[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 16 (Friday, January 24, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 4191-4192]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-01066]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Commodity Credit Corporation

7 CFR Part 1468

[Docket ID NRCS-2019-0006]
RIN 0578-AA66


Agricultural Conservation Easement Program

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Commodity 
Credit Corporation (CCC), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Interim rule; correction and extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: On January 6, 2020, CCC and NRCS published an interim rule in 
the Federal Register that made changes to the Agricultural Conservation 
Easement Program (ACEP) regulations. This correction is being published 
to address minor errors in the preamble portion of the ACEP interim 
rule published on January 6, 2020. There are no changes to the ACEP 
regulations as published on January 6, 2020. CCC and NRCS are also 
extending the comment period and asking for public input on additional 
specific questions.

DATES: Effective: January 24, 2020.
    Comments Date: The comment period for the Interim rule published 
January 6, 2020, at 85 FR 558, is extended. We will consider comments 
that we receive by March 20, 2020.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments on the ACEP interim rule as 
amended by this correction, the EA, and FONSI. In your comment, please 
specify RIN 0578-AA66 and include the date, volume, and page number of 
this issue of the Federal Register, and the title of the rule. You may 
submit comments through the:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRCS-2019-0006. Follow the 
online instructions for submitting comments.
    All written comments received will be publicly available on 
www.regulations.gov.
    A copy of the related Environmental Analysis (EA) and Finding of No 
Significant Impact (FONSI) may be obtained at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/national/programs/farmbill/?cid=stelprdb1263599.

[[Page 4192]]

    A hard copy may also be requested in one of the following ways:
     Via mail: [email protected] with ``Request for EA'' in 
the subject line; or
     A written request: Karen Fullen, Environmental Compliance 
Specialist, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 9173 W Barnes Dr., 
Suite C, Boise, ID 83709.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey White, 202-720-1882; email: 
[email protected]. Persons with disabilities who require 
alternative means for communication should contact the USDA Target 
Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The ACEP interim rule was published in the 
Federal Register on January 6, 2020, (85 FR 558-590) to make changes to 
the ACEP policies and procedures in the ACEP regulations in 7 CFR part 
1468. This correction is being published to address minor errors in the 
preamble portion of the ACEP interim rule. There are no changes to the 
ACEP regulations as published on January 6, 2020.
    The Docket ID provided in the ADDRESSES section in the interim rule 
was incorrect as it should have matched the number provided in the 
document heading. The correct Docket ID is NRCS-2019-0006 and is 
correct throughout this document.
    Additionally, in the ACEP wetland reserve easements (ACEP-WRE) Key-
Changes preamble section on ACEP-WRE Wetland Restoration, on page 564 
of the January 6, 2020, interim rule, the definition of ``wetland 
restoration'' from the previous ACEP regulation had been included for 
reference. NRCS recognizes that including the former definition may 
cause confusion. The interim rule revised the definition, and the new 
definition for the term ``wetland restoration'' can be found in Sec.  
1468.3 as revised.

Request for Public Input

    At the time the interim rule was published, NRCS intended to 
request comment with respect to two additional matters.
    In the discussion of Sec.  1468.20(d) under the preamble heading 
``Summary of Changes to Subpart B, Agricultural Land Easements (ACEP-
ALE)'', on page 565 of the interim rule, NRCS discussed the criteria by 
which land can be determined eligible and explains the reasons why land 
enrolled in ACEP-ALE cannot include forest land greater than two-thirds 
of the ACEP-ALE easement area. NRCS is requesting public comment about 
whether other NRCS conservation programs with an easement component, 
such as the Healthy Forest Reserve Program or the Regional Conservation 
Partnership Program, should be used to assist in the protection of 
agricultural lands on which nonindustrial private forest is the 
predominate use at levels beyond the scope of ACEP-ALE.
    Additionally, NRCS requests public comment on recommendations to 
streamline access to ACEP and input on new or existing ranking criteria 
that would assist NRCS in selecting projects that best further ACEP 
purposes. Specifically, NRCS is considering whether there is anything 
that would fit under the language `other related conservation benefits' 
identified in Sec.  1468.22(c)(3)(iv) that would not fit within the 
other criteria listed in Sec.  1468.22(c)(3), in consideration of 
whether the criteria of `other related conservation benefits' should be 
kept (see page 580 of the interim rule). All comments received on or 
before the closing date for comments, March 20, 2020, will be 
considered. NRCS will review and respond to the public comments in the 
ACEP final rule.
    The comment period for the ACEP interim rule was initially 
scheduled to close on March 6, 2020. This correction extends the 
comment period, which will now close on March 20, 2020. The public 
comment period for the EA and FONSI has also been extended until March 
20, 2020. In addition, the URL in the January 6, 2020, interim rule for 
the EA and FONSI was in error. There have been no changes to either the 
EA or FONSI, the correction is that the URL was not going to the web 
page that contains the EA and FONSI. A copy of the EA and FONSI may be 
obtained at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detailfull/national/programs/farmbill/?cid=stelprdb1263599.

Kevin Norton,
Associate Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Robert Stephenson,
Executive Vice President, Commodity Credit Corporation.
[FR Doc. 2020-01066 Filed 1-22-20; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410-16-P