84928 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 206 / Thursday, October 24, 2024 / Notices 

1On May 1, 2024, CEQ issued a final rule to 

amend its NEPA implementing regulations, which 

became effective July 1, 2024. 89 FR 35442 (May 1, 

2024). The Department’s February 26, 2024, Federal 

Register Notice seeking public comment on these 

revisions predated the CEQ final rule and thus cited 

to the CEQ regulations in effect at the time. 89 FR 

14087 (Feb. 26, 2024). The Department has 

determined that the amendments to the CEQ 

regulations do not have a material impact on these 

revisions, which comply with the requirements of 

CEQ’s regulations both before and after the recent 

amendments. 

he or she meets the minimum required 

degree of Indian or Alaska Native blood. 

Currently, the BIA certifies an 

individual’s degree of Indian or Alaska 

Native blood if the individual can 

provide sufficient information to prove 

his or her identity and prove his or her 

descent from an Indian ancestor(s) listed 

on historic documents approved by the 

Secretary of the Interior that include 

blood degree information. To obtain the 

CDIB, the applicant must fill out an 

application form and provide 

supporting documents. 

Title of Collection: Request for 

Certificate of Degree of Indian or Alaska 

Native Blood. 

OMB Control Number: 1076–0153. 

Form Number: N/A. 

Type of Review: Extension of a 

currently approved collection. 

Respondents/Affected Public: 

Individuals. 

Total Estimated Number of Annual 

Respondents: 100,000 per year, on 

average. 

Total Estimated Number of Annual 

Responses: 100,000 per year, on average. 

Estimated Completion Time per 

Response: 1.5 hours. 

Total Estimated Number of Annual 

Burden Hours: 150,000. 

Respondent’s Obligation: Required to 

Obtain a Benefit. 

Frequency of Collection: Once. 

Total Estimated Annual Nonhour 

Burden Cost: $2,500,000. 

Authority 

An agency may not conduct or 

sponsor and a person is not required to 

respond to a collection of information 

unless it displays a currently valid OMB 

control number. 

The authority for this action is the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 

U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). 

Steven Mullen, 

Information Collection Clearance Officer, 

Office of Regulatory Affairs and Collaborative 

Action—Indian Affairs. 

[FR Doc. 2024–24581 Filed 10–23–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4337–15–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Office of the Secretary 

[BLM_HQ_FRN_MO4500180157] 

National Environmental Policy Act 

Implementing Procedures for the 

Bureau of Land Management (516 DM 

11) 

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of revisions. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces 

revisions to the Bureau of Land 

Management’s (BLM) procedures for 

compliance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as 

amended, which remove four 

administratively established categorical 

exclusions (CXs) and incorporate two 

CXs statutorily created by Congress. 

DATES: The revisions are incorporated 

into BLM’s NEPA procedures, located at 

chapter 11 of part 516 of the 

Departmental Manual (516 DM 11), 

effective October 24, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: The BLM’s NEPA 

procedures can be found on the 

Department of the Interior’s 

(Department or Interior) Electronic 

Library of Interior Policies (ELIPS) at: 

https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/ 

elips/documents/516-dm-11_0.pdf. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Heather Bernier, Division Chief, 

Decision Support, Planning, and NEPA, 

at (303) 239–3635, or hbernier@blm.gov. 

Individuals in the United States who are 

deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have 

a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, 

TDD, or TeleBraille) to access 

telecommunications relay services for 

contacting Heather Bernier. Individuals 

outside the United States should use the 

relay services offered within their 

country to make international calls to 

the point-of-contact in the United 

States. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Department is revising the list of BLM 

actions that are categorically excluded 

from the requirement to complete an 

environmental assessment (EA) or 

environmental impact statement (EIS), 

unless any extraordinary circumstances 

exist that make application of the 

categorical exclusion (CX) inappropriate 

(42 U.S.C. 4336e(1); 40 CFR 1501.4(a); 

1508.1(e)).1 The BLM’s NEPA 

procedures, 516 DM 11, were last 

updated December 10, 2020. 

