[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 210 (Wednesday, November 1, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 50580]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-23805]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

36 CFR Chapter II


Report Prepared Pursuant to Executive Order 13783--Promoting 
Energy Independence and Economic Growth

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notification of final report.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service (Forest 
Service) has prepared its final report pursuant to Section 2 of 
Executive Order 13783--Promoting Energy Independence and Economic 
Growth (E.O. 13783). Section 2 of E.O. 13783 mandates an immediate 
review of all Federal agency actions that potentially unduly burden the 
safe, efficient development of domestic energy resources, and requires 
heads of Federal agencies to review all existing regulations, orders, 
guidance documents, policies, and any other similar agency actions 
(collectively, agency actions) that potentially unduly burden the 
development or use of domestically produced energy resources, with 
particular attention to oil, natural gas, coal, and nuclear energy 
resources. E.O. 13783 also requires Federal agencies to make 
recommendations that could alleviate or eliminate aspects of their 
actions that unduly burden domestic energy production.

DATES: November 1, 2017.

ADDRESSES: The report is available on the Forest Service's Web site at 
https://www.fs.fed.us/managing-land/energy.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sherri Thompson at 303-275-5147 or by 
mail at 1617 Cole Boulevard, Building 7, Lakewood, CO 80401.
    Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through 
Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of E.O. 13783 is to eliminate 
unnecessary Federal procedures that obstruct, delay, curtail, or 
otherwise impose significant costs on the siting, permitting, 
production, utilization, transmission, or delivery of energy resources. 
On National Forest System lands, the USDA and the Forest Service play 
an important role in assuring that activities associated with Federal 
and private energy mineral resources, renewable energy projects, and 
energy-related transmission and distribution facilities are conducted 
in a manner that minimizes adverse effects on Federal surface resources 
while avoiding regulatory burdens that unnecessarily encumber energy 
production, constrain economic growth, and prevent job creation.
    Pursuant to Section 2 of E.O. 13783, the Forest Service reviewed 
more than 70 agency actions, including regulations, policies, guidance, 
orders, agreements with partner agencies, and programmatic analyses at 
the Washington Office and field levels of the agency to assess whether 
they unduly burden clean and safe domestic energy development. As a 
result of that review, the Forest Service recommends revising or 
rescinding parts of 15 agency actions to alleviate or eliminate undue 
burdens on the prudent development or use of domestic energy sources. 
Consistent with E.O. 13783, it is in the national interest to promote 
the clean and safe development of America's vast energy resources. 
Adopting these recommendations would result in the revision of parts of 
three regulations, five policies, four agreements with other agencies, 
one programmatic analysis, and one order and rescinding part of one 
policy. The Forest Service's recommendations are principally associated 
with streamlining agency procedures or clarifying agency policy to 
facilitate more efficient processing of energy proposals by the agency 
alone or in coordination with its partners.

    Dated: October 25, 2017.
Jeanne M. Higgins,
Acting Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2017-23805 Filed 10-31-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3411-15-P