Document

Information Collection; Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the renewal of a currently ap...

PDF version Source Record

Department of Agriculture

Forest Service

AGENCY:

Forest Service, Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION:

Notice; request for comment.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the renewal of a currently approved information ( printed page 27278) collection, 0596-0227 Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program.

DATES:

Comments must be received in writing on or before August 25, 2025 to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date will be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES:

Comments concerning this notice should be addressed to Alice Ewen, Assistant Director, Cooperative Forestry, Mail Stop 1123, Forest Service, USDA, P.O. Box 96090, Washington, DC 20090-6090.

Comments also may be submitted by email to: sm.fs.cfp@usda.gov. Comments submitted in response to this notice may be made available to the public through relevant websites and upon request. For this reason, please do not include in your comments information of a confidential nature, such as sensitive personal information or proprietary information. If you send an email comment, your email address will be automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket and made available on the internet. Please note that responses to this public comment request containing any routine notice about the confidentiality of the communication will be treated as public comments that may be made available to the public notwithstanding the inclusion of the routine notice.

The public may request an electronic copy of the draft supporting statement and/or any comments received be sent via return email. Requests should be emailed to sm.fs.cfp@usda.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Margaret Haines, State, Private and Tribal Forestry, Cooperative Forestry Staff, (202) 384-7192. Individuals who use telecommunications devices for the hearing impaired may call 711 to reach the Telecommunications Relay Service, 24 hours a day, every day of the year, including holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program.

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Number: 0596-0227.

Expiration Date of Approval: January 31, 2026.

Type of Request: Renewal of a currently approved information collection with no revisions.

Abstract: The Forest Service is authorized to implement the Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program under Section 8003 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 110-246; 122 Stat. 2043; 7 U.S.C. 8701), which amends the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2103d). The purpose of the Community Forest Program is to achieve community benefits through grants to local governments, Tribal Governments, and qualified nonprofit organizations to establish community forests by acquiring and protecting private forestlands.

The information requirements will be used to help the Forest Service in the following areas: (1) To determine that the applicant is eligible to receive funds under the program, (2) to determine if the proposal meets the qualifications in the law and regulations, (3) to evaluate and rank the proposals based on a standard, consistent information; and (4) to determine if the projects costs are allowable and sufficient cost share is provided.

Local governmental entities, Tribal Governments, and qualified nonprofit organizations are the only entities eligible for the program, and therefore are the only organizations from which information will be collected.

The information collection currently required for a request for proposals and grant application is approved and has been assigned the OMB Control No. 0596-0227.

Affected Public: Non-Profit Organizations, and/or State, Local or Tribal Government.

Estimate of Burden per Response: 24 hours.

Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 50.

Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,200 hours.

Comment is Invited:

Comment is invited on: (1) whether this collection of information is necessary for the stated purposes and the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the information will have practical or scientific utility; (2) the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden of the collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

All comments received in response to this notice, including names and addresses when provided, will be a matter of public record. Comments will be summarized and included in the submission request for Office of Management and Budget approval.

John W. Crockett,

Deputy Chief, State, Private and Tribal Forestry.

[FR Doc. 2025-11759 Filed 6-25-25; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE P

Legal Citation

Federal Register Citation

Use this for formal legal and research references to the published document.

90 FR 27277

Web Citation

Suggested Web Citation

Use this when citing the archival web version of the document.

“Information Collection; Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program,” thefederalregister.org (June 26, 2025), https://thefederalregister.org/documents/2025-11759/information-collection-community-forest-and-open-space-conservation-program.