With this revision, the Department 

removes four administrative CXs from 

the BLM’s NEPA procedures due to 

consideration of sound land 

management, legal frameworks, and 

other factors. The BLM is removing the 

following CXs: 516 DM 11.9 C(10) 

regarding the salvaging of dead and 

dying trees; 516 DM 11.9 D(10) 

regarding vegetation management 

activities; 516 DM 11.9 D(11) regarding 

issuance of livestock grazing permits or 

leases; and 516 DM 11.9 J(1) regarding 

certain activities within sagebrush and 

sagebrush-steppe plant communities to 

manage pinyon pine and juniper trees 

for the benefit of mule deer or sagegrouse habitats. The BLM previously 

discontinued use of these four CXs 

through instruction memoranda (IMs) 

(available online at https://

www.blm.gov/policy/instructionmemorandum). The BLM discontinued 

use of 516 DM 11.9 D(10) and 516 DM 

11.9 D(11) on August 21, 2009, through 

IM 2009–199; discontinued use of 516 

DM 11.9 C(10) on August 3, 2022, 

through permanent IM (PIM) 2022–010; 

and discontinued use of 516 DM 11.9 

J(1) on November 30, 2022, through PIM 

2023–002. When proposing actions to 

which these CXs would have applied, 

the BLM now must assess whether 

another CX applies or whether it will 

prepare an EA or EIS. 

The Department also is incorporating 

two CXs statutorily created by Congress 

in the Infrastructure Investment and 

Jobs Act (Pub. L. 117–58) (IIJA) into the 

BLM NEPA procedures. Section 11318 

of the IIJA created a CX for issuance of 

sundry notices or rights-of-way for 

gathering lines and associated field 

compression or pumping units on 

Federal land servicing oil and gas wells 

under certain conditions described in 

the statute. Section 40806 of the IIJA 

created a CX for forest management 

activities for the establishment of fuel 

breaks in forests and other wildland 

vegetation. Because these are statutory 

CXs, the Department does not have the 

discretion to change their terms. 

However, before applying either of the 

CXs, the BLM will evaluate the 

proposed action for extraordinary 

circumstances consistent with Section 

40806 of the IIJA and 40 CFR 1501.4(b). 

Comments on the Proposed Revisions 

The proposed revisions to the BLM’s 

NEPA procedures were available for 

public review and comment for 30 days, 

beginning with the publication of a 

Federal Register notice on February 26, 

2024 (89 FR 14087). The BLM received 

33 comment submissions. Comments 

were submitted by State and local 

governments, interest groups, and 

private citizens. The BLM received 

comments both in support of and 

opposition to the proposed revisions. 

Some comments were beyond the scope 

of the proposal to modify the BLM’s 

NEPA procedures to add and remove 

CXs and included critiques of the BLM’s 

NEPA analysis and management of 

livestock grazing as well as requests to 


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coordinate on land use planning 

decisions. 

On behalf of the Department, the BLM 

has summarized and provided 

responses to all substantive comments 

received in this Federal Register notice: 

Comment: Commenters generally 

support the removal of the identified 

CXs from the BLM’s NEPA procedures. 

Many commenters cited the need for 

meaningful NEPA analysis and concerns 

about improper reliance on CXs as 

support for removing the CXs. For 

example, some commenters supported 

removing the grazing CXs from the 

BLM’s NEPA procedures to require 

more detailed NEPA analysis and public 

comment on grazing decisions. Other 

commenters cited specific resource 

impacts they foresee resulting from the 

activities proposed under the CXs, such 

as potential adverse impacts related to 

post-disturbance logging that might be 

exacerbated by salvaging of dead and 

dying trees. 

Response: The BLM will continue to 

conduct the appropriate NEPA review 

for proposed Federal actions, including, 

where appropriate, application of 

available CXs, and public involvement, 

as necessary. The BLM will 

appropriately consider potential adverse 

effects of the proposed activities 

through the NEPA process whether that 

is through an EA or EIS or consideration 

of extraordinary circumstances in the 

application of relevant CXs. 

The Department retains the discretion 

to consider establishing new CXs in the 

future, including ones that would cover 

activities similar to the ones covered by 

the CXs that the Department is removing 

through this notice. As required by 

Council on Environmental Quality 

(CEQ) regulations, the Department 

would seek public comment and consult 

with CEQ on any proposed revisions to 

the BLM’s NEPA procedures, including 

establishment of any new CXs. See 40 

CFR 1507.3(b). 

