[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 120 (Friday, June 23, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28619-28620]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-13179]


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

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service

[Docket No. NRCS-2017-0001]


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 to the National 
Handbook of Conservation Practices for public review and comment.

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

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: Anaerobic 
Digester (Code 366), Contour Farming (Code 330), Crosswind Ridges (Code 
588), Dam (Code 402), Mulching (Code 484), Pond Sealing or Lining--
Geomembrane or Geosynthetic Clay Liner (Code 521), Stream Crossing 
(Code 578), Strip-Cropping (Code 585), Structure for Water Control 
(Code 587), Water and Sediment Control Basin (Code 638), Waste 
Recycling (Code 633), Waste Treatment Lagoon (Code 359). 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. These practices may be used in 
conservation systems that treat highly erodible land (HEL) or on land 
determined to be a wetland. 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 June 23, 2017.
    Comment Date: Submit comments on or before July 24, 2017. 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-2017-0001, 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:

[[Page 28620]]

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, telephone number, email, or other 
personal identifying information (PII), your comments, including PII, 
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: Bill Reck, National Environmental 
Engineer, Conservation Engineering Division, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 1400 Independence 
Avenue Southwest, South Building, Room 6136, Washington, DC 20250.
    Electronic copies of the proposed revised standards are available 
through http://www.regulations.gov by accessing Docket No. NRCS-2017-
0001. 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=nrcs143_026849. To aid in 
this comparison, following are highlights of some of the proposed 
revisions to each standard:
    Anaerobic Digester (Code 366)--Revised language as needed to 
improve readability and clarify intent in criteria. ``Conditions Where 
Practice Applies'' section was updated and two items were removed. 
Provided additional information on the use of open and closed flares. 
Updated the safety section.
    Contour Farming (Code 330)--The contour farming definition was 
changed to read ``Aligning ridges, furrows, and roughness formed by 
tillage, planting and other operations at a grade near the contour to 
alter the velocity or the direction of water flow.'' Added the resource 
concern linked to each purpose. Under ``general criteria'' made changes 
to the wording on minimum and maximum row grades and lowered the 
allowable deviation of row grade within 50 feet of a stable outlet. 
Changed requirements under ``plans and specifications.''
    Crosswind Ridges (Code 588)--The crosswind ridges standard was 
reviewed and updated to reflect current agency policy and science. Each 
``purpose'' has the resource concern linked. Minor word edits were made 
to clarify criteria. In ``references,'' updated the Wind Erosion 
Prediction System reference.
    Dam (Code 402)--The agency updated criteria and added references. 
Other changes improved the clarity of language used in the standard.
    Mulching (Code 484)--The mulching standard was reviewed and updated 
to reflect current agency policy and science. The ``definition'' was 
changed with the reference to ``materials produced offsite'' removed. 
Each ``purpose'' has the resource concern linked. Under ``general 
criteria applicable to all purposes,'' a paragraph was added to remove 
synthetic mulches and to not incorporate them into the soil. The 
percentage of ground cover to reduce potential evaporation was 
increased and two new references were added.
    Pond Sealing or Lining--Geomembrane or Geosynthetic Clay Liner 
(Code 521)--Title changed from ``Pond Sealing or Lining--Flexible 
Membrane'' to ``Pond Sealing or Lining--Geomembrane or Geosynthetic 
Clay Liner'' to better reflect the current industrial standard 
nomenclature. Practice Standard Code changed from 521A to 521. Units 
changed from ``Number'' to ``Square Feet'' to better represents the 
quantity of the practice installed. HDPE liner thickness changed from 
40 mil to 60 mil.
    Stream Crossing (Code 578)--The purpose of this standard has been 
modified to only address resource concerns. Criteria listed as 
considerations was moved to the appropriate criteria section. Language 
has been simplified to better coordinate CPS 578 with other 
conservation practices, policy, and procedures by cross-referencing, 
instead of reiteration.
    Strip-Cropping (Code 585)--The strip-cropping standard was reviewed 
and updated to reflect current agency policy and science. Each 
``purpose'' has the resource concern linked. Minor word edits were made 
to clarify criteria. Under ``general criteria,'' added ``Design the row 
grades with positive row drainage of not less than 0.2 percent on 
slopes where ponding is a concern. This would include sites with soils 
with slow to very slow infiltration rates (soil hydrologic groups C or 
D), or where crops are sensitive to ponded water.'' In ``references,'' 
updated the Wind Erosion Prediction System, and added a reference for 
the Water Erosion Prediction Project.
    Structure for Water Control (Code 587)--The agency updated criteria 
and added references. Other changes improved the clarity of language 
used in the standard.
    Water and Sediment Control Basin (Code 638)--Revised language as 
needed to improve readability and clarify intent of criteria. Topsoil 
criteria and the auxiliary spillway portion of the outlet criteria were 
moved to the considerations section since these are not always 
required. Added criteria for embankment foundation preparation.
    Waste Recycling (Code 633)--Language changes were made in the 
definition, conditions where practice applies and criteria to clarify 
the purpose of the standard and how it is to be used.
    Waste Treatment Lagoon (Code 359)--The document has been revised 
extensively. Those revisions include modifications to align the 
structural design requirements to align with changes to the Waste 
Storage Structure Standard. These changes include changes in accepted 
concrete and timber design criteria, modification of language for 
storage requirements to improve clarity, modify language to conform to 
the Plain Language Act, improvements to the safety criteria, changing 
the requirement of a staff gauge from optional to required, and 
improvements to the ``Plans and Specifications,'' and ``Operation and 
Maintenance'' sections of the standard. Other changes have been made to 
improve the clarity of the language used in the standard.

    Signed this 24th day of May, 2017, in Washington, DC.
Leonard Jordan,
Acting Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-13179 Filed 6-22-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-16-P