[Federal Register: December 16, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 241)]

[Proposed Rules]               

[Page 77011-77015]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr16de02-22]                         





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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR





Office of Hearings and Appeals





43 CFR Part 4





Bureau of Land Management





43 CFR Parts 4100 and 5000





RIN 1090-AA83





 

Special Rules Applicable to Public Land Hearings and Appeals; 

Grazing Administration--Exclusive of Alaska, Administrative Remedies; 

Grazing Administration--Effect of Wildfire Management Decisions; 

Administration of Forest Management Decisions





AGENCY: Office of Hearings and Appeals; Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior.





ACTION: Proposed rule.





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SUMMARY: The Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) is proposing to amend 

its existing regulations governing hearings and appeals to simplify 

proof of service, to codify who has a right of appeal, and to expedite 

its review of wildfire management decisions. The Bureau of Land 

Management (BLM) is adding regulations to make its wildfire management 

decisions effective immediately and to expedite review of those 

decisions. The amendments and additions to both OHA and BLM regulations 

are needed to clarify and expedite administrative review procedures.





DATES: You should submit your comments by February 14, 2003. The 

Department of the Interior will not necessarily consider comments 

postmarked or received by messenger after the above date.





ADDRESSES: Mail: Director, Office of Hearings and Appeals, Department 

of the Interior, 801 N. Quincy Street, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22203, 

Attn: RIN 1090-AA83. Personal or messenger delivery: 801 N. Quincy 

Street, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22203. Direct internet response: 

http://www.blm.gov/nhp/news/regulatory/index.html. Internet e-mail: 

WOComment@blm.gov (Include ``Attn: AA83'').





FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Will A. Irwin, Administrative Judge, 

Interior Board of Land Appeals, U.S. Department of the Interior, 801 N. 

Quincy Street, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22203, Phone: 703-235-3750, or 

Michael H. Schwartz, Group Manager, Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Land 

Management, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, NW, Room 

401 LS, Washington, DC 20240, Phone: 202-452-5198. Persons who use a 

telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may contact either 

individual by calling the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 

(800) 877-8339, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.





SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:





I. Public Comment Procedures





II. Background





III. Review Under Procedural Statutes and Executive Orders





I. Public Comment Procedures





A. How Do I Comment on the Proposed Rule?





    If you wish to comment, you may submit your comments by any one of 

several methods.

    [sbull] You may mail comments to Director, Office of Hearings and 

Appeals, Department of the Interior, 801 N. Quincy Street, Suite 300, 

Arlington, VA 22203, Attn: RIN 1090-AA83.

    [sbull] You may deliver comments to 801 N. Quincy Street, Suite 

300, Arlington, VA 22203.

    [sbull] You may comment via the Internet by accessing our automated 

commenting system located at www.blm.gov/nhp/news/regulatory/index.html 

and following the instructions there.

    [sbull] You may also comment via e-mail to WOComment@blm.gov. We 

intend this address for use by those who want to keep their electronic 

comments confidential and for those who are unable, for whatever 

reason, to use the Internet site. Please submit e-mail comments as an 

ASCII file avoiding the use of special characters and any form of 

encryption. Please also include ``Attn: AA83'' and your name and return 

address in your e-mail message.

    If you do not receive a confirmation that we have received your 

electronic message, contact us directly at (202) 452-5030.

    Please make your comments on the proposed rule as specific as 

possible, confine them to issues pertinent to the proposed rule, and 

explain the reason for any changes you recommend. Where possible, your 

comments should reference the specific section or paragraph of the 

proposal that you are addressing.

    The Department of the Interior may not necessarily consider or 

include in the Administrative Record for the final rule comments that 

we receive after the





[[Page 77012]]





close of the comment period (see DATES) or comments delivered to an 

address other than those listed above (see ADDRESSES).





B. May I Review Comments Submitted by Others?





    Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents, will 

be available for public review at the address listed under `` 

ADDRESSES: Personal or messenger delivery'' during regular business 

hours (7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.), Monday through Friday, except holidays.

    Individual respondents may request confidentiality, either in a 

letter or e-mail, which we will honor to the extent allowable by law. 

If you wish to withhold your name or address, except for the city or 

town, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your comment 

letter or e-mail. We will make all submissions from organizations or 

businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as 

representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, available 

for public inspection in their entirety.