Comment: Some commenters 

generally oppose the removal of the 

identified CXs due to the loss of 

efficiencies in the NEPA process and the 

possibility of extended permitting 

timelines. Commenters claim that 

removal of these CXs will cause an 

increase in the cost associated with 

implementing activities covered by the 

CX and has the potential to prevent the 

BLM from managing public lands 

consistent with the Federal Land Policy 

and Management Act of 1976, as 

amended (FLPMA). 

Response: The BLM agrees that the 

appropriate application of CXs can 

create efficiencies in NEPA compliance. 

Removal of the identified CXs does not 

preclude the BLM from proposing and 

implementing the kinds of activities that 

would have been covered by these CXs; 

however, the BLM would need to 

comply with NEPA in ways other than 

relying on these CXs. The BLM 

disagrees that removing these CXs will 

prevent the BLM from complying with 

FLPMA. The Department retains the 

discretion to consider establishing new 

CXs in the future, including ones that 

would cover activities similar to the 

ones covered by the CXs that the 

Department is removing through this 

notice. 

Comment: Commenters are concerned 

that the discontinuance of the four CXs 

proposed for removal from the BLMs 

NEPA procedures was completed 

through internal guidance (instruction 

memoranda) and did not include any 

form of public comment. Commenters 

also request more information on the 

BLM’s rationale for the removal of the 

CXs. 

Response: An IM allows the BLM to 

communicate internal policies and 

procedures to the field. In contrast, the 

process now completed by the 

Department modifies the BLM’s NEPA 

procedures, and has included 

coordination with CEQ, publication of 

proposed changes in the Federal 

Register, and an opportunity for the 

public to review and comment on those 

proposed changes. Removal of these 

CXs from the BLM NEPA procedures 

does not preclude the BLM from 

proposing or implementing the kinds of 

activities that would have been covered 

by these CXs; however, the BLM would 

need to comply with NEPA in ways 

other than relying on these CXs. 

Comment: One commenter requested 

that the proposed action of modifying 

the NEPA procedures be consistent with 

relevant State and county resource 

management plans. 

Response: The Department is not 

making a land use planning decision 

under section 202 of FLPMA, 43 U.S.C. 

1712, which would require it to 

consider consistency with State and 

local government plans. Instead, the 

Department is modifying NEPA 

procedures, and has complied with 

CEQ’s NEPA regulations at 40 CFR 

1507.3(b) requiring consultation with 

CEQ and following an opportunity for 

public review and comment. 

Comment: One commenter expressed 

concern that the removal of these CXs 

might discourage the BLM from 

approving certain actions that States or 

counties seek to encourage, including in 

their resource management plans and 

other policies. 

Response: The removal of these CXs 

from the BLM’s NEPA procedures does 

not preclude the BLM from proposing 

and implementing any actions, though 

when doing so, the BLM will need to 

comply with NEPA through means other 

than reliance on these CXs. 

Comment: One commenter asserted 

that the BLM is setting precedent by 

basing the rationale for this decision on 

a settlement agreement that occurred in 

the U.S. District Court for the District of 

Idaho. 

Response: While the BLM agreed in 

several stipulated settlement agreements 

to discontinue relying on specific CXs 

and to propose to remove specific CXs 

from the agency’s NEPA procedures, 

these stipulated settlement agreements 

do not require the Department to update 

BLM’s NEPA procedures. Instead, 

having considered the requirements of 

sound land management, legal 

frameworks, and other factors—and 

after considering public comments—the 

Department is now revising BLM’s 

NEPA procedures to remove the CXs. 

Comment: Commenters suggested 

revisions to the text of the CX 

established by the IIJA section 11318 

regarding sundry notices or right-of-way 

for gathering lines and associated field 

compression or pumping units on 

Federal land servicing oil and gas wells. 

Response: This is a statutorily created 

CX; therefore, neither the Department 

nor the BLM has the discretion to 

change its terms. 

