[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 234 (Tuesday, December 7, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75961-75962]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-30673]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service


Notice of Implementation of the Wind Erosion Prediction System 
for Soil Erodibility System Calculations for the Natural Resources 
Conservation Service

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the Wind Erosion Prediction System 
(WEPS) for soil erodibility system calculations scheduled for 
implementation for public review and comment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the intention of the Natural 
Resources

[[Page 75962]]

Conservation Service (NRCS) to implement the WEPS which will replace 
the use of the Wind Erosion Equation (WEQ) where applicable.

DATES: Effective Date: This is effective December 7, 2010.
    Comment Date: Submit comments on or before January 6, 2011. Final 
versions of these new or revised conservation practice standards will 
be adopted after the close of the 30-day period, and after 
consideration of all comments.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be submitted using any of the following 
methods:
     Mail: Eric West, National Highly Erodible Lands and 
Wetlands Conservation Specialist, Ecological Sciences Division, 
Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW., Room 6150 South Building, Washington, DC 
20250.
     E-mail: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eric West, National Highly Erodible 
Lands and Wetlands Conservation Specialist, Ecological Sciences 
Division, Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation 
Service, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 6150 South Building, 
Washington, DC 20250.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The WEQ, a simple two-factor linear model 
for calculating the effects of wind erosion, will be replaced by WEPS 
for selected regulatory permissible applications. The WEPS model will 
be used where wind erosion is the primary causal factor for comparing 
the annual level of erosion before conservation system application to 
the expected annual level of erosion after conservation system 
application (i.e., substantial reduction for highly erodible land 
conservation). The WEQ is the current method in the regulations for 
calculating substantial reduction and potential erodibility due to the 
effects of wind. The use of WEQ to calculate potential erodibility 
remains unchanged. The regulation for WEQ is located at 7 CFR 610.14.
    The implementation of the WEPS system does not affect the Highly 
Erodible Map Unit List contained in the NRCS Field Office Technical 
Guide as of January 1, 1990. This 1990 list will continue to be used 
for all erodibility index calculations, including sodbuster 
determinations and review of previous determinations.
    The WEPS computer model is a process-based, daily time-step 
computer model that predicts soil erosion via simulation of the 
fundamental processes controlling wind erosion. WEPS can calculate soil 
movement, estimate plant damage, and predict PM-10 emissions when wind 
speeds exceed the erosion threshold. The WEPS model can also provide 
the user with spatial information regarding soil flux, deposition, and 
loss from specific regions of a field over time. The model is intended 
for conservation planning, assessing wind erosion for the Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) NRCS' National Resources Inventory, and aiding the 
development of regional and national policy.
    The WEPS modular design is amenable to incorporation of new 
features. Thus, WEPS utility will also be for estimating long-term soil 
productivity, determining physical damage to crops, depositional 
loading of lakes and streams, as well as estimating visibility 
reductions near airports and highways. Further, WEPS will aid in 
calculating both onsite and offsite economic costs of erosion and 
assess impacts of management strategies on public lands when used in 
conjunction with other models.
    A complete summary of the processes utilized by the WEPS computer 
model can be found in An Overview of the Wind Erosion Prediction System 
(http://www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/Place/54300520/wepsoverview.pdf). 
A thorough discussion and review of the WEPS model processes is 
available in the draft WEPS technical document (http://www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/Place/54300520/weps_tech.pdf). Further, 
both of the previously referenced documents, as well as other WEPS 
related topics, can be found at the USDA Agricultural Research Service 
Engineering and Wind Erosion Research Unit (http://www.ars.usda.gov/Main/docs.htm?docid=18371) home page.
    The implementation timeframe for WEPS in each field office with a 
wind erosion concern is January 1, 2011. Title 16-Conservation, Chapter 
58-Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation and Reserve Program, 
Subchapter I-Definitions, 9(C) Equations (i.e., 16 USC section 
3801(a)(9)(C)) requires NRCS to make available for public review and 
comment all proposed changes to equations to carry out HEL provisions 
of the law in a manner consistent with section 553 of title 5.

    Signed this 30th day of November, 2010, in Washington, DC.
Dave White,
Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-30673 Filed 12-6-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-16-P