[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 228 (Friday, November 27, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 65573]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-31609]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 228 / Friday, November 27, 1998 /
Notices
[[Page 65573]]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Tongass National Forest Timber Demand Considerations; Alaska
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Tongass Timber Reform Act of 1990 requires the Secretary
to seek to provide a supply of timber that meets the annual market
demand for timber from the Tongass as well as the market demand for
timber from the Tongass for each planning cycle. The draft procedures
for considering market demand in planning annual timber sale offerings
are now available for public review and comment.
DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before January 11,
1999.
ADDRESSES: Single copies of the draft procedures may be obtained by
writing the Regional Forester, Alaska Region, Forest Service, USDA, PO
Box 21628, Juneau, Alaska 99802-1628. Send written comments on the
draft procedures to the same address. The document is also posted on
the internet at ww.fs.fed.us/r10/issues.htm.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Frederick L. Norbury or Kathleen S. Morse, Ecosystem Planning and
Budgeting Staff, Alaska Region, Forest Service, USDA, PO Box 21628,
Juneau, Alaska 99802-1728, (907) 586-8886/8809.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The draft procedures estimate the volume of
timber likely to be purchased from the Tongass National Forest in the
coming year based on observations of industry behavior in prior years.
The industry draws its annual raw material supply from an accumulated
inventory of timber volume under contract, sometimes called the
``buffer stock''. This inventory must be large enough to keep mills
operating at a steady rate while new sales are prepared for offer and
harvest. Historically, the Forest Service has attempted to allow the
industry to hold the equivalent of two to three years worth of raw
material as volume under contract. The draft procedures essentially
suggest a similar approach but defined this inventory requirement in
more analytical terms.
The draft procedures assume that, at a minimum, the industry will
want to maintain its existing timber inventory and will purchase timber
to replace that harvested in a given year. If the existing timber
inventory is lower than the desired, the industry may want to purchase
more timber than is processed in order to build up inventory. By
comparing the current inventory with an estimate of the desired
inventory and factoring in projected annual harvest, the Forest Service
can develop a range of expected timber purchases for any given year.
The volume offered will be adjusted to fall within the most current
estimate.
Dated: November 20, 1998.
James A. Caplan,
Acting Regional Forester, Alaska Region.
[FR Doc. 98-31609 Filed 11-25-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-M
