Proposed Directive on Groundwater Resource Management, Forest Service Manual 2560

On May 7, 2014, the Forest Service published an action proposing to amend its internal agency directives for the National Forest System (NFS), Watershed and Air Management to establish direction for management of groundwater resources on NFS lands (79 FR 25815). The proposed amendment was intended to provide internal agency direction on the consideration of groundwater resources in Agency activities, approvals, and authorizations; encourage source water protection and water conservation; establish systematic procedures for reviewing new proposals for groundwater withdrawals on NFS lands; and require the evaluation of potential impacts from groundwater withdrawals on public resources on NFS lands. That notice invited public comment on the proposal.