WSPC04645

• File Number: 8200.700
• Description: Colorado River-Colorado River Basin General Publications
• State: CO
• Date: 7/31/1985
• Title: CR Augmentation/Vegetative Management1986-88-USDA Decision on Review of Administrative Decision by Chief of Forest Services Related to Administrative Appeals
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Record of Decision

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BACKGROUND

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Pursuant to the Multiple-Use Sustained Yield Act of 1960 (16 USC 528-5311, the
Secretary of Agriculture is required:

"to develop and administer the renewable surface resources of the
national forests for multiple use and sustained yield of the several
products and services obtained therefrom. In tile administration of
the national forests due consideration shall be given to the rela-
tive values of the various resources in particular areas." (16 use
529) .

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"Multiple use" is defined in the Act as:

"the management of all the various renewable surface resources of
the national forests so that they are utilized in the combination
that will best meet the needs of the American people; making the
most judicious use of the land for some or all of these resources or
related services over areas large enough to provide sufficient lati-
tude for periodic adjustments in use to conform to changing needs
and conditions ... with consideration being given to the relative
values of the various resources, and not necessarily the combir8tion
of uses that will give the greatest dollar return or the great.est
uni t output." (16 USC 531).

It is clear from the definition. of multiple use that Congress did not intend
that the national forests be managed to maximize direct financial returns to
the Treasury. Ilowever, neither did Congress intend that the Forest Service
ignore economic considerations in its decisiorunaking. ,The Forest and Range-
:lahd. Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (RPA), as amended by the Nation-
al Forest Management Act of 1976 (N~), contains several references to the
need to consider economics in the national forest planning process. Section 4
of RPA requires that in developing the Renewable Resourcts Program there be:
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"specific identification of Program outputs, results anticipated,
and benefits associated with investments in such a manner that the
anticipated costs can be directly compared with the total related
benefits and direct and indirect returns to the Federal Government
...." (16 use 1602 (2)). ;f~1..

Section 6 of NFt'lA requires the Secretary of .Agriculture to develop, maintain
ar.d revise land and resource management plans for the national forests and
national grasslands. The Secretary is required to: "

"promulgate r.egulations, under the principles of the Multiple-Use
Sustained-Yield Act of 1960, that set out the process for the
deve10p:nent and revisiori.of the larid management plans, and the
guidelines and standards prescribed by this subsection."
. (Hi USC 1604 (g)).

Section G of Nf}1!\ also requires that the planning process for individual na-
tional forests consider economics and be linked directly to the gon1s of the
np^ Program. The regulations required by Section 6(~, .'must include:
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