68254 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 250 / Wednesday, December 31, 1997 / Notices

public health or safety, nor State or local

governments. This policy will not

interfere with an action taken or

planned by another agency nor raise

new legal or policy issues. Fianlly, this

action will not alter the budgetary

impact of entitlements, grants, user fees,

or loan programs or the rights and

obligations of recipients of such

programs. Accordingly, this policy is

not subject to OMB review Executive

Order 12866.

Moreover, this policy has been

considered in light of the Regulatory

Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601, et seq.),

and it is hereby certified that this action

will not have a significant economic

impact on a substantial number of small

entities as defined by that act. The

decision to retain a stumpage rate

adjustment procedure and to equalize

the risks in declining or increasing

markets treats small and large

pruchasers equally.

Pursuant to Title II of the Unfunded

Mandates Reform Act of 1995, which

the President signed into law on March

22, 1995, the Department has assessed

the effects of this policy on State, local,

and tribal governments and the private

sector. This action does not compel the

expenditure of $100 million or more by

any State, local, or tribal governments or

anyone in the private sector. Therefore,

a statement under section 202 of the Act

is not required.

Environmental Impact

This action falls within a category of

actions excluded from documentation in

an Environmental Impact Statement or

an Environmental Assessment. Section

31.1b of Forest Service Handbook

1909.15 (57 FR 43180; September 18,

1992) excludes from documentation in

an environmental assessment or impact

statement ‘‘rules, regulations, or policies

to establish Service-wide administrative

procedures, program processes, or

instructions.’’ The agency’s assessment

is that this policy falls within this

category of actions and that no

extraordinary circumstances exist which

would require preparation of an

environmental assessment or

environmental impact statement.

Controlling Paperwork Burdens on the

Public

The policy does not require any

recordkeeping or reporting requirements

or other information collection

requirements as defined in 5 CFR part

1320 not already approved for use and,

therefore, imposes no additional

paperwork burden on the public.

Accordingly, the review provisions of

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

(44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) and

implementing regulations at 5 CFR part

1320 do not apply.

Dated: November 24, 1997.

Ronald E. Stewart,

Acting Associate Chief.

[FR Doc. 97–34051 Filed 12–30–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation

Service

Notice of availability of Record of

Decision for Wainea-Paauilo

Watershed, Hawaii County, Hawaii

AGENCY: USDA Natural Resources

Conservation Service.

ACTION: Notice of availability of record

of decision.

SUMMARY: Kenneth M. Kaneshiro,

Responsible Federal Official for projects

administered under the provisions of

Public Law 83–566 in the State of

Hawaii, is hereby providing notification

that a record of decision to proceed with

the installation of the Waimea-Paauilo

Watershed project, signed December 16,

1997, is available.

The record of decision documents the

intent to implement Alternative 5—

Kauahi Reservoir Plan as set forth in the

final Watershed Plan-Environmental

Impact Statement (FEIS) for the

Waimea-Paauilo Watershed, Hawaii

County, Hawaii. The project will

address the problems of inadequate and

inconsistent irrigation water supply that

prevent area farmers from full

utilization of cropland and cause crop

damage and losses during drought. The

project will also address inconsistent

supply and distribution of livestock

drinking water to Waimea area ranches.

The Selected Plan proposes the

following improvements to the Waimea

Irrigation System installation of a 131-

million gallon reservoir, reservoir

supply pipeline, extension of the

irrigation water distribution system

pipeline, and installation of a livestock

drinking water system. The economic

benefits derived by implementation of

the irrigation water supply components

will exceed economic costs. The social

and cultural benefits of the livestock

drinking water system, which will

primarily serve native Hawaiian

ranchers, has been judged by the

funding source, the Department of

Hawaiian Home Lands, to justify its

construction. The project meets the

needs of the sponsoring local

organizations.

The record of decision documents

that the Waimea-Paauilo Watershed

project uses all practicable means,

consistent with other essential

considerations of national policy, to

meet the goals established in the

National Environmental Policy Act. The

FEIS has been prepared, reviewed, and

accepted in accordance with the

National Environmental Policy Act.

ADDRESSES: Single copies of this record

of decision may be obtained from

Kenneth M. Kaneshiro, State

Conservationist, Natural Resources

Conservation Service, 300 Ala Moana

Blvd., Room 4316, P.O. Box 50004,

Honolulu, Hawaii 96850.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Michael Kolman, Assistant State

Conservationist, Natural Resources

Conservation Service, 300 Ala Moana

Blvd., Room 4316, P.O. Box 50004,

Honolulu, Hawaii 96850, telephone

(808) 541–2602.

(This activity is listed in the Catalog of

Federal Domestic Assistance under No.

10.904, Watershed Protection and Flood

Prevention, and is subject to the provisions

of Executive Order 12372, which requires

intergovernmental consultiaont with State

and local officials.)

Kenneth M. Kaneshiro,

State Conservationist.

[FR Doc. 97–33996 Filed 12–30–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–16–M

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Submission For OMB Review;

Comment Request

DOC has submitted to the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) for

clearance the following proposal for

collection of information under the

provisions of the Paperwork Reduction

Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35).

Agency: Bureau of the Census.

Title: Report of Privately Owned

Building or Zoning Permits Issued

Form Number(s): C–404, C–404(I), C–

404(B).

Agency Approval Number: 0607–

0094.

Type of Request: Revision of a

currently approved collection.

Burden: 30,716 hour.

Number of Respondents: 18,900.

Avg Hours Per Response: 25 minutes.

Needs and Uses: The Census Bureau

conducts the Report of Privately Owned

Building or Zoning Permits Issued to

collect data to provide estimates of the

number and valuation of new

residential housing units authorized by

building permits. We use the data, a

component of the index of leading

economic indicators, to estimate the

number of housing units started,

completed, and sold, if single-family,