Comment: Some commenters 

confused the administratively 

established CX at 516 DM 11.9 D(10), 

which BLM is removing through this 

notice, with the CX established by the 

2015 National Defense Authorization 

Act, Public Law 113–291 (Dec. 19, 2014) 

for grazing permit and lease issuance in 

certain circumstances, which is found at 

516 DM 11.10 B and were concerned 

that the Department proposed to remove 

this legislative CX from the BLM’s 

NEPA procedures. One commenter 

requested a technical edit in 516 DM 

11.9 D to refer to the legislative CX for 

grazing permit renewal to help guide the 

public. 

Response: The legislative CX 

established by the 2015 National 

Defense Authorization Act, Public Law 

113–291 (Dec. 19, 2014) is unchanged 

and remains available for the BLM to 

rely on as appropriate. Reference to that 

legislative CX remains in the DM and is 

not affected by the revisions to the 

BLM’s NEPA procedures as outlined in 

this Federal Register notice. The BLM 

declines to make the suggested edit as 

it is inconsistent with the format of the 

DM. 

Comment: Some commenters 

disagreed with removal of the CX at 516 

DM 11.9 D(10) regarding issuance of 

livestock grazing permits or leases 


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because the commenters want to retain 

the ability to renew permits with the 

same terms and conditions and they 

assert that removal of the CX would 

impede the ability of ranchers to 

effectively manage rangelands. 

Response: The BLM has several 

potential options to consider when 

conducting a NEPA review for livestock 

grazing permit renewals 

notwithstanding the removal of the two 

CXs from the BLM’s NEPA procedures. 

These options include reliance on a 

legislative CX for grazing permit and 

lease issuance in certain circumstances 

that was established by the 2015 

National Defense Authorization Act, 

Public Law 113–291 (Dec. 19, 2014), if 

appropriate. This legislative CX is 

unchanged and remains available for the 

BLM to rely on to support grazing 

decisions, when appropriate. Reference 

to that legislative CX remains in the 

BLM’s NEPA procedures and is not 

affected by the revisions as outlined in 

this Federal Register notice. The 

removal of 516 DM 11.9 D(10) from the 

BLM’s NEPA procedures does not 

preclude the BLM from proposing and 

implementing these kinds of activities; 

however, the BLM will need to comply 

with NEPA using a means other than 

reliance on this CX. 

Comment: Commenters disagreed 

with the proposal to remove the CX at 

516 DM 11.9 J(1) regarding certain 

activities within sagebrush and 

sagebrush-steppe plant communities to 

manage pinyon pine and juniper trees 

for the benefit of mule deer or sagegrouse habitats. Commenters expressed 

concern that removal of the CX will 

hinder efforts to manage land health and 

reduce wildfire risks in sagebrushsteppe communities. 

Response: The BLM does agree that 

the activities included in the CX at 516 

DM 11.9 J(1) can be useful in addressing 

issues related to the management of 

mule deer and sage grouse habitats. The 

removal of 516 DM 11.9 J(1) from the 

BLM’s NEPA procedures does not 

preclude the BLM from proposing and 

implementing these kinds of activities; 

however, the BLM will need to comply 

with NEPA using a means other than 

reliance on this CX. For instance, some 

activities that may have been proposed 

for approval in reliance on this CX may 

fall within the scope of the legislative 

CX directed by the Agriculture 

Improvement Act of 2018. This 

legislatively directed CX covers similar 

vegetation management activities 

carried out for the protection, 

restoration or improvement of greater 

sage-grouse or mule deer habitat. 

Comment: Commenters asserted a 

connection between ongoing NEPA 

analysis for management of greater sagegrouse habitat and the removal or 

retention of the vegetation management 

CXs and would like the decision on the 

CXs to be reserved until after the 

planning effort for greater sage-grouse is 

complete. 

Response: The BLM notes that some 

of the CXs removed could have 

supported projects with the potential to 

address issues related to greater sagegrouse habitat management; however, 

removal of CXs from the BLM’s NEPA 

procedures has no bearing on the land 

use planning processes associated with 

greater sage-grouse habitat management. 

The NEPA analysis for the planning 

effort does not make any assumptions 

about the level of NEPA review needed 

to support future activities that would 

implement the land use plans, and 

removal of these CXs will not impact 

the effectiveness of the plan decisions. 

