[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 241 (Thursday, December 14, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78142-78143]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-31734]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service


Changes to Section IV of the Field Office Technical Guides for 
NRCS in California

  
AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of change.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 343 of Subtitle E of the Federal 
Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (FAIRA) that requires 
the Secretary of Agriculture to provide public notice and comment under 
section 553 of Title 5, United States Code, with regard to any future 
revisions to those provisions of the Natural Resources Conservation 
Service (NRCS) State technical guides that are used to carry out 
Subtitles A, B, and C of Title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
U.S.C. 3801 et seq.), the Natural Resources Conservation Service, 
United States Department of Agriculture, gives notice of revisions to 
all conservation practices in section IV of State technical guides in 
California. The distribution of these revisions and an updated index of 
conservation practice standards and specifications was made to all 
California NRCS offices via California Technical Guide Notice 43 dated 
September 29, 2000.
    These revisions to conservation practices in Section IV of State 
technical guides are subject to these provisions since one or more are 
used, or could be used, as a part of a conservation management system 
to comply with the Highly Erodible Land Conservation or Wetland 
Conservation requirements of the Food Security Act of 1985.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Diane B. Holcomb, State Resource 
Conservationist, USDA-NRCS, 430 G Street, Davis, CA 95616-4164. 
Telephone Number (530)-792-5667, FAX #(530)-792-5793, or email 
[email protected].
    A copy of the new index and any of the revised items can be 
obtained on the Web at http://www.ca.nrcs.usda.gov/rts/fotgintro.htm, 
or from Ms. Holcomb, either in paper copy format, or electronic copy on 
compact disk (CD). These items are also available at each of the NRCS 
field offices in California.
    Comments can be sent at anytime to Diane B. Holcomb or to the 
District Conservationist at any NRCS field office in California. 
Comments will be reviewed and considered by NRCS technical discipline 
specialists and the California State Technical Guide Committee, which 
meets approximately four times a year at the NRCS State Office in 
Davis, California.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In California, ``State technical guides'' 
refers to the State Office Technical Guide maintained by the NRCS State 
Resource Conservationist in Davis, California, to the Area Office 
Technical Guide maintained at each NRCS Area Office in Red Bluff, 
Salinas, Fresno, and Riverside, California, and to the Field Office 
Technical Guide maintained at each NRCS Field Office in California.
    Practice standards establish the minimum level of acceptable 
quality for planning, designing, installing, operating, and maintaining 
conservation practices. National standards from the National Handbook 
of Conservation Practices form the basis for developing State 
supplements to the standards. Practice specification guidance are 
developed by each State and establish and list the terms and 
conditions, and how the practice standard will be made site-specific.
    The last revisions to conservation practices in State technical 
guides in California were completed in July, 2000, and issued via 
California Technical Guide Notice Number 43 on September 29, 2000. The 
current California ``Index

[[Page 78143]]

of Conservation Practice Standards and Specifications'' and practice 
standards and specifications are dated July 2000. All practice 
standards and specifications are reviewed by the State Technical Guide 
Committee at least once every five years from their date of issuance to 
determine if the standard is needed and reflects the latest acceptable 
technology.
    The July, 2000, revisions cover all of the 221 conservation 
practice standards, 132 conservation practice specifications and their 
practice requirements sheets, 128 conservation practice material 
specifications, and 9 conservation practice construction specifications 
in California. Revisions include word changes, reformatting sections of 
practice standards, name changes, renumbering, additions, deletions, 
updates of technical requirements, changing dates, and adding some new 
practices.

Diane B. Holcomb,
State Resource Conservationist.
[FR Doc. 00-31734 Filed 12-13-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-16-P