[Federal Register: September 11, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 176)]
[Notices]
[Page 57568-57569]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr11se02-26]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Forest Counties Payments Committee
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of meeting.
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SUMMARY: The Forest Counties Payments Committee will meet in
Rhinelander, WI, on September 27, 2002. The purpose of the meeting is
to receive comments from elected officials and the
[[Page 57569]]
general public to help develop 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.
DATES: The Rhinelander, WI, meeting will be held on September 27, 2002.
Persons who are interested in providing comments to the committee have
until September 30, 2002, to submit their written comments. Comments
received after this date will be considered to the extent possible.
ADDRESSES: The September 27 meeting will be held in the Learning
Resources Center Theater at the Nicolet Area Technical College, located
on County Highway G, south of Rhinelander, WI. 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, DC 20043-4713, or electronically on the committee's Web
Site at http://countypayments.gov/comments.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Randle G. Phillips, Executive
Director, Forest Counties Payments Committee, (202) 208-6574 or via e-
mail at rphillips01@fs.fed.us.
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).
Questions for Comment
The Forest Counties Payments Committee asks that elected officials
and others who wish to comment, either by mail or in person at the
Rhinelander, WI, meeting, 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?
Dated: August 22, 2002.
Elizabeth Estill,
Deputy Chief, Programs and Legislation.
[FR Doc. 02-23031 Filed 9-10-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P
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