Information Collection; Generic Clearance for Non-Timber Forest Products
| Published date | 08 July 2020 |
| Citation | 85 FR 40962 |
| Record Number | 2020-14703 |
| Section | Notices |
| Court | Agriculture Department,Forest Service |
Federal Register, Volume 85 Issue 131 (Wednesday, July 8, 2020)
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 131 (Wednesday, July 8, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 40962]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-14703]
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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
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 131 / Wednesday, July 8, 2020 /
Notices
[[Page 40962]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Information Collection; Generic Clearance for Non-Timber Forest
Products
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice; request for comment.
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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 our information collection, Non-Timber
Forest Products.
DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before September 8,
2020 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 Kenli
Kim, National Program Leader for Social Science, Forest Service
Research and Development, at [email protected]. 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 inspect the draft supporting statement and/or
comments received at USDA Forest Service, Washington Office--Yates
Building during normal business hours. Please email ahead of time to
facilitate entry to the building.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenli Kim, National Program Leader, by
email at [email protected].
Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD)
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339
twenty-four hours a day, every day of the year, including holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Non-Timber Forest Products.
OMB Number: 0596-0243.
Type of Request: Renewal.
Abstract: Non-timber forest products are plants, mushrooms, and
plant-or tree derived goods like nuts, boughs, sap, and leaves that are
harvested for food, medicine, arts and crafts, religious and cultural
rituals, and other purposes. Some non-timber forest product gathering
is formal, meaning it's planned and systematic, while much of it is
informal, meaning it's unplanned, opportunistic, and/or incidental to
other outdoor recreation activities. For some people, harvested wild
plants and mushrooms make up a substantial or nutritionally important
part of their diet. In other cases, non-timber forest products are
locally or regionally important products for businesses.
Many opportunities exist to manage forests and other natural areas
to enhance the supply of non-timber forest products and increase the
benefits they provide to society and to maintain populations of
important non-timber forest products. Potential public benefits include
improved public health outcomes from outdoor activity and access to
socially, culturally, and economically significant products. Harvesting
and consuming non-timber forest products also may help supplement food
sources for people with limited access to fresh, affordable food.
Many laws and policies direct the USDA Forest Service to consider
and manage for non-timber forest products for the benefit of the
American public. The Forest Service must also meet trust
responsibilities to American Indians and Alaskan Natives on federal and
tribal lands. Managing forests and other natural areas to provide non-
timber forest products in a sustainable way requires more detailed,
science-based information. Gaining new information can help us
understand how uses of non-timber forest products have changed over
time in response to management, socio-cultural circumstances, economic
conditions, and environmental change.
The USDA Forest Service is seeking OMB approval to renew an
existing information collection that enables us to better understand
non-timber forest products by asking questions of people who harvest
non-timber forest products and of people who manage, make policies for,
or have a stake in the management of lands where non-timber forest
products may be harvested.
Affected Public: Individuals and Households, Businesses and Non-
Profit Organizations, and/or State, Local or Tribal Government.
Estimate of Burden per Response: 25 minutes for survey; 60 minutes
for interview; 90 minutes for focus group.
Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 1300.
Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 276 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 Forest Service, including whether the information will
have practical or scientific utility; (2) the accuracy of the Forest
Service'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
toward Office of Management and Budget approval.
Alexander Friend,
Deputy Chief, Research & Development.
[FR Doc. 2020-14703 Filed 7-7-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P
