[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 148 (Friday, August 1, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 44738]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-18219]
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Notices
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 148 / Friday, August 1, 2014 /
Notices
[[Page 44738]]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
RIN 0596-AC51
Extension of Comment Period on the Proposed Directive on
Groundwater Resource Management, Forest Service Manual 2560
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of proposed directive; Extension of comment period.
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SUMMARY: The Forest Service published a notice in the Federal Register
on May 6, 2014, initiating a 90-day comment period on the Proposed
Directive on Groundwater Resource Management, Forest Service Manual
2560. The closing date for that 90-day comment period is August 4,
2014. The Agency is extending the comment period; therefore, the
comment period has been extended to September 3, 2014.
DATES: Comments must be received by September 3, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Send comments electronically by following the instructions
at the Federal eRulemaking portal at http://www.regulation.gov.
Comments may also be submitted by electronic mail to [email protected]
or by mail to Groundwater Directive Comments, USDA Forest Service,
Attn: Rob Harper--WFWARP, 201 14th Street SW., Washington, DC 20250. If
comments are sent electronically, the public is requested not to send
duplicate comments by mail. Please confine comments to issues pertinent
to the proposed directive; explain the reasons for any recommended
changes; and, where possible, refer to the specific wording being
addressed. All comments, including names and addresses when provided,
will be placed in the record and will be available for public
inspection and copying. The public may inspect the comments received on
the proposed directive at the USDA Forest Service Headquarters, located
in the Yates Federal Building at 201 14th Street SW., Washington, DC,
on regular business days between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Those wishing
to inspect the comments are encouraged to call ahead at (202) 205-0967
to facilitate entry into the building.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Troy Thompson, Watershed, Fish,
Wildlife, Air and Rare Plants Staff and Minerals and Geology Management
Staff, (414) 297-3622. Individuals who use telecommunication devices
for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service at
(800) 877-8339 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time,
Monday through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Forest Service proposes to amend its
internal Agency directives for Watershed and Air Management to
establish direction for management of groundwater resources on National
Forest System (NFS) lands as an integral component of watershed
management. Specifically, the proposed amendment would provide
direction on the consideration of groundwater resources in agency
activities, approvals, and authorizations; encourage source water
protection and water conservation; establish procedures for reviewing
new proposals for groundwater withdrawals on NFS lands; require the
evaluation of potential impacts from groundwater withdrawals on NFS
resources; and provide for measurement and reporting for some larger
groundwater withdrawals. This proposed amendment would supplement
existing special uses and minerals and geology directives to address
issues of groundwater resource management and would help ensure
consistent and adequate analyses for evaluating potential uses of NFS
lands that could affect groundwater resources. Public comment is
invited and will be considered in development of the final directive.
The Forest Service wants to ensure that there is sufficient time for
potentially affected parties, including States, to comment. Thus the
Agency is providing an extended comment period for the proposed
directive.
In addition, the Forest Service may host meetings and/or webinars
as needed on the proposed directive to present information and answer
questions on the proposed policy and the comment process during the
comment period. Specific information regarding the dates and times of
the webinar will be announced by news release and at the following Web
site: http://www.fs.fed.us/geology/groundwater. A recording of the
webinar may also be posted on the Web site.
Reviewers may obtain a copy of the proposed directive from the
Forest Service Minerals and Geology Management Staff Web site, http://www.fs.fed.us/geology/groundwater, or from the Regulations.gov Web
site, http://www.regulations.gov.
Dated: July 29, 2014.
Thomas L. Tidwell,
Chief, Forest Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-18219 Filed 7-31-14; 8:45 am]
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