Notice2022-14777
Directive Publication Notice
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
July 12, 2022
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentForest Service
Abstract
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.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 132 (Tuesday, July 12, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 132 (Tuesday, July 12, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41278-41279]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[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
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a3f0ee8de5f08de7cad1c6c0d7cad5c6d0e3d6d0c7c28dc4ccd5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="31627c1f77621f7558435452455847544271444255501f565e47">[email protected]</span></a> 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
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4f252e222a3c612320382a0f3a3c2b2e61282039"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b4ded5d9d1c79ad8dbc3d1f4c1c7d0d59ad3dbc2">[email protected]</span></a>.
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 <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/regulations-policies">https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/regulations-policies</a>.
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 <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/regulations-policies">https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/regulations-policies</a>,
[[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 <a href="https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/ReadingRoom?project=ORMS-2226">https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/ReadingRoom?project=ORMS-2226</a>. The final directives were issued May 12,
2022, and can be viewed at <a href="https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/fsh/2709.11/wo_2709.11_50_Amend%202022-2.docx">https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/fsh/2709.11/wo_2709.11_50_Amend%202022-2.docx</a><a href="https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/fsm/2700/wo_2710_Amend-2022-2.docx">https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/fsm/2700/wo_2710_Amend-2022-2.docx</a>.
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 <a href="https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/ReadingRoom?project=ORMS-2619">https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/ReadingRoom?project=ORMS-2619</a>. 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 <a href="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_7700-Amend-2022-1_updated.docx</a>.
<a href="https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/fsm/7700/wo_7710-Amend-2022-2_updated.docx">https://www.fs.fed.us/im/directives/fsm/7700/wo_7710-Amend-2022-2_updated.docx</a>.
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
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