[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 21, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 15830]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-7030]



[[Page 15830]]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service


Notice of Proposed Changes to Section IV of the Field Office 
Technical Guide

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Department of 
Agriculture.

ACTION: Notice of proposed changes to Section IV of the Field Office 
Technical Guide in Maryland.

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SUMMARY: It is the intention of NRCS in Maryland to review the 
following conservation practice standards, and revise and/or reissue 
them as appropriate:

    Brush Management (Code 314); Channel Vegetation (Code 322); 
Chiseling and Subsoiling (Code 324); Clearing and Snagging (Code 
326); Closure of Waste Impoundments (Code 360); Composting Facility 
(Code 317); Contour Buffer Strips (Code 332); Contour Farming (Code 
330); Contour Stripcropping (Code 585); Critical Area Planting (Code 
342); Cross Wind Stripcropping and/or Trap Strips (Codes 589B & C); 
Diversion (Code 362); Dry Hydrant (Code 432); Fence (Code 382); 
Filter Strip (Code 393); Firebreak (Code 394); Forage Harvest 
Management (Code 511); Forest Site Preparation (Code 490); Forest 
Stand Improvement (Code 666); Grassed Waterway (Code 412); 
Irrigation Storage Reservoir (Code 436); Irrigation System, 
Sprinkler (Code 442); Irrigation System, Trickle (Code 441); 
Irrigation Water Management (Code 449); Land Clearing (Code 460); 
Land Reconstruction, Abandoned Mined Land (Code 543); Land 
Reconstruction, Currently Mined Land (Code 544); Land Smoothing 
(Code 466); Manure Transfer (Code 634); Mulching (Code 484); 
Nutrient Management (Code 590); Open Channel (Code 582); Pasture and 
Hay Planting (Code 512); Pest Management (Code 595); Pipeline (Code 
516); Pond Sealing or Lining (Code 521); Recreation Area Improvement 
(Code 562); Recreation Land Grading and Shaping (Code 566); 
Recreation Trail and Walkway (Code 568); Riparian Herbaceous Cover 
(Code 390); Roof Runoff Management (Code 558); Sediment Basin (Code 
350); Spoil Spreading (Code 572); Spring Development (Code 574); 
Stream Crossing (Code 728); Streambank and Shoreline Protection 
(Code 580); Stripcropping, Field (Code 586); Subsurface Drain (Code 
606); Surface Drain, Field Ditch (Code 607); Surface Drain, Main or 
Lateral (Code 608); Terrace (Code 600); Toxic Salt Reduction (Code 
610); Tree/Shrub Establishment (Code 612); Tree/Shrub Pruning (Code 
660); Underground Outlet (Code 620); Use Exclusion (Code 472); Waste 
Field Storage (Code 749); Waste Management System (Code 312); Waste 
Utilization (Code 633); Wastewater Treatment Strip (Code 635); 
Watering Facility (Code 614); Water and Sediment Control Basin (Code 
638); Water Well (Code 642); Watering Facility (Code 614); 
Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment (Code 380). Some of these 
practice standards may be used in conservation systems to comply 
with Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation provisions of the 
Farm Bill. Standards that NRCS decides are no longer needed in 
Maryland will be cancelled.


DATES: Revised conservation practice standards will be issued 
periodically beginning January 26, 2001. There will be a 30-day public 
comment period for each standard that is issued.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Inquire in writing to David P. Doss, 
State Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 339 
Busch's Frontage Road, Suite 301, Annapolis, MD 21401. You may submit 
electronic requests to [email protected].
    NRCS will maintain a list of persons who have requested the revised 
standards. Hard copies will be mailed to persons requesting a paper 
format. Persons who have submitted electronic requests will be notified 
by e-mail of the availability of the standards on the Maryland NRCS 
homepage. Electronic copies will be posted on the Internet at http://www.md.nrcs.usda.gov. Click on ``Technology,'' then on ``Draft 
Conservation Practice Standards.''

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 343 of the Federal Agriculture 
Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 states that revisions made after 
enactment of the law to NRCS state technical guides used to carry out 
highly erodible land and wetland provisions of the law shall be made 
available for public review and comment. NRCS will provide a 30-day 
public review and comment period relative to the proposed changes. At 
the close of the comment period, NRCS will make a determination 
regarding any changes to the draft conservation practice standards, and 
will publish the final standards for use in NRCS field offices. The 
final standards will also be posted on the Internet at the address 
noted above.

    Dated: January 17, 2001.
David P. Doss,
State Conservationist, NRCS, Annapolis, Maryland.
[FR Doc. 01-7030 Filed 3-20-01; 8:45 am]
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