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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 154 / Friday, August 13, 2021 / Notices
entities. Primary wood-using mills are facilities that use roundwood to manufacture a primary product, such as lumber, wood pulp, veneer, etc. Forest Service personnel evaluate the information collected and use it to monitor volume of roundwood harvested throughout the Nation by primary product type, tree species, and origin. The information gathered is not available from other sources and provides baseline data for resource analyses, which are a key component in the formulation of forestry programs, industrial expansion decisions, and forest policy. Primary wood industry questionnaires are delivered to mills via regular mail or through email.
Responses are collected through email, regular mail, phone interviews, or personal mill visits.
Logging Operations Questionnaire:
This questionnaire is used by the Forest Service to collect and evaluate information from logging operations to help characterize the logging industry and its response to outside influences.
The information is used to measure the health of the logging industry as well as to provide background information for decision-making. The logging operations questionnaire is administered in person by field personnel during tree utilization data collection at sampled logging sites.
For this extension, we are proposing to revise the questionnaire for the primary wood industry survey to simplify the format and eliminate questions that are no longer needed. At the same time, we propose to test a few survey mechanisms that could help improve survey response and lower respondents burden by piloting various survey structures including different questionnaire lengths e.g., a threequestion post-card or a short version of the traditional survey. We also propose using a cognitive survey to assess respondents understanding of the survey questions and to identify areas of potential clarification. These proposed tests are in direct response to comments from data users, state partners, and other stakeholders indicating the need to adopt new approaches to motivate higher response rates. The logging operations survey will remain unchanged from the currently approved version.
In summary, this information collection will generate scientifically based, statistically reliable, up-to-date information about utilization of timber resources of the United States. Our testing efforts will allow us to improve the quality of data obtained. The results of these efforts contribute to the availability of reliable information on
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timber resource use, facilitating more complete and accurate assessments of forest resources at state, regional, and national levels.
Affected Public: Individuals and the Private Sector Businesses. In particular, mill owners and representatives, procurement foresters and loggers.
Estimate of Burden per Response:
Accounting for the proposed tests, the primary wood industry questionnaires estimated burdens are 41 minutes for the traditional format, to be delivered to a sample of 2,500 mills; 25 minutes for the short-form test version going to a sample of 98 mills; five minutes for the three-question post-card test to be sent to a sample of 2,500 mills; five minutes to a sample of 500 mills which will be screened for the cognitive interview;
and 60 minutes for the cognitive interviews to be conducted for 20 mills identified during the screening process.
Estimated time burden for the logging operations questionnaire is 11 minutes to be distributed to a sample of 150
logging operations.
Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 5,768.
Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 2,060 hours.
Comment is invited on: 1 Whether this collection of information is necessary for the stated purposes and proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the information will have practical or scientific utility; 2 the accuracy of the Agencys estimate of the burden of the information collection, including 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 information collection 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 L. Friend, Deputy Chief, Research and Development.
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service Request for Applications: The Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program Forest Service, Agriculture USDA.
ACTION: Request for applications.
AGENCY:

SUMMARY: The Forest Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture USDA, State and Private Forestry, and Cooperative Forestry staff requests applications for the Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program Community Forest Program or CFP.
This is a competitive grant program whereby local governments, qualified nonprofit organizations, and Indian tribes are eligible to apply for grants to establish community forests through fee simple acquisition of private forest land from a willing seller. The purpose of the program is to establish community forests by protecting forest land from conversion to non-forest uses and provide community benefits such as sustainable forest management;
environmental benefits including clean air, water, and wildlife habitat; benefits from forest-based educational programs;
benefits from serving as models of effective forest stewardship; and recreational benefits secured with public access.
DATES: Interested local government and nonprofit applicants must submit applications to the State Forester. Tribal applicants must submit applications to the appropriate Tribal government officials. All applications, either hardcopy or electronic, must be received by State Foresters or Tribal governments by January 10th, 2022.
State Foresters or Tribal government officials must forward applications to the appropriate Forest Service Regional office or International Institute of Tropical Forestry by February 7th, 2022.
ADDRESSES: All local government and qualified nonprofit organization applications must be submitted to the State Forester of the State where the property is located. All Tribal applications must be submitted to the equivalent Tribal government official.
Applicants are encouraged to contact and work with the Forest Service Region or International Institute of Tropical Forestry, and State Forester or equivalent Tribal government official when developing their proposal.
Applicants must consult with the State Forester and equivalent Tribal government official prior to requesting technical assistance for a project. The
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