Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 18 / Friday, January 26, 2024 / Notices 5203 

7. In general, what is the percentage 

of manure that stays on animal farms vs. 

manure exported to other properties? 

How far does manure generally travel 

off the farm? How is it transported? 

Does the distribution shown in the 

‘‘Map of Manureshed Originating from 

Animal Farms’’ reflect what you see in 

your area? 

8. Who are the main suppliers and 

recipients of transported manure? How 

do the suppliers and recipients know 

each other? Is a broker or other 

intermediary involved in manure 

exchange? Have you ever heard about 

the need to supply or receive more 

manure without a recipient or supplier? 

9. Is the market value of manure 

correct? What creates the value, 

recognizing this could be a negative 

price for situations where there is a cost 

for manure to be removed? Are there 

ways to improve/create functional 

manure markets? Does anyone have 

plans to shift manure management to 

participate in carbon markets? 

10. What are the main types of 

manure treatment and storage 

technologies available? Are there 

technical innovations (e.g., solid 

separators, chemical amendments, 

vermiculture, biochar, digesters) that 

anyone is considering? What research is 

needed on these? Is financing available? 

11. Tell me about the role of 

regulations. Which seem reasonable or 

appropriate for maintaining 

environmental health and social 

wellbeing in your manureshed? Are 

there any changes you would make to 

these regulations to improve efficiency? 

12. What are your pie-in-the-sky 

nutrient recycling dreams? What would 

your ideal form of manure nutrient 

recycling look like if no barriers existed? 

Without barriers, what spatial scale 

would you operate at? For instance, 

would the vision in the ‘‘Map of TransRegional Manuresheds’’ come into play? 

[Prompt: Would that dream entail local 

manure recycling or commercialization 

of standardized manure nutrient 

products or something else entirely?] 

13. What type of information is 

necessary for collaborative manureshed 

management to be effective/possible? If 

you want information on nutrient 

management, who do you turn to? 

The USDA–ARS Manureshed 

Working Group will use focus group 

results to design research that addresses 

the knowledge gaps and opportunities 

illuminated by practitioners on the 

ground. For example, if focus groups in 

a state reveal that land use change is a 

major hindrance to successful 

manureshed management, subsequent 

research and extension in that state will 

focus on that issue. If focus groups 

reveal that a lack of social relationships 

between animal farmers with surplus 

manure and crop farmers who could use 

it, the ensuing research and extension 

would focus thusly. This honing of 

research, designed to support 

practitioners, is impossible without 

learning from practitioners directly. 

Focus group results will also direct 

extension activities in each state, 

structuring future discussions among 

the otherwise-disparate focus group 

populations with an eye toward 

advancing collaborative management 

opportunities. This proposed work is a 

form of ‘‘participatory action research’’ 

in which researchers and stakeholders 

work together to examine an issue and 

change it for more desired outcomes. 

Jeffrey Silverstein, 

Acting Associate Administrator, ARS. 

[FR Doc. 2024–01506 Filed 1–25–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–03–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Final Record of Decision for the Ashley 

National Forest Land Management 

Plan 

AGENCY: Forest Service, Agriculture 

(USDA). 

ACTION: Notice of approval of the revised 

land management plan for the Ashley 

National Forest. 

SUMMARY: Susan Eickhoff, the Forest 

Supervisor for the Ashley National 

Forest, Intermountain Region, signed 

the final record of decision (ROD) for 

the Ashley National Forest revised Land 

Management Plan (LMP). The final ROD 

documents the rationale for approving 

the revised LMP and is consistent with 

the Reviewing Officer’s responses to 

objections and instructions. 

DATES: The revised LMP for the Ashley 

National Forest will become effective 30 

days after the publication of this notice 

of approval in the Federal Register (36 

CFR 219.17(a)(1)). 

ADDRESSES: To view the final ROD, final 

environmental impact statement (FEIS), 

revised LMP, and other related 

documents, please visit the Ashley 

National Forest project page at: https:// 

www.fs.usda.gov/project/

?project=49606, or visit the Forest’s 

planning website at: https://

www.fs.usda.gov/main/ashley/

landmanagement/planning. 

