[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 36, Volume 2]
[Revised as of July 1, 2008]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 36CFR223.118]

[Page 103-106]
 
              TITLE 36--PARKS, FORESTS, AND PUBLIC PROPERTY
 
          CHAPTER II--FOREST SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 
PART 223_SALE AND DISPOSAL OF NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM TIMBER
--Table of Contents
 
                     Subpart B_Timber Sale Contracts
 
Sec. 223.118  Appeal process for small business timber sale set-aside
program share recomputation decisions.

    (a) Decisions subject to appeal. The rules of this section govern 
appeal of recomputation decisions related to structural, special, or 
market changes or the scheduled 5-year recomputations of the small 
business share of National Forest System timber sales. Certain decisions 
related to recomputation of shares, such as structural change and 
carryover volume, may require two decisions, one to determine that a 
recomputation is needed and the other to recompute the shares. Decisions 
made both at the earlier stage as well as the later stage are 
appealable.
    (b) Manner of giving notice--(1) Predecisional notice and comment. 
The Responsible Official shall provide qualifying timber sale 
purchasers, as defined in paragraph (c)(1) of this section, 30 days for 
predecisional review and comment on any draft decision to

[[Page 104]]

reallocate shares, including the data used in making the proposed 
recomputation decision.
    (2) Notice of decision. Upon close of the 30-day predecisional 
review period, the Responsible Official shall consider any comments 
received. Within 15 days of the end of the comment period, the 
Responsible Official shall make a decision on the small business shares 
and shall give prompt written notice to all parties on the national 
forest timber sale bidders list for the affected area. The notice of 
decision must identify the name of the Appeal Deciding Officer, the 
address, the date by which an appeal must be filed, and a source for 
obtaining the appeal procedures information.
    (c) Who may appeal or file written comments as an interested party. 
(1) Only timber sale purchasers, or their representatives, who are 
affected by recomputations of the small business share of timber sales 
as described in paragraph (a) of this section and who have submitted 
predecisional comments pursuant to paragraph (b)(1) of this section, may 
appeal recomputation decisions under this section or may file written 
comments as an interested party.
    (2) Interested parties are defined as the Small Business 
Administration and those timber sale purchasers, or their 
representatives, who are affected by recomputations of the small 
business share of timber sales as described in paragraph (a) of this 
section and who have individually, or through an association to which 
they belong, submitted predecisional comments pursuant to paragraph 
(b)(1) of this section.
    (i) A timber sale purchaser may submit comments on an appeal as an 
interested party if an association to which the purchaser belongs filed 
predecisional comment but later decides not to appeal or not to file 
comments as an interested party.
    (ii) A timber sale purchaser, who is a member of an association that 
appeals a decision, may not file a separate appeal unless that purchaser 
filed separate predecisional comment under paragraph (b)(1).
    (3) Interested parties who submit written comments on an appeal 
filed by another party may not continue an appeal if the appellant 
withdraws the appeal.
    (d) Level of appeal. Only one level of review is available for 
appeal of decisions pertaining to recomputations under the Small 
Business Timber Sale Set-aside Program. The Appeal Deciding Officer is 
the official one level above the level of the Responsible Official who 
made the recomputation of shares decision. The Responsible Official is 
normally the Forest Supervisor; thus, the Appeal Deciding Officer is 
normally the Regional Forester. However, when the Regional Forester 
makes recomputation decisions, the Appeal Deciding Officer is the Chief 
or such officer at the National headquarters level as the Chief may 
designate.
    (e) Filing procedures. In order to file an appeal under this 
section, an appellant must file a notice of appeal, as specified in the 
notice of decision, with the Appeal Deciding Officer within 20 days of 
the date on the notice of the decision. This date must be specified in 
the notice of decision given pursuant to paragraph (b)(2) of this 
section. Written comments filed by an interested party in response to an 
appeal must be filed within 15 days after the close of the appeal filing 
period.
    (f) Content of notice of appeal. (1) It is the responsibility of the 
appellant to provide sufficient narrative evidence and argument to show 
why a recomputation decision by the Responsible Official should be 
reversed or changed.
    (2) An appellant must include the following information in a notice 
of appeal:
    (i) The appellant's name, mailing address, and daytime telephone 
number;
    (ii) The title or type of recomputation decision involved, the date 
of the decision, and the name of the Responsible Official;
    (iii) A brief description and date of the decision being appealed:
    (iv) A statement of how the appellant is adversely affected by the 
decision being appealed;
    (v) A statement of the facts in dispute regarding the issue(s) 
raised by the appeal;
    (vi) If relevant, any specific references to any law, regulation, or 
policy that the appellant believes to have