Comment: Commenters disagree with 

the proposed removal of the CX at 516 

DM 11.9 C (10) regarding the salvaging 

of dead and dying trees. Commenters 

requested that the CX be retained to 

allow efficient removal of dead and 

dying trees to mitigate wildfire risk and 

address forest health. 

Response: BLM agrees that the kinds 

of activities included in the CX at 516 

DM 11.9 C(10) can be useful to address 

wildfire risk and forest health issues. 

The removal of 516 DM 11.9 C(10) from 

the BLM’s NEPA procedures does not 

preclude the BLM from proposing and 

implementing these kinds of activities; 

however, the BLM will need to comply 

with NEPA using a means other than 

reliance on this CX. 

Amended Text for the Departmental 

Manual 

Below is the new text of 516 DM 

Chapter 11, reflecting the addition of the 

statutorily established CXs and deletion 

of the administrative CXs: 

* * * * * 

11.9 Actions Eligible for a Categorical 

Exclusion (CX) 

* * * * * 

C. Forestry 

* * * * * 

(10) [Removed] 

D. Rangeland Management 

* * * * * 

(10) [Removed] 

(11) [Removed] 

* * * * * 

J. [Reserved] 

* * * * * 

11.10 Categorical Exclusions 

Established or Directed by Statute 

* * * * * 

D. Section 11318 of the Infrastructure 

Investment and Jobs Act (Pub. L. 117– 

58) established a CX as defined in 40 

CFR 1508.1 for issuance of sundry 

notices or rights-of-way for gathering 

lines and associated field compression 

or pumping units on Federal land 

servicing oil and gas wells under the 

conditions described below. 

Application of this CX requires 

extraordinary circumstances review 

consistent with 40 CFR 1501.4(b) and 43 

CFR 46.215. 

Section 11318. CERTAIN 

GATHERING LINES LOCATED ON 

FEDERAL LAND AND INDIAN LAND of 

the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs 

Act provides: 

(a) Definitions.—In this section: 

(1) Federal land.— 

(A) In general.—The term ‘‘Federal 

land’’ means land the title to which is 

held by the United States. 

(B) Exclusions.—The term ‘‘Federal 

land’’ does not include— 

(i) a unit of the National Park System; 

(ii) a unit of the National Wildlife 

Refuge System; 

(iii) a component of the National 

Wilderness Preservation System; 

(iv) a wilderness study area within the 

National Forest System; or 

(v) Indian land 

(2) Gathering line and associated field 

compression or pumping unit.— 

(A) In general.—The term ‘‘gathering 

line and associated field compression or 

pumping unit’’ means— 

(i) a pipeline that is installed to 

transport oil, natural gas and related 

constituents, or produced water from 1 

or more wells drilled and completed to 

produce oil or gas; and 

(ii) if necessary, 1 or more 

compressors or pumps to raise the 

pressure of the transported oil, natural 

gas and related constituents, or 

produced water to higher pressures 

necessary to enable the oil, natural gas 

and related constituents, or produced 

water to flow into pipelines and other 

facilities. 

(B) Inclusions.—The term ‘‘gathering 

line and associated field compression or 

pumping unit’’ includes a pipeline or 

associated compression or pumping unit 

that is installed to transport oil or 

natural gas from a processing plant to a 

common carrier pipeline or facility. 

(C) Exclusions.—The term ‘‘gathering 

line and associated field compression or 

pumping unit’’ does not include a 

common carrier pipeline. 

(3) Indian land.—The term ‘‘Indian 

land’’ means land the title to which is 

held by— 


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(A) the United States in trust for an 

Indian Tribe or an individual Indian; or 

(B) an Indian Tribe or an individual 

Indian subject to a restriction by the 

United States against alienation. 

(4) Produced water.—The term 

‘‘produced water’’ means water 

produced from an oil or gas well bore 

that is not a fluid prepared at, or 

transported to, the well site to resolve a 

specific oil or gas well bore or reservoir 

condition. 

(5) Secretary.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ 

means the Secretary of the Interior. 

