[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 139 (Tuesday, July 21, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43057-43058]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-17797]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service

[Docket No. NRCS-2015-0010]


Notice of Proposed Changes to the National Handbook of 
Conservation Practices for the Natural Resources Conservation Service

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), U.S. Department 
of Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notice of availability of proposed changes in the NRCS National 
Handbook of Conservation Practices for public review and comment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the intention of NRCS to issue a 
series of revised conservation practice standards in the National 
Handbook of Conservation Practices. These standards include: Channel 
Bed Stabilization (Code 584), Karst Sinkhole Treatment (Code 527), Open 
Channel (Code 582), Pond (Code 378), Surface Drain, Field Ditch (Code 
607), Surface Drain, Main or Lateral (Code 608), Vertical Drain (Code 
630) and Waste Hauling (Code 321). NRCS State Conservationists who 
choose to adopt these practices for use within their States will 
incorporate them into section IV of their respective electronic Field 
Office Technical Guide. Section 343 of the Federal Agriculture 
Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 requires NRCS to make available for 
public review and comment all proposed revisions to conservation 
practice standards used to carry out HEL and wetland provisions of the 
law.

DATES: Effective Date: This is effective July 21, 2015.
    Comment Date: Submit comments on or before August 20, 2015. 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, identified by Docket Number 
NRCS-2015-0010, using any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail or hand delivery: Public Comments Processing, 
Attention: Regulatory and Agency Policy Team, Strategic Planning and 
Accountability, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 5601 Sunnyside 
Avenue, Building 1-1112D, Beltsville, Maryland 20705.
    NRCS will post all comments on http://www.regulations.gov. In 
general, personal information provided with comments will be posted. If 
your comment includes your address, phone number, email, or other 
personal identifying information (PII), your comments, including 
personal information, may be available to the public. You may ask in 
your comment that your PII be withheld from public view, but this 
cannot be guaranteed.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wayne Bogovich, National Agricultural 
Engineer, Conservation Engineering Division, Department of Agriculture, 
Natural Resources Conservation Service, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., 
Room 6136 South Building, Washington, DC 20250.

[[Page 43058]]

    Electronic copies of the proposed revised standards are available 
through http://www.regulations.gov by accessing Docket No. NRCS-2015-
0010. Alternatively, copies can be downloaded or printed from the 
following Web site: http://go.usa.gov/TXye. Requests for paper versions 
or inquiries may be directed to Emil Horvath, National Practice 
Standards Review Coordinator, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 
Central National Technology Support Center, 501 West Felix Street, Fort 
Worth, Texas 76115.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The amount of the proposed changes varies 
considerably for each of the conservation practice standards addressed 
in this notice. To fully understand the proposed changes, individuals 
are encouraged to compare these changes with each standard's current 
version as shown at: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/national/technical/cp/ncps/?cid=nrcs143026849.
    To aid in this comparison, following are highlights of some of the 
proposed revisions to each standard:
    Channel Bed Stabilization (Code 584)--The proposed changes provide 
additional clarification regarding the conditions where the practice 
applies, general criteria, considerations, and technical references.
    Karst Sinkhole Treatment (Code 527)--The proposed changes provide 
additional clarification regarding the conditions where the practice 
applies, general criteria, sinkhole treatment/closing and 
considerations.
    Open Channel (Code 582)--The agency refined the definition, 
modified criteria, added considerations, updated requirements for plans 
and specifications, and updated requirements for operation and 
maintenance.
    Pond (Code 378)--The agency refined the definition, modified 
criteria, updated considerations, updated requirements for plans and 
specifications, and updated requirements for operation and maintenance.
    Surface Drain, Field Ditch (Code 607)--The agency changed the 
definition for clarity, along with a purpose and criteria added to 
allow use of this practice to collect irrigation tailwater for reuse.
    Surface Drain, Main or Lateral (Code 608)--The agency removed the 
reference to the ambiguous phrase `water management system' in the 
purpose to improve clarity. Criteria was added allowing the use of this 
practice as a component to collect irrigation tailwater, for use in a 
Tailwater Recovery System, (Code 447) along with a reference to the 
two-stage channel design process in NRCS National Engineering Handbook, 
Part 654.1005 in areas where increased channel stability is required.
    Vertical Drain (Code 630)--The agency incorporated plain language 
into this practice standard by adding verbiage to address potential 
negative effects on underground habitat, in conditions where practice 
applies. NRCS also added a statement in plans and specifications, 
focusing on documenting specific site characteristics, in relation to 
potential contamination sources. Finally, the agency added a references 
section with National Engineering Handbook 633, Chapter 26, gradation 
Design of Sand and Gravel Filters.
    Waste Hauling (Code 321)--This is a new national conservation 
practice standard with a 1-year lifespan. This practice removes manure 
hauling from the Waste Transfer (Code 634) standard that has been 
utilized extensively by a number of States for several years. The Waste 
Transfer standard is structural and long-term in character which does 
not fit the hauling of manure and other agricultural waste very well. 
The Waste Hauling standard is short term and non-structural. Waste 
Hauling is the practice of moving manure or other agricultural waste 
products by vehicle from a region where concentration of waste 
production makes it very difficult to find cropland for application 
that does not already exhibit very high nutrient levels due to previous 
application. Additionally, the practice will be used to move 
agricultural waste in watersheds with water quality problems to markets 
outside the impacted watershed. The Waste Hauling contract will be with 
the end user of the product, and must be used in conjunction with a CPS 
Nutrient Management (Code 590) plan.

    Signed this 13th day of July, 2015, in Washington, DC.
Jason A. Weller,
Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-17797 Filed 7-20-15; 8:45 am]
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