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FOREST SERVICE MANUAL
NORTHEASTERN AREA
STATE & PRIVATE FORESTRY (NA)
NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA
FSM 1200 – ORGANIZATION
CHAPTER 30 – DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY
Supplement No.: NA-1200-2005-2
Effective Date: December 19, 2005
Duration: Effective until superseded or removed.
Approved: KATHRYN P. MALONEY
Area Director
Date Approved: 12/19/2005
Posting Instructions: Supplements are numbered consecutively by Title and calendar year.
Post by document name. Remove entire document and replace with this supplement. Retain this
transmittal as the first page of this document.
New Document(s):
1236.34
5 Pages
Superseded Document(s):
1236.34
5 Pages
(Last supplement was
NA-1200-2005-1)
Digest:
1236.34
Adds text to grant signing authority to the Director of Grey Towers to sign
Special Use Permits associated with implementation of the Grey Towers
facility.
Adds text to grant signing authority to the Director of the Wood Education
and Resource Center (WERC) to sign all correspondence dealing with
specific WERC functional areas, except for those subject areas reserved
for the signature of the Director and/or Assistant Director for Economic
Action Programs. Also grants the WERC Director the authority to sign
Special Use Permits associated with implementation of the WERC.
NA SUPPLEMENT 1200-2005-2
EFFECTIVE DATE: 12/19/2005
DURATION: Effective until superseded or removed
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FSM 1200 - ORGANIZATION
CHAPTER 30 – DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY
1236 – DELEGATIONS OF AUTHORITY TO FIELD POSITIONS
1236.3 – Area
1236.31 – Area Director
1236.34 – Area Signing Authorities. Depending upon the content,
correspondence is signed by one of the following:
-
Director
Deputy Director
Assistant Director, Information Management and Analysis
Assistant Director, Forest Health and Economics
Assistant Director, Forest Management
Assistant Director, Administration
Assistant Director, Fire and Aviation Management
Group Leader, Grants and Agreements Management
Director, Grey Towers
1. Director and Deputy Director. The Director is the line officer to the Chief for the
conduct of all assigned state and private forestry activities (FSM 1236.31). The Deputy Director
serves as a full operating alternate to the Director and is delegated all duties, powers, and
functions that are vested in the Director. The Deputy Director may sign either for the Director or
over the Deputy Director’s signature block.
In the absence of the Director and the Deputy Director, the Assistant Directors are
designated as “Acting” on a rotational basis.
Prepare the following correspondence for the Director’s signature:
a. Approval of supplements to FSM and FSH.
b. Approval of annual staffing plan (1300-1).
c. Correspondence to the Chief, Station Directors, Regional Foresters,
Regional Directors of other Federal agencies and heads of State
departments.
d. Correspondence interpreting Forest Service and Area-wide policy.
NA SUPPLEMENT 1200-2005-2
EFFECTIVE DATE: 12/19/2005
DURATION: Effective until superseded or removed
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FSM 1200 - ORGANIZATION
CHAPTER 30 – DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY
e. Correspondence with State legislators, Members of Congress, and State
governors.
f. Approval of official manuscripts for publication.
g. Approval of grants, cooperative agreements, fiscal documents and other legal
instruments.
h. Approval or modification of State financial plans (SF-424).
i. Correspondence pertaining to State allotments.
2. Assistant Directors (AD). Assistant Directors are authorized to sign over their
respective name and title all correspondence dealing with their program areas, except for those
subject areas reserved for the signature of the Director. Assistant Directors are also authorized to
approve personnel action requests for all positions GS-12 and below within approved budgets,
assigned ceilings, and approved staffing plans.
3. Group Leader, Grants and Agreements Management is authorized to sign all
correspondence dealing with grants, cooperative agreements, fiscal documents and other legal
instruments.
4. Assistant Director for Administration. The Assistant Director for Administration is
authorized to sign all correspondence relating to the Administration area of responsibility, except
for those subject areas reserved for the signatures of the Director. The signature block should
reflect the name and title of the Assistant Director for Administration.
The AD for Administration is authorized to sign informational transmittal correspondence to the
Chief. The signature block should reflect the names and titles for both Station and Area
Directors.
5. Director, Grey Towers. The Director of Grey Towers is authorized to sign the
following specific types of correspondence within their respective area of responsibility:
a. All correspondence dealing with specific Grey Towers functional areas, except
for those subject areas reserved for the signature of the Director.
b. Special Use Permits associated with implementation of the Grey Towers
facility.
NA SUPPLEMENT 1200-2005-2
EFFECTIVE DATE: 12/19/2005
DURATION: Effective until superseded or removed
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FSM 1200 - ORGANIZATION
CHAPTER 30 – DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY
6. Director, The Wood Education and Resource Center (WERC). The Director of WERC
is authorized to sign the following specific types of correspondence within their respective area
of responsibility:
a. All correspondence dealing with specific WERC functional areas, except for
those subject areas reserved for the signature of the Director and/or Assistant
Director for Economic Action Programs.
b. Special Use Permits associated with implementation of the WERC.
7. Field Representatives. Field Representatives are authorized to sign the following
specific types of correspondence within their respective area of responsibility:
a. Correspondence not reserved for the Director and Assistant Directors.
b. Approval of all personnel action requests, GS-12 and below within approved
budgets, assigned ceilings, and approved annual staffing plan.
c. Transmittal of final functional assistance reports to States.
d.
Routine plans, schedules, reports, and correspondence that does not establish
new policy, or interpret existing policy with counterparts in Regions, Stations,
and other Federal or State agencies and professional organizations.
8. Acting Assignment Authorities. In the absence of the Director, Assistant Directors,
and Group Leader, a person must be designated as the Acting for the unit. In such cases, the
designated person has the same signing authority as the unit head with the following exceptions:
a. Acting Area Director. Unless specifically authorized by the director,
the Acting Area Director shall not sign:
(1) Annual Area budget approval.
(2) Organizational changes involving permanent positions.
(3) Sensitive correspondence to the Chief.
(4) Correspondence where the Director’s signature is more appropriate;
for example, sensitive personal correspondence, messages to retiring
employees, messages of condolence, and special commendations.
NA SUPPLEMENT 1200-2005-2
EFFECTIVE DATE: 12/19/2005
DURATION: Effective until superseded or removed
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FSM 1200 - ORGANIZATION
CHAPTER 30 – DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY
(5) Funding and personnel staffing requests to the Chief.
b. Acting Assistant Director. The Acting Assistant Director shall not sign:
(1) Approval of personnel action requests involving permanent full-time
employees.
(2) Changes to unit operating budget
(3) Approval of cooperative agreements and federal assistance applications.
c. Acting Group Leader shall not sign:
(1) Approval of grants, cooperative agreements, fiscal documents and other legal
instruments.
(2) Correspondence pertaining to State allotments.
(3) Approval or modification of State financial plans.