[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 112 (Friday, June 12, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27995-27998]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-13870]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 112 / Friday, June 12, 2009 / 
Notices  

[[Page 27995]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service

RIN 0578-AA48


Conservation Practice Technical Assistance

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, United States 
Department of Agriculture.

ACTION: Notice; request for comment.

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

SUMMARY: Section 1242(h) of the Food Security Act of 1985, as amended 
by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Act), requires 
that the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS): (1) Review 
conservation practice standards, including engineering design 
specifications, in effect on June 18, 2008; (2) ensure the completeness 
and relevance of the standards to local agricultural, forestry, and 
natural resource needs including specialty crops, native and managed 
pollinators, bioenergy crop production, forestry, and other such needs 
as determined by the Secretary; and (3) ensure, to the maximum extent 
practicable, that the standards provide for the optimal balance between 
meeting site-specific conservation needs and minimizing risks of design 
failure and associated costs of construction and installation. NRCS 
conducted an internal review of the conservation practice standards and 
met with various stakeholder groups, as required by section 1242(h)(2), 
to obtain their input about how to improve the completeness and 
relevance of the standards. NRCS is hereby notifying the public of the 
results of the preliminary review and requests comments from the public 
about how to improve the conservation practice standards to meet the 
goals and objectives of Section 1242(h) of the Food Security Act of 
1985, as amended.

DATES: Comment Date: Submit comments on or before August 11, 2009.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments using any of the following methods:
     Government-wide rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions for sending comments 
electronically.
     Mail: Norman Widman, National Agronomist, Department of 
Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Conservation 
Practice Standard Comments, Post Office Box 2890, Washington, DC 20013.
     Fax: (202) 720-5334.
     E-mail: [email protected].
     Hand Delivery: USDA South Building, 1400 Independence 
Avenue, SW., Room 5234, Washington, DC 20250, between 9 a.m. and 4 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays. Please ask the 
guard at the entrance to the South Building to call (202) 720-4630 in 
order to be escorted into the building.
     This notice may be accessed via Internet. Users can access 
the NRCS homepage at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/ gov/; select the Farm Bill 
link from the menu; select Notices. Persons with disabilities who 
require alternative means for communication (braille, large print, 
audio tape, etc.) should contact the USDA TARGET Center at: (202) 720-
2600 (voice and TDD).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Norman Widman, National Agronomist, 
Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, P.O. 
Box 2890, Washington, DC 20013-2890; or e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NRCS provides technical assistance to 
clients through the conservation planning process. The planning process 
involves: (1) Determining the client goals and resource concerns 
(conservation needs), (2) developing of treatment options, (3) 
recording the client's decisions, and (4) evaluating the conservation 
treatment. The conservation practice standards used to apply 
conservation contain information on why and where the practice is 
applied, and sets forth the minimum technical criteria that must be met 
during the application of that practice in order for it to achieve its 
intended purposes. The engineering design specifications address how 
the practice is to be applied or installed and are developed for site-
specific conditions. Conservation practices are designed to address the 
treatment of resource needs and are not directed to specific types of 
farming or commodities.
    Agricultural and environmental groups expressed concern during the 
development of the 2008 Act that NRCS conservation practice standards 
did not adequately address or have relevance to particular types of 
farming operations or natural resource needs. As a result of those 
concerns, Section 2706 of the 2008 Act amended Section 1242(h)(1) of 
the Food Security Act of 1985 to require the Secretary of Agriculture 
to review conservation practice standards, including engineering design 
specifications, in effect on June 18, 2008; ensure, to the maximum 
extent practicable, the completeness and relevance of the standards to 
local agricultural, forestry, and natural resource needs, including 
specialty crops, native and managed pollinators, bioenergy crop 
production, forestry, and such other needs as are determined by the 
Secretary; and ensure that the standards provide for the optimal 
balance between meeting site-specific conservation needs and minimizing 
risks of design failure and associated costs of construction and 
installation. Section 1242(h)(2) of the Food Security Act of 1985, as 
amended, requires the Secretary, in conducting the review of the 
conservation practice standards, to consult with eligible participants, 
crop consultants, cooperative extension and Land Grant Universities, 
nongovernmental organizations, and other qualified entities. 
Additionally, if any revisions to the conservation practice standards 
are determined necessary, the Secretary is required to establish an 
administrative process for expediting the revisions.
    During July 2008 through September 2008, NRCS conducted a 
preliminary internal review of all conservation practice standards (at 
both the national and State levels) by technical discipline leaders to 
evaluate the practice applicability to organic farming, specialty 
crops, precision agriculture, pollinators, bio-energy production, and 
forestry. Through its internal review, NRCS made the following 
preliminary determinations:
    1. NRCS conservation practice standards have the flexibility to 
address the resource needs on all types of farming operations and 
resource interests, including those specified in

