[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 205 (Wednesday, October 23, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56755-56756]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-23111]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service


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

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is giving 
this notice that it intends to issue a series of revised conservation 
practice standards in the National Handbook of Conservation Practices 
(NHCP), and NRCS is also giving the public an opportunity to provide 
comments on specified practice conservation standards in NHCP.

DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by November 22, 2019. 
Comments received after this date will be considered to the extent 
possible. Final versions of these new or revised conservation practice 
standards will be adopted after the close of the 30-day period and the 
consideration of all comments.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments on this notice. In your 
comments, include the volume, date, and page number of this issue of 
the Federal Register. Comments may be submitted by any of the following 
methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for docket ID NRCS-2019-0011. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail, or Hand Delivery: Mr. Bill Reck, National 
Environmental Engineer, Conservation Engineering Division, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, NRCS, 1400 Independence Avenue, South 
Building, Room 6136, Washington, DC 20250.
    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 PII, 
may be available to the public. You may request that your PII be 
withheld from public view, but this cannot be guaranteed.
    The copies of the proposed revised standards are available through 
http://www.regulations.gov by accessing Docket No. NRCS-2019-0011. 
Alternatively, the proposed revised standards can be downloaded or 
printed from http://go.usa.gov/TXye.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Bill Reck, (202) 720-4485; or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NRCS State Conservationists who choose to 
adopt these practices in their States will incorporate these practices 
into the 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.
    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, which can be found 
at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/national/technical/cp/ncps/?cid=nrcs143_026849.
    NRCS is requesting for comments on the practice standards: Contour 
Buffer Strips (Code 332), Dam, Diversion (Code 348); Deep Tillage (Code 
324); Irrigation and Drainage Tailwater Recovery (Code 447); Irrigation 
Canal or Lateral (Code 320); Irrigation Ditch Lining (Code 428); 
Irrigation Field Ditch (Code 388); Irrigation Reservoir (Code 436); 
Land Clearing (Code 460); Obstruction Removal (Code 500); Surface 
Roughening (Code 609); Waste Treatment (Code 629); and Waterspreading 
(Code 640). The following are highlights of some of the proposed 
revisions to each standard:
    Contour Buffer Strips (Code 332): Formatting and writing style were 
updated to meet current agency requirements. Updated missing units, 
tabular values, and changed term flexible membrane to geosynthetic to 
meet current industry standards. Moved items related to energy use from 
the Criteria section to the Considerations section.
    Dam, Diversion (Code 348): The Criteria section was updated, and 
references were added. Other changes were made to improve the clarity 
of language used in the standard.
    Deep Tillage (Code 324): Formatting and writing style were updated 
to meet current agency requirements. Several paragraphs in the 
Considerations section were edited to improve clarity.
    Irrigation and Drainage Tailwater Recovery (Code 447): The title 
was changed to ``Irrigation and Drainage Tailwater Recovery'' from 
``Irrigation System, Tailwater Recovery''. Scope and

[[Page 56756]]

purposes of the standard were updated to include drainage water as well 
as irrigation water. This standard applies to lands that have a 
properly designed and installed irrigation or subsurface drainage 
system where recoverable irrigation runoff, subsurface drainage 
outflows, or rainfall runoff are expected under current or planned 
management practices.
    Irrigation Canal or Lateral (Code 320): Formatting and writing 
style were updated to meet current agency requirements. The 
Considerations section has a new paragraph that suggests ways the 
practice can be implemented that enhances the practice for pollinators 
and other beneficial insects.
    Irrigation Ditch Lining (Code 428): Formatting and writing style 
were updated to meet current agency requirements. Updated missing 
units, tabular values, and reworded the term flexible membrane to 
geosynthetic to meet current industry standards. Moved items related to 
energy use from the Criteria section to the Considerations section.
    Irrigation Field Ditch (Code 388): Formatting and writing style 
were updated to meet current agency requirements. In addition, a 
sentence on spoil disposal was added in the Criteria section. The 
Considerations section was significantly re-written.
    Irrigation Reservoir (Code 436): Formatting and writing style were 
updated to meet current agency requirements. Removed energy use 
bulleted items from the Purpose section. Moved items related to energy 
use from the Criteria section to the Considerations section. Also moved 
fencing and critical planting from the Considerations section to the 
Criteria section.
    Land Clearing (Code 460): Formatting and writing style were updated 
to meet current agency requirements. Relatively minor changes have been 
made to simplify and clarify the definition, purpose and criteria 
within the standard.
    Obstruction Removal (Code 500): Formatting and writing style were 
updated to meet current agency requirements. Changes to Purpose and 
Conditions where Practice Applies sections were made to help clarify 
standard usage. Changes were made to help simplify and clarify the 
Criteria and Consideration section within the standards.
    Surface Roughening (Code 609): Formatting and writing style were 
updated to meet current agency requirements. Several paragraphs in the 
Considerations section were deleted and edited for improved clarity. 
Reference to the Crop Tolerance Table in the National Agronomy Manual 
was added.
    Waste Treatment (Code 629): Purpose revised to improve water 
quality, improve air quality resource concerns, and facilitate waste 
handling and storage. Conditions where this practice applies is on all 
land uses where manure and/or agricultural waste is being generated and 
where soils, geology, and topography are suitable for construction of 
the waste treatment system. Criteria sections added to address system 
designs outside the scope of current accepted NRCS conservation 
practice standards, waste stream pretreatment requirements, byproducts 
handling and storage, and required technical review of treatment 
performance.
    Waterspreading (Code 640): Purpose statements were also reworded to 
more directly relate to the stated resource concern. In ``Conditions 
where Practice Applies'' the language was simplified and more clearly 
explains where practice may be used. References were added.

Kevin Norton,
Associate Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-23111 Filed 10-22-19; 8:45 am]
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