Special Areas; Roadless Area Conservation; National Forest System Lands in Alaska
forest-service · Forest Service · Rule · Published 2020-10-29 · Effective 2020-10-29 · 85 FR 68688
Document
Document number
2020-23984
Federal Register citation
85 FR 68688
CFR reference
36 CFR 294
Type
Rule
Action
Final rule and record of decision.
Category
forest-service
Sub-agency
Forest Service
Publication date
2020-10-29
Effective date
2020-10-29
Abstract
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA or Department), is adopting a final rule to exempt the Tongass National Forest from the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule (2001 Roadless Rule), which prohibits timber harvest and road construction/reconstruction with limited exceptions within designated inventoried roadless areas. In addition, the rule directs an administrative change to the timber suitability of lands deemed unsuitable, solely due to the application of the 2001 Roadless Rule, in the 2016 Tongass National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (Tongass Forest Plan or Forest Plan), Appendix A. The rule does not authorize any ground-disturbing activities, nor does it increase the overall amount of timber harvested from the Tongass National Forest.