(b) Certain Gathering Lines.— 

(1) In general.—Subject to paragraph 

(2), the issuance of a sundry notice or 

right-of-way for a gathering line and 

associated field compression or 

pumping unit that is located on Federal 

land or Indian land and that services 

any oil or gas well may be considered 

by the Secretary to be an action that is 

categorically excluded (as defined in 

section 1508.1 of title 40, Code of 

Federal Regulations (as in effect on the 

date of enactment of this Act)) for 

purposes of the National Environmental 

Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 

seq.) if the gathering line and associated 

field compression or pumping unit— 

(A) are within a field or unit for 

which an approved land use plan or an 

environmental document prepared 

pursuant to the National Environmental 

Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 

seq.) analyzed transportation of oil, 

natural gas, or produced water from 1 or 

more oil or gas wells in the field or unit 

as a reasonably foreseeable activity; 

(B) are located adjacent to or within— 

(i) any existing disturbed area; or 

(ii) an existing corridor for a right-ofway; and 

(C) would reduce— 

(i) in the case of a gathering line and 

associated field compression or 

pumping unit transporting methane, the 

total quantity of methane that would 

otherwise be vented, flared, or 

unintentionally emitted from the field 

or unit; or 

(ii) in the case of a gathering line and 

associated field compression or 

pumping unit not transporting methane, 

the vehicular traffic that would 

otherwise service the field or unit. 

(2) Applicability.—Paragraph (1) shall 

apply to Indian land, or a portion of 

Indian land— 

(A) to which the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 

U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) applies; and 

(B) for which the Indian Tribe with 

jurisdiction over the Indian land 

submits to the Secretary a written 

request that paragraph (1) apply to that 

Indian land (or portion of Indian land). 

(c) Effect on Other Law.—Nothing in 

this section— 

(1) affects or alters any requirement— 

(A) relating to prior consent under— 

(i) section 2 of the Act of February 5, 

1948 (62 Stat.18, chapter 45; 25 U.S.C. 

324); or 

(ii) section 16(e) of the Act of June 18, 

1934 (48 Stat. 987, chapter 576; 102 

Stat. 2939; 114 Stat. 47; 25 U.S.C. 

5123(e)) (commonly known as the 

‘‘Indian Reorganization Act’’); 

(B) under section 306108 of title 54, 

United States Code; or 

(C) under any other Federal law 

(including regulations) relating to Tribal 

consent for rights-of-way across Indian 

land; or 

(2) makes the National Environmental 

Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 

seq.) applicable to land to which that 

Act otherwise would not apply. 

E. Section 40806 of the Infrastructure 

Investment and Jobs Act (Pub. L. 117– 

58) excludes forest management 

activities for the establishment of fuel 

breaks in forests and other wildland 

vegetation from preparation of an EA or 

EIS under NEPA, as described below. 

Application of this CX requires 

extraordinary circumstances review 

consistent with 40 CFR 1501.4(b), 36 

CFR 220.6, and 43 CFR 46.215. 

Section 40806. ESTABLISHMENT OF 

FUEL BREAKS IN FORESTS AND 

OTHER WILDLAND VEGETATION of 

the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs 

Act provides: 

(a) Definition of Secretary 

Concerned.—In this section, the term 

‘‘Secretary concerned’’ means— 

(1) the Secretary of Agriculture, with 

respect to National Forest System land; 

and 

(2) the Secretary of the Interior, with 

respect to public lands (as defined in 

section 103 of the Federal Land Policy 

and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 

1702)) administered by the Bureau of 

Land Management. 

(b) Categorical Exclusion 

Established.—Forest management 

activities described in subsection (c) are 

a category of actions designated as being 

categorically excluded from the 

preparation of an environmental 

assessment or an environmental impact 

statement under the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 

U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) if the categorical 

exclusion is documented through a 

supporting record and decision 

memorandum. 

(c) Forest Management Activities 

Designated for Categorical Exclusion.— 

(1) In general.—The category of forest 

management activities designated under 

subsection (b) for a categorical exclusion 

are forest management activities 

described in paragraph (2) that are 

carried out by the Secretary concerned 

on public lands (as defined in section 

103 of the Federal Land Policy and 

Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 

1702)) administered by the Bureau of 

Land Management or National Forest 

System land the primary purpose of 

which is to establish and maintain 

linear fuel breaks that are— 

(A) up to 1,000 feet in width 

contiguous with or incorporating 

existing linear features, such as roads, 

water infrastructure, transmission and 

distribution lines, and pipelines of any 

length on Federal land; and 

(B) intended to reduce the risk of 

uncharacteristic wildfire on Federal 

land or catastrophic wildfire for an 

adjacent at-risk community. 