[[Page 27996]]

section 1242(h). NRCS will modify selected practices to better clarify 
their relevance to local agricultural, forestry, and natural resource 
needs, including specialty crops, native and managed pollinators, and 
bioenergy crop production.
    2. Practices are designed to balance design, construction, and 
installation with minimal risk of failure.
    3. NRCS field staff would benefit from additional training to 
better apply our current practices on non-traditional farming 
operations.
    4. NRCS needs to recognize the special needs of the non-traditional 
farming operations when payment schedules are developed.
    In addition to its internal review, NRCS met with several different 
groups representing organic agriculture, specialty crop production, 
forestry, pollinators, and precision farming to discuss our 
conservation practice standards and technical assistance. This meeting 
took place in December 2008 at the NRCS National Headquarters in 
Washington, DC. The results of the national and State conservation 
practice review were discussed with those present, and they were asked 
to send comments concerning the review by January 9, 2009. No comments 
were received.
    In order to obtain the widest possible input and to ensure NRCS 
fully meets the intent and spirit of the Section 1242(h) conservation 
practice review requirements, NRCS is now seeking further comments from 
the public on its conservation practice standards through August 11, 
2009. A list of all the USDA-NRCS National Conservation Practice 
Standards (166) is attached as an Appendix to this Notice. The specific 
content of the standards can be found at the following URL: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/standards/nhcp.html. NRCS requests public 
input on the relevance of any particular conservation practice to meet 
the needs the different types of farming operations and resource needs, 
or how any particular conservation practice can be modified or improved 
to achieve such goals. NRCS will publish in the Federal Register the 
final results of the conservation practice review and the modifications 
made in response to such review.
    As required by section 1242(h)(3), NRCS has a process to expedite 
any revisions to the conservation practice standards necessitated by 
this review. This process includes the following options: (1) Revising 
the conservation practice at the national level by the national 
technical leader, (2) revising the conservation practice at the State 
level by the State technical leader, or (3) the State Conservationist 
can request a conservation practice variance from the NRCS National 
Headquarters.

    Signed this 4th day of June, 2009, in Washington, DC.
Dave White,
Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Appendix

    List of NRCS National Conservation Practice Standards; http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/standards/nhcp.html.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Code                      Conservation practice title
------------------------------------------------------------------------
431...........................  Above Ground, Multi-Outlet Pipeline
                                 (ft).
472...........................  Access Control (ac).
560...........................  Access Road (ft).
309...........................  Agrichemical Handling Facility (no).
311...........................  Alley Cropping (ac).
591...........................  Amendments for Treatment of Agricultural
                                 Waste.
365...........................  Anaerobic Digester, Ambient Temperature
                                 (no).
366...........................  Anaerobic Digester, Controlled
                                 Temperature (no).
316...........................  Animal Mortality Facility (no).
575...........................  Animal Trails and Walkways (ft).
450...........................  Anionic Polyacrylamide (PAM) Erosion
                                 Control (ac).
397...........................  Aquaculture Ponds (ac).
370...........................  Atmospheric Resources Quality Management
                                 (ac),
310...........................  Bedding (ac).
314...........................  Brush Management (ac).
322...........................  Channel Bank Vegetation (ac).
584...........................  Channel Stabilization (ft).
326...........................  Clearing & Snagging (ft).
360...........................  Closure of Waste Impoundments (no).
317...........................  Composting Facility (no).
327...........................  Conservation Cover (ac).
328...........................  Conservation Crop Rotation (ac).
656...........................  Constructed Wetland (no).
332...........................  Contour Buffer Strips (ac).
330...........................  Contour Farming (ac).
331...........................  Contour Orchard and Other Fruit Areas
                                 (ac).
340...........................  Cover Crop (ac).
342...........................  Critical Area Planting (ac).
589A..........................  Cross Wind Ridges (ac).
589C..........................  Cross Wind Trap Strips (ac).
348...........................  Dam, Diversion (no).
402...........................  Dam (no & ac-ft).
324...........................  Deep Tillage (ac).
356...........................  Dike (ft).
362...........................  Diversion (ft).
554...........................  Drainage Water Management (ac).
432...........................  Dry Hydrant (no).
647...........................  Early Successional Habitat Development/
                                 Mgt. (ac).
592...........................  Feed Management (no & au).
382...........................  Fence (ft).
386...........................  Field Border (ft).
393...........................  Filter Strip (ac).

