Noncommercial group use permits do not grant or deny freedom of assembly or freedom of speech. The rights to freedom of assembly and freedom of speech are guaranteed by the United States Constitution. These rights are fully respected by the Forest Service. When noncommercial group use permits are issued, they regulate time, place, and manner with respect to the exercise of these rights by groups of 75 or more people on National Forest System lands. Noncommercial group use permits authorize the holder to use and occupy the National Forest System lands covered by the permit, subject to rights retained by the United States, including continuing rights of access, a continuing right of physical entry for inspection, monitoring, or for any other purposes consistent with any right or obligation of the United States, and the right to require common use of the land or to authorize use by others in any way that is not inconsistent with the privileges granted by the permit. The use and occupancy authorized by a noncommercial group use permit would not be allowed without the permit. The primary purposes of noncommercial group use permits include protection of National Forest System lands and resources, promotion of public health and safety, and allocation of space among competing uses of National Forest System lands.
I have read and understand the terms U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
and conditions and agree to abide by them. Forest Service
HOLDER: Authorization is granted:
By:_________________ By:______________
Name:_______________ Name:____________
Date:_______________ Title:___________
Date:____________
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0596-0082.
This information is needed by the Forest Service to evaluate requests to use National Forest System lands and manage those lands to protect natural resources, administer the use, and ensure public health and safety. This information is required to obtain or retain a benefit. The authority for that requirement is provided by the Organic Act of 1897 and the Federal Land Policy and management Act of 1976, which authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to promulgate rules and regulations for authorizing and managing National Forest System lands. These statutes, along with the Term Permit Act, National Forest Ski Area Permit Act, Granger-Thye Act, Mineral Leasing Act, Alaska Term Permit Act, Act of September 3, 1954, Wilderness Act, National Forest Roads and Trails Act, Act of November 16, 1973, Archeological Resources Protection Act, and the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to issue authorizations for the use and occupancy of National Forest System lands. The Secretary of Agriculture's regulations at 36 CFR Part 251, Subpart B, establish procedures for those authorizations.
The Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a) and the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) govern the confidentiality to be provided for information received by the Forest Service.
Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 15 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.