[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 171 (Wednesday, September 3, 2008)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 51351-51352]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-20401]



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  Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 171 / Wednesday, September 3, 2008 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 51351]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service

7 CFR Part 613


Plant Materials Centers (PMC)

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), USDA.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: Minor editorial changes are being made to clarify and update 
the existing regulation. These changes do not significantly affect part 
613, however we present the entire part, as amended, for the 
convenience of the reader.

DATES: Effective Date: September 3, 2008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Hubbs, Director, Ecological 
Sciences Division, NRCS, USDA, Post Office Box 2890, Washington, DC 
20013; telephone: (202) 720-2587.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Since part 613 became effective (72 FR 68743 
December 6, 2007), several changes have occurred requiring the need to 
update it. These changes include renaming the National PMC in 
Beltsville, Maryland, to the Norman A. Berg National PMC and a 
correction in the location of the Louisiana PMC from Golden Meadows to 
Galliano. These changes are minor and do not significantly affect part 
613. This rule sets forth general statements of Agency policy and 
internal Agency organization and management.
    Therefore, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553, it is found that notice and 
public comment is not required. Further, in light of the minor changes, 
good cause is found for making this rule effective on publication in 
the Federal Register. Since this rule relates to internal Agency 
management, it is exempt from E.O. 12291. Finally, this action is not a 
rule as defined by Public Law 96-354, the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 
and thus is exempt from the provisions of that Act.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 613

    Plants (agriculture), Soil conservation.

0
Accordingly, 7 CFR part 613 is revised to read as follows:

PART 613--PLANT MATERIALS CENTERS

Sec.
613.1 Purpose.
613.2 Policy and objectives.
613.3 NRCS responsibilities in plant materials.
613.4 Special production of plant materials.
613.5 PMCs.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 590a-590f, 5908; 7 U.S.C. 1010-1011.


Sec.  613.1  Purpose.

    This part provides NRCS policy on the operation of PMCs. The 
Centers have responsibilities for assembling, testing, releasing, and 
providing for the commercial production and use of plant materials and 
plant materials technology for programs of soil, water, and related 
resource conservation and development.


Sec.  613.2  Policy and objectives.

    (a) It is NRCS policy to assemble, comparatively evaluate, release, 
and distribute for commercial increase new or improved plant materials 
and plant materials technology needed for broad programs of resource 
conservation and development for agriculture, wildlife, urban, 
recreation, and other land uses and environmental needs. It is the 
policy of NRCS to conduct plant materials work in cooperation with 
other agencies of the Department of Agriculture, such as the 
Agricultural Research Service, and with other Federal and State 
research agencies, including State agricultural experiment stations. 
The emphasis of the NRCS plant materials work is to find suitable 
plants to address conservation needs. In contrast, the emphasis of 
research agencies and organizations in plant development is to improve 
economically important crops. The NRCS program of testing and releasing 
new seed-propagated plant materials follows the guidelines in 
``Statement of Responsibilities and Policies Relating to the 
Development, Release, and Multiplication of Publicly Developed 
Varieties of Seed-Propagated Crops,'' which was adopted in June 1972, 
by Land Grant Colleges and interested Federal agencies. NRCS releases 
improved conservation plant materials requiring vegetative 
multiplication in ways appropriate for particular States and particular 
species by working with experiment stations, crop improvement 
associations, and other State and Federal agencies.
    (b) The objective of the plant materials activity is to select or 
develop special and improved plants and techniques for their successful 
establishment and maintenance to solve conservation problems and needs 
related to:
    (1) Controlling soil erosion on all lands;
    (2) Conserving water;
    (3) Protecting upstream watersheds;
    (4) Reducing sediment movement into waterways and reservoirs 
through the stabilization of critical sediment sources, such as surface 
mined lands, highway slopes, recreation sites, and urban and industrial 
development areas;
    (5) Stabilizing disposal areas for liquid and solid wastes;
    (6) Improving plant diversity and lengthening the grazing season on 
dryland pastures and rangelands;
    (7) Managing brush on mountain slopes with fire-retarding plant 
cover to reduce the possibility of fires that threaten life and 
property, or result in serious sediment sources;
    (8) Improving the effectiveness of windbreaks and shelterbelts for 
reducing airborne sediment, controlling snow drifting, and preventing 
crop damage from wind erosion;
    (9) Protecting streambank, pond, and lake waterlines from erosion 
by scouring and wave action;
    (10) Improving wildlife food and cover, including threatened and 
endangered and pollinator species;
    (11) Selecting special purpose plants to meet specific needs for 
environment protection and enhancement;
    (12) Selecting plants that tolerate air pollution agents and toxic 
soil chemicals;
    (13) Selecting plants that mitigate odor, Particulate Matter (PM)-
10, and PM-2.5;
    (14) Testing plants for biofuels and other energy-related 
activities; and
    (15) Evaluating plants and techniques to combat invasive plant 
species and for reestablishment of desirable species after eradication.

