Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 192 / Tuesday, October 5, 2004 / Notices 59577

the meeting. Public input sessions will 

be provided and individuals who made 

written requests by October 12, 2004 

will have the opportunity to address the 

committee at those sessions.

Dated: September 29, 2004. 

James F. Giachino, 

Designated Federal Official.

[FR Doc. 04–22324 Filed 10–4–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service 

Integrated Resource Contracts FS–

2400–13 and FS–2400–13T

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of interim contracts, 

request for comments. 

SUMMARY: The Forest Service is 

implementing Integrated Resource 

Contracts, FS–2400–13, for use when 

timber products are measured after 

harvest, and FS–2400–13T, for use 

when timber products are measured 

before harvest. The contracts are for use 

in stewardship end result contracting 

pursuant to section 323 of Public Law 

108–7, the Consolidated Appropriations 

Resolution (16 U.S.C. 2104 note), when 

the value of timber exceeds the cost of 

service work. Except for additions 

addressing new stewardship contracting 

authorities, both contracts parallel the 

recently revised Timber Sale Contracts 

FS–2400–6 and FS–2400–6T which 

became effective upon notice in the 

Federal Register on May 6, 2004 (69 FR 

25367). The Integrated Resource 

Contracts are available electronically 

and in paper copy, as provided in the 

ADDRESSES section of this notice. 

Comments received will be considered 

when the Forest Service prepares the 

final Integrated Resource Contracts.

DATES: Comments must be received in 

writing on or before November 4, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments by 

mail to USDA Forest Service, Director 

Forest Management, 1400 Independence 

Avenue, SW., Mail Stop 1103, 

Washington, DC 20250–0003; via e-mail 

to: 

integratedresourcecontracts@fs.fed.us;

or via facsimile to (202) 205–1045. 

Comments may also be submitted via 

the World Wide Web Internet Web site 

at: http://www.regulations.gov. All 

comments including names and 

addresses when provided are placed in 

the record and are available for public 

inspection and copying. The Integrated 

Resource Contracts are available for 

public review on the Forest Service 

World Wide Web/Internet site at: http:/

/www.fs.fed.us/forestmanagement/

projects/stewardship/contracts.

Alternatively, these can be viewed in 

the office of the Director of Forest 

Management, Third Floor, Northwest 

Wing, Yates Building, 201 14th Street, 

SW., Washington, DC. Visitors are 

encouraged to call ahead to (202) 205–

0893 to facilitate entry into the building.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Richard Fitzgerald, Forest Management 

Staff, (202) 205–1753, or Lathrop Smith, 

Forest Management Staff, (202) 205–

0858.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Section 323 of Public Law 108–7, the 

Consolidated Appropriations Resolution 

(16 U.S.C. 2104 note), established new 

authorities for stewardship contracting 

not addressed in existing Forest Service 

timber sale contract forms. In general, 

the new authorities allow the Forest 

Service to enter into stewardship 

contracts with public or private entities 

or persons to perform services to 

achieve land management goals for 

National Forest System lands that meet 

local and rural community needs. By 

combining components of both service 

and timber sale contracts into a single 

integrated resource contract the value of 

timber or other forest products removed 

can be used as an offset against the cost 

of services received. Integrated Resource 

Contracts FS–2400–13 and FS–2400–

13T are for use with stewardship end 

result contracting when the value of 

timber exceeds the cost of service work. 

Except where they deviate to address 

the new authorities and the limitation of 

compensation in the event of a 

sovereign act that would affect a 

stewardship contract, the FS–2400–13 

and FS–2400–13T contracts parallel the 

recently revised Timber Sale Contracts 

FS–2400–6 and FS–2400–6T which 

became effective upon notice in the 

Federal Register on May 6, 2004 (69 FR 

25367). The revisions were the first 

substantive changes to the standard 

timber sale contract provisions in over 

30 years. A notice with request for 

comment on the proposed FS–2400–6 

and FS–2400–6T contract revisions was 

published in the Federal Register on 

December 19, 2003 (68 FR 70758). The 

Forest Service made appropriate 

changes to the contracts in response to 

the public comments and those are 

incorporated in the FS–2400–13 and 

FS–2400–13T contracts as well. Timber 

Sale Contracts FS–2400–6 and FS–

2400–6T are available on the World 

Wide Web/Internet site at: http://

www.fs.fed.us/forestmanagement/

infocenter/newcontracts/index.shtml.