II. Background





    The changes included in this proposal are important because BLM 

must provide a way to implement fire management decisions on both 

rangelands and forest lands with a minimum of delay. On August 22, 

2002, President Bush released the Administration's Healthy Forests 

Initiative. The Initiative responds to the current threat of 

catastrophic wildfires posed by unnaturally dense and unhealthy forests 

and rangelands. One component of the Initiative directs Agriculture 

Secretary Ann Veneman, Interior Secretary Gale Norton, and Council on 

Environmental Quality Chairman James Connaughton to improve regulatory 

processes to ensure more timely decisions, greater efficiency, and 

better results in reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfires by 

restoring forest and rangeland health. The regulations proposed today 

are part of the Initiative.

    The experience of recent fire seasons strongly suggests that the 

faster BLM is able to take action to reduce future threats of wildland 

fires, the more likely BLM can safeguard public and firefighter health 

and safety, protect property, and improve environmental baseline 

conditions in the wildland-urban interface and other priority areas. 

This recent experience shows that wildfire management decisions are by 

their nature urgent, both to speed recovery from past fires and thereby 

prevent erosion, water pollution, and other harmful legacies that they 

have caused, and to prevent or reduce catastrophic wildfires in 

upcoming dry seasons. Therefore, this rule proposes to make these 

decisions effective immediately.





A. Standing to Appeal





    OHA proposes to codify its decisions on who has a right to appeal a 

decision. The regulation at 43 CFR 4.410 provides that ``[a]ny party to 

a case who is adversely affected by a decision of the Bureau of Land 

Management or of an administrative law judge shall have a right of 

appeal to the Board.'' Both ``party to a case'' and ``adversely 

affected'' have been discussed in several Board decisions, e.g., San 

Juan Coal Co., 155 IBLA 389, 393 (2001); Legal and Safety Employer 

Research, Inc., 154 IBLA 167, 171-72 (2001); and Powder River Basin 

Resource Council, 124 IBLA 83, 89 (1992). Those decisions define a 

``party to a case'' as one who has taken the action that is the subject 

of the BLM decision on appeal, is the object of that decision, or has 

participated in the process leading to the decision, e.g., by filing 

comments on an environmental analysis or filing a protest of the 

proposed decision. They define ``adversely affected'' as requiring a 

legally cognizable interest that would be harmed by the BLM decision. 

OHA proposes to add provisions to section 4.410 to reflect these 

decisions. A ``legally cognizable interest'' is a commonly used term in 

IBLA decisions. Whether one has such an interest depends on the facts 

of the particular case. In general, a property or economic interest in 

the land involved in BLM's decision would suffice, as would use of the 

land for earning a livelihood or for recreation. On the other hand, 

one's general concern about the subject matter of the decision or the 

interest of a person who uses the land in trespass, without claim or 

color of right, would not afford a right of appeal. The rule also 

proposes to provide, consistent with IBLA precedent, that a party may 

only raise issues on appeal that it raised with the agency whose 

decision it is appealing. See, for example, Henry A. Alker, 62 IBLA 

211, 212 (1982); Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, 128 IBLA 52, 59 

(1993).





B. Effectiveness of BLM Wildfire Management Decisions





    BLM is proposing to add section 4190.1 and amend section 5003.1. 

The former addition provides that fire management decisions affecting 

rangelands will become effective immediately. Current regulations are 

silent. The latter change provides that fire management decisions 

affecting forest management will become effective immediately. In both 

sections, we have included language stating that IBLA will promptly 

issue a decision on the merits of any appeal, since the BLM decision 

will not be subject to the automatic stay of 43 CFR 4.21(a). 

(Alternatively, because BLM wildfire management decisions would be in 

full force and effect, they would be final agency actions subject to 

immediate judicial review. 5 U.S.C. 704 (2000); Darby v. Cisneros, 113 

S.Ct. 2539, 2547-48 (1993).) These changes would apply only to fire 

management decisions, not to other decisions relating to grazing or 

timber sales.

    The proposed rule identifies the following as items that wildfire 

decisions are likely to include:

    (1) fuel reduction or fuel treatment such as prescribed burns and 

mechanical, chemical, and biological thinning methods; and

    (2) projects to stabilize and rehabilitate lands affected by 

wildfire.

