This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains documents other than rules or

proposed rules that are applicable to the

public. Notices of hearings and investigations,

committee meetings, agency decisions and

rulings, delegations of authority, filing of

petitions and applications and agency

statements of organization and functions are

examples of documents appearing in this

section.

Notices Federal Register

81176 

Vol. 85, No. 241 

Tuesday, December 15, 2020 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Submission for OMB Review; 

Comment Request 

December 10, 2020. 

The Department of Agriculture has 

submitted the following information 

collection requirement(s) to OMB for 

review and clearance under the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 

Public Law 104–13. Comments are 

requested regarding: Whether the 

collection of information is necessary 

for the proper performance of the 

functions of the agency, including 

whether the information will have 

practical utility; the accuracy of the 

agency’s estimate of burden including 

the validity of the methodology and 

assumptions used; ways to enhance the 

quality, utility and clarity of the 

information to be collected; and ways to 

minimize the burden of the collection of 

information on those who are to 

respond, including through the use of 

appropriate automated, electronic, 

mechanical, or other technological 

collection techniques and other forms of 

information technology. 

Comments regarding this information 

collection received by January 14, 2021 

will be considered. Written comments 

and recommendations for the proposed 

information collection should be 

submitted within 30 days of the 

publication of this notice on the 

following website www.reginfo.gov/ 

public/do/PRAMain. Find this 

particular information collection by 

selecting ‘‘Currently under 30-day 

Review—Open for Public Comments’’ or 

by using the search function. 

An agency may not conduct or 

sponsor a collection of information 

unless the collection of information 

displays a currently valid OMB control 

number and the agency informs 

potential persons who are to respond to 

the collection of information that such 

persons are not required to respond to 

the collection of information unless it 

displays a currently valid OMB control 

number. 

Forest Service 

Title: Bid for Advertised Timber. 

OMB Control Number: 0596–0066. 

Summary of Collection: This 

information collection is necessary to 

implement the various statutes, 

regulations, and policies designed to 

ensure that: (1) National Forest System 

timber is sold at not less than appraised 

value; (2) bidders meet specific criteria 

when submitting a bid; and (3) anti-trust 

violations do not occur during the 

bidding process. 

Individuals, large and small 

businesses, and corporations wishing to 

purchase timber or forest products from 

national forests must enter into a timber 

sale or forest product contract with the 

Forest Service. Several statutes, 

regulations, and policies impose 

requirements on the Government and 

purchasers involved in the bidding 

process. The Uniform Commercial Code 

(UCC), although not binding upon the 

Federal Government, is a useful tool in 

determining the rights and liabilities of 

the contacting parties in the contract 

formation process. 

Need and Use of the Information: 

Pursuant to the Forest Service Small 

Business Timber Sale Set-Aside 

Program, developed in cooperation with 

the Small Business Administration, 

Forest Service regulations at Title 36 of 

the Code of Federal Regulations, 

§ 223.84 require that the Forest Service 

bid form used by potential timber sale 

bidders include provisions for small 

business concerns. The data collected 

will be used by the agency to ensure 

that National Forest System timber will 

be sold at not less than appraised value, 

that bidders will meet specific criteria 

when submitting a bid, and that antitrust violations will not occur during 

the bidding process. 

The tax identification number of each 

bidder is entered into an automated bid 

monitoring system, which is used to 

determine if speculative bidding or 

unlawful bidding practices are 

occurring and is required to process 

electronic payments to the purchaser. 

Respondents will be bidders on 

National Forest System timber sales. 

Forest Service sale officers will mail bid 

forms to potential bidders, and bidders 

will return the completed forms, dated 

and signed, to the Forest Service sale 

officer. 

Description of Respondents: Business 

or other for-profit; Individuals or 

households. 

Number of Respondents: 1,089. 

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: 

On occasion. 

Total Burden Hours: 68,258. 

Title: Disposal of Mineral Materials. 