[[Page 51352]]

Sec.  613.3  NRCS responsibilities in plant materials.

    NRCS operates or enters into agreements with State universities or 
other State organizations to operate PMCs. NRCS also cooperates, both 
formally and informally, with other Federal, State, county, and 
nonprofit agencies or organizations on the selection of plants and 
evaluation of plant technology to increase the capabilities of PMCs. 
NRCS employs specialists for testing and selecting plant materials for 
conservation uses and the development of plant materials technology. 
NRCS' responsibilities are to: (a) Identify the resource conservation 
needs and cultural management methods for environmental protection and 
enhancement.
    (b) Assemble and comparatively evaluate plant materials at PMCs and 
on sites where soil, climate, or other conditions differ significantly 
from those at the Centers.
    (c) Make comparative field plantings for final testing of promising 
plants and techniques in cooperation with conservation districts and 
other interested cooperators.
    (d) Release cooperatively improved conservation plants and maintain 
the breeder or foundation stocks in ways appropriate for particular 
State and plant species by working with experiment stations, crop 
improvement associations, and other State and Federal agencies.
    (e) Produce limited amounts of foundation or foundation-quality 
seed and plants available for allocation to conservation districts, 
experiment stations, other Federal and State research agencies, State 
seed certifying organizations and directly to commercial growers (if 
other options do not exist) that will use the material to establish 
seed fields, seed orchards, or vegetative plantings for large-scale 
increase.
    (f) Encourage and assist conservation districts, commercial seed 
producers, and commercial and State nurseries to produce needed plant 
materials for conservation uses.
    (g) Encourage the use of improved plant materials and plant 
materials technology in resource conservation and environmental 
improvement programs.


Sec.  613.4  Special production of plant materials.

    NRCS can produce plant materials in the quantity required to do a 
specific conservation job if this production will serve the public 
welfare and only if the plant materials are not available commercially. 
This function will be performed only until the plant materials are 
available commercially. Specific production of plant materials by NRCS 
requires the approval of the Chief.


Sec.  613.5  PMCs.

    (a) The Norman A. Berg National PMC. The Norman A. Berg National 
PMC at Beltsville, Maryland, focuses on national initiatives and 
provides coordination for plant materials work across all 50 States. In 
addition, the center provides plants and plant technology to address 
resource concerns in the mid-Atlantic region.
    (b) Other PMCs. There are 26 other PMCs. Each serves several major 
land resource areas. NRCS operates 24 of these Centers, and 2 by 
cooperating agencies, as follows:
    (1) Operated by NRCS: Tucson, AZ, Booneville, AR, Lockeford, CA, 
Brooksville, FL, Americus, GA, Molokai, HI, Aberdeen, ID, Manhattan, 
KS, Galliano, LA, East Lansing, MI, Coffeeville, MS, Elsberry, MO, 
Bridger, MT, Fallon, NV, Cape May Courthouse, NJ, Los Lunas, NM, Big 
Flats, NY, Bismarck, ND, Corvallis, OR, Kingsville, TX, Knox City, TX, 
Nacogdoches, TX, Pullman, WA, and Alderson, WV.
    (2) Operated by cooperating agencies with financial and technical 
assistance from NRCS: Meeker, CO--White River and Douglas Creek Soil 
Conservation Districts with partial funding from NRCS.
    (3) Operated by cooperating agencies with technical assistance from 
NRCS: Palmer, AK--State of Alaska, Department of Natural Resources.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on August 20, 2008.
Arlen L. Lancaster,
Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. E8-20401 Filed 9-2-08; 8:45 am]
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