    We specifically request comment as to whether the list is 

appropriate, requires modification, or should be expanded.

    These proposed regulations refer to a requirement that IBLA will 

issue a decision on the merits of an appeal of a wildfire management 

decision within the time limits specified in 43 CFR 4.416. That new 

regulation would require a decision within 60 days after all pleadings 

have been filed by the parties.





C. Proof of Service





    In the Department's experience, the existing regulations requiring 

proof of service of documents filed with ALJs and IBLA are unnecessary. 

For appeals to IBLA, 43 CFR 4.413(a) requires that service of a notice 

of appeal and of written arguments must be made on adverse parties and 

the appropriate office of the Office of the Solicitor ``in the manner 

prescribed in Sec.  4.401(c),'' that is, by delivering the copy 

personally or by sending the document by registered or certified mail, 

return receipt requested. 43 CFR 4.401(c)(1). Similar provisions apply 

to proceedings before ALJs, e.g., 43 CFR 4.422(c)(1).

    The regulations at 43 CFR 4.401(c)(2) and 4.422(c)(2) require that 

service be proved by a written statement of the person who made service 

(for personal delivery) or by a Postal Service return receipt (for 

service by mail). These regulations were adopted in 1971. In the 

meantime, many courts have adopted rules that provide that a 

``certificate of service'' or ``affidavit of service'' may be 

substituted for proof of service of documents that must be served. For





[[Page 77013]]





example, Rule 5.3 of the U.S. District Court for the District of 

Columbia provides: ``Proof of service * * * shall show the date and 

manner of service, and may be by certificate of an attorney of record 

or other proof satisfactory to the Court.'' There is no need to be more 

formal or burdensome in administrative proceedings. We therefore 

propose to amend sections 4.401(c)(2), 4.422(c)(2), and 4.450-5 to 

provide that a certificate of service is adequate proof of service.





III. Review Under Procedural Statutes and Executive Orders





    A. Regulatory Planning and Review (Executive Order 12866). Under 

the criteria in Executive Order 12866, this document is not a 

significant rule. The Office of Management and Budget has not reviewed 

this rule under Executive Order 12866.

    1. This rule will not have an annual economic effect of $100 

million or more or adversely affect in a material way an economic 

sector, productivity, competition, jobs, the environment, public health 

or safety, or other units of government or communities. A cost-benefit 

and economic analysis is not required. These amended regulations will 

have virtually no effect on the economy because they merely simplify 

proof of service, codify who has a right of appeal, make BLM wildfire 

management decisions effective immediately, and expedite review of 

those decisions.

    2. This rule will not create inconsistencies with or interfere with 

other agencies' actions. This rule amends existing regulations of the 

Office of Hearings and Appeals and the Bureau of Land Management so 

that they will continue to be consistent with each other.

    3. This rule will not alter the budgetary effects of entitlements, 

grants, user fees, loan programs, or the rights and obligations of 

their recipients. These proposed regulations have to do only with the 

procedures for hearings and appeals of BLM land management decisions, 

not with entitlements, grants, user fees, loan programs, or the rights 

and obligations of their recipients. These proposed regulations merely 

simplify proof of service, codify who has a right of appeal, make BLM 

wildfire management decisions effective immediately, and expedite 

review of those decisions.

    4. This rule does not raise novel legal or policy issues. These 

proposed regulations merely simplify proof of service, codify who has a 

right of appeal, make BLM wildfire management decisions effective 

immediately, and expedite review of those decisions.

    B. Regulatory Flexibility Act. The Department of the Interior 

certifies that this rule will not have a significant economic effect on 

a substantial number of small entities as defined under the Regulatory 

Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.). Simplifying proof of service, 

codifying who has a right of appeal, making BLM wildfire management 

decisions effective immediately, and expediting review of those 

decisions will have no appreciable effect on small entities. A Small 

Entity Compliance Guide is not required.

    C. Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act. This rule is 

not a major rule under 5 U.S.C. 804(2), the Small Business Regulatory 

Enforcement Fairness Act.

    1. This rule would not have an annual effect on the economy of $100 

million or more. Simplifying proof of service, codifying who has a 

right of appeal, making BLM wildfire management decisions effective 

immediately, and expediting review of those decisions should have no 

effect on the economy.

