[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 52 (Tuesday, March 17, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 15051-15052]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-05157]



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 Rules and Regulations
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  Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 52 / Tuesday, March 17, 2020 / Rules 
and Regulations  

[[Page 15051]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Commodity Credit Corporation

7 CFR Part 1464

[Docket ID NRCS-2019-0012]
RIN 0560-AA70


Regional Conservation Partnership Program; Correction

AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and Natural Resources 
Conservation Service (NRCS), USDA.

ACTION: Correcting amendment and extension of comment period for 
interim rule.

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SUMMARY: CCC is correcting an interim rule that was published in the 
Federal Register on February 13, 2020, to incorporate the 2018 Farm 
Bill changes to the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) 
program administration. There was an unintentional error that omitted 
several paragraphs in a certain section in the RCPP rule. CCC and NRCS 
are also extending the comment period for the interim rule.

DATES: Effective date: March 17, 2020.
    Comments date: The comment period for the interim rule published 
February 13, 2020, at 85 FR 8131, is extended. We will consider 
comments that we receive by May 12, 2020.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments on the RCPP rule as amended 
by this correction. In your comments, include the date, volume, and 
page number of this issue of the Federal Register, and the title of 
document. You may submit comments by the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRCS-2019-0012. Follow the 
online instructions for submitting comments.
    All written comments received will be publicly available on http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Whitt; (202) 690-2267; email: 
[email protected]. Persons with disabilities who require 
alternative means for communication should contact the USDA Target 
Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice only).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Correcting Amendment to Regulations

    The RCPP interim rule was published February 13, 2020, (85 FR 8131-
8145) to implement the RCPP regulations. During the final stage of 
developing the interim rule, several paragraphs were inadvertently 
omitted in 7 CFR 1464.5. Several paragraphs about producer eligibility 
and practice standards were mistakenly deleted. This correction adds in 
the correct text for paragraph (c)(4), adds paragraphs (c)(5), (d), and 
(e)(1), and renumbers the text that should have been paragraph (e)(2). 
Paragraph (c) specifies requirements for producer to be eligible for 
RCPP. Paragraph (d) specifies requirements for land to be considered 
eligible for enrollment in RCPP. Paragraph (e) specifies requirements 
for activities to be eligible for RCPP.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 1464

    Agricultural operations, Conservation payments, Conservation 
practices, Eligible activities, Environmental credits, Forestry 
management, Natural resources, Resource concern, Soil and water 
conservation, Wildlife.

    For the reasons stated in the preamble, CCC amends 7 CFR part 1464 
by making the following correcting amendments:

PART 1464--REGIONAL CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

0
1. The authority citation for part 1464 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 714b and 714c; 16 U.S.C. 3871 et seq.

Subpart A--General Provisions

0
2. Amend Sec.  1464.5 by revising paragraph (c)(4) and adding 
paragraphs (c)(5), (d) and (e) to read as follows:


Sec.  1464.5  Program requirements.

* * * * *
    (c) * * *
    (4) Supply information, as required by NRCS, to determine 
eligibility for the program, including but not limited to, information 
that verifies the producer's status as a historically underserved 
producer, compliance with part 12 of this title, and compliance with 
adjusted gross income payment eligibility as established by part 1400 
of this chapter; and
    (5) For producers operating as a legal entity or joint operation, 
provide a list of all members of the legal entity or joint operation 
and embedded entities along with each members' tax identification 
numbers and percentage interest in the entity. However, where 
applicable, American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Pacific Islanders may 
use another unique identification number for each individual eligible 
for payment.
    (d) Eligible land. Land may be considered eligible for enrollment 
in RCPP if NRCS determines that:
    (1) The land is private or Tribal agricultural land, nonindustrial 
private forest land, or associated land on which an eligible activity 
would help achieve the conservation benefits defined for an approved 
project; or
    (2) The land is publicly owned agricultural land or associated land 
and the enrollment of such land is--
    (i) Appropriate for the type of eligible activity, and
    (ii) The eligible activity to be implemented on the public land is 
necessary and will contribute meaningfully to achieving conservation 
benefits consistent with an approved project.
    (e) Eligible activities. (1) In each partnership agreement, NRCS 
will identify the eligible activities that are available to producers 
and landowners through the project. Eligible activities may include 
land management, land rental activities, easements, or watershed type 
projects. Projects may use more than one type of eligible activity.
    (2) NRCS may approve interim conservation practice standards or 
activities if--
    (i) New technologies or management approaches that provide a high 
potential for optimizing conservation benefits have been developed; and
    (ii) The interim conservation practice standard or activity 
incorporates the new technologies and provides financial assistance for 
pilot work to evaluate and assess the performance, efficiency, and

[[Page 15052]]

effectiveness of the new technology or management approach.
* * * * *

Matthew Lohr,
Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Robert Stephenson,
Executive Vice President, Commodity Credit Corporation.
[FR Doc. 2020-05157 Filed 3-16-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-16-P