A legal notice of approval is also 

being published in the newspaper of 

record, The Vernal Express (Vernal, 

Utah). A copy of this legal notice will 

be posted on the Ashley National 

Forest’s website described above. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lars 

Christensen, Collaboration Specialist, 

Ashley National Forest; email 

lars.christensen@usda.gov or call 435– 

781–5126. 

Individuals who use 

telecommunication devices for the deaf 

or hard of hearing (TDD) may call the 

Federal Relay Service at 1–800–877– 

8339, 24 hours a day, every day of the 

year, including holidays. Written 

requests for information may be sent to 

Ashley National Forest, Attn: Ashley 

National Forest Plan Revision, 355 

North Vernal Ave., Vernal, UT 84078. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Ashley National Forest covers more 

than 1.4 million acres across seven 

counties in northeastern Utah and 

southwestern Wyoming. The LMP was 

developed pursuant to the 2012 Forest 

Service Planning Rule (36 CFR 219) and 

will replace the 1986 LMP. The LMP 

describes desired conditions, objectives, 

standards, guidelines, and land 

suitability for project and activity 

decision-making and will guide all 

resource management activities on the 

Forest. The Ashley National Forest 

plays an important role supporting and 

partnering with communities in 

northeastern Utah and southwestern 

Wyoming by providing economic 

benefits including fuelwood gathering, 

livestock grazing, and abundant 

recreational opportunities. The 

development of the LMP was shaped by 

the best available scientific information, 

current laws, and public input. 

The Ashley National Forest initiated 

plan revision in 2016 and engaged the 

public frequently throughout the 

process. This engagement effort has 

included conventional public meetings, 

collaborative work sessions and 

technical meetings, information sharing 

via social media, and working with 

cooperating agencies. The Forest invited 

State, local, and Tribal governments, 

and other Federal agencies from around 

the region to participate in the process 

to revise the LMP. The Forest engaged 

in government-to-government 

consultation with two Tribes during 

LMP revision, ensuring tribal-related 

plan direction accurately reflects the 

Ashley National Forest’s trust 

responsibilities and government-togovernment relationship with tribes. An 

Ashley National Forest-Ute Indian 

Tribal Task Force met regularly 

throughout the plan revision effort. 

During the 90-day comment period 

November 2021 through February 2022 

for the draft LMP and draft EIS, the 

Ashley National Forest received 191 


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5204 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 18 / Friday, January 26, 2024 / Notices 

comment letters which helped refine the 

preferred alternative and augment plan 

content based on response to comments. 

A draft ROD, LMP, and FEIS were 

released on April 19, 2023, initiating a 

60-day objection filing period that 

closed June 20, 2023. The Ashley 

received 15 eligible objections, two of 

which were for species of conservation 

concern. Through a comprehensive 

review of each objection, a variety of 

issues were identified. Following the 

objection review, the Reviewing Officer 

held an objection resolution meeting 

with objectors and interested persons. 

Based on these meetings, the Reviewing 

Officer for the LMP issued a written 

response on November 14, 2023, and the 

Reviewing Officer for species of 

conservation concern issued a written 

response on November 17, 2023. The 

instructions from the Reviewing Officer 

were addressed in the ROD, LMP, and 

FEIS. 

Responsible Officials 

The Responsible Official for 

approving the revised LMP is Susan 

Eickhoff, Forest Supervisor, Ashley 

National Forest. The Responsible 

Official approving the list of species of 

conservation concern is Mary 

Farnsworth, Regional Forester, 

Intermountain Region. 

Dated: January 19, 2024. 

Troy Heithecker, 

Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest 

System. 

[FR Doc. 2024–01573 Filed 1–25–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3411–15–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Business-Cooperative Service 

[Docket No. RBS–24–CO–OP–0001] 

Notice of a Revision to a Currently 

Approved Information Collection 

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative 

Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 

notice announces the Rural BusinessCooperative Service’s (RBCS or Agency), 

an agency within the United States 

Department of Agriculture, Rural 

Development, intention to request a 

revision to a currently approved 

information collection package for the 

Agriculture Innovation Center 

Demonstration Program (AIC). In 

accordance with the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995, the Agency 

invites comments on this information 

collection for which it intends to 

request approval from the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB). 

