Welcome to the Forest Service Policy Report! Our goal is to provide updates on agency policy actions, including directives, regulations and information collections.

Recently issued directives

•  FSH 2409.11a Chapter 30 Measuring Methods for Other Wood Products (10/16/2024)
  Adds guidance for scaling deck volume using survey methods and tools. Adds a section for pile volume estimation, updates weight scale section, and adds load count scaling method. More information on additional changes can be found within the digest. 

• FSH 2409.12 Chapter 10 Principles of Measuring Trees (10/16/2024)
  Removes sections for diameter at breast height measuring instruments and height measuring instruments. Section for measuring diameter at root collar was added. More information on additional changes can be found within the digest. 

• FSH 2409.12 Chapter 20 Estimating Tree Volume (10/16/2024)
  Adds a definitions section to the chapter. Removes tarif volume estimators. Updates weight determination section to reference Chapter 80, Weight Factor Determination. More information on additional changes can be found within the digest. 

• FSH 2409.12 Chapter 80 Weight Factor Determination (10/16/2024)
  Moves language dealing with weight scaling to FSH 2409.11a, Cubic Scaling – Chapter 30, Weight Scaling. Removes outdated section on the Xylodensimeter. Renumbers all proceeding chapters. Adds the use of shipping scales, disk scaling procedures, and a section on moisture content of wood. More information on additional changes can be found within the digest. 

• FSH 2409.18 Chapter Zero Code (10/16/2024)
  Updates references and clarifies the purpose of references throughout the chapter. More information on additional changes can be found within the digest. 

• FSH 2409.18 Chapter 10 Basic Overview and Financial Economic Analysis (10/16/2024)
  Makes minor corrections in spelling, punctuation, and style practices throughout the chapter. Updates and incorporates additional references throughout. More information on additional changes can be found within the digest. 

• FSH 2409.18 Chapter 20 Proposal Gate 1 Project Analysis (10/16/2024)
  Restructures the chapter. Revises direction pertaining to Gate 1 to correspond with the new program management process. Moves general financial and economic analysis direction to chapter 10 of this handbook. Moves salability, small sales, and sale purpose and activity code direction to chapter 10 of this handbook. Incorporates and revises direction pertaining to Gate 2 previously in chapter 30 of this handbook to correspond with the new program management process. More information on additional changes can be found within the digest. 

• FSH 2409.18 Chapter 30 Timber Sale Roads and Sale Project Gate 3 (10/16/2024)
  Restructures the chapter. Moves previous direction to chapter 20 of this handbook, except for general financial and economic analysis direction. Moves general financial and economic analysis direction to chapter 10 of this handbook. Incorporates sections previously in sections 42 through 44.2 of this handbook. More information on additional changes can be found within the digest. 

• FSH 2409.18 Chapter 50 Final Package Preparation Gate 4 (10/16/2024)
  Retitles the chapter from “Final Package Preparation, Review, Appraisal and Offering – Gate 4” to “Final Package Preparation, Review and Offering (Gate 4)”. Revises, reorganizes, adds and retitles captions, and updates entire chapter. More information on additional changes can be found within the digest. 

• FSH 2409.18 Chapter 70 Sale Award (Gate 6) (10/16/2024)
  Renames a caption to “Procedures When Sale is Not Awarded to Highest Bidder” and clarifies information on procedure. Adds information clarifying that Contracting Officers shall check the System for Award Management before awarding a contract. More information on additional changes can be found within the digest. 

• FSH 2409.19 Chapter Zero Code (10/16/2024)
  Updates references and clarifies the purpose of references throughout the chapter. More information on additional changes can be found within the digest. 

• FSH 2409.19 Chapter 90 Budget and Finance Procedures for Permanent and Trust Funds (10/16/2024)
  Recodes, reformats, and organizes direction throughout the chapter. Replaces K-V (Knutson-Vandenberg fund) with CWKV (Cooperative Work, Knutson-Vandenberg, Sale Area Projects). Also replaces any references to ATSA (Automated Timber Sale Accounting) with FPFS (Forest Products Financial System). More information on additional changes can be found within the digest. 

Announcements

There are no new announcements regarding upcoming events, but please continue to check this report as new updates may be included in the future. 

If you have questions or recommendations for Policy Report content that would be valuable to you and your colleagues, please contact Miranda Galadima (Miranda.galadima@usda.gov).