The Federal Register

Notice of Extension of Public Comment Period--Sale and Disposal of National Forest System Timber; Special Forest

Thu, Dec 20 2007 11:00:00 GMT

The public comment period is being extended an additional 30 days for the proposed rule governing the disposal of special forest products from National Forest System lands. The original notice called for comments to be submitted by December 21, 2007 (FR 72, 5949659506, published on Monday, October 22, 2007). As stated in the original Public Notice, special forest products include, but are not limited to, wildflowers, mushrooms, moss, nuts, seeds, tree sap, and Christmas trees. The proposed rule also formally establishes a pilot program to charge and collect fees for the harvest and sale of forest botanical products on National Forest System lands. The proposed rule is intended to facilitate sustainable harvest of special forest products and forest botanical products. Public comment is invited and will be considered in the development of the final rule.

Bitterroot National Forest, West Fork Ranger District; Montana; Lower West Fork Project

Thu, Dec 20 2007 11:00:00 GMT

The USDA, Forest Service, Bitterroot National Forest, will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) to document the analysis and disclose the environmental impacts of the proposed Lower West Fork project. The project area is located in Ravalli County, about 15 miles southwest of Darby, Montana. The project area encompasses about 38,400 acres between the Pierce and Wheeler Creek drainages on the west side of the West Fork Bitterroot River, and the Piquett, Violet, Pine, Applebury, Steep Creek drainages on the east side of the river. The proposed Lower West Fork project would manage vegetation to reduce fuel loads and crown fire hazard in the wildland urban interface, improve forest health and resilience to disturbances, and maintain or increase shade intolerant species such as ponderosa pine and aspen. Roads will be evaluated for opportunities to reduce sedimentation and restore aquatic passage. Terraced lands will be evaluated for opportunities to restore soils. Sitespecific Bitterroot

Lake Tahoe Basin Federal Advisory Committee

Thu, Dec 20 2007 11:00:00 GMT

The Lake Tahoe Basin Federal Advisory Committee will hold a meeting on January 11, 2008 at the Sierra Nevada College, 999 Tahoe Boulevard, Incline Village, NV, 89451. This Committee, established by the Secretary of Agriculture on December 15, 1998 (64 FR 2876), is chartered to provide advice to the Secretary on implementing the terms of the Federal Interagency Partnership on the Lake Tahoe Region and other matters raised by the Secretary.

Notice of Proposed New Fee Site on the Inyo National Forest

Thu, Dec 20 2007 11:00:00 GMT

The Inyo National Forest, White Mountain Ranger District is proposing to implement fees at a complex of three group camp sites in the White Mountains east of Bishop, California. The proposed fee structure is based on the level of services and amenities provided, cost of operation and maintenance, market assessment and public comments. Fee monies would be used to provide maintenance services, trash hauling, restroom servicing (pumping and hauling of waste), road maintenance into the sites and other direct costs.

The group camp sites, known as the Cedar Flat Group Campsgrounds, were constructed in 2005 as part of a special use permit condition for a large scientific research facility. They are used primarily by colleges, universities, and other educational groups for a ``base facility'' for their geology field camps, natural history studies and other academic pursuits. They are particularly well suited for this use as they are in close proximity to the geologic areas of study. Additionally, t