[[Page 27997]]

 
394...........................  Firebreak (ft).
396...........................  Fish Passage (mi).
398...........................  Fish Raceway or Tank (ft & ft\3\).
399...........................  Fishpond Management (no).
511...........................  Forage Harvest Management (ac).
384...........................  Forest Slash Treatment (ac).
666...........................  Forest Stand Improvement (ac).
655...........................  Forest Trails and Landings (ac).
383...........................  Fuel Break (ac).
410...........................  Grade Stabilization Structure (no).
412...........................  Grassed Waterway (ac).
548...........................  Grazing Land Mechanical Treatment (ac).
561...........................  Heavy Use Area Protection (ac).
422...........................  Hedgerow Planting (ft).
603...........................  Herbaceous Wind Barriers (ft).
423...........................  Hillside Ditch (ft).
320...........................  Irrigation Canal or Lateral (ft).
388...........................  Irrigation Field Ditch (ft).
464...........................  Irrigation Land Leveling (ac).
552...........................  Irrigation Regulating Reservoir (no).
436...........................  Irrigation Storage Reservoir (no & ac-
                                 ft).
441...........................  Irrigation System Microirrigation (no &
                                 ac).
442...........................  Irrigation System Sprinkler (no & ac).
443...........................  Irrigation System Surface & Subsurface
                                 (no & ac).
447...........................  Irrigation System, Tailwater Recovery
                                 (no).
428A..........................  Irrigation Water Conveyance, Ditch and
                                 Channel Lining, Plain Concrete (ft).
428B..........................  Irrigation Water Conveyance, Ditch and
                                 Channel Lining, Flexible Membrane (ft).
428C..........................  Irrigation Water Conveyance, Ditch and
                                 Channel Lining, Galvanized Steel (ft).
430AA.........................  Pipeline, Aluminum Tubing (ft).
430BB.........................  Pipeline, Asbestos-Cement (ft).
430CC.........................  Pipeline, Nonreinforced Concrete (ft).
430DD.........................  Pipeline, High-pressure, Underground,
                                 Plastic (ft).
430EE.........................  Pipeline, Low-pressure, Underground,
                                 Plastic (ft).
430FF.........................  Pipeline, Steel (ft).
430GG.........................  Pipeline, Reinforced Plastic Mortar
                                 (ft).
449...........................  Irrigation Water Management (ac).
460...........................  Land Clearing (ac).
543...........................  Land Reclamation, Abandoned Mined Land
                                 (ac).
544...........................  Land Reclamation, Currently Mined Land
                                 (ac).
453...........................  Land Reclamation, Landslide Treatment
                                 (no & ac).
455...........................  Land Reclamation, Toxic Discharge
                                 Control (no).
466...........................  Land Smoothing (ac).
468...........................  Lined Waterway or Outlet (ft).
634...........................  Waste Transfer (no).
457...........................  Mine Shaft & Adit Closing (no).
482...........................  Mole Drain (ft).
353...........................  Monitoring Well (ea).
484...........................  Mulching (ac).
379...........................  Multi-Story Cropping.
590...........................  Nutrient Management (ac).
500...........................  Obstruction Removal (ac).
582...........................  Open Channel (ft).
512...........................  Pasture & Hay Planting (ac).
595...........................  Pest Management (ac).
516...........................  Pipeline (ft).
378...........................  Pond (no).
521C..........................  Pond Sealing or Lining, Bentonite
                                 Sealant (no).
521A..........................  Pond Sealing or Lining, Flexible
                                 Membrane (no).
521B..........................  Pond Sealing or Lining, Soil Dispersant
                                 (no).
521D..........................  Pond Sealing or Lining, Compacted Clay
                                 Treatment (no).
462...........................  Precision Land Forming (ac).
338...........................  Prescribed Burning (ac).
409...........................  Prescribed Forestry (ac).
528...........................  Prescribed Grazing (ac).
533...........................  Pumping Plant (no).
550...........................  Range Planting (ac).
562...........................  Recreation Area Improvement (ac).
566...........................  Recreation Land Grading and Shaping
                                 (ac).
568...........................  Recreation Trail and Walkway (ft).
329...........................  Residue and Tillage Management, No Till/
                                 Strip Till/Direct Seed (ac).
345...........................  Residue and Tillage Management, Mulch
                                 Till (ac).
346...........................  Residue and Tillage Management, Ridge
                                 Till (ac).
344...........................  Residue Management, Seasonal (ac).
643...........................  Restoration and Management of Rare or
                                 Declining Habitats (ac).