(2) Activities.—Subject to paragraph 

(3), the forest management activities that 

may be carried out pursuant to the 

categorical exclusion established under 

subsection (b) are— 

(A) mowing or masticating; 

(B) thinning by manual and 

mechanical cutting; 

(C) piling, yarding, and removal of 

slash or hazardous fuels; 

(D) selling of vegetation products, 

including timber, firewood, biomass, 

slash, and fenceposts; 

(E) targeted grazing; 

(F) application of— 

(i) pesticide; 

(ii) biopesticide; or 

(iii) herbicide; 

(G) seeding of native species; 

(H) controlled burns and broadcast 

burning; and 

(I) burning of piles, including jackpot 

piles. 

(3) Excluded activities.—A forest 

management activity described in 

paragraph (2) may not be carried out 

pursuant to the categorical exclusion 

established under subsection (b) if the 

activity is conducted— 

(A) in a component of the National 

Wilderness Preservation System; 

(B) on Federal land on which the 

removal of vegetation is prohibited or 

restricted by Act of Congress, 

Presidential proclamation (including the 

applicable implementation plan), or 

regulation; 

(C) in a wilderness study area; or 

(D) in an area in which carrying out 

the activity would be inconsistent with 

the applicable land management plan or 

resource management plan. 

(4) Extraordinary circumstances.— 

The Secretary concerned shall apply the 

extraordinary circumstances procedures 

under section 220.6 of title 36, Code of 

Federal Regulations (or a successor 

regulation), in determining whether to 

use a categorical exclusion under 

subsection (b). 

(d) Acreage and Location 

Limitations.—Treatments of vegetation 


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1A record of the Commissioners’ votes, the 

Commission’s statement on adequacy, and any 

individual Commissioner’s statements will be 

available from the Office of the Secretary and at the 

Commission’s website. 

2Commissioner David S. Johanson voted to 

conduct a full review. 

3The Commission has found the responses 

submitted on behalf of ASC Engineered Solutions, 

LLC and Ward Manufacturing, LLC to be 

individually adequate. Comments from other 

interested parties will not be accepted (see 19 CFR 

207.62(d)(2)). 

in linear fuel breaks covered by the 

categorical exclusion established under 

subsection (b)— 

(1) may not contain treatment units in 

excess of 3,000 acres; 

(2) shall be located primarily in— 

(A) the wildland-urban interface or a 

public drinking water source area; 

(B) if located outside the wildlandurban interface or a public drinking 

water source area, an area within 

Condition Class 2 or 3 in Fire Regime 

Group I, II, or III that contains very high 

wildfire hazard potential; or 

(C) an insect or disease area 

designated by the Secretary concerned 

as of the date of enactment of this Act; 

and 

(3) shall consider the best available 

scientific information. 

(e) Roads.— 

(1) Permanent roads.—A project 

under this section shall not include the 

establishment of permanent roads. 

(2) Existing roads.—The Secretary 

concerned may carry out necessary 

maintenance and repairs on existing 

permanent roads for the purposes of this 

section. 

(3) Temporary roads.—The Secretary 

concerned shall decommission any 

temporary road constructed under a 

project under this section not later than 

3 years after the date on which the 

project is completed. 

(f) Public Collaboration—To 

encourage meaningful public 

participation during the preparation of a 

project under this section, the Secretary 

concerned shall facilitate, during the 

preparation of each project— 

(1) collaboration among State and 

local governments and Indian Tribes; 

and 

(2) participation of interested persons. 

(Authority: NEPA, the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as 

amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); E.O. 11514, 

March 5, 1970, as amended by E.O. 11991, 

May 24, 1977; and CEQ regulations (40 CFR 

1500–1508)). 

Stephen G. Tryon, 

Director, Office of Environmental Policy and 

Compliance. 

