83 FR 302 - National Environmental Policy Act Compliance

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 2 (January 3, 2018)

Page Range		302-303
FR Document		2017-28298

The Forest Service is proposing to revise its National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) procedures with the goal of increasing efficiency of environmental analysis. This will help the Forest Service implement its core mission by increasing the health and productivity of our Nation's forests for the benefit of all Americans, and in turn foster productive and sustainable use of National Forest System lands. The Agency's NEPA procedures are a key component of its overall environmental analysis and decision-making process. The Agency is seeking comments from the public on ways it can achieve the goals of increased efficiency of environmental analysis.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 2 (Wednesday, January 3, 2018)

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 3, 2018)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 302-303]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-28298]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

36 CFR Part 220

[Docket No.
RIN 0596-AD31


National Environmental Policy Act Compliance

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Service is proposing to revise its National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) procedures with the goal of increasing 
efficiency of environmental analysis. This will help the Forest Service 
implement its core mission by increasing the health and productivity of 
our Nation's forests for the benefit of all Americans, and in turn 
foster productive and sustainable use of National Forest System lands. 
The Agency's NEPA procedures are a key component of its overall 
environmental analysis and decision-making process. The Agency is 
seeking comments from the public on ways it can achieve the goals of 
increased efficiency of environmental analysis.

DATES: Comments must be received in writing by February 2, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Please submit comments via one of the following methods:
    1. Public participation portal (preferred): https://cara.ecosystem-management.org/Public/CommentInput?project=ORMS-1797.
    2. Mail: NEPA Services Group, c/o Amy Barker; USDA Forest Service, 
Geospatial Technology and Applications Center, 2222 West 2300 South, 
Salt Lake City, UT 84119.
    3. Email: nepa-procedures- revision@fs.fed.us.
    All comments, including names and addresses when provided, are 
placed in the record and are available for public inspection and 
copying. The public may inspect comments received online via the public 
reading room at https://cara.ecosystem-management.org/Public/ReadingRoom?project=ORMS-1797, or at U.S. Forest Service, Ecosystem 
Management Coordination, 201 14th St. SW, 2 Central, Washington, DC 
20024. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead to (202) 205-1475 to 
facilitate entry to the building.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Smalls; Assistant Director, 
Ecosystem Management Coordination; 202-205-1475. Individuals who use 
telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8:00 a.m. 
and 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The Forest Service is proposing to revise its NEPA procedures 
(including its regulations at 36 CFR part 220, Forest Service Manual 
1950, and Forest Service Handbook 1909.15) with the goal of increasing 
efficiency of environmental analysis. The Agency will continue to hold 
true to its commitment to deliver scientifically based, high-quality 
analysis to decision makers that honors its environmental stewardship 
responsibilities while maintaining robust public particiption. These 
values are at the core of the Forest Service mission.
    Reforming the Forest Service's NEPA procedures is needed for a 
variety of reasons. An increasing percentage of the Agency's resources 
are spent each year to provide the necessary resources for wildfire 
suppression, resulting in fewer resources available for other 
management activities such as restoration. In 1995, fire made up 16 
percent of the Forest Service's annual appropriated budget. In 2017, 
more than 50 percent of the Forest Service's annual budget will be 
dedicated to wildfire. Along with this shift in resources, there has 
also been a corresponding shift in staff, with a 39 percent reduction 
in all non-fire personnel since 1995. Additionally, the Agency has a 
backlog of more than 6,000 special use permits awaiting completion, and 
over 80 million acres of National Forest System land are in need of 
restoration to reduce the risk of wildfire, insect epidemics, and 
forest diseases.
    Increasing efficiency of environmental analysis will enable the 
Agency to complete more projects needed to increase the health and 
productivity of our national forests and grasslands. The Agency's goal 
is to complete project decision making in a timelier manner, to improve 
or eliminate inefficient processes and steps, and where appropriate 
increase the scale of analysis and the amount of activities authorized 
in a single analysis and decision. Improving the efficiency of 
environmental analysis and decision making will enable the agency to 
ensure lands and watersheds are sustainable, healthy, and productive; 
mitigate wildfire risk; and contribute to the economic health of rural 
communities through use and access opportunities.

