Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 8 / Friday, January 12, 2007 / Notices 1487 

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: January 4, 2007. 

Ann M. Bartuska, 

Deputy Chief for Research & Development. 

[FR Doc. E7–361 Filed 1–11–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–P 

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 March 13, 2007 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: Lathrop Smith, 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: 

Lathrop Smith, Timber Staff, Forest 

Management at (202) 205–0858. 

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, 

2007. 

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: December 21, 2006. 

Frederick Norbury, 

Associate Deputy Chief. 

[FR Doc. E7–366 Filed 1–11–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–P 


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