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

10455 

Vol. 75, No. 44 

Monday, March 8, 2010 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Information Collection; Timber 

Purchaser Cost and Sales Data 

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice; request for comment. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 

Forest Service is seeking comments 

from all interested individuals and 

organizations on the extension of a 

currently approved information 

collection, Timber Purchaser Cost and 

Sales Data. 

DATES: Comments must be received in 

writing on or before May 7, 2010 to be 

assured of consideration. Comments 

received after that date will be 

considered to the extent practicable. 

ADDRESSES: Comments concerning this 

notice should be addressed to Forest 

Management, Attn: Richard Fitzgerald, 

Mail Stop 1103, Forest Service, USDA, 

1400 Independence Avenue, SW., 

Washington, DC 20250–1103. 

Comments also may be submitted via 

facsimile to 202–205–1045 or by e-mail 

to: cost_collecting@fs.fed.us. 

The public may inspect comments 

received at the Office of the Director, 

Forest Management Staff, Forest 

Service, USDA, Room 3 NW., Yates 

Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, 

SW., Washington, DC. Visitors are 

encouraged to call ahead to 202–205– 

1496 to facilitate entry into the building. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Richard Fitzgerald, Timber Staff, Forest 

Management at 202–205–1753. 

Individuals who use TDD may call the 

Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1–800– 

877–8339, 24 hours a day, every day of 

the year, including holidays. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: 

Timber Purchaser Cost and Sales Data. 

OMB Number: 0596–0017. 

Expiration Date of Approval: June 30, 

2010. 

Type of Request: Extension of a 

currently approved collection. 

Abstract: The Forest Service sells 

timber and other forest products on 

national forest lands to achieve policies 

set forth in the Multiple-Use Sustained 

Yield Act of 1960, and the Forest and 

Rangeland Renewable Resources 

Planning Act of 1974. Timber must not 

be sold for less than the appraised value 

(Pub. L. 94–588). The Forest Service 

may not sell timber below a minimum 

stumpage rate established by the Chief 

of the Forest Service, ensuring that 

timber sales recover some of the costs 

associated with preparation and 

administration of timber sales. 

Forest Service timber appraisers 

develop advertised prices using 

transaction evidence or a residual value 

form of appraisal. The Forest Service 

collects and uses the following to 

develop transaction evidence and 

residual value appraisal systems: (1) 

Product value, (2) manufacturing cost, 

(3) falling and bucking costs, (4) 

skidding and loading costs, and (5) 

hauling costs. 

In many areas, the Forest Service 

purchases lumber product values from 

the Western Wood Products 

Association. The Forest Service, via 

contracting officers, also collects data 

from timber purchasers and uses it to 

develop fair market average value and 

cost information for appraisals, as well 

as advertised prices for national forest 

timber. Forest Service staff at the 

Albuquerque Service Center analyzes 

the data. All data collected is subject to 

verification. 

Standard timber sale contract forms 

FS–2400–6 and FS–2400–6T contain a 

provision requiring timber purchasers to 

furnish data to the Forest Service upon 

request. The Forest Service consulted 

with several timber industry groups 

during the development of this standard 

contract provision, including but not 

limited to: Western Wood Products 

Association, National Forest Products 

Association, Western Forest Industries 

Association, and Industrial Forestry 

Association. 

States and other agencies also use the 

data in appraisals. Additionally, timber 

purchasers rely upon cost collection to 

help with independent appraisals of 

Federal timber and to estimate the cost 

of subcontracting aspects of Federal 

timber harvest activities. 

The data is collected from various 

sources, ranging from paper to 

electronic media. The Forest Service 

does not provide forms for the 

collection of this data. Some firms mail 

the data to the Forest Service, others 

provide access to records and 

duplication equipment, and some firms 

provide on-site access to electronic data. 

Data gathered is not available from other 

sources. 

Estimate of Annual Burden: 1 hour 

per request. 

Type of Respondents: Timber sale 

purchasers. 

Estimated Annual Number of 

Respondents: 20. 