Agency NEPA Procedures

    Each Federal agency is required to develop NEPA procedures that 
supplement the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations and 
reflect the agency's unique mandate and mission. The CEQ encourages 
agencies to periodically review their NEPA procedures. The Forest 
Service's NEPA procedures were last reviewed in 2008 when the Agency 
moved a subset of its NEPA procedures from the Forest Service Manual 
and Handbook to the Code of Federal Regulations. However, the Agency's 
NEPA procedures still reflect in part the policies and practices 
established by the Agency's 1992 NEPA Manual and Handbook. The proposed 
revision of the Forest Service's NEPA procedures will be developed in 
consultation with CEQ.

Request for Comment

    The Agency is seeking public comment on the following:
     Processes and analysis requirements that can be modified, 
reduced, or eliminated in order to reduce time and cost while 
maintaining science-based, high-quality analysis; public involvement; 
and honoring agency stewardship responsibilities.
     Approaches to landscape-scale analysis and decision making 
under NEPA that facilitate restoration of National Forest System lands.
     Classes of actions that are unlikely, either individually 
or cumulatively, to have significant impacts and therefore should be 
categorically excluded from NEPA's environmental assessment and 
environmental impact statement requirements, such as integrated 
restoration projects; special use authorizations; and activities to 
maintain and manage Agency sites (including recreation sites), 
facilities, and associated infrastructure.
     Ways the Agency might expand and enhance coordination of 
environmental review and authorization decisions with other Federal 
agencies, as well as State, Tribal, or local environmental reviews.


[[Page 303]]


    Dated: December 20, 2017.
Tony Tooke,
Chief, USDA, Forest Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-28298 Filed 1-2-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P

Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 2 / Wednesday, January 3, 2018 / Proposed Rules 303

