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FOREST SERVICE MANUAL
ALASKA REGION (REGION 10)
JUNEAU, ALASKA
FSM 1200 – ORGANIZATION
CHAPTER 1230 – DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY
Supplement No.: R-10 1200-2015-1
Effective Date: March 9, 2015
Duration: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
Approved: /s/ Beth G. Pendleton
BETH G. PENDLETON
Regional Forester
Date Approved: March 9, 2015
Posting Instructions: Supplements are numbered consecutively by title number and calendar
year. Post by document; remove the entire document and replace it with this supplement. Retain
this transmittal as the first page(s) of this document. The last supplement to this title was R-10
Supplement 1200-2007-2 to FSM 1230.
New Document
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4 Pages
Superseded Document(s) by
Issuance Number and
Effective Date
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4 Pages
Digest:
1236.14:
1b and 2e.: Verbiage change to clarify processes related to the 36 CFR 219 Forest Plan process
and the project-level pre-decisional administrative review process at 36 CFR 218.
Throughout: Verbiage change to accurately reflect ‘Deputy Regional Forester’ in place of
‘Deputy Regional Foresters’ as there is now only one Deputy Regional Forester for the Alaska
Region.
R-10 SUPPLEMENT 1200-2005-1
EFFECTIVE DATE: 03/04/2015
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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FSM 1200 - ORGANIZATION
CHAPTER 1230 – DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY
1236.14 - Regional Signing Authorities
1. In the Regional Office, delegation to sign the following types of correspondence and
documents is limited to the Regional Forester or Deputy Regional Forester, and is not
redelegable to an Acting Regional Forester on his or her normal monthly rotation.
a. Documents establishing new policy or major or significant changes in established
policy.
b. Decisions made by the Regional Forester under the Forest Service administrative
review regulations.
c. Transmittal of the Region's annual planning, budgeting, and management
information, letters directing use of staffing, all changes to budget and/or targets
during the year, and other documents of similar significance, unless otherwise agreed
to in writing.
d. Regional basic grants, agreements, and memoranda of understanding with other
Federal agencies, State authorities, and private organizations.
e. Official letters to retiring employees, messages of appreciation, congratulations, or
condolences to Forest Service personnel, or out-Service people, as appropriate.
f. Changes to Regional Office organization, including grade or significant changes in
duties.
g. All management review correspondence with the Chief or a Forest Supervisor, and
all management review documents, pertaining to management reviews conducted by
the Regional or Washington Offices, including cancellation or establishment of
reviews.
h. Permit timber use. See 5(a) under this section.
i. Approve selections of National Forest Lands made by the State of Alaska pursuant
to Section 6 of The Act of July 7, 1958 (72 Stat. 399).
j. Approve functions and responsibilities identified in Sections 14(g), 15, 17(a),
17(b), 22(j), and 22(k) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act designated to the
Secretary of Agriculture.
R-10 SUPPLEMENT 1200-2005-1
EFFECTIVE DATE: 03/04/2015
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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FSM 1200 - ORGANIZATION
CHAPTER 1230 – DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY
2. All other correspondence requiring signature by the Regional Forester or Deputy
Regional Forester may be signed by an Acting Regional Forester for either the Regional Forester
or Deputy Regional Forester, when the Acting delegation has been made in writing. These types
of correspondence include the following:
a. Internal and external documents and correspondence involving major issues,
highly controversial events, and direction or policy decisions that pertain to the total
Regional program or which concern key, complex, or sensitive relationships or other
special situations.
b. Correspondence with members of Congress or the Governor of the State of
Alaska.
c. Records of decision associated with environmental impact statements and decision
notices associated with environmental assessments or categorical exclusions
pertaining to actions for which the Regional Forester has approval authority which are
not within the framework of the Forest Plan.
d. Letters denying requests for Freedom of Information or Privacy Act material, or
denying requests for waiver of fees.
e. Letters to the Chief concerning appeals, objections, or other requests for
administrative review made to the Chief under the Forest Service Administrative
Review regulations.
f. Approval of Regional supplements to the Forest Service Manual or Forest Service
Handbooks.
g. Progress reports to the Chief on the Regional Management Reviews and Audits.
h. Correspondence responding to letters which were originally addressed to the
Regional Forester or Deputy Regional Forester from individuals, Native corporations,
State officials, and others, when request is Region-wide and response preparation is
requested by the Regional Forester’s Office. When the request is limited to an issue
affecting one particular Forest/Area, the response may be prepared at the SO and
signed by the Forest Supervisor on behalf of the Regional Forester.
3. For signature by the functionally responsible Staff Director:
a. Except as restricted in Items 1 and 2, any correspondence or documents necessary
to discharge the obligation of carrying out assigned functions.
b. Technical, procedural, instructional, and staff negotiation correspondence, bearing
signer's file designations.
R-10 SUPPLEMENT 1200-2005-1
EFFECTIVE DATE: 03/04/2015
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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FSM 1200 - ORGANIZATION
CHAPTER 1230 – DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY
c. Routine, administrative correspondence involving only the originator's unit, but
bearing another unit's functional designation. (A courtesy copy should be sent to the
unit with functional responsibility.) If the correspondence is of more significance
than could be termed "routine, administrative," it should be signed by the Director of
the unit with functional responsibility.
4. For signature by a specialist or group leader:
The Staff Director, using the criteria in FSM 1235.6, must grant, in writing, internal and external
correspondence directed to specific subject matter.
5. Delegated to a specified person:
a. The Director of Forest Management. Is delegated authority to make commercial
sales, approve other timber use, approve log export permits, and all authority
delegated by the Chief to the Regional Forester for these purposes. (Not redelegable
to an Acting Director of Forest Management without written authorization by the
Regional Forester or Deputy Regional Forester of Natural Resources.)
b. The Director of Recreation, Lands, and Minerals. Is delegated authority to handle
all correspondence with the Bureau of Indian Affairs regarding the Region's
recommendations on sites that are being evaluated for Native Selection under Section
14(h)(1) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. (See R-10 supplements to FSM
5404.22 and FSM 5460.43)
c. The Director of State and Private Forestry. Is delegated authority to sign Regional
grants and agreements to the State, local governments, or other recipients.