85492 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 208 / Monday, October 28, 2024 / Notices 

Tameka Owens, 

Acting Administrator and Assistant 

Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–25008 Filed 10–25–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–30–C 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Information Collection; Significant 

Cave Nomination Application 

AGENCY: Forest Service, Agriculture 

(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 without 

change to a currently approved 

collection information collection, 

Significant Cave Nominations under the 

Federal Cave Resources Protection Act. 

DATES: Comments must be received in 

writing on or before December 27, 2024 

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 Limaris 

Soto, Lands, Minerals, and Geology, 

1617 Cole Boulevard, Building 17, 

Lakewood CO 80401. Comments also 

may be submitted via facsimile to 303– 

275–5122 or by email to limaris.soto@

usda.gov. 

Comments submitted in response to 

this notice may be made available to the 

public through relevant websites and 

upon request. For this reason, please do 

not include in your comments 

information of a confidential nature, 

such as sensitive personal information 

or proprietary information. If you send 

an email comment, your email address 

will be automatically captured and 

included as part of the comment that is 

placed in the public docket and made 

available on the internet. Please note 

that responses to this public comment 

request containing any routine notice 

about the confidentiality of the 

communication will be treated as public 

comments that may be made available to 

the public notwithstanding the 

inclusion of the routine notice. 

The public may inspect the draft 

supporting statement and/or comments 

received at 1617 Cole Boulevard, 

Building 17, Lakewood, CO 80401, 

during normal business hours. Visitors 

are encouraged to call ahead to 720– 

827–8912 to facilitate entry to the 

building. The public may request an 

electronic copy of the draft supporting 

statement and/or any comments 

received be sent via return email. 

Requests should be emailed to 

limaris.soto@usda.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Limaris Soto, Lands, Minerals, and 

Geology, by phone at 720–827–8912 or 

email to limaris.soto@usda.gov. 

Individuals who use 

telecommunications devices for the deaf 

and hard of hearing may call 711 to 

reach the Telecommunications Relay 

Service, 24 hours a day, every day of the 

year, including holidays. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Significant Cave Nomination 

Application. 

OMB Number: 0596–0244. 

Expiration Date of Approval: 

December 31, 2024. 

Type of Request: Extension without 

change to a currently approved 

collection. 

Abstract: The information covered in 

this request applies to caves on Federal 

lands administered by the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Forest 

Service. The Forest Service proposes to 

collect the information in this request in 

accordance with the Federal Cave 

Resources Protection Act (FCRPA) [Pub. 

L. 100–691, 107 Stat. 4546] and 

regulations at 36 CFR 290 (Cave 

Resources Management) which require 

the Secretary of Agriculture to identify 

and protect significant caves on 

National Forest System lands. 

The Forest Service must collect this 

information to comply with the FCRPA 

(16 U.S.C. 4301–4310) and its 

implementing regulations at 36 CFR 290 

that contain criteria for the 

identification of significant caves. The 

information collection is also responsive 

to requirements of the 36 CFR part 

290—Cave Management regulations that 

specify the process for nomination of 

significant caves and assessment of 

whether the listed criteria for a cave to 

be considered significant have been met. 

36 CFR 290.3(a) states that significant 

cave nominations will be accepted by 

the Forest Supervisor where the cave is 

located. 

The Forest Service uses the 

information in a cave nomination to 

determine if specified criteria are met 

for the nominated cave to be listed as 

significant in accordance with the 

FCRPA and regulations at 36 CFR 290.3. 

The information is necessary for full 

compliance with agencies’ 

responsibilities to identify and protect 

significant caves and their resources. 

Nominations are voluntary. The 

information collected in the Significant 

Cave Nomination Worksheet includes: 

• The name, address, and telephone 

number of the individual or 

organization submitting the nomination. 

This allows us to confirm the source of 

the information; 

• The name of the cave, which is 

necessary for the listing of caves and to 

ensure there are no duplications; 

• The location of the cave, which is 

essential for verification, management, 

and future planning purposes; 

• The name of the agency and the 

administrative unit, which is necessary 

to ensure that the application is 

forwarded to the appropriate agency 

office; 

• A discussion of how the cave meets 

the criteria, which is the key aspect of 

the nomination, and is used to 

determine whether the cave should be 

designated as significant; 

• Studies, maps, research papers, and 

other supporting documentation, which 

are important in the significance 

evaluation; 

• The name, address, and telephone 

number of the individual who is 

knowledgeable about the resources in 

the cave, which are necessary in case 

the information in the nomination is 

unclear or there is a need for additional 

information to complete the evaluation; 

• The date that the nomination is 

submitted, which is essential for 

tracking purposes; and 

• The signature and title of the 

individual submitting the nomination, 

which is necessary to confirm that it is 

an official nomination. 

The Forest Service collects the 

information from anyone who wishes to 

nominate a cave to be considered 

significant. Caves can be nominated by 

the public, Forest Service partners, 

other government agencies, and Forest 

Service staff. The information collected 

is used to determine whether a 

nominated cave meets specified criteria 

to be considered significant per the 

FCRPA and 36 CFR 290. 