Dated: December 20, 2017. see the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION potentially places the child and family
Tony Tooke, section of this document. on a more positive future trajectory.
Chief, USDA, Forest Service. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: With a high-speed data connection, a
[FR Doc. 2017–28298 Filed 1–2–18; 8:45 am] Radhika Karmarkar, Wireline surgeon can perform an emergency
BILLING CODE 3411–15–P Competition Bureau, (202) 418–7400 or procedure remotely. In places where the
TTY: (202) 418–0484. nearest pharmacist is a plane ride away,
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a
vending machine-like devices can
summary of the Commission’s Notice of dispense prescription medications.
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
4. The efforts by the Commission’s
COMMISSION Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in WC
Connect2HealthFCC (Connect2Health)
Docket No. 17–310; FCC 17–164,
47 CFR Part 54 Task Force have illustrated the
adopted on December 14, 2017 and
significant impact communications
[WC Docket No. 17–310; FCC 17–164] released on December 18, 2017. The full services can have on addressing the
text of this document is available for healthcare needs of persons living in
Promoting Telehealth in Rural America public inspection during regular rural and underserved areas, and how
business hours in the FCC Reference communities are leveraging broadband-
AGENCY: Federal Communications Center, Room CY–A257, 445 12th Street
Commission. enabled health technologies to improve
SW, Washington, DC 20554 or at the access to health and care throughout the
ACTION: Proposed rule. following internet address: https:// country. For example, in Mississippi,
apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/ the Connect2Health Task Force
SUMMARY: In this document, the Federal
FCC-17-164A1.pdf. highlighted the positive impact of
Communications Commission
(Commission) proposes measured steps I. Introduction public-private partnerships on health
as part of a Notice of Proposed outcomes and how broadband-enabled
1. In this Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking and Order to ensure that health technologies have made a
Rulemaking (NPRM), the Commission difference to diabetes patients in
rural healthcare providers get the proposes measured steps to ensure that
support they need while guarding Mississippi. Additionally, in Texas, the
rural healthcare providers get the Connect2Health Task Force emphasized
against waste, fraud, and abuse, support they need while guarding
considers a series of measures to ensure how broadband-enabled health
against waste, fraud, and abuse. The technologies can improve access to
the Rural Health Care (RHC) Program Commission considers a series of
operates efficiently and considers the mental health care.
measures to ensure the Rural Health 5. It is therefore crucial that the
appropriate size of the funding cap. The Care (RHC) Program operates efficiently
Commission takes targeted, immediate benefits of the RHC Program are fully
and in the appropriate size of the realized across the nation. But current
action in the Order section of the item funding cap.
to mitigate the impact of the existing RHC Program rules and procedures may
2. As technology and telemedicine be holding back the promise of the RHC
RHC Program cap on rural healthcare assume an increasingly critical role in
providers in funding year (FY) 2017. Program for the rural healthcare
healthcare delivery, a well-designed providers that need it most. For the
Because the Order section does not RHC Program is more vital than ever.
establish any final rules, we do not second funding year (FY) in a row,
Trends suggest that rural communities demand for RHC Program support is
incorporate the Order section in this across the country are falling behind
document. anticipated to exceed available program
when it comes to the availability of funding, leaving healthcare providers to
DATES: Comments are due February 2, high-quality healthcare. Indeed, the potentially pay more for service than
2018, and reply comments are due on or American Hospital Association (AHA) expected. Unfortunately, part of that
before February 20, 2018. If you reports that ‘‘obtaining access to care in growth is due to an increase in waste,
anticipate that you will be submitting rural America is a significant fraud, and abuse in the RHC Program.
comments, but find it difficult to do so challenge.’’ Over the last seven years, Further, the Telecommunications
within the period of time allowed by over 80 rural hospitals have closed and (Telecom) Program, a component of the
this document, you should advise the hundreds more are at risk of closing. On RHC Program, has not been significantly
contact listed below as soon as possible. a per capita basis, there are far fewer reviewed or revised since its inception
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, doctors in rural areas than in urban in 1997.
identified by WC Docket No. 17–310, by areas. In sum, ‘‘rural hospitals are facing
any of the following methods: one of the great slow-moving crises in II. Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// American health care.’’ A. Addressing RHC Program Funding
www.regulations.gov. Follow the 3. By improving rural healthcare Levels
instructions for submitting comments. provider access to modern
• Federal Communications communications services, the RHC 1. Revisiting the RHC Program Funding
Commission’s website: http:// Program can help in overcoming some Cap
apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/. Follow the of the obstacles to healthcare delivery 6. The current cap on the RHC
instructions for submitting comments. faced in isolated communities. Through Program has remained at $400 million
• People with Disabilities: Contact the broadband-enabled technology, a rural since its inception in 1997. RHC
FCC to request reasonable clinic can transmit an x-ray in a matter Program demand, however, exceeded
jstallworth on DSKBBY8HB2PROD with PROPOSALS

accommodations (accessible format of seconds to a radiologist located the cap in FY 2016 and is expected to
documents, sign language interpreters, thousands of miles away. Via video- exceed the cap in FY 2017 and in future
CART, etc.) by email: FCC504@fcc.gov conferencing, a woman with a high-risk years. The proration that comes with
or phone: (202) 418–0530 or TTY: (202) pregnancy has access to the type of pre- capped funding may be especially hard
418–0432. natal care that enables her baby to be on small, rural healthcare providers
For detailed instructions for delivered much closer to term. This in with limited budgets, and so the
submitting comments and additional turn leads to fewer days in the Neonatal Commission examines whether a cap of
information on the rulemaking process, Intensive Care Unit for the baby and $400 million is an appropriate level of

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Document Created: 2018-10-26 09:27:46
Document Modified: 2018-10-26 09:27:46

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Proposed Rules
Action		Advance notice of proposed rulemaking; request for comment.
Dates		Comments must be received in writing by February 2, 2018.
Contact		Jim Smalls; Assistant Director, Ecosystem Management Coordination; 202-205-1475. Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday.
FR Citation		83 FR 302
RIN Number		0596-AD31

83 FR 302 - National Environmental Policy Act Compliance

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUREForest Service

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 2 (January 3, 2018)

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service