OMB Control Number: 0596–0081. 

Summary of Collection: The Forest 

Service (FS) is responsible for 

overseeing the management of National 

Forest System land. The Multiple-Use 

Mining Act of 1955 (30 U.S.C. 601, 603, 

611–615) gives the FS specific authority 

to manage the disposal of mineral 

materials mined from National Forest 

land. FS uses form FS–2800–9, 

‘‘Contract for the Sale of Mineral 

Materials’’ to collect detailed 

information on the planned mining and 

disposal operations as well as a contract 

for the sale of mineral materials. 

Need and Use of the Information: The 

collected information enables the Forest 

Service to document planned 

operations, to prescribe the terms and 

conditions the agency deems necessary 

to protect surface resources, and to 

affect a binding contract agreement. 

Forest Service employees will evaluate 

the collected information to ensure that 

entities applying to mine mineral 

materials are financially accountable 

and will conduct their activities in 

accordance with the mineral regulations 

of Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, 

Part 228, Subpart C (36 CFR part 228). 

If this information is not collected, the 

Forest Service would be unable to 

comply with Federal regulations to 

mine mineral materials, and operations 

could cause undue damage to surface 

resources. 

Description of Respondents: Business 

or other for-profit. 

Number of Respondents: 2,617. 

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: 

On occasion. 

Total Burden Hours: 6,543. 

Title: National Visitor Use 

Monitoring, and Customer and Use 

Survey Techniques for Operations, 

Management, Evaluation, and Research. 

OMB Control Number: 0596–0110. 

Summary of Collection: The 

Government Performance and Results 

Act of 1993 requires that Federal 

agencies establish measurable goals and 

monitor their success at meeting those 

goals. Two of the items the Forest 

Service must measure are: (1) The 

Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 241 / Tuesday, December 15, 2020 / Notices 81177 

number of visits that occur on the 

National Forest System lands for 

recreation and other purposes, and (2) 

the views and satisfaction levels of 

recreational visitors to National Forest 

System lands about the services, 

facilities, and settings. The Agency 

receives requests for this kind of 

information from a variety of 

organizations, including Congressional 

staffs, newspapers, magazines, and 

recreational trade organizations. 

Need and Use of the Information: The 

Customer and Use Survey Techniques 

for Operations, Management, Evaluation 

and Research (CUSTOMER) study 

combines several different survey 

approaches to gather data describing 

visitors to and users of public recreation 

lands, including their trip activities, 

satisfaction levels, evaluations, 

demographic profiles, trip 

characteristics, spending, and annual 

visitation patterns. FS will use face-toface interviewing for collecting 

information on-site as well as English 

and Spanish written survey instruments 

to be mailed back by respondents. The 

NVUM results and data are a source of 

data and information in addressing 

forest land management planning, 

national strategic planning, service to 

minorities, and identification of a 

forest’s recreation niche. Conducting the 

collection less frequently puts 

information updates out of cycle with 

forest planning and other data 

preparations and reporting activities. 

Description of Respondents: 

Individuals or households. 

Number of Respondents: 45,000. 

Frequency of Responses: Reporting; 

Quarterly; Annually. 

Total Burden Hours: 6,386. 

Levi S. Harrell, 

Departmental Information Collection 

Clearance Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2020–27574 Filed 12–14–20; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3411–15–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Bitterroot National Forest; Montana; 

Gold Butterfly Project Supplemental 

Environmental Impact Statement 

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a 

supplemental environmental impact 

statement. 

SUMMARY: The Bitterroot National 

Forest, Stevensville Ranger District, 

Montana, intends to prepare a 

Supplemental Environmental Impact 

Statement (SEIS) for the Gold Butterfly 

Project. Since publication of the original 

EIS, it was determined that a projectspecific forest plan amendment is 

necessary. 

