[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 221 (Friday, November 17, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80269-80270]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-25426]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Forest Service Manual 2300--Recreation, Wilderness, and Related 
Resource Management, Chapter 2350--Trail, River, and Similar Recreation 
Opportunities, Section 2355--Climbing Opportunities

AGENCY: Forest Service, Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notice of availability for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service, United States Department of

[[Page 80270]]

Agriculture (Forest Service or Agency), is proposing to revise its 
directives to provide guidance on climbing opportunities on National 
Forest System (NFS) lands, including climbing opportunities in 
Congressionally designated wilderness (wilderness).

DATES: Comments must be received in writing by January 16, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted electronically to https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/CommentInput?project=ORMS-3524. Written 
comments may be mailed to Peter Mali, National Wilderness Program 
Manager, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-1124. All 
timely comments, including names and addresses, will be placed in the 
record and will be available for public inspection and copying. The 
public may inspect comments received at https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/ReadingRoom?project=ORMS-3524.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Mali, National Wilderness 
Program Manager, [email protected], (202) 823-0773. Individuals 
who use telecommunications devices for the hearing impaired may call 
the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339, 24 hours a day, every day of 
the year, including holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Climbing is a growing sport in the United 
States. According to the Outdoor Industry Association's 2022 Report on 
Outdoor Participation Trends, there were nearly 10.3 million climbers 
in the United States in 2021. Approximately 30 percent of outdoor 
climbing in the United States occurs on NFS lands. In recent years, 
line officers have expressed concerns about climbing-related impacts on 
resources and conflicts among uses.
    Current Forest Service directives do not provide guidance for 
climbing opportunities on NFS lands. The Joint Explanatory Statement 
accompanying the 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act directs the 
Forest Service to issue general guidance on climbing opportunities on 
NFS lands, including the application of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 
1131-1136) to climbing opportunities and appropriate use of fixed 
anchors and fixed equipment in wilderness. To address impacts 
associated with increased climbing on NFS lands and consistent with the 
Joint Explanatory Statement, the Forest Service is proposing revisions 
to its directives to provide guidance on climbing opportunities on NFS 
lands.
    The proposed directive would provide guidance on climbing 
opportunities inside and outside wilderness on NFS lands and would 
provide for climbing opportunities that serve visitor needs; meet land 
management and recreation policy objectives; emphasize the natural 
setting of NFS lands; align with natural and cultural resource 
protection and the Agency's responsibility to Indian Tribes; and are 
consistent with applicable law, directives, and the applicable land 
management plan.
    The proposed directive would add a new section, 2355, to Forest 
Service Manual (FSM) 2300--Recreation, Wilderness, and Related Resource 
Management, chapter 2350--Trail, River, and Similar Recreation 
Opportunities, which would provide that climbing is an appropriate use 
of NFS lands (proposed FSM 2355.03, para. 1)--including in wilderness--
when conducted in accordance with applicable law and Forest Service 
directives and consistent with the applicable land management plan 
(proposed FSM 2355.03, para. 4); that a climbing management plan be 
developed, as funding and resources allow, for climbing opportunities 
in wilderness, and for climbing opportunities outside wilderness where 
the District Ranger determines that climbing is causing adverse 
resource impacts or use conflicts (proposed FSM 2355.21); that fixed 
anchors and fixed equipment are installations for purposes of section 
4(c) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(c)) (proposed FSM 2355.32, 
para. 1); that a Forest Supervisor may authorize the placement or 
replacement of fixed anchors and fixed equipment in wilderness based on 
a case-specific determination that they are the minimum necessary for 
administration of the area for Wilderness Act purposes, including 
primitive or unconfined recreation and preservation of wilderness 
character (proposed FSM 2355.32, para. 1); that existing fixed anchors 
and fixed equipment in wilderness may be retained pending completion of 
a Minimum Requirements Analysis, as funding and resources allow, that 
determines they are the minimum necessary to facilitate primitive or 
unconfined recreation or otherwise preserve wilderness character (FSM 
2355.32, para. 5);); and that the issuance and administration of 
special use permits are encouraged to enhance visitor access to 
climbing opportunities and visitor education concerning low impact 
climbing practices (proposed FSM 2355.03, para. 9).
    To allow for enforcement of restrictions and prohibitions in 
climbing management plans as needed, the Forest Service will be 
proposing revisions via a separate Federal Register notice to its 
regulations at 36 CFR part 261, subpart A, General Prohibitions.
    The minimum 120-day Tribal consultation for the proposed directive 
was initiated November 8, 2021, and will conclude at the end of the 60-
day comment period for the proposed directive.
    After the comment period closes, the Forest Service will consider 
timely comments that are within the scope of the proposed directive in 
the development of the final directive. A notice of the final 
directive, including a response to comments, will be posted on the 
Forest Service's web page at https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/regulations-policies.

    Dated: November 6, 2023.
Gregory Smith,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2023-25426 Filed 11-16-23; 8:45 am]
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