[[Page 27998]]

 
391...........................  Riparian Forest Buffer (ac).
390...........................  Riparian Herbaceous Cover (ac).
555...........................  Rock Barrier (ft).
558...........................  Roof Runoff Structure (no).
557...........................  Row Arrangement (ac).
570...........................  Runoff Management System (no & ac).
610...........................  Salinity and Sodic Soil Management (ac).
350...........................  Sediment Basin (no).
646...........................  Shallow Water Development and Management
                                 (ac).
381...........................  Silvopasture Establishment (ac).
527...........................  Sinkhole and Sinkhole Area Treatment
                                 (no).
632...........................  Solid/Liquid Waste Separation Facility.
572...........................  Spoil Spreading (ac).
574...........................  Spring Development (no).
580...........................  Streambank and Shoreline Protection
                                 (ft).
578...........................  Stream Crossing (no).
395...........................  Stream Habitat Improvement and
                                 Management (ac).
585...........................  Stripcropping (ac).
587...........................  Structure for Water Control (no).
606...........................  Subsurface Drain (ft).
607...........................  Surface Drainage, Field Ditch (ft).
608...........................  Surface Drainage, Main or Lateral (ft).
609...........................  Surface Roughening (ac).
600...........................  Terrace (ft, m).
612...........................  Tree/Shrub Establishment (ac).
490...........................  Tree/Shrub Site Preparation (ac).
660...........................  Tree/Shrub Pruning (ac).
620...........................  Underground Outlet (ft).
645...........................  Upland Wildlife Habitat Management (ac).
635...........................  Vegetated Treatment Area (ac).
601...........................  Vegetative Barrier (ft).
630...........................  Vertical Drain (no).
367...........................  Waste Facility Cover (no).
313...........................  Waste Storage Facility (no).
629...........................  Waste Treatment.
359...........................  Waste Treatment Lagoon (no).
633...........................  Waste Utilization (ac).
636...........................  Water Harvesting Catchment (no).
614...........................  Watering Facility (no).
638...........................  Water and Sediment Control Basin (no).
640...........................  Waterspreading (ac).
642...........................  Water Well (no).
351...........................  Well Decommissioning (no).
355...........................  Well Water Testing (no).
658...........................  Wetland Creation (ac).
659...........................  Wetland Enhancement (ac).
657...........................  Wetland Restoration (ac).
644...........................  Wetland Wildlife Habitat Management
                                 (ac).
380...........................  Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment
                                 (ft).
650...........................  Windbreak/Shelterbelt Renovation (ft).
------------------------------------------------------------------------

[FR Doc. E9-13870 Filed 6-11-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-16-P