[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 70 (Tuesday, April 11, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 19357]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-8974]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service


Notice of Proposed Changes in the National Handbook of 
Conservation Practices

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the intention of the Natural 
Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to issue a series of new or 
revised conservation practice standards in its National Handbook of 
Conservation Practices. These standards include Heavy Use Area 
Protection; Irrigation System, Tailwater Recovery; Pest Management; 
Pipeline; and Watering Facility. These standards are used to convey 
national guidance when developing Field Office Technical Guide 
Standards used in the States. NRCS State conservationists who choose to 
adopt these practices for use within their States will incorporate them 
into Section IV of their Field Office Technical Guide. These practices 
may be used in conservation systems that treat highly erodible land or 
on land determined to be wetland.

DATES: Comments will be received for a 60-day period commencing with 
the date of publication. This series of new or revised conservation 
practice standards will be adopted after the close of the 60-day 
period.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Single copies of these standards are 
available from NRCS-CED in Washington, DC. Submit individual inquiries 
and return any comments in writing to William Hughey, National 
Agricultural Engineer, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Post 
Office Box 2890, Room 6139-S, Washington, DC 20013-2890. Telephone 
Number 202-720-5023. The standards are also available and can be 
downloaded from the Internet at: http://www.ftw.nrcs.usda.gov/
practice__stds.html.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 343 of the Federal Agriculture 
Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 requires NRCS to make available for 
public review and comment proposed revisions to conservation practice 
standards used to carry out the highly erodible land and wetland 
provisions of the law. For the next 60 days, NRCS will receive comments 
relative to the proposed changes. Following that period, a 
determination will be made by NRCS regarding disposition of those 
comments, and a final determination of change will be made.

    Signed at Washington, D.C., on March 31, 2000.
Pearlie S. Reed,
Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 00-8974 Filed 4-10-00; 8:45 am]
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