Estimated Annual Number of 

Responses per Respondent: 1. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 20 hours. 

Comment is invited on: (1) Whether 

this collection of information is 

necessary for the stated purposes and 

the proper performance of the functions 

of the Agency, including whether the 

information will have practical or 

scientific utility; (2) the accuracy of the 

Agency’s estimate of the burden of the 

collection of information, including the 

validity of the methodology and 

assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance 

the quality, utility, and clarity of the 

information to be collected; and (4) 

ways to minimize the burden of the 

collection of information on 

respondents, including the use of 

automated, electronic, mechanical, or 

other technological collection 

techniques or other forms of information 

technology. All comments received in 

response to this notice, including names 

and addresses when provided, will be a 

matter of public record. Comments will 

be summarized and included in the 

request for Office of Management and 

Budget approval. 

Dated: March 2, 2010. 

Faye L. Krueger, 

Acting Associate Deputy Chief, NFS. 

[FR Doc. 2010–4810 Filed 3–5–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Utilities Service 

RIN 0572–ZA01 

Broadband Initiatives Program 

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, 

Department of Agriculture. 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
10456 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 44 / Monday, March 8, 2010 / Notices 

ACTION: Notice of Extension of 

Application Window for Notice of 

Funds Availability (NOFA) and 

solicitation of applications. 

SUMMARY: On January 24, 2010, the 

Rural Utilities Service (RUS) announced 

a second round funding Notice of Funds 

Availability (NOFA) for the Broadband 

Initiatives Program (BIP) in the Federal 

Register at 75 FR 3820. The closing date 

for submission of applications was 

announced as March 15, 2010, at 5 p.m. 

Eastern Time (ET). In response to 

requests by a wide variety of 

stakeholders, RUS is extending the 

application window for applications 

under the second round NOFA until 

March 29, 2010 at 5 p.m. ET. 

Contact Information: For general 

inquiries regarding BIP, contact David J. 

Villano, Assistant Administrator 

Telecommunications Program, Rural 

Utilities Service, U.S. Department of 

Agriculture (USDA), e-mail: 

bip@wdc.usda.gov, telephone: (202) 

690–0525. For inquiries regarding BIP 

compliance requirements, including 

applicable federal rules and regulations 

protecting against fraud, waste and 

abuse, contact 

bipcompliance@wdc.usda.gov for BIP. 

You may obtain additional information 

regarding applications for BIP via the 

Internet at www.broadbandusa.gov. 

Dated: March 2, 2010. 

Jonathan Adelstein, 

Administrator, Rural Utilities Service. 

[FR Doc. 2010–4780 Filed 3–5–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Kootenai National Forest, Fortine 

Ranger District, Montana; Galton 

Environmental Impact Statement 

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an 

environmental impact statement. 

SUMMARY: The USDA—Forest Service 

will prepare an Environmental Impact 

Statement (EIS) to disclose the 

environmental effects of transportation 

system and access management 

alternatives, vegetation management 

alternatives, and recreation project 

alternatives in the Galton Decision Area 

(Decision Area) on the Fortine Ranger 

District of the Kootenai National Forest. 

The Forest Service is seeking comments 

from Federal, State, and local agencies 

and individuals and organizations that 

may be interested in or affected by the 

proposed actions. The comments will be 

used to prepare the draft EIS (DEIS). 

DATES: Written comments concerning 

the scope of the analysis must be 

postmarked or received within 30 days 

following publication of this notice. The 

draft environmental impact statement is 

expected in May of 2010 and the final 

environmental impact statement is 

expected in November of 2010. 

