[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 230 (Monday, December 1, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67146-67147]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-29764]


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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: Irrigation Water 
Management, Salinity and Sodic Soil Management, Silvopasture 
Establishment, Vertical Drain, and Well Water Testing. These standards 
are used to convey national guidance in developing Field Office 
Technical Guide Standards used in the States and the Pacific Basin and 
Caribbean Areas. 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 Guides. 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 for a 30-day period, 
starting on the date of this publication. This series of new or revised 
conservation practice standards will be adopted after the close of the 
30-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. The telephone 
number is (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

[[Page 67147]]

the law. For the next 30 days, NRCS will receive comments on 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 in Washington, DC, on November 19, 2003.
Thomas A. Weber,
Associate Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 03-29764 Filed 11-28-03; 8:45 am]
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