[[Page 105]]

been violated and the basis for such an allegation;
    (vii) A statement as to whether and how the appellant has tried to 
resolve with the Responsible Official the issue(s) being appealed, 
including evidence of submission of written comments at the 
predecisional stage as provided by paragraph (a) of this section, the 
date of any discussion, and the outcome of that meeting or contact; and
    (viii) A statement of the relief the appellant seeks.
    (g) Time periods and timeliness. (1) All time periods applicable to 
this section will begin on the first day following a decision or action 
related to the appeal.
    (2) Time periods applicable to this section are computed using 
calendar days. Saturdays, Sundays, or Federal holidays are included in 
computing the time allowed for filing an appeal; however, when the 
filing period would expire on a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday, 
the filing time is automatically extended to the end of the next Federal 
working day.
    (3) It is the responsibility of those filing an appeal to file the 
notice of appeal by the end of the filing period. In the event of 
questions, legible postmarks on a mailed appeal or the time and date 
imprint on a facsimile appeal will be considered evidence of timely 
filing. Where postmarks or facsimile imprints are illegible, the Appeal 
Deciding Officer shall rule on the timeliness of the notice of appeal.
    (4) The time period for filing a notice of appeal is not extendable.
    (h) Dismissal without decision. The Appeal Deciding Officer shall 
dismiss an appeal and close the record without a decision in any of the 
following circumstances:
    (1) The appellant is not on the timber sale bidders list for the 
area affected by the recomputation decision;
    (2) The appellant's notice of appeal is not filed within the 
required time period;
    (3) The appellant's notice of appeal does not contain responses 
required by paragraphs (f)(2)(i) through (f)(2)(viii) of this section; 
or
    (4) The appellant did not submit written comments on the proposed 
decision of the new recomputed shares as described in paragraph (c) of 
this section.
    (i) Appeal record. The appeal record consists of the written 
decision being appealed, any predecisional comments received, any 
written comments submitted by interested parties, any other supporting 
data used to make the decision, the notice of appeal, and, if prepared, 
a responsive statement by the Responsible Official which addresses the 
issues raised in the notice of appeal. The Responsible Official must 
forward the record to the Appeal Deciding Officer within 7 days of the 
date the notice of appeal is received. A copy of the appeal record must 
be sent to the appellant at the same time.
    (j) Appeal decision--(1) Responsive statement for appeal decision. 
The Appeal Deciding Officer may request the Responsible Official to 
prepare a responsive statement. However, if the information in the files 
clearly demonstrates the rationale for the Responsible Official's 
decision, then a responsive statement addressing the points of the 
appeal is not necessary.
    (2) Appeal issue clarification. For clarification of issues raised 
in the appeal, the Appeal Deciding Officer may request additional 
information from either the Responsible Official, the appellant, or an 
interested party who has submitted comments on the appeal. At the 
discretion of the Appeal Deciding Officer, an appellant or interested 
party may be invited to discuss data relevant to the appeal. Information 
provided to clarify issues or facts in the appeal must be based upon 
information previously documented in the file or appeal. Any information 
provided as a result of the Appeal Deciding Officer's request for more 
information must be made available to all parties, that is, to the 
Responsible Official, the appellant, and interested parties who have 
submitted comments on the appeal. All parties will have 5 days after the 
Appeal Deciding Officer receives the additional information to review 
and comment on the information, and the appeal decision period will be 
extended 5 additional days.
    (3) Issuance of final decision. The Appeal Deciding Officer shall 
review the decision and appeal record and issue a written appeal 
decision to the parties

[[Page 106]]

within 30 days of the close of the appeal period except that this period 
must be extended to 35 days when additional information is requested by 
the Appeal Deciding Officer. The Appeal Officer may affirm or reverse 
the Responsible Official's decision, in whole or in part. There is no 
extension of the time period for rendering an appeal decision.
    (k) Implementation of decisions during pendency of appeal. 
Recomputation of shares arising from a scheduled 5-year recomputation 
are effective on April 1 following the end of the 5-year period being 
considered. If an appeal that may affect the shares for the next 5-year 
period is not resolved by the April 1 date, the share decision announced 
by the Responsible Official must be implemented. If an appeal decision 
results in a change in the shares, the revised total share of the Small 
Business Timber Sale Set-aside Program must be accomplished during the 
remaining portion of the 5-year period.
    (l) Timber sale set-aside policy changes. Timber purchasers shall 
receive an opportunity, in accordance with all applicable laws and 
regulations, to review and comment on significant changes in the Small 
Business Timber Sale Set-aside Program or policy prior to adoption and 
implementation.
    (m) Information collection requirements. The provisions of paragraph 
(f) of this section specify the information that appellants must provide 
when appealing decisions pertaining to recomputation of shares. As such, 
these rules contain information requirements as defined in 5 CFR Part 
1320. These information requirements have been approved by the Office of 
Management and Budget and assigned control number 0596-0141.

[64 FR 411, Jan. 5, 1999]