ADDRESSES: Send written comments 

concerning the proposed action to Betty 

Holder, District Ranger, Fortine Ranger 

District, P.O. Box 116, Fortine, MT 

59918. All comments must contain: 

Name of commenter, postal service 

mailing address, and date of comment. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Moira McKelvey, Writer/Editor, Fortine 

Ranger District, P.O. Box 116, Fortine, 

MT 59918. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Decision Area is located east of US 

Highway 93 from the U.S./Canada 

border to the Kootenai National Forest 

boundary south of Dickey Lake and 

includes a small portion of National 

Forest System Lands (NFSL) west of 

U.S. Highway 93 in the Dickey Lake and 

Ant Flat area. The Decision Area 

encompasses all of three (3) Planning 

Areas (Wigwam, Grave, and Murphy) 

and the Fortine Ranger District portions 

of two (2) Planning Areas (Stillwater 

and Ksanka). This area includes the Ten 

Lakes Wilderness Study Area (WSA), 

the Ten Lakes Scenic Area, Grave Creek, 

Therriault Lakes. Dickey Lake, Marston, 

and Ant Flat. The boundary for this 

project covers approximately 170,300 

acres of which approximately 127,380 

acres is National Forest System Land. 

Purpose and Need for Action 

The purpose and need for the project 

is to: (1) Provide the minimum system 

of roads and road uses that are needed 

for Forest Service land management 

activities and recreational access while 

reducing road impact to water quality 

and secure wildlife habitat and reducing 

road maintenance costs; (2) Provide trail 

loop opportunities and trail access to 

remote areas; (3) Provide ATV and 

motorcycle enthusiasts with trails on 

which they can ride their non-street 

legal vehicles and where nonlicensed 

riders can ride; (4) Designate mountain 

bike use that is compatible with the 

Montana Wilderness Study Act; (5) 

Designate allowed non-winter uses on 

all trails to reduce potential conflicts 

between user groups; (6) Designate oversnow vehicle use that is compatible 

with the Montana Wilderness Study Act 

while minimizing impacts to wildlife 

species such as grizzly bear; (7) Provide 

quiet winter recreation areas (nonmotorized); (8) Provide a shelter facility 

for winter recreation users; (9) Reduce 

fuels within the wildland urban 

interface; (10) Create openings to 

provide big game browse; (11) Improve 

habitat for whitebark pine stand 

survival and regeneration; (12) Reestablish the natural role of fire in the 

ecosystem; (13) Provide a stable flow of 

timber products for the local and 

regional economy; and (14) Enhance 

recreational use and safety. 

Proposed Action 

The Proposed Action would result in 

a year round travel plan for the Galton 

Project Area, which includes the Ten 

Lakes Wilderness Study Area. Oversnow vehicle use would be allowed 

from 12/1 through 3/31 in a regular 

season on 26 miles of designated trail 

routes leading to 38,411 acres of 

contiguous National Forest System 

Lands open to over-snow vehicle use. 

Over-snow vehicle use would be 

allowed in a late season from 4/1 to 

5/31 on 31 miles of designated trail 

leading to 4,445 acres of contiguous 

National Forest System Lands open to 

over-snow vehicle use. The access 

within the open areas can be limited 

due to natural features such as terrain 

and vegetation. 

7.65 miles of road would be restricted 

for quiet winter recreation. The nonwinter portion of the travel plan 

includes trail use designations to 

minimize conflict between user groups. 

The Proposed Action includes 

construction of 15.25 miles of new trail 

and the reconstruction of 2 miles of 

trail. The Proposed Action also would 

result in the conversion of 20.12 miles 

of road currently managed as trail to 

non-motorized trail and 7.85 miles of 

road converted to motorized trail. 

Additionally, 20.35 miles of road are 

proposed for decommissioning and 

24.26 miles of road to be put into 

intermittent stored service. 9.56 miles of 

road are proposed to be restricted for all 

motorized use in Big Game Winter 

Range with an additional 4.69 miles of 

road restricted for over-snow vehicle 

use in Big Game Winter Range. 

The Proposed Action would result in 

9,043 acres of fuel treatment. This 

includes 191. acres of non-commercial 

understory thinning, 7,973 acres of 

prescribed burning only, and 879 acres 

of prescribed burning with mechanical 

pretreatment. 

The Forest Service proposes to 

complete 1,814 acres of commercial 

vegetation management. This includes 

226 acres of regeneration harvest 

(shelterwood and seedtree 

prescriptions) and 133 acres of 

regeneration harvest in clearcut with 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES