Justification for Changes

Justification for changes to Special Use forms

January 2007

Burden hours and costs associated with this information collection remain unchanged.

FS-2700-9 forms

At the time the Forest Service submitted the 2006 IC request for renewal of 0596-0082, the resource program mangers changed the Forest Service form numbers assigned to several forms (prior to submittal to OMB) so that the forms would follow form FS-2700-9a in a sequential manner. The program staff did not foresee the problems that this seemingly aesthetic change would create in the Forest Service INFRA database. The Forest Service programmers have found that it would be extremely difficult to link the new form numbers to the existing information in the database. As a result, since the form numbers are simply aesthetic in nature, the form numbers have been changed as follows; the form names have not been changed and are included for reference only:

• FS-2700-9b has changed to FS-2700-9d (Cost Share Easement)

• FS-2700-9c has changed to FS-2700-9e (Non-Cost Share Easement)

• FS-2700-9d has changed to FS-2700-9f (Public Road Easement)

• FS-2700-9e has changed to FS-2700-9g (Forest Road Easement Issued Under the National Forest Roads and Trails Act)

• FS-2700-9f has changed to FS-2700-9h (Private Road Easement Issued Under the National Forest Roads and Trails Act)

• FS-2700-9g has changed to FS-2700-9i (Forest Easement Issued Under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act)

• FS-2700-9h has changed to FS-2700-9j (Private Easement Issued Under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act)

Copies of the newly renumbered forms are enclosed.

FS-2700-31

Form FS-2700-31 (Electric Transmission Line Easement) modified to include a block for notary's signature.

FS-2700-4-Shawnee

Pursuant to a court order issued by the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, a new form is added to Information Collection 0596-0082 - Special Uses. The form (FS-2700-4-Shawnee) is a Special Use Permit for Equestrian Outfitting on the Shawnee National Forest and is for use on that Forest only. Documentation is included.