DATES: Comments on this notice must be 

received by March 26, 2024 to be 

assured of consideration. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Pamela Bennett, Rural Development 

Innovation Center—Regulations 

Management Division, USDA, 1400 

Independence Avenue SW, STOP 1522, 

South Building, Washington, DC 20250– 

1522. Telephone: (202) 720–9639. Email 

pamela.bennett@usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The OMB 

regulation (5 CFR part 1320) 

implementing provisions of the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. 

L. 104–13) requires that interested 

members of the public and affected 

agencies have an opportunity to 

comment on information collection and 

recordkeeping activities (see 5 CFR 

1320.8(d)). This notice identifies an 

information collection that RBCS is 

submitting to OMB for revision to an 

existing collection. 

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether 

the proposed collection of information 

is necessary for the proper performance 

of the functions of the Agency, 

including whether the information will 

have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of 

the Agency’s estimate of the burden of 

the proposed collection of information 

including the validity of the 

methodology and assumptions used; (c) 

ways to enhance the quality, utility and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; and (d) 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 or other forms of information 

technology. 

Comments may be sent by the Federal 

eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://

www.regulations.gov and, in the 

‘‘Search’’ box, type in the Docket No. 

RBS–24–CO–OP–0001. A link to the 

Notice will appear. You may submit a 

comment here by selecting the 

‘‘Comment’’ button or you can access 

the ‘‘Docket’’ tab, select the ‘‘Notice,’’ 

and go to the ‘‘Browse & Comment on 

Documents’’ Tab. Here you may view 

comments that have been submitted as 

well as submit a comment. To submit a 

comment, select the ‘‘Comment’’ button, 

complete the required information, and 

select the ‘‘Submit Comment’’ button at 

the bottom. Information on using 

Regulations.gov, including instructions 

for accessing documents, submitting 

comments, and viewing the docket after 

the close of the comment period, is 

available through the site’s ‘‘FAQ’’ link 

at the bottom. 

A federal agency may not conduct or 

sponsor, and a person is not required to 

respond to, nor shall a person be subject 

to a penalty for failure to comply with 

a collection of information subject to the 

requirements of the Paperwork 

Reduction Act unless that collection of 

information displays a currently valid 

OMB Control Number. Data furnished 

by the applicants will be used to 

determine eligibility for program 

benefits. Furnishing the data is 

voluntary; however, failure to provide 

data could result in program benefits 

being withheld or denied. 

Title: Agriculture Innovation Center 

Demonstration Program. 

OMB Control Number: 0570–0045. 

Type of Request: Revision to a 

currently approved information 

collection. 

Abstract: The USDA, through the 

RBCS administers the Agriculture 

Innovation Center Demonstration (AIC) 

Program. The primary objective of this 

program is to provide funds to 

Agriculture Innovation Centers (Centers) 

which provide agricultural producers 

with technical and business 

development assistance. RBCS collects 

information from applicants to confirm 

eligibility for the program and to 

evaluate the quality of the applications. 

Recipients of awards are required to 

submit reporting and payment request 

information to facilitate monitoring of 

the award and disbursement of funds. 

The Farm Security and Rural 

Investment Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107– 

171) authorized the Secretary of the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture (USDA) to 

award grant funds to Centers. 

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting 

burden for this collection of information 

is estimated to average 11.736 hour per 

response. 

Respondents: Small business or 

organizations. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

29. 

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 

109. 

Estimated Number of Responses per 

Respondent: 3.75. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 1,279 Hours. 

Copies of this information collection 

can be obtained from Pamela Bennett, 

Rural Development Innovation Center— 

Regulations Management Division, 

USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, 

South Building, Washington, DC 20250– 

1522. Telephone: (202) 720–9639. 

Email: pamela.bennett@usda.gov. 

All responses to this notice will be 

summarized and included in the request 


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