[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 171 (Thursday, September 4, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52628-52629]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-21092]
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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 was August 4,
2014. The agency extended the comment period and published a notice in
the Federal Register on August 1, 2014, extending the comment period to
September 3, 2015. The Agency is extending the comment period;
therefore, the comment period has been extended to October 3, 2014.
DATES: Comments must be received by October 3, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Send comments electronically by following the
[[Page 52629]]
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: Christopher Carlson, Watershed, Fish,
Wildlife, Air and Rare Plants Staff and Minerals and Geology Management
Staff, 202-205-1481. 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: August 29, 2014.
Thomas L. Tidwell,
Chief, Forest Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-21092 Filed 9-3-14; 8:45 am]
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