    2. This rule will not cause a major increase in costs or prices for 

consumers, individual industries, Federal, State, local government 

agencies, or geographic regions. Simplifying proof of service, 

codifying who has a right of appeal, making BLM wildfire management 

decisions effective immediately, and expediting review of those 

decisions will not affect costs or prices for citizens, individual 

industries, government agencies, or geographic regions.

    3. This rule would not have significant adverse effects on 

competition, employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or the 

ability of U.S.-based enterprises to compete with foreign-based 

enterprises. Simplifying proof of service, codifying who has a right of 

appeal, making BLM wildfire management decisions effective immediately, 

and expediting review of those decisions will have no effects, adverse 

or beneficial, on competition, employment, investment, productivity, 

innovation, or the ability of U.S.-based enterprises to compete with 

foreign-based enterprises.

    D. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. In accordance with the Unfunded 

Mandates Reform Act (2 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.):

    1. This rule would not have a significant or unique effect on 

State, local, or tribal governments or the private sector. Small 

government entities rarely appeal BLM wildfire management decisions. 

Simplifying proof of service, codifying who has a right of appeal, 

making BLM wildfire management decisions effective immediately, and 

expediting review of those decisions will neither uniquely nor 

significantly affect these governments. A statement containing the 

information required by the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, 2 U.S.C. 1531 

et seq. is not required.

    2. This rule would not produce an unfunded Federal mandate of $100 

million or more on State, local, or tribal governments or the private 

sector in any year, i.e., it is not a ``significant regulatory action'' 

under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.

    E. Takings (Executive Order 12630). In accordance with Executive 

Order 12630, the rule would not have significant takings implications. 

A takings implication assessment is not required. These amendments to 

existing regulations that will simplify proof of service, codify who 

has a right of appeal, make BLM wildfire management decisions effective 

immediately, and expedite review of those decisions will have no effect 

on property rights.

    F. Federalism (Executive Order 13132). In accordance with Executive 

Order 13132, these proposed regulations do not have sufficient 

federalism implications to warrant the preparation of a Federalism 

Assessment. There is no foreseeable effect on states from simplifying 

proof of service, codifying who has a right of appeal, making BLM 

wildfire management decisions effective immediately, and expediting 

review of those decisions. A Federalism Assessment is not required.

    G. Civil Justice Reform (Executive Order 12988). In accordance with 

Executive Order 12988, the Office of the Solicitor has determined that 

this rule would not unduly burden the judicial system and meets the 

requirements of sections 3(a) and 3(b)(2) of the Order. This rule, 

because it merely simplifies proof of service, codifies who has a right 

of appeal, makes BLM wildfire management decisions effective 

immediately, and expedites review of those decisions will not burden 

either administrative or judicial tribunals.

    H. Paperwork Reduction Act. These regulations do not require an 

information collection from 10 or more parties, and a submission under 

the Paperwork Reduction Act is not required. An OMB form 83-I has not 

been prepared and has not been approved by the Office of Policy 

Analysis. These proposed regulations simplify proof of service, codify 

who has a right of appeal, make BLM wildfire management decisions 

effective immediately, and expedite review of those decisions. They do 

not require the public to provide information.





[[Page 77014]]





    I. National Environmental Policy Act. The Department has analyzed 

this rule in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 

1969 (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., Council on Environmental Quality 

(CEQ) regulations, 40 CFR Part 1500, and the Department Manual (DM). 

CEQ regulations, at 40 CFR 1508.4, define a ``categorical exclusion'' 

as a category of actions that the Department has determined ordinarily 

do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the 

human environment. The regulations further direct each department to 

adopt NEPA procedures, including categorical exclusions. 40 CFR 1507.3. 

The Department has determined that the proposed rule is categorically 

excluded from further environmental analysis under NEPA in accordance 

with 516 DM 2, Appendix 1, which categorically excludes: ``[p]olicies, 

directives, regulations and guidelines of an administrative, financial, 

legal, technical or procedural nature.'' In addition, the Department 

has determined that none of the exceptions to categorical exclusions, 

listed in 516 DM 2, Appendix 2, applies to the proposed rule. The 

proposed rule is an administrative and procedural rule, relating to the 

timing of the effectiveness of BLM wildfire management decisions and 

the Department's administrative appeals process. The rule would not 

change the requirement that projects must comply with NEPA. Therefore, 

an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement under 

NEPA is not required.

