[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 149 (Thursday, August 4, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 47690]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-16704]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service

[Docket No. NRCS-2022-0009]


Notice of Availability of the Draft Programmatic Environmental 
Assessment for the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Funding 
Opportunity

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

ACTION: Notice of availability and finding of no significant impact.

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SUMMARY: NRCS is announcing the draft Programmatic Environmental 
Assessment (PEA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the 
Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities funding opportunity is 
available for public review and comment.

DATES: We will consider comments that we receive by August 18, 2022.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments on the PEA and FONSI. You 
may submit comments:
     By going through the Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 
http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRCS-22-0009. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    All comments will be posted without change and will be publicly 
available on www.regulations.gov.
    A copy of the draft PEA and Finding of No Significant Impact 
(FONSI) may be obtained from:
     www.regulations.gov search for Docket ID NRCS-22-0009, 
supporting documents;
     https://www.usda.gov/climate-solutions/climate-smart-commodities; or
     Email [email protected] with ``Request for PEA'' in 
the subject line.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Blackburn; telephone: (202) 360-
8195; or 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: Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities 
is a voluntary USDA funding opportunity with funding made available 
through NRCS for partnerships to support the production and marketing 
of climate-smart commodities. Partnerships for Climate-Smart 
Commodities is designed to use the funds and authorities of the 
Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) (15 U.S.C. 714-714f) to support the 
development of markets and production of agricultural commodities using 
agricultural (farming, ranching, or forestry) production practices that 
reduce greenhouse gas emissions or sequester carbon. NRCS is 
administering the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities on behalf 
of CCC.
    The environmental impacts of the Partnerships for Climate-Smart 
Commodities funding opportunity have been considered in a manner 
consistent with the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321-4347), the regulations of the 
Council on Environmental Quality (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), and the NRCS 
regulations for compliance with NEPA (7 CFR part 650). A draft PEA has 
been prepared and based on this analysis, NRCS has preliminarily 
determined there will not be a significant impact to the human 
environment. As a result, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) has 
not been initiated (40 CFR 1501.6).
    In efforts to diligently involve the public, NRCS is making the 
draft EA and FONSI available for review and comment for 14 calendar 
days from the date of publication of this document in the Federal 
Register. NRCS will consider this input and determine whether there is 
any new information provided relevant to environmental concerns and 
bearing on the proposed action or its impacts that warrant 
supplementing or revising the draft PEA and FONSI. After the comment 
period, NRCS will issue either a Final EA and FONSI, or it will issue a 
Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

Terry Cosby,
Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-16704 Filed 8-3-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-16-P