda.gov/im/directives/fsh/2209.13/wo_2209.13_60-Amend%202023-3.docx; and https://www.fs.usda.gov/im/directives/fsh/2209.13/wo_2209.13_70-Amend%202023-4.docx.

    Dated: August 4, 2023.
JoLynn Anderson,
Branch Chief, Directives, Information Collections and Government 
Clearance, Forest Service Policy Office.
[FR Doc. 2023-17071 Filed 8-8-23; 8:45 am]
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