DATES: The Draft SEIS is expected 

February 2020 and the Final SEIS is 

expected May 2020. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Steve Brown, Stevensville District 

Ranger, by telephone at (406) 777–7410, 

or by email at steve.brown2@usda.gov. 

ADDRESSES: Additional information 

concerning this project may be obtained 

at https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/ 

?project=51486. 

Individuals who use 

telecommunication devices for the deaf 

(TDD) may call the Federal Information 

Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 

between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern 

Time, Monday through Friday. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose and Need for Action 

The purpose and need for the SEIS is 

to analyze a project-specific Forest Plan 

Amendment related to management of 

old growth. The current Bitterroot 

Forest Plan is from 1987. New and 

better science is available concerning 

old growth ecosystems, specifically 

‘‘Old Growth Forest Types of the 

Northern Region’’ or Green et. al as it is 

more commonly referred to in the 

Region. This science has already been 

adopted by the majority of the Forests 

within R1, including those who have 

revised or are currently revising their 

plans using the 2012 Planning Rule. 

The purpose of the Gold Butterfly 

project is to: 

• Improve landscape resilience to 

disturbances (such as insects, diseases, 

and fire) by modifying forest structure 

and composition, and fuels. 

• Provide timber products and related 

jobs. 

• Reduce chronic sediment sources in 

the Willow Creek watershed to improve 

water quality and bull trout habitat in 

the long-term. 

• Restore or improve key habitats 

such as meadows, aspen, and whitebark 

pine. 

Proposed Action 

The project-specific amendment 

would change the definition of old 

growth to be consistent with Green et. 

al. The amendment would also set aside 

management area direction related to 

specific percentages of old growth 

required to be allocated in each 

management area. There is no scientific 

basis for the percentages, and they do 

not align with the principles outlined in 

Green et. al. 

When proposing a Forest Plan 

amendment, the 2012 Planning Rule (36 

CFR 219), as amended, requires the 

responsible official to provide in the 

initial notice about the amendment 

‘‘which substantive requirements of 

§§ 219.8 through 219.11 are likely to be 

directly related to the amendment 

(§ 219.13(b)(5)) . . .’’ Whether a rule 

provision is likely to be directly related 

to an amendment is determined by the 

purpose for and the effects of the 

amendment, and informed by the best 

available scientific information, effects 

analysis, monitoring data or other 

rationale. 

Based on the proposed amendment 

and requirement of the planning rule, 

the following substantive requirements 

of the 36 CFR 219 planning regulations 

would likely be directly related to the 

proposed amendments: § 219.9 Diversity 

of plant and animal communities. 

The proposed action includes 

commercial harvest, non-commercial 

thinning, and prescribed fire on 7,376 

acres within the project area. 

Approximately 90 percent of treatment 

acres are within the insect and disease 

treatment area designated under the 

Healthy Forest Restoration Act Title VI. 

Commercial harvest includes 

regeneration treatments on 2,081 acres 

and intermediate treatments on 3,540 

acres. Approximately 392 acres of 

intermediate harvest would occur in dry 

site old growth stands. In addition, there 

are 359 acres of regeneration harvest in 

old growth that would remove these 

acres from old growth status. Road 

decommissioning would occur on 22.3 

miles of National Forest System Roads 

and 21.3 miles of roads would be stored 

for future management use. 

Approximately 6.4 miles of permanent 

road and 17.3 miles of temporary road 

would be constructed to implement 

silvicultural prescriptions and provide 

for wood removal. Best management 

practices would be implemented on 

32.4 miles of haul road to reduce 

potential sediment runoff and improve 

water quality. The Burnt Fork and 

Willow Creek trailheads are proposed to 

be moved lower in the drainages to 

address watershed concerns, with the 

associated 2.4 miles of road being 

converted to the NFS trail system. 

Responsible Official 

Bitterroot National Forest Supervisor. 

Nature of Decision To Be Made 

The decision will authorize vegetation 

treatments and whether to amend the