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Ecological Restoration Policy

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Ecological Restoration Policy 56202 Notices Federal Register Vol. 78, No. 177 Thursday, September 12, 2013 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER comments. Please confine comments to Ecological restoration re-establishes the contains documents other than rules or the proposed directive on the Ecological composition, structure, and/or proposed rules that are applicable to the Restoration and Resilience Policy. ecological processes that support public. Notices of hearings and investigations, All comments, including names and sustainable aquatic and terrestrial committee meetings, agency decisions and addresses, when provided, are placed in ecosystems. In order to identify an rulings, delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency the record and are available for public ecosystem in need of restoration, statements of organization and functions are inspection and copying. The public may current conditions should be evaluated examples of documents appearing in this inspect comments received on the against: the natural range of variation as section. internet at http://www.fs.fed.us/ a reference to understand ecosystem restoration/index.shtml. function; the dynamic nature of FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim ecosystems, associated natural and DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Alegria, Forest Management Staff, current disturbance regimes; and likely USDA Forest Service, Mailstop 1103, future environments resulting from Forest Service 1400 Independence Avenue SW., climate change and increasing human RIN 0596–AC82 Washington, DC 20250, 202–205–1787. uses. Although this proposal is to Individuals who use establish a restoration policy on Ecological Restoration Policy telecommunications devices for the deaf National Forest System lands and (TDD) may call the Federal Information resources, there may be some situations AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 where ecosystems have been so ACTION: Notice of proposed directive; between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern degraded that restoration may not be request for comment. Standard Time, Monday through Friday. feasible or economically possible. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed directive applies to all SUMMARY: The Forest Service proposes National Forest System’s resource to issue a permanent Ecological Background and Need for the Directive management programs. For example, Restoration Policy in Forest Service The need for ecological restoration of this directive would apply when there Manual (FSM) 2020. The proposed many areas in the National Forest is an objective to restore watershed directive would provide broad direction System is widely recognized, and the condition and function, control invasive for restoring National Forest System Forest Service has conducted species, re-create natural stream channel lands and associated resources to restoration-related activities through complexity, improve or reestablish achieve sustainable management and many resource management programs habitat for threatened and endangered ecological integrity. This policy would for decades. However, an internal species, and restore natural fire regimes. recognize the adaptive capacity of agency study (http://www.fs.fed.us/ The Forest Service has a multiple-use ecosystems, the role of natural restoration/documents/RestFramework_ mission and not all management disturbances, and uncertainty related to final_010606.pdf) identified that the activities on national forests and climate and other environmental concept of ecological restoration has not grasslands require a restoration change. On September 22, 2008, the been well understood nor consistently objective. The Agency will continue to Forest Service issued an interim implemented within the agency. The support management activities such as directive, FSM 2020 Ecological Agency believes that a foundational, energy development, recreation use, Restoration and Resilience. The interim comprehensive policy and definitions grazing and timber production directive was reissued on March 3, would help it to use ecological conducted in an ecologically sustainable 2010, a third time on August 30, 2011, restoration more effectively as a tool for manner to avoid the need for ecological and a fourth time on May 13, 2013, and achieving land management objectives restoration in the future. For example, is now proposed as permanent policy. on national forests and grasslands. vegetative treatments in the Wildland DATES: Comments must be received in The Forest Service proposes to amend Urban Interface that are necessary to writing by November 12, 2013. its directives by establishing a new title effectively reduce fire risk to ADDRESSES: Submit comments through in the Forest Service Manual, FSM communities may require a silvicultural the World Wide Web/Internet Web site 2020: Ecological Restoration . The treatment that would not be viewed as http://www.regulations.gov. Alternately, proposed directive would establish ecological restoration. Rather, the submit written comments by addressing broad, foundational policy for vegetative treatments would address the them to Forest Service Restoration restoration of National Forest System objective of reducing the risk of harm to Directive, c/o Jim Alegria, Forest lands and resources. The intent is to people, property and forest resources Management Staff, USDA Forest provide a clear, comprehensive, and due to wildfire. Water structures for Service, Mailstop 1103, 1400 science-based restoration policy to range management will continue to be Independence Avenue SW., guide achievement of sustainable developed to sustain livestock and Washington, DC 20250, or by facsimile management and ecological integrity reduce risk to riparian systems. The to 202–205–1012. Please identify your under changing environmental directive would amend the Forest written comments by including conditions, such as those driven by a Service Manual to include a definition ‘‘Restoration Directive’’ on the cover changing climate and increasing human for the term restoration, or ecological sheet or first page. Electronic comments uses. restoration. The more generic term are preferred. For comments sent via Restoration is the process of assisting restoration has been used widely by the U.S. Postal Service, please do not the recovery of ecosystems that have Forest Service and other agencies submit duplicate electronic or facsimile been damaged, degraded, or destroyed. beginning with the National Fire Plan VerDate Mar<15>2010 19:54 Sep 11, 2013 Jkt 229001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\12SEN1.SGM 12SEN1 tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 177 / Thursday, September 12, 2013 / Notices 56203 Cohesive Strategy adopted in 2001, and reissued a third time on August 30, uniform understanding and Service- the 10-Year Comprehensive Strategy 2011, and a fourth time on May 13, wide application of restoration policies, and Implementation Plan. The term 2013. The interim directive expires on principles, and terminology; increasing restoration and associated concepts November 13, 2014. agency effectiveness when planning and such as reforestation, resilience, and implementing restoration activities; and Regulatory Certification adaptation, are increasingly used by the fostering better understanding and Congress, media, stakeholders, general Environmental Impact collaboration among interests from local public, scientific community, and The proposed directive establishes to national levels. It is anticipated that leaders, including the Secretary of broad, foundational policy for the proposed directive would reduce Agriculture and the Chief of the Forest restoration of National Forest System costs by providing clear policy, Service, in their public statements. The lands and associated resources. The definitions, and principles of ecological directive primarily serves to improve Agency procedure at 36 CFR 220.6(d)(2) restoration and reducing ad hoc or understanding of the term by Forest excludes from documentation in an inconsistent interpretation of Service employees, partners, and the environmental assessment or terminology and policy. public, by clarifying the purpose behind environmental impact statement ‘‘rules, This directive has been reviewed in it, as well as its scope and context. This regulations, or policies to establish light of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, as improved understanding will allow the Service-wide administrative procedures, amended (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), and it Forest Service to communicate program processes, or instructions.’’ has been determined that this action ecological restoration needs more This proposed directive constitutes a will not have a significant economic effectively at the local, regional, and policy to establish Service-wide impact on a substantial number of small national levels. entities as defined by that Act. A The policies and ecological principles administrative procedures, program processes, or instructions consequently threshold regulatory flexibility analysis in this proposed directive are consistent is not required under the Regulatory with those in the Forest Service’s 2012 the Agency has concluded that the proposed directive falls within the Flexibility Act because this directive is Land Management Planning Rule broad agency policy that imposes no (planning rule). The proposed directive category of actions in 36 CFR 220.6(d)(2) impacts or requirements on small or would reinforce the use of adaptive and that no extraordinary circumstances large entities.
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