Sale and Disposal of National Forest System Timber; Timber Sale Contracts; Indices To Determine Market-Related Contract Term Additions

This interim final rule amends the current regulation by requiring the use of three alternative Producer Price Indices (PPI) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics in lieu of the four PPI that the Forest Service has monitored for use in timber sale contract market- related contract term additions. After December 2003, the Bureau of Labor Statistics discontinued providing three of the four PPI that the Forest Service has monitored and changed the reference number for the fourth PPI. The Forest Service is issuing an interim final rule implementing the use of the three alternative PPI, prior to publishing a final rule. By using the three alternative PPI, the Forest Service will be able to continue providing market-related contract term additions during drastic reductions in wood products market prices.