[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 154 (Friday, August 13, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44685-44686]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-17319]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Information Collection: Forest Industries and Logging Operations 
Data Collection Systems

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comment.

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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, Forest Industries and Logging Operations Data 
Collection Systems.

DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before October 12, 
2021 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:
    Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#096a66677a7c6c6566276b7b68676d6c607a497c7a6d68276e667f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="dab9b5b4a9afbfb6b5f4b8a8bbb4bebfb3a99aafa9bebbf4bdb5ac">[email protected]</span></a>.
    Mail: Consuelo Brandeis, Southern Research Station, Forest 
Inventory and Analysis, Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 4700 
Old Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919.
    Telephone: 865-862-2028.
    Facsimile: 865-862-0262.
    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 any 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Consuelo Brandeis, Southern Research 
Station, at 865-862-2028. Individuals who use telecommunication devices 
for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-
877-8339 twenty-four hours a day, every day of the year, including 
holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Forest Industries and Logging Operations Data Collection 
Systems.
    OMB Number: 0596-0010.
    Expiration Date of Approval: February 28, 2022.
    Type of Request: Extension with revision of a currently approved 
information collection.
    Abstract: The Forest and Range Renewable Resources Planning Act of 
1974 and the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Research Act of 
1978 require the Forest Service to evaluate trends in the use of 
roundwood (logs in whole or chipped form), to forecast anticipated 
levels of roundwood use and availability, and to analyze changes in the 
harvest of these resources from the United States' forests. This data 
collection effort has been conducted since the mid-1970s, with various 
adjustments through time to accommodate new questions, sampling 
approaches, and/or data collection needs. Data collection is performed 
by Forest Service personnel and cooperators from State natural resource 
agencies and universities. Currently, the data collection gathers 
information from two groups: Primary wood industry and logging 
operations.
    Primary Wood Industry Questionnaire: This questionnaire is used by 
the Forest Service to collect and evaluate information from primary 
wood-using mills, including small, part-time mills, as well as large 
corporate

[[Page 44686]]

entities. Primary wood-using mills are facilities that use roundwood to 
manufacture a primary product, such as lumber, wood pulp, veneer, etc. 
Forest Service personnel evaluate the information collected and use it 
to monitor volume of roundwood harvested throughout the Nation by 
primary product type, tree species, and origin. The information 
gathered is not available from other sources and provides baseline data 
for resource analyses, which are a key component in the formulation of 
forestry programs, industrial expansion decisions, and forest policy. 
Primary wood industry questionnaires are delivered to mills via regular 
mail or through email. Responses are collected through email, regular 
mail, phone interviews, or personal mill visits.
    Logging Operations Questionnaire: This questionnaire is used by the 
Forest Service to collect and evaluate information from logging 
operations to help characterize the logging industry and its response 
to outside influences. The information is used to measure the `health' 
of the logging industry as well as to provide background information 
for decision-making. The logging operations questionnaire is 
administered in person by field personnel during tree utilization data 
collection at sampled logging sites.
    For this extension, we are proposing to revise the questionnaire 
for the primary wood industry survey to simplify the format and 
eliminate questions that are no longer needed. At the same time, we 
propose to test a few survey mechanisms that could help improve survey 
response and lower respondents' burden by piloting various survey 
structures including different questionnaire lengths (e.g., a three-
question post-card or a short version of the traditional survey). We 
also propose using a cognitive survey to assess respondent's 
understanding of the survey questions and to identify areas of 
potential clarification. These proposed tests are in direct response to 
comments from data users, state partners, and other stakeholders 
indicating the need to adopt new approaches to motivate higher response 
rates. The logging operations survey will remain unchanged from the 
currently approved version.
    In summary, this information collection will generate 
scientifically based, statistically reliable, up-to-date information 
about utilization of timber resources of the United States. Our testing 
efforts will allow us to improve the quality of data obtained. The 
results of these efforts contribute to the availability of reliable 
information on timber resource use, facilitating more complete and 
accurate assessments of forest resources at state, regional, and 
national levels.
    Affected Public: Individuals and the Private Sector (Businesses). 
In particular, mill owners and representatives, procurement foresters 
and loggers.
    Estimate of Burden per Response: Accounting for the proposed tests, 
the primary wood industry questionnaire's estimated burdens are 41 
minutes for the traditional format, to be delivered to a sample of 
2,500 mills; 25 minutes for the short-form test version going to a 
sample of 98 mills; five minutes for the three-question post-card test 
to be sent to a sample of 2,500 mills; five minutes to a sample of 500 
mills which will be screened for the cognitive interview; and 60 
minutes for the cognitive interviews to be conducted for 20 mills 
identified during the screening process. Estimated time burden for the 
logging operations questionnaire is 11 minutes to be distributed to a 
sample of 150 logging operations.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 5,768.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 2,060 hours.
    Comment is invited on: (1) Whether this collection of information 
is necessary for the stated purposes and 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 information collection, including 
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 information collection 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 
toward Office of Management and Budget approval.

Alexander L. Friend,
Deputy Chief, Research and Development.
[FR Doc. 2021-17319 Filed 8-12-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P


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