Forest Service Manual 2880.43 states 

that the Forest Supervisor must ensure 

that all caves within their jurisdictions 

are evaluated in accordance with the 

FCRPA and 36 CFR 290 and make a 

determination of significant caves 

nominated for such designation. Under 

the FCRPA the Secretary shall request 

that the list of significant caves shall be 

updated periodically, after consultation 

with appropriate private sector interest, 

including cavers. If agencies did not 

collect cave nominations, they might 

not become aware of potentially 

significant caves’ existence or might 

have insufficient information upon 

which to base a judgment as to their 

significance. As a result, it is likely that 

agencies would not be able to comply 

fully with their statutory responsibilities 

to identify and protect significant caves 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 208 / Monday, October 28, 2024 / Notices 85493 

and their resources. The information is 

collected on occasion, which is the 

minimum frequency necessary to 

comply with the statute. 

Affected Public: Individuals and 

Households. 

Estimate of Burden per Response: 11 

hours. 

Estimated Annual Number of 

Respondents: 10. 

Estimated Annual Number of 

Responses per Respondent: 1. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 110. 

Comment Is Invited 

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 

submission request for Office of 

Management and Budget approval. 

Christopher French, 

Deputy Chief for National Forest System. 

[FR Doc. 2024–24996 Filed 10–25–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3411–15–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Information Collection; Small Business 

Timber Sale Set-Aside Program; 

Appeal Procedures on Recomputation 

of Shares 

AGENCY: Forest Service, Agriculture 

(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 with 

revision of a currently approved 

information collection, titled Small 

Business Timber Sale Set-Aside 

Program; Appeal Procedures on 

Recomputation of Shares. 

DATES: Comments must be received in 

writing on or before December 27, 2024 

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 Director, 

Forest Management, Mail Stop 1103, 

Forest Service, USDA, 1400 

Independence Avenue SW, Washington, 

DC 20024. 

Comments also may be submitted by 

email to: SM.FS.WONFSSBAIC@

usda.gov. 

Comments submitted in response to 

this notice may be made available to the 

public through relevant websites and 

upon request. For this reason, please do 

not include in your comments 

information of a confidential nature, 

such as sensitive personal information 

or proprietary information. If you send 

an email comment, your email address 

will be automatically captured and 

included as part of the comment that is 

placed in the public docket and made 

available on the internet. Please note 

that responses to this public comment 

request containing any routine notice 

about the confidentiality of the 

communication will be treated as public 

comments that may be made available to 

the public notwithstanding the 

inclusion of the routine notice. 

The public may inspect the draft 

supporting statement and/or comments 

received. The public may request an 

electronic copy of the draft supporting 

statement and/or any comments 

received be sent via return email. 

Requests should be emailed to 

SM.FS.WONFSSBAIC@usda.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Mike Spisak, Natural Resources Staff, 

910–975–0114. Individuals who use 

telecommunication devices for the 

hearing impaired may call 711 to reach 

the Telecommunications Relay Service, 

24 hours a day, every day of the year, 

including holidays. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Small Business Timber Sale SetAside Program; Appeal Procedures on 

Recomputation of Shares. 

OMB Number: 0596–0141. 

Expiration Date of Approval: February 

28, 2025. 

Type of Request: Extension with 

revision of a currently approved 

information collection. 

Abstract: The Forest Service adopted 

the Small Business Timber Sale SetAside Program (Set-Aside Program) on 

July 26, 1990 (55 FR 30485). The agency 

administers the Set-Aside Program in 

cooperation with the Small Business 

Administration (SBA) under the 

authorities of the Small Business Act 

(15 U.S.C. 631), the National Forest 

Management Act of 1976, and SBA 

regulations in 13 CFR part 121. The SetAside Program is designed to ensure 

that small business timber purchasers 

have the opportunity to purchase a fair 

proportion of National Forest System 

timber offered for sale. Under the SetAside Program, the Forest Service must 

recompute the shares of timber sales to 

be set aside for qualifying small 

businesses every 5 years based on the 

actual volume of sawtimber that has 

been purchased by small businesses. 

Additionally, shares must be 

recomputed if there is a change in 

manufacturing capability, if the 

purchaser size class changes, or if 

certain purchasers discontinue 

operations. 

In 1992, the agency adopted new 

administrative appeal procedures (36 

CFR part 215), which excluded the SetAside Program. Prior to adoption of 36 

CFR part 215, the agency accepted 

appeals of recomputation decisions 

under 36 CFR part 217 and therefore 

decided to establish procedures for 

providing notice to affected purchasers 

offering an opportunity to comment on 

the recomputation of shares (61 FR 

7468). The Conference Report 

accompanying the 1997 Omnibus 

Appropriation Act (Pub. L. 104–208) 

directed the Forest Service to reinstate 

an appeals process for decisions 

concerning recomputation of Small 

Business Set-Aside shares, structural 

recomputations of SBA shares, or 

changes in policies impacting the SetAside Program prior to December 31, 

1996. The Small Business Timber Sale 

Set-Aside Program, Appeal Procedures 

on Recomputation of Shares (36 CFR 

223.118; 64 FR 411, January 5, 1999), 

outlines the types of decisions that are 

subject to appeal, who may appeal 

decisions, the procedures for appealing 

decisions, the timelines for appeal, and 

the contents of the notice of appeal. 

The Forest Service provides 

qualifying timber sale purchasers with 

30-days for pre-decisional review and 

comment on draft decisions to reallocate 

shares, including the data used in 

making the proposed recomputation 

decision. Within 15 days after the close 

of the 30-day pre-decisional review 

period, an agency official makes a 

decision on the shares to be set aside for 

small businesses and gives written 

notice of the decision to all parties on 

the national forest timber sale bidders 

list for the affected area. The written 

notice provides the date by which the 


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