    J. Executive Order 13175, Consultation and Coordination with Indian 

Tribal Governments. As required by Executive Order 13175 and 512 DM 2, 

the Department of the Interior has evaluated potential effects of the 

proposed rule on Federally recognized Indian tribes and has determined 

that there are no potential effects. The proposed rule would not affect 

Indian trust resources; it simplifies proof of service, codifies who 

has a right of appeal, makes BLM wildfire management decisions 

effective immediately, and expedites review of those decisions.

    K. Effects on the Nation's Energy Supply (Executive Order 13211). 

In accordance with Executive Order 13211, this proposed rule would not 

have a significant effect on the nation's energy supply, distribution, 

or use. Simplifying proof of service, codifying who has a right of 

appeal, making BLM wildfire management decisions effective immediately, 

and expediting review of those decisions will not affect energy supply 

or consumption.

    L. Clarity of this Regulation. Executive Order 12866 requires each 

agency to write regulations that are easy to understand, including 

answers to the following: (1) Are the requirements in the rule clearly 

stated? (2) Does the rule contain technical language or jargon that 

interferes with its clarity? (3) Does the format of the rule (grouping 

and order of sections, use of headings, paragraphing, etc.) aid or 

reduce its clarity? (4) Would the rule be easier to understand if it 

were divided into more (but shorter) sections? (A ``section'' appears 

in bold type and is preceded by the symbol ``Sec.  '' and a renumbered 

heading; for example, Sec.  4.21 General provisions.) (5) Is the 

description of the rule in the Supplementary Information section of the 

preamble helpful in understanding the proposed rule? (6) What else 

could we do to make the rule easier to understand? Please send a copy 

of any comments that concern how we could make this rule easier to 

understand to: Office of Regulatory Affairs, Department of the 

Interior, Room 7229, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240. You may 

also e-mail the comments to this address: Exsec@ios.doi.gov.

    M. Author. The principal author of this proposed rule is Will A. 

Irwin, Administrative Judge, Interior Board of Land Appeals, assisted 

by Michael Hickey and Amy Sosin, Office of the Solicitor, and Michael 

H. Schwartz, Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior.





List of Subjects





43 CFR Part 4





    Administrative practice and procedure, Grazing lands, Public lands.





43 CFR Part 4100





    Administrative practice and procedure, Grazing lands, Livestock, 

Penalties, Range management, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.





43 CFR Part 5000





    Administrative practice and procedure, Forests and forest products, 

Public lands.





    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, part 4, subpart E, and 

subpart 5003 of Title 43 of the Code of Federal Regulations are 

proposed to be amended, and subpart 4190 of Title 43 of the Code of 

Federal Regulations is proposed to be added, as set forth below:





    Dated: December 10, 2002.

Robert S. More,

Director, Office of Hearings and Appeals.

    Dated: December 10, 2002.

Rebecca W. Watson,

Assistant Secretary of the Interior.





43 CFR Subtitle A--Office of the Secretary of the Interior





PART 4--[AMENDED]





Subpart E--Special Rules Applicable to Public Land Hearings and 

Appeals





    1. The authority for 43 CFR Part 4, Subpart E, continues to read:





    Authority: Sections 4.470 to 4.478 also issued under authority 

of sec. 2, 48 Stat. 1270; 43 U.S.C. 315a.





    2. In Sec.  4.401, revise paragraph (c)(2) to read as follows:









Sec.  4.401  Documents.





* * * * *

    (c) * * *

    (2) A party or its representative must sign a written statement at 

the conclusion of any document that a party must serve under the 

regulations in this part certifying that service has been or will be 

made in accordance with the applicable rules and specifying the date 

and manner of such service.

* * * * *

    3. In Sec.  4.410, redesignate paragraph (b) as (e) and add 

paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) to read as follows:









Sec.  4.410  Who may appeal.





* * * * *

    (b) A party to a case, as set forth in paragraph (a) of this 

section, is one who has taken action that is the subject of the 

decision on appeal, is the object of that decision, or has otherwise 

participated in the process leading to the decision under appeal, e.g., 

by filing a mining claim or application for use of public lands, by 

commenting on an environmental document, or by filing a protest to a 

proposed action.