[FR Doc. 2024–24738 Filed 10–23–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4331–27–P 

INTERNATIONAL TRADE 

COMMISSION 

[Investigation No. 731–TA–990 (Fourth 

Review)] 

Non-Malleable Cast Iron Pipe Fittings 

From China; Scheduling of an 

Expedited Five-Year Review 

AGENCY: International Trade 

Commission. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Commission hereby gives 

notice of the scheduling of an expedited 

review pursuant to the Tariff Act of 

1930 (‘‘the Act’’) to determine whether 

revocation of the antidumping duty 

order on non-malleable cast iron pipe 

fittings from China would be likely to 

lead to continuation or recurrence of 

material injury within a reasonably 

foreseeable time. 

DATES: September 6, 2024. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kenneth Gatten III (202–708–1447), 

Office of Investigations, U.S. 

International Trade Commission, 500 E 

Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. 

Hearing-impaired persons can obtain 

information on this matter by contacting 

the Commission’s TDD terminal on 202– 

205–1810. Persons with mobility 

impairments who will need special 

assistance in gaining access to the 

Commission should contact the Office 

of the Secretary at 202–205–2000. 

General information concerning the 

Commission may also be obtained by 

accessing its internet server (https://

www.usitc.gov). The public record for 

this proceeding may be viewed on the 

Commission’s electronic docket (EDIS) 

at https://edis.usitc.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background.—On September 6, 2024, 

the Commission determined that the 

domestic interested party group 

response to its notice of institution (89 

FR 47610, June 3, 2024) of the subject 

five-year review was adequate and that 

the respondent interested party group 

response was inadequate. The 

Commission did not find any other 

circumstances that would warrant 

conducting a full review.1 Accordingly, 

the Commission determined that it 

would conduct an expedited review 

pursuant to section 751(c)(3) of the Act 

(19 U.S.C. 1675(c)(3)).2

For further information concerning 

the conduct of this review and rules of 

general application, consult the 

Commission’s Rules of Practice and 

Procedure, part 201, subparts A and B 

(19 CFR part 201), and part 207, 

subparts A, D, E, and F (19 CFR part 

207). 

Staff report.—A staff report 

containing information concerning the 

subject matter of the review has been 

placed in the nonpublic record, and will 

be made available to persons on the 

Administrative Protective Order service 

list for this review on November 27, 

2024. A public version will be issued 

thereafter, pursuant to § 207.62(d)(4) of 

the Commission’s rules. 

Written submissions.—As provided in 

§ 207.62(d) of the Commission’s rules, 

interested parties that are parties to the 

review and that have provided 

individually adequate responses to the 

notice of institution,3 and any party 

other than an interested party to the 

review may file written comments with 

the Secretary on what determination the 

Commission should reach in the review. 

Comments are due on or before 5:15 

p.m. on December 5, 2024 and may not 

contain new factual information. Any 

person that is neither a party to the fiveyear review nor an interested party may 

submit a brief written statement (which 

shall not contain any new factual 

information) pertinent to the review by 

December 5, 2024. However, should the 

Department of Commerce (‘‘Commerce’’) 

extend the time limit for its completion 

of the final results of its review, the 

deadline for comments (which may not 

contain new factual information) on 

Commerce’s final results is three 

business days after the issuance of 

Commerce’s results. If comments 

contain business proprietary 

information (BPI), they must conform 

with the requirements of §§ 201.6, 

207.3, and 207.7 of the Commission’s 

rules. The Commission’s Handbook on 

Filing Procedures, available on the 

Commission’s website at https://

www.usitc.gov/documents/handbook_

on_filing_procedures.pdf, elaborates 

upon the Commission’s procedures with 

respect to filings. 

In accordance with §§ 201.16(c) and 

207.3 of the rules, each document filed 

by a party to the review must be served 

on all other parties to the review (as 

identified by either the public or BPI 

service list), and a certificate of service 

must be timely filed. The Secretary will 

not accept a document for filing without 

a certificate of service. 

Determination.—The Commission has 

determined this review is 

extraordinarily complicated and 

therefore has determined to exercise its 

authority to extend the review period by 

up to 90 days pursuant to 19 U.S.C. 

1675(c)(5)(B). 

Authority: This review is being 

conducted under authority of title VII of 

the Act; this notice is published 


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1