[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 10, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1518-1519]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-00312]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Forest Service Manual 2300--Recreation, Wilderness, and Related 
Resource Management, Chapter 2350--Trail, River, and Similar Recreation 
Opportunities, Section 2355--Climbing Opportunities; Extension of 
Comment Period

AGENCY: Forest Service, Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notice of availability for public comment; extension of comment 
period.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service (Forest Service or Agency) published a 
notice in the Federal Register on November 17, 2023, initiating a 60-
day comment period on the proposed directive Forest Service Manual 
2300--Recreation, Wilderness, and Related Resource Management, chapter 
2350--Trail, River, and Similar Recreation Opportunities, section 2355, 
Climbing Opportunities. The closing date of the original notice is 
scheduled for January 16, 2024. The Agency is extending the comment 
period for an additional 14 days from the previous closing date.

DATES: The comment period for the notice published November 17, 2023, 
at 88 FR 80269, is extended. Comments must be received in writing by 
January 30, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted electronically to https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/CommentInput?project=ORMS-3524. Written 
comments may be mailed to Peter Mali, National Wilderness Program 
Manager, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-1124. All 
timely comments, including names and addresses, will be placed in the 
record and will be available for public inspection and copying. The 
public may inspect comments received

[[Page 1519]]

at https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public/ReadingRoom?project=ORMS-3524.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Mali, National Wilderness 
Program Manager, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0c5f41224a5f224f6065616e48657e4c797f686d226b637a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="60332d4e26334e230c090d0224091220151304014e070f16">[email protected]</span></a>, (202) 823-0773. Individuals 
who use telecommunications devices for the hearing impaired may call 
the Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339, 24 hours a day, every day of 
the year, including holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Climbing is a growing sport in the United 
States. According to the Outdoor Industry Association's 2022 Report on 
Outdoor Participation Trends, there were nearly 10.3 million climbers 
in the United States in 2021. Approximately 30 percent of outdoor 
climbing in the United States occurs on NFS lands. In recent years, 
line officers have expressed concerns about climbing-related impacts on 
resources and conflicts among uses. Current Forest Service directives 
do not provide guidance for climbing opportunities on NFS lands. The 
Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the 2021 Consolidated 
Appropriations Act directs the Forest Service to issue general guidance 
on climbing opportunities on NFS lands, including the application of 
the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1131-1136) to climbing opportunities and 
appropriate use of fixed anchors and fixed equipment in wilderness. To 
address impacts associated with increased climbing on NFS lands and 
consistent with the Joint Explanatory Statement, the Forest Service is 
proposing revisions to its directives to provide guidance on climbing 
opportunities on NFS lands.
    The proposed directive would provide guidance on climbing 
opportunities inside and outside wilderness on NFS lands and would 
provide for climbing opportunities that serve visitor needs; meet land 
management and recreation policy objectives; emphasize the natural 
setting of NFS lands; align with natural and cultural resource 
protection and the Agency's responsibility to Indian Tribes; and are 
consistent with applicable law, directives, and the applicable land 
management plan.
    The proposed directive would add a new section, 2355, to Forest 
Service Manual (FSM) 2300--Recreation, Wilderness, and Related Resource 
Management, chapter 2350--Trail, River, and Similar Recreation 
Opportunities, which would provide that climbing is an appropriate use 
of NFS lands (proposed FSM 2355.03, para. 1)--including in wilderness--
when conducted in accordance with applicable law and Forest Service 
directives and consistent with the applicable land management plan 
(proposed FSM 2355.03, para. 4); that a climbing management plan be 
developed, as funding and resources allow, for climbing opportunities 
in wilderness, and for climbing opportunities outside wilderness where 
the District Ranger determines that climbing is causing adverse 
resource impacts or use conflicts (proposed FSM 2355.21); that fixed 
anchors and fixed equipment are installations for purposes of section 
4(c) of the Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. 1133(c)) (proposed FSM 2355.32, 
para. 1); that a Forest Supervisor may authorize the placement or 
replacement of fixed anchors and fixed equipment in wilderness based on 
a case-specific determination that they are the minimum necessary for 
administration of the area for Wilderness Act purposes, including 
primitive or unconfined recreation and preservation of wilderness 
character (proposed FSM 2355.32, para. 1); that existing fixed anchors 
and fixed equipment in wilderness may be retained pending completion of 
a Minimum Requirements Analysis, as funding and resources allow, that 
determines they are the minimum necessary to facilitate primitive or 
unconfined recreation or otherwise preserve wilderness character (FSM 
2355.32, para. 5);); and that the issuance and administration of 
special use permits are encouraged to enhance visitor access to 
climbing opportunities and visitor education concerning low impact 
climbing practices (proposed FSM 2355.03, para. 9).
    To allow for enforcement of restrictions and prohibitions in 
climbing management plans as needed, the Forest Service will be 
proposing revisions via a separate Federal Register notice to its 
regulations at 36 CFR part 261, subpart A, General Prohibitions.
    The minimum 120-day Tribal consultation for the proposed directive 
was initiated November 8, 2021, and will conclude at the end of the 
comment period for the proposed directive.
    To ensure that all members of the public who have an interest in 
NFS climbing opportunities have the opportunity to provide comment, we 
are extending the comment period on the proposed directive to January 
30, 2024.
    After the public comment period closes, the Forest Service will 
consider timely comments that are within the scope of the proposed 
directive in the development of the final directive. A notice of the 
final directive, including a response to timely comments, will be 
posted on the Forest Service's web page at https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/regulations-policies/comment-on-directives.

    Dated: January 4, 2024.
Jacqueline Emanuel,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2024-00312 Filed 1-9-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P


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