Disposal of National Forest Timber; Cancellation of Timber Sale Contracts

Résumé

This proposed rule would revise the existing rules on cancellation of timber sale contracts, permits, and other such instruments authorizing the sale or harvest of timber or other forest products to clarify when, why, and by whom contracts may be cancelled, to remove redundant provisions, and to provide a new formula for compensation when the government must cancel timber sale contracts. This proposed rule also would limit financial liability of the United States on certain contracts, remove cancellation limits applicable to the length of the contract term, and define the contractual terms ``purchaser'', ``modification'', ``partial cancellation'', and ``cancellation''. The proposed rule would also require that all sales are to be laid out in identifiable units. These changes are necessary because the Forest Service is unable to continue bearing most of the financial risk and burden of contract cancellation arising from compliance with increasingly complex and rigorously enforced environmental laws and regulations. This proposed rule would reasonably reallocate risk between the Government and private parties, thereby protecting the U.S. taxpayer from unreasonable and excessive finan