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[Federal Register: May 6, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 87)]
[Notices]               
[Page 30353-30354]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06my02-20]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

 
Forest Counties Payments Committee

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of meeting and extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Forest Counties Payments Committee will meet in Rapid 
City, South Dakota, on April 20, 2002. The purpose of the meeting is to 
receive comments from both elected officials and the general public on 
the recommendations the Committee must make to Congress as specified in 
Section 320 of the Fiscal Year 2001 Interior and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Act. The meeting will consist of a public input session 
from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. This notice also provides an extension of the 
comment period associated with the Forest Counties Payments Committee 
meeting held in Reno, Nevada, on April 20, 2002 (67 FR 5087, February 
4, 2002).

DATES: The Rapid City, South Dakota, meeting will be held on May 17, 
2002. Persons who attended or spoke at the Reno, Nevada, meeting, who 
will attend the Rapid City, South Dakota, meeting, or who are otherwise 
interested in providing comments to the Committee on payments to 
counties in South Dakota and Nevada have until June 30 to submit their 
written comments. Comments received after that date will be considered 
to the extent possible.

ADDRESSES: The May 17 meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn Rushmore 
Plaza, 505 North Fifth Street, Rapid City, South Dakota. Those who 
cannot be present may submit written responses to the questions listed 
in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION in this notice to Randle G. Phillips, 
Executive Director, Forest Counties Payments Committee, P.O. Box 34718, 
Washington, D.C. 20043-4713, or electronically at the Committee's 
website at <A HREF="http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://countypayments.gov/comments.html">http://countypayments.gov/comments.html</A>.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Randle G. Phillips, Executive 
Director, Forest Counties Payments Committee, (202) 208-6574 or via e-
mail at <A HREF="mailto:rphillips01@fs.fed.us">rphillips01@fs.fed.us</A>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 320 of the 2001 Interior and Related 
Agencies Appropriations Act (Pub. L. 106-291) created the Forest 
Counties Payments Committee to make recommendations to Congress on a 
long-term solution for making Federal payments to eligible States and 
counties in which Federal lands are situated. To formulate its 
recommendations to Congress, the Committee will consider the impact on 
eligible States and counties of revenues from the historic multiple use 
of Federal lands; evaluate the economic, environmental, and social 
benefits which accrue to counties containing Federal lands; evaluate 
the expenditures by counties on activities occurring on Federal lands 
which are Federal responsibilities; and monitor payments and 
implementation of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-
Determination Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-393).
    At the May 17 meeting in Rapid City, South Dakota, the Committee 
asks that elected officials and others who wish to comment provide 
information in response to the following questions:
    1. Do counties receive their fair share of federal revenue-sharing 
payments made to eligible States?
    2. What difficulties exist in complying with, and managing all of 
the federal revenue-sharing payments programs? Are some more difficult 
than others?
    3. What economic, social, and environmental costs do counties incur 
as a result of the presence of public lands within their boundaries?
    4. What economic, social, and environmental benefits do counties 
realize as a result of public lands within their boundaries?
    5. What are the economic and social effects from changes in 
revenues generated from public lands over the past 15 years, as a 
result of changes in management on public lands in your State or 
county?
    6. What actions has your State or county taken to mitigate any 
impacts associated with declining economic conditions, or revenue-
sharing payments?
    7. What effects, both positive and negative, have taken place with 
education and highway programs that are attributable to the management 
of public lands within your State or county?
    8. What relationship, if any, should exist between federal revenue-
sharing programs, and management activities on public lands?
    9. What alternatives exist to provide equitable revenue-sharing to 
States and counties and to promote ``sustainable forestry?'
    10. What has been your experience regarding implementation of 
Public Law 106-393, The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-
Determination Act?
    11. What changes in law, policies and procedures, and the 
management of public land have contributed to changes in revenue 
derived from the multiple-use management of these lands?
    12. What changes in law, policies and procedures, and the 
management of public land are needed in order to restore the revenues 
derived from the multiple-use management of these lands?
    Persons interested in the payments to Nevada counties also are 
requested to

[[Page 30354]]

address these same questions and also have until June 30 to submit 
their views in writing to the Committee.

    Dated: April 29, 2002.
Elizabeth Estill,
Deputy Chief for Programs and Legislation.
[FR Doc. 02-11111 Filed 5-3-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P

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