Sale and Disposal of National Forest System Timber; Extension of Timber Sale Contracts To Facilitate Urgent Timber Removal From Other Lands

The Forest Service is proceeding with an interim rule to provide authority for Regional Foresters to authorize Contracting Officers to extend the contract performance time on certain National Forest System timber sale contracts to facilitate the harvest of damaged timber from private or other non-National Forest System lands. These contract extensions will allow the expeditious removal of timber in other ownerships damaged by catastrophic events beyond the landowner's control. Catastrophic events include, but are not limited to, severe wildfire, flood, insect and disease infestations, drought, and windthrow. This interim rule also provides for adjustment of future periodic payment determination dates as an element of these contract extensions. The purposes of this interim rule are to save volume and value of damaged non-National Forest System timber, to improve protection of National Forest System lands from fire and disease that could otherwise develop on these damaged lands, to reduce the threat to public safety and property due to fire and hazardous dead trees, and to promote the wise use and conservation of the Nation's natural resources. An urgent removal extension will not be approved for any National Forest System timber sale contracts that contain dead or dying timber subject to rapid deterioration.