National Forest System Land and Resource Management Planning; Removal of 2000 Planning Rule

The Department of Agriculture is issuing a final rule to remove the November 9, 2000, National Forest System Land and Resource Management Planning regulations at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, part 219, subpart A, in their entirety. Subsequent to the publication of the 2000 planning rule, several amendments were published to revise certain sections of the rule and to provide for transition to the 2000 rule. This action to remove the 2000 rule is being taken before the adoption of the new 2004 planning rule to clarify and avoid any confusion about which planning regulations the Department intends to be used to implement the National Forest Management Act of 1976. Elsewhere in this part of today's Federal Register, the Department is simultaneously publishing another final rule to add the new (2004) planning regulations at 36 CFR part 219, subpart A.