[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 109 (Wednesday, June 6, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30405-30406]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-14149]


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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.

[[Page 30406]]

These standards include Access Road, Diversion, Drainage Water 
Management, Fishpond Management, Irrigation Land Leveling, Herbaceous 
Wind Barriers, Pond Sealing or Lining--Bentonite Sealant, Pond Sealing 
or Lining--Soil dispersant, Roof Runoff Structure, and Surface 
Roughening. The standards are used to convey national guidance when 
developing the Field Office Technical Guide policies. NRCS State 
Conservationists and Directors for the Pacific Basin and Caribbean 
areas who choose to adopt these practices for use within their States/
areas will incorporate them into Section IV of their Field Office 
Technical Guide. These practices may be used in resource management 
systems that treat highly erodible land or on land determined to be 
wetland.

EFFECTIVE DATES: Comments will be received until on or before August 6, 
2001. 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: 
(202) 720-5023. The standards are also available from, and can be 
downloaded via 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 the disposition of those 
comments, and a final determination of change will be made.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on April 20, 2001.
Pearlie S. Reed,
Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 01-14149 Filed 6-5-01; 8:45 am]
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