Description of Interim Integrated 

Resource Contracts FS–2400–13 and 

FS–2400–13T 

Integrated Resource Contracts FS–

2400–13 and FS–2400–13T were 

patterned after the FS–2400–6 and FS–

2400–6T contracts respectively. 

However, in order to address new 

authorities in section 323 of Public Law 

108–7, the Consolidated Appropriations 

Resolution (16 U.S.C. 2104 note), the 

following conditions and provisions 

were added to the Integrated Resource 

Contracts: 

1. E/ET2.2 Stewardship Credits.

These are credits that the contractor will 

establish for performing stewardship 

work. These may be used to pay for 

included timber value subject to certain 

limits set in the contract.

2. E/ET.2.2.1 Progress Estimate. This 

requires the Forest Service to make 

timely estimates of a contractor’s 

progress on stewardship projects. 

3. E/ET.2.2.2 Excess Stewardship 

Credits. In the event that stewardship 

credits exceed the value of timber, the 

Forest Service may either add more 

timber, or make a cash payment to the 

contractor for unused stewardship 

credits. 

4. E/ET.2.2.3 Excess Timber Value.

In the event that the value of included 

timber exceeds the value of mandatory 

stewardship projects, the Forest Service 

may authorize additional optional 

projects if any were identified and/or 

require a cash payment from the 

contractor for excess timber value. 

5. E/ET.2.2.4 Cash Payment for 

Stewardship Projects. In lieu of 

providing timber for established 

stewardship credits, Forest Service may 

elect to provide the contractor a cash 

payment. 

6. G/GT.3.1.1 Technical Proposal.

This replaces B/BT6.311 Plan of 

Operations in the FS–2400–6 and FS–

2400–6T timber sale contracts. Bidders 

will be required to submit a technical 

proposal detailing how they will 

perform the contract work. This 

provision makes the technical proposal 

from the accepted bidder a binding part 

of the contract. 

7. G/GT.9 Stewardship Projects. This 

provision requires the contractor to 

perform all mandatory stewardship 

projects listed in the specific conditions 

section of the contract and addresses 

procedures for identifying optional 

projects to include. 

8. G/GT.9.1 Refund of Unused 

Stewardship Credits. This provision 

provides for making a refund to the 

contractor for any unused stewardship 

credits in event that the Contracting 

Officer requests that the contractor 

59578 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 192 / Tuesday, October 5, 2004 / Notices 

interrupt or delay operations for more 

than 60 days. 

In addition to the changes listed 

above, the Integrated Resources Contract 

provisions differ from the timber sale 

contracts in the following areas: 

1. Integrated resource contract 

provision I/IT2.3-Contract Term 

Extension, combines timber sale 

contract provisions B/BT8.23-Contract 

Term Extension, and B/BT8.231, 

Conditions for Contract Term Extension. 

2. Integrated resource contract 

provisions J/JT.4-Damages for Failure to 

Complete Contract or Termination for 

Breach, expands timber sale contract 

provision B/BT6.31 to address 

stewardship projects. 

3. The timber sale contracts under 

provision B/BT6.9 required the 

purchaser to provide access to records 

to enable the Forest Service to develop 

and evaluate appraisal data. The 

Integrated Resource Contracts do not 

contain a comparable requirement 

because the services components of 

these contracts would skew operating 

costs rendering the data unreliable for 

comparative purposes. 

Conclusion 

Comments will be considered when 

the Forest Service prepares the final 

Integrated Resource Contracts, FS–

2400–13 and FS–2400–13T. When the 

Integrated Resource Contracts are 

finalized, a subsequent notice will be 

published in the Federal Register.

Dated: September 22, 2004. 

Dale N. Bosworth, 

Chief.

[FR Doc. 04–22338 Filed 10–4–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation 

Service 

Supplemental Watershed Plan No. 1 

East Fork of the Grand River 

Watershed and Environmental 

Assessment for East Fork of the Grand 

River Watershed Plan and 

Environmental Impact Statement 

(Approved 1996), Ringgold and Union 

Counties, IA, and Harrison and Worth 

Counties, MO

AGENCY: Natural Resources 

Conservation Service.

ACTION: Notice of finding of no 

significant impact. 

