[Federal Register: February 28, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 39)]
[Notices]
[Page 10004-10006]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28fe06-48]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Secure Rural Schools Land Sales Initiative
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested
individuals and organizations on the list of National Forest System
land parcels in the FY 2007 President's Budget proposal to be sold for
the purpose of funding payments to Secure Rural Schools (SRS), should
this program be extended by amendment to the Secure Rural Schools and
Community Self-Determination Act of 2000. The sale of these parcels is
contingent upon amendment of the SRS as proposed by the President.
DATES: You should submit your comments by March 30, 2006 to be assured
of consideration. Comments received after that date will be considered
only to the extent practicable.
ADDRESSES: You may submit your comments by e-mail to
SRS_Land_Sales@fs.fed.us, by facsimile to (202) 205-1604, or by mail to USDA
Forest Service, SRS Comments, Lands 4S, 1400 Independence Ave., SW.,
Mailstop 1124, Washington, DC 20250-0003. Electronic submission is
preferred. If you submit your comments by e-mail or fax, you do not
need to send a paper copy by mail.
Your comments may address the entire list of parcels identified in
the President's proposal, or an individual parcel or parcels on that
list. If you are commenting about a specific parcel on the list, it
would be helpful to provide the parcel's number from the list and all
information specifically related to the sale of that parcel.
Document and Comment Availability: In addition to publishing the
full text of this document in the Federal Register, the Forest Service
provides all interested persons an opportunity to view and/or print the
contents of this document, the potentially eligible lands listing, and
associated maps via the Internet. Information on this proposal and the
Federal Register Notice can be found at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.fs.fed.us via the
Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act link to the
``President's FY 2007 Budget Proposal for the Forest Service--Secure
Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act Extension'' page.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia R. Swanson, Assistant Director
of Lands, Washington Office, 202-205-0099. 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 Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-
Determination Act of 2000 (the Act) (Pub. L. 106-393) was enacted to
provide transitional assistance to rural counties that had been
affected by the
[[Page 10005]]
decline in revenue from timber harvests on Federal lands. These
counties traditionally relied on a share of receipts from timber
harvests to fund their school systems and roads. The Act stabilized
payments that are critically important to more than 4,400 rural schools
and addressed many severe maintenance backlogs for county roads.
Resource Advisory Committees (RACs) established under the Act have
developed and proposed forest health improvement projects.
The President's fiscal year 2007 Budget for the Forest Service
proposes legislation to amend the Secure Rural Schools Act. The
legislation would provide a source of funding for payments under the
Secure Rural Schools Act by authorizing the sale of a limited number of
National Forest System lands. These parcels generally meet criteria
traditionally used by the Forest Service to identify lands suitable for
sale or exchange. Many of these parcels are isolated from other
contiguous National Forest System lands, and because of their location,
size, or configuration are not efficient to manage as a component of
the National Forest System.
The Forest Service manages about 193 million acres in 155 national
forests and 20 national grasslands located in 43 States across the
nation. The limited number of parcels included within this proposal
constitutes less than 0.2 of 1% of the National Forest System land
base. A total of 304,370 acres and approximately 3,000 individual
tracts have been identified on 120 national forests, 10 national
grasslands, within 35 States.
The following table provides a summary of the number of acres
identified for each State.
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Acres of
State Region(s) potentially
eligible lands
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Alabama................................. 8 3,220
Alaska.................................. 10 99
Arizona................................. 3 1,030
Arkansas................................ 8 3,612
California.............................. 5,6 79,825
Colorado................................ 2,4 21,572
Florida................................. 8 973
Georgia................................. 8 4,522
Idaho................................... 1,4,6 25,464
Illinois................................ 9 191
Indiana................................. 9 869
Kentucky................................ 8 4,518
Louisiana............................... 8 3,895
Michigan................................ 9 5,880
Minnesota............................... 9 2,622
Mississippi............................. 8 7,503
Missouri................................ 9 21,566
Montana................................. 1 13,948
Nebraska................................ 2 866
Nevada.................................. 4 2,146
New Mexico.............................. 3 7,447
North Carolina.......................... 8 9,828
Ohio.................................... 9 420
Oklahoma................................ 8 3,572
Oregon.................................. 6 10,581
South Carolina.......................... 8 4,665
South Dakota............................ 1,2 13,961
Tennessee............................... 8 2,996
Texas................................... 3,8 4,813
Utah.................................... 4 5,998
Virginia................................ 8 5,717
Washington.............................. 6 7,516
West Virginia........................... 9 4,836
Wisconsin............................... 9 80
Wyoming................................. 2,4 17,619
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Total All States.................... .............. 304,370
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Lands located within the boundaries of any component of the
National Wilderness Preservation System, National Wild and Scenic River
System, National Trail System, National Recreation Area, National
Monument, National Historic Site, National Preserve, or specially
designated areas such as Research Natural Areas and experimental
forests and ranges are not eligible for conveyance.
Many of the identified parcels have not been inventoried for
natural or cultural resources specific to this proposal. However, they
generally meet criteria traditionally used by the Forest Service to
identify parcels for potential sale or exchange. Examples of primary
benefits of disposal will include: (1) Reduction in agency costs
associated with encroachments and boundary management; (2) enhancement
of local economies through private sector development; and (3)
increased opportunities for acquisition by local governmental entities
for low income housing, parks, fire stations, water and wastewater
systems, and for other community and public purposes.
The proposed sale of these parcels is contingent upon the enactment
of legislation by Congress to provide revenue for the authorization of
the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000
(Pub. L.
[[Page 10006]]
106-393). The Forest Service does not have general, non-specific,
authority to sell National Forest System lands.
Dated: February 22, 2006.
Sally D. Collins,
Associate Chief.
[FR Doc. 06-1862 Filed 2-23-06; 1:34 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P