    (c) To the extent applicable, a party to a case, as set forth in 

paragraph (a) of this section, may raise on appeal only those issues 

raised in its prior participation.

    (d) A party to a case is adversely affected, as set forth in 

paragraph (a) of this section, when that party has a legally cognizable 

interest, and the decision on appeal has caused, or will cause, injury 

to that interest.

* * * * *

    4. Section 4.416 is added to read as follows:





[[Page 77015]]





Sec.  4.416  Appeals of wildfire management decisions.





    The Interior Board of Land Appeals must decide appeals from BLM 

decisions under Sec.  4190.1 and Sec.  5003.1(b) of this title within 

60 days after all pleadings have been filed.

    5. In Sec.  4.422, revise paragraph (c)(2) to read as follows:









Sec.  4.422  Documents.





* * * * *

    (c) * * *

    (2) A party or its representative must sign a written statement at 

the conclusion of any document that the party must serve under the 

regulations in this part certifying that service has been or will be 

made in accordance with the applicable rules and specifying the date 

and manner of such service.

* * * * *

    6. In Sec.  4.450-5, revise the introductory paragraph to read as 

follows:









Sec.  4.450-5  Service.





    The complaint must be served upon every contestee in the manner 

provided in Sec.  4.422(c)(1). Proof of service must be made in the 

manner provided in Sec.  4.422(c)(2). In certain circumstances, service 

may be made by publication as provided in paragraph (b)(1) of this 

section. When the contest is against the heirs of a deceased entryman, 

the notice must be served on each heir. If the person to be personally 

served is an infant or a person who has been legally adjudged of 

unsound mind, service of notice must be made by delivering a copy of 

the notice to the legal guardian or committee, if there is one, of such 

infant or person of unsound mind. If there is no guardian or committee, 

then service must be by delivering a copy of the notice to the person 

having the infant or person of unsound mind in charge.

* * * * *





43 CFR Chapter II--Bureau of Land Management, Department of the 

Interior





PART 4100--GRAZING ADMINISTRATION--EXCLUSIVE OF ALASKA





    7. The authority citation for part 4100 continues to read:





    Authority: 43 U.S.C. 315, 315a-315r, 1181d, 1740.





    8. Add subpart 4190, consisting of Sec. 4190.1, to read as follows:





Subpart 4190--Effect of wildfire management decisions









Sec.  4190.1  Effect of wildfire management decisions.





    (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of 43 CFR 4.21, BLM rangeland 

wildfire management decisions are in immediate full force and effect. 

Wildfire management includes but is not limited to:

    (1) Fuel reduction or fuel treatment such as prescribed burns and 

mechanical, chemical, and biological thinning methods; and

    (2) Projects to stabilize and rehabilitate lands affected by 

wildfire.

    (b) The Interior Board of Land Appeals will issue a decision on the 

merits of an appeal of a wildfire management decision under paragraph 

(a) of this section within the time limits prescribed in 43 CFR 4.416.





PART 5000--ADMINISTRATION OF FOREST MANAGEMENT DECISIONS





    9. The authority citation for part 5000 continues to read as 

follows:





    Authority: 43 U.S.C. 1181(a); 43 U.S.C. 1701; 30 U.S.C. 601 et 

seq;





Subpart 5003-Administrative Remedies





    10. Revise Sec.  5003.1 to read as follows:









Sec.  5003.1  Effect of decisions.





    (a) Filing a notice of appeal under part 4 of this title does not 

automatically suspend the effect of a decision governing or relating to 

forest management as described under Sec. Sec.  5003.2 and 5003.3.

    (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of 43 CFR 4.21, BLM wildfire 

management decisions made under this part and parts 5400 through 5510 

of this chapter are in immediate full force and effect. Wildfire 

management includes but is not limited to:

    (1) Fuel reduction or fuel treatment such as prescribed burns and 

mechanical, chemical, and biological thinning methods; and

    (2) Projects to stabilize and rehabilitate lands affected by 

wildfire.

    (c) The Interior Board of Land Appeals will issue a decision on the 

merits of an appeal of a wildfire management decision under paragraph 

(b) of this section within the time limits prescribed in 43 CFR 4.416.





[FR Doc. 02-31575 Filed 12-11-02; 3:00 pm]



BILLING CODE 4310-79-P