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 

102(2)(c)of the National Environmental 

Policy Act of 1969; the Council on 

Environmental Quality Regulations (40 

CFR part 1500); and the Natural 

Resources Conservation Service 

Regulations (7 CFR part 650); the 

Natural Resources Conservation Service, 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, gives 

notice than an environmental impact 

statement is not being prepared for the 

Supplemental Watershed Plan No. 1 for 

East Fork of the Grand River Watershed 

Plan and Environmental Impact 

Statement (Approved 1996), Ringgold 

and Union Counties, Iowa, and Harrison 

and Worth Counties, Missouri.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Richard Van Klaveren, State 

Conservationist, Natural Resources 

Conservation Service, 210 Walnut 

Street, 693 Federal Building, Des 

Moines, IA 50309–2180.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

environmental assessment of this 

federally assisted action indicates that 

the project will not cause significant 

impacts on the environment. As a result 

of these findings, Richard Van Klaveren, 

State Conservationist, has determined 

that the preparation and review of an 

environmental impact statement are not 

needed for this project. 

This document sets forth a 

supplement to the East Fork of the 

Grand Watershed Plan–EIS that slightly 

relocates and enlarges multipurpose 

structure GB–3 from a permanent pool 

of 350 acres to 565 acres. The 565 acre 

site will be renamed Gooseberry Lake. 

The increase in size is to meet 

additional other agricultural water 

management and recreation needs. 

Gooseberry Lake and its 6210 acre 

watershed are northeast of Mount Ayr 

and are located entirely in Ringgold 

County, Iowa. 

The Notice of a Finding of No 

Significant Impact (FONSI) has been 

forwarded to the Environmental 

Protection Agency and to various 

Federal, State, and local agencies. A 

limited number of copies of the FONSI 

are available to fill single copy requests 

at the above address. The FONSI is also 

available at the Iowa NRCS Web site at 

http://www.ia.nrcs.usda.gov. A copy of 

the Supplemental Watershed Plan–

Environmental Assessment may be 

obtained by contacting Richard Van 

Klaveren. 

No administrative action will be taken 

until 30 days after the date of this 

publication in the Federal Register.

Dated: September 28, 2004. 

Richard Van Klaveren, 

State Conservationist.

Finding of No Significant Impact for the 

Supplemental Watershed Plan No. 1 East 

Fork of the Grand River Watershed and 

Environmental Assessment Ringgold County, 

Iowa 

Introduction 

The Supplemental Watershed Plan No. 1 

East Fork of the Grand River Watershed and 

Environmental Assessment (EA) describes 

the recommended alternative which is a 

modification of the GB–3 multipurpose site 

that was part of the East Fork of the Grand 

River Watershed Plan and Environmental 

Impact Statement (EIS). The Supplemental 

Watershed Plan No. 1–EA compares the 

effects that will arise from the installation of 

Gooseberry Lake to those that would have 

occurred from the installation of the original 

GB–3 structure. 

This modification of the GB–3 site is 

necessary to meet the Sponsors’ request to 

increase the water supply and recreation 

resources from those originally planned for 

GB–3 lake site in order to satisfy increased 

demands for these resources from the public. 

The East Fork of the Grand River 

Watershed Plan and EIS was approved in 

1996 under the authority of the Watershed 

Protection and Flood Prevention Act of 1954 

(Public Law No. 566, 83rd Congress). 

This supplemental plan–EA is being 

planned and will be implemented under the 

same authority. It is being planned and is in 

compliance with all National Environmental 

Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Historic 

Preservation Act of 1966 as amended (NHPA) 

provisions. The policies and procedures of 

the Watershed Protection and Flood 

Prevention Act, Public Law 83–566 as 

amended (16 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.) are being 

utilized for the planning and implementation 

of this project. 

An environmental evaluation was 

undertaken by the Natural Resources 

Conservation Service (NRCS) in conjunction 

with the development of this supplemental 

plan–EA. This evaluation was undertaken in 

consultation with local, State and Federal 

agencies as well as interested organizations 

and individuals. Copies of the supplemental 

plan–EA are available for public review from 

the following location: Natural Resources 

Conservation Service, 210 Walnut Street, 693 

Federal Building, Des Moines, IA 50309–

2180.

Recommended Action 

Site GB–3 will be moved downstream 

and increased in size. This relocated 

structure site is renamed Gooseberry 

Lake. The Gooseberry Lake Association 

will acquire the 2,365 acres needed for 

Gooseberry Lake and surrounding area 

for public use as a fish and wildlife area. 

The Gooseberry Lake will have a 

permanent pool of 565 acres, 1,393 acres 

managed as wildlife habitat, and 182 

acre county park. The dam and 

floodwater storage pool comprise the 

balance of the 2,365 project acres.